Free Grazers

[Apache Hawk 60642]

and I walked over to the Cheyenne and took his fore arm in mine. He did the same and we smiled as it had been along time such we had seen each other. We where the same and yet we where not the same. We where both the same in the fact we where breeds. We where not the same in the fact that he was Cheyenne and was from a rich family. I was half Apache and my Father was a warrior, but proud just the same. The Cheyenne reached in side his vest and pulled out this bit of paper from the telegraph office and said that the operator wanted me to have this. I took the paper and it read....."Coming Brother......And hell's coming with me ! Be on tomorrow's train. EE Taft."

 

We all walked over to the big gapping hole in Mother Earth and looked down into the pitch blackness. I was concerned that the animals may just fall into the hole so I had the hands build a fence like structure around the hole, but I set about going from what was left of the dead, and finished off the dieing. But Coldwell was nowhere to be found and that just stuck in my crawl ! I caught the first horse I could and swung up onto it's back, levered a round into my Henry and looked at Whiskey. She smiled and read my mind and mounted a horse too and like a shot we where gone........it was time for Coldwell to die or get what is coming to him......one way or the other !

 

As we rode into to town, we where covered in dust and grime and dried blood. Towns folk looked at us like we where strange beings form a far off world. We both knew it would not be long before the Cheyenne and Bucky with the ranch hands would so up. But us three was enough to do what needed to be done. Whiskey slide off her horse, taking her carbine with her, loading as she walked toward the big house. "I'M GONNA KILL DA SOMEBITCH !"

 

I reached out and grabbed her arm. "Best be careful Whiskey.....know he's got more men in the house yonder and most likely more one the way !"

 

"What do you think I'm gonna do Hawk ? Just wait for him to come at us again ?" Whiskey said to me with tears in her eyes.

 

"Hell no ! We go inta da jail house yonder an wait Darkin !" I said, looking left and right, feeling very nervous. "EE's comin' on da next train....he's da best long range marksman dat I know of. Sniper fer us in da Confederate army. Highly decorated. Yankees put a bouny on his head, he was so good. An he's my kin. He'll be here in da mornin' an we best meet him before Coldwell's men do. An best way ta do dat is hole up in da jail house ! It's brick, glass, and shudders. An iron....lots of iron ! It's a fort !"

 

Whiskey's eyes lit up like a child at christmas time. "Taking over a Yankee fort...I like it ! They can hit us with every thing Coldwell has and we will still be there !"

 

"But first, I need a drink Gal ! Join me ! What's da matter....ya want ta live fer ever ? !" I said and opened the bat winged doors for her. We walked into the Silver Belle Saloon and it went quiet as a tomb. Not a sound except one man, over in the coroner slurping away on his drink, and I thought I may know that man, but I wasn't taking any changes. I drew my Dragoon and let my hand fall to my side as I took my drink and walked up to him. I started to raise his hat with my pistol barrel when this very strong Tennessee voice said,....."Whar ya been Colonel ? I've been here all day waiting on you ?"

 

I put my dragoon away and turned to Whiskey and smiled. I knew as long as he was here and fresh, we where safe....at least till night fall. "Whiskey.....dis here fine southern gentleman is Mr EE Taft.....long range shooter of all time !" He pushed his hat back and stood, bowed sharply and took Whiskey's dirty hand in his and kissed it tenderly.

 

"Pleasure is all mine Ma'am ! What's all this nasty business I been hearing about Whiskey and her husband Bucky is it ? is having out at the Twin Oaks ranch ?" EE asked . And I could see he hadn't lost his touch with the women folks.....not at all !

 

"Can't make it back for dark EE...best holed up in the jail till night ! I need some one we can trust to keep eye on the big house and bring us some food and coffee." I said as we walked toward the jail. My head was turning right and left as was EE Taft's head. "Close up yur mouth now Whiskey.....we still got a long night to come !"

