Your brother seems unusually interested in another man's cattle. Claudia's spoon clicked against the cup. He's interested in ending this nonsense. Then tell him to open the ditch. Claudia left without finishing her coffee.
Rebecca stared at the half full cup. That afternoon, business slowed. A gray bearded frighter named Silus Crowley came in shortly before closing. He had been hauling between Lander and the northern camps longer than Rebecca had been in Wyoming. He lowered himself onto the stool with a groan.
Beef left. One plate. That's the one I want. Rebecca served him. Silas ate slowly.
Two teamsters at the next table were talking about the water dispute. Mercer saying that ditch was always there. One said. Silas snorted. Always my boot.
Rebecca looked over. You know something about it. Silas chewed. I know Walter Briggswood. The name meant nothing to her.
Who? Old ditch foreman worked barm m near seven years. Rebecca's hand slowed on the dough she was needing. Worked. Left last spring.
Why? Silus shrugged. Depends who tells it. Mercer says Briggs got lazy. Briggs says Mercer forgot wages were supposed to be paid.
Rebecca turned fully toward him. Where is he? Silas looked up. Walter. Yes.
Last I heard. Cabin above the old logging camp north of Crow Ridge. How long ago? Month. Maybe 6 weeks.
Rebecca's fingers remained pressed into the dough. Silas took another bite. He knows every ditch on bar mand. Dug half of them. Rebecca heard the sentence as if the rest of the room had gone quiet around it.
Did he dig the one from Hail Creek? Silus lowered his fork. Couldn't tell you, but he'd know whether it existed before this summer. That he would. Rebecca looked toward the window.
The afternoon road lay empty. For days, she had been trying not to think about Everett, trying not to think about his cattle, trying not to think about Mercer discovering exactly where to press until she stepped away. And suddenly she understood what leaving had given her. Mercer watched Hail Creek. He watched Everett.
He watched the commissioner. But he had stopped watching Rebecca because he believed she had surrendered. Rebecca pulled her hands from the dough. Harvey. The blacksmith appeared through the side door.
What did I do? I I need Crow Ridge today. Tomorrow morning. Silas glanced between them. Road gets rough past the logging camp.