When the party reached the Gully home upon their return they found the
members of their families had assembled there to await their arrival.
Minnie Gully and Miss Anderson had prepared a good supper, which was
waiting, and which was heartily enjoyed by the returned harvesters. They
did not linger long at Gully's, however, as the men were worn out by
their long siege and were anxious to reach their own homes.
The second morning after their return Gully drove to the village in
search of a man to drill his well. In this he was successful, and
completed the deal before his return. The selection of a site for the
well and the assembling of the machinery occupied his time for several
days following. As the well drilling crew consisted of three men besides
Jack Norton, who had arranged to stay with Gully until the well was
completed, it would entail considerable additional work for Mrs. Gully,
so Miss Anderson agreed to remain and assist her during their stay. In
return for this service Gully was to haul the lumber and erect a small
house on her claim.
With these arrangements all complete and the arrival of the driller the
work progressed nicely, and in less than a month from the time of his
return from the harvest field, Gully's well was completed. The flow
that was struck by the drillers differed but little from that reached in
the dozens of other wells that had been sunk at various points
throughout the area; the only variation was in depth, and this was due
to the difference in elevation. The flow was abundant, as was proven by
a test that failed to lower it, and the water was the purest.
The sinking of the well had almost exhausted Gully's supply of funds,
and fearing the recurrence of another severe winter, he was on the alert
for employment. While hauling the lumber for the erection of the houses
on the claims of Miss Anderson and young Norton he had learned of the
intention of a large company who held extensive land interests in the
desert to clear and prepare for seeding several hundred acres during the
winter. Securing the address of the company, he wrote to them, proposing
to take the work under contract.
The small shack was soon erected on Miss Anderson's claim near the
school house and school was opened for the winter. With her comfortably
settled her earnings as teacher were ample for her requirements, and a
sufficient amount was left to hire the necessary improvements made. This
work was given to Gully, who cleared several acres, fenced it, and put
her down a cistern similar to the one he had constructed on his own
place. In the performance of this work he was assisted by Jack Norton,
who had now settled down on his own claim, a determined and confident
homesteader.
The attendance at the little school had more than doubled since the
winter before by the arrival of additional families with children. It
had become necessary to erect another school house some miles distant to
accommodate the increased population. This new school district was in
charge of our old friend the professor, and the meetings of the Sunday
School and literary society were so arranged as to alternate between the
two districts, and debates and old fashioned spelling bees were
conducted with the separate districts as contestants.
Thus was the social life of the community kept alive and much simple
pleasure added to the lives of the homesteaders. The arrival of a few
young people in the neighborhood added to the dignity of the social
functions, and as distance was a matter of secondary consideration with
these hardy pioneers, it was no uncommon thing during the winter months
to see a wagon being driven from the home of one settler to that of
another, picking up a load of jolly people, both young and old, that
were for some point, it might be ten miles distant, where a surprise
party or some such gathering was to be held. They were always
accompanied by an abundance of lunch.
Ida Gully, who was not attending school, as she had grown to be quite a
young lady, was a great favorite, and was always eager to attend these
gatherings and was usually accompanied by Jack Norton on these
occasions.
The winter season was now well advanced and there had been no snow; the
nights were growing colder but the days were yet clear and warm. Travis
Gully had given up hopes of hearing from the company to whom he had
written in regard to clearing their land and was working on his own
place. He did not have sufficient funds to erect a pump and windmill
over his well, but had substituted an old hand pump in hopes that he
could make it answer his purpose for securing water for domestic use
until the irrigating season came. He had installed this makeshift of a
pump and was trying to devise some scheme whereby he could make its
operation less laborious by attaching a longer lever, when upon looking
up from his work he saw a party of men approaching in a vehicle that was
being driven along the road that led to his place.
The advent of a stranger being no longer a matter of interest he
proceeded with his work after looking to see if he could by chance
recognize the team. A few minutes later the barking of his dog announced
the approach of the vehicle, and he saw that they had driven within his
inclosure and were coming toward the house. Leaving his work at the
well, he went to the house, where he awaited their coming.
