Fools' Gold

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

That morning while eating "rabbit" with Bama I fessed up that I had been the one that had fired the shots the evening before, "I let Bill and Tyrel drag me into a pissing match with them, it won't happen again. The only time I'll fire again will be when absolutely needed." He nodded and went right on chewing on the "rabbit".

 

Earlier I had given Mattie the derringer for her to keep in case she needed it. Her eyes lit up and her lips curved into one of the prettiest smile that I had seen in a long time. She slipped it down into her blouse and gave in a love tap and then kissed me on the cheek and whispered "Thank you."

 

I was going to talk with Bama about leaving the extra wagon behind, to make it right with Calico and Mattie I was going to offer to give them enough money to offset the value of the wagon. But I didn't want to suggest it just yet, I didn't want to give any impression of trying to be in charge of anything. As Calico and Mattie were readying their wagon I gave them the rifle and pistols that had been Crosseyed Willy's . If we were to run into trouble again, it would be in everyone's best interest if they could help.

 

I tied off Willy's horse at the rear of the wagon and asked the ladies if they needed anything before I left. They both seemed to blush when I called them ladies, and Calico asked, "Do you have anymore of that pineapple? That was awfully good." Mattie chimed in, "that would have been perfect with that rabbit we had this morning" I chuckled a bit at the thought of the "rabbit" and told them that yes there was more.

 

I nodded to Bama and headed out on Midnight, with the albino close behind. I knew that Calico was disappointed in not going along with me, but she would need to help Mattie with their wagon.

 

I had been out when I came across Buick McKane. He was coming from Santa Fe and we talked for a few minutes and he thanked me for my help in escaping from the jail in Kansas several years before. Yes, there was paper on him, but he had be convicted of killing a man who had raped his sister and that man happened to be a powerful in the area. I had been there during the trial and had seen the injustice of it. Somehow the jail developed a hole that night and lo and behold a horse was at the ready too. I made sure that the posse followed my out of town and for several days afterward before I turned back to ask why they were following me. For some reason they didn't see the humor in it at all. I suggested that he swing wide of the trail for a few hours, after all the less contact we had with anyone the better.

 

I found a water hole that I figured whould make a good camp for the night, and set a few snares for some of the antelope that I had been seeing. Hopefully that night when the wagons pulled in there would be fresh meat awaiting them. From there I went on for a bit and then circled back staying wide of the trail. I wasn't happy when I crossed back over the wagon's tracks to see extra horse tracks behind them, shoed tracks. At least it wasn't Indians trailing it but who? May not be anyone with an agenda, but maybe it was. I circled the other way and back towards the wagons, just taking a wide berth.

 

Once the sun set I switched over onto the albino who with it's pink eyes could see better in the dark than in the daylight. What should have been about two miles from the water hole that the wagons should be stopping at for the night, I smelled smoke from a camp's fire. I found some high ground and glassed the camp, a patrol of seven troopers. I thought for a moment about how to handle the situation. Go into their camp and get as much info on them as I could, or bypass them and go on to the water hole where the wagons should be camped for the night.

 

I needed to find out what the troopers were doing out here so I went on into their camp. I pulled my harmonica out of my saddle bag and started playing it as I got near the trooper's camp. The troopers knew who I was instantly, I was the only bounty hunter that they knew of that rode a coal black horse and an albino. We talked a bit and they asked if I knew anything about the three soiled doves that had been killed several miles back. I pulled Crosseyed Willy's head out of it's bag, turning some of the troopers green, and told them that I had witnessed from afar him killing the two women while trying to rob them. The one had got into a knife fight with him and he killed her and had shot the two others before I could kill him.

 

I told them that the wagons that I was with let the surviving women continue with us. I could tell that they had more questions than I wanted to answer but I let them know that I had to finish my circuit for the day.

 

It didn't take me long to get to the water hole and the wagons, smelling the fire and meat cooking before I made the camp. I dismounted at camp and called Bama aside to tell him about the days events, especially the troopers.

 

The whole time I was telling him I was being tortured by the smell of the fresh antelope cooking and ......yes, the sweet smell of perfume....

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

While eating, sitting between the two ladies, something about the troopers just didn't sit right with me, I couldn't lay a finger on it, but something wasn't right. I mentioned it to Bama while we were eating and I could see his brow narrow as he was thinking.

 

I left him to his thoughts and fetched another can of pineapple for the ladies, you never knew when you might need some warmth on a good night out here.

[Tyrel Cody]

After an uneventful day on the trail we came upon a waterhole just before sundown. I'll have to give Pepper credit for being able to judge the distance we'd travel and setting up some snares so we'd find some fresh meat when we arrives. After we got all the horses unhitched and watered we started cookin' antelope. Shortly after sunset Pepper came ridin' in and called for Bama to talk in private.

 

"You know what," I muttered to Bill and whoever else was listening, "I've had it with the damn private conversations! Red, Pepper get over here! Y'all, were a hundred or miles from anywhere and we have to bury the hatchet and start trustin' each other or shoot it out; I personally don't care which." Pepper just looked at me and grinned, "I'm certainly willing to bury the hatchet; it ain't like any of you fellers can take me anyway." I replied "I'm done with the pissin matches too; you can draw or shut the hell up." I thought for a second he was going to try it, hoping all along he wouldn't because I wasn't positive I could beat him; we'd both certainly catch some lead. "You know what Cody, we got off on the wrong foot let's shake on it and start fresh," he said extending a hand.

 

"Fair enough," I said, "No more secrets no more talkin' behind each others back." Pepper nodded and said, "In that case what i was tellin Red is that I came across some troopers today, seven to be exact. Don't really know why they're out here. They was askin about who kilt the three women back down the trail. I told em what happened and that we was continuing on with the survivors." I said, "Don't like the sound of them troopers, if that's what they really are, traipsin' around out here. Let me make a suggestion. I don't think that axle is going to hold up on the extra wagon. Let's get the money and extra guns and ammunition out of that secret compartment; we'll split the money between the girls. Then we should be able to rotate the teams and make better time to Santa Fe. What ya'll think?"

[Calico Mary]

Troopers? I sure didn't like the sound of that, what would troopers be doing out here? Again I couldn't shake the feeling like I was being followed. I wished I could talk about it with one of these men, but who? Tyrel seemed far more interested in Mattie than me, I wasn't too sure he'd want to listen. I was starting to get the feeling that Bill liked my young friend as well, she'd shown me the rattle necklace he'd given her. Red? Maybe, but I didn't really know him well enough yet to know if I could trust him. The one I thought would be the most help was Cheyenne, but could I trust him either? He was a bounty hunter after all. Maybe I'd better keep my mouth shut for a while longer.

