Peach Tree Ranch

By Paul Clifton

Allton rode out from his ranch one day in 1888 and rode back the same day to find himself in 2008. Somehow his life had made a leap of 120 years. During that 120 years he had been thought of as a family deserter and coward. He had left a wife, two children and a third child on the way. As confused as he was to find himself in 2008, he learned some valuable things about himself that made him more determined to return to his life. If only he could get back to his time and place, he knew he could change to be more like the man he should be, the husband and father his family deserved. During his time in 2008 a good friendship developed, one that would endure across two centuries, because of a unique gift.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Indies United Publishing House, LLC
• Release date: Jun 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781644564752

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Peach Tree Ranch ©2022 by Paul Clifton

All Rights Reserved.

First Edition

Published June 2022

by Indies United Publishing House, LLC

Cover Art by Robin Clifton

Editing by Vicki Lowery

All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of the author/publisher or the terms relayed to you herein. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

ISBN: 978-1-64456-472-1 [Hardcover]

ISBN: 978-1-64456-473-8 [Paperback]

ISBN: 978-1-64456-474-5 [Mobi]

ISBN: 978-1-64456-475-2 [ePub]

ISBN: 978-1-64456-476-9 [AudioBook]

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022937634

www.indiesunited.net

Table of Contents

Title Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Final Words from the Author

CHAPTER ONE

Falling

Allton knew it was his fault…he almost fell asleep in the saddle. The afternoon was warm, and the ride thus far had been completely uneventful. One of Trigger’s finer qualities was his long, easy stride that seemed to rock him into a light slumber after a little while on the trail.

As Allton rode around the ridge nose he couldn’t help but notice the fresh clean air that wafted from the forest. He especially noticed the vivid contrast of the rich dark tree line against the blue sky.

His attention suddenly shifted as he felt Trigger’s right hind leg started to give way. Then he heard the loose shale and soil slide down the embankment. They had experienced wet weather of late, and the ground was loose with moisture. As he became more alert, Allton could hear the leather girth strap strain against the shifting weight of saddle and rider. It dawned on him that Trigger was struggling to find his footing now on his right front leg as well. The more he struggled to gain his rear footing, the more pressure it put on his front leg.

The trail was narrow. The moist earth would not hold the small, loose pieces of shale this ridge nose was made of. They had ridden this trail many times, at this time of year too. Conditions were such that on this trip, a relaxed rider could get into trouble, and Allton had become a little too relaxed.

As Trigger continued to fight the loose shale, he lost a little ground with each effort. He would flail with his front leg, then his hind leg. He couldn’t find anything solid enough to hold.

By now, Allton had begun to shift his weight uphill, but this made matters worse for Trigger. As he shifted his weight up, it put pressure downward on Trigger. Allton should have rolled out of the saddled in an uphill motion but, by now it was too late.

Allton was beginning to get an uneasy feeling as he felt himself start to slide off the trail. A rider always keeps his boots loose in the stirrups and a little backed out for such a situation like this, in these conditions.

As horse started to go one way, and rider the other, all the slack in his right leg suddenly tightened.

He could feel himself being pulled over and away from the uphill side of the trail. He knew they were starting to roll down because his left stirrup hit the ground momentarily before the momentum forced them over the edge of the trail. The roll happened so fast. Allton thought his best option was to roll with the horse. Maybe that would prevent serious injury.

He felt the weight of Trigger roll across his leg. But he didn’t feel any pain like a bone might have been broken. Trigger continued to roll on over Allton’s body causing him to momentarily feel rocks and small pieces of limbs and sticks pressing into his back.

He hoped Trigger would be okay.

Allton had left the ranch about three hours earlier. He was riding into Moffett Canyon like he had done the past few years. He would search for stray cattle that hadn’t come down with the rest of the herd. When cooler weather set in, most of the cows moved down on their own. Pretty much routine every year, he’d ride out for one or two nights and find fifteen or twenty head of cattle to nudge down to the lower country before winter.

It was mid-September. In three or four weeks, this canyon could be a foot or two deep in snow. But right now, the weather was beautiful, not a cloud in sight. Should have been an easy task, but you just never knew.

A time or two, Allton had been caught in storms, but not anything that prevented him from getting back home safely. He always came back with a few of those stray cows.

Back at the ranch that morning, Allton had ridden out without the least concern that anything disastrous would happen. Hank, Allton’s father, was fixing some corral posts and rails that had needed it for some time. Mellie was in her garden, checking for ripe tomatoes.

Mellie did love her garden and peach trees. That had been one of the first things they had done when they were first married, plant peach trees. They set out around ten or twelve trees but lost three or four to storms or disease or other things. She liked to replant a couple every year to keep the number of trees around a dozen or so.

Seemed almost every fall they had bushels and bushels of peaches. Mellie would spend hours on end in the kitchen canning peaches. They had a path worn in the ground from carrying jars of them out to the cellar every year.

Allton had to admit, in the dead of winter, those canned peaches were a true delight. The family would sit around the fireplace after supper to enjoy them. For a family of five, it was nothing for two or three quart jars of peaches to be consumed at one sitting.

