0 comments/ 5553 views/ 0 favorites Longwood First Hunt Day 03-04 By: emap I wake early on this day, the sky is only starting to lighten, the birds what few there are have not woken yet. I listen carefully there is movement nearby indistinct on direction, more like twitching. I grab up a revolver anyway and roll over pointing my gun in the direction. Gwen stares at me Martin is twitching a little saying something under his breath. I get up with a sigh and walk over to Martin and Gwen, she watches me come smiling a little. Putting a foot on Martin's chest I cock my revolver, he twitches then opens his eyes to look up at me. He groans then points a finger at me and shakes it I walk back to Dan giggling and get dressed. Putting his revolver back wakes Dan, he chuckles looking up at me, I smile back feeling silly for leaving mine behind me last night. I help Gwen get the wood set, she does most of it I do not mind Dan does not like my coffee. I go wake the Apache up they are not yet, both look up at me when I whistle. Silvia wakes when the one she is lying on gets up then starts giggling they are both saying something in Apache. I tell them to saddle the horses in Spanish having an idea on what they are saying. The sky is not yet fully lit the birds are waking, not yet chirping to greet the sun. Silvia is dressed quickly and sitting at the fire with Gwen and I watching Gwen cook bacon and make more fritters. "Martin what was the dream?" I ask when he sits down at the fire. "I'd like to say I was dreaming of you or Gwen." Gwen looks up and smiles. "I was dreaming of a man I went after about six months ago. I found him in a home he had grabbed up a boy and was hiding behind him. The boy's mother panicked when the man shot at me and the boy passed out from fright. She took a pin to him and got herself shot he dropped the boy first so I was shooting him in the process. I just was not fast enough, she died and the boy ended up being carted off to his uncle. I get the feeling the uncle was not the best of men, the boy looked frightened when they carted him off." Dan looks ready to say something, having an idea he wishes to share our version of that I shake my head at him. "I think we have all been there, I do not blame the men we hunt prison is scary I've seen them. I do not understand hiding behind a child like that, I admit if I was being hunted and facing prison I would panic myself. Perhaps I would hide behind a child, I think not now I have one of my own." Dan says getting a nod out of Martin. "Yeah I can understand the reason behind hiding from the law with anything. The part that hangs with me is the look on the boy when they carted him off, I can't get over if I had just been a little faster his mother would be alive." I sigh and nod with that as Gwen hands out plates with a sandwich on it. The sandwiches are the fritters cut in half with bacon, they are better the sweet is tempered by the bacon. Dan gets coffee poured in the tin cups and passed around, the Apache look at it oddly. I know why when I take a sip it's sweet, I think my expression clues Gwen in she sighs and apologizes. "It is fine Gwen, you are not familiar with injuns we Apache and Cherokee are unfamiliar with sweet besides honey. It is a strange thing to have food this sweet judging by Dan's face he likes it I reckon explains why he dislikes my coffee." Gwen looks over at Dan, he nods and smiles. "Janet does coffee with no sugar, we always have some and she knows I like coffee with sugar. It gets tiring to add sugar to your coffee every morning on a hunt so she hunts and I cook morning vittles." Gwen giggles and looks over at me. "Tomorrow coffee with no sugar those of us who want sugar will add it to the cup." I smile at her one of the Apache says something to Silvia she nods and looks over at us. "Govind said that we need to find a grindstone. It seems the soldiers share coffee and it is best when ground up small." Gwen sighs and looks skyward I giggle and pat her on the shoulder. "Do not worry Gwen this is your first hunt, we will find a grindstone in the gulch and grind up the coffee there." "I don't suppose you know what we are doing at the gulch if they stop there?" Martin asks as Dan collects the plates. "I do not know we need to take a peek at the gulch and see how it lays first." Martin nods Dan chuckles. "That is Janet's nice version of the earth speaks to me. She means shut your trap and follow along." Martin chuckles I kick Dan. "I think we will make chili tonight, Gwen if you could chop up two or three fingers of the bacon somewhat small and drop it in the bowl Dan is going to make of beans to soak. I think they are in the gulch." I point there is smoke rising up out of the ground ahead where the gulch is, the Apache had already gotten the tarp packed. "Suddenly I find myself wishing we had brought your bow Janet." Dan says pulling out the beans and getting the pot cleaned. "Unless Martin insists on Michael alive it is not needed." We all look at Martin, he shakes his head. "This speaks volumes on guilt for him an innocent man would have stayed put. There probably are wanted posters on some to all of those men, Janet you never said how many there were." I sigh and look down. "There were twenty at least it's hard to read when they were riding two or three abreast. No telling how many were in the gulch waiting. We are looking at facing twenty to fifty most to all will have guns." Martin sighs, Gwen gulps and looks at us. "There are only five of you, shouldn't we ride back and get more?" I shake my head