Chapter 7
The temperatures had warmed up and the latest snow was all gone, much to the delight of everyone. After all it was after the first of July and it was past time to begin preparing for planting gardens and they had to make trips to town to replenish depleted food supplies.
For two weeks Jason had been working hard at breaking some young horses the army had special requested. He had fifteen head that had to be delivered before the first of August and he was going to be hard pressed to get them ready and delivered by that time. Thankfully he had a few horses that he'd green broke before the weather turned nasty and he'd ground worked all of them during the nicer days throughout the winter, so they were coming along pretty quickly.
Jim had been at the ranch for two months and was finally able to get up out of his sick bed a few weeks earlier, much to Jenny's delight. He slowly regained strength and was able to walk to the barn and back without stopping. And as he got stronger he took over some of the light chores to free Jason up so he could work his horses. Jason had told him that he had a deadline and it was fast approaching, so he was happy to have Jim take a role in helping out.
Even though Jim was feeling better, he was still distant and only talked when asked a direct question. One day he told Jason and Jenny he didn't want to be a burden to them any longer and that he would move on as soon as he was stronger. Jenny was very concerned about him being on his own and after she discussed it with Jason they finally talked him into staying longer, at least until after Jason got back from delivering the horses. He agreed but the harder she tried to do to draw him into a conversation the more he seemed to withdraw further and further into himself.
mcmcmc
The snow was melted in the Laramie valley, Jess was packing to begin his search for Mort and Slim was still trying his darndest to talk him out of it. "You are just going on a wild goose chase. After all this time there will be no sign of Mort anywhere and if he were still alive he would have contacted us by now. Why are you doing this Jess? You are just working yourself up for a big disappointment."
They'd had this conversation before, but Jess was adamant … he was going to leave today and that was all there was to it. "Sorry Slim, but I'm going, there's nothing you can do to stop me short of shooting me. I just know in my heart that he's alive and I'm going to find him."
His horse was saddled and ready to go when Daisy came out with a sack full of food. "Jess dear, do be careful and come back as soon as you can. We'll be waiting. I know you will find what happened to Mort, I just hope that you can accept it if it isn't good news. God speed."
"Thanks Daisy, I'll be careful and I will come home, one way or the other. Take care of Hardrock, he'll try to do everything by himself." He hugged and kissed her, shook hands with Slim and rode out. No one knew when he would return.
mcmcmc
Jess rode straight to Laramie, stopping at the newspaper office to see if Mark had any news.
"I'm sorry Jess, there hasn't been anything. I was hoping some word of him would have turned up by now. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to retrace steps and I'll keep doing it until I find something. Thanks Mark, I appreciate you going to the trouble of printing the story. I'll see you later."
"Good luck Jess, I hope it isn't a wild goose chase."
Jess nodded and hopped on Traveler and turned towards the north.
"Jess! Jess, hold up, there's a message." The telegrapher was racing towards the newspaper office. "This just came in and it might be about Mort."
Jess and Mark read the message and looked at each other with big smiles. It read 'Saw article. Stop. Man found. Stop. Alive. Stop. Tom Mason, Hartville, Wyoming.'
"I'll see you later Mark." Jess rode out with a smile on his face, he knew it was Mort, it had to be.
mcmcmc
Thanks to Jim's help Jason finished breaking the horses earlier than expected. Both men found that Jim had a knack with horses, they liked him and he liked them, so he did most of the ground work while Jason took care of the rough riding.
Jim enjoyed working with the horses and he especially liked a little dun, a horse that was going on four years old and was still little more than a green broke colt. The horse wasn't in the bunch that was being sold, much to Jim's relief. Jim didn't know why, but he felt a kinship to the dun, it was like he already knew him and his characteristics. The horse too, liked him and would follow him around looking for attention and an occasional treat.
After supper Jim excused himself and said he was going to take a little walk down to the creek. "I'll be back before too long."
After he left Jason told Jenny that he would leave tomorrow for Fort Laramie. "The horses are ready and thanks to Jim's ground work, they are used to being handled, so I will be able to string them together and get them to the fort without losing any. It will only take about three days to get there and conduct our business, so I should be back before a week is up."
"That is great news. That will put you back here about the twenty-fourth, I will plan a celebration dinner, maybe even bake a cake."
"I hate to leave you alone, but Jim said he could keep an eye on you and handle all the chores until I got back."
"I'll be fine and Jim will do a good job. Don't worry about a thing. Honey, do you think he will ever regain his memory?"
