The Hundred Dollar Dream by Diana L. Pierce….alias….Dee Grainger
No copyright infringement intended.
The time has come for Holly and Clay Grainger's niece Dee, to move out of Shiloh. She is so excited to bring the next chapter in her life to a surface. Dee has taken on a new venture to occupy herself and to escape the affections of an old flame that had discovered her whereabouts. Her love for canine companionship and experience in their training had given way to a brand new career. Her friends Tom and Mary Adams, who raise and sell Border Collies on a farm near Laramie, have offered her a partnership to train their dogs to herd sheep. One agreement to this offer was for her to supply at least fifty of the wooly creatures to assist in the training. Thanks to the efforts of her Uncle Clay's foreman, the Virginian, the sheep will be arriving in Cheyenne in a few days and delivered by wagons to the Adams farm. Deep in the heart of Wyoming cattle country however can be a sticky situation when it comes to moving sheep. Clay Grainger has arranged for his foreman to accompany the wagons and the three men they hired to help, reach their destination. Clay is sending his young cowhand, Jim Horn to take Dee to her new location.
Dee is sitting with her uncle in his study making out bank drafts for the Virginian to pay for the shipment and the hired help. "Uncle Clay, I know how much a burden this is for the Virginian to move these sheep for me. I want to pay him well. And I want to give Jim something for his trouble. Should I ask them how much their time is worth or just draw a draft and hope it's enough to suit them? Clay scratches his head, "Well, they're on my payroll. Guess whatever you give them will be a bonus." She smiles at him, "How much do I owe you for taking them away from the ranch?" His face lights up, "Honey, you just have a safe trip. That's all the pay I need." She gets up from her seat and gives her uncle a hug. "Well, Jim should have the wagon loaded. I'll finish these drafts so I can give them to the Virginian and be on our way."
Later as Dee and Jim are preparing to leave she hands the drafts to the Virginian. He tucks them in his pocket, "You got these figures right, I hope." She nods, "Yeah, I got them right. Thanks again and see ya in a week." Her aunt, uncle, cousin and Trampas each give her a hug for the road. Jim grins at Trampas, "Where's my hug?" Trampas laughs, "I'll hug you alright. You best get going and take good care of our girl." Elizabeth grins, "I'm not afraid to hug you." She squeezes him. They all wave as the travelers leave.
A few days later, the Virginian gets off the train in Cheyenne. He meets the men with the wagons and stands guard as they unload the sheep from the train and into the wagons. He expects trouble. He mounts his rented black bay and motions them to follow him. As they depart Cheyenne some men on the street shout, "Stinkin' sheep lovers." Another yells, "No room in Wyoming for them and us too." The Virginian tells a man near him, "I don't like it either, that's why I'm personally seeing them to where they're going so I know they're all fenced in nice and snug like." The man says, "You won't mind if I join you then to see you do it, will ya?" The Virginian nods, "Suit yourself, we're headed to the other side of Laramie a stretch." The man mounts his horse and joins them, "My names Mark Grant and I have a small spread just north of here. Hard enough pickings, without worry about these range rats around chewing it bare." The Virginian agrees, "Yeah, I know. I'm from the Shiloh ranch near Medicine Bow. My boss had me see that his niece gets these sheep to train herd dogs with her partners Tom and Mary Adams. Guess they got people paying big money south of here for those dogs." Mark says, "Well, who would have guessed." They continue on their way.
In the meanwhile at the Adam's farm, Jim is helping Tom finish up the last of the sheep fence. Jim wipes the sweat from his face. "Reckon the bossman ought to be here soon if'in he doesn't run into trouble." Tom says, "I sure hope not any trouble. It's not like there's very many sheep. We just needed enough to make the dogs understand grouping them." Jim nods, "I know Dee, can hardly wait to work with them dogs. You know she's good with 'em, too. Felt so sorry for her when Curly got killed by a bull." Tom says, "Her uncle and his foreman felt like it was their fault letting her near the cattle with him. I bet they were as tickled with the pup I sent home with them as Dee was." Jim agrees, "Bet they were. Surprised the rest of us they came here to get her a pup. Mr. Grainger didn't take kindly to having a dog around before Dee brought hers there." Tom says, "We were expecting them, Mr. Grainger sent a telegram telling us he wanted to buy Dee a pup. I told him this pup was free, no payment, it's from Mary and me." Jim smiles watching Dee with her dog coming out of the little cottage type house she'll be living in, "Guess you can see she's made a special friend of him. Chance sure loves her. He followed her all the way to Medicine Bow one day. We wouldn't have known she even went there had the Virginian not followed behind Chance." Tom said, "She told us about it. It was the day she decided to come and help us. Guess her and your foreman had a bit of a falling out that day." Jim laughs, "Yeah, she sure gets his temper boiling sometimes. Should have been there when he noticed he'd signed his name to an order of fifty sheep. I never saw him make a trip to town and back that fast before." Tom laughs, "I'll bet. Is that why he agreed to make sure they get here? I'm thankful to him."
