Lost Sheep at the Double K, episode #15, The Virginian and Laramie crossover adventure...
By Diana L. Pierce…alias…Dee Grainger… No copyright infringement intended…
As the beautiful Wyoming sunset was about to vanish, Dee Grainger returned to the comfort of her cozy cottage on the Adams farm outside of Laramie. As she takes the ribbon from her light brown hair she offers her canine companion a bowl of water. "There ya go, boy." She hears a knock on the door and in walks her friend Mary Adams. Mary looked beat and Dee could see she was worried, "What we going to do, Dee? Tom thinks they may have wondered onto the Double K." Dee yawns, "I sure hope not. We'll have to keep looking first thing in the morning for 'em. You and Tom go toward Laramie and search where ya left off. I'll see if Slim will help me look near the Double K." Mary agrees as she goes out the door, "That's what we'll do. Good night, Dee."
After getting a bite to eat Dee headed to bed. She knew she better get some shut eye because she needed to go back out for another search as soon as daylight permitted. Taking a daily check on the fence that kept their sheep safe had become routine to the three dog trainers, but somehow they missed an opening and lost nearly half their flock. Twenty one sheep loose deep in the heart of cattle country was likely to cause trouble if they weren't found soon. They had already been missing over twelve hours and with each hour gone by they could have wondered onto one of the neighboring ranches. She knew if they went to the Sherman ranch, Slim would see they returned safely, but what about the Double K, surely they hadn't wondered that far, at least she hoped not. Tom and Mary had looked for hours with two of their Border Collies. Dee took two dogs with her to search the other side of the farm. Her own dog, Chance and a dog called Jingles who belonged to Tom and Mary Adams would be plenty of help once she found the sheep if no one gave her trouble.
Dee's beginning to think maybe training Border Collies to herd sheep in cattle country wasn't a very smart venture after all. But she sure as heck wasn't going to admit it, at least not to her cattleman uncle and his cowhands. And she wasn't about to ask them for help either. They had already gone out on a limb helping her get the sheep there to begin with months earlier. It wasn't like Shiloh was a skip and a holler from Laramie and besides the Virginian most likely would not let her live it down if she was to ask him for help anyhow. It was bad enough to have to ask Slim Sherman for help, but she knew she'd be crazy to go the Double K by herself. She hoped she didn't have to.
The next day as the sun come up, Tom and Mary continue the search where they left off. Dee and her canine companions go to the Sherman ranch. As she reaches the house she sees Slim and his friend Jess are saddling their horses. Dee pulls her paint mare to a stop, "Have ya seen any sheep out this way? We've lost twenty one and can't find them anywhere. I hope they're not at the Double K." The two men mount their horse and Slim yells to Mike who had just come out of the house, "We're going to help Dee find her sheep, Mike. Tell Daisy we may be gone a spell. We think they may have wondered onto the Double K." With a sigh of relief, Dee says, "Very much obliged to ya."
The three ride off followed by the two Border Collies. Jess looks at Dee, "Glad to see you're toting a Winchester. Ya know how to use it, ma'am?" Dee grins at him, "Yes, sir. I know how to use it, but I hope I don't have to. I'm grateful for you guys going up there with me. Don't reckon them Double K fellas will listen to me if my sheep went over on their property. Tom and Mary are going toward Laramie. I pray they find them there." Slim says, "We don't mind helping you get them back. Hope we don't find your flock dead, Dee. Can you handle that loss if we do?" Dee looks at him. "Guess I'll have to, but don't think we'll be able to get any more here. We had trouble enough transporting these. Reckon we'll have to work with what we got left if we find 'em dead." Slim points ahead of them, "It's just over that ridge up there. Then Double K for as far as you can see." Jess says, "Let's hope we find the sheep before they do. Those cow punchers are a bunch of raging fools from what I've seen of 'em."
They come upon a fence line of barbed wire. Chance and Jingles duck under the fence and take off barking. Slim begins searching for an opening. Jess knows he won't find one, so he dismounts and cuts the fence.
Slim says, "That wasn't a very smart thing to do, Jess. You know this is Double K." Jess mounts his horse and rides through after the dogs with Slim and Dee following him. The dogs found the sheep and were herding them back toward the riders. Dee whistles and motions them where to go. They bring the sheep back through the broken fence.
Slim is attempting to put the fence back together when two of the Double K cowhands ride up from the direction where the sheep had been. By this time the dogs had the sheep headed toward home and out of sight. Dee says, "Slim, thank you. I can manage from here." She sees Jess is about to confront the cowhands and knows she better make sure her animals are as far away as she can get them. She rides to catch up to the flock. As she reaches her sheep and the dogs, she hears a couple riders coming up fast behind her. She yells out. "I can get them, Slim." She turns around. It is a couple cowhands from the Double K. Slim and Jess were still dealing with two Double K cowhands by the fence. She commands her dogs to push the sheep faster. "Take 'em home, boys."
