Knight in a Black Hat

By Judith B. Glad

Nellie Sanders persuades her uncle, a renowned botanist, to allow her to join an expedition to the Sawtooth Valley in Idaho Territory in 1872. Using an assumed name, infamous shootist Malachi Breedlove contracts to lead the botanical expedition into the wilderness. A crazy old woman steals Nellie, believing her a dead daughter returned to life. As leader of the expedition, Malachi is forced to send others to seek the woman he now realizes he loves. Nellie finally convinces the old woman to take her back, claiming she will die without Malachi. No sooner are Nellie and Malachi reunited than disaster strikes the expedition. Now the lovers must face the dangers of the wilderness must, conquer old weaknesses and discover new strengths. As the summer ends, Nellie faces a choice between academic acclaim and love, while Malachi wonders whether he can hang up his guns and survive. Can they find a compromise that lets them both realize their dreams?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Uncial Press
• Release date: Aug 19, 2002
• ISBN: 9781601740137

Book preview

Press.

Prologue

Gertie woke suddenly, alert. Shivering, she propped herself on one elbow, strained to hear the secret night sounds. What? What's out there?

A rustle, a small shriek as a mouse met its fate, a distant whoo-whoo-whoo, and the whisper of gentle wind among the treetops was all she heard.

She levered herself upright, groaning as the rheumatiz in her knees reminded her she wasn't as young as she used to be. Buttercup lifted his head, yellow eyes gleaming in the scant light, and made a soft cat-sound. Then he tucked his nose back under his tail.

I must'a been dreamin'. He ain't worried, so there's nothin' out there gonna bother us.

Sniffing the air, she turned her head from side to side. Rain was coming, that was certain. But there was something else. Not a scent, not a whisper. She held still, listening with her whole body, but heard no sound that was new, that was strange.

Slowly, stealthily, like a wolf in the shadows, a sureness crept into her mind. Folks is comin'. They're comin' over the mountains. And they ain't lookin' for gold.

Along with the sureness came another thought, one that raised her hackles and sent goosebumps down her arms. Among the newcomers would be one who would bring danger and death to her safe mountain hideaway.

Chapter One

Utah Territory, March, 1872

The train emerged from Devil's Gate. Nellie Sanders kept her face pressed to the dirty window, eager for a first glimpse of their immediate destination. Ahead she could see the valley open into a bucolic panorama, with tidy farms and small, mostly unpainted houses extending from the abrupt bases of steep, rugged mountains--the Wasatch Range, which formed the eastern border of the Salt Lake Valley. She forced herself to sit still. Pacing the aisle, as she'd done more than once since leaving Ohio, would not make the train move any faster.

In less than an hour her great adventure would begin.

What still impressed her the most about this vast western land was the lack of trees. Oh, there were the expected cottonwoods along the occasional creek and river, but beyond that narrow belt of well-watered ground, only shrubs broke the monotony of the winter-brown landscape. The Conductor had told her that what trees had been here when the railroad was being built had gone to make ties and bridge timbers and shacks for the workers.

As if to reprove her impatience, the train gradually slowed to a crawl. Unable to sit still, she checked about her, making sure she had her small valise and the heavy satchel containing books. Across the aisle, Mr. Beckett, her uncle's valet, was just closing the lapdesk that held Uncle's correspondence and journal. He had earlier made certain that all their scattered belongings were put away, but then Uncle had insisted on dictating one last letter.

Don't fuss, Nellie, Uncle said, as she picked up the newspaper lying on the seat beside him.

She laid it back down and returned to her seat. But she continued her mental inventory. The way Uncle strewed his belongings about was a caution. Mr. Beckett gave her a small, resigned smile. He was the one who would be held responsible for any lost items.

The train chugged around a curve and the view through the sooty window beside her changed from barren hillsides to an endless vista. Oh my! she breathed. Beyond the cluster of buildings ahead, the lake--Great Salt Lake--extended as far as the eye could see, shining like a sheet of silver in the late afternoon sunlight. Look, Uncle! The lake!

Yes, yes, of course it's the lake. You knew it was here. Did you remember not to pack my portfolio?

Nellie couldn't tear her gaze from the prospect before her. It's in the book satchel.

Hmmph.

Miss Sanders, I can't find the professor's penknife.

She turned, reluctantly. I think he put it inside the lapdesk. Did you look there?

I did, but I'll look again.

