Sounds of the Prairie

Chapter 14 Colorado

The journey home went faster with just myself and making no stops but the farther away I got from my Essie the more my heart ached in my chest. Everything in my being fought to not turn around and go back for her. When I reached my home by midday after travelling for so long I could not help but feel relief. The familiarity of the home brought its own sore of comfort to sooth my restlessness. I ran to the front door yelling, "Pa!" and it didn't take him long to come running to the door. I crashed into him and let him embrace me as hard as he could. Even in that touching moment between my father and I, reality came screaming back in my head, "Pa, we need help." His eyes searched my face as he asked, "We? Where are the others?" As he looked around for them only realizing that I was alone. 

I frantically nodded my head and took his broad shoulders between my grasp, "They aren't here, they stayed behind, but we found the men in Kalispell and they are terrorizing the town. The sheriff there can't do anything, he doesn't have enough men to deal with them. That's why I am here. I need you and however many men we can get together to go back and help us take care of them." Pa did not give any fancy words only jumped into action, running into the house and grabbing two of his rifles in addition to the pistols he wore around his waist.

"Let's go." He strolled past me, placing his rifles in his saddle and mounting his horse not spending time to see if I followed.

"You think others will join us Pa?"

"I will guarantee it."

We set off to town stopping at every ranch we could or knew of to gather as many people as we could think of. When we reach the Gearrings I made my way up to their door, "Mr. Gearring! Mrs. Gearring!"

The elderly couple came rushing the door, scanning the group of people and the first thing Mr. Gearring asked was, "Where is Esther?"

"She is fine." I said with my hands help up in hope to stall them, "For now. I came here to gather help." I told them everything I had told Pa and all the other men who joined up with us.

"Oh Lord you need to go." Mrs. Gearring told him urgently but he grabbed her hand and told her they would both go.

"Mr. Gearring with all due respect, it is a rough ride and we will be going as hard as we can to get there."

However, when he went to reply Mrs. Gearring stepped forward, squaring her shoulders and standing toe to toe with me, "Colorado I sure do love you, a whole heck of a lot, that girl is more of a daughter to me than I have ever had and I will be damned if I am not there to protect her now. Plus I will have you know I can outshoot even my dear husband, now let us go!" For a brief moment, they disappeared into their home coming back out with fully loaded packs joining our group. Barely taking breaks or stopping, we rode the trail faster than a bullet. As we made our way closer, I could understand why Mrs. Gearring and Essie were so close, they were made from the same toughness. We made one stop to water the horses and stretch our legs but too soon for everyone else I asked to remount and get going. My Pa gripped my shoulder and said, "Son, give everyone a few more minutes. We are still making good time."

"Not good enough. I need to get back to my wife." His grip got tighter as I made to move to my horse.

"Wife?" Pa said a little loudly also getting the Gearrings attention who repeated exactly what he said. So much for trying to tell our families together, I was going to get kicked in the shin for that later.

"Essie and I wed in Nez Perce." I readied myself for the verbal whiplashing of how irresponsible I was but it never came. I turned to see all of them staying at me with stunned faces, when Mrs. Gearring started tearing up I heard Pa's voice ask, "You married Esther?"