Gully did not recognize any of the occupants of the vehicle, of whom
there were four. He supposed that they were some persons who were
looking over the country, probably with the view to investing, as they
did not look like the type of settlers he was accustomed to seeing.
Three of the men had the appearance of business or professional men. One
of them was well advanced in years, but the remaining three were very
much younger. One of these he recognized, as they drew nearer, as a man
whom he had seen on frequent occasions when he had visited the village,
and supposed that he was only the driver.
The party had by now driven up to the yard and Gully stepped out to meet
them. Upon being asked if he were Mr. Gully, and after answering in the
affirmative, the elderly man took from his pocket a card which he handed
to Travis Gully, who, glancing at it, recognized the name of the company
to whom he had written. He invited the visitors to "get out and come
in." This they said was not necessary, as they had only a limited time
in which to state the purpose of their visit, which they did by
explaining to him that they had gotten his letter and had come with the
view to looking the proposition of clearing the land over, and if they
found him ready to undertake the work and his terms satisfactory they
were prepared to enter into an agreement with him. First, however, they
wished to visit the land in question, which they proposed to do before
returning to the village.
Taking from a wallet a blue print of the locality, they traced the lines
and looked over the section numbers for a few minutes, and then asked
Gully as to the roads leading to their lands. He gave them directions
and stated that roads across the plains were not necessary, as a person
could not get far out of the way.
They explained further to Gully that they had brought with them from the
East tents and surveying instruments which had been left behind in the
village and asked that in case of an agreement being reached with them,
if he was in a position to accommodate them with meals during the few
days that would be required to survey the land they wished to put into
cultivation. Gully explained that his means of accommodation were crude
and limited, but they were entirely welcome to such as his home
afforded.
After arranging with him to come to the village with his wagon the
following day, when they would talk the matter over, and if satisfactory
would have him return with them and their equipment, they drove away in
the direction of their land.
Travis Gully stood and watched them for a few moments, his mind filled
with the problem of the terms of the contract that he knew he would be
called on to submit the following day. His wife having noticed the
presence of strangers and seeing the thoughtful attitude of her husband
after their departure came to him, and after learning the nature of
their business, was greatly relieved and much delighted at the prospect
of his securing the big contract. They both realized, however, that the
success of the venture would depend very largely upon the continuance of
the favorable weather, and spoke of the probability of it remaining
fair.
Returning to the well where he took up his interrupted work, Gully
discussed the proposition of the contract with his wife. Never having
undertaken anything of the kind, he was at a loss how to begin. He knew
what it was worth per acre to clear and plow the land and approximately
how long it would take, everything being favorable, but he could not
get it in tangible form. Finally his wife suggested that he call on
young Norton, who could probably assist him as to arranging the details.
This was a happy thought! Gully had intended to give Jack employment if
he got the work, so why not let him be a party to the deal, and let him
handle the business part of the transaction? He would see Norton and
talk the matter over with him, he told her.
It was now getting well on toward evening and Ida had gone to Miss
Anderson's to await the dismissal of school, as she frequently did, and
would return with the children when they came home; and as Jack Norton
usually walked home with them, Gully awaited their return in hopes he
would do so on this occasion. In this he was not disappointed, for a
short time afterwards the children were seen returning from school, and
Norton was accompanying them home.
Upon Jack Norton's arrival Gully told him of what had occurred, of the
coming of the strangers and the arrangements he had made for the morrow,
and told him if he would remain until after supper he would like to talk
the matter over with him. Jack listened attentively to what Gully told
him, but could not understand why he should be consulted in the matter.
Thanking Gully for the invitation he told him he would be glad to assist
him in any way he could.
Continuing his work at the well, Gully did not again refer to the
matter, and Norton went to the house, where he amused little Joe and the
other children by romping with them until they were called to their
supper. After the supper was over and Gully and Norton had strolled to
the barn. Gully told him of his desire to have him take an active
interest in the proposed deal, and explained why. He told him plainly
that he needed the assistance of someone who was better equipped in the
way of an education than he himself was, that they might look after the
business features, and he made young Norton an offer of a partnership
under the conditions of which Jack would greatly profit should they get
the work.
