Maybe they’ll stay away.”
“Not likely. They’ll just regroup and try again another time. Why are you out here alone? Don’t you still have ranch hands, Nee zhoh nee Tayas?”
“You remembered my Indian name. I love it but I felt awkward using it in college among the other students. My mother always called me Ginger because I was so full of energy and could not seem to keep still,” she laughed. “My hands don’t know I’m out here. Hank will be furious with me when he discovers what I’ve done.”
“I’m sorry that you lost Chaska Magi. I could not get back for the funeral. He was one of the best.”
“He sure was and I’ll always love him. He was called Mike around here.”
“Come on. Mount up and I’ll see you back home.”
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I see two of the guard dogs coming for me. Someone must have awakened and discovered that my horse was gone. They will worry about me, especially in this storm. Please come for a visit soon. Juanita would love to see you.”
“Thank you. I will. Try to get over and visit with my parents. I know they would enjoy seeing you and talk about good times of the past.”
* * * * *
Ginger rode in to face a frightened and angry Hank with several ranch hands. “What’s going on? Why did you foolishly go out in the dark in this storm without rousing some of us to go with you?” Hank demanded.
“Someone was in the barn tonight and it wasn’t a friend. I don’t know how he got past the guard dogs, but he hit me and knocked me down. The dogs were so upset that I rode out to check on the horses and the mustangs, and it’s a good thing I did.” She told them what had happened.
One of the ranch hands had taken War Shield in and wiped him down before placing him in his stall. The man came out with a piece of raw meat in his hand. “Here’s why the dogs didn’t attack. Someone brought meat with them and I can bet it had a sleeping medicine on it.”
Hank was so angry that he paced furiously and barked orders. “Juan take two men with you and go check on the horses and the mustangs. Merika keep someone with you and bed down here in the barn for the rest of the night. Tomorrow I’ll assign regular duties.”
He turned to Ginger. “Young lady, I know you’re technically the boss, but I want you to go back inside. Take a hot shower and dress in dry clothes and stay inside until morning.” She meekly acquiesced knowing Hank was concerned for her safety.
Juanita had been awakened and was concerned. “What is going on, little one? Why are you so wet and muddy?”
“Juanita, darling, I haven’t been a little one for almost twenty years. Let me get dry and dress and I’ll be down to tell you all about it. Do you have hot mint tea and some of your delicious egg toast?”
“You know I do. I’ll get everything ready. Don’t keep me waiting too long.”
Ginger was thankful for Juanita. She had been with the family since her birth because her mother had been the housekeeper for the grandparents and then for Ginger’s parents. Juanita’s mother had died three years ago at age ninety-one. Juanita was considered a family member. Ginger knew she loved her and was concerned for her safety. She was only six years older than Ginger but they had grown up together.
In about twenty minutes, Ginger was back in the kitchen gratefully accepting the tea and egg toast. She told Juanita all that had happened.
“Oh, did you know Tokala Deerhunter is home?”
“I knew he had come home to help his mother. He is a very good man. He only had an older sister, Marlene, who is now an ADA (assistant district attorney) in Iowa. She’s married and I can’t remember when she’s been back here. She’s fourteen years older than Tokala.”
Ginger had too much on her mind to go back to sleep. It would be time to get up and start working in about two hours. Six o’clock came around whether one was ready for it or not.
She wanted to do her chores as quickly as possible and then ride out in daylight to see where the thieves had come on her property. Too, she wanted to check on the mustangs and assure herself that they were all right. Some of the very old might have been hurt. The very young could have easily been hurt crowded among the frightened larger horses.
Hank had ridden out before dawn. He and two ranch hands had found the cut fence and repaired it. They also checked the favorite watering hole of the herd to make sure there was no trap set. He was angry because of the careless treatment of the innocent animals and what the end results might have been. He felt that Ginger didn’t deserve the aggregation.
Ginger decided to let War Shield rest, so she saddled Dakota Joe and took him out. She was ashamed of herself to be annoyed at Hank for getting out in the mustang pasture before she did. She knew she should be grateful, but she hoped to find a clue as to who was on her property uninvited. Hank was a welcome sight as she quickly rode to him.
“Hey, Hank. Find anything that will help us?”
“No. It’s strange how they can come all over the property and there are no clues anywhere.”
“We’ll keep searching and hopefully come up with something in a few days. Was there anything in the barn that would give us a clue?”
“No. My guess is they’re wearing gloves and plastic bags on their boots to leave no prints in the barn. These are men who have had some well-thought out training and I bet there’s a big boss in the picture.”
“Shades of the old west. Grandfather will be turning in his grave. I’m going to report this to the sheriff and to the BLM. I know you don’t want me to be involved, but this property has been in my family at least one hundred years. I owe it to my ancestors to do all within my power to protect it and all that’s on it. I’m sorry my mother lost three babies before they were born. I sure could use a sibling to help me now.”
“I’m going to assign night patrol for a while. In the meantime I’m going to think of some way of identifying stolen mustangs. I know you don’t approve of branding, Ginger, but we need to mark the mustangs in some manner so they can be identified.” Hank was so angry he was gnashing his teeth.
“Yes, you’re right,” she said with a sigh. We’ll have a planning session about this later when we both have time. In the meantime, I’ll contact BLM and discuss it with them. I’m going back now and train some of the boarder’s horses. After all, I’ve gotta earn what they’re paying me. See you later. Thank you, men,” she called to the hands as she rode off.
Ginger worked and trained four horses for boarders. When she broke late for lunch, she had to admit how tired she was. Instead of riding in the afternoon, she decided to work some of the young horse on a lunge line. She not only taught voice commands but hands signals as well.
She was working with a very obstinate two year old when she saw a movement in her peripheral vision. With a startled gasp, she whirled around and was relieved to see James Deerhunter.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I don’t want to interfere with the training of that beauty. He’s Quarter Thoroughbred isn’t he. Is he one of yours?”
“No,
