Walt was undaunted. “Mama, can I go out with Jim to see the horses?”
Ellen looked at Jim, a question in her eyes. Jim shrugged.
“Get your coat,” she said, then added, “gloves too.”
Alma walked over to the door and reached out to touch the snow, much as Ellen had earlier. She caught up a handful, squeezed it, and smiled.
“I suppose you’ll want to go out too?” Jim asked.
She shook her head in response, dropping the packed snow and moving close to Ellen’s side.
Sometimes, the girl spoke—she had a shockingly clear voice—but more often she slipped back into near-silence. Despite the lack of words, she made her thoughts plain, and everyone in the family understood what she meant.
Jim took up the bucket, steaming and only two-thirds full to keep it from spilling, then climbed out onto the drift. He half slid, half crawled his way back to the barn, Walt trailing in his wake.
“Wow, look at the light,” the boy said when they were in the barn. He stuck a gloved hand into one of the narrow beams, playing the light back and forth over his fingers.
Jim let the Appaloosa have the first bucket, and the big horse drank it quickly.
“He was thirsty,” Walt said.
“He was,” Jim agreed.
Walt rubbed at the bottom of the Appaloosa’s nose. “He sure is a pretty horse.”
“Yeah, but that’s not why I ride him.”
“It isn’t?” Walt kept rubbing. “Is it because he’s the fastest?”
“No. Though he’s fast, too, but more than that, he won’t give up.” Jim rubbed the horse’s black flank. “No matter how bad it gets, no matter how tired he is, he won’t quit. Even if it kills him.”
“Even if it kills him? That wouldn’t be very nice,” Walt said and looked to Jim.
“It wouldn’t. But it’s his job to do what I ask, and it’s my job to keep him from hurting himself. Sometimes that’s the way with people, too.”
“Really?”
“Sometimes people do things to hurt themselves and it’s a man’s job to keep them safe.” Jim gave Walt a long look, and the boy didn’t shy from it.
“Ma always warns me to be careful when I’m around the fire or the stove. Is that the same thing?”
“Pretty close.” Jim nodded. “Your mother is protecting you from yourself.”
It took four more trips to the barn before the horses had their fill. Walt followed on each, saying little, and helping with the work where he was able. While they waited in the barn, he and Jim talked about the horses, the snow and surrounding country, or what they would do when spring came.
The sun was past its zenith on the last trip. Jim paused before heading back down into the house. There was movement in the sky to the south. Something very dark, flying in a circular pattern. The hilly part of the valley was back in that direction, the same place he’d last found their small herd.
How small is that herd today? Do I have even a single cow remaining?
When he was back inside, he and Ellen were alone. Walt had gone off to play with Alma and Uncle Colton. Martha and David were with Abigail, whose coughing seemed a little less.
“We’re snowed in, aren’t we?” she asked.
“We are. No way I can get to the settlement for medicine.” Jim thought about the pass behind the lake. How deep would the snow be there and how many drifts might separate it from the cabin? Too many to walk through and riding would be impossible. Given how long it took to get to the barn and back, it might take him days to reach help. “How is she?”
“Better. She’s sleeping easier, and the fever has broke. She’ll pull through.”
“We still need that medicine,” Jim said. “Even if she recovers, she might get sick again or someone else could. We need some here.”
“I think that’s wise,” Ellen said. “How long before we can get out, though?”
“I’m not sure. Donovan talked about strange weather in these mountains. He said one day it might be a blizzard and the next it would all melt away to nothing.”
“Even in winter?”
Jim nodded. “Even in winter, though he said the warm days are rare around this time.”
“What do we do, then?”
“Wait and see what tomorrow brings. She may recover, and if not, I’ll chance it anyway.”
Ellen grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “I don’t want you to go, especially not alone. Take Colton with you.”
“He’s needed here. I won’t leave you alone, either.” Jim kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be safe. It’s only a little snow. The weather will break soon and then I’ll make it down to the settlement. Won’t even take me a whole day.”
* * * *
Two days they spent in the cabin, with Jim and Walt hauling water and feed for the horses. Colton pitched in as well. The snow melted slowly, and they took advantage of the time to caulk the barn tight using clay mixed with straw. When they were done, very little light leaked in from the outside, and in the waning hours, they had to use lanterns to see.
