Best Medicine for Daisy
Me and Will worked our way west. We took any job we could find. With the money we earned we looked to find us a couple of good
horses.
Travelin' by foot was takin' too long, we needed to find us a couple of good horses. This is when I met up with Traveler and
we would spend many good and bad adventure years together. I'd feel lost without him. Before I bought him I took him out for a
ride and he was a right quick and smart. His gait was like a rockin' horse and not a single bad habit I could find. I liked
him. But when I looked him over for any flaws before I spent my hard earned money, I noticed he was wearin' a well known Texas
brand known for their quality horses. I felt an instant kinship to this horse. I had to have him. It was like findin' a long
lost brother when I saw that brand. And he has never disappointed me. He was to become my best friend, often my only one. I
could always depend on him bein’ there for me.
After saving up some more money I finally was able to buy myself a new gun rig and hand iron. What a difference a fitted belt
was over a used belt. The army rigs were difficult, as far as I was concerned. With this new rig I felt comfortable with a gun
on my hip, again. I practiced often and got my fast draw back. My aim was still good; I had plenty of practice shootin' in the
army. I remembered the tricks Tom and Jim taught me about making for a smoother, faster draw and got me some grease and worked
the leather of the holster. I did my own adjustments to my gun and got a feel for my new rig. Will disapproved of my actions
and let me know it. But I was determined so he didn't push it. We continued on west to his home.
"Daisy, are you sure you don't want to get some rest now?' Jess said with great concern.
"No, Jess. I find your voice so soothing." Daisy said, and coughed, but the sound was not as raspy as it had been.
"How about more water? Jess asked, seeking to ease the cough for her.
"Thanks, dear." She said as Jess helped her drink more water. "I really am feeling much better. I may want some broth come
morning."
"That's great, Daisy. You want me to go make some up now?”
"No. Just talk to me. I am enjoying this time with you so much."
"Okay. Here, let me wipe your face for you. You don't feel as warm as you did. I sure hope your fever is breakin’”, Jess said
as he put the cloth back in the bowl and took her hand as he sat back down.
"Let's see, where was I. Oh yeah ---"
When we got to Missouri, and not far from his folks' home, night was overtakin' us. We stopped by an ol' gentleman’s house on
the way to Will's house. It turned out to be Jim Bridger. I heard about him when I was a kid. They named a fort after him, not
far from here.
He was in poor health with arthritis, rheumatis' and a few other ailments, but he welcomed the company since he was alone, now.
He had been widowed three times and had five kids, all of um back east gettin' educated. Jim laughed at how smart they would
be, seein' as he couldn't read nor write. As anxious as Will was to get home, we were enjoyin' the company of Jim so much we
ended up stayin' there a couple of days. The horses did need a rest and the company was welcome by all of us, especially Jim.
Now this was a man who could spin a yarn or two. He told us all about all kinds of fantastic stuff he saw over the years. Told
us about fightin' the Indians and later livin' with them. He had married a Flathead woman and had three children with her.
When she passed away he married a Shoshone chief's daughter but she died shortly afterward in childbirth. He then married
another Shoshone and had two more children. He said the Indian people were so impressed with him; he had been made chief by
five different tribes.
Through his experiences with the Indians, I reckon I have a new way of lookin' at what the Indians had to do to try and survive.
I understand so much more, now. I sure wish things coulda been different.Too much damage had already been done to think to try
and repair it.
My favorite story was about Jim bein' followed by a hundred Indians and found himself cornered in a boxed canyon. Of course we
eagerly asked him what happened and he said "they kilt me" and he laughed and laughed. Now we knew he was funnin' with us. But
after that we didn't know which of his stories to believe.
A short time after leavin' Jim's place we reached Will's folk's home. His folks were so happy to see him. They wanted me to
tay on, too, and after meetin' Will's sister. Emma, I was tempted. But I needed to find what was left of my family. I stayed a
couple of days to rest my horse and get some good eatin'. That was the hard part of leavin'. Will's Ma was a great cook. Then
it was time to set out to find Francie and hopin' she was still in Texas.
It was a long and lonely ride without Will to keep me company. Now Traveler was my only friend. Again, I took any job I could
find and found my skill with a gun was something I could sell. There were so many range wars goin' on and they were always
lookin' for a fast gun with a sure shot who could wrangle cattle. I really tried to stay out of those battles, but it is pretty
hard not to take sides with the one you’re workin' for and especially if you think he’s right. I reckon a lot of right and
wrong back then just depended on who you were workin' for.
I never stayed in one place for long. I wanted to get back to Texas and see Francie. With all the hard ridin' and workin' fences
and wranglin' my hands were turnin' callous. I remembered my gloves, the ones they made me throw away when I joined up with the
army. I remembered how much easier my life was with my gloves. It was like they cut my soul from me when they made me throw
them away. In some ways it was good. My hands toughened up again over all the years without them. But I missed the feel my hands
had without the calluses. I searched for a perfect pair and finally found a pair just east of the Texas border. A little
practice and limberin' of the leather, I had my soul back.
When I got back to the panhandle I looked for the Brady farm. I also had the Banister brothers on my mind. Somehow, despite the
years between, coming back brought the memories of the fire and all the pain fresh into my mind again. I had some settlin' up
to do with them. But Francie was at the top of my mind. I missed her so much. She was really the only kin I had left worth
keepin'.
I found the Brady farm, but the Brady's were no longer livin’ there. A young couple were tendin' the farm, now. They were kind
and allowed me to bunk there before settin’ off in the morning to try and find Francie. As I lay in my bunk I started to work
out how I was gonna get Banister. In the mornin’ I said my goodbyes to the Harris'. I thanked them, again, and left disappointed
that I had not found Francie. Banister haunted my thoughts now and the need for revenge burned inside of me again, This became
my obsession.
I rode to town and asked questions about Francie and if anyone knew of her whereabouts. No one knew anything. I also asked
about Banister and I found out he had been raidin’ again, during and after the war and was on the run from the law. This could
make things difficult to try and find him. I heard about possible sighings. It appeared he was headin’ north, rather than south
to Mexico. This puzzled me, but I was willin’ to travel to the ends of the earth to find him. He was gonna pay for what he did
to me, and my family.
I reckon I was askin' too many questions or somethin'. Someone musta been feelin' uneasy and wanted me gone. The next thing I
knew there is a wanted poster out about me for a robbery. After all this time, it couldn't be the robbery with Jim and his gang
before the war. There had to be a mistake. I knew I better make myself scarce in Texas and started headin' north hopin' to find
Banister's trail.
I reckon I wasn't movin' fast enough. A small posse caught up with me. I didn't fight back when they rode down on me. I knew
there was a mistake and I would try to get it fixed so gave myself up. One of the men shouted to the others that he recognized
me from a wanted dead or alive poster, too. He was sure I was the banditio who killed the sheriff in El Paso. He convinced them
I wasn't worth takin' to town. He got them all riled up that I was a murderer and what if I should get away and murder all their
families. And if I was wanted dead or alive, why should they have to take any more chances to let me get away.
All of a sudden they weren't in the mood for a trial, just a hangin'. Next thing I knew, my hands were tied behind my back and
there I was on my horse with a rope around my neck. Someone shot off a gun and my horse spooked out from under me. I felt a
sharp tug and I was unable to breathe, but I was aware I was still alive.
