his long legs hanging from the stirrups.
“You’ve done a good job with her, Gabe. Your sister will have a pretty little horse to take her to and from school. It’s too bad I don’t have more money to put into horses. You’re a fine trainer.”
“Thanks, Pa,” said Gabe as he brought the mare to a stop in front of his father and slid off. It was rare for James Hart to compliment in words. Usually he only gave a nod of appreciation or a pat on the shoulder. Gabe cleared his throat and said with a smile, “I do think my talent lies with horses more than cows, Pa.”
“Well, mebbe in a few years, Gabe.” His father took his hat off and ran his hands through his thin gray hair. “With all the work we put into the damn cattle, you’d think we’d be rich twice over by now!”
* * * *
On the morning of Sadie’s birthday, there were several small presents at her place, as was their family custom. She started opening them immediately.
“Aw, Sadie, can’t you wait till the coffee’s been poured?”
“No, I can’t, Gabe. I never did have the self-control you have on your birthdays. Oooh, thank you, Ben. Thank you, James,” she said when she had unwrapped their gift, a length of dark green calico. “This will make a pretty dress for schoolteaching.”
After a few sips of coffee, Gabe excused himself to ‘go out back.’ A few minutes later there was a knocking on the front door.
“Who could that be!” exclaimed James dramatically, a wide grin splitting his face.
“Why, it’s Gabe with Sadie’s….” Ben almost choked when his brother’s hand came down over his mouth.
“Go see, Sadie.”
There was Gabe, holding the reins of the bay mare, all saddled and bridled.
“Happy birthday, Sadie, from me and Pa.”
“Oh, Pa!” Sadie threw her arms around her father, who stood there awkwardly patting her back. Then she turned to her brother. “She’s saddle-broke, Gabe? When will I be able to ride her?”
“Why, right now, if you want. But let’s start out in the corral, just till she gets used to your skirt.”
They all tramped out to the corral and hung on the fence as Sadie put the mare through her paces. “Oh, Gabe, she’s as easy a ride as I thought she’d be.”
“She’s a sweet-tempered thing, aren’t you, girl?” said Gabe as he held the mare still for Sadie to dismount. “But she has some spirit too.”
“Gabe has been working hard for weeks in training her, haven’t you, Gabe,” said May. “I’d say he has a special touch for the ladies,” she added with a teasing smile.
“I know Molly Preston thinks so,” teased James.
They all laughed and trooped back to the house for breakfast.
That night, Gabe sat on his cot, his bedroll half packed beside him. He was heartsick at the thought of leaving his home and family. “I’ve tried my best, Ma,” he whispered. “I’ve taken care of the young ones, like you said. Sadie’s grown now, so she’ll do fine. And the little ones, well, they love May…and so does Pa and that’s why I’ve got to go.” He finished packing up his few clothes and lay back on the bed, using the bedroll as a pillow. He’d have to wait a few hours for the moon to come up before he left. He’d take Jasper, the Roman-nosed dun gelding. He was too big to be a good cow pony, but he had endurance. He’d leave a note for his pa, explaining that he had to be off on his own, that he was sick of cowpunching and mending fences. That he was sorry not to tell him in person, but it was easier on both of them this way.
He’d ride west, toward the New Mexico Territory. He was sure he could find a place without much trouble. Maybe in a few years he’d be able to come home. Surely, with him gone, May would turn back to Pa. Goddamn, but he didn’t think he’d ever hated anyone in his life, but he hated his father’s wife.
Chapter One
Ramah, New Mexico
Night Sky had wandered a few hundred yards from the other horses. It had been a dry summer,
“You’ve done a good job with her, Gabe. Your sister will have a pretty little horse to take her to and from school. It’s too bad I don’t have more money to put into horses. You’re a fine trainer.”
“Thanks, Pa,” said Gabe as he brought the mare to a stop in front of his father and slid off. It was rare for James Hart to compliment in words. Usually he only gave a nod of appreciation or a pat on the shoulder. Gabe cleared his throat and said with a smile, “I do think my talent lies with horses more than cows, Pa.”
“Well, mebbe in a few years, Gabe.” His father took his hat off and ran his hands through his thin gray hair. “With all the work we put into the damn cattle, you’d think we’d be rich twice over by now!”
* * * *
On the morning of Sadie’s birthday, there were several small presents at her place, as was their family custom. She started opening them immediately.
“Aw, Sadie, can’t you wait till the coffee’s been poured?”
“No, I can’t, Gabe. I never did have the self-control you have on your birthdays. Oooh, thank you, Ben. Thank you, James,” she said when she had unwrapped their gift, a length of dark green calico. “This will make a pretty dress for schoolteaching.”
After a few sips of coffee, Gabe excused himself to ‘go out back.’ A few minutes later there was a knocking on the front door.
“Who could that be!” exclaimed James dramatically, a wide grin splitting his face.
“Why, it’s Gabe with Sadie’s….” Ben almost choked when his brother’s hand came down over his mouth.
“Go see, Sadie.”
There was Gabe, holding the reins of the bay mare, all saddled and bridled.
“Happy birthday, Sadie, from me and Pa.”
“Oh, Pa!” Sadie threw her arms around her father, who stood there awkwardly patting her back. Then she turned to her brother. “She’s saddle-broke, Gabe? When will I be able to ride her?”
“Why, right now, if you want. But let’s start out in the corral, just till she gets used to your skirt.”
They all tramped out to the corral and hung on the fence as Sadie put the mare through her paces. “Oh, Gabe, she’s as easy a ride as I thought she’d be.”
“She’s a sweet-tempered thing, aren’t you, girl?” said Gabe as he held the mare still for Sadie to dismount. “But she has some spirit too.”
“Gabe has been working hard for weeks in training her, haven’t you, Gabe,” said May. “I’d say he has a special touch for the ladies,” she added with a teasing smile.
“I know Molly Preston thinks so,” teased James.
They all laughed and trooped back to the house for breakfast.
That night, Gabe sat on his cot, his bedroll half packed beside him. He was heartsick at the thought of leaving his home and family. “I’ve tried my best, Ma,” he whispered. “I’ve taken care of the young ones, like you said. Sadie’s grown now, so she’ll do fine. And the little ones, well, they love May…and so does Pa and that’s why I’ve got to go.” He finished packing up his few clothes and lay back on the bed, using the bedroll as a pillow. He’d have to wait a few hours for the moon to come up before he left. He’d take Jasper, the Roman-nosed dun gelding. He was too big to be a good cow pony, but he had endurance. He’d leave a note for his pa, explaining that he had to be off on his own, that he was sick of cowpunching and mending fences. That he was sorry not to tell him in person, but it was easier on both of them this way.
He’d ride west, toward the New Mexico Territory. He was sure he could find a place without much trouble. Maybe in a few years he’d be able to come home. Surely, with him gone, May would turn back to Pa. Goddamn, but he didn’t think he’d ever hated anyone in his life, but he hated his father’s wife.
Chapter One
Ramah, New Mexico
Night Sky had wandered a few hundred yards from the other horses. It had been a dry summer,
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