"I don't know Hon, he seems to be adapting and he's taking more interest in the things around him, but he's still having a difficult time coping."
mcmcmc
Jim walked down to the creek that ran through the meadow, the sun had gone down and the night life was beginning to make their appearance. A doe and her fawn were grazing on the far side of the field and he could hear a hoot owl somewhere across the creek.
He had no idea what he was like in his 'prior' life … did he enjoy nature, the quiet time at dawn, the flight of an eagle or the call of a coyote? He didn't know about then, but he was at peace with it in this life. He often wondered about the woman and child in the picture, was the woman his wife, the child his daughter? Were they waiting for his return, or had they accepted the fact that he was probably dead? He thought he could be content to live this life, but he knew in his heart that soon he would have to begin the journey to find out who and what he had been before the accident.
He wasn't much of a talker, but it didn't mean he didn't enjoy people and he had grown to enjoy Jason and Jenny's company very much. They were a loving couple who enjoyed life to the fullest and he would be saddened to leave them.
He had made up his mind that as soon as Jason returned from delivering the horses to Fort Laramie that he would leave. He was frightened with the prospect of it, but he had to find out who he really was.
mcmcmc
After a week of being on the trail, Jess rode into Hartville. He pulled up at the saloon and after giving Traveler a little sugar and stroking his muzzle he entered the saloon.
He paused just inside the door to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. After a little while he could make out the tables and chairs along the wall and the bar running the length of the room.
There was one older gentleman sitting at a far table sipping on a drink and watching the stranger. "Howdy young fella! Come on in, the bartender will be with you in a minute. You come far?"
Jess felt an immediate liking for the old man, "Yes, quite a ways and I worked up a little thirst. My name's Jess and I'm looking for a man by the name of Tom Mason, he used to work here. Do you know him?"
The old gent introduced himself, "Pleased to meet you, my name is Steve Gregory, join me for a drink?" Jess joined him at the table, where he poured a drink for both of them. "Tom Mason's the owner here, he will be back in just a little while. What brings you to Hartville?"
Jess sipped his drink, wondering how much he should tell this gent, after all he wasn't sure what the story was until he had a chance to talk with Mason. But he was spared the decision, as the bartender had just come in the back door.
Seeing the man, Mason preceded to the table, recognizing Jess as he got closer. "Well, hello young man. You must have received my wire telling you about your friend."
"I did and I want to thank you. What can you tell me about him?" Jess was holding his breath, hoping that it was Mort the man had wired him about.
Tom replied, "Actually I think Steve can tell you a lot more about him than I can. Steve is our doctor and he rides a circuit and knows just about everyone. Doc, why don't you tell him about the stranger at Jason's?"
When Mason said the old gent was a doctor, Jess' heart gave a thud and it felt like someone had punched him in the gut.
The doctor saw the concerned expression on the man's face so he proceeded slowly. "I take it this man is a friend of yours?" At Jess' nod, he continued.
"In May I was making my circuit and my first stop after I leave here is the Blake Ranch. They're a nice young couple who settled here about two years ago. She is expecting her first child, so I try to see her at least once a month, sometimes more often." Jess was getting anxious to hear about the stranger, but he held onto his patience. "Any way, when I arrived Jason met me at the door as upset as could be. I right away thought it was Jenny, but he assured me she was fine, but they did have a man who'd been hurt real bad."
The doctor stopped to refill their glasses, taking a sip and savoring the flavor as Jess forced himself not to shake the news out of him.
"After examining him, I really doubted that he would survive the night. But Jenny had faith that he would regain consciousness. I had to continue on my rounds, but when I returned he had awakened … he was still in pretty bad shape, but it looked like he might make it."
The doc paused for another sip and Jess took the opportunity to ask the question he needed answered. "So how'd he get hurt? Did his horse fall on him, or an animal attack him?"
The doctor shook his head, "No, nothing like that. Unfortunately he was caught in a snow slide and he laid out in it for about forty-eight hours. He is really very lucky to have survived."
"So if he has recovered, then why hasn't he come home or at least contacted his family? He was on his way to Ft. Laramie for a family get together."
The doctor and Tom looked at each other sadly before Dr. Gregory answered. "He didn't contact anyone because … well, because he doesn't know who he is. He had a severe blow to his head and as a result has lost his memory … and no, I don't know if he'll regain it back. Only time will tell. I'm sorry young man."
Jess stood up and put a coin on the table, "Thanks for the drink. Can you tell me how to get to the Blake place?"
"I can do better than that, I am going there myself, we can ride together. It's only about a three hour ride and we'll get there just about dark and it will be dinner time. Jenny is an excellent cook and I always try to time my visits around meal time." The doctor chuckled as they left the saloon.