Things were startin’ to go black when I felt myself hit the ground and someone was quickly loosenin' the rope from around my
neck. I was able to breathe and air never tasted so sweet. I tried to thank the man who was removin' the rope, but couldn't
talk. My throat felt like it was collapsed. It was raw and dry on the inside and was burnin’ on the outside.
I reckon I was lucky the posse didn't have much experience for hangin' folks. If the rope had been placed right it would had
broken my neck and I wouldn't had strangled, but then, the stranger would have been too late to save me. Again, it wasn't my
time to die. Another close call but I was still here. Been better, but been worse, too.
The stranger stood over me arguing with the posse when another posse rode up. The stranger told the new posse what happened and
was tryin' to talk the others into takin' me to town for real justice. Luckily the town sheriff was with this new posse and
agreed with the stranger. If this man hadn't come along and cut me down when he did, I wouldn't be here to tell this story. I
never got a good look at him, I was a bit out of my head and I never learned his name. The sheriff and his men put me on my
horse to take me to town and the stranger rode off without anyone noticin’. I never got to thank him.
They took me back to town and put me in a small cell in the jail. The sheriff was kind enough to get the town doc to check me
over. The doc reckoned I'd live to see my trial and would be able to talk by the time the judge came to town.
It took over three weeks for the circuit judge to come to town and I learned I sure don't care much for spendin' any time in
jail. Three weeks with nothin' to do can drive a man crazy. When my throat healed enough that I could talk, there was no one to
talk to except the deputy. He wasn't around much, and when he was he didn't cotton to talkin' to prisoners. Then there was the
occasional drunk, who usually didn't have much to say just there to spend the night and sleep it off before bein' released in
the mornin'. If they got sick in their cell, it laid there till mornin'. It took a strong stomach to sleep in those conditions,
much less think about eatin' anything.
When the day of my trial came they had caught up with the gang that did the robbery and they cleared me of all charges and I
was free to go. I decided to leave town as quickly as I could, before they changed their minds. My neck still wasn't completely
healed from the rope burn; I sure didn't want to give them another chance. That old man who swore I was wanted dead or alive in
El Paso might be out looking' for me if he thought he could kill me for a bounty. The sheriff went through his drawer of posters
but never found anything else on me except the robbery one that proved to be a mistake, so he had to let me go.
I set out headin' north, again. I wanted to lay as much land between me and that town before someone else thought the wanted
poster was worth collecting' on. It sure is amazin' how long those things stay around to haunt you. I've had to explain myself
more than once over the years. Good thing I had a letter proven' my innocence, for that robbery. Anyway, I reckon it was some
kind of justice spending' some time in jail for a robbery I didn't do, seein' as I never got caught for the one I was involved
in.
I signed on to a cattle drive goin' to Missouri. I was so glad to be working' and movin' in the direction I wanted to be goin'.
I had pocket money in my jeans, food and coffee always on time, and the best part, a well behaved herd of cattle to drive. We
made good time and had good weather the whole drive and it wasn't long before I was in Missouri.
We settled the herd just south of Will's place. I took my pay and headed straight to see Will. I rode to his folk’s farm but
it was very late. I put Traveler up in the barn and bedded myself down there for the night. It didn't feel right to wake them
so late. They were up real early and Will's Pa found me sleepin' in the barn. He was surprised to see me but he let me sleep
while he did his mornin' chores before breakfast. He woke me when he was called to breakfast.
Mrs. Tibbs and Will's sister, Emma, were surprised and happy to see me. Mrs. Tibbs went and made more bacon and eggs for me to
join the family for a most welcome meal. Trail food just don't measure up to good home cookin' and Will's Ma was a real good
cook. And of course, there was plenty of coffee.
I missed Will and asked where he was. His Pa told me that Will found himself a wife and got himself a homestead in Colorado.
I couldn't believe so much had happened since I left to go to Texas and back. Mr. Tibbs said he was seriously thinkin' about
movin' to Colorado too. He said he was tired of puttin' up with all the twisters.
After breakfast I helped out with some of the chores. Emma was gonna do some laundry, so I helped carry water buckets for her.
I never forgot how pretty she was, but I swear she was more beautiful than when I left.
I told her a little about my trip to and from Texas, but left out a lot that I felt I shouldn't tell any of them about. I did
tell her I never found my sister and had no leads to find her. I had hoped comin' back to the farm, Will's offer to be a partner
was still open. She smiled and said that she thought he would love to have me helpin' with the farm in Colorado. She said she
missed him terribly. He just came home from the war and was gone again. But at least, under happier circumstances, this time.
She said she hoped her Pa was serious about movin' out to Colorado. She said that Will had written how beautiful the mountains
were and it was good, unspoiled land. She wanted to see the family all together, again.
Mr. Tibbs called to me to see if I wanted to ride to town with him for supplies or would I'd rather stay and help with the
laundry. I said no and hurried to the buckboard to ride with him so we could talk. He told me all about the homestead Will had
and the home he had built and about some land close by that he wanted to see his folks come settle on. I told him I wanted to
see Will and asked if he could give me directions. He said when we got back to the house he would draw me up a simple map.
I stayed a few days and before settin’ out to find Will. This figured well into my plans since I had heard word of the Banister
Brothers bein' seen in Colorado. Maybe my luck was gonna change, in many ways.
We all said our goodbyes and Emma gave me a hug to take to Will. Mrs. Tibbs brought out a huge sack for me to take with me. I
rode out with enough food to keep me goin' for days, so I seldom needed to spend time lookin' for work before gettin' to
Colorado.
I spent a day here and there to earn some food and a bed for the night by helpin' with brandin’ calves, or wranglin' some
steers. I even learned how to shear sheep, but I wouldn't admit that to anyone, but you.
On one of the ranches I found a pair of chaps would keep me warm on colder days and keep thorny brush from leavin' my legs
bloody from deep scratches. They became an important part of my gear. With movin' north and weather gettin' colder, they
seemed like a good investment. I wished I had found them long before this.
Once in Colorado I wasted no time findin' Will's farm. His Pa gave me excellent directions, never got lost even once, and the
country was as beautiful as Emma said it was in Will's letter. I thought about her seein’ all this for the first time. I wished
I could be the one to show it to her.
I rode into Will's yard and a pretty lady was out in the garden pickin' vegetables. When she turned to see who was ridin' in, I
could see Will wasn't wastin' any time in startin' that family. She waved as she came walkin' over to where I stopped my horse.
I introduced myself and she said she was so pleased to meet me. She said Will talked about me all the time. She said her name
was Ann. I asked where WIll was and she said he was in town pickin' up some supplies and lumber but he would be back shortly.
She asked if I wanted some coffee, and well, you know me, I can never turn down a cup of coffee, so I said, sure. I helped her
carry her vegetables into the house and she put on the coffee pot then took the vegetable from me and put them in a bowl. She
set out two cups and told me to sit down, the coffee would be done in no time.
We had a long talk over a few cups of coffee. She told me about some trouble one of the land barons, Blake Wilkey was givin'
Will and all the other small farmers in the area. He wanted to buy up all the land to keep it open range. He hated the fences
the farmers were buildin' it was ruinin' his plans. If he couldn't own all the land, he wanted full use of it as open range.
