The Midnight Wrangler

Utah Territory

June 1867

Annie Jo's horse, Bess, a high-spirited mare, fidgeted beneath her. "Whoa, girl," she whispered, her gloved hand smoothing the animal's neck. The canyon stretched before them, quiet under a half-moon. Cattle shuffled along the dusty trail below. Someone was stealing her livestock again.

Jedediah Smith, seasoned and steady, and the two cowboys he'd brought from the Colorado Territory, Mitchell, and Johnny, were posted in a wide arc around her. Jed raised a hand, motioning for silence. The moonlight hung silver in the sky, casting a faint glow that sharpened shadows and seemed to make everything clearer and yet more secretive.

Annie Jo squinted ahead. The rustlers hadn't seen them yet, by God's grace. This was the second theft in as many months. She had thought the extra precautions would stop it. Anger, sharp and bitter, rose in her throat as she watched her cattle driven further into the narrow pass.

She glanced at Jed. He gave a sharp nod. Time was up.

All four riders surged forward, hooves pounding, voices sharp.

"Put your hands up, thief!" Annie Jo shouted, her Winchester steady against her shoulder. The man froze. His right arm lifted, but not all the way. Something about the movement made her chest tighten.

"Turn around. We've got you cornered," she said.

The man slowly turned his horse. Moonlight caught his profile.

"Who else is with you?" she demanded. The set of his jaw was familiar. Too familiar. She knew that mouth, that stubborn angle.

"It's just me," he said. His voice struck her like a stone. Her breath caught.

"Elijah," she whispered.

He tilted his head down. The shadows deepened.

"Elijah Pike, look at me."

She heard the soft click of her rifle's hammer. He obeyed, lifting his head, his eyes not quite meeting hers.

Jed moved forward, grabbing the reins. "No one else?"

"Just me," Elijah said. "I swear."

Annie Jo rode closer, lowering her rifle slightly.

"It was you? The first time, too?" Her voice was full of disbelief.

He looked up again, guilt radiating from him. He couldn't answer.

"The lady asked you a question," Mitchell said, gun still drawn. He and Johnny flanked Elijah, eyes hard.

"We've got him," Jed said. "Why don't you two round up the cattle."

Annie Jo didn’t move. Her heart pounded.

"Why, Elijah? Why are you stealing from me?"

"I'm sorry, Annie Jo," he said. "Wade's sick. Mama's barely holding on. We needed the money for medicine."

Her breath hitched. Wade had always been fragile, ten years younger than them, with a heart too weak for ranch life.

"You know this man, Miss Annie?" Jed asked.

"We were to be married," she replied. "Then he disappeared. No word."

Jed whistled low. "Guess you dodged a bullet there."

"Why didn't you come to me? You know how much damage this causes—stealing cattle?"

"I didn’t know it was your ranch," Elijah said. "I heard about the Bar M being run by a woman, but I didn’t know it was you."

Jed scoffed. "You lie worse than a preacher's son."

"I’m not lying. I didn’t know."

Annie Jo’s voice grew cold. "Even if you didn’t know, you’d still steal from a woman? You know how hard it is out here."

Elijah hung his head.

"I never thought you’d stoop this low.”

"I'm sorry," he said again. "Wade might not make it through the year."

Her heart clenched. Wade had always been dear to her.

"Bring him to the house," she said. "Put the cattle back. We’ll figure this out."

"Ma'am?" Jed asked, surprised.

"He’s not going to hurt me," she replied firmly.

The group rode under the moonlight back to the ranch. Mitchell and Johnny managed the cattle; Jed rode close behind Elijah.

Inside, Elijah sat at the table, eyes downcast.

"Talk," Annie Jo said.

He recounted the last few months—Wade's worsening condition, their dwindling crops, sickness in their own livestock.

Her heart softened, but only for Wade. Elijah? Her heart was stone.

When Jed left to get coffee, Elijah tried to explain.

"Annie—"

She raised a hand. "Don’t. That was ten years ago. I’m not that girl anymore. You’re a thief. How much did you get for the last herd?"

He hesitated.

"You’re lucky I’m not calling the sheriff."

He squeezed his right hand, the one she knew had never healed right after a fall.

"Enough to get Wade some medicine," he said. "It helped."

"How much is this medicine?"

"Why?"

"Because I’ll give you the money."

Jed nearly spilled his coffee. "You’re giving him money?"

"Jed," she said sharply, "check on Michell and Johnny, make sure they got all the cattle."

Once they were alone, Elijah watched her.

"I don’t know what else to do," he said. "I’m at my end."

“Go wait on the porch,” she said.

He did, and she went into her bedroom, where she kept her money. Pulling out several bills, she went outside.

She handed him the money—enough for medicine, and more for supplies.

"Take it. Get out. Don’t come back."

He stared. "You’re giving me this?"

"Before I change my mind."

He started to go.

"The Lazy River Ranch is hiring," she said. "Tell them I sent you. They might take you."

He paused, looked back as if to say something, but turned and walked away.

Annie Jo watched him disappear into the silver night. Her heart ached with what was and what could never be.

Ten years ago, she’d dreamed of building this ranch with him, a man she once loved, a man who had stolen from her to save his brother rather than ask her for help.

Now? She was just grateful to still have it.

---

Teacake Tidbits

1. Tension Between Federal Government and Mormon Leadership

In 1867, the Utah Territory was still largely dominated by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), led by Brigham Young. Relations between the federal government and Mormon leadership remained strained due to disputes over polygamy, local governance, and resistance to federal authority. This tension often manifested in political maneuvering and federal appointments intended to curb church influence.

2. Ongoing Conflicts with Native Tribes

Though the Black Hawk War (a conflict between Mormon settlers and various Ute, Paiute, and Navajo bands) officially began in 1865, skirmishes continued well into 1867. This was a period of heightened conflict, especially in central and southern Utah. Settlers feared raids on livestock and outposts, and many communities fortified their towns or abandoned isolated ranches.

3. The Influence of the Transcontinental Railroad

While the railroad wouldn’t reach Utah until 1869, its impending arrival was already reshaping the territory in 1867. Survey teams, labor camps, and investment speculation began appearing along proposed routes. The promise of faster transport, increased migration, and new trade routes stirred both excitement and anxiety among residents—especially for ranchers, traders, and indigenous groups facing disruption.