 

Cheyenne was being awfully nice to us, giving us that pineapple and the spare guns, not to mention the derringers. Both me and Mattie were having fun talking to him, he did know how to make a girl feel like a lady, even if she wasn't. While we'd been driving that day, I'd daydreamed a little, how would it be to have a man like that to make a life with, where I didn't have to sell myself to survive. For the longest time I hadn't let myself think that way, and now that thought was creeping into my mind a little too often. Just what did I want to do with my future? I needed to start figuring that out, and soon.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

Pepper turned green , when Mattee , pulled out the toothpick , to get some of the pineapple

 

I had just finished sharpenin her knife , so I was about to give it back to her ,

 

I overheard Cody and Pepper baryin the hatchet , I was still on edge about him

 

Pepper , ya said 7 troopers ? What was the numbers on the guideon ?

 

Cody , ya got a good idea , on droppin that broken down peice of junk wagon

 

Mattee , be careful of that knife , it is real sharp , don't want ya to cut yourself with it

 

She handed me back the little toothpick , sayin , I would like to keep it ,

 

well now , it has a mind , all its own , it was forged from the same steel as the one I carry

 

it's former owner , was very special , lets just leave it at that for a while

 

back to these troopers , was there any officers with em ?

[Apache Hawk 60642]

The Colonel and I was busy going from body to body, gathering up guns and ammo, and packing them away on horses that where wandering around that we had tied together like pack trains. I had lifted three scalps when the Colonel was lifting his fourth, the owner was still alive. J. Mark's Colt made short work of him. That's when I noticed something. I went to the horses I had string long and looked at their flanks........then I looked at the dead ones laying on the ground at our feet.

 

That's when it hit me ! "Colonel ! " I said. "Don't recognize this brand.....it aint from Tejas but they are all the same. " That when I started going through the dead men's pockets as well and I found they all had about the same about of money, ranging from 4 bits to $5.00. "They've been well paid, sir !" J. Mark pushed his hat back on his head, looked up toward where Blackwater was sitting and said....Handle this Hawk, I gotta speak with Blackwater."

 

"War's over Colonel. Aint following no orders no more !" I said and started to walk up the hill behind him when he said......"The war is just starting if those horses belong to who I think they belong too." I sighed mighty heavily as we just got out of one fight and I knew my Tejas Ranger Captain was going to be madder than a wet setting hen when he learned I was on the trail of an outlaw going into old Mexico. "Well hell," I said....."Out of the frying pan an into the fire. Sure be glad when Blackwater get done killin' ole Tree Fingers cause I want some coffee."

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

Bama saved Tyrel's life that night, as I squared to face Tyrel I felt his hand on my arm and heard a low whisper, "You gave me your word." Dang, that was hard to do, even if I only had a mind to shoot Tyrel's revolver before it could clear leather. Course I would have had to ruin Bill's toothpick as well. Tyrel hadn't noticed either lady, seemed they had an itch to try out those little popguns I had given them, small, but a 45 at close range still knew it's business.

 

I gave Tyrel my hand and offered to put this behind us; but mind you, every bit of it went into the bank! it was really hard to not fly off the handle again when Bill started his inquisition! I had told the boss and as far as I was concerned I was done talking, if Bama had a question then that was different.

 

I knew Bama appreciated my actions that night, even if the other two didn't have a clue.

 

Sitting at the fire I cut a slab of meat off of the antelope that was hanging on the spit over the fire. Calico sat beside me and like a cat that pushes up beside up you, looked at me with those brown eyes that had a hint of green in them in the light from the fire, and purred "Pineapple?" Mattie was right there beside me too when she heard that word. Being the softy that I was down deep I couldn't resist either set of eyes and fetched a can for them.

 

After we had eaten, I asked Bama if he wanted to hear a plan for dealing with the troopers behind us, if they were not indeed troopers. You could have heard a pin drop after Bama nodded. I laid it out, we would leave ladies' wagon near the fire, but pull the other two well out of sight on the other side of the knoll behind the water hole. We hadn't gotten rid of the women's clothes that we had "left" behind and set up two dummies using those clothes. To draw them in even more I would cook some antelope with brown sugar, cloves, some tomatoes, and pineapple. The aroma sifting from that concoction was guaranteed to draw a hungry soul from a mile away, and completely unaware of the dangers awaiting him. If they were indeed real troopers it would be evident real soon. If not; well, we would have extra horses, a light wagon and extra supplies. I would stay behind at the fire to complete the ruse.

 

Bama nodded his approval, but neither woman was none to happy about me staying at the fire to help draw the troopers in, but maybe this would really end the pissing match that was still evident.

[Blackwater 53393]

As the night wore on I made a gag for our guest of honour. I saw no reason to wake the others when the notion took me to perform some new surgery. I paid him a visit on several occasions during the night. Sometime during the darkest part of the night, coyotes paid the man a visit. They had chewed off his toes and chewed the rawhide a little as well.

 

At dawn the others were beginning to get up and move around and I made my decision to end this. I took a square of horse hide and began burning letters into it. When I'd finished it read, "KIDNAPPED AND RAPED AND KILLED A WOMAN" I took it and cut two holes. Then I tied another thin strip of the rawhide into the holes and hung it around the bastard's neck.

 

I called Tom over and asked him to help me take off the rawhide wraps. "I'm 'bout through here and what I do next will be extra messy if we don't take 'em off."

 

The man grunted and squirmed as the bonds were removed. "Colonel! Them dead horses are startin' ta' git rank! Whatsay we ride outa' here?" I removed the gag and tossed it into the brush. Then I took out my knife one last time. "I'm not about to put you out of your misery. You will die, but you will die alone, just like my Celeste!" I stuck the knife into his chest just below the breastbone and carefully cut him open from there to his crotch. He screamed again as his intrails spilled out onto the ground.

 

I turned to the others and said, "Let's ride!!"

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

Bama

 

we have a trackers moon tonite , I think I should ride out to scout our backtrail , I can't shake the feeling , we are being followed

 

there was a good vantage point about 1 1/2 mi or so back ,

 

Cul Pepper was mad as an old wet hen , when I asked about the troopers , most all in the forts here were Bufflow troopers

 

did seem a bit odd that he would leave that out , but the posting had only happend in the last 6 months , probley nuttin to it

 

small unit , no mention of officers , no scout , porbley need to ask about how they were armed , lots of little details ain't addin up

 

the gray was acting , a tad strange again , kept lookin back behind us , it's ears were perked up like it could hear something

 

the shadows , from the other world , were making themselfs visable again , that ment trouble was not far away

 

best to find it , before it finds you ,

 

I should be back in 3 hrs or so , if I don't find trouble

 

I stepped up on the gray , and started out into the dark , should be able to see anything moving or any fires for a long was off

[Apache Hawk 60642]

We saddled up all our horses, including the ones taking from the fight we just had and the weapons taken along with the ammo and the fresh scalps that the Colonel and I had taken and rode back a ways till we found the next fresh water. There we watered all the stock, refilled all the canteens and washed off all the dirt and dust from my face and the noses of my mounts. I had blood on my face and I scrubbed it hard to get it off as it had started to smell then I realized it was the blood of 3 Fingers that Blackwater had on him. As we reined up, Blackwater dropped his rig, took off his boots and hat and walked into the water hole to wash the blood off.

