“You know,” Henry quietly started. “It’s been said that lonesome creates diseases that only friendship can cure.” He paused. “Well, I guess I don’t know about that. But I do know this. When I was up there bumpin’ around them hills with them cows, the only thing I could think about was bein’ back here, on this place, with you.” He looked down at the dusty old hat in his hands, and fidgeted with it. “I know I ain’t much, Jess.” He looked back at her. “Truth is, I guess I never was. But I think I can be a whole lot more, if you’d be willin’ to give me a chance.”

Jessie, who had been holding back tears of joy, could hold them no more. She hesitated for a second, then walked down the steps and wrapped her arms around Henry’s neck in a passionate embrace. Henry hugged her back with everything he had until Jessie turned and kissed him. The kiss was gently broken off and they stood happily gazing into each other’s eyes. “You must be starved,” Jessie said, seeing the weariness on Henry’s face. She stepped away, took Henry’s hand and slowly started up the steps. “Let me fix you something.”

Henry stood his ground at the bottom of the steps. When she realized he wasn’t coming, Jessie turned. “I brought you something,” he said, nodding his head in the direction of the corner of the house. A bit perplexed, Jessie stepped down off the porch and followed as, hand in hand, Henry led her around the corner to see the gray colt standing quietly tied to the hitch rail. He was wearing an old, worn-out saddle with all of Henry’s belongings tied to the back of it.

Jessie was shocked to see the colt, and quickly ran to him and hugged him around the neck. “I don’t believe it!” she exclaimed. “How did you get him?” She turned and looked at Henry. “I’ve tried I don’t know how many times to buy him from Tom, but he always said he wasn’t for sale…”

Jessie turned to get a better look at the gray colt, which had grown into a fine, handsome five-year-old stallion. It was then that she noticed the saddle on the horse’s back wasn’t Henry’s. Her smile faded. “This isn’t your saddle,” she said quietly, touching the beat-up and old stock saddle sitting on the horse’s back. “My God…Henry! Your saddle.”

Henry smiled gently. “It’s all right Jess.” He stepped over and patted the gray horse on the neck. “I traded it for something that meant more to me. And by God, I believe I got a bargain.” He slowly reached out and took Jessie’s hand, as once again her tears began to fall, leaving delicate streaks in the dust that covered her cheeks. “Besides,” he ever so gently touched her face with his hands. “I didn’t have enough money for a ring.”

CHAPTER 49

The gray colt stood lazily under a shade tree escaping the heat of the day. His eyes were half closed and his tail lazily swished the flies from his back legs. He was tired. It had taken him and Henry three days to ride from Tom Essex’s ranch, through the desert and back home to Jessie. Although, as hard as that ride had been for the colt, it didn’t seem near as bad as round up had been in the fall, the riding he was subjected to by the ranch hands at the Essex place during the winter, and then branding that spring. Branding, he thought, was the worst. He had been ridden by three different men, at three different speeds, and with three different levels of harshness. Tug stopped riding him after the fall round up, and the other cowboys, all jabbing him with spurs to get him to go while at the same time using big bits to get him to stop, had ridden him instead.