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

Hawk and Whiskey rode off in a flash, if it wasn't for Buck staying behind we would have had no clue as to what was going on. It seems this Coldwell fellow was the cause of all the trouble, and he had escaped somehow during the night. We finished taking care of business, loaded all the guns and gear into the stages and headed for town with Buck leading the way. He did't care for Whiskey taking off without him, I just looked at him and told him, "Tell me about it!" That almost brought a laugh from Buck as he remembered Calico taking off on her own, and he didn't know half of the story yet.

 

It was nearly dark as we slowly entered the town, Buck had warned us that there would be more of Caldwell's men, he wasn't sure how many and where they might be. Sort of like hearing a rattlesnake, you often hear them before you know where they are. As we entered the town I felt pretty safe, we were twenty strong, counting the three younguns who had refused to be left behind. Our group reminded my of a troop, riding two by two, all armed and ready for anything, and with a stage acting as a supply wagon. We had plenty of arms and ammo, and a half of case of dynamite left, I was betting that if Caldwell had been there when we arrived we had sure made an impression on him.

 

We found the docs place and he went to work digging the slug out of Ryes butt. We stayed close together as we went from there looking for Hawk and Whiskey. I had my Sharps with me, something deep within my spirit told me I would be needing it. I even had my sling and a pouch full of round balls, you never could know when you might need something silent...

[Rye Miles #13621]

When Cheyenne finally got the slug out of Rye's butt Ol' Rye let out a blast of gas right into Cheyenne's face!! Cheyenne almost passed out! Rye pulled up his pants and got on his horse and said I'm outta here guys and gals I'm going after Caldwell and his men myself! Cheyenne's eyes were watering. Rye turned to Cheyenne and said "I see ya miss me already huh purdy boy?"

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

Rye road off, leaning to one side to keep his weight off the cheek with the hole in, in search of Caldwell and his men. Once my eyes cleared I nearly put anoth,,,, I mean I wanted to add to what someone else had done to his ornery butt, but on the other side, that would've fixed him good. But he was on my father's payroll and had most of the time been a good hand so I shrugged off the thought of giving him another dimple. Besides, riding off like a fool after Caldwell alone could well get him killed anyway. I had to laugh though as I watched him try to ride on one cheek.

I was just hoping he wouldn't get kilt!

[Rye Miles #13621]

Rye rode off laughing at what he did to Cheyenne. He liked Cheyenne and liked the dough that Cheyenne's Dad was paying him even more. He stopped to rest his sore butt and took out some jerky from his saddlebags and chawed on a strip for awhile. He patted his trusty horse Night. He named him Night because he was black, as black as night. He got him as a young pony and he proved to be a fine horse. Night seemed a little nervous. Rye said "What's wrong boy, ya see sumthin' out there?" Sure enough Rye saw 3 of Caldwell's men riding toward him. He slid out his Winchester from it's scabbard and took cover behind a rock. As they approached him with their guns drawn Rye took aim. The first shot slammed into one of the riders chest. He toppled over and fell off his horse. His next shot hit another of the riders horse right between the eyes. The horse fell and rolled over on top of the rider crushing his back. The third man got a shot off with his pistol that Rye heard whiz by his ear. Rye took another shot and missed, another shot grazed the leg of the rider but he kept coming. Rye took aim and missed again. The rider dismounted on the run and started blazing with both pistols in hand. Rye stood cold and still ignoring the gunfire coming his way and took careful aim. The bullet hit directly in the middle of the bad guy's head! Rye thought, "Damn I was aiming for his chest." He sat for a minute thinking that he almost just died there and suddenly his butt started hurting again. He'd forgot about the pain for awhile. He mounted Night and rode back thinking about the bonus money he was gonna get from Cheyenne's dad. It was a good day despite the hurtin' in his butt.

[Whiskey Business]

..

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

Early the next morning a telegram came in for me from my father that there was someone taking potshots at Calico. When I talked with Hawk, Whiskey, Buck and Gloria about it they just about pulled their pistols on me to convince me to return home. They assured me that with Hawk's Brother EE there that they had things under control.