 

I let my ponies drink as deep as they wanted for it was a long way till the next water and I went about the chore of reloading each weapon I had picked up and counting how much ammo each had with it. I then took to my quiver of arrows and noticed it was running a little low, I had been a little lax on re-supplying the quiver with bows in my spare time. This I had to fix and I made a mental note to do just that once time presented it's self back in town........which ever town that maybe.

 

Blackwater came up out of the water and I swear he looked to me like a heat weight had been lifted off his broad shoulders. It almost seemed that he came away with a renewed spirit and he took his boots and hat, putting them back on with a smile I had never seen before, and putting his gun belt back on with a verger the likes I have never seen of that man. He was smiling from ear to ear and yet that great weight from caring that load had worn him down all these years had taken it's toll and he looked tired. But not his spirit for it soared !

 

Tom, on the other hand....he looked a little un certain of how he would fit in now. The man he was trailing for 12 years was dead..........and he had saw it done with his own eyes. True, what 3 Fingers had done to Blackwater's women was far worse that what he had done to him, he still long for some satisfaction for his dogged 12 years of chasing him. Now that it was over, what was he going to do ? He couldn't go back to Tennessee...them carpet baggers where still there. And he was wanted in Missouri. Why was he wanted, I didn't know and I didn't care. Tom had proved himself to me in more than one fire fight and that was good enough for me. As far as I was concerned, Tom was one of us now, cut an dryed.

 

Before we left, I had washed the blood from the scalps and cut a hole in each to fish a thong of rawhide through and tie them off to one of the saddle horns on the ponies. Now, as the ponies where drinking, I saw a salt outcrop, so I took my scalping knife and scraped off some and rubbed it onto the skin side of each scalp to keep them from drying out and rolled them up and placed them in a saddle bag. In this way, I could work them when I was ready.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

I rode out into the dark , it felt good to be there , I heard an owl take filght from the trees

 

at least I think it was an owl , could have been something from the other world making its self known

 

Too many days and nites , had pushed themselfs together into one long event ,

 

the gray had fallen into a ground eating pace , it too was enjoying the freedom of the nite

 

off to the north a wolf called for the rest of the pack , all seemed to be in place

 

I stopped on the knoll , there was a small glow off in the distance , it was an unknown fire

 

We were moving pretty slow , why didn't they attempt to join up with the wagons , not very far ahead ?

 

too many questions , with out any answers , the gary was wanting to get back on the move

 

If I went to scout out the fire , I would not make it back on time , but if I did and run into trouble , they would not know it was coming

[Calico Mary]

I wasn't crazy about Culpepper's idea of staging our wagon at the fire to draw any nearby troublemakers in. Not that I cared about the wagon itself, I really didn't once Red had helped me and Mattie move our belongings into one of the freight wagons. I certainly didn't care about Ruby's clothes, or those of the other two either, none of that stuff would fit me or Mattie. Too tight across the chest, and Suzanna's stuff was way too short as well. We had gone through all of it, the only things we felt worth keeping were a couple of pieces of cheap but pretty jewelry, the rest could be disposed of. No, I was concerned about Cheyenne staying at the fire with the wagon all by himself. Bill had decided to ride around and scout, Red and Tyrel were staying with me and Mattie at the freight wagons.

 

I thought he was taking a pretty big risk, and if those “troopers” were after me, well, it wasn't right that he put himself in any danger over me. Red had told Mattie and me that we could bed down in one of the freight wagons, so we went inside and I laid down, and waited for Mattie to fall asleep. I had already made sure Marvin's pistol was loaded, so I grabbed that and quietly made my way out of the wagon. I saw Red and Tyrel in their bedrolls over by the fire, at least one of them was snoring, but I couldn't tell which one. In case the other was still asleep I tried to be as quiet as possible, and slowly sneaked back to a good vantage point not far from the fire where Cheyenne was sitting. I sat down myself, and tried to stay awake. If trouble did find him, at least he wouldn't be facing it alone.

[Blackwater 53393]

Hawk was right about many things. I had carried that hatred a long time. It had made me someone else, a someone I hadn't liked. Now that burden was lifted and as I came out of the water it was like the sky pilots say, I was reborn. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a religious man in the normal sense of the word. I am a spiritual man. My time with the Choctaw and later among the Cherokee proved to me what my mother had tried to teach me as a child. There is a power greater than all of us.

 

Now I truly was tired but I felt exhilarated as I pulled on my boots and strapped on my hardware. I smiled as I put on my hat and went to tend my animals. As I did, I noticed the brands on the horses that had belonged to the gang we had put down the day before. All of them were the same and that didn't set well with me. I didn't recognize the markings and that made it even worse.

 

"Colonel! Do you know this brand? If we're caught holding this many of another man's horses there's bound to be question."

[Tyrel Cody]

"Dangit, Red," I swore quietly," who can sleep with you snorin' like a dang Grizzly bear; I've heard of folks bein shot for that."

 

I decided I'd ease down and maybe talk a bit with Pepper. He was dozing just inside the firelight. Mary had gotten up and looked like she was trying to keep a lookout for Pepper. Just then we both saw the flash of a knife blade in the glow of the light. The man holding that knife was slipping up behind Pepper. Mary gasped and woke him just as I drew and fired. His eyes were big as the full moon; guess he thought I was shootin' at him. My first shot went just over Pepper's right shoulder and hit the man squarely in the chest, but he wasn't down. I ran at him trying to get a better angle so as not to shoot Pepper; who had realized I wasn't shooting at him. Pepper spun to the left and drew. We both emptied a revolver into him. "Thanks Cody, let's get back out of the firelight," Pepper hollered, "there may be more!"

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

"Looks like a Lazy S-Double D brand-don't know the owner-wish I did."

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

When Blackwater gutted three fingers I'd felt it all end...

 

I wasn't sure how I felt about it all now that it was over. I'd never put roots down anywhere, knowing that my home was gone forever for me, due to this man. And over the years I'd hear a bit of a rumor about him and I'd be off again for somewhere new.

