He started the Appaloosa down toward their cabin. He and Neill had built new cabins on the valley’s north side, directly opposite their mine. So far, the miners had kept to the southern mountains, and Jim was grateful for it. This side of the valley held no signs of gold. A few other solitary souls had built their homes on this side, woodcutters or freighters mainly, and they’d stayed a respectful distance away.
Jim and Neill parted ways near the mountain’s base. Neill planned on visiting the camp this afternoon. Most had taken to calling it Donovan, as this was still considered Donovan’s Valley. Jim thought his friend would have liked that at least. Donovan had been an affable man, outgoing and friendly with all manner of men. A city named after him, especially a gold camp, would have made him laugh.
The name stuck, but we couldn’t keep it the way you left it, Donovan.
He stabled the Appaloosa and went to the cabin door. Walt and Alma were laughing inside. Their footsteps echoed through the heavy door.
Jim and Neill had built their cabins strong against the high-Sierra winters. The walls were thick and tight, the windows small with open slits for rifles. The door opened and Jim admired the thick wood. He’d learned his lesson after the last standoff. The door and shutters alike were twice as thick and lined with buffalo hide. The roof had been laid over with gray slate he’d quarried up the mountain. No danger of fire there.
“You’re home early,” Ellen said when he stepped inside.
“Cold’s coming on strong. Another week and the stream will ice over.” Jim took off his hat and set his rifle on its pegs beside the door. Then he hung his pistol belt on another peg near the door to their bedroom.
That done, he eyed a pair of open books on their table.
“Checking the figures again?” he said.
“I just finished,” Ellen said with a smile. “We’ve done well this month.”
Jim grunted an approval. He didn’t know who “we” were as he’d done nothing in regard to the mining. David and Noah Grayson, a man they’d hired to manage the operation, did all the actual work. Noah had known Donovan, and Captain Neill recommended him as a knowledgeable and—more importantly—honest man.
Ellen, for her part, had been doing the mine’s bookkeeping.
Between her knack for numbers, Noah’s mining skills, and David’s willingness to learn all he could about the business, there was no need for Jim in any of it. Even Neill had a role. He took care of the guards and security for their operation.
The Robesons had secured their own claims. They were partners in one of the shafts showing gold and another couple of claims on the creek. Jim and David had pointed out where they’d found the richest gold and encouraged them to file.
“Ride far today?” Walt asked.
“Not today. Around the valley a little, then up on the ridge.”
“It’s nice up there,” Alma said. “I miss going down to the lake, though.”
“When can we go fishing again?” Walt said.
Jim scowled. “Not too many fish left in the lake by now. Mine water has dirtied it up.”
“I want to go fishing too,” Alma said. “Is there anywhere else to fish?”
“Girls can’t fish,” Walt said.
Jim smiled. “Girls can fish. I knew several girls in Texas who could out-fish us boys.”
“Oh,” Ellen said from the stove. “Maybe you should tell us about them.”
“Some other time.” He winked at Alma. “After I show you how to fish.”
“Walt, you and Alma wash up and get ready for supper,” Ellen said, and the pair went outside toward the hand pump. “Pump water for your sister,” Ellen called through the window.
Jim rose and moved near the stove. He wrapped his wife tight in both arms, leaning down to kiss her bare neck.
“I’ve been thinking about our ranch again.”
“Oh,” Ellen said. “I don’t know if we should ranch here.”
“We can’t, not anymore,” Jim said. “But I figured I’d ride over east aways, back toward those wide valleys we passed. Maybe a little farther north.”
“That’s a long way from the coast.”
“It is,” Jim agreed. “But the best land west of here is already taken.”
“You could buy some of it.”
Jim straightened. He hadn’t considered that.
Ellen turned her head and must have seen the confused look on his face. “Jim,” she laughed, “you’re a wealthy man now. We can easily buy a place on the coast and you can raise all the cattle you want.”
“Horses,” Jim said. “I want to raise horses as well.”
Her laughter grew louder. “Horses too. In another few months, you can buy anyplace you choose.”
Anyplace he chose. But those wouldn’t be his places. They would always be someone else’s. He wanted a ranch he started with his own two hands and, if he was honest, he wanted a place far from people, with plenty of space to roam.
“I think I’d rather find and start our own,” Jim said. He went to the table and sat down.
“What about Mother and Father?”
“They’re welcome to come along. Colton and Martha and even Captain Neill. We’ve all talked about going into ranching. Even your father said he was feeling restless.”