Allton’s and Mellie’s son Charles had been in the barn working on some traps as Allton rode out that morning. Trapping had been an interest to Charles for a few years now. Each season he got a little better. After trapping season was over, and he’d worked the hides, Charles would take them into town and sell them. It always gave him something to call his own.

Charles, at fifteen years old, had wanted to come with Allton to search for the cattle. Just last week he had asked his father if he could ride along this time. Charles was excellent on horseback. He could easily keep up and be of help bringing the cows down. Allton just told him not this year.

But Allton knew that in the next year or two, he was going to have to give in. He knew he needed to let Charles start taking on some of the more important ranch chores. Allton was used to doing things his own way. It was hard for him to let go of that.

Charles was a good worker and could do just about anything his father could do, even at the age of fifteen.

Hank had really brought him along in teaching him how to do things. He had taught Charles about horses and roping. And Charles has been a fast learner. Hank was a lot more patient with him than Allton was. As Charles’s grandfather, Hank took the time with him that Allton never seemed to have. As Hank had grown older, he had relaxed a little more about life. Allton hadn’t.

Libby, their ten-year-old daughter, was helping Mellie with the garden work. Libby was like her mother—she enjoyed spending time in the garden, and picking peaches. She enjoyed spending time with her mother. After the picking and harvesting, they also canned peaches and vegetables together. It was a big job and Libby proved to be a big help. Like her mother, Libby wasn’t afraid of work.

The last thing Allton remembered was the full weight of the horse on top of him. He was on his back, and Trigger’s weight was forcing the saddle horn into his gut. Allton didn’t feel pain, but he knew, as he lost consciousness, that this was not a good position to be in. He worried about what might happen to Trigger. The sky is so blue was Allton’s last thought, just before everything went black.

The first thing Allton saw when he opened his eyes was Trigger’s legs. Trigger was standing only a little way from where Allton had landed as they rolled down the hill from the trail. Allton slowly rose to his knees and didn’t feel anything broken. But he did feel bruised in the stomach from the saddle horn, and his shoulders felt sore. As he stood up, he tried to stretch, but his stomach and shoulders hurt too much. Other than that, he seemed to be okay, no broken bones but maybe bruised ribs.

Trigger seemed to be okay too, no broken legs, only a few hide burns from the rocks he rolled over. The saddle had been twisted a little, but all the straps and rings were okay. Trigger had found a little grass to graze on while Allton was out.

Allton didn’t know how long he had been out, but it must have been a while. The day was different than he remembered before the fall.

As Allton straightened the saddle and checked Trigger over, he felt a headache coming on. He thought he had better go ahead and ride back to the ranch. He hadn’t gone that far anyway. He could ride back up the canyon in a day or two when he felt a little better.

He walked Trigger around the bottom of the ridge and out of the shale. From there it was better climbing back up to the trail, and the trail was wider too. As he started back down the trail, he hadn’t gone far when it began to dawn on him that something in the air was just not right, he couldn’t say what. The air seemed heavier as he breathed in, like a real humid and muggy day might feel.

But it was not a humid day. It was clear and crisp. The air had been thin and light when he rode out earlier. Of course, he had ridden out in the cool of the morning, but that still didn’t explain the weight of the air now.

When he rounded the last ridge, the ranch came into view. It was still a mile or so away. He glanced to the ranch buildings. As he looked closer, some things seemed to be strangely missing. Allton didn’t see the corrals, or the peach orchard, or cattle. And the road that ran beside the river was black.

What was going on? He shook his head and rubbed his eyes hoping to see better. Upon coming to, after the fall, Allton had felt a little funny and headachy. It was probably just the result of the fall itself. His vision had been rather fuzzy too. He thought perhaps he was just not seeing right.

Somehow though, that didn’t reassure him. He thought to himself how Trigger seemed to be acting a little different too. Maybe he had been affected by the fall as well.

CHAPTER TWO

Allton Henry Stephens

Allton had been born Allton Stephens. His father was Andrew Henry (Hank) Stephens. His mother died when he was still a young boy. What memories he had of his mother were very dear to him. Illness had taken many folks on the frontier of Nebraska in those days. Life was hard and took its toll on young families out to make their way in the world.

Soon after his mother’s death, Allton and Hank moved out west to Wyoming territory to get a fresh start. They started a ranch, which later became known as Peach Tree Ranch. Allton was still a young boy at the time. But he was old enough and strong enough to start sharing in some of the work.

Since Allton had no brothers or sisters, he and his father had developed a strong partnership. They loved each other but, like most men, didn’t show it unless situations were desperate. Their love had grown more out of respect for each other as two working men rather than simply as father and son. Hank couldn’t but admire the way Allton worked. Right away he took a natural lead when it came to managing the affairs of the ranch. Their relationship worked well for the growth of the ranch, and over the past several years, it had paid out well.

Perhaps it had something to do with how different Allton and Hank were. Hank’s older age had taught him not to take life so seriously. He could even be a little on the humorous side at times. Allton, on the other hand, was often too serious. His instincts always defaulted to caution.

