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"We are rough men and used to rough ways."  – Bob Younger to a newspaper reporter following the 1876 Northfield, Minnesota.

"Mounted on my favorite horse, my ... lariat near my hand, and my trusty guns in my belt ... I felt I could defy the world." -- Nat Love in The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, 1907

A month had passed since the encounter with the cattle thieves. Hurd, Crowe and Sinta all got paid a full weeks´ wages ($7) and expenses, and Harvey Steinbaugh was in a stable condition when they took him back to the Bronson Ranch after Vernon Adams had attended his wounds. Everyone was very grateful to them for saving the foreman, and Hurd and Sinta were promised to be taken into consideration for future work.

The local newspaper published a story the following day: 

Hurd Price was hoping to settle down. Recently he had claimed an abandoned farm in the high lands, about 25 miles southeast from the town of Sabbath. He had also met Laura, and brought her to the farm. He wanted to plant some corn and potatoes before the summer.

He still owed money, and summer was getting closer. Hurd had not been called for any work by the Bronson´s since the incident with the thieves last month. Tonight Vernon Adams had come over for dinner, and Laura had also invited Sinta. The two ladies were preparing dinner in the kitchen.

Hurd finished hammering the fence, and walked back inside. His dog followed him up to the porch. It was getting dark already, and he could not see Vern at the distance. His ranch was 10 miles towards the Wolf Pass, further south. That´s were they took Harvey after the shooting. And Vernon probably saved the foreman´s life…

Sinta had visited the Price farm a few times in the last month or so, and each time the place looked a little bit better. Too bad Hurd and Laura did not have money to properly amend the abandoned farm in the high lands. But Laura seemed happy, even when she was left alone in the middle of nowhere with their dog while Hurd visited Sabbath or got some work to pay off some of the debts they had.

Laura and Sinta knew each other from Canyon City times, and it was Laura´s letter that had helped Sinta made up her mind to come to Sabbath. She was a little bit surprised that Laura had settled down with a man such as Hurd...

-Pass me the salt, would ya?, Laura asked Sinta. The two women were preparing dinner in the kitchen. Hurd was outside fixing the fence, and Vernon Adams had not arrived yet. Laura was not expecting Vernon´s wife to come with him. She had a good excuse, as it was not wise to leave a small ranch unattended. But Laura knew she frowned upon her, and her past life as a saloon girl.

-Thanks, Sinta, she smiled with a strange sadness in her eyes. -You know, we´ve had our share of fun, girl. Do you remember Canyon City? Well did we laugh back then, the nights in the saloon after it was closed, with the boys.

She swallowed. -Don´t mind my silly memories, now this is my life. A new start. I´ve been to too many places, Sinta… I´ve used up too many places... It´s about time I settled down. Hurd is a good man. Kind and tender, when there is time for that. I know this ain´t much, this farm, but it´s something. I owe him. You understand?

- You know, we´ve had our share of fun, girl. Do you remember Canyon City? Well did we laugh back then, the nights in the saloon after it was closed, with the boys.

- Yeah, those were the good ol' days...

It is good to remember the old days. Life was easier than as a cowgirl. Then again, it was also more dangerous... the men... Sinta brushes the thought aside and tries to focus on Laura, on the positive, and Laura's words:

- ...used up too many places... It´s about time I settled down. Hurd is a good man. Kind and tender, when there is time for that. I know this ain´t much, this farm, but it´s something. I owe him. You understand?

- I do, Laura, I do. I think you are doing fine. Hurd is a good chap, and I am sure he loves you. This is a good farm. I am sure you will be happy together. And... what about the kids? ---she says, with wink a gentle nudge from her elbow.

-Kids? No, I don´t think so Sinta, Laura answered with a smile in her face. It had been a long time since Sinta saw her friend smile. -It ain´t in the cards, not for me... And I guess Hurd ain´t thinking of that either. I´m sure he is not …

Laura looked at Sinta again, and absentmindedly removed some of Sinta´s black hair from her face. - Hurd, well he is a caring and a kind man, but he is not a passionate man, not in that way. You know, the Bronson men all visited the saloon in Sabbath, and almost all of them went to the brothel… I grew tired of them. Their hands, the smell of whiskey. You know Bronson doesn´t allow cowboys to drink when working, so when they do go to town… They make up for lost time. But there two that when they came into town did not visit us. Vern and Hurd. They drank their whiskey in the saloon, had their fun, maybe played some cards at Lucas. But never went upstairs, for the girls...

Laura stopped talking, and carried on preparing the stew. The dog was barking outside.

