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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2018432" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 88, “Meanwhile, back at the ranch….”, January 10th, 1882:Kate enjoyed the quiet mile out to Flint's claim. Meribel's lively step showed how glad she was to be out of the stable. If she hadn't known better, Kate would have thought Meribel was a bit unhappy when she'd come in on the stallion this morning. She took a deep breath and savored the smells of horses and fresh air, and the freedom of again being out of skirts and into proper riding clothes. The quartet arrives at Pete's Ranch. It appears that Flint has been very busy during the three days since they saw him last. Most of the fence posts on the twenty acres still have ropes for railings, but he has managed to cut down enough saplings and small trees for temporary wooden rails connecting the tops of the posts. He has also separated the horses from the cattle into separate pens. He welcomes the four of them. He says "The Deputy Sheriff was out here Sunday and identified the brands on some of the animals which he took. The others are all apparently from outside of the county so unless somebody actually comes here looking I get to keep them. I have sixteen cows and eight horses at this point. This includes two horses that were dropped off here a few hours ago by an Apache warrior."Kate says, "That sounds like a good start. We got a lead on selling the wagon, hopefully it won't be much longer and we can get you your supplies. I wondered if you'd mind if I came out tomorrow to give someone some riding lessons? He'd also be giving me some shooting lessons." "Sure, no problem," Flint comments, then adds "Would this be anyone that I know?"  She says, “Jake Cook, you met him on Saturday. I'm sure you remember." He then says "I've got something for you over in the cave but I think you'll need something to transport it back on. It's Curley Bill's Body and he was a rather large man."  Kate says, "Yes, the Cartwright's stopped by on their way out of town. We'd have to go to Texas for the bounty. I'm not sure where we'd keep the body until we could do that. I'm inclined not to bother myself. But I'm fairly certain I'm in the minority in that opinion."Ruby kicked at the dirt, not paying attention to their conversation. "You going to build a house out here or something? You can't live in a tent forever..." Flint says, "I don't live in a tent, that was Pete's. I live in the cave."  Ruby says, "Ok, well, you can't live in a cave forever either...” Flint answers, "Sure I can. Dwarves have done that for thousands of years. Caves are better than houses. They don't rot and fall apart nearly as easily. Unfortunately they are somewhat damp, so I guess I'll have to build some type of structure to store hay in." "What about if you have guests?" Ruby laughs. "I guess you're not thinking of that." She pauses. "Looks like you've done a great job so far, you should be proud of yourself." "Yes, you have." Kate smiled over at Ruby, then looked back toward Flint.   "You'll need at least one large barn for the horses and the hay. Probably some kind of open structure with a roof as well, although I don't imagine there's that much rain here. You don't have to deal with weather so cold that the animals will need to be inside." Kate looked around. "Flint, what would you think if I offered to partner with you? Not a large part of the ranch of course, it's yours. But I enjoy working with horses, and I think I could help you. I'd also like to build a house to live in. I can't live in a hotel forever. I don't need any kind of answer now, but consider it. I must do something with myself, after all." Ruby raises her eyebrow at Katherine. "I didn't know you were thinking of leaving Promise City..." Kate can tell Ruby is bothered by the idea.Flint comments "Mrs. Kale, I don't know the first thing about horses. I recall you saying that you and your late husband worked with them and that was why you came out here to begin with. I would be more than happy to have you help me with that, I barely know how to ride. I will probably also need to hire at least one more person who knows something about cattle too. As for building houses, barns and guestrooms, I don't think that's my priority at the moment. My biggest needs are more fence rails so I don't lose my livestock. Probably some guard dogs too, although maybe not since most ranchers around here need to guard against the Apache, who actually seem to be helping me out. I have noticed that all of the cattle are female so I guess getting a bull might be a good idea, but that will definitely have to wait until stronger fencing is in. Kate says,  "I wouldn't call one mile out of town leaving, Ruby. And you'd be welcome to come with me, if you wanted. Or to visit, just as you wish." "Anything that needs a horse ride to get to is leaving Kate. And in case you haven't noticed I'm not exactly a country kind of girl." Ruby pauses pulling on her new shirt. "But I suppose you would need to get on with your life. You're right, you can't live in a hotel forever." Ruby finds a spot near a tree and plops down.Kate nodded to Flint and left him talking with Nanuet and Sonoma. She sat down next to Ruby. "Would you miss me so much, just one mile away? Even with the money we just got, I can't live on it forever, and I can't live on a waitress's salary. The only real skill I have that will support me here is working with horses. You know I would be in Promise City almost every day for my lessons with Mr. Gonzales. But this is all speculation, and I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.""Of course I would! Who else could I talk about boys to?" Ruby smiles. "I know you'll be moving on eventually and I will too, maybe sooner rather then later, especially with what happened today. I can't tell you what to do and it sounds like a good idea to me. You should absolutely take up the opportunity. And maybe you can give me some riding lessons too. Can never be good enough at jumping out of stages," she laughs.  