 

I must have worked for a dozen ranches over the years, and maybe half a dozen banks. Once for the railroad, and once for a crooked government land official. Only I hadn't known he was crooked when I took the job with two other men to move some "squatters" off some land in Missouri.

 

Turned out they owned the land, but they'd been loud supporters of Mr. Davis, and hadn't changed their tune after the war ended. I was somewhere around 18-19 at the time, and tryin to make a name for myself as a gunman. I rode out early and alone one of the first days on the job to let the first group know it was time to move off, and found a half dozen of the squatters ready for me. They'd got the drop on me, I'd figured on doin some tough talkin before any shootin so I wasn't ready, and the men on those homesteads were wise enough to know I was beaten without firing a shot.

 

One of the older ones had pulled me off my horse and slapped me around a bit. Let me know what he thought of a southern man doin a carpetbaggers work. Then he'd proceeded to show me the papers on the farms they had. The dates on those papers opened my eyes. One or two of those farms had been there when I was born.

 

I'd riden from there to that politicians office, and gave him a piece of my mind. I wasn't usin a pistol much those days. I had that '66 and the memory of a pistol bullet hittin the wrong target kept that rifle near my hand at all times. So when that politician decided he'd had enough of my mouth and jumped up from his chair I'd swung the rifle like an axe and he'd lost most of his teeth.

 

While he was on the floor choking on them one of the other men he'd hired tried for a shotgun leanin against the wall and I'd winged him. I guess that politician thought he was next because he snatched a pistol out a desk drawer and started shootin the place up. I don't know if a single round came anywhere near me but I shot him anyway.

 

That got my name on a handbill, and a picture of my face. I was to young to wear a beard back then, so several years later I took a job ridin cars for the railroad. I'd keep the bums off the cars when I felt like it and if the train was stopped I was supposed to keep the pressure off the guards settin on the strong boxes.

 

Well one day I found myself gettin off a train back in Missouri, and figuring that my beard would fool anybody carryin an old handbill, I'd found a bar and set down to play cards. Just about the time I'd tired of that, the man I'd winged happened to walk in and recognize me. I shot him and his friend on the way out of that mess. The sheriff there had known me from the old days, and gave me a friendly wave as I rode out of town.

 

A few days latter in Kansas a railroad agent had showed me a bill with a new picture of me. It listed murder of a Missouri state official, and murder and attempted murder of agents attempting arrest, on it. That sheriff might have sympathized, but he didn't waste any time turnin out an updated handbill. Just the same, the railroad didn't want men like me workin for 'em, so I'd found a new cattle outfit to ride for.

 

This one was in Abilene, and it was a buyin outfit that did business with the ranches out of Texas. Those days the herds drove over a lot of land to get to the tracks, and sometimes they were held outside town for a piece before they were sold and shipped.

 

The ranchers would try to fatten 'em up to get a better price for 'em, and the cattle buyers would do the same in turn before they shipped 'em.

 

There were plenty of people that didn't like that to much, and they'd get together in a group and try to cut the herds as a sort of tax for the use of the land.

 

I was hired to make sure that didn't happen to any of the cattle my bosses bought, and I'd done well at it. There were a couple times where I'd had to trail a part of the herd and bring it back, but I lost mighty few cattle.

 

During the time I spent workin that job I saw a whole lot of outfits and their brands, and their trail brands besides. I thought maybe I'd seen a lazy S double D before, but try as I might I couldn't remember where the outfit was from, so I kept quiet about it.

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

As we rested at the water hole I looked around at my new riding partners.

 

We were a site to see for sure. All of us had somebody's blood on us, though Blackwater was the worst. After the last few days I didn't figure there was a group of gunmen anywhere that'd stand against us, especially after we hooked up with the boys back at the wagons. Still, we looked like we'd come in last place in a butt whipping contest.

 

I only had the one shirt I was wearing, so as Blackwater scrubbed himself off I pulled my shirt off and found a flat rock and went to work gettin the blood out of it. There were holes under the arm and on the side, but it would last until I hit a town. I thought maybe I'd ask one of the women to patch it for me whenever we met the wagons, and it was then I remembered my saddlebags and the few belongings I'd left in 'em...

 

Hawk had cleaned himself before the rest of us, and had whipped some kind of grease he had in a tin on a few cuts he had on his face from rock shards.

 

After I hung my shirt up to dry he walked over and found a few more pieces of brass in me which he dug out, before instructing me to rub that grease on the cuts and small holes.

 

That done I walked over to where the Colonel was finishing up his necessities and said, "I figure y'all can use every gun you can get and trust, so if your pards at the wagons agree, I'll stick with y'all until y'all finish whatever you're up to down south. I owe you and I figure my guns are the only the way I can repay you for the time being."

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

I was in the shadow of some trees , not much chance anyone would see me , unless they were right on top of me

 

I thought I heard gunfire , off in the distance , back towards the wagons , not real sure , but the gray was lookin that way

 

just as , I was gonna break cover to head back , I saw a rider , coming right at the trees I was near .

 

the rider , was not showing any signs of being in a hurry to get there , nor was he watchin his backtrail

 

I done went an got myself twixt a rock and a hard spot , I will be seen if I make a break for it , and time is running short for me to get back

 

best plan I can put together fast is to ambush the rider , and take him alive if possable , get back to the wagons ,

 

there he can be questioned , by Bama and Cody , as to his intent

[Blackwater 53393]

I'd heard what Tom had said to the colonel and it set just right with me. He'd proven himself at every turn and when this was over I'd have a word or two with Judge Isaac Parker on his behalf. My time as a deputy marshal had earned me more than a few favors from people in high places and this was one I intended to redeem.

 

"Ain't you gonna dry them clothes?" Tom asked as he turned to see me approaching.

 

"Any hide that cain't dry out a suit of clothes ain't worh havin'!" I grinned. "Colonel! Ol' Hawk here has a hankerin' fer some coffee. Since neither of ya's managed to liberate any when ya searched them varmints back there in the wash, I say we rest up fer an hour or so and then find the shortest way back to the wagons!"

 

"Hear hear!" Hawk shouted. "You shore we need an hour's rest?"

 

"Well, we've got plenty of horses and little drayage. We could ride the Lazy S-Double D horses first and set 'em loose as we go." The colonel thought aloud. "The extra saddles we don't need and our spare stock can carry the guns and ammunition." He paused to consider what he had just said, "If the rest of you can do with a half hour, we'll leave then."

 

"I'll go wring out these britches. You 'n' Hawk cypher the shortest route back to the wagons," I said with a grin. "I can rest when we hit Santa Fe. I've got a place down there and the man that keeps it up for me knows we're coming. It's outside of town so we'll not be drawing too much attention while we're there.

