Lone Jack Kid: The Buffalo Hunt (The Lone Jack Kid Book 3) Page 17

  “Look, Rose. I know they say that marriage is a fifty-fifty proposition, and I’ll do my best to be a good husband; but I need a wife who will listen to me and not dictate to me. I’m a rich man and I’ll make sure that you have a good life… if we decide to get married. I’m not a difficult man to get along with, Rose. It’s just that I’m set in my ways. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  Tears welled up in her eyes but she nodded. “I do understand, Charlie, and if we do get married, I’ll do my best to make you happy. I promise.”

  Charlie smiled and kissed her. He held her tight for a long moment before loosening his embrace.

  “I have to leave now. I’ll see you in three days.”

  Before daybreak the following morning, Charlie entered the dining room, figuring on having breakfast before meeting Custer. The dining room was usually empty this early in the morning, so he was surprised to see a number of men crowding around two tables. Wild Eagle was sitting next to Spotted Tail. Ned Buntline was seated beside Buffalo Bill. Even General Sheridan was there, chatting amiably with Custer, with Boston seated beside his brother and Lonesome Charlie next to Boston.

  “Here he is,” General Sheridan said, motioning to Charlie. Sit down here, Charlie. I’ve saved a seat for you.”

  Ned turned to Charlie. “The morning’s almost gone, man. Do you figure on sleeping away your entire life?”

  Charlie looked puzzled. It was still dark out. Then, everyone at the table burst out laughing.

  “We’re all coming with you and Custer on your little three-day excursion,” Buntline said chuckling. Then he added, “Except General Sheridan, who as you already know, is leaving for Washington this morning on the nine o’clock train. We figured you’d appreciate our company. And besides, we have nothing better to do.”

  Charlie frowned and looked directly at Ned. “You mean to tell me that I have to put up with you for another three days.” He looked at the rest of the men sitting there. “I don’t know if I’ll survive the three days if Ned is coming with us.”

  Ned bit off a chaw of tobacco and laughed. “You know you can’t get along without me watching out for you. Who’s gonna cover your back when I’m not with you? It seems that every time I read about you in the papers, you’re all shot to pieces, and that’s because old Ned ain’t been with you to watch your back. Now look me in the eye and tell me that’s not true.”

  Now it was Charlie’s turn to laugh as he glanced around the table. “You know something? This old walrus has a point, but I still haven’t figured out if he brings me good luck or bad luck.”

  When Charlie walked out through the hotel’s batwing doors, he was surprised to see Sable tied to the hitching post in front of the hotel, all saddled and ready to go. A burro loaded with provisions was added to the mix. Sheridan stepped down into the street and patted the burro on his rump.

  “I figured with all these men going with you, an army burro carrying your supplies would make traveling a lot easier. Custer and the 7th Calvary will take him back with them when they return to his North Dakota headquarters in Fort Abraham Lincoln.”

  Chapter 31

  Every so often, Ban-Chu would run ahead of the men and disappear in the thick shrubs, sometimes for hours. Then he’d reappear from the dense forest and walk alongside Charlie as if he had never left. Charlie kept an eye on the route, hoping next time he made the trip, it would be with Rose and Marsha in a carriage. The weather was good, which made traveling enjoyable.

  It took most of the day before they reached the lush green valley, and Charlie was sure he could make it there with a horse pulling a small carriage. The men stopped at a high rise overlooking the valley, where their view to the little cabin, nestled in a clearing by the dense woods surrounding the valley, was unobstructed. Charlie moved Sable forward a few paces in order to see better, then loosened his reins and hooked his knee over his horn. He pulled out three cigars from his pocket and handed one to Custer and another to Lonesome Charlie Reynolds.

  He leaned closer to Custer.

  “Looks like good land to raise horses and a few cattle. Plenty of grass and look, there’s a stream near the cabin that’s almost hidden. I wonder if it has any fish in it. It would be nice to have fish once in a while instead of always eating beef.”