Sighing, Nellie went to help him. Eventually they found the penknife on the floor under Uncle's seat.

By that time, the train was inching its way into the railyard. There was a raw, unfinished look about the place, as if the construction workers had simply laid down what they carried and walked away when the building of the transcontinental railroad was done. None of the wooden buildings along the right-of-way were painted, and many looked as if they had been assembled out of scraps of whatever the builder could scrounge.

At last the train approached the depot. It crept past a large, many-windowed building sided with white clapboards. A hotel, Nellie assumed, for it looked very similar to the one in Laramie where they had been forced to spend a night, due to a derail some distance west of there.

She took stock of the three men who stood on the platform. Surely none of them was the guide who would be responsible for their expedition's safety and well-being for the next half-year. One was an older man in rough clothing, with the look of a farmer about him. The second was well-dressed, middle-aged, and portly; not someone she would expect to venture into the wilderness. The third--he was dressed all in black, with a wide-brimmed black hat that concealed the upper part of his face. He looked exactly as she would expect a desperado to appear, except that he carried no gun. He certainly did not resemble her ideal of a trustworthy guide.

The train came to a halt with a clash of brakes and a jerk that nearly threw her to the floor.

The other passengers lined up in the aisle, but Nellie stayed where she was, knowing Uncle was always the last to disembark. She spent the wait peering through the window and wishing the depot didn't block the view of the lake. And forcing herself into an outward appearance of calm, when what she really wanted to do was rush to the vestibule and take the first step into adventure.

* * * * *

The man whose name was not Malcolm Bradley stood on the platform, watching the approaching train. Malachi Breedlove still wasn't sure he was doing the right thing, but he was sure his luck was close to running out. It was time for a change, and this was the best idea he'd run into.

Herding a bunch of tenderfeet into the mountains wasn't quite what he'd bargained for when he'd wired George Franklin, looking for work. But Franklin had told him that this job needed someone with some brains and some couth, so he hadn't been able to resist.

He liked to think he was a cut above other shootists. He read books, spoke well, and had never killed a man who didn't need it.

The windows of the train were gray with soot, so that all he could see were dark shapes inside, a long line of them, moving like cold molasses toward this end of the railcar. He watched the people stepping down from the Pullman car, wondering which were his party. A professor of botany, his manservant, and his assistant. Franklin, who'd guided hunting parties made up of lords and knights and even a prince or two, had almost turned the job down, until he got the telegram from Malachi, asking about work, and being particular about what kind of work he took.

The professor did something or other with plants, but Franklin hadn't been sure just what. All he'd known was that the client hadn't wanted trophy heads, hadn't cared whether his guides could hunt or not, as long as they knew how to get him into the Sawtooths, up in Idaho Territory.

A bent, graybeard stepped carefully down the steps, paused, and looked around. Behind him were two younger men, each carrying a carpetbag. Malachi straightened, sure he'd found his party.

Then a young woman rushed forward and embraced the older man. Papa! she cried, I've missed you so.

Several more people disembarked, but the flood had slowed to a trickle. The Conductor checked his notebook, then climbed the steps and disappeared into the forward railcar. Through its dusty windows, Malachi could see him moving up the aisle. There were several people still inside, and the Conductor halted where they sat. Pretty soon they started moving around, like they were gathering up their belongings.

Malachi kind of figured they were the ones he was waiting for.

* * * * *

Uncle finally rose. Don't forget my diary, Beckett. He pushed by Nellie. To the Conductor, he said, Lead on, my good man. I can only take your word that this god-forsaken wasteland is our destination.

Nellie handed Mr. Beckett the last carpetbag, picked up her uncle's diary, and checked around their seats for forgotten items. Sure enough, there was Uncle's tobacco case, where he'd laid it on the empty seat beside him. She slipped it into her skirt pocket. Making sure her bonnet was tied securely, she turned up her collar and smoothed her gloves before once again picking up her bag and the heavy book satchel she was responsible for.

Feeling not a little apprehension mixed with simmering anticipation, she followed the men down the aisle of the railcar to the vestibule. After another grumble or two, Uncle accepted the Conductor's assistance and stepped to the ground. Mr. Beckett followed, while Nellie peered out over his head.

What a desolate land! Beyond the small settlement of Ogden was only emptiness. Far, far across the lake, distant mountains rose, stark and barren against a sky gray with lowering clouds.

Miss?