Jack Norton listened to the plans and proposal that Gully had to make.
After Gully had finished he turned to Gully and asked: "Do you mean that
you want me to take hold of this affair and look after your interest,
and is it for this purpose that you are making me this liberal offer? If
such is the case, Mr. Gully, I will tell you now that although I were
only working for you by the day, as a laborer, I would still have your
interests at heart as much as if I were your business partner."
Gully being taken by surprise at the young man's earnestness, replied
that such was his intention. "If you care to take an interest in the
transaction, I need you to look after the accounts, the handling of the
funds for the purchase of supplies that will be necessary, and securing
the help that will be required, for you are worth more to me as a
business partner than on a daily wage," he told him.
Norton smiled, and extending his hand to Gully, said: "That being the
case, I will help you," and added: "May I go into town with you
tomorrow?"
[Illustration: _For weeks they toiled with blistered palms and aching
backs._]
"Certainly," replied Gully, "I want you to draw up the contract, and be
present at the signing."
"Then you have drawn no agreement yet," asked Norton.
"No," replied Gully.
"Well, we will go to the house and see what can be done. We will at
least have something ready in the way of a proposition to offer; and
say, Mr. Gully, have you given them an idea of the charge per acre you
are to make for this work."
"No, I had not fully determined what it would be worth, and depended on
your assistance in making an estimate," replied Gully.
"Well, we will figure that out too when we get at it," and so saying,
they returned to the house, and clearing off the table, sat down with
pencil and paper to draw up the form of their first contract.
To the uninitiated the process of removing sagebrush from and plowing
land would be simple enough, and under ordinary circumstances and over a
small area it would be, but in this instance it was different. The land
was not a great ways off, a few miles at best, from Gully's home, but
too far to go and come each day, as the working hours during the winter
were extremely short, and too much time would be lost on the road, and
besides, the amount of the land to be prepared was unusually large for
one undertaking, as an entire section, some six hundred and forty acres,
were to be gotten ready for seeding at the very earliest possible time.
Gully and Norton had taken all this into consideration, and the extra
preparation that was required for the work was an additional expense
that must be considered. They knew that should they get the contract
they must establish a camp on the land in question from which to carry
on their operations. There must be shelter erected for both those
engaged in the work and the stock that would be required for plowing,
for they knew that the snow might come at any time. Gully did not expect
another blizzard as severe as the one encountered the winter before, as
he had learned that they were not of yearly occurrence, but he had told
Jack of the terrible one they had experienced on that occasion, that in
case one did come they would not be unprepared.
Long into the night they worked, figuring out each little detail and
drawing a diagram of the land. They allotted certain parcels of it to
separate individuals on whom they expected to call for assistance. They
knew that any of their neighbors on whom they called would be only too
glad of the opportunity to earn the money by clearing their allotted
portion. To those of their acquaintances who had no horses was assigned
the task of gathering and piling the brush for burning.
The arrangements as planned by Norton brought Gully to the front as a
public benefactor, and the clearing of the land a community affair. He
so arranged each little detail as to make Travis Gully appear as the
moving spirit in this distribution of the opportunity for earning a few
dollars among his neighbors, and so well did he contrive to eliminate
himself from all but the responsibility that his own connection with
the work was almost entirely lost sight of.
Mrs. Gully and Ida sat quietly by and listened to the discussion of
their plans long after the children had retired. At times Norton's
enthusiasm and interest in the work he was doing would become so great
he would forget his surroundings, and with shirt sleeves rolled back and
neck band unbuttoned, he would sit drumming upon the table with pencil
poised, ready to record the result of some mental calculation, muttering
to himself. Unconsciously he would use expressions that were foreign to
the Gullys, who would watch him closely.
Travis Gully and his wife would wait patiently until Norton announced
his solution of the problem, but with Ida the effect was different. She
would watch his every movement, and as his thoughts became more
concentrated the strain on her would become more tense and she would
partially arise from her chair, with hands clenched until the nails left
their imprint in her palms, and it would seem that she must call to him,
and upon his first movement to record some figures or to announce some
clause that he wished to insert in the contract, she would sink back in
her chair, and glancing around nervously, resume her bit of fancy work,
that she was learning under Miss Anderson's instructions.