 

We left the dynamite with them as well as the guns we had rounded up from Caldwell's dead men and loaded into the stages for the long ride home.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

"Well yur a sight fer sore eyes Brother ! I sawed ya brought "Hail Mary" wif ya ! Come on down ta da jail an we'll talk fer a spell !" I said.

 

EE Taft threw his whiskey back and went Whiskey nodded and showed him a bottle of her home made whiskey, EE just smiled from ear to ear and went with us.....after taking a hand full of cedars from the bar keep. "Put 'em on my tab Bar keep.......and the women last night....put her services on my tab too !" EE said was we walked out the door.

 

As we neared the jail house, EE Taft saw how it looked more like a fortress instead of a jail house. It was a red brick building.....cast iron hinges and door and bars on the windows, not to speak of the cells. The wood doors where iron wood and the floors and interior doors was made of black locust. A Ben Franklin wood burning stove in the near middle of the main room with a coffee pot and coffee with sugar too ! EE was busy looking around at this building when a shot rang out, cutting it too close for comfort for me ! We quickly ducked inside fast as we could and EE asked.."Does this go on like this ?"

 

And Whiskey replied......"For about two weeks now. At our ranch first , then there again.......now here."

 

"Figure Hawk would pick the one building that he knows inside and out better than most !" EE said and slide his coffee cup over to sample some of Whiskey's home distilled spirits. "Why, I remember once during the war, he got caught and had the guards convinced he had escaped when he was still there the whole time !"

 

Whiskey was hooked and said while looking at me, "How did he get out then ?"

 

"Why.....he just walked right out...purty as ya please !" EE said, laughing and then looking over the building. When he saw a ladder leading up through the roof asked..."This lead to the roof ?" amd I nodded. EE went up onto the roof as we all did. We kept low so that who ever was shooting at us would not see what was happening. EE took a look around and sat back up against the brick work and lit a cigar and said....."This looks like a right good spot to pick 'em off when they come at cha ?"

 

"You think they will EE ?" Whiskey asked.

 

"Gotta ! We been askin' fer it fer two days now !" I said. "How we sit fer food Darlin ?"

 

Whiskey said ...."I think we are fine. A few of the women folk in this town cook for a living and they are plum tired of Coldwell ! I think they will be more than happy to cook for us !"

 

EE Taft looked at us both and said, "Then I'll set about going to work then !"

 

The guns and ammo from the dead left at the Twin Oaks where brought inside the jail in the cover of darkness on the third day. And EE Taft laid his equipment out too. And something I only saw once......it was like a long spy glass fixed onto a rifle of rather big caliber. EE said it was called a scope and the rifle was something in German. Said it had more power that my Sharps 45-110 ! Now, that was some power ! I sat on the floor tying the dynamite together in bundles of two and then putting a five second fuse into it. When I had a nice bundle made up, I tied the bundles to my arrows and set them aside and then we slept. EE Taft stood watch outside on the roof.

 

Come morning, we where eating breakfast when there came a crash and breaking of glass on the pouch ! We all jumped to our feet and drew our guns, and I slowly opened the door.....and this voice from the near by alley way said......."Got a message for y'all ! There it is.at the door ! Just didn't want ya to shoot me while ya picked it up !" EE TAFT called out......."The first man to move anywhere in this town and my rifle round will go right through that building that you're hiding behind ! You got that ?! "

 

I opened the door part way and got the rock with the message tied to it and gave it to Whiskey. She untied it and started to grin as she read it. I looked at her and my eyes must have been asking questions for she said ...."Coldwell wants a meeting....in the Silver Belle come sun down. Just us and two of his men !"

 

"Colonel......what do you know about Coldwell's men ?" EE asked me.