She stops to deal with the intruders with her Winchester in her hands and cocked, "I'm taking my sheep home. Sorry for the trouble. I promise they won't bother you again and Slim is fixing the fence. Don't need no trouble with ya."
The dark haired cowboy confronts her, "Ma'am, you know Slim ain't wearing a badge today. Ya had no right cutting the fence. Had we noticed them sheep were there, ya know what we would have done to 'em, don't ya?" He sounded like he was the leader of the group, as his partner never said a word.
Dee glares at him, "You don't tell me ya never had your stock get loose and wind up on someone else's land. I reckon you bring them home anyway you can."
He comes closer staring down the barrel of her Winchester, "But we ain't driving range rats, either. No room for the varmints here. Best ya get it through that pretty little head of yours now than later." Dee backs away from him further as she holds aim on him, "Leave me be if ya don't want pumped full of lead mister." She could see this brown eyed stranger wasn't threatened by her as he gave her his devilish grin. They hear shots fired from the direction where the fence was broken. The cowhand's partner heads back that way. But her persistent visitor will not leave and she hopes the dogs are getting the flock closer to home as she hasn't heard them lately.
Dee stares at him, "What's your name? I'm Dee Grainger. Reckon you probably heard of my Uncle Clay who owns Shiloh near Medicine Bow. You know he has cattle, too. He doesn't have a problem with me keeping a few sheep to train dogs with. Why should your ranch owner care as long as I keep them home?"
He replies in a much more serious tone, "Well, Dee Grainger, I'm Bucky Kilburn and the ranch owner is my father, Keith Kilburn. And we do have a problem with sheep being here. The little scrape my brother, Frank got into with Grainger's foreman bringing the sheep to ya, I know my pa isn't going to like this one bit." Dee snarls at him, "Give me a break. They got loose. It took awhile to find them, but their headed home now. Anyways the Virginian isn't anywhere's near here and this is my problem, not his."
Dee had met her match with this guy. He was about as stubborn as she was. But there was something about him she wasn't sure of. The way he looked at her made her think he was only teasing. The two of them watched as they saw the other three cowhands with Slim and Jess coming toward them. As none of them seem to have any wounds, the gun shot they heard must have been a warning sign. Jess rides up beside Dee, "You okay, ma'am. I think we convinced these guys not to cause you any trouble getting your sheep home." Bucky smiles at her shaking his head, "Just keep them home." Dee nods to them. "Thank you, fellas. I reckon I owe ya one. Guess I better go make sure they're headed home." Bucky watches her as she takes off, "She sure is a looker, ain't she? Bluest eyes I ever saw. You think she would have used that Winchester?" Slim replies, "I wouldn't want her aiming it at me. She tends to hit her target every time." Jess grins watching her descend out of sight, "Yeah, she is a looker. She's not married either, Bucky. In case ya wanted to know." Bucky laughs, "Well, don't expect she'd have anything to do with me now, anyhow." Jess chuckles, "Not if you threatened her sheep, probably not."
Dee found her sheep and the dogs heading toward the enclosure where Tom and Mary were waiting to open the gate. She was pleased the dogs were smart enough to know were home was. At least, Jingles knew where his was. Chance, she really thought liked Shiloh better with all the attention he got from everyone there. Dee missed Shiloh, too. She guessed she could write them a letter with something interesting this time. The Double K wasn't as much trouble as the Virginian thought they would be, at least not with Slim and Jess nearby. She was so glad she had her daddy's old Winchester and hadn't left it at Shiloh with her other two.
A couple days later as Dee and Mary are inspecting the sheep enclosure, Mary remarks, "Hope I didn't do something I shouldn't have, Dee, but I sent your Uncle Clay a telegram when you were out with Slim, looking for the sheep." Dee looks at her, "You what? Why?" Mary shakes her head, "Well, I was worried. Daisy was worried too, she sent the sheriff out to find you all." Dee frowns, "We never saw the sheriff anywhere. Really, Mary, you know Slim and Jess can take care of themselves and would cover my back." Mary nods her head, "I know, but Double K ranch have mean men working for them and I told your Uncle Clay, if I didn't send another telegram come morning we may need help." Dee glares at her, "That's just great. Stir up Shiloh, why don't ya? Heck they already think I'm helpless most of time. Did ya send another telegram?" Mary looks at her, "Yes, but you know I was kind of late going to town yesterday. I got one from him saying he had sent help." Dee can't believe her ears. She knows whoever is coming will be there any minute. "Why did you wait so long to tell me? They'll be here soon. Glad you let Uncle Clay know I made it back though. My Aunt Holly must have been worried silly if she made him send help that quick." Mary looks down toward the house, "They just rode up, Dee. It looks like he sent Jim and the Virginian here. Tom is talking to them." Dee swallowed hard thinking of what she was going to say to them, she knew the Virginian would likely make an issue of it. As the women neared the house, Dee says, "Mary, let's put on a feast for these guys and ask Slim, Jess, Daisy and Mike to join us. We owe them something, you know." Mary agrees, "Yes, let's do that." Jim comes running to greet Dee with her dog, Chance by his side, "Dee, ya sure had us worried. The boss man thought for sure ya got yourself into a real pickle this time. Lucky the horses were tired or I don't think we'd of stopped for the night." Dee shakes her head, "Jim, I'm sorry to get you guys out here on a goose chase. It weren't my doings. Mary got worried that I wasn't coming back." By this time the Virginian was standing beside her with one of those discussed looks she had seen many times before, "Dee, what in thunder we ever going to do with ya? Your Aunt and Uncle are worried sick." She looks at him, "Mary sent them another telegram to let them know I made it back. Don't know why she sent the first one. I had Slim and his friend Jess with me. I wasn't asking ya to come out here. Don't you know I wouldn't do that?" He puts his hand on her shoulder, "I didn't mean it like it sounded. Guess I was worried, too. No harm done, glad you're okay." She smiles at him having all she can do to fight back the tears. She knew this guy was always going to be ruling over her no matter how far away from Shiloh she got. Friends she made at Shiloh the year she spent there were all like family to her, even the hired help acted like big brothers. Being raised as an only child, she wasn't use to all the attention until she went to live there. But she was sure happy she made the move after she lost her father.
