The Circuit Preacher

[Grizzly Dave]

NOTE TO READERS....MAKE SURE YOU DON'T MISS HAWKS INSTALLMENT AT THE END OF THE PREVIOUS PAGE!

 

The judge looked Grizz over standing there on the porch, no shoes, no guns, and he was wearing buckskins, but looked healthy and in good spirits.

 

"Got a few minutes to talk?" The judge asked.

 

"Shore!" Grizz said, inviting him in with a sweep of his arm across the air.

 

Once inside and out of Hawks eatshot, the judge was all business, the two sat in Grizz's study and shut the door. There was the matter of missing gold, the towns holdings were under the bank, that was true enough, but Jones' holdings were missing. There were some who were calling for Hawk to be arrested and a formal inquiry to be launched.

 

"Well sir" Grizz started with his hand opened wide on his desk, "if they're gonna come to arrest Hawk, I reckon they'd best have the undertaker order a heap of lumber." It wasn't spoken like a threat, more as a statement of two unrelated facts.

 

"Second, I saw Hawk come out of the bank, and I saw the bags stuffed with pillows and newspapers and whatnot that everyone thought was the loot."

 

"But what if he did take some money, how can you be sure he didn't?" the Judge interjected.

 

"Maybe he did, maybe he didn't, I'm not going to ask him" Grizz stated. "But it is FACT that Jones' mine had been played out for a couple of years, yet his deposits actually increased, I suspect his inside man was cooking the books, so that the home bank in Kansas City would have to make good on their slogan to replace any deposits lost or stolen after his gang robbed the bank"

 

The judge nodded, he hadn't thought of that, he still didn't believe that Hawk was innocent, but it was a plausible explanation that couldn't be ignored.

 

"OK then, on to other matters" the Judge started, Grizz cutting him off with a grin and one word "NO"

 

Martha interrupted with a knock at the door, and came in with a tray of coffee and fresh baked cookies.

 

Once she was gone the judge continued as he drank his coffee and munched on a cookie. "I'm as stubborn and bullheaded as you, but OK, I get it. Just do me one favor..."

 

"Yes?"

 

"Come to town tomorrow night to the party meeting and decline the nomination that is sure to come, and throw your support behind someone else."

 

"You perhaps?" Grizz grinned.

 

The Judge had been reluctant to give up the bench, but given the politics of the others within the party, if not he or Grizz, then the state would be the worse for it, and both men knew that.

 

"Agreed, but I ask a favor in return."

 

The judge eyed him suspiciously, but finally asked, "If I can."

 

Grizz detailed Martha's story of the school for the deaf that she'd been pretty much held prisoner in, and asked the judge to see that those involved would be brought to justice.

 

"You don't want to ride down there and take care of it yourself?" the judge questioned.

 

Not that Grizz hadn't thought about it, the thought of the children and young adults being taken advantage of like that infuriated him, "no, if I did it, they wouldn't suffer very long, I want them to have a nice long time in prison to think over what they done."

 

"I consider it my duty to see that they are brought to justice" the judge said, "bring Martha by my office to give a statement tomorrow before the party, that will be enough to take it down I expect. You are bringing her tomorrow, aren't you?"

 

Grizz hadn't really given it any thought, she'd need a new dress to wear, she'd come with just a carpet bag with a few nice dresses that she'd made herself, but nothing quite fitting a lady at an important dinner. "I reckon that's up to her"

 

"Tomorrow then," the judge extended his hand as he rose to leave. "oh, and Grizz, don't wear the buckskins."

 

Grizz broke out in a raukus laugh "oh man, can you imagine the look on their faces? I hadn't planned to, but now I might just to see their reaction!"

 

Hawk was still on the porch when the Judge walked out. "Git it all worked out did you?" Hawk said with a wink and tilting his head back towards the house where Grizz was still laughing loudly.

 

The Judge smiled, it was hard not to smile when Grizz was laughing, "Yes, I think so, oh, and don't worry about any further inquiry about that missing gold, I think we got that sorted out as well."

 

Hawk looked up, "wasn't worried in the first place."

 

The judge went down the stairs, got on his horse and rode off towards town.

 

Grizz came out and sat next to Hawk, looking out over the valley this time of year was a thing to behold, the aspens were changing from their summer green to a bright yellow and quaking in the cook breeze.

 

"So you and da judge sorted out that missing gold did ya?" Hawk asked with an inquisitive smile.

 

Grizz laid out the story he'd told the Judge.

 

Hawk smiled even broader, "yup, it could have happened that way..."

 

Grizz cut him off "and anyone who might think of saying otherwise is dead on on trial"

 

"Or on this porch" Hawk said in a lower tone, just having to get in the last word.

 

Grizz got up. "Martha should have some food ready by now, lets go see what she cooked up."

[G. I. Tarpicker, SASS #998]

BTT

[Grizzly Dave]

Thanks G I

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Well, the posse did not show up, like what was expected. Time had passed and Grizz and I where more like brothers than friends. He allowed me to put up my own cabin a half a days ride from Grizz's place. It wasn't near as grand as his house but it was home to me. 2 rooms, kicthen and and outhouse. I kept a low burning fire in the fireplace always, just in case. Some old habits die hard.

 

The winters here was starting to take it's toll on me. I had never wore snow shoes before, much less seen snow. The first time was new and now it's old. I needed a change. I felt the ole traveling itch coming on hard and it was getting hard to ignore. So I rode to town, brought a pack horse. Black with four white stockings. I packed everything I could think I would need for an extended leave and rode to Grizz's house.