Martin and Dan doing the same. "There are six I remember the warning Sally had I am going up there and shooting. I'd rather be dead than bandit bedmate." Silvia says getting me to smile. "Gwen we cannot get more, we cannot get a posse from Longwood we lost a marshal prisoner. The soldiers will not help, they are to stand aside and let the law handle things unless they are being shot at. Unless we went to Kansas City and got marshals we are it. Dan and I don't even have to be here marshal business we came along to help a friend." Gwen sighs and nods, I turn to Martin. "Martin that brings to mind one thing, are we paying those four with the bounty money?" "Yeah, we are all splitting it unless Michael is the only bounty. The next town is only a day away we should be able to get the dead and prisoners there tomorrow." Martin says pointing I look to see the tops of the church off a good ways. "I'll come up and shoot, like you said I have the basics. A man is bigger than a coney." Gwen says helping Dan pack up the food and plates. I have misgivings on Gwen shooting at men they are larger yet not easier. The camp is packed up fully and we are on the way with the sun cresting the horizon. There is not much conversation Gwen looks to be scared, Silvia is looking around as if fearing bandits will come out of the ground. Dan and Martin just ride along staring ahead trusting me to point us the right way. A curse out of Dan gets me to look up to catch it a flash from the gulch, I giggle and pull out my rifle holding it high. "What is going on?" Gwen asks looking at me and Dan. "They have a spyglass, they know we are coming and how many. Janet's rifle is very distinctive, only dignitaries and the president get one that nice. Michael will be relating Janet to them I don't think we will need to go into the gulch." Dan says with a sigh, I just giggle more. "It is proper to advertise your presence, the spyglass makes it easy. I was thinking I would creep up above them and shoot one then yell. We will stop a good distance away and walk after having vittles no tarp. Put the horses between the gulch and the campfire." Martin chuckles then looks over at me with concern on his face. "What if they walk to us during the night like you are having us do?" I grin at him. "Then they have five horses and what is left of our vittles, we will have their camp, more horses more vittles. I do not think they will they are not very good bandits. That is the good part of Michael knowing me he knows I have needs of a bed sharing nature. They will assume I am getting my rolls, there are four men and three women." Dan sighs and nods. "I don't like it but Janet is right, holding to this plan is the best option. I want to say Silvia and Gwen stay at the camp and take a roll together, course if they do come they are bandit bedmates. Sally would shoot me for that even if Gwen comes back mostly intact." Gwen giggles. We ride on with the flash of the spyglass coming back now and then. I raise my rifle to it each time careful to show the emblem on it. The Apache take to the plan with smiles after Silvia explains it to them. When we stop Silvia, me and Gwen hunt about for wood. They keep glancing toward the gulch three miles from us. I just pay it no mind taking apart a dead bush. When we return to the camp the horses are set up between the camp and the gulch and there is a small pile of wood again. "We took the remaining wood with us this morning and there was some to be found the other way." Dan says helping me get the wood ready. "I hope they have wood in the gulch I don't want to take the train to Kansas City and back to Longwood." Dan chuckles then shakes his head. "I wasn't planning on it us taking the Apache on a train would scare people. They would think they were on a rampage or something." I sigh and shake my head then get out of the way of Gwen and Silvia with the spit. Gwen keeps looking at me and Dan while we cook the chili and add things to it. "Janet I'm curious, how can you be so calm and talk about a return trip when we are this close to at least twenty wanting to kill us?" Gwen asks finally getting a groan out of Martin. "Janet may not admit it but she has a warrior's spirit. Just before an attack she looks calm during the attack she looks upset, after the attack she lets her feelings out. Dan will get a roll tonight, not bleeding time relief he will get a roll, it's her coping method. The last time I hunted with them Janet gave us both a roll and was asking for a third. Dan and I prefer to talk about something else once we head home we will do something, a funny thing that happened." Gwen looks at him and nods. "I got a funny thing, it's rather not funny and it is. I suppose it is a New York thing. As I was saying in New York there are gangs, these gangs fight and people sometimes change allegiance. It is a safety mechanism from other gangs, you join a gang to try and keep another out of your neighborhood." I sigh and stop here there. "What is a neighborhood?" Gwen looks at me and giggles for a moment before quelling it. "A neighborhood is an area of the city usually it is only a few streets along a major street. There are districts which is an entire section of the town where like things are, there is an Irish district, a warehouse district, factory district so on. It mostly is a way for residents of New York to know where they are going." I nod and smile at Gwen. "As I was saying the gangs fight often, there is also the matter of changing allegiance. During one such fight last year sometime an older man was