The farmers were gettin' in his way and he was lettin' them know it.
I was anxious to see Will and asked how he would be comin' back to the farm. She said there was only one road to town and he
would be comin' back on it. I decided to ride out and meet him. I wanted to talk to him more about the problems he was havin'
with this Wilkey, but wanted to talk to him alone. I thanked Ann for the coffee and told her I would be back with Will. I
mounted Traveler and headed toward town.
I was only out about fifteen minutes when I saw a wagon comin' in my direction. It was Will. I rode into some cover and hid
from the comin' wagon. When it reached me I rode out as the wagon passed me and said howdy to Will.
He pulled back hard on the reins and jumped off the wagon almost before the horses came to a full stop. He recognized my voice
and was so happy to see me and had so many questions. I tied my horse to the back of the wagon and we rode back to the farm
together. I told Will about everything that happened in Texas. He laughed and shook his head and said how if I'm not lookin'
for trouble, trouble is lookin' for me. I laughed and told him, yeah, sometimes I even run with scissors. He reminded me how
dangerous that can be and that I should stick to playin' with my gun.
I noticed Will was wearin' a gun now. I wondered if it had anything to do with Wilkey. As we came up on the farm he started to
tell me about Wilkey and some of the problems he had been creatin' for the small farmers in the area. I told him that maybe it
was a good thing I decided to stop by since I had been involved in a few range wars, already. I think now Will was glad that I
could handle a gun, but he did say he wanted everything settled peacefully, if possible. I told him most people do, but
sometimes things just don't happen that way. He had to agree with me. He said it could be a bigger problem than just Wilkey.
Blake Wilkey pretty much owned the town, includin' the law. Yeah, that could complicate things.
I helped Will unload the wagon and Ann made us more coffee while she prepared dinner. We all sat down to drink our coffee and
talked a little longer till dinner was done. Durin' dinner Will told me about his dream of turnin' his farm into a ranch,
someday. Ann asked how long I could stay and I told her I wasn’t goin' anywhere in a hurry. She said good, then you can stay
with us. I thanked her and said I didn't want to impose, but Will insisted. They had plenty of room since they built the house
plannin' to have a large family.
While Will and I went outdoors to do evenin' chores, Ann set up one of the bedrooms for me to stay in. Will told me about all
his plans, again and told me he still could use a partner if I was interested. He said I could stay at the house until I found
where I might want to build to start my family. I laughed at the thought of me havin' a family. How hard had I fought tryin'
not to be a sodbuster and here I was seriously thinkin' about settlin' down to do some farmin'. Of course, ownin' your own farm
is a lot different than share croppin'.
Will asked if I remembered Emma. I said yeah. I told him I stopped at his folks place first and his Pa told me that he had
moved and how to find him. He said he told Emma all about me and what a good friend I was. He said he thought it sure would
be fine if I became his brother-in-law. This kinda startled me, but it also gave me a warm feelin'. Maybe I found somethin’ to
settle my restless driftin' ways. We talked a little more about Emma and Will hinted that she seemed a little sweet on me. I
reckon I blushed or somethin' cause Will asked me if I was okay. I told him to rein it all in. All this was comin' too fast at
me. I wasn't sure whether I was ready to make all these commitments. But I have to admit, it all sounded very temptin'.
Will told me about his folk's plans to sell out and move to Willow and Emma would be comin' with them. He found them a good
stake and it was just a matter of time and they would all be back together again. I told him his Pa had told me all about it
and how anxious he was to get away from the twisters. I was quite taken with the idea of havin' Emma close by and to give more
thought to Will's matchmakin'. I could do a lot worse.
The next mornin' I woke to the sound of several horses ridin' into the farm. I quickly grabbed my gun expectin' trouble. I got
dressed and came out of the bedroom to see Ann had set out a huge breakfast. The riders were neighbors who had all ridden in to
help with a barn raisin'. Will apologized for not tellin' me about the barn raisin' but he was so surprised to see me it
slipped his mind. The wood I helped him unload yesterday was for buildin' that barn. When Ann reminded him about the neighbors
comin' in the mornin' I had already gone to bed and he had hoped I would be up before they all arrived. He didn't want to wake
me just to tell me about the barn raisin'. But they arrived earlier than he expected.
We went out to meet with the men. Ann brought out cups and served coffee to everyone. One of the men introduced himself and
asked how I was and if I planned to stay awhile. I told him I wasn't real sure, but givin' it some thought. Will introduced me
around as we finished our coffee. On the road we heard more horses comin', it was the women folk and children comin' in
buckboards and wagons bringin' prepared food.
Everyone was ready to work all day on raisin' the barn, and the women folk were sure to keep us all feed and in plenty of
coffee. We had a wonderful lunch at noon then continued on with the barn until the sun was gettin' low in the sky. Food was set
out again and we all had a fine evenin'. I got to know so many fine people. All the more to think on for about settlin' down.
I started givin' thought to what Will said about bein' his brother-in-law. The idea thrilled me but also scared me to death.
Who knows what could happen if I settled in and the Wills family moved nearby.
The ladies cleared things up while the men passed around a jug. Many of the children that chased chickens and each other all
day were tuckered out and asleep in the wagons, already. At dusk the women said their goodbyes, all huggin' each other and
then headed for home. Ann passed around more coffee and it was dark when the men folk left. Some said they would be back in the
mornin' to help with finishin' off the barn. It was almost all up. A couple more hours and the heavy work would be done.
When we went into the house Will asked me again, what I thought about a partnership. I didn't need to put any money into the
place, I could work my way into the partnership. I thanked him, again, and told him I was givin' it serious thought and to just
give me a little more thinkin' time.
The next mornin' we were up and fed before the men rode in. We spent till noon workin' on the barn and it was almost finished
on the outside. Will and I could finish the inside ourselves. Ann fed us all a fine meal and remarked on how nice the barn
looked. After we finished eatin' we could tell the neighbor men were reluctant to go back home and fall back into the routine
of doin' their daily chores. We thanked them for all their help and offered to be at their service if they ever needed our
help.
Will and me worked on the inside of the barn for the rest of the day.
We wanted to get the animals out of the lean-to and into something more sturdy. Then we wanted to do some work on the lean-to
to sturdy it up for shelter when the stock was out in the pasture.
The days passed quickly and there was a lot of work to do. Fences to build, crops to plant. We went to some of the farms and
bought a few more head of cattle. Will was serious about buildin' into a ranch, someday, and it looked like it would be sooner
than later.
It was a little over a month when I was workin' in the barn that a stranger rode in. Will and Ann were in town and I was all
alone. I came out of the barn to greet the stranger and didn't know it, but found myself face to face with Blake Wilkey. He
asked who I was and I told him, that's when he told me his name. I felt a little uneasy from everything I heard about him and I
wasn't wearin' my gun. A mistake I wouldn't make again, if I survived this encounter. I could see it in his eyes, he was a
dangerous man. I’d seen his look many times and none of those times ever ended up without someone gettin' hurt or dead.
