“Have you thought about Walt and Alma?”
“What about them?” Jim said. “They’ll come with us, of course.”
Ellen turned to give him a frustrated look. “They need proper schooling,” she said. “We agreed on that.”
“They can learn all they need to from us.”
“Jim, that won’t do. I want them to go to an actual school. I want them to learn.” Ellen took the pans from the stove and carried them to the table.
“They’ll learn about ranching. What else could they want?”
“There is more to life than ranching.”
“Sure, I know that. But someone will have to take over one day and I’m sure Walt would want that.”
“If Walt chooses to take on the ranch, then I’m sure he’ll be great at it,” Ellen said, and sat down beside him. “But if he chooses a different path, then I want him to be prepared for that as well, and I want the same for Alma.”
“We could hire someone…a teacher, I mean. Like you said, we’re wealthy enough.”
“A gold mine isn’t enough?”
“No.” Jim’s knuckles rapped the table. Suddenly irritable, he stood. She was right, of course. He should be happy, he should be content. Only he didn’t want to be a miner.
“I’m wasted here,” Jim said. “I can’t do anything with the mine.”
“You could learn. Father is learning. Mr. Grayson could teach you.”
“Noah is a good man, and we’re lucky to have him,” Jim said. “But I don’t want to spend my life in a hole in the ground. You worried about finding the gold, you worried about what would happen to our quiet little valley. And you were right to. You’ve seen how the camp is now. It’s no place for our children.”
At that, Ellen frowned. “I won’t say that staying here is my first choice. You’re right, we should leave the valley. Maybe move to Onionville. It isn’t nearly so bad there.”
Jim fought against his frustration. He wasn’t upset at Ellen—he could never be upset with her—but he could also never be happy living here, not anymore, not the way it was now. All he could see was what the valley had been.
“I want a big place of our own,” he said. “I want to look out over my own grass, my own cows, my own horses. I want to come home and eat my own beef. I’m not a man for a town or a city. I need fresh, clean air. I need open space and wild country.”
Ellen looked at him for a long moment.
“Mother and Father have been talking of leaving,” she said. “Promise me we’ll find some way Walt and Alma can get a proper education. Promise me that and I’ll go wherever you want,” Ellen said.
“I will,” Jim said.
“Take Colton with you. To scout it out, I mean. I think he’s as restless as you are.”
“We’ll set out in the morning.”
* * * *
Three men waited on horseback when Jim arrived at David and Abigail’s cabin. Colton he’d expected, but David and Captain Neill were there, along with a loaded packhorse.
“Am I in the right place?” Jim said.
“Thought I’d ride along,” Neill answered. “Been too long since I’ve seen the country.”
“And you?” Jim turned to David.
“Abigail said I should come,” he grinned. “She’s sick of listening to me talk about ore grades and stamp mills.”
Colton shrugged and said, “I’ve got nowhere else to be.”
“Who’s going to watch over the mine?” Jim asked.
“Noah,” David said. “I’m more of a nuisance to him than a help. At least that’s what Abigail says.”
“I asked Pat Robeson to take care of the security,” Neill said. “He’ll see to it.”
“Like the old days then,” Jim smiled.
“Close enough,” Neill grinned. “If it’s a ranch you’re wanting, I might know a place or two.”
“Someplace west of the Sierras, but east and north of here,” Jim said. “Big enough for a large spread.”
“East and north…I have an idea,” Neill said.
“Lead the way, then.”
Neill led them out. They circled the lake, passing several claims, until hitting the trail for Onionville. Before they reached the booming town, Neill cut off along an overgrown path that wound its way north.
“I cut wood up here a time or two,” Jim said.
