Within the Heart Page 8

  “However, both he and Shanny will have to undergo a complete makeover. They will need a tutor to teach them in all the social dos and don’ts. They must learn dancing, proper etiquette, dress, correct conversation, posture, anything that would improve their appearance and acceptance to the socialites here. That means getting rid of feathers in the hair, or wearing anything that pronounces your previous heathen ways.”

  She turned her gaze to Chayton.

  “You too will have to wear acceptable clothing and not appear so fierce that it turns away any promising companion your daughter or son may find. I will spare no expense in dressing and training the two. They will soon become, the talk of the town with future partners competing to gain their attention. Only it could all be spoiled if everyone does not cooperate.”

  Chayton and Mrs. Hamilton held each other’s gaze as Shanny held her breath. What her Grandmother was suggesting sounded exciting to her. She gave a side-glance at Joey and saw he had a crooked smile on his face as though it was all entertaining to him. Then Chayton shrugged.

  “I want both Joey and Shanny to have a happy future, and if this is the only way to do it, I will concede.”

  He bowed his head, and Callie knew he felt he had lost some of his honor, but she too felt it was necessary to change with the times. Chayton would just have to accept the fact that his Comanche culture needed to be put aside while they remained in Philadelphia. Joey seemed indifferent to the prospect of being turned into a gentleman, but she noted Shanny’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Connor is back!” Beth exclaimed as she stood on the porch watching the dust billow about a group of horses, ridden by Comanche’s and led by her older brother.

  Ina and Tommy came onto the porch to join her.

  “It is about time,” Ina murmured. “It looks like he has half the Comanche nation with him though,” she laughed.

  “All the help we can get will just relieve us of extra work,” Tommy pointed out. “This last week hasn’t been so easy trying to work the ranch on our own.”

  “I am worried about what Cooper has been doing on the Circle P ranch all this time,” Ina voiced. “I don’t trust that man!”

  “Looks like he brought six other braves besides Avonaco and Chogan,” Beth said as she counted the horses approaching them.

  “Good. The more workers we can get that we can trust, the better!” Ina commented. “We can split them up between the two ranches, and the only help we will have to worry about is Cooper and Hudson, along with the few workers Cooper has, but they probably won’t stay on, once they are expected to work side by side with the Comanche.”

  “Ina said he was going to send Hudson’s snooty sister here and make her into a cook. I pity Mr. Daniels who will have to teach her to cook,” Beth added. “I suppose we will have to put up with her, though.”

  “I will have to put up with Hudson, and would bet my eyeteeth he knows nothing about cow-punching,” Ina mumbled.

  “I am sure you can teach him well enough,” Tommy smiled.

  “I’ll make Cooper do it to keep him out of trouble. I didn’t like the fact he had those strays, heading for the other ranch when you two ran into him last week.”

  “He thinks he’s a big know-it-all, and probably didn’t think we knew how to run our own ranch,” Tommy suggested. “I bet he was going to try to make us worry about those strays, and then point out we were irresponsible when it came to running a ranch.”

  “Well, he’s going to have another think coming when I start being his boss,” Ina said with great satisfaction.

  “Maybe he was going to throw it up in your face that you weren’t watching after your own cattle, so how could you run the Pritchard ranch? I hear he didn’t like working for Mother, so he’s not going to like working for you,” Tommy smiled.

  “He just better not get on my bad side is all I can say,” Ina laughed.

  “No one wants to get on your bad side, Ina,” Beth cut in.

  “Well, how are my three little sisters?” Connor grinned as he approached the porch. “Meet our new cow-punching drovers. You all know Avonaco and Chogan. These other braves are friends of theirs. Some nephews, or cousins, but all handpicked by Avonaco, so I trust they will work out well for as long as we need them. I don’t expect you to remember all their names right away, but I will introduce you anyway. They are Adoette, Dohate, Ezhno, Konton, Taima, and Maska. They are young men of honor, so I am certain they can be trusted.”

  Each brave smiled at the girls and climbed down from their horses as Connor introduced them. They looked scruffy and wore loose-fitting shabby looking clothes, probably given to them by their government overseers at the Reservation. Ina thought of Chayton’s fine Indian clothing that he continued to make with cowhide, as he needed them. He had shown her how to do the intricate beading on the front when there was less to do on the ranch during the winter. She was surprised she enjoyed doing the beadwork.

  Now she assessed the group of young Comanche men, who looked to be in their early twenties and felt a pang of sorrow. They may be young men of honor, but they were dressed like beggars, their long hair tangled, their clothes tattered, worn out moccasins covering their feet. Though they seemed to be excited to be there, they had a look of hopelessness in their eyes. It was a look Ina had never seen in Chayton’s eyes, Ina thought.

  “We have had a long ride, so I am going to have Mr. Daniels fix us some food, and while we eat, you can all get acquainted. I’ll have Avonaco take our new hands to the bunkhouse, let them get cleaned up, give them some new clothes, and tomorrow, we can decide who we will send to the other ranch, and who will remain here. I hope everything has been running smoothly while I was away?”