Startled, she realized that the Conductor was waiting to assist her to the ground. She took his hand and stepped down, aware of the sizzle of excitement in her midriff. She was here at last. The Wild West!

The wind whistled down the platform, nearly taking her breath with it. Cold! So cold, and so dry that she was forced to blink constantly.

Well, come on then, Nellie. Don't dawdle while I freeze to death. And see if you can find that guide who was supposed to meet us.

Yes, Uncle, she murmured.

The desperado approached, doffed his black hat. Professor Kremer? he said to Uncle.

I am he, Uncle replied, in the tone that had terrified many a student. And who are you?

Malcolm Bradley, sir. I'm your guide. He held out a hand.

Uncle ignored it. Nonsense! You can't be. Franklin said he'd provide us with an experienced man. Someone mature and responsible.

Mr. Bradley reached inside his coat and drew out an envelope. Mr. Franklin asked me to give you this, since he was unable to meet your train. While Uncle read the enclosed letter, Mr. Bradley turned to Mr. Beckett. If you'll tell me which bags are yours, I'll load them into the wagon. The hotel is about a half mile from here.

Helplessly, the valet looked at Nellie.

Thank you, Mr. Bradley, she said. Our baggage should be inside. And there should be some freight that we had shipped ahead. We will need to make sure it arrived, although I suspect that we will want to leave it here at the depot until we are ready to depart.

Freight? It should have been shipped on to Kelton.

It seemed safer to ship it here. The agent in Cincinnati said that Kelton was nothing but a whistle stop. She essayed a smile, but his rather stern expression did not change. My uncle is quite fatigued, so perhaps we should go to our hotel this afternoon. If it is convenient, tomorrow I will meet you here at the depot and we can assess our transportation needs.

His mouth opened, then closed. Let's go, then. I'll load your baggage and drive you to the hotel.

The hotel was really quite acceptable, considering it was so far from civilization. Uncle grumped and fussed, but once he was settled in his large, comfortable room and sipping at brandy, he agreed that it was better than he'd expected. Nellie's room was much smaller, but adequate.

She stared out the window into the waning afternoon, seeing not the desolate landscape but the culmination of her dreams. At last she would have a chance to prove herself a true botanist. If the mountains at their destination were as steep and rugged as she had read, then possibly Uncle would restrict his collecting to the lower slopes and the high places would be hers to explore. He no longer seemed so energetic as he had in past years.

Perhaps she might even discover a new species. Even if Uncle insisted in sharing its publication, she would be recognized as one of its discoverers.

Hugging herself, Nellie pushed the excitement back where she kept it, hidden away from all those who saw her only as a meek, gray little woman, handmaid to the great Octavius Kremer, supreme authority on the TransMississippi flora of the United States.

Day after tomorrow Uncle would travel to Salt Lake City, where he would confer with persons familiar with the area that was his goal. For two glorious days, she would be free to explore those dry hillsides and canyons she had seen as they approached this raw young settlement.

* * * * *

Malachi spent two hours the next morning arguing with Franklin about carrying the unexpected freight up into the Sawtooth Mountains.

He lost.

The Professor's paying a premium to have his gear hauled in. If you have to use three dozen mules to get it in, do it, Franklin said, as he leaned back in his swivel chair and lit a cheroot. Keep him happy, no matter what it takes.

I'm no mule skinner, Malachi told him.

Franklin shrugged. That don't matter. You'll have Willard and the kid to help handle 'em. Don't forget, Willard ran a packline over the Sierras, before he went to Montana. And Murphy Creek can lend a hand when you need it.

Malachi had told Miss Sanders he would meet her at the hotel at ten. When he got there, he learned that she'd already departed, on foot, for the depot.

If there was anything he disliked, it was a woman who took the bit in her teeth. Sooner or later, they got a man in the worst kind of trouble.

And now he was going to spend the summer riding herd on one.

As he drove along the street toward the depot, he wondered about Miss Sanders. From what little he'd been able to see of her, she was younger than the professor. That big-brimmed bonnet she wore, along with the shapeless coat, hadn't given him much idea of what she really looked like. Short, maybe shoulder high to him, and slim, despite the coat. Her hands had been gloved, but even so, he had noted that her fingers were long and graceful.

He surely wished her face hadn't been so shadowed by her bonnet's poke. He hadn't even been able to tell if she was young or old, the way she kept her head lowered.