I didn't like the way he was lookin' over the barn and the cattle and horses grazin' out in the pasture. His eyes were empty
like there was no soul behind them. I saw evil in his look as he continued to look over the house and the rest of the spread.
He asked if I was stayin' and I told him, maybe. I think that was when I made up my mind I was stayin'. I feared for Will and
his family. I met too many men like Wilkey before and I knew he was big trouble. With no one to stand up to him he would have
his way with these gentle people and I wasn't gonna let that happen. To get what he wanted killin' someone was not given a
second thought. If you got in his way, you didn't stand a chance.
He said to tell Will that he stopped by to see if Will would take his offer. Offer? I didn't know anything about it but I told
him I didn't think Will was interested. As he turned to ride away he said, if I were you mister, I would move on. You don't
need to get into any of this. I asked him into what? He wheeled his horse around and said I could be bittin’ off more than I
could chew. I told him that he had no idea who he was dealin' with and my chewin' was good. I had sharp teeth. He laughed and
asked, sodbuster, do you really think you can stand up to me? I told him yeah and all by myself. He told me I had been warned
and he rode out.
When Will and Ann got back to the farm I helped them unload the wagon. I didn't want to upset Ann so I told Will I had to show
him somethin’ in the barn and needed his advise how to fix it. He followed me to the barn and I told him about Wilkey's visit.
I asked about the offer. Will said it was just an offer and it didn't mean nothin'. Just Wilkey's way. He asked if the visit
from Wilkey was why I was wearin' my gun. I told him yeah, I was expectin' trouble and didn't want to be caught empty handed,
again. Will begged me to not be the one to start any trouble. He said Wilkey had many men on his side and the farmers had
families and couldn't afford to take a stand against him. I promised I wouldn't be the one to start anything, but I was gonna
be ready when trouble started.
I asked Will if the offer to be his partner was still open. He was a little hesitant but finally took my hand and shook on it
sayin' welcome partner. He reminded me that I was a sodbuster now, not a gunfighter. I agreed with him, but knew in my heart,
I wasn't ready to lay down my gun, just yet.
We went in the house to eat and Will told Ann that I was officially his partner and that I was stayin'. Ann was so happy, she
hugged Will, then hugged me.
The next time we went to town Will had a letter waitin' for him and there was one for me, too. Will's letter was from his Pa
tellin' him they sold the farm and were packin' up to move out to Willow. My letter was from Emma. I was a bit embarrassed but
also pleased that she thought enough to send me a letter to tell me how excited she was about the move and seein' her brother
and sister-in-law and me. She hoped she would be there in time for the baby's arrival.
Another month went by and while we were out buildin' a new pasture fence we saw a covered wagon headin' down the road in our
direction. We stopped to watch as they got closer and we waved as it was the custom for travelin' settlers, but this wagon
turned and came toward us and up the lane to the farm. Will dropped his tools and ran toward the wagon whoopin' and hollerin'.
It was his folks. They finally made the trip and were here. I couldn't wait to see Emma. We jumped on our horses and met them
and lead them to Will's house. Ann came runnin' out the door, all excited to see her in-laws. Her pregnancy was really showin'
and Mrs. Tibbs couldn't wait to touch that baby bulge.
Hugs and well wishes were shared and the stories of their journey were swapped over coffee. Mr. Tibbs was anxious to see the
parcel of land Will told him about. He just couldn't wait till morning' so Will and his Pa rode out to see the homestead that
would be perfect for him to settle on. I stayed back with the women folk. Never knowing' when to expect Wiley, I didn't want to
see them left by themselves. Emma and I let the married ladies to talk while I took her for a walk to show her around the farm
and future ranch.
I couldn't take my eyes off her. I got to thinking' that Will may have made a match, after all. Time would tell. We really
needed to get to know each other much better. I felt it was only fair that she should know about my past, things her brother
didn't even know about, before she thought anythin’ serious about me. I didn't want to be a disappointment to her. But there
was time later for this kind of talk. I sure didn't want to scare her off before she really got to know me.
It was almost dark when Will and his Pa got back. Emma and me were sittin' on the porch talkin' about all of Will's plans for
the future ranch. I offered to take care of the horses for them so they could get back to their family. Both were mighty
appreciative so they handed me the reins and I walked the horses to the barn to unsaddle them and give them a good rub down
before feedin' them. As always I was talkin' to the horses as I worked with them. I heard a giggle behind me. It was Emma. She
had followed me into the barn and asked me if I always talked to the horses. I told her yeah, and they talk back to me, quite
often. You just have to listen. I told her I have always been more comfortable around horses than around most folks. Horses
always let you know where you stood. People were good at pretendin' to be something else and treat you as if they liked you
then turn and shoot you in the back when you weren't lookin'.
When I finished with the horses Emma and I went inside and joined the family. Will gave me a wink. I tried hard not to notice,
but I know it brought a smile to my face. He was pretty proud of himself for playin' matchmaker.
We all had some coffee and freshly baked cake. Since it was late we all decided it was time to turn in. There weren't enough
beds to go around, so I offered my bed to Emma, alone, of course, and I was gonna bed down in the barn. Will's folks decided
the wagon was good enough for one more night. In the mornin' they would get a room in town while they started to work on
buildin' their house, once the land grant was issued.
In the mornin' we put the wagon in the barn and Will took his family to town in the buckboard to settle them into the hotel.
It didn't take long before the parcel was theirs. It was about two miles away from where Will built his house, but was on
adjoinin' land. This would help when we were ready to go from sodbustin' to ranchin' to have a larger parcel of land to work
with. We would all be partners when the two farms became a ranch.
Things moved pretty fast over the next few months. We helped build the Tibbs house and put up a few fences for some livestock.
We built a small lean-to for shelter for the animals and a barn would be something to look to in the future.
The next week Ann went into labor. I rode for the midwife while Will tended to her needs. I stopped by the hotel to tell the
Tibbs' about the baby comin'. They were out the door before I left to ride on to find the midwife. The midwife and I got back
to the farm in plenty of time and Ann presented Will with a fine baby boy. He had his mother's bright red hair and good husky
bones. He would grow to be quite a man, someday. Mrs. Tibbs was so proud of her new grandson. I didn't think she would ever
give him up to anyone else to hold.
The midwife must have spread the word through town about the baby bein' born. One afternoon Wilkey came ridin' in. I sure didn't
like the looks of him and his men. His smile was not real when he congratulated Will on becomin' a father and how proud he was
of his own son. He hoped Will would be as lucky as he was to raise up a son to be proud of. I heard the threat amongst the
words. Wilkey then asked Will if he had thought about his offer. WIll said he had and no he was goin' to stay.
The smile came off Wiley's face and he looked Will in the eye and told him that now that he had a family he best look out for
what was best for them.
I stood ready with my gun, just in case. Wilkey eyed me and said he was surprised to see me after the advise he had given me.
I told him I liked it here and aimed to stay.
Wilkey turned back to look at Will and said that he heard Will had a new neighbor. Will didn't respond. Wilkey then said, “I
hear their name is the same as yours, Tibbs.” Will took a step forward and told Wilkey to leave them alone. None of this land
was his and it was none of his business who was livin' on it.
One of Wilkey's men moved his hand to his gun butt. So did I. Wilkey said he would see in his own time who belonged where, and
turned his horse purposely bumpin' Will.