-Vernon is a good man. A hard worker, a good husband. And loyal to his friends. He has helped us out a lot. Without him, Hurd would be lost. Now that you ride for Bronson´s, he´ll take care of you I´m sure.

- I think Vern is here now, she said when the dog had stopped barking. -And just in time for dinner.

Hurd, well he is a caring and a kind man, but he is not a passionate man, not in that way.

Not in that way? What does she mean? That he does not like her?

...but there two that when they came into town did not visit us. Vern and Hurd. They drank their whiskey in the saloon, had their fun, maybe played some cards at Lucas. But never went upstairs, for the girls...

Never? Maybe Hurd is... is one of those mean that likes other men? No, that´s preposterous! Not him! He is a nice chap! A good man! Sinta, you should be ashamed of thinking these monstruosities!

- I think Vern is here now. And just in time for dinner.

- Good! ---says Sinta, trying to brush away her thoughts---. Good timing, I am ravenous after all the work¹ today and all...

Trying not to look Laura in the eye, Sinta starts setting the table...

-Howdy Hurd, and good evening to you Laura, you look lovely may I say, Vernon said smiling and removed his hat as he walked in and caressed the dog. He was quite a tall and handsome man, and acted friendly. He was also fun to be around, not like some of the other cowboys Laura had met when she worked at the saloon.

-Evening Vern, please have a seat. We haven´t had time to fix the farm properly yet, but at least we have a table to put the food on, and chairs to sit.

Sinta came out of the kitchen with some plates. –Ho.., ma´am…, Vernon nodded a bit nervous. –Howdy, … Sinta. He then said and fixed the awkward moment with a pleasant smile.

Damn, if she rides with the cowboys she ain´t no lady, so I better treat her as one of the boys.

Vernon was holding a rolled newspaper when he sat down.

Sinta noticed Vernon's confusion and made an effort to appear feminine. She may like working with the animals and guys, but she was a woman after all, and no kiddin'. 

- Hi, Vernon? How was your day? I hope your wife is fine, pity she could not join us today. Would you like something to drink while we wait for Hurd, maybe a beer?

Vernon keeps chatting and helping Laura out, and Sinta grabs a beer for her friend. The atmosphere is relaxed, and soon she hears Laura laugh when Vernon makes a silly joke. That laughter brings back memories from Canyon City. Memories of late nights in the Saloon, after all the clients had left. Sinta and Laura together with the two lawmen, Bucky and Jared Maddox. Sometimes other friends as well. Jack...

Laura was something special. All the men were crazy about her, but she would not settle. She was beautiful, passionate and witty. And a strong woman. And she fell head over heals for Jared. They were a couple for some time. The tough and unyielding marshal and the prettiest girl in town. But it was not meant to be.

Jared was not the first true love for Laura, nor the last. But she always had her aim set high. She did not use to be the kind of girl that would settle for something less. Hurd seemed like a nice guy, and maybe Laura had changed. Maybe the girl Sinta used to know had matured beyond Sinta´s expectations. Maybe the fiery and passionate woman Sinta had met at Canyon City was no more, and she was buried in the past.

-A beer would be nice, thank you, Vernon said as he sat down. -Hurd still outside? HURD!! Come on in! It´s getting dark out there. I´ve got somethin´for ya to see!!

He padded the newspaper he was holding, and there was a broad smile on his face. -Ah, yes. My missus could not make it. Ain´t goin´to leave the ranch unattended either, if ya know what I mean.

Adams´ face got slightly more serious for a moment. It was no secret Laura was frowned upon in Sabbath. Your past was a burden that followed you around, especially if you were a woman. And Saloon girls had a bad name amongst the "good and decent townsfolk", who often were the customers in these saloons. To make matters worse, Sinta was a ... cowgirl. A woman working as a cowboy.

But Vern did not care about any of that. For him, things were far simpler than that. Hurd was his friend. Laura was Hurd´s woman, and also his friend. Sinta was a woman compadre. And it was not good to leave a small ranch unattended near the Wolf Creek, not after what happened to Harvey and the others.

They all sat down to have some dinner, and talked and laughed. At some point, Canyon City came up in the conversation. Vernon had heard it was a ghost town nowadays. This often happened to towns that had grown next to a gold mine. When the digging dried up, there was nothing left to hang on to.

Vernon asked Laura and Hurd about their plans for the farm. There was so much to be done, and the land was not great for farming. And Hurd and Laura had no savings. But it was still a bargain, and Hurd needed to sort out the deed for the plot at the Registrar´s office. When he had the money... It all came back to that...