 

"Nothing but he sent the worst shots out to the ranch for fodder ! And Bucky figured out with some intel from the youngins' dat der is a vein of very pure silver running rat throught the middle of his and Whiskey's spread. Spect he kept the cream of da crop back for now. And most likely, he's got flyers out all over the territory tryin' ta hire gun hands and fighters. Why...what cha got EE ?" I asked

 

"Nothing..except he most likely will throw everything at ya tonight. Best go loaded heavy sir !" EE said, bolting another round into that german rifle of his.

 

" I except him to show his hand tonight and make his move rat adder." I said. Whiskey had this wicked grin on her face and she said......

 

"I certainly hope so Hawk.......I really do !"

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Just settled down to sleep later that evening when I heard EE's big bore German rifle open up ! I was up out of my bedroll in a heart beat...and went running to the roof to give him support.

 

"Whiskey.....Stay here...ya see it..shoot it !" I said to her. She nodded she would do just that.

 

As I got to the roof top I levered a round into the chamber and running up to EE asked......."Whar ? !"

 

EE Taft pointed into the darkness and answered, "Out toward the outhouse on the far side of the general mercantile .......bout 2000 yards. "

 

I could barely make out the outhouse and damn sure could not see anything any where around it. Then EE gave me his rifle and I looked through this new scope he had mounted on it. And there, in the inky darkness, I could make out where some one had scurried to take cover. That gegit was amazing ! I handed it back to EE and said....."Here.....git back ta work !" and then I smiled and went back down inside the jail house. Whiskey was looking out the slots of the wooden stutters.

 

"Settle down gal." I said as I put my 1860 Henry across the desk and poured me a cup of that home made whiskey she had put into the desk drawer for Ron to have a sip of. "Gonna be a while fer dey git close nuff ta git a shoot off. EE's up on da roof an got a damn good position der to pick 'em off. At long range to boot !"

 

"He shooting that new German bolt action rifle of his Hawk ?" Whiskey asked me. I could see the fire dancing in her eyes just like a child on Christmas morn. I nodded that he was. That was when his rifle spoke again. I just smiled. "At long range to boot !" I said to Whiskey.

 

I took a peak out onto the street and nothing was stiring out there. "Quite as a church mouse out der........usually means dim rats aint up ta no good. Best keep a sharp eye peeled on dat side darlin. It's nigh on foor clock......be sun up in about a hour.....spect de'll be makin' der move any time now." And EE Taft's rifle spoke yet again and yet again still ! Dang it was getting busy out there !

 

I peaked out through the slot and saw something moving in the shadows of the Silver Belle Saloon and the Dry goods store next to it. I saw a flame in that area and zeroed in on that. It wasn't long before they figured out if they could under his range they would be able to hit us. And that is what they have done ! I locked onto the flame area when Whiskey yelled......."HAWK......WATCH OUT !" as three sticks of dynamite hit in front to the jail. I was able to hug the floor and when the blast was over, my ears still ringing, I saw Whiskey jumping to her feet and I heard EE Taft fire three times in quick order. "They where trying to rush us !" I thought.

 

I saw movement and lined up my shot as the man ran across the dark street.........and fired. My bullet found it's mark, spun him around in a cloud of pink and dust . I held up one finger to Whiskey, meaning I sent one outlaw back to hell. I knew she was looking for Coldwell himself. But I knew also he wasn't about to do the dirty work. He would wait till it was almost over......work us down, little by little, till his forces could over run us, kill us and then he would hand pick a few and turn these men loose on those that did he bidding.

 

I saw Whiskey track a target and saw the recoil of her carbine as she muttered, "Take that you bastard !" and started looking for more targets. But they where becoming few. With EE Taft and his big bore German rifle and scope where working just as he said it would. They couldn't get close unless they rushed us. And we stopped them cold there. Whiskey called out, to EE ..."Coming up !" "Come on Ma'am !" was the reply.

 

They where on the roof for about five minutes talking and when she came back down, she walked up to me and said, ..."Hawk..I have an idea. EE will give up cover fire while we sneak into the Silver Belle Saloon. Once inside, we can set up an ambush for Coldwell and his two henchmen. There's a room just up stairs that looks out onto the street and the main floor of the Saloon as well. Most soiled doves work out of that room, so we may have company when we get there. You game ?"