The other men then turned to follow Wilkey. The one who I had been watchin' turned and tipped his had to me. I reckon he was
watchin' me too.
Will took this all pretty bad. Not only was he bein' threatened by Wilkey but now his whole family. He was feelin' bad about
puttin' his folks into this situation. If they had stayed in Missouri they woulda been safe.
That night I took Will aside in the barn. I told him that we had better be prepared for trouble. Those men that were with
Wilkey were not ordinary cowpunchers. They were gunmen and the kind who worked for the one who could pay the most money. We
needed to get all the neighborin' farmers together and put together a plan how to handle what we were up against with Wilkey.
He was detemined to have open range no matter what it took and I saw things could get real ugly. Innocent people, women and
even children could be killed. We had to do somethin’.
We decided to call a meeting of all the farmers in about a 30 mile area. The church hall in town said we could meet there, so
we sent out word about a seven o'clock meetin' the next night. After the meetin' we could have a few drinks at the saloon
before headin' home.
The night of the meetin' arrived and Will and me stood at the door to greet the farmers as they arrived. Mrs. Tibbs was inside
servin' coffee as the gentlemen found their seats. Everyone was in good spirits and things looked promisin'.
The meetin' was called to order. Will stood up and told everone why this meetin' was called and that he knew they all were
havin' to deal with threats from WIlkey. We needed to unite in some kind of organization to stand up against Wiley so a
peaceful life could be lived by all.
We discussed the problems, the threats, the actual things that had been done to them, most likely by Wilkey or one of his men.
In most cases it was just destruction of fencing. Threats against family members were made but made to sound more like friendly
concern, but they were threats.
We all agreed to meet in two weeks after we all had time to think about what we could do as an organization to protect our
farms and families.
Most of us wandered over to the saloon once the meetin' broke up.
Naturally some of the talk about the meetin' spilled over to the saloon and with a few drinks some people got loud and some
kinda cocky. Some of Wilkey's men were there, I'm sure, cause it didn't take long for Wilkey to hear about what was goin' on.
It was pretty clear that Will was the ringleader of the group, so we expected most of Wilkey's rath would fall on Will's
shoulders. I expected trouble, but a week went by and things were just too quiet.
Will's folks were nearly finished buildin' their house. Will and I spent a lot of time helpin' with the buildin' only takin'
care of chores at home that were really necessary. When the weather was good Ann would bring young WIll with us to visit with
his grandparents and Aunt Emma.
Emma doted on young Will. I could see she would be a wonderful mother, someday. Emma and me spent a lot of time together while
we were building her home. She often drifted over to help me with what I was workin' on. When she wasn't around, I missed her.
Finally the day came when the house was sound enough for the family to move in. Will and I brought the covered wagon out of our
barn and headed to the Tibbs' farm to meet them to help them move in. They were so happy to not have to return to their small
room back in town and have a place to let Mrs. Tibbs get back to her good cookin'.
They finally felt that they were home.
Young Will had a bad night, so Ann decided to stay home and care for him and do some of the chores to allow us men to help get
the family settled into their new house.
Mrs. Tibbs and Emma prepared a wonderful meal to celebrate their first meal in their new home. Will's Pa wanted us to stay and
pass around the jug, but Will wanted to get home to his wife and son. I was pretty tired, myself, so I was glad to be headed
home and to get to bed early.
When we got back to the farm I took care of the horses while Will checked on the other stock. I could tell he was as tired as
me and was so happy to hear him say let's call it a day. Ann made coffee and had some hot cherry pie waitin' for us. We talked
about the next meetin' in town that was comin' up and how puzzled we were that Wilkey was bein' so quiet. We were hopin' that
he saw the farmers in the area were willin' to take a stand and maybe he was gonna back off.
I spent many evenin’s with Emma since they settled into their new home. She was a fine lady and I really thought this might all
be what I was lookin' for. We went for walks together and rode to visit with neighbors and in time people started to talk about
us as bein' a perfect couple. She coulda done better, but I know I was doin' more than better.
Since the barn was done, we settled into catchin' up with our own chores and not spendin' as much time at Will's folks place,
durin' the day. Some nights I was just to tired to ride over to see Emma. I had hoped she understood.
We rode to town for the next meetin' a few days later. We met with a whole different crowd. These men were riled up. Almost
all of them had been visited and harrassed by Wilkey or his men. No wonder things were so quiet for us, Wilkey was workin' on
the others to try and break up the organization.
One of the men stood up and started to blame Will for all their troubles. He pointed out how Will had taken in a hired gun to
fight Wilkey and now they were all drawn into the fight. They couldn't afford to hire more men to fight Wilkey and Wilkey had
many men who knew how to use a gun.
Will tried to calm the crowd and tell them that I was not a hired gun. I was just his partner in the farm and we had no
intentions to startin' a war. He admitted I had a past, but that was behind me. He also assured them that I was a good man to
have on their side if Wilkey took a more aggressive stand against us.
So, now the town folk and small farmers knew about me. Wilkey must have done his job well in findin' out about me and
spreadin' the word. I had hoped to leave my past behind me, but here it was again to slap me in the face. The stories that
went around that I heard about, some were true, some just plain lies and some stories a bit of the truth but made to make me a
dangerous man to have around.
I reckon most of the men workin' for Wilkey would most likely know about me. I was goin' to be his new weapon to turn the
farmers against Will and his farm organization. I was hired by Will to start a war against Wilkey. That was the story he was
spreadin'.
The stories kept buildin' and I saw many people who had been friendly with me, welcomed me to Willow were now avoidin' me or
actin' very cold when they ran into me. I reckon most of my life I had this type of reaction. I had hoped things would be
different here in Willow, but there was my past, back to haunt me and people not knowin' what to believe and what stories about
me were true found it easier to believe them all and stay clear of me. The neighbors promised to help the new Tibbs family
raise a barn once they were settled in their house. At least they kept their promise. We rode out for the barn raisin' pretty
much the same as the one they had for Will. But things were very different. Will was the only one willin' to work with me. I
told Will, maybe it was time for me to move on, I appeared to be creatin' him more problems than bein' any help. Will insisted
that they would get over it. If we kept things peaceful like they would see the stories about me were wrong and they would come
around.
At noon we gathered for lunch and I was left by myself. The men had gathered into various groups but only Will and his family
would have anything to do with me. Emma asked me if we could go for a walk. I was pleased that she wasn't listenin' to all
those stories. We walked away from the crowd. She stopped and turned to me and asked if the stories about me were true. I put
my hand on her arm and she pulled away. I was a bit shocked. Yeah, we had to talk. The men had all gone back to work, but right
now I felt it was more important to get things straight with Emma. We walked down to the river and sat down to talk.
I asked her about the stories she heard. I told her the truth. Some of the stories were true. Some of the stories were total
lies and some of the stories were twisted to make me look like I was a bad person. I could see she was havin' a bad time with
thinkin' on all this information. She wasn't sure what to believe. I tried to tell her I had changed but I couldn't change my
past. She stood up and said she hoped I changed but also knew how old habits are hard to break. She started to walk back to
the barn buildin'. I got up and caught up with her, but she wouldn't let me touch her. I knew my past had just ruined my chance
of winnin' her over and ever think of havin' her as my wife. Even if we got over this bump, I think just knowin' what I had done
would never leave her memory. It would always be between us.