 

"You sure you can trust this feller?" Hawk querried.

 

"Without a doubt!" I replied flatly, and turning to Tom I said, "And as far as any debt you might have owed, for my part that's been more than repaid." I turned to look at Flint and Hawk. "What do you hombres think?"

 

"Good by me!" 'Pache sang out.

 

"Tom, I've already told you what I think. You owe me nothing more than what you've already proven that you're willing to give." Flint looked at me and I gave a slight nod, "You ride with us and you get a piece of the action."

 

I turned and walked to where the sun beat down on some rocks. I undid my gunbelt, shucked my trousers and my drawers and began wringing the water out of them. The breeze on my bare backside gave me a shiver and I laughed at what a sight I must have been. Laughter! It had been a long time since I'd laughed about anything except in anger or malice. It felt good. Most of the blood had washed out of those trousers and I decided to put them back on without the longhandles. Them I'd hang off of a horse to dry in the wind. It would be colder at dark and I figured to put 'em back on when we stopped again. I pulled the pants back on and stomped into my boots. With the longjohns over my shoulder and my gunbelt in my hand I walked back to where the others waited. My saddle was already on one of the dead men's horses. I checked the cinch and hung my drawers on the dunn.

 

The others had saddled our mounts and dumped the extra saddles under a dirt bank and stomped it in over them. They looked at the dunn and my drawers hanging off of him and tried hard not to laugh. The task was too great for any of them. A snicker turned into roaring laughter with tears rolling down cheeks and gasps for breath. My own equaled the best of them.

 

When we'd regained our composure, Hawk chuckled, "There's coffee waitin' at them wagons! Let's saddle up 'n' go find em!"

 

We mounted up and led the string of horses out.

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

I suggested and we agreed to takle a due south rout that would lead us to a series of creeks and canyons before opening up a eastern route to Trinidad. If Red beat us there, we could ride on towards Santa Fe. If he had not been through the area, we could wait.

 

It took us less than an hour to get into the foothills and to locate the series of creeks we would follow, starting with Bearcat Creek/ We followed it throughout the day and as the sun began to drop a little lower in the sky, I rode up to the top of the nearest ridge and looked out over the mountains and streams. Here the earth was rich and while not plentiful, there was enough water to turn much of the landscape a verdant green. I admired the view a moment and prepared to return to the others. Then I saw it-just a flicker of brown against the background-but for the movement I would have missed it. No more than a hundred and fifty yards away stood a elk cow. I searched the area visually for a few minutes before finding two fawns nearby, lying no more than 20 yards behind their mother. I eased my winchester out of the scabbard. No need for the Sharps at this range. Moving slowly around the hillside I positioned myself for a shot on one of the two fawns. I was less than a hundred yards away and slipped a 180 grain slug right through the animal's skull. We now had meat for a few days.

 

I returned to the group with my prize thrown across my shoulder. We might only get 40 pounds of good meat from her, but her mother and sister would live on and we didn't need anymore than that.

 

 

"I see no sign of anyone following us or in the immediate area. I'd suggest we camp part way up the ridge, I found a flat clear spot that won't be too hard to conceal a fire. And I've got the start of a dinner here."

 

 

I tried not to sound like I was giving orders, given Hawk's recent orneriness and he was accomplished at scouting and fighting in his own right, so if he had a thought, his opinion did matter. There were no objections and I had the fawn cleaned and quartered in 10 minutes or so. I walked down the hill to the creek and washed up in the cold water. When I returned to the campsite a spit was set up and a small fire was going. 4 days to Trinidad by this route seemed a long time to wait for coffee, but the first day had passed quickly. How long this would last was anybody's guess.

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

I had been sitting by the fire a while, contemplating just about everything in life, especially Calico and Mattie. They didn't have stellar pasts, but then I sure didn't either. I had plenty of skeletons pushed deep into the closets of my life that never needed to see the light of day, I sure wasn't about to judge them either.

 

My eyelids had started to get heavy and I told myself that I would let them rest closed and that I would listen for any sign of movement. I had heard someone take a seat behind me in the brush, then as her perfume reached my nostrils I knew that Calico had taken up a spot to watch over me without me knowing it. That must have relaxed my soul a little to much because I didn't hear anything after that until I heard her gasp. Instinctively I turned towards the sound of her gasp and saw the blast from Tyrel's pistol, and not feeling the bullet I knew I wasn't his target. My hand redirected it's path along the path of Tyrel's aim and my pistol flash briefly lit up the man staggering towards me. We continued to light him up until i heard Tyrel's pistol start clicking. I quickly reloaded my pistol as my eyes searched around me for anymore movement.

 

I heard Calico scream and my left hand had it's Colt out searching for the cause of Calico's scream. I could see Calico and her struggling but not the cause. I felt like a knife thrower, letting a shot go on eash side of her as close to her as I dared and repeated that until my pistol was dry. I holstered it and drew my partially reloaded pistol as I ran towards her.

 

By the time I got to her she had quit screaming and struggling, but she was a trembling mess. I called for Tyrel to check the man laying behind Calico in a bloody ball and then grabbed Calico to try to soothe her. "Guess we're even" was all I could get out. A few moments later I felt another set of arms wrapping around Calico and I. It was Mattie crying and slobbering out loud, "I don't won't to loose either of you."

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I knew the Colonel was trying hard not to give me orders, after all, once an officer, always an officer. Makes no difference what side you served on ! Now me, I was giving a field commission as a Lt. Colonel of the 1st Tejas Calvary. But being a breed, it didn't have much weight to it, so I didn't push it . I was issued an order by my Commanding officer and I did everything in my power to carry it out. If my men did not take my orders seriously, I shot them on the spot. No questions asked. Didn't have time with then Yankees breathing down our necks like they where.

 

I gathered up some white sage and brown sage and bound them into a bundle and put them into the small smokeless fire I had build for the camp. That's one thing my Father had taught me when living out in the desert......build a small smokeless fire because on cold nights wood smoke carries further that black powder smoke. I pulled the bundle out of the flames, blowing the flames out and walked up to Blackwater. With the bundle in my hand, I said, "My friend....sit and close you're eyes." He did and I started to chat and old Apache prayer and passed the sage bundle over him twice. At which time Blackwater ate some elk fawn and layer down and took a nap.

 

I did this with the Colonel, and Tom.......each one did the same thing. Sat down, closed their eyes, then ate some elk and slept about 30 minutes. I could see their spirits where resting now and I put the sage bundle away in my saddle bag, checked my rifle and my pistols, then settled down with some meat to stand watch well my compardes rested.