 

I smiled from ear to ear ! "Are ya kiddin' me ? ! Course I'm game ! Whiskey darlin'.......I was born game an intend to go out dat way too !" I said.

[Whiskey Business]

The Silver Belle had an upstairs porch that wrapped all the way around the building and a stairway leading up to it on the side. We silently climbed the stairs and knelt by the room I had in mind. There were two figures on the bed, some ol cowboy passed out drunk and snoring loudly with a soiled dove. I etched a small hole in glass with the diamond ring Bucky had given me and tapped it out of the glass. We enterd the room, aimed at them then cocked our pistols. This woke the soiled dove but not the cowboy. He didn’t wake up till Hawk started to truss him up. We tied up and gagged both.

 

Right before first light, we heard the sounds of several boots walking toward the stairs. After they passed my position I opened the door just a crack and could see Coldwell and two henchmen on the stairs. They headed toward Coldwell’s usual table, Coldwell sitting with his back toward the wall. He ordered coffee and breakfast from the barkeep that knew better than to keep him waiting. As soon as they started eating, Hawk and I burst out of the room and started firing, him moving toward one end of the hallway, me toward the other. EE was still on the roof, picking off any of Coldwell’ men that got to close. A door down the hall opened and one of Coldwell’s men started firing on us while taking cover behind the door. My rifle was out of rounds so I slid my shotgun out of the sheath off my back. I pointed my SxS at the door and squeezed off both triggers. He didn’t have a chance at that distance with my heavy shot shell loads.

 

Bullets were flying everywhere and the smoke was so thick it would choke a riverboat gambler. One of Coldwell’s men hid behind the piano, taking potshots at me. Mais, he was quick, even if he was a bad shot. Would duck out from the piano every split second and fire at me and miss, I would fire and just hit a piano string. What a racket that made. Well, Mama always did want me to learn the piano. Bullets popped and shattered the whiskey bottles behind the bar and glass and rotgut flew everywhere. The soiled dove painting was getting shot so much as to be unrecognizable as a female form.

 

Downstairs, one of Coldwell’s men managed to get under the upstairs hallway where Hawk was positioned. He drew a bead on the floor under Hawk with his rifle. I levered several rounds his way and fortunately a few found their way home. He was dead by the time he hit the floor. A couple men managed to get by Taft and Hawk cut them down with his Dragoons as they came through the batwing doors.

 

On the outskirts of town gunfire erupted. Must be Bucky and some of our men trying to break through Coldwell’s defenses.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I caught a quick look at Coldwell. He had is hand shot to hell and looked like a scared jack rabbit just before the skinning ! I was going to savor this moment for Coldwell had been a thorn in my backside for a very long time ! But I don't think he was going to live that long as Bucky and Whiskey was after him, but what scared me the most was Whiskey.....since I taught her the Apache way of knife fighting, she had blood lust in her eye if anyone messed with what she thought was hers. Be it kin or no......the main house was the home away from home that Bucky had built for her. It was filled with all things Louisiana and many a happy time was had there. And it was a place where hard work was rewarded ! There wasn't a time I can remember that there wasn't cajun music after supper. Now, Coldwell wanted to destroy it all !

 

I knew Bucky and the rest of the men where riding hard to get into town. I just hope EE Taft still remembered Bucky and none of the ranch hands took a pot shot at him up on the jail house roof. Coldwell was starting to slip out the back, but I knew Whiskey wasn't going to let that happen ! Just then I saw a large group of men, armed , running to take up positions against Bucky and the ranch hands. As the firing started, I lit a cigar, touched the fire end to the fuse and drew my bow back and counted..1......2......and then I let the arrow fly. It explored over the outlaws heads, sending a shock wave through them that took a long minute to get over. This gave Bucky and the ranch hands time to advance on them and start pouring out hot lead.

