Chapter Twenty-One
Joseph and Kirk tossed up the bales of hay onto the back of the flatbed truck where Bobby stacked them one on top of the other. With the yearlings sold, the next task for the ranchers was to harvest and store the hay that the cows would eat during the winter months. After having been cut, the long grasses that filled the fields of the ranch were allowed to dry and then were made into bales by the hay baler. Now the four men of the ranch collected the bales of hay and brought them into the barn to store in the hay loft.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, the truck became filled and then was slowly driven back to the barn. After parking behind the barn, the bales of hay were run up a conveyor belt that had been set up, depositing them on the barn's second story.
"Just two more trips to make, Bobby," Michael said to him as Bobby unloaded the bales of hay from the truck onto the conveyor belt.
"After lunch, right Michael?" asked Bobby, who was already thinking about eating.
"Yes," Michael replied. "I'll have Mirabelle bring the lunches out here," he added before walking off to the ranch house.
The sun soon reached its zenith and the three ranch hands stopped for lunch. As they dusted themselves off and took off their gloves, Mirabelle appeared with Michael from the barn's lower doors. Mirabelle carried two picnic baskets while Michael carried a pitcher of dark-coloured liquid. The ranch hands formed a makeshift set of table and chairs out of hay bales which were then sat at. Mirabelle covered the straw table with a tablecloth and placed the dishes of sandwiches and fruit upon it. Michael took out some mugs and filled them with the dark-coloured drink.
"What's this stuff?" asked Bobby holding the mug of dark liquid up to his nose.
"It's iced tea," answered Mirabelle, who added, "I hope you like it better than my lemonade."
"I doubt it," responded Bobby, who looked at his mug questionably.
The party then commenced to eat lunch; the ranch hands eating with relish.
"These are good sandwiches," Kirk said aloud in between bites. Fortunately for Mirabelle, who was in direct view of him, Kirk didn't speak with his mouth full.
"Mmmgh," grunted Joseph in agreement while he nodded: He was too busy eating to grace them with the formality of speech.
"Thanks, guys," chirped Mirabelle, who was pleased with to be the center of attention and to have her cooking appreciated.
"And this iced tea stuff isn't half bad," added Bobby. He said as he set his mug down.
Mirabelle smiled a happy grin. It was so nice for her to be appreciated, to know that her presence brightened up people's lives.
"They're just trying to get you to bake a pie for them, this evening," said Michael, out of the blue, to Mirabelle. "I heard them talking about it while they were working," he added.
Mirabelle turned her head to look at the faces of the ranch hands. Caught red-handed, they turned to look at each other then burst out laughing.
"It's an underhanded male conspiracy!" Mirabelle declared in mild infuriation. She was just starting to like the men.
The ranch hands laughed even harder.
"And it would have worked, too, if we didn't have a traitor," said Kirk, grinning at Michael.
Michael laughed out loud, then said, "I just like seeing you villains upended."
"Male chauvinistic..." Mirabelle muttered under her breath while she brooded under a dark cloud.
"What was that, Mirabelle?" asked Bobby who was sitting beside her.
"I was just saying how nice it was to be enjoying this day with all you charming men," she answered diplomatically.
"I hope we finish before dark," said Michael to the ranch hands as he held his mug in his hands.
Kirk replied to him, "We should have the last load in by then, Michael."
Michael nodded then said to Mirabelle, "They're working hard today, Mirabelle. Couldn't you bake that pie for them?"
"Yeah, I guess so," she replied, thinking it over, while forgetting about her mistreatment.
"Once the hay's in," said Michael, "we'll have a lot more free time as things wind down." "So what are you boys going to do?" he asked them.
Kirk answered, "I want to go into town with you tomorrow, Michael. There are some things I want to buy."
"I want to go visit my girlfriend," answered Bobby, "If I can get a ride."
"What about you, Joseph?" Michael asked him.
"I want to do some exploring before the snows come in," he answered.
"Don't forget we're all going on a trail ride next week," said Michael, "It's important to me that we keep that old tradition of mine."
"Where are we going?" Bobby asked Michael.
"I thought we'd head up to Silver Horn for the day," answered Michael.
"Silver Horn it is," responded Kirk.
"And how about you, Mirabelle?" questioned Michael, "What are you going to do with your free time, tomorrow?"
"I don't know," she replied, thoughtfully, then said, "There is laundry to do."
"No laundry for you on a Sunday," Michael said to her. "Have fun," he admonished.
"I don't know then," she said to Michael, "I don't really have anything to do."
"If you'd like," interjected Joseph as he munched on an apple, "You can come hiking with me." After taking another bite, he lowered the apple from his mouth and suddenly frowned as he wondered what he had gotten himself into.
Mirabelle looked at him unsuredly. It was a friendly offer but it was obvious Joseph was having second thoughts about having made it.
"Oh, don't mind Joe," Kirk exclaimed to Mirabelle, "He's secretly afraid of women." Kirk burst out laughing.
Joseph punched Kirk hard on the arm.
"Ow. That hurt," Kirk said rubbing his arm. "But it was worth it," he said laughing again.
"I promise I'll be nicer," Joseph said to Mirabelle, then he added, "It's up to you."
"Well, okay, I guess," answered Mirabelle--it was better than spending a Sunday doing nothing.
"Umgh," he grunted, then said, "I plan on finding the source of the stream. Is that okay?"
Mirabelle nodded. "That should be interesting," she thought to herself.
"Good," replied Joseph, as he returned his attention to his apple.
As the group continued eating their lunch Mirabelle turned her head to look at the stream. She watched its gurgling, clear waters emerging from the forest and wondered what tomorrow would bring.