[Blackwater 53393]

When I awakened from 'Pache's spell I felt refreshed. There was plenty of meat left and it wasn't jerky so I helped myself. The others did the same as they came to.

 

We had eaten like a pack of Comanche! I was full as a tick after a couple days on a hound. With only water to drink some of my companions were looking a little grim. I reached into my vest pocket and drew out a small flask. "No coffee," I said, "but this here is a little Tennessee sour mash I keep on reserve for emergencies, like snakebite!" I took a sip and passed it to Tom.

 

Flint rolled his eyes,"Yeah, and you probably got a snake in one of them other pockets."

 

I reached into my shirt pocket and withdrew a small silver snake charm given to me by a Sioux war chief. I dangled it from its chain so everyone could see it and grinned. As I slid it back into it's home, Hawk cut his swallow from my flask short.

 

"Unhcegila!" He looked incredulous. "You are son of the snake?" He took a big swig from the flask and handed it to J. Mark.

 

"Ol' Oka lusa here is just full of suprises," Flint chuckled. "I had no idea you'd spent time with the Sioux, brother."

 

"I think it means respected enemy." I replied. "It was given to me by Gall himself after he refused the '68 treaty. He's a great warrior and I'm told he was pure death on fire at the Little Big Horn." I thought to my next words carefully. "I was workin' as a bullwhacker in the Dakota territory haulin' goods to the prospectors. We were set upon by a small raiding party of Hunkpapa and had pretty much fought to a draw. A couple of years later I was in Ft. Laramie at the time of that big powow and we met again. I saw what the blue coats were trying to do and didn't like it much but I had no say in the matter. Gall wore his red war blanket. He gave me that trinket and placed his hands on my shoulders. I did likewise, I gave him a silver pocket watch I'd liberated from a young pistoleer who had no further need of it." I took another short pull at the flask. "Gall later accepted the treaty, but right away he joined back up with Sitting Bull and started fighting against the blue coats. I hear he's up in Canada now. He's a good man and I hope he finds peace."

 

"Musta' been one hell of a fight the two of you had!" 'Pache offered.

 

"I took a round in the side. A crease really, but it bled like a stuck hog! We were maybe ten yards apart at the last. My Henry was empty and he only had a tired old musket and that damned axe of his. I pulled the old '60 Colt I carried at the time, but my first shot missed and he didn't offer me a second try."

 

I sent the flask around one more time.

 

"I'll take the early watch," Flint volunteered.

 

"I hope we pass a quiet evening," Tom said. "You can kick me out of my bedroll when the time comes."

 

"Come and get me when you're done," I said to Tom. "I'll roust Hawk when the time comes, although I ain't sure he ever really sleeps."

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

I got the gray , back behind the trees , deeper into the darkest of the shadows , tryin to figure out where the rider was gonna come up on the rise

 

I knew , I only had one chance to slipup and knock him out and out of the saddle , if there was any gunfire , it would be heard in the camp ,

 

He had just left , I was sure , I could outrun em , getting back to the wagons , but would we be able to get a defence set up before the rest of that camp got there ?

 

The rider slowed , comin up to the crest , lookin into the shadows , was he just being cafeful , or had I left enough sign , that it was spotted ?

 

he was looking to the glow if the fire , in the distance , just as he turned to look back at his camp , I gave him a smack ot the head with brokem limb

 

I had picked up , the rider went limp and slid out of the saddle ,

 

The horse , did not move off far , so I gagged and tyed the rider back on the horse , got the gray , and headed back to the wagons

 

with the captive in tow , so far so good ,

 

Now if the dang trigger happy Cul Pepper don't shoot me , when I get back

[Calico Mary]

I tried to stay awake, but it had been a long day and I was starting to doze off when I heard someone coming. Looking off to my side, I realized Tyrel was heading for Cheyenne, and I could only hope it was to talk and not to continue their earlier argument. As I looked back towards Cheyenne, I saw a man approaching him from behind with a knife, and tried to scream a warning but hardly any sound came out, I was so scared. Thankfully Tyrel kept his wits about him, and almost immediately started firing at the man. That snapped Cheyenne to attention, and he fired as well. I still had my pistol in my hand, but I didn't have a clear shot, and wasn't about to risk hitting Cheyenne.

 

They had both emptied their pistols, and were starting to reload when someone grabbed me from behind. He wrapped his arms around me so tightly I couldn't move, much less bring either the pistol or my knife up to defend myself. All I could do was scream for Cheyenne and Tyrel, thankfully some sound came out this time. The man holding me tried to keep me between himself and the other men, but Cheyenne managed to get a few shots into him anyway. Those bullets came awfully close, but the man was much wider than I was, enough of him stuck out on either side of me for Cheyenne to put enough bullets in him that he finally let me go and fell back.

 

Tyrel stepped forward to finish the man off, as Cheyenne tried to calm me down. I was having flashbacks to the first time I was ever attacked by a drunk in the saloon where I'd worked, and I couldn't stop shaking. Next thing I knew Mattie was beside us as well, hugging us and crying with relief. Red had come running as well, and he tried to insist that Mattie and I return to the freight wagon, but Tyrel shook his head. “Those two probably weren't alone, the girls are safer sticking closer to us. Lets get out of the light though, we're making attractive targets standing here.” Mattie still had a good hold on Cheyenne, so Tyrel came over and put his arm around my shoulder.

 

“Time to calm down honey, we might need you to help us out before tonight is over,” he told me, as he was leading me further back into the trees. I knew he was right, we weren't out of danger yet, and the men needed both of us girls to be able to fight if necessary. Mattie was starting to calm down as well, I think Cheyenne had a lot to do with that, but he still didn't look very happy about Tyrel having his arm around me....

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

I always enjoyed the early watch, when all is quiet and peaceful and usually it was, but still every once in a while things would get exciting. So you enjoy the work, but you do it, listening for anything out of the ordinary watching what was there to be seen, using your nose to smell out danger you are ALIVE during these times-alert, focused on everything-and nothing at the same time.

 

I moved off just a bit where the smell of the fire was downwind a bit and I had a good view in all directions, only then did I take an easy breath. The night was cold, biting cold wind at times, though the spring was well underway. I walked the perimeter one final time and woke Tom.

 

I pulled out the bedroll I had taken off a Lazy S DD's horse and crawled in, my head on my saddle. . . .

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

I pulled Mattie off into the shadows with me, her perfume filling my senses. I looked down at her and whispered for her to stay with Calico and Tyrel while I went to finish some business. I turned to go and felt her lips brush across mine as I turned to leave. I heard a grunt come from Calico's direction as I slipped off into the darkness looking for anymore accomplices.