Probably ugly as a mud fence and mean as a bat. He'd heard the mostly-hidden impatience in her voice when she spoke to her uncle. Not that he blamed her. After a half hour in the professor's company, he was wondering if this summer's work might not be one of the most difficult jobs he'd ever taken. It surely was going to take every bit of patience and tact he could drum up.

* * * * *

Nellie checked the last crate. They were all intact and only as scuffed as would be expected after a two thousand mile journey. The important thing was the crates were all here. She thanked the freight agent politely and tipped the young Negro who'd moved them into a single cluster at one end of the long room. Now if only that man who'd claimed to be their guide would appear, she could get on with choosing and purchasing what additional supplies they would need for the summer.

Had she forgotten anything? Would one bag of coffee be enough? Five pounds of Uncle's special blend of tea? Had Mr. Franklin located a cow? Uncle would not tolerate his tea without fresh milk. She fished in her reticule and pulled out her small notebook.

You were supposed to wait for me at the hotel.

Nellie jumped. Mr. Bradley, I don't recall agreeing to wait for you. Since my uncle is your client, I believe it is up to him to decide on a schedule. And my schedule does not include lying abed half the day.

I had things to do, he answered, much too curtly. Where's your freight?

Inside. I assure you, it all arrived safely.

Let's take a look.

Mr. Bradley, I just told you that it is intact. There is no need for you to inspect it.

Ma'am, my job is getting you and your uncle into some extremely rugged country. That includes hauling your precious freight. To do so, I'll need to know how many mules to arrange for.

A quick and fleeting smile transformed his face into one suitable for an angel. A fallen one, perhaps?

Unless you'd rather leave most of it behind?

Don't be ridiculous! We will need everything we brought. She waved him toward the freight storage room. Come along then. Let me show you.

Malachi followed her, admiring, against his will, the sway of her skirts. Her faint touch of floral scent--honeysuckle?--lay in his senses like a breath of summer. I've been too long without a woman, letting a drab like this one get to me.

She led him back to the far corner of the room. Here it is. These crates.

He counted. Seven! Seven big wooden crates, each about three feet on a side. He shoved at one. It moved, but with a resistance that told him it weighed a couple of hundred pounds. Holding fast to his patience, Malachi said, What's in them?

She flipped through the notebook she held. Number four. This one has medicines, bandages, Uncle's collecting equipment, and a few of his books.

He was well nigh speechless. A few?

Yes, the rest are in...let me see...crates five and six. She held the notebook out to him. Here is the complete list of their contents. I'm sure you will agree that everything is essential.

With growing consternation, Malachi skimmed down the list. Boots. Oiled silk slickers. Canvas overalls. Oil of Citronella. They'll need that, he muttered. Six plant presses, whatever they are. Three vasculi. A dozen assorted digging implements. Three thousand blotters... Three thousand blotters?

Of course, for the specimens.

He handed the list back, not wanting to know what else it contained. Miss Sanders, either Franklin didn't tell me everything, or you didn't tell him. He told me you folks were going into the mountains to pick a few flowers.

I believe it is you who have misunderstood, Mr. Bradley. My uncle is a renowned botanist, well known for his collections from the montane West. This expedition will add greatly to the knowledge about the region's flora, since the plants of the Idaho Territory have been rarely collected. Our goal is to do a complete floral inventory of the valley that is the source of the Salmon River.

Thinking about how late snow lingered in the high country, Malachi said, In one summer?

Of course. I...we are quite efficient. According to the maps, the area in question is only about ten miles wide and less than twenty-five long.

Picturing a map in his mind, Malachi had to agree. That's about right. But--

"Rest assured, Mr. Bradley, we do know what we are doing. She plucked the notebook from his hand, closed it, and slipped it into to the little purse that hung from her gloved wrist. Now, if you have no other questions, I really must get back to the hotel. I have plans for this afternoon."

No more questions, he said, resigned to his fate. I'll have the crates sent ahead to Kelton.

Sent ahead? Under no circumstances!

For the first time, she raised her face so that he could see between the shielding wings of her bonnet. He was stunned. Her eyes were deep violet, surrounded by dark lashes so long and thick they seemed tangled. Her mouth was ripe and ready for kissing, the lower lip plump, the upper sweetly curved. But where her cheeks should have been faintly blushed with pink, both were mottled with patches of colorless skin. The little he could see of her hair was raven black, except for a streak of silver at her left temple.