 

I drew another arrow and I lit the fuse when suddenly an outlaw came rushing around the corner so I let the arrow fly..striking him in his gut and knocking him out the up stairs window. He didn't make it to the ground before he blew up ! Blood, guts, clothing went all over the side of the Silver Belle Saloon ! I drew another arrow back, lit the fuse and let it fly into the ground near Coldwell's men and it blow upon impact ! That took the starch out of them ! They started to break and fall back, and I started picking them off one at the time. EE Taft was doing the same, making nice neat silver dollar sized holes when ever that big bore german rifle fired ! And Bucky and the rest of the ranch hands was cutting them down as they broke and ran. One of Coldwell's henchmen ran off to the livery stable and stole my horse......MY horse of all things and rode right in front of me ! Needless to say, he didn't make it to the other side of town with his head !

 

That's when the firing died off....and I heard Coldwell scream out "Oh Gawd !" I chuckled to myself.....The Creator aint gonna help ya now banker ! Ya wanted to dance.....now pay the devil her due. Whiskey had him in the street, bodies every where......her finger on her slicked up carbine. The slightest pressure on the trigger will make it fire. But Whiskey didn't touch it ! Now I knew why....

 

"On you're feet, you murdering bastard ! To the Silver Belle now.....move or I'll kill you where you stand !" Whiskey said in a voice that was calm and soothing yet she meant every word. She sat him down at the table, produced a paper from her vest and said......"Here bastard....sign it !" And it was a struggle be Coldwell did as she requested. She stuffed the paper back inside her vest and looked up at Bucky asking....."Got him covered ?" and Bucky nodded that he did.

 

"Now Honey...do you're worst to the fool !" Bucky said. Whiskey smiled and produced the 13" bowie fighting knife I gave her and with a smile, advanced on the helpless man. EE Taft came inside the Saloon and asked "What did I miss ?"

 

I took him by the man, lead him outside the Saloon and told him what Whiskey was going to do. And EE Taft, my brother, just smiled. And now, I will let Whiskey herself tell you what happened next !

[Whiskey Business]

The Silver Belle was in tremendous disarray after the fight. Bodies, blood, gore everywhere. Smoke and rotgut from the shot up whiskey bottles made the air smell like revenuers just been by. The few paintings that were still on the wall hung at all kinds of crazy angles. Almost every piano string was broken and hung every which way.

 

With some amount of coercion from a peacemaker to his temple, Coldwell signed the water and mineral rights to our land over to Bucky and I. After that, I pulled out my Bowie, but thought better of that. As I surveyed my sorry surroundings, noticed some of the town folks were looking in the broken out windows of the Silver Belle. I risked hanging if I just killed him in hot or cold blood, cause up till now it could be considered self defense on my part. But kill him I had to, lest he hire more guns to come after us again out of revenge. Or he could claim he signed the papers at gun point. Well, that much was true.

 

Calling him out seemed a right fine idea. So I called him out. Everybody walked out to the street into the blazing sunlight, then Coldwell and I stood back to back. One of the locals, Jeb, said he would count for us. “I want this to be a fair fight he shouted for all to hear. No hands on pistols till the count of ten!” Fair fight right. Jeb started counting as Coldwell and I walked away from each other. On the count of 1, I spun around while drawing my Bowie and sent it into Coldwell’s back up to my knuckles. Needless to say, Colwell went down right quick.

 

Jeb screamed at me “I said don’t draw till the count of ten!”

 

“You said pistols, didn’t say nothing bout knives.”

 

Coldwell was face down in the dirt, dead as a doornail, hands on his pistols.

 

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Whiskey and Bucky now had their land, water and mineral rights for the Twins Oaks Ranch that they had worked so hard to build up from that lowly dug out cabin they had found there. The mayor had made Jeb acting Sheriff till Ron was back on his feet. And I think, Ron would keep Jeb on, if Ron was a smart man. Jeb was a tall, strapping man, with a fair strike about his face, but don't let that blond hair fool you none. He would stand for any non-sense in this town. You make trouble for Jeb, you'll find you're self in a grave in Boot Hill or on a train bound east for some prison !