 

I slipped off my boots and going barefoot I circled around towards where the men had come from, moving like a cat searching for the mouse he can smell, but can't see. I heard the jingle of a spur off to my right and almost chuckled out loud. "Fool" I thought as I listened for more sounds. I heard it again and then the muffled sound of a man swearing. There he was, bending over trying to remove his spurs. I slipped up behind him, my knife drawn and held it at the man's neck ready to open him from ear to ear. The man froze, "You the last of them?" I asked, he nodded yes and then tried to turn on me, slitting his throat and windpipe nearly clean through and through.

 

I was almost back to the others when I heard riders coming into the camp. I could make out Bill's gray before I could make out him and relaxed a bit until I heard Calico scream. She had her pistol pointed straight at Bill as I jumped in front of her, hearing the muzzle blast and then the crushing weight of the bullet hitting me midsection. I heard a loud grunt come from deep within me as I crumpled to the ground. I grabbed at the sight of the pain and smiled, it had hit the leather covered steel plate that I wore under my shirt. But wow, did that hurt. I was about to get up when I heard Calico and Mattie crying as I began smelling their combined perfumes.

 

Calico had my head in her lap, tears streaming down onto my face as Mattie was kneeling beside me tearing at my shirt. The crying stopped abruptly as the leather covered plate was discovered. I sure liked it better when they thought I was seriously hurt, now? not so much!

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

The moon was up and shining bright when the Colonel woke me for my turn.

 

He'd gone to his bedroll and fallen strait to sleep, as so many old soldiers did out of habit. I guess during their campains they'd learned to get their sleep whenever they could, and not to waste time gettin to it.

 

I thought I'd seen some small blue flowers when we made camp, and though the blooms would be closed now during the night I headed away from the fire a few yards and found a few plants. These I dug up with knife. It was a smaller knife than most carried in this country, but I found it easier for the camp chores I used it for most. It's slim blade was long enough to reach vitals, if it came to that, but I much preferred my guns.

 

The roots of the plant were what I wanted, though this time of year the leaves could be eaten as well. Later in the summer as it became drier the plant was still edible, but horribly bitter.

 

I cut a sliver from my dwindling chunk of tabacco instead and took the roots back to the fire where I roasted them for a while. Once they were dry I moved off a piece and found a flat rock and started breaking the roots apart and grinding them to powder.

 

I didn't get much, but I got enough for tonight.

 

I went to the captured horses and took a tin canteen from it's saddle, dumping the ground up roots into it I set it on the coals at the edge of the fire with the cap off.

 

I moved off far enough to hear the sounds of the night a little clearer, but close enough to hear the hiss when the canteen boiled over, finding a soft rock I sat down to wait and listen.

 

I doubted any of the men would enjoy the contents of the canteen, but those contents had gotten the south through the war when they couldn't get coffee. So I knew they be familiar with it at the least. A Cajun cowboy had introduced me to the plant, though at the moment I couldn't remember what it's name was. Apparently it was still preferred to coffee down New Orleans way...

 

Sounds carried for miles out here in the still of the night, and sometimes in that stillness a man can't be sure he's hearing a sound or imagining it. I had heard enough gunfire in my life that there was no question when the sounds of several shots drifted to me though, and just as I was standing up there were several more.

 

I turned back toward the fire to see Hawk standing a few feet from me, the breed was deadly quiet I realized... We looked at each other for an instant in the pale light of the moon, then without a word he moved toward the Colonel and Blackwater and I moved toward our horses and saddles.

 

I heard a hiss from the canteen and looked over my shoulder to see Hawk move it away from the fire.

 

I had no idea how far off the shots were, maybe hawk did. At least we'd have a hot drink to send us off on this cold night.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I went to the Colonel and woke him, making a sign not to make any noise and pointing toward where Tom and I had heard the gun fire earlier before. Tom work Blackwater and told him the same.

 

I then went over to the fire and took the boiling canteen away from the fire and poured myself a cup of the steamy brew and whispered, "Chicory.....drink up ! Gonna snow before long, I can smell it coming !" With that I took Blackwater's flask, holding it up as if asking permission, and poured a shot of that wonderful sour mash into the hot liquid. Terrible waste of good sour mash, but the wind was coming up and it was going to get worse before it got better.

 

"Where Hawk ?" The Colonel asked me and I pointed due south. "There ......about 4 or 5 miles. 2 shots no more. " I sipped on the hot water and whiskey.

 

Tom walked over and joined me, .....he seemed worried as how I could seem to judge things in this country and he could not, even though he has been trailing a dead man in it for a dozen years. So he asked me about it and I replied..."You must listen to Mother Earth when she talks and listen to Father Sky when he sings. All things here are brothers and sisters and have a story to tell you if you will slow down and listen to them. Don't listen only with you ears, but with you're heart, mind and spirit."

 

Blackwater came up, chewing on a piece of elk and sipping on some chicory and asked Tom, "Did Ole Pache sleep ?"

 

Tom shook his head and said , "I don't know cause I heard those shots far off...when I turned around, there was Hawk, standing in his buffalo robe behind me. I'm glad he's my friend because if he was my enemy, we would both be dead now."

 

Blackwater adjusted his blanket and laid his hand on Tom's shoulder as he walked away saying, "Told ya Old Pache never sleeps !"

[Blackwater 53393]

I joined J. Mark at the fire. "This stuff ain't no better than coffee!" I splashed the few remaining drops into the dirt. "We gonna' go hunt trouble again?"

 

"I think we rest 'til dawn and and ride that way slowly." the colonel said. "We lose the four horses we rode in here on before we get to where the shooting was. They can't see our fire. The ridge blocks their view. Unless they saw us ride in, which I don't believe, they can't know we're here.

 

"We're down wind of 'em too," said Hawk as he joined us. "Tom's seen to the horses. They're picketed propper."

 

"Tom thought he heard more shots," I looked at Hawk.

 

"Echos." the halfbreed grunted. "Out here sound does funny things. Both times the patern was exactly the same, two far appart and two real close together. men couldn't do that if they tried."

 

"Reckon it was signals?" Tom asked as he joined us.

 

"Coulda' been some pilgrim shootin' a coyote" Flint mused.

 

"Or a snake," Hawk chuckled.

 

"Well it was too close to be our wagons. They're another two days ride at least," I pointed out. "Whoever it was, I expect we'll find out a little after sun-up."

 

"We'll pull out just before sunrise." the colonel added. "Let's get some rest!" He rose and headed back to his bedroll.

 

"Tom! You come get me in a couple of hours." I said as I rose to find my bed as well. "Hawk, he's got this covered. Bed down for a spell and I'll come for you later."

