"Mallory. Duncan, Barney and I wanted to give you and your man a wedding present. I know you're starting off with Dem and Edith's things and can't take on more weight, but there must be something you would like that we could give you."
"Madge, right now, if you would share your fire, I'd appreciate it much. I didn't have time to gather fuel."
"You're easily pleased. You do that. I was wondering if you could use an extra dress. I'm near your size, and have several."
"Now that sounds nice. I need a dress more'n anything else. I'd sure be glad of another."
"Then put your pans on the coals and while things are cooking I'll look you out one. What does your man need? What's his name?"
"Trahern. He's wearing Uncle Dem's things. You'll have to ask him."
Effie Lind was standing nearby with her daughter Eliza and offered to go from fire to fire with a couple of plates in her hand and get a little food from each family group. "That way you and your man will have a little time together. If we can't give you anything else, at least we can give you that."
"Thank you, Effie. That's a mighty thoughtful gift."
"Come along with me, then. We'll see what we can get." I put my coffee pot on Hedda's fire and took the plate she gave me.
Everyone was generous and I had to stop about halfway around the circle. "We'll get the rest tomorrow night," Effie declared.
It gave me a chance to talk to those I had had to cut short last night and made me feel more welcome than I'd felt before. We took our two plates over to the wagon, arriving just as Trahern got back. He had four fish strung on a line, already gutted and scaled. I explained what Effie had done.
"Thank you, Ma'am," he told her. "That was right neighborly of you. I'll put these fish aside for breakfast." He hung them up, still moving cautious-like so as not to re-open his wounds. "Where'll we eat?"
"On the wagon tongue." Usually we ate near the fire, but today we settled down right where we were and ate that food like we weren't going to get any other. He could put it away, that was for sure, and I got to thinking that I should've taken another plate or two and finished making the circle. Pa had been a good eater, but nothing like this man.
I was full before I had finished everything, so Trey cleaned up my plate, too. When we'd signed the marriage paper, he had written James Madison Trahern, but told me to call him Trey or Trahern. He'd never answered to anything else and probably wouldn't know who I was talking to if I did.
He gave a brief thanks for the food and we ate in silence, for eating is serious business when on a trip such as this. By the time we had finished, the coffee was ready. He was looking stronger every minute and when we were finished and everything put away, I got out the rest of Uncle Dem's things and offered them to him. It was twilight, but still light enough to see. He could use most of the things, and put them back after getting an idea what was there.
"I've got first watch tonight, so I'll need both pistol and rifle."
They were behind the seat and he took them out carefully and put a handful of shells into his coat pocket. The knife he slipped into a sheath underneath his shirt.
I was nodding by then and he wished me "Sleep well" as he walked away. We hadn't talked much and I wondered about the sleeping arrangements. Well, he would have to tell me; I'd never been married and didn't know what a man expected.
It never occurred to me that he might not either.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Next morning I woke to find him beside me, sound asleep on that big feather mattress. Now feathers are cozy and warm and you can dig yourself a hole and they'll come right over the top and close you in. A body can sleep warm on the coldest of night with just your nose peeking out or not. But feathers are not much given to getting folks together and I couldn't even tell he was there until I looked.
The camp was stirring so I dressed quick and took the mules and Comfort out to
"Madge, right now, if you would share your fire, I'd appreciate it much. I didn't have time to gather fuel."
"You're easily pleased. You do that. I was wondering if you could use an extra dress. I'm near your size, and have several."
"Now that sounds nice. I need a dress more'n anything else. I'd sure be glad of another."
"Then put your pans on the coals and while things are cooking I'll look you out one. What does your man need? What's his name?"
"Trahern. He's wearing Uncle Dem's things. You'll have to ask him."
Effie Lind was standing nearby with her daughter Eliza and offered to go from fire to fire with a couple of plates in her hand and get a little food from each family group. "That way you and your man will have a little time together. If we can't give you anything else, at least we can give you that."
"Thank you, Effie. That's a mighty thoughtful gift."
"Come along with me, then. We'll see what we can get." I put my coffee pot on Hedda's fire and took the plate she gave me.
Everyone was generous and I had to stop about halfway around the circle. "We'll get the rest tomorrow night," Effie declared.
It gave me a chance to talk to those I had had to cut short last night and made me feel more welcome than I'd felt before. We took our two plates over to the wagon, arriving just as Trahern got back. He had four fish strung on a line, already gutted and scaled. I explained what Effie had done.
"Thank you, Ma'am," he told her. "That was right neighborly of you. I'll put these fish aside for breakfast." He hung them up, still moving cautious-like so as not to re-open his wounds. "Where'll we eat?"
"On the wagon tongue." Usually we ate near the fire, but today we settled down right where we were and ate that food like we weren't going to get any other. He could put it away, that was for sure, and I got to thinking that I should've taken another plate or two and finished making the circle. Pa had been a good eater, but nothing like this man.
I was full before I had finished everything, so Trey cleaned up my plate, too. When we'd signed the marriage paper, he had written James Madison Trahern, but told me to call him Trey or Trahern. He'd never answered to anything else and probably wouldn't know who I was talking to if I did.
He gave a brief thanks for the food and we ate in silence, for eating is serious business when on a trip such as this. By the time we had finished, the coffee was ready. He was looking stronger every minute and when we were finished and everything put away, I got out the rest of Uncle Dem's things and offered them to him. It was twilight, but still light enough to see. He could use most of the things, and put them back after getting an idea what was there.
"I've got first watch tonight, so I'll need both pistol and rifle."
They were behind the seat and he took them out carefully and put a handful of shells into his coat pocket. The knife he slipped into a sheath underneath his shirt.
I was nodding by then and he wished me "Sleep well" as he walked away. We hadn't talked much and I wondered about the sleeping arrangements. Well, he would have to tell me; I'd never been married and didn't know what a man expected.
It never occurred to me that he might not either.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Next morning I woke to find him beside me, sound asleep on that big feather mattress. Now feathers are cozy and warm and you can dig yourself a hole and they'll come right over the top and close you in. A body can sleep warm on the coldest of night with just your nose peeking out or not. But feathers are not much given to getting folks together and I couldn't even tell he was there until I looked.
The camp was stirring so I dressed quick and took the mules and Comfort out to
Similar Books