The wagons are getting closer to Laramie. So far not much trouble has occurred but that is about to change. Their new traveling companion Mark sees riders coming up fast, "This could be trouble. I've seen this bunch before." The Virginian unfastens his gun from its holster and prepares for the worst. "Who are they, Mark." Mark says, "Double K ranch hands." The riders are beside them now. One rider shouts, "Better turn 'em around, no sheep welcome here." Mark says, "We're moving them to the Adams property outside of Laramie. That's why I'm helping this other cattleman get them there so we know they ain't ruining our grazing ground." The ranch hand says, "You call yourselves cattlemen? Cattlemen don't move sheep. Show 'em, what we do to sheep, boys." One man begins to shoot towards the wagons and another one jumps on the back of a wagon to unlatch the gate which holds the load secure. The gate comes open and a few sheep fall out, blatting and rolling on the ground. The ranch hand starts to fire at the sheep. The Virginian draws his gun, "Hold it right there Mister." The man stands still, while the hired help gathers the sheep and secures the load again. The Virginian, Mark and the three hired men have guns aimed at the intruders as they watch them leave. The Virginian says, "Now to get them through Laramie. That could be a trick." Mark says, "I'll ride a head and see if Deputy Sherman will escort us through town." He rides away.
Mark and the deputy meet them just as they get to Laramie and with the help of the lawman they reach the Adams farm without more trouble. The deputy says, "If Tom needs me, he knows where I am." The Virginian says, "Thanks, I'll be sure to tell Tom you said so." Mark tips his hat, "I'm headed back, too. It's been nice knowing you." Before long the sheep are secure behind woven fence wires. Dee excited about her new venture is behind the fence with Chance and another dog. Simple commands shortly become tiresome and she decides to save more advanced training for another day. She comes through the gate and smiles at Jim and the Virginian who are watching her, "I couldn't have done this without you two I owe you so much." The Virginian takes the bank draft from his wallet, "But, Dee you don't owe me, no hundred dollars. Heck, I ain't taken that kind of pay for anything else I've ever done." He tries to make her take it back. Jim says, "You don't owe me either, Dee. Besides we're still on Shiloh's payroll." He stuffs his draft note in her hand. Dee shakes her head, "I know. Uncle Clay said whatever I give you will be a bonus. Please let me pay you." She pleads with them. The Virginian says, "You feed us supper, give us a place to sleep and breakfast for the road. That's enough. For once can you let us do something for you without making a fuss?" She smiles, "Okay, I'm keeping supper warm on the stove. Let's go eat." They head to Dee's new home where she had prepared a meal of chicken and biscuits.
The next morning as the Virginian and Jim prepare to leave, Dee says, "Thanks for everything, I'm gonna miss you guys." She gives them each a hug. The Virginian says, "Send someone for Deputy Sherman if anyone gives you trouble." Jim says, "You write. And don't forget us." Dee grins, "Oh, I won't forget you. You two are masters at arguing. I'll miss that." The Virginian laughs, "Maybe when you come to visit we can think up a good one. Doubt we'll get too much out of practice. Will we Jim?"
The Virginian and Jim return to Shiloh where they are greeted by their boss. Clay asks, "I trust everything went well?" The foreman smiles at him. "Yes, not too much trouble. But she sure is stubborn. She thought I should take a hundred dollars for helping her. Jim and I both made her take them bank drafts back." Jim laughs, "She thought you were worth four times the amount as me." Clay chuckles, "I think she thought she could guarantee her sheep get home if the Virginian thought he was worth that much to her." Jim nods, "I bet your right, sir. Guess I'm lucky she even thought she should pay me." They laugh.
Later the cowhands are hanging out at the bunkhouse. Trampas jokes with the foreman, "Dee, asked me, what I thought you were worth the day before she left." The foreman stares at his friend. "And you told her a hundred dollars?" Trampas laughs, "No. I said Dee, you been here over a year. Think of all the advice he's gave you in that time. He told you what to do and when you could do it and where you could go and why you should." The Virginian grins, "That explains a hundred dollar bonus?" Trampas explains further, "Let me finish. Then I said, he's helping you get your dream started and you'll be your own boss. No more anyone telling you what to do and no more him telling you what to do either. What's that worth? She smiles at me and said, Think a hundred dollars is enough? Thanks Trampas. And then she kissed me." The Virginian is still shaking his head as he goes to his room thinking of what a story teller his friend is.
THE END