I went back to workin' on the barn. We worked until it was time for supper and finished for the day. Many of us decided to
come back in the mornin' to finish up. I had a cup of coffee and wandered over to saddle up my horse. Will followed me and
wanted to know where I was goin'. I told him I didn't want to spoil the party so I was gonna get back to the farm and take
care of the chores. He could stay as late as he wanted, I would have all the stock taken care of. All he would have to do
is tend to his horse and get to bed for a good sleep to be ready for more barn buildin' in the mornin'. I got on my horse
and rode out, headin' for home and to take some time for hard thinkin'.
After breakfast the next mornin’, Will and I headed out to his folk's farm to help with the barn raisin'. Ann decided the baby
could use some fresh air and since we wouldn't be gone all day, she wanted to come too. Will unsaddled his horse and hitched up
the buckboard. I rode my horse along side them. Not knowin' how welcome I might be, I wanted to be sure I could leave when I
wanted, or need to.
Most of the men that were there the day before were there again. Some were already workin' since we were a little late because
of bringin' the buckboard slowed us down, some.
We helped Ann and young Will down from the wagon and she took the baby and went into the house, welcomed at the door by the
glowin' grandmother. Will and I went right to work. It may have been warm out this mornin' but I wished I had on my winter
jacket. The chill in the air could be cut with a knife. I reckon I was the topic of conversation at the dinner last night
after the work was done and I had left.
Noon came and Ann and Will's Ma set out some food and called us all up to the house to get something to eat. We hardly got
started eatin' when several riders came ridin' into the yard. It was Wilkey and eight gunfighters. I recognized some of them,
had worked with them, I knew we had trouble.
Wilkey had on his phoney smile and was lookin' around the farm. He tipped his hat to the ladies then looked directly at Will.
He said that things were lookin' down right nice for his folks. It sure would be a shame if lightenin' or somethin' should
happen to destroy that nice new barn or house. I had enough and stepped forward, next to Will. I asked Wilkey just what was
that suppose to mean. Who did he think he was? God? Could he call down thunder and lightenin' at his command?
I saw two of his gunmen make a move toward their guns. I drew and pointed mine directly at Wilkey. Wilkey laughed and looked
around him and asked me how I was gonna take them all out. I told him I was only worried about taken' out one, so he better
call off his dogs if he wanted to ride out upright in his saddle. Wilkey turned to his men and told them to relax and turned
back to me and told me to holster my gun. He didn't want no trouble. He wanted me to know, though, that I better walk softly
and better watch my back. He said he thought I should go to town and order my coffin since I was gonna need it soon.
Will stepped closer to me. He told Wilkey that he knew enough about the law that he could have WIlkey arrested for trespass if
he continued to lean on the farmers. He was not welcome on any of their land. Wilkey said, “there is a bit of a discrepancy on
who owns this land. I believe it is you who are the trespassers.”
Wilkey told Will to do what he had to do, but Harper was not anywhere near enough to go up against him and his men. I said
that I was a start and I would be particular when I picked my target and I saw a big bullseye painted on his chest. He said I
better watch my step and told Will to keep a tight rein on me or the whole range could become a battlefield and Harper was not
enough to put a stop to it. He nodded to his men and they turned their horses away to leave. Wilkey tipped his hat to the
ladies again and nodded at Will and me and turned his horse away to follow his men.
When they were past the gate I holstered my gun and I knew now I had confirmed all those stories goin' around about me, both
the true ones and the lies. My actions didn't surprise any of them. I did exactly what was expected, drew on a man who was not
holdin' a gun.
We finished eatin' and most of the men left and didn't even say goodbye to Will or any of his family. Here I was, pullin' Will
and his family into my past.
It seemed like it was time to leave, but I couldn't leave now that the lines had been drawn. I felt so alone. Wilkey wanted
to see me dead and those I wanted to protect didn't want me there to protect them. They probably felt they would be better off
if I were dead.
Mr. Tibbs asked Will and me to stay and talk a while. We talked over coffee about tryin' to keep things peaceful and use the
law to stop this whole thing from becomin' a range war. Before folks get hurt or killed. Will looked at me and asked if I
understood. I told him I did and besides I didn't like the odds for a range war. I was way over my head and out numbered by
Wilkey's men. He showed us eight gunmen. I woulda bet he had at least twice that if not more that we didn't know about, yet.
I saw that I had lost Emma. When we were gettin' ready to leave she didn't even say goodbye. She just went into the house. It
was unusual for her not to hug Will, Ann and me and to gush over the baby. I think she believed all the stories she heard
about me. She saw my temper and saw me draw my gun. I couldn't just let Wilkey scare these people. As usual, I reckon I over
reacted. I would try to do things Will's way. Besides, Wills way I had a better chance of stayin' alive. Even if it was without
Emma.
We headed back to the farm and the mood was a little lighter. I knew I hadn't lost Will's friendship and Ann didn't seem to
feel any differently about me. We all talked openly on the ride back to the farm. I agreed and promised, again, to try and do
things Will's way.
We figured the farm organization was probably not gonna work. If another meetin' was called we figured no one would show up,
but us. It looked like Wilkey was successful at breakin' up any unity we were able to build. He had them all runnin' scared.
When we got back to the farm, the place was in shambles. The fences were all downed and the cattle were gone. The work horses
were way out beyond the pasture. The vegetable garden had been trampled by horses. Someone had been in the house and smashed
furniture and broke all the dishes. A small fire had been set but it went out before it caught so little was destroyed by the
blaze. It had been started in the baby's bed and the bed was destroyed with all the bedding. Who ever it was to start that fire
was a very sick person.
We knew who had been there and left the message. I got on my horse and rode to town to bring back the sheriff. Will stayed
behind to calm Ann and to help clean things up a little. We would worry about the stock in the mornin'.
When I got to town the deputy was on duty and I told him I needed to talk to the sheriff. The deputy told me he was on duty now
so tell him what I wanted. I had no choice so I told him about the events of the day with Wilkey and what we found when we got
home.
He asked if I was Harper. I said, yeah. He told me a complaint had already been filed with him against me for threatenin' the
life of Blake Wilkey. I told him about the odds in which that threat was made, but a threat is a threat. I was invited to spend
the night in jail till the sheriff came in the mornin' to sort things out.
When I didn't make it home overnight, Will was in town and at the jail before the sheriff had come in. He went over all the
same stuff with the deputy that I had told him last night and he got the same answer, we had to wait for the sheriff to sort
things out.
Will went across the street to the cafe and got me some breakfast and some coffee for all of us. I was done eatin' by the time
the sheriff showed up.
We went all over our story again with the sheriff and his response was about the complaint against me. Will then asked about
filin' a complaint against Wilkey for trespassin'.
The sheriff said sure he could take a complaint, but when the time came what proof did we have that Wilkey was the one who
vandalized the farm. He said Wilkey had plenty of witnesses on his complaint against me. The sheriff said by rights he could
probably hold me, but had no grounds to arrest Wilkey. Since both were just complaints and no one was harmed he was gonna let
me go back home with a warnin'. He warned Will to keep me handy in case things changed about the complaint.