Dee and Mary put on a feast later that day. They set up a table on the Adams huge front porch. Daisy brought apple pie for dessert and the men roasted a pork shoulder over a bed of coals. Mary's kitchen was filled with aroma of cornbread baking and scalloped potatoes simmering on the stove. It was a nice get together among friends. They strung a group of paper lanterns around the porch lit by candle light preparing to entertain as night approached them. Dee had been saving a couple bottles of wine for such an occasion. Tom was pleased to play his fiddle to an audience for a change.
The men were deep in discussion about the Double K cowhands and how easily trouble hadn't got out of hand after all. Jess tells how he had to waste a bullet to convince them he was serious, "Lucky for you, Dee, Bucky took a fancy to ya or there could have been bigger trouble than there was." Dee looks confused, "He took a fancy to me? How is that when he was looking down the barrel of a Winchester the whole time he was talking to me?" The Virginian speaks up, "I'd say he never saw ya shoot it. That would have changed his tune." She laughs, "Haven't had cause to even tote one until then." Dee sits some glasses on the table. Jess chuckles, "Well, you may want to now. I told him you weren't married." Dee pours some wine, "Jess, that's not even funny. Let's drink to them cowards at the Double K." Slim laughs, "Yes! I'll drink to that. Glad there wasn't double trouble with the Double K." They raise their glasses. Dee looks at Jess, "Bucky Kilburn? No way, Jess, you're joshing me." Jess grins, "No, I'm not." Jim taking in the conversation, seriously asks, "Dee, reckon this fella will come a calling on ya?" She replies, "Now, Jim, what cattleman would want anything to do with a sheep herder? Besides all we did was holler at each other." Jim jokes, "Ya got us here, didn't ya. We use to do a lot of hollering at each other." Dee shakes her head, "Yeah, but Jim you're different. You're like a brother. Anyways, it was Mary that got you here. She couldn't wait to tell Uncle Clay I was in trouble and she didn't even know if there was trouble." Mary said, "Yeah, I caused the fuss. I admit it, I'm a worry wart." The Virginian looks at Mary, "Glad you are. Dee doesn't even know when she is in trouble. You be sure to let us know about any problems she gets herself into, I know the Grainger's will be grateful to ya." Dee stares at him, "You do know I'm standing right beside ya?" He grins, "Yeah, I do. I wouldn't say anything about ya, I wouldn't say right to ya." She gives him a serious look, "When you ever going to treat me like a grown up? I'm almost thirty three years old, ya know." He looks at her just as seriously, "But you're still a female and ya don't always think before you do things. What if Slim and Jess hadn't been there? I know you, Dee. You would have gone to the Double K alone and that would have been double trouble just like Slim was talking about." Dee knew he was right. She would have gone alone if she had to. There wasn't much sense in trying to convince him otherwise.
The next morning the Virginian and Jim ate breakfast with Dee. She packed them some sandwiches for the road. Jim watches her as he is sipping coffee and petting her dog, Chance, at his feet, "You don't have to do that, Dee. But we're much obliged, though." She hands the sandwiches to the Virginian to put in his saddle bag. "You two be careful traveling. Tell everyone I miss them and I'll try to see them soon." The Virginian says, "Thanks, Dee. You be careful. Make sure them sheep stay in. You know I don't like having to ride Joe so hard hurrying somewhere. Jim and I both were worried about ya. And if that Bucky fella comes around bothering ya much, get the sheriff after him. Maybe ya ought to come back to Shiloh for awhile anyways. I never saw your Aunt Holly so upset, not knowing what trouble you were in." She grins at him nodding her head, "Yes, sir, Boss man I will. Good-bye now, ya best get going before they think you two have trouble." Hugs are exchanged and Dee sees her friends on their way. The Virginian's orders sounded close to the kind her father handed out when she was a young girl. It was no wonder she missed Shiloh. Family doesn't always mean you are blood relatives.
THE END