Travis Gully was too much absorbed to note his daughter's actions, but
it did not escape the quick eyes of the mother, who suggested to her
that perhaps they had better retire and leave her father and Jack to
finish their work alone. Minnie Gully had never thought of Ida as
anything but a child, and she had not taken into account the change this
life in the open had wrought upon her oldest daughter. She watched her
as she carefully folded her bit of embroidery in obedience to her
mother's suggestion that they retire, and as she watched the knowledge
was forced upon her that she was the mother of a fully developed, robust
young woman, and the thought of the additional responsibility this
knowledge brought with it was made more gratifying by others of
comradeship. She now had a companion for the molding of whose character
she alone was responsible.
With a parting warning to the men, to "remember you are to start to town
early in the morning and not to stay up too late," she and Ida went to
their room. Gully and Norton needed no such warning. The fact of their
going to town was a prime factor in the necessity for their working as
they were, and as for staying up late, their work had to be completed
before they could retire.
As the work progressed, after the ladies had left them, Travis Gully was
surprised at the knowledge of such work as Norton evidenced, and he
realized that he had done wisely in taking him into his confidence and
gaining his assistance. He listened without interruption to Jack
Norton's plans as he outlined them, and to the results of his
calculations as to the expense incurred and profits derived from the
transaction as they were read with such an apparent familiarity with
figures that he did not question their correctness.
There was one question uppermost in Gully's mind that would persist in
its recurrence, and that was: "Who was this Jack Norton, this waif of
the sandy desert, who with the last few hours, with apparently no other
incentive than a desire to help one who had befriended him, had
developed into a thorough business man, with unlimited capacity for
facts and figures?"
While Travis Gully was asking himself these questions his wife, in the
adjoining room, was busily racking her mind with the one thought: "Was
Ida interested in Jack, and if so, to what extent, and had he noticed
it?" She would know at the first opportunity. She would ask her, but she
must be careful, and she smiled; Ida was such a child.
Jack Norton, oblivious to the thoughts that were filling the minds of
his friends, worked on at the formulation of his plans. It had been
months, it seemed like years to him, since he had been given an
opportunity to work at something worth while. It was true that the
amount in dollars and cents involved in this entire transaction would be
at best but a few hundred, but it was business, and recalled to his mind
other days when he had worked out larger plans; yes, very much larger,
where thousands of dollars were involved.
He laughed whimsically to himself after he had handed the final product
of his hours of work to Travis Gully to read. It was a recapitulation of
the whole transaction, condensed and simplified in a manner that he was
sure would bring it within his understanding, and as Gully read, his
brow contracted with many wrinkles as his brain groped for an
interpretation of the mass of figures, Jack Norton compared these
existing conditions with other scenes in his past, when he had entered
noiselessly through swinging glass doors and over dustless carpets into
the presence of the older Norton, his "Governor," and submitted for his
inspection a sheet of about the same dimensions containing, not a
written agreement whereby one or more men do "agree to remove the
sagebrush from, plow and make ready for planting certain lands beginning
at, etc.," but a neatly prepared statement of his college expenses,
supplemented with a request for an additional allowance for golf,
yachting, etc.
When Travis Gully had finished reading the paper Norton had given him he
handed it back, asked one or two questions about things he did not fully
understand, and upon their being explained, said: "It's all right as far
as I can see." Norton took the paper, folded it neatly, and placed it on
the table, and after assembling the scattered sheets upon which he had
been figuring, he placed them in a neat pile, using an empty coffee cup
for a paper weight, he handed Gully the folded sheet, together with the
pencil with which he had been working, and after asking what time he
proposed to start for town in the morning, remarked that "He guessed he
would go home."
To this Gully objected, telling him there was no need of his going; that
he could sleep there and they would get an early start. This was agreed
upon, and a few minutes later the Gully home was in darkness.