Will asked if he was gonna come out and look at the damage. The sheriff said no, just fill out this report and list everything
that happened.
I asked if I could see the complaint Wilkey filed against me. The sheriff let me read it. I have to say, it was pretty
accurate, but I hoped if it went to trial at any point the circumstances would account for my actions.
Me and Will walked to the cafe to grab an early lunch and talk over how we were gonna handle our newest problems. By the time
we finished eatin' the saloon was opened and we thought a couple of drinks before headin' home would sit just right. We walked
in and up to the bar. Will greeted some of the neighbors, but no one responded. Those at the bar moved to tables leavin' me and
Will alone at the bar. We could see that many lines were bein' drawn and we were not on the right side of any of them.
Ridin' back to the farm I told Will that it might be best if I left. He might be able to get the farmers back on his side to
back him in usin' the law to fight Wilkey. He didn't say anything. I reckon he was givin' it some thought.
"Jess", Daisy said. "Could I have a little more water please?"
"Sure, Daisy. Anything you want. Sleepy yet?" Jess brought his wandering thoughts back from memories he had thought he had
buried deep.
"No, I can't wait to hear what brought you to the ranch. I bet it wasn't to open a store in Sherman", she smiled. She sipped
the water.
Jess noticed that her eyes had more sparkle in them. He hoped all this was a good sign. The few coughs she had while he was
tellin' his story were minor and productive. He said a silent prayer for her as she sipped more water.
When she pushed it away, Jess put the glass back on the table and sat back down. "Oh, we are gettin' real close to my entrance
into Laramie. Do you want me to go right to it, or do you want to hear more about the farm?"
"Oh, no, don't leave anything out, Jess. I have never felt so close to you. I wish my son and I could have had this kind of
talk. Please, go on."
Jess sat back in the chair again thinking about those last days at the farm and continued his story.
We rode in silence for a while, then Will turned his horse off the road toward the lake. He got off his horse and started
skippin' stones across the water. I sat on my horse and watched for a few minutes. I dismounted and walked over to Will. I
told him I needed to know what he thought. I didn't want to be the reason for loosin' his farm or his dream. He told me, no, it
wasn't me or me bein' his partner. He was worried about his wife and son and was so confused on what to do. He surely didn't
want me to leave but he also wanted to be sure his family was safe and happy. He reckoned if things were peacefully settled
the folks would get to know me as well as he did and I would be welcome, once again. We agreed to give it a little more time.
We mounted up and rode toward the farm discussin' how we would take care of this by lettin' the law settle it. We knew we
were in the right, but we also knew about Wilkey's standin' in the town as well as with other large ranchers. They all wanted
the range to be kept open.
It was us small farmers that were standin' in their way. We could see some of the farmers were already defeated and would
rather move on than take a stand against Wilkey.
When we got back to the farm I took the horses, to the barn while Will went in the house to talk to Ann. When I finished
beddin' down the horses I went to the house and wasn't sure I really wanted to go in. I felt like I was causin' this family
so much trouble due to the friendship they showed for me. I opened the door slowly and Ann was just comin' out of the kitchen
puttin' food on the table. She asked if I was alright. I reckon she could tell I was havin' difficulty dealin' with all that
was goin' on. Durin' our meal we all talked about how we were gonna go against Wilkey. We decided to let him make the next
move, then we would take what legal action we could against him.
Earlier, while we were gone, Ann got the house back in order. Furniture was sparse before, but even more so now. I could see
we would need to do some furniture buildin' startin' with a new crib for young Will.
We were gonna have to be very vigilant and be aware of everything goin' on and watch for anyone comin' near the farm. We had
to be ready for anything.
In the mornin' Will and me went out lookin' for the missin' cattle. We found them. They joined a herd of range cattle, all
wearin' Wilkey's brand. If we tried to cut out our cattle and were caught, Wilkey would be sure to try and press charges on
us for rustlin' his cattle. It was best if we would try to get the sheriff to come out and help us reclaim our cattle.
Will rode to town to get the sheriff to come out and help us. I stayed back at the farm, mostly to be there to protect Ann and
the baby, but to also repair some of the fences to prepare to bring the cattle back home.
Will came back with a couple of deputies and we all rode out to where the cattle were grazin'. A lot of good those deputies
did us. How were we gonna prove those were our cattle? They were branded but Will did not have a brand yet. The brands they
were wearin' was from their previous owners. We needed more proof. They were here with WIlkey's cattle and Wilkey could say
he just bought them and hadn't put his brand on them yet. With the right threats, the farmers that sold us the cattle would
say whatever WIlkey told them to say.
Will went back to town with all his bills of sale to swear out a complaint and identify his cattle. But as we had already
guessed, those cattle were lost to us. Wilkey had bills of sale from those same people. Will wasn't gonna let it go there so
he swore out a complaint and insisted on an arrest. Those cattle were driven from our farm to join up with Wilkey's cattle.
He rode home and told me what happened.
It was hard for me to remember my promise to Will. I wanted to make Wilkey tell the sheriff the truth, even if I had to beat
it out of him. But I took a deep breath, or two, and agreed with Will that we needed to start takin' action against Wilkey to
show him we weren’t gonna back off.
Wilkey was arrested and spent the night in jail. I reckon that did not sit well with him. He was released the next day, on
bail, and told not to leave the area. We were surprised to find out he was out of jail already and even more surprised he
didn't pay us a visit. We waited up quite late that night, just in case, but things were quiet and we decided to turn in and
get some sleep. We had more work to catch up on after the vandalism.
We weren't asleep long when I woke to a loud noise. I grabbed my gun and looked out the window. I couldn't see anything from
my window, but it was a lot brighter out there than it should have been. I rushed out of my room after pullin' on my jeans and
boots and yelled for Will.
From the kitchen window we could see the barn was on fire. Luckily there was no stock in there, but there was a lot of important
tools and equipment in that barn.
We ran out grabbin buckets and dippin' um in the water trough and throwin' it on the fire. This was all too familiar. Too
many memories of a fire long ago. Then three men came ridin' by and firin' on us. I fired back and wounded two of them and they
fell from their horses. The third one got away. When we checked on them we recognized them as two of the men who were with
Wilkey when he threatened Will and his neighbors. It looked like we had the proof we needed to use against Wilkey. Was the
third man Wilkey? We wish we knew and of course, the two men we held for the sheriff wouldn't talk. What made things worse
was, they were on a first name basis with the sheriff when he came to take them away. I could see more trouble growin'.
By the time this went to trial, Wilkey was claimin' we were the Trespassers and that he and he alone had the rights to the
range. He claimed all the farmers were buildin' and trespassin' on his land.
We’d been told that Wilkey owned the town and the law. The whole trial was a travesty. The jury was only out for an hour and
came back. They agreed that the land belonged to Wilkey and all the farmers were trespassin'. The only way they could say was
to pay rent to Wilkey and abide by his rules. If they weren't willin' they were given two weeks to get off Wilkey's land. This
is what the law determined. Judge and jury were bought and paid for and probably paid well by Wilkey.