Kate answers, "I hope it's later. You're not the kind of girl to let a lie rule her life. And how can you make Adair pay if you leave? Perhaps I could live in town and ride out to the ranch. It is only a mile, after all. Right now, I have no plans to leave Promise City. If I were to leave, I would go back to Boston. If I'm going to stay out west I want to stay near Tom." She paused. "You just let me know if you want a few pointers on riding and we'll do that.""It's not so easy to live with people thinking you're a harlot Kate. I won't have the protection like the girls at the Palace do. I have to find a way to make people understand it's not true although it's probably too late.  As for Adair, he will pay. I have to have some time to think it over though. As we have learned he really is a villain."  Ruby looks around,  "It looks like Nanuet and Flint are having a good visit. Nanuet's been wanting to see how Flint was all week. He told me he wanted to see how he could help. He is a very nice man, that Indian."Kate says, "Flint, I wouldn't expect outbuildings and a house up here right away. But you should be aware of what you'll eventually need. It would be some time I think before I was ready to move out of the city. Let's say this. I'll come out a couple days a week to help you with the horses and teach you to train and care for them. After you get the first necessary improvements made to the land, we can discuss me putting down capital and perhaps the building of a small house on the land."Katherine takes a look at the two newest horses, which the Apache had brought in just a few hours ago. They resemble some of the animals that belonged to some of the recently deceased outlaws from the morning's stagecoach incident.Sonoma has spent the visit not with the dwarf but instead riding her pony around the twenty acres and looking it over carefully. She rides back and joins the others. Nanuet and Flint appear to have concluded their conversations and are rejoined by Ruby and Katherine.  Ruby asks, "Sonoma, were you looking for something or just having a ride?"  She replies, “You know horses, I know a little about farming.  Twenty acres is about enough for the herd he has, but unless he adds more land or rotates the cattle with sheep and seeds he's going to run out of grazing land fairly quickly.”Kate nodded. "When I mentioned ranching to him, I was thinking of horses rather than cattle. In fact, I was thinking of buying the land from him and raising the horses myself, I never thought he'd take to the idea. Is any of the land adjacent to this available?"  She replies "I don't know, but the County maintains a land claims office in town, right next door to the Marshall's Office. The County Recorder, Dennis Winston, occasionally comes over to the El Parador for a meal after he closes it up at 6:00 P.M. We should be back in town well before then, so you could check. This land shouldn't be wanted by anything else. It's good grazing land but apparently not very productive for mining. This close to Apache land other ranchers wouldn't be interested either but you and Flint seem to have a good relationship with the Indians. For cattle you'll need at least 200 acres. You might be able to get away with slightly less if you rotate sheep through, but 20 acres isn't going to get you very far if you're breeding."Kate replies, "I'll go as soon as we get back to town. If most people find the land undesirable I might be able to get a better price for it. The difficulty is, I don't really know how much an acre should cost. I'm a little out of my depth here." Sonoma suggest that she ask Flint what he and his friend paid. Katherine does so and he replies, "It went for $ 100 an acre, but that was due to the steam. Water is valuable in this region. I could probably get adjacent lands for a third of that price.”"One hundred an acre?" Kate choked. "At three acres per hundred dollars, even if I invested everything I have I could only double the current acreage. And I would be left with nothing in pocket. I didn't realize land was that costly."   Katherine explains what Sonoma said about the acreage and the need to either rotate animals or crops, or to expand. "I had thought more land would be the answer, but 200 acres is far out of reach. The money from the wagon could buy a few more acres, but still..."Nanuet kneels on one knee as he plays with a handful of soil. He looks up at Kate.  "Well, I have worked as a rancher a bit myself. It's how I learned English and white man customs, paid my way when I was after my revenge. I wouldn't mind putting in my share of the money and partnering with you. My heritage might force me to be a silent partner, but I have no trouble with that.""But I do have trouble with that," Kate said fiercely. "If you make an investment here, you have every right to have just as much say as anyone else. Now, if you would rather be in the background for your own comfort, that’s one thing. I'd be proud to be partners with you.” Nanuet stammers "Well.... I... I...” He kicks at the dirt. "You are right.,” he says, with some fire showing in his eyes now. "My money should be as good as anyone else’s. I am interested in being a partner and would like to join you in this affair. We will see if the land is available and how much we can afford."   Nanuet stands a little taller and seems to be proud of his decision."I'd be pleased to have you.”  She turns to the dwarf and says, “Flint, this gives you someone who knows something about horses, and someone who knows about ranching. Maybe between us we can get this ranch up and running.  I think it's time to be getting back to Promise City. I have a few other things to do this afternoon. Is everyone ready?  Flint, I'll let you know when I come back tomorrow if any of the adjacent land is available. If it's not, the question of funds is moot anyway."  Nanuet replies, "Yeah, I am ready I guess. I need to do a bit of shopping for myself and need to work on finishing up the details of getting that wagon sold. Maybe since Jake seems to be friendly with the buyers he could handle that? I will have to speak with him about that later."  Nanuet finds Sonoma and saddles up, they head back to town, deep in conversation with one another.  Kate rode just out of earshot from Nanuet and Sonoma to give them a little privacy and smiled. She needed something to do beside wait tables, and perhaps this was it.</blockquote>

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