Malachi swallowed, forced himself to answer her, and not to stare at her face. Miss Sanders, it will take us two days to travel by stage from Kelton to Boise City. If your crates get picked up by the freight hauler in Kelton as soon as they arrive, they will reach Boise City about three weeks later.

No one told-- She bit her lower lip, then lifted her chin and looked him straight in the eye. Very well. Please arrange for our equipment to be shipped ahead. She stepped off the sidewalk, then turned back. I trust there will be no other delays that we haven't been told about?

No, ma'am. Once your freight gets to Boise City, we'll load everything on mules, because there are no wagon roads where we're headed.

Mules? For the first time, her tone lacked confidence. But I thought--

Franklin did tell you that you'd have to pack in? He'd seen the letter, but he was doing his best to be diplomatic.

Mules? she said again. "Do you mean that we will have to ride horseback?"

Yes, ma'am. I thought you understood that. Now that he thought on it, he wondered if her uncle even knew what a horse was. Did she? He sure hoped so. Tomorrow morning we'll go down to Franklin's barn and you can take a look at what he has. We want you to be happy with your mounts. What he was really telling her was that he wanted to make sure the three of them could handle the gentlest horses Franklin had. In the meantime, give some thought to what of your personal luggage you want to take and which you want to leave at the hotel in storage.

She visibly pulled her dignity about her, like a protective cloak, turning her head slightly away from him so he could not see her face. Well, then, I shall go back to the hotel and sort through our clothing, so that we will be suitably attired. Her gulp was almost audible. And I will tell Uncle that he must ride.

It seemed to Malachi that her voice held less decisiveness when she spoke at last. Only after Boise City, he said, taking pity on her. We'll ride the stage that far.

She held out her hand. Thank you, Mr. Bradley. You've been very helpful. Do you expect we will be ready to depart on schedule, then? My uncle expects to return from Salt Lake City on Monday next.

He took the small hand, feeling its delicate strength through the soft kid glove. I've still got supplies on order. If everything gets here, we should be able to leave next Wednesday. Another thing he needed to do was talk to Franklin about mules. Malachi figured they'd need at least twice as many as he'd first estimated.

* * * * *

Uncle, I'm afraid I cannot change his mind. He said that the trail over the mountains is all but impassable. We seem to have a choice of walking or riding horseback.

Uncle turned away from the window, which looked out over the wide street. Nonsense. Franklin assured me we'd have no trouble reaching the headwaters of the Salmon in reasonable comfort.

Reasonable comfort for a western man might be something entirely different from what we would consider it to be. The realization came to Nellie suddenly, and caused her to pause for thought before answering her uncle. Let me get Mr. Franklin's letter, she said. I brought it, just in case there was a question about the arrangements I made. She dug in the side pocket of her satchel, pulled out the small packet of papers she had thought important enough to bring. Let me see, now...yes, here it is.

The letter laying out the arrangements was written in a strong, untidy hand, as if the writer spent most of his time doing manual labor. She scanned down the first page, turned to the second. Her heart sank into her toes.

Well?

He says, 'Although the way to the valley you seek is little traveled, I assure you that we will provide appropriate transportation. I should warn you that it will not be up to our usual standards, since it is an area little visited and virtually empty of all but wild animals. You should be prepared to live in a primitive fashion. We will provide adequate shelter and some furniture for your comfort. Our guides will also engage to prepare your meals and to protect you from any untoward danger. We cannot, however, guarantee your safety, since the area to which you travel is far from civilization.'

Humph! 'Appropriate transportation,' indeed! A horse's back is not appropriate transportation. Why even in Colorado--

I'm afraid it must be, Uncle. There are no roads where we go, according to Mr. Bradley. She looked to the next paragraph, read it silently. 'Ordinarily I would not recommend that persons unfamiliar with the wilderness undertake a journey such as you propose, but knowing your reputation, Dr. Kremer, I feel confident that you have encountered conditions equally challenging on earlier expeditions.'

Uncle often spoke of the specific hardships he'd encountered on his collecting trips to the upper Missouri, or into the Rockies in Colorado Territory. He had ridden horseback, even walked when necessary. She remembered one Mimulus that had come from a high meadow, reached, according to Uncle's diary, after a perilous climb across a talus slope that gave onto a sheer drop of hundreds of feet. I'm sure you will find the journey no more arduous than when you rode to the top of Pike's Peak.