That serious nature, however, had been a good check for some of Hank’s decisions about what was best for the ranch, like where to build the barn and corrals or the house. Hank didn’t seem to consider placement of those things of very high importance. Allton, on the other hand argued that the farm’s proximity to the river mattered greatly. It had to be close enough to serve the water needs of the cattle and the family, but also far enough away to avoid flooding if the river escaped its banks. Allton just seemed to relate to everything in life with a more cautious and thoughtful perspective.

His relationship with Mellie was no different. He and Mellie had been married almost twenty years. Even after all those years, Allton never seemed to be able to completely relax with her. He loved her dearly, but there was still something about their relationship that made him almost afraid of his wife. Not a physical fear but rather an emotional fear, like he was always afraid of disappointing her.

Allton was not a romantic kind of man. Maybe that’s why his confidence in their relationship was lacking. He had always wondered why a woman like Mellie would want to be with a man like him. Allton’s difficulty relaxing around Mellie didn’t serve him well in his marriage. He believed that at times Mellie wished things were a little different between them. Perhaps Mellie longed for something Allton didn’t seem able to supply.

But Allton just didn’t know how to change. He thought it might be because he hadn’t had a mother while growing up. Not that he blamed his mother, it was just that he’d had so little opportunity to be around women. Especially of his age. That made him often wonder if he knew how to treat Mellie. He sure loved her. He tried to do for her what he thought she needed. At times though, it left him feeling a little short of what he thought she might have liked him to be.

Mellie had never once scolded him or expressed disappointment with their marriage. In fact, she often expressed just the opposite. She was joyful and happy most all the time. But Allton feared that those feelings came mostly from the kids, and not from him.

CHAPTER THREE

Melinda Marie Albright

Melinda (Mellie) Marie Albright came from a very hard and humble background. Her father was English. He immigrated to America to start a new life. He met Mellie’s mother in Arkansas, married, and started their family right away. Mellie’s father had tried his hand at farming, retailing, and even a little coal mining. He just didn’t seem to find anything that made him any money. As a result, Mellie’s little girl years were not easy.

Mellie’s folks died of smallpox within a year of each other when she was still very young. The disease had taken many lives. Mellie was lucky she hadn’t died too. She was sent to live with her aunt and uncle out west.

They had done pretty well with a general store that sold everything anyone could want or need. They had no children, but cared for Mellie like she was their own.

From early on, Mellie developed a tough nature. She was a hard worker, a fast learner, and didn’t mind making decisions when the situation called for it. She was also a very independent young woman. Before long, her aunt and uncle were giving her more and more responsibility for things around the store.

As Mellie got older, she also got prettier. Young men started to look her way. She didn’t care or notice, until Allton Stephens came into the store one day. He made her feel different than any other man ever had.

Problem was, he lived out of town several miles, so she only saw him when he came to town. And since Hank was the one who normally came in for supplies, while Allton stayed at the ranch to work, she didn’t get to see him very often.

Mellie had met Hank several times in the store, but she didn’t put Hank and Allton together until they both came into the store one rainy Saturday. It must have been too wet to do a lot of work at the ranch.

Hank had seen Mellie a few times. He noticed how her face changed a little when Allton walked in behind him. It didn’t surprise him much, as Mellie and Allton were both getting to the age where that sort of thing happened.

Allton however, didn’t seem to notice Mellie any more than he did the bolts of material lying on the shelf at back of the store. Hank sort of understood since Allton hadn’t had any women in his life since he was a young boy. Hank had never thought of remarrying. Nor did they ever have occasion to be in a place where Allton would have naturally been around other women.

Hank liked Mellie, and just fleetingly, thought she and Allton might be a good fit for each other. He really didn’t think much more about it until he was reminded of the town social taking place that very night.

Every year about this time, the folks in town liked to get together for a meal and socializing. Naturally, they invited the farmers and ranchers that patronized their businesses throughout the year.

Mellie was the one who reminded Hank of the get-together. It crossed Hank’s mind that it might be a good opportunity for Allton to meet some of the folks his own age. It would be good for him to maybe start getting to know a few of the people in town. Being a rainy day, not too many folks were expected. If weather was bad, the social would be at the schoolhouse.

As it worked out that evening, Mellie and Allton did get a few minutes to get acquainted. From then on, Allton was more easily persuaded to accompany Hank into town to pick up supplies.

Mellie was a Christian woman. She felt very strongly about what she believed. She had always taken great comfort in believing that her parents were somewhere now that they didn’t have to be sick or suffering. The only thing that gave her hope was her faith, her belief that there was something after this life that was better and not painful.

Being left alone with no parents or siblings, her faith had always sustained her. She felt that everything would work out no matter what bad things might happen in life. After getting to know Allton and marrying him, she was convinced that God’s providence brought him into her life. Her faith in God flourished and she couldn’t imagine a happier life.

CHAPTER FOUR

Allton and Mellie

Over their married years, Allton and Mellie had grown together in their relationship in many ways. They were good friends, confidants, and worked well together. They not only loved each other, but also liked being with each other very much. For the most part, their love was one of natural adoration for each other instead of a love borne out of duty or obligation.

But there were still those times when a little more was desired, especially on Mellie’s part. Mellie took much comfort in the little things Allton did for her from time to time, little things that made her