Ride the High Range by Charles G. West

Author:Charles G. West
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2010-10-18T04:00:00+00:00

The first light snow fell on the mountains and valleys early in the fall, and it seemed to bring a sense of longing over Johnny Hawk. Each new dusting of snow seemed to dampen the spirits of the typically carefree little man. His lack of enthusiasm in preparing for the hard winter finally caused Rider to seek the cause. In a frank confession, Johnny told him that he guessed he missed Morning Flower more than he thought he would. When they had left Fort Laramie, he didn’t plan to return to see her until spring. “But I guess I’m gettin’ old enough that I get to missin’ a warm body to keep my joints from freezin’ up on cold winter nights,” he said.

Rider studied his friend’s face for a moment, thinking how difficult it must have been for one so confident and independent to confess that he needed the company of another. After a few more moments, Rider smiled and said, “Well, you’re sure as hell not gonna cuddle up to this warm body. I reckon the only way to cure your hurtin’ is to pack up and head on back to Two Bulls’ village.” He saw an immediate flicker of excitement in Johnny’s eyes, much like that seen in a child at Christmastime.

“To tell you the truth,” Johnny said, “I’ve been thinkin’ ’bout headin’ back down there before real bad weather sets in and closes off these mountains. I figured I’d be goin’ alone, though. I didn’t figure anything could pull you down where there’s people. Hell, you’ve already gone half wild, roamin’ around up here by yourself.” He paused to give his friend a suspicious eye. “You ain’t got to believin’ them tales the Injuns has been spreadin’, have you?”

The question brought a smile to Rider′s usually solemn face. “Maybe you’re startin’ to believe it, and that’s why you wanna split up with me—afraid I’ll turn into a grizzly some night when you’re sleepin’.”

“That might be it,” Johnny said, chuckling.

Pleased to see a hint of renewal of the old sparkle in his partner’s eyes, Rider went on. “There’s nothin’ to hold us here. We’ve got meat laid back and plenty of hides we can trade at Fort Laramie. Everything else we can cache, and it’ll still be here when we come back.” He was thinking that it might be a good thing to sleep in Morning Flower’s warm lodge and visit with Deer Foot and White Fox and his other Crow friends. The thought surprised him, for as recently as a week before, he still had no desire to see civilized man. Maybe he really was healed, although his first reaction to Johnny’s intention to return to Fort Laramie alone was concern for his safety. On his routine visits to the trading post Johnny had heard that the Sioux and Cheyenne were actively raiding any parties attempting to travel the Bozeman Trail in protest to the forts under construction by Colonel Carrington’s expedition. Grover Bramble said he’d heard

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