 

Jeb walked over, took Whiskey by the arm and whispered something in her ear. To this dat, I don't know what it was, but it most have tickled her fancy cause she smiled ear to ear. Whiskey was wiping Coldwell's blood off her Bowie knife after pulling it out of Coldwell's back and walked over to us. She looked around her at all the dead or dieing men and she smiled and I knew what she was thinking. But she never said anything about them. That was Jeb's job now.

 

"Guess you'll be going back home now EE. " Whiskey said. "There's a train coming in about noon tomorrow. But you aint leaving here with out a proper thank you from me and Bucky. Come out to the ranch and share a meal or two with us. Please. Bucky won't have it any other way !" I looked over at Bucky and he was all smiles too ! Ole EE....knowing he had been backed into a corner, just could not turn down the invet, so he agreed. And I started toward the Livery stable..I wanted to check on my horse and the other horses the horse theifs had there.

 

Bucky saw me walk off and shouted...."Hawk ! Hold up !" and came over to me. "Where you going Pard ?" he asked. I answered him by telling him my work here was over. The Twin Oaks had made it's cattle delivery in Kansas...They had found out why Coldwell wanted the ranch and we stopped him and Whiskey put an end to him. Plus....he had a new mine entrance to boot ! Whiskey heard me say that to Bucky, and let go of EE's arm and marched over to where me and Bucky was talking, and commenced to tell me what was what !

 

"Now listen to me, Colonel Hawk ! The war is over and we lost ! We've started over in the new land and with you're help, we've made this ranch a home. We're weathered hard dry seasons.....cold wet winters, even for this land, it was cold ! We've endured hostiles and bandits and all kinds of bad men, like Coldwell there." Whiskey said, pointing to his lifeless body laying there in the street. "If it wasn't for you and Bucky the Twin Oaks would be a memory ! Now, we've beaten back the wolfs, made peace with the hostiles and killed all those wanting to do us wrong. We've never asked a thing from you that you didn't do willing and to the best of you're ability. The war is over and now it's time to come home.......Home is the Twin Oaks, Hawk. It's our home that you helped build. And it's you're home as well.....if you want it !"

 

I could see Whiskey had a tear in her eye and Bucky was looking toward the dusty ground and clearing his throat. And for the first time in my life, I felt this large lump in my throat that I knew I would surely chock on ! But I managed to swallow it down and replied ....."Thanks Whiskey ! And Bucky.you feel the same way too ?" I asked to which Bucky said, ..."You know I do Hawk !"

 

I took a deep breath and released it slowly. No more sleeping on the cold hard ground. No more being wet and cold all day long.......no more cold meals. It seemed like all the white man's ways where placed for me to take. But I was worried. So I said "I can come and go as I please." And they nodded. "And I can still worship the Creator in my own way ?" Again they nodded yes. "And practice my Apache ways ?"

 

"Come on Hawk !" Bucky shouted at me. "This is you're home as much as mine...as much as Whiskey's ! You sweat and blood is right along side ours ! This is you're home too !"

 

"Well.....I hate ta see grown folk beg so I'll come along.....Sides, y'all gonna need a foreman to run this outfit top ground and manage it all. But y'all got a bigger problem. What the hell y'all gonna name this outfit. Can ratly call it Twin Oaks no more !" I said with a wink.

 

Whiskey piped up......."Twin Oaks Land, Mines and cattle Company !" Bucky smiled and said "We talked about this before y'all rushed off last night !

 

The smell of death had cleared the air and was replaced miners, prospectors, miner's store and the Sliver Belle now has a proud new owner.....a right fine looking follow who most folks know as the half breed who made it all work for him !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE END

 

( Or is it ? )

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

BTT for PPBMM Boy!

[Poet Jones 99980]

Loved it I could not stop reading till the end. Gotta do another one real soon.

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

it continues with dreams of the golden aspen ranch,,,,