Ambush Valley by Dusty Richards Page A

the ranch hands.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œThings are different here. In Texas, we were family and a few hands. Here we have lots of employees.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you ask us?”
    â€œI’m sorry. I needed to make a decision. Hoot feeds the crew. We will build a mess for him before winter. Tom, JD, and I are going up on the rim tomorrow and try to resolve this lumber business.”
    â€œFine, you can eat out there too.” She stomped back upstairs. Mad as he could ever believe she had gotten at him in her life. What would be the result? The women could do what they wanted and probably would. But the fighting would stop—Hoot had his kingdom and they had the house. He better get lots of lumber coming off the mountain and get the construction over with.
    It would be a damn sight easier to herd cattle than run a place with this many problems.
    The next day, Tom and JD rode with him over the military road to the top of the rim. He took a long look of the vast valley and the red mesas to the west, then they started across the pine country. On top, they could see the San Francisco Peaks in the north. They hurried along to the loggers’ camp and steam mill.
    The whining circular saw told him they were sawmilling. They dismounted and hitched their horses at a log building with a sign that read M C K NIGHT L UMBER C OMPANY . A big man came out onto the porch wearing a suit and a gold watch chain.
    â€œWhat brings you clear up here, Tom?” he asked.
    â€œTed, this is my boss, Chet Byrnes, and JD Byrnes. We need to talk about these short orders of lumber.”
    â€œCome in, gentlemen.” He swung the door open and let them in. They found seats and he ordered coffee for the men from an underling.
    â€œWas it a good ride up here?”
    â€œIt’s pretty country up here,” JD said. “My first trip.”
    McKnight nodded. “You know I’ve lost lots of help. These miners down in Tombstone stole my help with their high wages. I am working short-handed.”
    â€œWhat’re you short on?” Chet asked, leaning forward.
    â€œLumberjacks. Log haulers. You name it.”
    â€œI don’t have lumberjacks, but I do have draft horses that can haul logs.”
    â€œHow many?”
    â€œEight teams of good Belgium horses and men that can drive them. I saw lots of cut logs along the road that need hauled in here.”
    McKnight nodded. “That would help for a while.”
    â€œCan you find more lumberjacks?”
    â€œI sent a man to California to get them. I think he’ll bring a crew back.”
    â€œWould those teams help you?”
    â€œYes. There is lots of cut timber out there we could make into lumber. I’d pay for that haul.”
    â€œI don’t want to lose money,” Chet said.
    â€œHow much will they cost?”
    â€œFive dollars a day.”
    â€œI can afford that. Will they bring a load of hay up when they come up here?”
    â€œProbably cost us ten dollars a ton, Tom?” Chet asked.
    His foreman agreed. “We should be able to get that.”
    â€œI’ll pay for that. Will these men work?”
    JD nodded. “They will haul logs when they learn how.”
    McKnight acted satisfied and went on. “I have decent quarters and a good mess for them.”
    â€œNow about the lumber we need,” Chet said.
    McKnight leaned forward with a look of relief. “You three are going to save my business. What you need we’ll cut as quick as we can. Will you quit me when you get that wood?” he asked.
    â€œI will support you for six months and if we can make money or break even, we will look at it. We made you a cut-rate offer that I might not be able to afford forever.”
    â€œMr. Byrnes—”
    â€œChet,” he corrected him.
    â€œChet, how soon can they come?”
    JD took the lead. “Five days to a week. We will be here to haul logs.”
    â€œMcKnight, these men are