the afternoon she returned from her first ride, her eyes dancing and her cheeks aglow with the cold.
Christmas on the range was a day not to be taken lightly. It was a day dedicated to neighborly visiting by many who got up before daylight and started out in order to see as many of their neighbors as possible before nightfall. Maria and Jen decorated the big living room with ornaments saved from other years and pine boughs cut in the hills. From early in the morning until mid-afternoon, when the last of the visitors rode home to attend to chores before dark, Kirby was busy. He was host at the brimming bowl of eggnog which Maria kept filled. For the men who liked refreshment with hair on its chest, there was plenty of rye and bourbon.
The punchers completed their chores early, and the sounds of revelry from the bunkhouse increased as the level in the ten-gallon keg of bourbon Kirby had ordered for them lowered.
The noon meal, prepared by a perspiring but happy Maria, was quickly reduced to dirty plates and well-gnawed bones. The guests and crew gathered in the yard to see Kirby's Christmas present to Jen… a beautiful little sorrel filly whose clean lines showed her thoroughbred background. Long before Christmas, Kirby and his foreman had ridden to town and ordered a saddle and rig to match the sorrel and Jen's measurements. Her face was flushed with excitement when they returned to the house, where Maria's gift was ready. Her nimble fingers had fashioned a buckskin skirt and blouse that were an exact match of the saddle and bridle. Women-like, they wept in each other's arms as Jen tried to thank her.
When the last guest had departed, the women bundled in fur robes and the men in sheepskin-lined coats, Jen could contain herself no longer.
"Kirby, there's still time enough for a ride before dark. Can I please try out the new mare?"
Kirby laughed at her beseeching face. "She's been saddled for hours," he told her. "Get into your new riding outfit while I find something to ride that won't make a poor showing with your new rig." He left the house while Jen ran to change.
An hour later they were far out on the range, riding through the hills above the Clear. As they topped a ridge after a steep climb from the river bottom, Kirby pulled in the big black gelding and got down. He stretched out his arms for Jen to slide off, and held her for a long moment before he released her, breathless. Leaving the horses ground-tied, they climbed to the top of the windswept slope and found a comfortable shelter out of the wind beneath a huge boulder.
Far below, the Clear reflected the brilliant blue of the sky, dark stretches of the shimmering water showing the shadows of occasional clouds. Cattle were stretched out as far as they could see, grazing bare places in the snow. To the north they could see smoke rising from Lazy B headquarters and a few tiny dots that were Lazy B hands moving about the corrals. At their backs, the buildings of Wagon looked like a doll village.
"It's a wonder we can't hear the crew clear up here," he told Jen, laughing. "There are going to be some heads down there tomorrow that will give their owners trouble steering through the bunkhouse door." Jen smiled, her eyes dreamy, her thoughts far away.
He took a coin from his pocket. Holding it out, he grinned at her inquiring look.
"Penny for your thoughts."
"Doubt if you'd think they were worth so much," she answered. "I was just thinking I've got to get back to town. My pupils will be wild as mavericks."
"Sure… some day real soon. Let's decide after the first of the year."
"Not some day… tomorrow. I want you to take me to town tomorrow, before the weather breaks again. You know I'm completely well, and I want to have everything ready for the new school year. It'll take some time to get word around that the teacher is back." She stopped at his crestfallen expression.
"I had started to hope you wouldn't go back at all," he said slowly. "Remember, when you
Christmas on the range was a day not to be taken lightly. It was a day dedicated to neighborly visiting by many who got up before daylight and started out in order to see as many of their neighbors as possible before nightfall. Maria and Jen decorated the big living room with ornaments saved from other years and pine boughs cut in the hills. From early in the morning until mid-afternoon, when the last of the visitors rode home to attend to chores before dark, Kirby was busy. He was host at the brimming bowl of eggnog which Maria kept filled. For the men who liked refreshment with hair on its chest, there was plenty of rye and bourbon.
The punchers completed their chores early, and the sounds of revelry from the bunkhouse increased as the level in the ten-gallon keg of bourbon Kirby had ordered for them lowered.
The noon meal, prepared by a perspiring but happy Maria, was quickly reduced to dirty plates and well-gnawed bones. The guests and crew gathered in the yard to see Kirby's Christmas present to Jen… a beautiful little sorrel filly whose clean lines showed her thoroughbred background. Long before Christmas, Kirby and his foreman had ridden to town and ordered a saddle and rig to match the sorrel and Jen's measurements. Her face was flushed with excitement when they returned to the house, where Maria's gift was ready. Her nimble fingers had fashioned a buckskin skirt and blouse that were an exact match of the saddle and bridle. Women-like, they wept in each other's arms as Jen tried to thank her.
When the last guest had departed, the women bundled in fur robes and the men in sheepskin-lined coats, Jen could contain herself no longer.
"Kirby, there's still time enough for a ride before dark. Can I please try out the new mare?"
Kirby laughed at her beseeching face. "She's been saddled for hours," he told her. "Get into your new riding outfit while I find something to ride that won't make a poor showing with your new rig." He left the house while Jen ran to change.
An hour later they were far out on the range, riding through the hills above the Clear. As they topped a ridge after a steep climb from the river bottom, Kirby pulled in the big black gelding and got down. He stretched out his arms for Jen to slide off, and held her for a long moment before he released her, breathless. Leaving the horses ground-tied, they climbed to the top of the windswept slope and found a comfortable shelter out of the wind beneath a huge boulder.
Far below, the Clear reflected the brilliant blue of the sky, dark stretches of the shimmering water showing the shadows of occasional clouds. Cattle were stretched out as far as they could see, grazing bare places in the snow. To the north they could see smoke rising from Lazy B headquarters and a few tiny dots that were Lazy B hands moving about the corrals. At their backs, the buildings of Wagon looked like a doll village.
"It's a wonder we can't hear the crew clear up here," he told Jen, laughing. "There are going to be some heads down there tomorrow that will give their owners trouble steering through the bunkhouse door." Jen smiled, her eyes dreamy, her thoughts far away.
He took a coin from his pocket. Holding it out, he grinned at her inquiring look.
"Penny for your thoughts."
"Doubt if you'd think they were worth so much," she answered. "I was just thinking I've got to get back to town. My pupils will be wild as mavericks."
"Sure… some day real soon. Let's decide after the first of the year."
"Not some day… tomorrow. I want you to take me to town tomorrow, before the weather breaks again. You know I'm completely well, and I want to have everything ready for the new school year. It'll take some time to get word around that the teacher is back." She stopped at his crestfallen expression.
"I had started to hope you wouldn't go back at all," he said slowly. "Remember, when you
Similar Books
