The Old Miner's Rules Are Costly

 "No I won't get out! I'm here to stay, Allie. You had better get used to it. And this time you are going to listen to me without yelling at me. You need to know the whole story. You are something, you know that? I can't figure you out. I start to tell you something and you fly off the handle. Is it just me or do you act like this with everyone? For some unknown reason I like you and bend over backwards to help you. Can you just be quiet for ten minutes? And by the way Miss Heiress, I don't have a brother!"

The old miner walked in the kitchen door and said, "Yes she can. I think we need to all go in the living room and have a nice little chat. The first one to yell is going to have to give me fifty dollars. Now let's get to it. Allie, I have no idea what Josh has on his mind, but let's give it a go. Then it will be my turn to talk. We are all grownups here, so let's start acting like it."

"It's my ranch..." 

"Yes, it is now, but it was mine. We aren't going to talk about the old days right now. We are going to listen to Josh. By the way, you owe me fifty dollars. I'll pick it up on my way out when we are through here."

Allie spluttered and the old miner said, "You keep this up and I will have a pocket full of fifty dollar bills and you won't have lunch money. You know how that is, don't you missy?"

Allie quietly walked into the living room and sat down. Josh and Rex followed her and Josh began.

"The reason I left you here alone, Allie, is that one day I found the mine on your property while I was taking a walk. It was all closed up, but I broke into it. I know I didn't have permission, but I had a feeling that the mine was still capable of producing silver. I kept finding silver throughout the house. I found silver picture frames and other things that lead me to believe that either at one time or even now that the mine was able to make you a fortune. I found a dog toy that Haylee had left. When I opened it up it was a large chunk of silver ore. I took it to Springfield to the assay office to have it analyzed. Allie it has silver and gold running through it. The mine will make you a millionaire many times over. You can leave here and go back to school, you can travel, you can build ten homes all over the world. That's what I did for you while I was gone. Now was that so bad?"

Allie and the old miner both yelled at the same time, "Yes!"

Josh said, "You said no yelling, Grandfather. Now why is being rich so bad?"

"Allie frowned and said, "I already have more money than I ever dreamed of having, Josh. I have enough money that I can help children and adults just by letting them come to the ranch, breathing in fresh air, and making friends. They can ride horses go on trail rides or even work off steam in the stables. People that I have never met can give me something too. They can give me laughter, friendship, and a feeling of finally doing something for others instead of having to constantly be focused on survival and where my next meal was coming from. I don't want to open up the mine, Josh. I want horses, barbeques, bonfires with s'mores for children, guitar music; peace.

 I want to wake up in the morning and listen to the horses whinny and the birds chirping. I want to look outside and see the ranch hands slap each other on the back when they accomplished a hard job. I want to be able to put my brain around how very lucky I am at this very moment. I'm done talking, Rex. Now it's your turn to tell Josh why he's so very wrong."

Allie's phone chirped and saw that it was Maxine. "Hello? Are you on your way out to the ranch? You are what? Wait til I tell Josh. "Josh, Maxine is on her way to go see your dad. The sheriff is taking her."

"Oh no! Dad will con her into bailing him out of jail and this whole thing will start all over. I've got to stop her!" He jumped up and ran out the door. He was completely unaware of the ghost rider listening and watching what was going on. 

"Oh my! What are we going to do with all those children at Maxine's cabin? I'd better get over there right now! Giddup!

The old miner looked at Allie and said, "You know this is all my fault. I forced K.R. to work on the ranch when he had no inclination to do so. He didn't like horses and he hated cleaning up after them. So then once again when he graduated from high school I made him go to law school and get his law degree. He didn't want to be a lawyer. But I wouldn't listen. I told him as long as I was paying the bills he would do what I said. I told my dear wife the same thing. I lost her and K.R."

Allie said, "I don't understand. Josh calls you Grandfather, but you were married to Naomi , but Maxine is on her way to see him in jail like she is his mother. What's going on?"

My brother and I married wives who grew to love each other like sisters. Maxine couldn't have any children and I didn't want any even though my wife wanted a baby desperately. I was in love with the mine and making more money than I had the day before. I couldn't think of anything else but money. Naomi left me so I called her sister, Maggie, your mother, Allie. She had a son you knew nothing about and never will. I loved him like my own son. He didn't need me to tell him anything. He was a natural around horses. The horses loved him and grew to respond to him like pets. Your mother hated the ranch as well as my wife so she moved to the city after a year or two. So I made out my will to have Bill be the beneficiary of my estate never thinking he would be gone at such a young age. He never lost track of you and neither did I. We agreed that someday you should be the owner of the Double D ranch."

Virginia, the ghost rider, arrived at Maxine's cabin in a blink of an eye only to discover Edward, the love of her life, attempting to rescue a little boy that would not come down the steps of a lookout tower that Maxine had built on her land. "What's the problem, Dear. Would you like some help?"

"No I would like you to take care of the other children until their parents get here to pick them up. I left them notes, remember? Did you check on Maxine? Where is she? Things aren't going according to my schedule at all. Where are those two young boys? I think they are brothers and are fixing to explore life's highway without any supervision. Now if you could get over there quickly, I'll get this little guy down in a minute. "Come on down, Brad. I won't let you fall. Just take my hand and then we will go back to the other children. I'm sure your mom will be here any minute. That's it. You are planning on living off the land? Well, I'm all for that, young man. What do you have there? Oh well, two carrots. Hmm, a little dirty, though. Maybe we should wash them up a bit. Virginia! I could use a little help over here."

The soft breeze suddenly grew stronger. The air seemed a bit cooler. Then a sweet voice said, "That's enough, Edward. You have shown us that you were a good father and are now a good guardian angel. These children will never know that they left home, only that they dreamed they did. They will awaken in the morning with smiles on their faces. They visited with an angel and now know that they have the love and support not only of their parents, but a new self esteem that will show them the way to fulfill their dreams as they grow older. The little boy that you just helped down will be a wonderful big brother to two little girls and will protect them always. The two brothers in overalls will always have the adventurous spirit that will keep their parents on their toes. The world is their oyster. The little girl that wants to be a cowgirl? Maddie. She will visit the ranch for real tomorrow with her parents. They want their little girl to learn about horses on a real ranch before they buy her one of her own. She will learn how to love and care for her very own pony right here on the ranch. It will be interesting to see how she and the older pony get along. I have a feeling that they will be great friends. Bella will wake up tomorrow and spend some time deciding if she will be a taste tester for the world's largest ice cream factory or a school teacher. All of the children's dreams will change many times. You have shown exceptional patience with this child, now we would like to see how you do with young adults. The new owner of this ranch is in need of patient loving care. The spirit of her Uncle Bill has been scaring her even though he tries so terribly hard not to. So you need to visit with him and together you must calm her, but maintain her spirit and her determination to make the ranch a place of happiness and peace. Yes, you may enlist the help of Virginia. I think you will need it. However, Virginia is going to be rather busy in the coming weeks. Her next assignment is Maxine. Good luck!"

The sound of tires on gravel could be heard by the birds in the trees and one little dog sitting by the firepit as the sheriff drove Maxine back home.