  He gave Ina a questioning look, as he dismounted and handed his horse over to one of the braves, to take with their horses and release in the pasture. Ina nodded. She would talk to him in private about her concerns having to do with Cooper. She would have to beg him to take Hudson on the Double C ranch so she would not have to worry about an inexperienced cowhand taking up her time. It was going to be hard enough dealing with Cooper, she decided.

  Connor walked into the house. He looked tired and dusty, so Ina was not surprised when he headed for the bathroom. She went back out to Mr. Daniels’ cabin and let him know the backup help was there and Conner expected him to fix a meal for them all. It would be served it in the outside shelter, made for the hired hands to eat beneath. Things would change now that there were more mouths to feed. She hoped that Carrabelle was a fast learner so she could take over making the meals for the house, while Mr. Daniels took care of the workers. When everyone left on the cattle drive, Carrabelle would be expected to make meals for whoever was left behind.

  As they all sat around the long table under the shelter, not far from the cabin where Mr. Daniels prepared the meal, the girls began interacting with the young Indian men that Avonaco had chosen to help them.

  “What do your names mean?” Ina asked. “I know that Chogan means Black Bird, and Avonaco means Lean Bear.”

  Chogan smiled, pointing to each brave as he translated their names.

  “Adoette means Great Tree. He is a tall and powerful brave, like a great tree standing above all other trees. Dohate is the word for Bluff… high and lofty above all others, not to be mistaken for little bluff, or little mountain, which is Dohasan. Ezhno is Solitary. He is like a lone wolf, hunting on his own and accomplishing tasks without help from others. Konton is the Wind which rushes silently unseen but always felt. Taima is for Thunder... strong and powerful with the lightning strike. Maska means Strong, and one who does not falter under a heavy load.

  “Each name is given to a brave, once he has discovered what his path in life is, represents his true challenge in life and how he handles himself when he follows his life path. The white man uses names with little meanings. They do not know who they are, or what their names represent. Our people use our names to give us an understanding of our
place with nature and our surroundings. We rely on the strength of what our name means whether it is an animal or an action. It is an extension of the person we believe we are or can become.”

  “Well, that is very interesting,” Tommy stated. “I was named Tommy because my father wanted to have a boy, and my mother kept having girls. So I suppose my name gives me the challenge to be more like the boy my father wanted to have,” she laughed.

  “Yeah, you make a better cowboy than some cowboys I know,” Connor smiled. “But still as pretty as a princess.”

  Connor gazed down the table of young Comanche braves along with Avonaco and Chogan. He was glad he could rely on his Comanche friends to help out. He had never forgotten the time he spent with Chayton and his companions, right after they took Callie with them to feed Joey so he didn’t die without a mother. He had enjoyed the time he spent with the braves, playing in the river and learning a new kind of culture. Having Chayton to help raise him caused him to see both the white man and the red man’s way of looking at life. He felt it made him well-rounded and able to accomplish more in life than he had thought he could.

  “Tomorrow, we need to send half of you braves over to a neighboring ranch, which now belongs to us. That is one reason I brought you here. Ina is going to run the other ranch, and she needs all the help she can get. It is getting close to branding time, which means we will have to round up all the cows and their calves and bring them to the branding pit. It is not easy work, but I am sure you are all up to it. You will have to rope and tie each calf to be branded. Once that is done, we will have to separate the herd, picking which steers we want to take to market. If they are not fat enough, we will leave them for the next drive, because cattle will lose weight on their way to the stockyards, and we get paid by the pound. If we have young steers that are fat, we will take them. Even though they are smaller than the older ones, their meat is more tender. Once we decide which ones are going on the drive, they will have to be dipped, to prevent them from spreading or getting diseases caused by ticks along the way. There isn’t going to be much time to sit around twiddling your thumbs, like you may have been doing on the reservation. I am sure you all want to be the brave you were meant to be, riding your horses and working with cattle, instead of hunting buffalo, which is the next best thing to it.”

  “There are no buffalo to hunt, and even if there were, we would not be allowed to hunt them,” Taima said gruffly.

  “Therefore, you should be thankful for the opportunity to get away from the reservation. Those of you who do a good job may be able to stay on if you wish, since we now have two ranches to run, and can use the extra help. Remember that, if you start feeling lazy because you can always return to the reservation where there is not much to look forward to.”

  When the meal was over, Tommy and Beth helped Mr. Daniels clear the table, while Ina followed Connor into the house.

  “We need to talk about the two ranches,” Ina told him and he nodded.

  They sat down in the parlor and Ina began telling Connor about finding Cooper with the stray cattle.

  “I just don’t trust the man, Connor. I don’t know what his game is, but I get a bad feeling every time he even looks at me. My hands are going to be full enough with Cooper and running the Circle P, so I want you to bring Hudson here with his sister. I am sure he knows nothing about herding or caring for cattle.”

  Connor shook his head.

  “Nope, we’re sharing the cousins between the two ranches. Together, they may try to cause trouble. They were expecting to inherit the Circle P. If we keep them apart, they can’t conspire behind our backs. For all we know they and Cooper are already drumming something up, to get the ranch to themselves. You are going to have to handle both Hudson and Cooper. I think you being a woman may give you a little better influence on them, considering they are both probably woman-starved. You may be able to wrap both of them around your little finger, the same way you do with me,” he laughed.