  Lonesome Charlie joined the conversation. “There’s fish in that stream, all right. I know that for a fact. ‘Cause every once in a while, me and old man Sutter used to go down to that stream and catch us some fish for dinner.”

  Charlie thanked him.

  “Seeing as how there’s fish in that stream, that’s another reason why I should consider settling down here. Tell me, Lonesome Charlie, if I decide to settle down here, do I have to worry about Indians?”

  He shook his head. “You won’t have any Indian problems. This is Spotted Tail’s land and he’s a friend of the white man.”

  Charlie gave him a tight-lipped but encouraging smile and dug his heels into his horse. “Come on,” he said, suddenly anxious to ride down and look over what might soon be his property.

  The men walked around the property before entering the cabin.

  “The barn looks pretty good. It needs a few new boards on the roof to keep the rain out and the doors could use some fixing up, but other than that, it’s not in bad shape. Let’s take a look at the corral.”

  Custer examined the busted gate, which had to be tied to remain closed. “The corral gate needs to be replaced. The wood is all rotted and the hinges are rusted, but that’s no big deal to fix. Let’s check out the cabin.”

  The cabin was small. It was built by one man, to sleep and house one man. Charlie started doing some mental calculations about how he would add to the structure.

  Custer noticed the intense look on Charlie’s face. “Don’t fret about the small things, Charlie. If you feel this is the place you want to settle down in, I’ll return here with a complement of men and we’ll pitch in and help you build an addition to the place.”

  Charlie’s blue eyes sparkled as he gave Custer a look of relief.

  “Wouldn’t that cause you problems with the men?”

  Custer laughed. “Are you kidding me? The men would love to help out here. It would relieve their boredom. And with that many men, you’d have your addition built and added to the cabin in no time flat. Don’t worry. I’ll present it to the men and they’ll take a vote on it. I’m sure that helping out here is much more preferable to performing guard and kitchen duties in Fort Lincoln. Just to be certain that it’s okay, I’ll clear it with General Sheridan first.”

  Upon their return, Charlie explained to Rose that General Custer had asked him to help the army on a secret mission. He didn’t want Rose to know he was fixing up the old cabin and adding an extension to it. Lying didn’t come naturally to him, but when the house was finished, he’d show it to her and tell her everything.

  The 7th Calvary men enjoyed helping build the extension to the house. They also remodeled the barn and fixed up the old corral. New shrubs were added, the well outside was remodeled, the floors were varnished, and the men even managed to build a root cellar with a hidden door, in case they were attacked by hostile Indians or jayhawkers.

  The house was completed and the men were preparing to leave for Fort Lincoln, but Charlie told them not to leave until he spoke to them. The troopers were curious, until Charlie thanked each and every man for the generous help they had given him. He motioned for Sergeant Hoover to approach him.

  “How many men have worked on my new home, Sergeant?”

  “Twenty-four, sir.”

  Charlie counted out twenty-four envelopes and told the sergeant to give one to each man who worked on the house.

  “Come and see me after you hand the envelopes out, Sergeant.”

  Suspecting there was something of value in the envelopes, the sergeant gave Charlie a crisp salute.

  “Yes, sir. I’ll return in a few minutes.”

  He called the men to order and they lined
up in front of him while Custer looked on with an amused expression, knowing what the men were about to receive. He turned and winked at Charlie, who acknowledged it with a slight tilt of his head. Each of the envelopes contained $50 from Charlie. Considering the veterans were known as fifty-cents-a-day-men, $50 was a staggering amount of money. Since new recruits earned thirteen dollars a month, the $50 represented almost four months’ pay.

  “Sergeant, here’s your envelope.”

  Hoover opened the envelope and took a peek, quickly counting $60. He saluted with a wide grin on his face.

  When the men were preparing to leave, Custer led his horse by the reins over to Charlie.

  “That’s quite a bit of money you just handed out, partner.”