Her uncle muttered as he fussed with his pipe. At last, surrounded by clouds of fragrant smoke, he said, I trust you will see that I have a well-behaved horse. I am not as young as I used to be.

I believe Mr. Bradley wishes you to be there when he chooses your horse, so you may approve.

I go to Salt Lake City tomorrow, he reminded her. You and Beckett can do what is necessary about the horses.

Miss Sanders, will you give me some advice on what sort of clothing I should pack for Dr. Kremer? Mr. Beckett said, his first words since her return. I have no idea what he might need.

Neither do I. I shall ask Mr. Bradley tomorrow. Or you can. Her mind was busily cataloguing her own garments, wondering what on earth she would do for suitable clothing. Surely her full skirts and petticoats would not be the thing to wear astride a horse.

A horse! God preserve me, I cannot ride a horse!

Chapter Two

Nellie consulted the desk clerk at their hotel and, following his advice, went to the livery stable just down the street. There she was able to rent a small cart and a donkey to pull it. While the creature was not as handsome as her reliable Lupinus, it seemed dependable and strong. For the next three days she was free to explore.

Her lunch resting on the seat beside her and a small keg of water secured in the shallow wagon bed, she was well prepared for a day of exploration. The single half-size plant press that Uncle had allowed her to bring in her luggage would hold only thirty or forty specimens, so she would have to be selective in her collecting.

The hostler assured her that there were adequate roads to the canyons to the east of town, so that was the direction she turned the donkey's head. Excitement bubbled through her, as she looked up to the almost sheer scarp of the Wasatch Range, with its snowy peaks.

The low-growing oak that grew in tangled thickets on some of the hillsides was new to Nellie. Here and there she saw a patch of green, but most of the vegetation was still dry and bare, remnants of a long, cold winter. She had not thought how early in the season it was here, having considered Utah desert--and hot. But in the shadowy canyon she encountered snow, lying in crusted patches under shrubs and at the foot of the south wall.

It didn't matter. She spent her days simply exploring, walking miles. It felt so good to get out, after more than a week on the train. The small donkey--his name, she had learned, was Ebenezer--was good company, following along behind her without needing a lead, nodding when she spoke to him, sharing the delicious cracked wheat bread in her lunch. He even found a small, hidden buttercup for her, nestled under a shrub on a sunny, south-facing hillside. She had barely prevented him from nibbling at it. Now it was safely preserved, the first plant she had collected in the West.

Her plant press was almost filled when, at the end of the third day, she reluctantly returned Ebenezer to the livery stable. He was small and sure-footed, just like Lupinus. Not at all like a great, clumsy horse.

* * * * *

Malachi wasn't by nature a profane man, but he'd been ready to swear for the past two hours. He hadn't been able to find John Willard, who was supposed to drive the riding stock to Boise. That morning there had been a telegram from Murphy Creek, saying he wasn't coming to Ogden. He'd meet the party in Boise City. Franklin hadn't yet received an answer from the mule supplier. He lives out a ways from town. I don't reckon he gets mail oftener than once a week.

How does he get any business done? Malachi wondered aloud.

Anybody wants his mules, they can go out and talk to him. Don't worry. He's never let me down yet. Your mules will be waiting when you get there.

You're sure he can supply as many as I need?

Franklin pawed through the pile of papers that littered his desk. Here's the letter I had from Savage.

Malachi read until he came to 'up to two dozen mules. Some of them ain't trail broke yet, but they're healthy and strong and shouldn't give your man any trouble.'

Not trail broke? He leaned over Franklin's desk, looking his straight in the eye. How the dickens am I supposed to get three tenderfeet and all their truck over the pass with mules that aren't even trail broke?

Savage's mules are like pets, gentle as a kitten.

There's no mule alive that's gentle. Just some that aren't as mean as most.

Look, Malachi, I did the best I could. When I agreed to get the Professor up to the headwaters of the Salmon River, I didn't know that the Prince was going to want to hunt this summer. I didn't want to disappoint him, since he's the one who sends me so many European muckety-mucks.

Malachi argued a while longer, but more for ritual than because he thought it would do him any good. Finally he left, saying, as he walked out the door, Maybe the Prince'll bring you more of his foreigner friends next year, Franklin, but if the Professor isn't happy, he may see that you never get another American customer.

The expression on Franklin's face showed he'd never thought of that.