  “Well at least our new hands can help, but they don’t know the first thing about cattle ranching either,” Ina complained.

  “Nonetheless, they are good with horses and animals. I’ll send Chogan to help on the other ranch. He worked here for several years before he went back to his family. He can watch over and train them, so you don’t have to worry about taking on that job. They will learn quickly and they have plenty of incentive to do a good job. It will be their way to escape the reservation.

  “I was so appalled when I saw the condition of the Indians there. They have been taken out of their element. They know nothing about farming, and apparently, don’t want to learn. So the government provides them with their food and shelter. What is there for them to look forward to, but whiskey and betting with each other? They are not allowed to practice their ceremonies, speak their language or worship their gods. They used to keep busy hunting buffalo, making their lodges and teaching the young braves to hunt. They used their talents to survive, whether it was to fight off their enemies or just furnishing clothing or food for the winter. Now all they do is sit around dreaming of bygone days, smoking their pipes, and drinking their homemade whiskey, when they can’t get their hands on store-bought stuff.

  “All the stories Chayton told us about the customs of the red man can no longer be practiced by them. They are kept out of our society, like the sheep they herd, where ranchers use the new barbed wire to separate the sheep from the cattle. Their only escape is to find work on the outside of the reservation. Since not many people trust Indians, and people here in Texas hate the Comanche, it is not going to be easy for them to accomplish.”

  “I know why Chayton has stopped visiting his friends at the reservation. It must be very depressing to him,” Ina mumbled.

  “So we need to give this hand-full of Comanche a purpose in life. Just like Mother, we must brave all the prejudice of those who hate Indians, and show them the red man can be a trustworthy friend and hard worker.”

  “Mr. Pritchard did not like the Comanche either. He wouldn’t even help Mother on her cattle drive because of her befriending Chayton. He would turn over in his grave if he knew we were letting them work his ranch!” Ina half-laughed.

  “Yeah, and Cooper is not overly fond of them either. That means you need to make it very clear to him if he starts trouble with our Comanche workers, will or no will, I will kick him off the Circle P.”

  “I just hope I can handle it. I don’t want to disappoint you, Connor, but I never expected to be running a ranch when half the family left for Philadelphia.”

  “Time to show what we are made of, Ina. Mother struck out on her own to take the cattle to market when no other woman had ever led a cattle drive before. There is always a first time for everything, I suppose.”

  Connor patted Ina’s shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile.

  “I know you can to it, little sister. Just show Cooper your stuff, threaten him with whatever works, and get the job done. I’m not sure how long everyone is going to be away, but while they are gone we have to make the best of it.”

  “I just hope both ranches are still standing by the time they come back,” Ina laughed and then gave Connor a hug.

  “You should get your stuff together tonight and head out to the Circle P in the morning. Have Hudson bring his sister here in the buggy and drop her off. Then it is up to you how you run the ranch. Just make sure the cattle are rounded up for branding. Having Cooper there will be helpful, cause he knows what he is doing. As long as he doesn’t do anything underhanded, we should be able to make it work.”

  “I sure hope so. He was intimidating on purpose when I went there last week to let him know I would be running things when you got back.”

  “Just don’t let him get the upper hand, Ina. I am sure he will try, thinking you are just some inexperienced girl that won’t know how to run the place. You are going to have to be strong.”

  Ina shrugged. There was no way to get out of it, and like her adopted mother, she was going
to have to forge ahead. She remembered how the mules ran away with the wagon during a storm and almost went over the edge of the gully, back when they all helped on the cattle drive. Callie had been brave and managed to stop it from going over. Ina had only been ten at the time and she had been scared to death but didn’t want anyone to be disappointed in her, just like now. Everyone had been surprised that Callie and her adopted children, along with Chayton and a few of his friends, managed to arrive with the cattle safely from Texas to Kansas. She would just have to be brave like the mother who raised her when her own mother died.

  By morning, Ina was feeling a little braver, as she led the small collection of Comanche. Chogan Adoette, Dohate, and Ezhno came with her. She knew Chogan would keep the young braves in line, and he may even help out if Cooper gave her any trouble.

  Ina looked over her shoulder, as Conner and her sisters waved at her from the porch. She wanted to make her family proud of her, but she worried she would do something stupid and make a fool of herself.

  “Don’t look so frightened,” Chogan smiled. “You are just like the woman who raised you. She is the bravest woman I have ever met. She knew nothing about cattle when she had to lead that cattle drive. She relied on Connor to help her know what to do. She was a little younger than you are now. I think you will be just as brave. After all, you are only doing what you have been doing all your life. The only difference is you will be in charge.”

  “I wish I had an Indian name to rely on,” Ina half-laughed.

  “Then I will give you one,” Chogan offered. “We will call you Miakoda, which means Power of the moon. Take your power from the heavens and put it to good use,” he smiled, catching her astonished eyes. “Now I see you are glowing like the moon. The name fits you.”