We were run out of town unless we wanted to bow to Wilkey. I knew I couldn't and if I stuck around I would find myself way over
my head in trouble. My pockets were almost full of trouble, already. Will and his family and folks decided to go back to
Missouri. It was hard to say goodbye to Will and to his dreams. I couldn't go back with him; I felt I had made things difficult
enough for him and his family. And I could tell Emma hated me, now. It was best for me to set out on the drift, again. At least
Will and I parted friends.
Nothin' is permanent. I resolved to never let myself get involved in anything or havin' dreams of bein' any more than a
drifter. A drifter with an obsession to find the Banister Brothers and settle up what I owed them.
Pain comes from carin' and I'd had too much pain in my life. Brushes with the law and now this last experience with the law
taught me that you couldn't even count on that bein' right. The only one I could count on was me. I was gonna stand for me and
what I thought was right. I seen enough wrong in the world. A war that never should have happened.
So many people had to die, and for what? And now good people were run off land that was rightly theirs. Trust would be hard
for me to ever find again. If you couldn't trust in the law, that leaves you very little left to trust in. And Emma, I just
reckon I ain't the kind of man any woman would want once they know my past. And lyin' about it surely wouldn't work. Those
ghosts just keep poppin' up to show the world who I am or was.
I set out for Denver to see if I could find out anything about Banister. Almost everything I found was old and not new enough
to try and trail. He was seen goin' north. He was seen goin' south. They heard he went to California. No one knew anything
worth followin' up on.
Denver was quite the city. I decided to stay around for a while and tried playin' some poker. I was doin' pretty good and
didn't need to go out wranglin' or beggin' for any kind of job. I was able to pay my way just with the winnins' from playin'
the game. I met a fella, Pete Morgan. He was quite good at handlin' cards and showed me what to watch for if someone was tryin'
to cheat ya. He taught me some pretty neat card tricks, too.
We started playin' cards real regular and I reckon I let my guard down. Right after I resolved not to put any trust in anyone
ever again. We found if we shared a room we could save on half our bill. So for a week or so we shared a room together. We
only needed it for sleepin'. The rest of the time we were at the saloon playin' cards and drinkin' up some of our winnins'.
One night I won over a hundred dollars. That was the biggest pot we’d won, yet. We had money to spend on more than our room
and meals and to stake our next game. We got us a bottle and had a night of drinkin' to our success.
I woke the next mornin’ with a terrible headache. I knew it was more than just a hangover. When I felt my head the back was
covered with dry blood. Morgan was gone and so was my money. I made it to the door and called for help. Someone sent for the
doctor to check me out. I had been clubbed while sleepin' and I had a fractured skull.
Once I was able to ride again, I set out to find Morgan and get my money back. I hoped I might cross Banister's trail in my
search for Morgan.
The barkeep said he saw Morgan headin' north when he rode out of town, so that was the direction I set out in. I stopped from
town to town and finally got a lead that he had been seen in Laramie so I headed for Laramie.
When I rode into Laramie, it looked deserted. All of a sudden lead was flyin' in my direction. It wasn't a warm welcome, so I
high-tailed it out that town. Had I known then that they already had Morgan in the jail I might have tried to stop and talk,
but I didn't, and that lead was comin' too close for comfort, so I wasn’t gonna stick around. They gave me the impression I
wasn’t welcome.
I rode hard for quite a distance and finally came upon a nice stream. I was sure I wasn't followed from town, so I decided what
I really needed was a nap. I lead Traveler to get himself a good drink, then tied him to a handy sign that said, Sherman Ranch.
No Trespassing. I went back to the stream and got myself a good drink and washed off some of the trail dust. Then I settled down
to take a nap in the peace and quiet. I found a comfy log to lay back against, it was gonna be a nice rest. I probably should
have tied my horse somewhere else so I could lie to the fact that I never saw the sign, but who expected anyone to come along
in the short time I planned on bein' there.
This is when I met Slim Sherman. Again, not a warm welcome. This Wyomin' territory seemed extremely unfriendly. I hoped it
wasn't in the water I just drank. I didn't cotton to havin' a gun pointed at me. I was already in a bad mood and things kinda
went downhill from there. He took my gun from me and told me to get on my horse and get out.
Well, I wasn't about to leave without my gun, so I mounted my horse and then grabbed the rifle from Sherman and kindly asked
for my gun back and then for his gun. I rode to where his horse was standin' and dropped his guns for him and went on my way.
From there, I reckon you know the rest. I found a family. MY family, and a home. I reckon I found that Wyomin' was a pretty
decent place to settle down. At least for a while. Bein' part of a family has been missin' from my life so long, I never
really missed it, but I found it’s one of the most important things in life.
"And Daisy, I am so glad you are part of my family. You just better plan on stayin' around and keep on takin' care of us all.
You know how much we all love ya, don't ya?
Daisy smiled and squeezed his hand. "Yes, Jess, I think I do, and I love you all, too. Thank you, Jess. Now I feel I know all
my sons." Daisy said with a wide smile and a twinkle showing in her both eyes.
"That's quite a story, Jess." Slim said from behind him, standing in the door frame.
Startled, Jess turned to look at Slim and went flush. He was left speechless. When he found his tongue he said, "Slim? How long
you been standin' there?"
"Oh, about the time you robbed the bank. I couldn't sleep so I thought I would look in on Daisy. How ya feelin' Daisy?"
Daisy smiled and whispered, "Much better, thanks, Slim."
"Ummmm, how about some coffee, huh, Slim?" Jess quickly tried to change the subject.
"Yeah, Jess. We gotta talk." Slim said with his arms folded across his chest and wearing a frown.
Jess gave Slim a bad puppy look not knowing what to expect. Slim could no longer hold his frown and broke out in a broad smile,
"I always heard still waters run deep, but you, you Pard, are bottomless. How did you fit all that into your short life?"
"Reckon I didn't sleep, much." Jess responded with a smile. Now I think Daisy needs some sleep. I reckon I kept her awake long
enough." Jess leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek and she gave Jess a brilliant smile. Slim, then, leaned down and
gave Daisy a kiss on the forehead. "Hmmm," Slim remarked, " Seems kinda cool. I hope that means the fever broke."
"Slim, did you make coffee? I don't smell any." Jess said as they left Daisy's room, closing the door gently.
"Nope. Kinda got caught up in quite a story." Slim slapped Jess on the back and grabbed his shoulder. Jess walked to the
kitchen to prepare his beloved coffee. Slim followed along after him, "Hey, Jess?"
Jess turned to face Slim, "Yeah, Pard?"
Slim presented his hand to Jess to shake hands. "My name is Slim Sherman. Happy to finally get know you, Mr Harper."
"Thanks, Slim." They laughed while shaking hands. "I reckon I can spin a pretty good yarn." Jess said with a big grin. Jess
turned and reached for the now heated coffee pot and walked with it to the table. “Maybe I should tell you the real story
sometime."
Slim was left with a puzzled look on his face. He turned to follow Jess to the table with his index finger raised in the air,
the puzzled look remained on his face. Jess poured them each a cup of coffee as they sat down. "What's the matter, Slim?” Jess
said with a smile.
"Never mind. I don't want to know." Slim said as he picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip while he continued to stare at
Jess trying to hide the questioning look on his face.
"What?" Jess said with a grin and took a sip of his own cup.
The End
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