 

The first flakes of the seaon had started to fall and as I aproched the porch, Grizz was sitting there, waiting for me. "Knew you was coming Hawk." I looked surpised and said "You did ? How ?" Grizz smiled and said, with the sweep of his hand, "The Spirits told me ! Come on in and warm youreself a spell ." I tied my horse and pack horse and walked inside. Martha poured me a hot cup of coffee, and I cupped the mug in both hands. Although I had gloves on before entering the home, my hands where still cold.

 

Then I noticed a ring on Martha's left hand. "My Gawd, Look at the size of that rock !" I said without thinking. Martha blushed a bit and Grizz stuck out his massive chest. He was so proud to be engaged to Martha. "Been all over Hawk...you know that. Never thought I would find a women like Martha !" They kissed one another and Martha asked if I would like a cookie. "No thanks Martha. But I will have some of that corn bread younder." Martha nodded and moved to get the golden yellow food of the Gods, and Grizz patted her bottom as she moved away. "Now Mister Grzzley !!" she said, bulshing as she did.

 

"So Hawk, where you off to ?" Grizz asked, as a matter of factly. "Well, Don't really know. Think I'll head south, or maybe east. I aint got nothing in AZ go back to, so I think I'll see what the Sunny South looks like, now that the war is over ." Grizz sighed and said, "Knew this time would come. Just hell.......Still aint ready for it. How long will you be gone ?" Well, don't rightly know Grizz. I'm heading out cause I still got the traveling bug. When I did tired, I'll be back." Grizz went over to Martha. "Don't get him no corn bread. Fix him a full meal ! Fix us a full meal to go with that corn bread !" Martha smiled a little school girl smile and said, "It would be my honor to feed you're friend Grizz !" and started to cook steak, fryed taters, pinto beans, beets and corn bread. They all sat there and ate their full.

 

After the fine meal , Martha cleared the table and started to leave the room. I reached out to her, shook my head no. And pointed to the chair next to Grizz. He stood up and walked to the cabinet in the cornor and took out a large brown jug. "Well, best not let this go to waste."

He took a pull and passed it to me, and i took a pull. Martha surpised us all by taking the jug and turning it up and taking a long pull. "I might be a lady, but I aint no Saint !" I looked at Grizz and he looked back at me as we where both in shock. Martha started laughing and Grizz and I joined in. This was a good "Goodbye !":

[Grizzly Dave]

Hawk's plan was to spend the night in Grizz's old cabin, then strike out at first light. Martha wouldn't let him turn in for the night until he'd agreed to have some breakfast and say good bye before he left.

 

Grizz woke up about 2 in the morning without really knowing why. He knew every creak, draft, and noise of the house, and the house had woke him up somehow. Laying there quietly, he ran though it in his head and came to the conclusion that someone had stoked up the fire in the old cabin.

 

He dressed quickly in his buckskins and mocosens, grabbed something out of the dresser and the 73 he kept by the bed and quietly slipped out the window to avoid waking Martha by trying to sneak past her door. As an after thought he reached back inside the window and grabbed a wool poncho before closing the window back down.

 

Grizz moved quickly and quietly through the trees and took a position where he could watch both the road and the cow trail into the ranch yard. And he waited.

 

Before long he saw a shadow over by the barn, leading Hawk's horse out, saddling them, and fussing over the gear on the pack saddle. After a few minutes, the shadow swung up in the saddle and headed off towards the cow trail.

 

Grizz moved over closer to the trail, to a point out of sight of it, but where he would be able to see.

 

As Hawk walked his horses slowly to where the trail left the main ranch yard, he slowed, then when he got just below where Grizz was hiding, he stopped all together.

 

"C'mon out Grizz" Hawk said.

 

Grizz half slid down the small hillside. "How'd you know I was there? No wind to speak of, you couldn't have seen me, how?"

 

Hawk swept his hand through the air "the spirits told me."

 

Grizz rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Martha is gonna have yer hide when you get back for not sayin goodbye to her ya know..."

 

Hawk nodded, but said nothing.

 

Grizz pulled a bottle of whiskey out from under his poncho and held it up to Hawk. "Something to take the chill off until you get to warmer places"

 

Hawk held the bottle up close to his face to see the label in the dim moonlight. "Dang Grizz, this stuff is twenty dollars a bottle!"

 

"Might a cold chill" Grizz said holding his hand out. Hawk tucked the bottle inside his coat and shook Grizz's hand, then he rode on.

 

"You know where to find me" Grizz called after him.

 

"And you'll know where to find me" Hawk called back.

 

"How?" Grizz asked.

 

Hawk stopped the horses, turned back and swept his hand through the air. "the spirits will tell you."

 

 

THE END

 

Tune in again for the next book, coming soon to a Saloon near you! Thanks for reading along, feel free to check in and let us know what you thought.

 

Grizz

[Professor Tull, SASS #66742]

Gentlemen -

Thank you very much.

Enjoyed it immensely.

Tull

[Grumpy Old Man]

I enjoyed reading. Thanks Griz & Hawk.

[G. I. Tarpicker, SASS #998]

Good read, boys. I'll be watching for the next one. -- GIT

[Warhorse]

Fascinating read! Thanks, guys. I am well aware of the effort that something like this epic tale takes to write.

 

 

Warhorse