  Charlie waved it off. “Sheriff Lehman brought the rest of the reward money to me before we left. It was money I never earned and I’ll never miss. In fact, he’s waiting on some more reward money for the man I killed and his two friends. They’re wanted in a number of states dead or alive for bank robbery, and their reward is $250 each.”

  Custer raised an eyebrow. “Hell, I’m in the wrong line of work.”

  Custer shook Charlie’s hand, swung onto his horse, then leaned in closer. “It will take about two weeks for me to take care of business at the fort. When I’m ready, I’ll send a messenger to let you know when we’ll be here for your house warming party. I’ll bring the 7th Calvary’s regimental band.”

  Charlie thought this was a grand idea. “Tell the men there’ll be plenty of food and enough whiskey to wash it down with.”

  Custer dug in his heels, caught up to his men, then turned and waved his hat. The wind from the mountains ruffled his blond hair, blowing it wildly and causing it to flutter.

  It was time to bring Rose and little Marsha to see their new home. She still had no idea that two dozen troopers had helped to remodel the old house and build the extension.

  Chapter 32

  Marsha was excited. Charlie told her and her mother that he had to go to a friend’s housewarming party, and he asked them to come along, saying it would be lonely traveling alone.

  “Did you pack lunch, Rose?”

  “Yes, I made sandwiches and put them in the basket.”

  “All right then, let’s go. I don’t want to be late for the party.”

  Rose wrinkled her nose. “Whose party are we going to?”

  “It’s a friend of General Custer.”

  “Custer? Is Libby going to be there too?”

  “Yes. Custer told me she wouldn’t miss the party for the world.”

  Rose felt better knowing Libby would be there. Libby wouldn’t be going if it wasn’t going to be a fun party.

  Charlie noticed Rose’s interest, so he decided to tease her with a little more information.

  “General Custer is bringing some of his men and his regimental band to the party. So there will be music and dancing with plenty of good food to eat and spirits to drink.”

  “By spirits, you mean whiskey, right?”

  Charlie nodded and smiled. “There’ll be plenty of whiskey and that’s for sure. But don’t worry yourself none, because although I like a drink of good whiskey once in a while, I’m not much of a drinking man.”

  Sable was tied to the back of the small buggy, which was big enough to seat the three of them comfortably. They stopped by a stream and had lunch, then got back on the road.

  “Just how far is this place, Charlie?”

  “It’s a six- or seven-hour trip by a man on horseback. I guess it’ll be about the same with the buggy so long as we can keep up this pace. But don’t worry, we’ll be there pretty soon now.”

  Two and a half hours later, they could hear music wafting through the trees.

  “Can you hear the music, Charlie? My goodness, but it sounds lovely. It brings back memories of when I was a young girl.”

  “Yeah, the music does sound pretty, doesn’t it? We’re pretty close now. When we get around the bend, you’ll see the people gathered down in the valley. And look, there’s the Regimental Band in the clearing beside the house. That’s where we’re heading.”

  Rose’s eyes lit up.

  “Oh, Charlie, it looks and sounds so festive. I can’t wait to get down there.”

  Charlie pulled up beside the house and a soldier helped Rose step off the buggy, while Charlie helped little Marsha down.

  “I’ll take care of your horse, Mr. Longstreet.”

  “Thanks, soldier.”

  Charlie watched the soldier unhitch the horse from the buggy and lead him into the corral with the other horses.

  “Well, I’m glad you two could make it.”

  Both Rose and Charlie turned to see a smiling General Custer and Libby standing with their arms intertwined.

  “We’re cooking half a steer, and dinner will be served in about thirty minutes. Libby, while we wait for dinner, why don’t you show Rose the barn, outbuildings, and the house, while me and Charlie smoke cigars and talk for a little while.”

  “That’s a good idea, Autie.”

  Libby took Rose by her arm and led her away, and Rose was only too happy to go with her. The two beautiful young women walked past wide-eyed, staring soldiers to the outbuilding furthest from the house. As they walked in, Libby explained how the soldiers helped build and restore these structures, adding some new ones like the one they were standing in.

