CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Men Gotta Work
Nick found Harris in the stables brushing horses.
Harris smiled. "Hey, Jon—I mean, Nick."
Nick grinned. "Better make it Nick."
"Where's Heath? He told me to meet him here after lunch, but he didn't show, so I've just been givin' the horses some attention."
"Thank you for making productive use of your time." Nick glanced down the line of horses. "Jenny is here!"
"Heath rides her a lot, but when he doesn't, I brush her and exercise her."
"Good! I think I'll ride her today."
"Want me to saddle her?"
"Nah. I can get it." Nick walked over and pulled Jenny out of her stall. He started to brush her, then looked at Harris.
Harris grinned. "Yeah. I just groomed her while waitin' for Heath."
"Thanks!"
Harris paced a bit nervously. "When do you think Heath will be back?"
"Not sure yet. Probably next week." He put a saddle blanket on the horse, then found Jenny's saddle on the saddle stool.
"Did something happen?"
Nick swung around and looked at him. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. He got shot."
"What?!"
Nick tossed the saddle over Jenny's back and tightened the cinches.
"Yeah." Nick wasn't sure how much Heath would want Harris to know. Heath had said Harris was someone he trusted, and Nick shared that feeling.
Harris walked closer to Nick. "Is he okay?"
Nick nodded. He lowered his voice. "I don't know if he wants anyone to know, but I know he trusts you."
"I appreciate that."
"Anyway, I think you're aware of the threat made against Margaret, right?"
"Heath spoke briefly about it when he asked me to watch the house yesterday."
"Well, they showed up while Heath was home at lunch. I chased one out of the bedroom and heard some gunfire, but I thought Heath was chasing 'em off outside. But it turns out he got shot in the arm."
"Bad?"
"As long as we can keep it from gettin' infected, I think he'll be fine. The bullet just skimmed his arm and peeled off all the skin for a couple of inches. We're just leaving it open right now, but we'll see what happens."
"If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."
"I'm gonna go play foreman today. Heath wants you to go with me."
"Sure. I went with him this morning."
"Good. I can't be here forever, and I don't know how long Heath will be out. We might need you to step up."
"I'd be honored, sir."
Jenny was now bridled and ready to go. Nick petted her and found a carrot for her. "Did you miss me, girl?"
Jenny rubbed her muzzle against him. Nick grinned and gave her the carrot. He waited until she ate the carrot, then mounted the horse and glanced at Harris. "Let's go see what the men are doin'."
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Nick and Harris rode to the foreman's house first. As they neared, Nick motioned for Harris to stop. They left their horses a quarter mile from the house's foundation.
Harris looked questioningly at Nick.
Nick smiled. "Thought we might want to surprise them."
Four horses grazed nearby. Nick stayed inside the tree line until they reached the foreman's house.
Four men sat on the foundation, playing cards.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Nick demanded.
The men looked up. "Just waiting for Heath," Benjamin stated.
Nick slapped his hands to his hips. "You're supposed to be working."
Benjamin shrugged. "He said he'd meet us here after lunch."
"I suggest you put the cards away and get started on building the frame. It looks like you got plenty of lumber and nails and hammers."
The men slowly stood, looking at each other.
"In case you didn't figure it out, I'm acting foreman here this afternoon." Nick thrust out his chest and tilted back his hat. "And I also suggest you move a little faster!"
Two of the men went to the southwest corner and two to the southeast corner.
"Now, I'm gonna go check on the men working on fences, and by the time I get back, I damn well better see some progress made on this house. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," each man said.
"And if I don't see good progress—and quality workmanship—I know of four men who will be looking for a job."
"Yes, sir," a few stated.
Nick took out his pocket watch and looked at the time. "And don't plan to get off work at five-thirty. You owe me an extra hour, so plan on workin' until six-thirty. And the next time I catch you goofin' off, I'll double the time you got to make up." He turned on his heels and strode away, Harris right behind him. When they were out of hearing, Nick said, "I don't like to threaten men. I'd rather give 'em encouragement to do a good job. But sometimes you gotta let 'em know who the boss is before you can get to that point."
Harris nodded.
On the way to the south pasture, they passed the men working with the remuda horses. Nick stopped at the fence, dismounted, and tied Jenny to the rail. Harris mimicked his actions.
The two men working with the remuda horses—George and Willis—were busy brushing and examining each horse. Nick watched for a short while, then he and Harris climbed over the fence and went to them. "How's it going over here?" he asked.
Willis looked up. "Good. We done got only one horse so far needin' new shoes. He's over with Rodriquez now."
Nick smiled. "Looks like you're doing a great job. I'll let Heath and JR know." He waved. "Keep up the good work."
As he and Harris mounted and headed for the south pasture, Nick pulled close to Harris. "I know George is a little slow, but he does the best he can, and he's damn good with the horses."
Harris nodded. "He tries hard."
"And as long as a man it tryin', I got a lot of patience with 'im."
It took them a few minutes to locate the men in the south pasture. They were leaning on the fence, taking drinks from a canteen. One of them had removed his shirt; the shirts on the other two men were wet from sweat.
"What's goin' on?" Nick asked.
The men all jumped. "Just catchin' a breath," Amos said.
Nick nodded. "How much of the fence are you replacing?"
"From here to the corner," Wiggins said.
Nick checked the newly placed boards. One nail held them. "First good wind or first time a horse hits the fence, them boards are gonna fall off."
The ranch hands looked at one another.
"I know it seems like extra work," Nick said, "but if you put three nails in each board, then they will last a lot longer and you won't hafta do this again until the wood rots."
Wiggins nodded.
Nick tied his bandana at the point where the men had stopped working, knotting it so he'd know if it had been tampered with. "Starting from here, I want three nails in each board." He pointed at Amos and Willis. "I want you two to keep working down the fence line towards the corner, and I want three nails in each place."
The men nodded and got to work.
"Wiggins, I want you to start here—" Nick pointed at bandana. "And add two nails to each of the boards until you hit the next corner. Got it?" Nick pointed towards the east.
"Yes, sir," Wiggins answered. He picked up a box of nails and a hammer and got to work.
Nick paused and studied them. He turned to Harris. "I think these guys will be okay. Why don't you come back and work with me on the foreman's house for awhile?"
"Sure, boss," Harris said.
"I'll send you back over here to check on these guys in a couple of hours, then you can head in from there. When you do, would you mind stopping by the big house and lettin' Heath or JR know I won't be in until at least six-thirty? I ain't about to leave those yahoos out there alone and trust them to do any work."
"Of course."
Nick and Harris mounted their horses and headed back to the foreman's house. "I want Heath to show you how to report the men's time tomorrow," Nick said. "And do the paperwork for payroll."
"Okay."
Nick wiped sweat from his face. He felt good about Harris and his abilities to step into a foreman's position. And, even though it wasn't Nick's responsibility to worry about such a thing, he still did. The closer he had someone ready to step-up, the less guilt he'd feel about taking Heath and walking away.
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