 

Hawk nodded to Tom and stood up. He walked to the far side of the fire and sat on a deadfall we had pulled up to the fire for a seat. He wrapped the buffalo robe tightly around him and let his head drop to where his chin rested on his chest.

 

Tom sat by the fire for a few minutes to warm himself. Then he walked again into the darkness under the stars.

 

The rest of the night passed without disturbance. i relieved Tom and he bedded down by the fire using one of the newly aquired bedrolls. I in turn passed the watch duties to Hawk who stood as I came to the fire to get him and picked up his Henry. Without a word he vanished in the direction of the top of the ridge. It was only a few hours until sunrise. I loose saddled the sorrel and checked his hooves and shoes and those of the dunn. Still solid. I took the extra weapons that had been lashed to the dunn yesterday and made better preparation for them to be brought along. I returned to my bedroll and fell back to sleep. I could be in the saddle in less than two minutes, ready to take the field.

 

The sun rose on an empty camp, the fire doused and cold and no one remaining. By full sunrise we were already more than a mile south of the camp. I turned the dead man's horse loose and threw a couple of stones to chase him away. He trotted a couple hundred yards away, stood for a moment looking back, then headed slowly west. I stepped back into the saddle and rejoined the others. Hawk had been right. The sky was becoming an ugly grey and the wind had a new bite to it. No matter what, we'd need to find good shelter before this day was finished.

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

The weather was ominous and it was time to move with some haste. I rode up to Hawk and signaled Tom and Blackwater to join us. "The weather coming in could get bad. If we can make Cucharas Pass there's an old mining cabin, It ain't much, but it has a fireplace and most of a roof and four walls. It's a good 20 miles from here though."

 

Tom spoke up "Well, it sounds like a better plan than freezing to death. If you think we can make it, lead on. One thing though, how do you know this area so well?"

 

I thought Blackwater was going to shoot him on my behalf, but I answered first. "Tom, that's a question you ought to know better than to ask."''

[Tyrel Cody]

Well no wonder Pepper was so confident, never heard of anyone wearing a steel plate for undergarments. Thankfully no one from our motley crew was hurt too bad; although Pepper was going to be sore for a while. Looks like Bill found something stumbling around out in the dark.

 

"Hey Bill," I said, "Looks like you found a varmint. Why don't you settle down and rest a bit. Mary, can you and Mattie stay awake and help Bill keep an eye out? Me an Pepper need to take this here critter over to the other side of the water hole and make it talk. If you hear screaming just try to ignore it."

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

DA** , y'all has gone plum loco , the whole lot of ya is trigger happy

 

Tell me , has anyone of youse heard a bobwhite quail call in the middle of the nite ?

 

what I brought ya was one, Sandy Smith , he is a real prince , one of the worst backshooters in the panhandle

 

find out how many more be in that camp , if they don't come lookin tonite

 

think we should hit em at first lite ,

 

anyone know this brand ?, don't think I have ever seen it before

 

Cul Pepper , a steel plate ? , for real ? Mary , NOW , ya know to shoot em in the head

 

do me a favor , leave him just a bit alive , so he will feel it when I take his scalp later right before I kill him

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

I was a little disappointed that Tyrel wanted me to help interogate the man that Bill had brought into camp with him. Calico was starting to feel a little guilty over shooting me, even if no harm had been done. Mattie was acting pretty perturbed at Calico and I sure didn't want the two of them getting into it, the last time that had happened it didn't have a good outcome.

 

I looked over at Bama, who didn't look like he was feeling to good, and he just nodded his head in the direction that Tyrel had taken Sandy. Hoping to make things easier I grabbed the bag with Crosseyed Willy's head in it, it was starting to get a tad bit ripe, and joined Tyrel. I threw the bag at Smith who was sitting on the ground. "Open it" I told him, which he did and then threw up.

 

"He wouldn't talk either" I lied as I looked down on him. Smith looked up at me as he wiped his mouth of the vomit and snarled, "I know you, the men you take in ain't breathing a lick, I ain't gonna say a word except where did you find those whores that were hugging on you?" I tried to take his head off with my knife but he saw it coming and ducked just as my knife whipped by his head taking off his ear.

 

I picked up his ear and threw it into his lap, "here, I can't put it back on, but unless you talk to the One that can in a hurry, you're gonna be standing before him before dawn". He cussed me calling me a whoremonger and I kicked his chin rolling him over into the brush.

 

Tyrel pulled Smith out of the brush and slit the man's cheek wide open then knocked him to the ground. Tyrel was muttering something that I couldn't make out, but he grabbed the man's hand and sliced Smith's thumb clean off, and then he stomped on it. "Ready to talk?" I asked Smith. "Only if you promise to make it quick" Smith grunted.

 

 

[Blackwater 53393]

Even when I turned the horse loose we had four more of the LazyS-DD horses in the remuda. Twenty miles, It was still early in the day. In earlier days I'd done more miles in a day with only one horse. I'd come to respect good horseflesh as I'd lived longer. The worst of it was we didn't have the best cold weather gear. All of our really heavy gear was still in packs in the wagons. All except Hawk. That buffalo robe was ideal for what we faced.

 

Our best chance to avoid frostbite was to get to shelter as quickly as we could. At least the bedrolls of our departed adversaries were top quality. The blankets were wool and the ground cloths were new canvas. I unrolled the bedroll and wrapped myself, hat and all, in the blanket. I shook out the canvas and cut a strip from it with my knife, tied it at my waist, then draped the rest over me so that it covered me to my boot tops. I pulled on the only pair of gloves I had, a thin pair made of kid leather. The others did similar things and we remounted minutes later and urged our mounts and the spare horses on south.

 

Hawk was easily the most comfortable amongst us. He led a few yards ahead with Flint and Tom following closely. I rode drag and often checked our back trail. We'd passed the point where the gunshots had come from the night before. Whoever had fired those shots or at least one of the shots was still out there. Better safe than sorry.

 

Shortly after noon it began to sleet, lightly at first, whipped by the wind. We quickened our pace yet again. I was thankful for the canvas. While it slapped around some at tne edges, it completely stopped the wind and the sleet just softly rattled off. We stopped after a couple of hours to change horses. I wiped the back of the sorrel down with the saddle blanket and put it over onto one of the other horses, dry side down and threw my saddle onto his back and looped the cinch. I pulled it tight, nudged his flank with my knee and jerked the cinch again. I tied the reigns of the sorrel to the dunn and turned to mount up. "Any of you feeling sleepy?" I knew how death from cold started. I'd seen it before.

 

"Couple of hours and we'll find the cabin!" the colonel called. "Let's ride!"

 

We mounted as a unit and set off again south, matching the pace we'd set before the stop.