* * * * *

You are late, Mr. Bradley, Miss Sanders snapped the watch pinned on her bosom shut as he walked up to her at the barn. We have been waiting for almost a quarter hour.

I was held up, he told her, still fuming over what he saw as Franklin's breach of faith. For two cents-- No. I gave my word.

Let's go. Opening the barn door, he motioned her and the skinny fellow with her inside. Beckett? I think that's his name.

She hesitated, and so did her companion, after a nervous look at her.

After you, Malachi said.

Her chest visibly expanded as she took a deep breath. For the first time, Malachi realized what a womanly shape there was to her. He waited while she appeared to make up her mind. At last she stepped through the open door.

The horses in the corral watched as they emerged from the dimness of the barn. Most of them were trail-wise veterans of several seasons, dependable on the trails and patient with inexperienced riders. One reason Franklin was so successful was that he provided good stock for his customers to ride.

Miss Sanders stepped to the fence and peered through. Her gloved hands clutched the rail beside her chin, looking to him like they might leave imprints of her fingers in the dry wood.

He wished he could see her face but once again the deep poke of her bonnet concealed it. How well do you ride?

At last she looked up at him, her deep gentian eyes wide and scared-looking. I don't, she whispered.

Pardon me?

I don't ride, she said, this time a little louder. I've never learned.

For the second time that day, Malachi felt a strong inclination toward profanity.

Nellie knew Mr. Bradley was angry, although he was very polite about it. He turned and questioned Mr. Beckett about his riding skills, then picked a horse for him to ride. She's a wise old mare, with a lot of patience. I think you'll get along with her just fine. Then he left the young man and the sleepy-looking dark brown mare alone in a smaller pen to get acquainted.

I presume your uncle rides, Miss Sanders?

Oh, yes, he is an experienced horseman, but he asked that you choose a gentle horse for him. He is getting older, you see, and lacks the stamina and strength he had in his younger days. Uncle had not seemed to age one iota since she'd come to live with him, but he had been less active than usual this past winter. In the past, though, he must have spent days at a time on horseback each summer. How else could he have made the enormous collections he brought back every fall?

Mr. Bradley raised one eyebrow, but said nothing. He went inside the corral again and, using the coiled rope he carried as a goad, hazed a spotted gray horse out the gate. The animal was enormous, with feet the size of dinner plates and big yellow teeth that showed when he made a sound that was suspiciously like a derisive laugh.

Dap, here, is the best of the bunch. He'll carry your uncle all day, no matter how steep the trail, and he'll never put a foot wrong.

"But he is gentle?"

Like a lamb. His mouth twitched.

Nellie felt an instant of distrust. Was he joshing her?

The gray went docilely into the smaller pen and clopped over to a full manger, to lip at the hay there. Mr. Bradley shut the gate behind him, pausing a moment to watch Mr. Beckett talking softly to the brown horse. He'll do, once he gets to know Beauty.

Beauty?

The mare. That's her name.

Ah, I see. Watching Mr. Beckett, Nellie wondered if she would ever become so comfortable with a horse. No, I never will. Never!

Now, Miss Sanders, what are we going to do with you?

I beg your pardon?

You say you don't ride. Not at all?

She shook her head. I have never been upon a horse, she told him, with a certain pride. No matter the encouragement to learn to ride, she had always resisted. With good reason.

And you're going with your uncle?

I am his assistant. Of course I am going with him.

Once again the eyebrow rose. I thought Beckett was his assistant.

Oh, my, no. Mr. Beckett is his valet. He knows only enough about botany to help Uncle collect.

He muttered something under his breath.

Nellie was certain she did not wish to know what it was. She waited, expectantly.

Tell me something, Miss Sanders, if you please. How do you get anywhere if you don't ride?

She lifted her chin. I walk. I am a very good walker.

Ahuh! All day?

She nodded.

Day after day? he persisted. His tone was skeptical.

Of course. I have often spent a week at a time in the field.

Malachi scratched his chin. She seemed pretty sure of herself, but he knew she had no idea of the kind of country they were heading into. How did you carry those--what did your list say--plant presses, blotters, digging implements, and vacillums?

Vasculum, Mr. Bradley. A metal container to keep plants fresh until they can be pressed. She chewed her lower lip for a moment, then looked up at him.

Those eyes will be the death of me, yet!

I sometimes used a donkey to carry my equipment. They are small and very dependable.

Now we're getting somewhere. Malachi resisted the temptation to rub his hands together in satisfaction.