  “This building is where the ranch hands will live. Come on and I’ll show you the mess hall.” Libby hooked her arm under Rose’s and led her to the next building. “This is where the men will eat their meals. Over there is the kitchen, and that’s where the cook will prepare the food. That room over there is the storeroom, where food supplies are kept. It even has a cooler built into the ground to keep the food fresh.”

  Libby showed Rose the barn, and finally, it was time to show her the house.

  “Come on. You have to see the house. It’s perfect. It used to be a one-room cabin built by an old trapper, but the men added an extension.”

  Libby led Rose into the original cabin, which was restored to better than its original condition. A door had been cut in the wall to the right of the entrance, leading into the new addition, which consisted of a large living room and a staircase, leading to a second-floor children’s bedroom, which could be expanded if the need arose. Two doors led from the living room to the master bedroom and a guest bedroom. Libby’s dress swished in the air as she turned excitedly to Rose.

  “Well, what do you think of the house?”

  Rose was speechless for a moment. In her entire life, she never was in a home as exquisite as the one she was standing in now.

  “I… I think this house is the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen. Is…Is it your home, Libby?”

  Libby was dying to tell her that it was Rose’s, but she had promised Charlie and her husband not to say anything.

  “I think this house still belongs to that old trapper, but I can’t be sure, so let’s see the men and ask them.”

  “Charlie? Rose would like to know who owns this house. I told her I didn’t know, but you might.”

  Charlie wanted to wait for the right moment to tell Rose. Should I tell her now? Is this the right time to do it? Charlie was a simple man, and keeping a secret for this long was a problem for him. Maybe he should just come out with it and tell her right now. He looked at the eager faces of Elizabeth and George Custer, and he decided right then and there that he would tell her the truth.

  “Oh, what the hell.” Then he felt bad for using a cuss word in front of the ladies. “Excuse my language, ladies. I didn’t mean to cuss like that.”

  He turned to Rose. “Do you like the house, Rose?”

  “I just love it. I’ve never been in a house as lovely as this one.”

  “Well, thanks to Lonesome Charlie Reynolds and General Custer, this house is now mine… I mean… Well, I mean it’s now ours. That is, if you really like it and you wouldn’t mind settling down here in the middle of no
where. Well, there it is… I went and said it.”

  Charlie’s mood darkened and he became silent and withdrawn. He walked outside, took out a cigar, and lit it. Custer joined him and Charlie handed him a stogie.

  “What happened in there, Charlie?”

  Charlie leaned on the railing and hung his head before answering. “I’m scared, George. I was always a free spirit and now I’m committing myself to something I’m not sure I want.”

  Custer narrowed his eyes. “If you’re not sure, then don’t do it. Maybe a better question would be why did you consent to marriage if you’re not sure that you want to get married?”

  “Well, George, I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’ve fallen in love with every woman I was intimate with. I do think that Rose is the most mature woman of all I met. To tell you the truth, I’m sick and tired of being shot at, of being challenged by every lowdown gunslinger in every town I hang my hat in.”

  He looked into Custer’s eyes. “So far, I’ve been lucky. I know better than anyone that one of these days, I’m gonna be challenged by someone a lot faster on the draw than me, and I just want it to end. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Rose and little Marsha, but by settling down out here…”

  —he waved his hands in the air—

  “…in the middle of nowhere, then maybe those looking to kill me will get discouraged.”

  Custer hooked an arm around Charlie’s shoulder and turned him toward him.

  “Do you love Rose, Charlie?”

  “Yes, I do love her. But can I get the wanderlust out of my system? I hate being confined. I love to go places I’ve never been to before. I’ve made friends and I would love to see them again, but I don’t know if I can do these things dragging a woman and child around with me.”

  “Have you told Rose how you feel?”

  “Yes, but there is still more to be discussed before I can be at ease being married. I’ll straighten everything out tonight after everyone has left.”