fighting a younger man in the middle of the fight. They are big affairs, fifty to sixty men on each side. Right in the middle of the fight a shout arises, the older man fighting the younger in the middle were father and son. They hugged each other and moved on to other opponents." I look over at Dan bewildered he shrugs. "I translated what you said they are both as bewildered as Janet appears to be. They want to know why the men were fighting in the first place." Silvia says, Gwen sighs. "I guess it is a New York thing. They were fighting over a brothel it is right on the border between the two gangs. Brothels are ways to make a gang money, Sally left New York to make money because you get paid poorly in brothels there, fifty cents a roll I think. There is a saving grace, guns are rare in New York it is mostly done with knife and throwing axe. Our father is doing better since she left, working in a bank now. I just could not find a man agreeable to me there, why I am visiting Sally I was not allowed to sign up to be a mail order bride." Dan shakes his head at me when I open my mouth, I pinch his nose. "You should think about Martin, not just because he's a friend and not bonded and you are not bonded. He is the really nice guy you probably won't find in New York. Probably should get him working as a sheriff someplace, it's safer than being a marshal that's for sure." Gwen giggles and looks at Martin, he sighs and looks skyward. We get cornbread this time no butter though with chili it doesn't matter, you dunk the cornbread. We eat all of the chili Silvia made tortillas after we ran out of cornbread. Martin does a strange thing with his tortilla, he puts chili in it and rolls it up and eats it that way. "They were doing this in Texas I had to go around with a ranger looking for a guy two months ago." I spit at the ground at Martin's words I don't like rangers. "Janet, share the story it's not dark yet." Dan says leaning over to poke me. "We were in Texas right at the end of the war, apparently there had been a drive for recruits in Texas I don't remember which side. A ranger had ambled over and was talking to Dan saying he should drop the useless injun and join the brigade they were forming. My round eye wasn't that good at the time I still understood what he said I got up and was standing right there asking him what he said about me. Dumb fool turned to look at me and repeated it, said something about how I should lose the clothes and just be a whore like a good injun." Martin crosses himself, Gwen just stares at me. "The bartender had confiscated my guns ranger was the only one wearing them fool bartender let me keep my knife. To make a very fun time short for Gwen, he could only walk with a cane could not hold a gun and never walked straight again." "What did the rangers do?" Silvia asks this, she had lived near enough to Texas to have seen them I'm sure. "Five rode out to see us about three days later. After I got Janet to not shoot them, one fired into the air to get our attention they asked why. I explained with a few curses from Janet, mostly in Cherokee scared the crap out the rangers. They left again, if they had tails they would have been tucked firmly between their legs." Martin laughs. "The one I rode with was an alright sort, didn't much care for the Mexicans, I think because they didn't speak English to him. Texans and Mexicans are not a happy combination Alamo seems to be a sore spot and matter of pride to them." I groan getting a questioning look from Martin. "Mexicans are injun and Spanish, the Spanish came in took over put as many of the tribe women with child as they could and kept going. There are a lot of tribes with round eye father warriors injuns were never treated very well." Gwen squeaks and looks at me. "So all of the uprisings we hear about in New York are false?" I sigh and look down. "My tribe was slaughtered because they had no food and went to try and get some from the nearby town. I've heard stories of other tribes receiving the same treatment. The soldiers took over the reservations because many of the round eyes they put in charge were bad to tribe, no meat or rotten meat. These are tribes who said we will stay here if you provide meat. The Cherokee are mostly in one reservation, they were marched the whole way by soldiers on horseback most of the ones that fell died. There are a few reservations for those that managed to talk the soldiers into letting them stay there. There are still tribes fighting because the round eye says one thing then does the complete opposite, yet injun are cheaters. There is nothing to gain from fighting besides death, perhaps is better than the death the round eyes wish to thrust upon us." "I don't understand what death are they trying to thrust upon you?" Gwen asks getting me to look up. "There is motion trying to be put before congress that injun child be taken from tribe and taught round eye way, only round eye way. Which sounds better, dead because you are dead, or dead because you do not know your people?" Gwen crosses herself and looks at Dan he nods. "The Apache are turning Christian and building a school because of that. The people trying to make it a motion are religious, it is hoped that if they at least appear Christian and speak English the children will be left here." Silvia says I look up a burning fire in my chest. "We go now it is dark, bring rifles and bullets this will be long work." Gwen goes to say something Dan takes her arm and shakes his head. I grab up my saddle bags and Winchester and walk. The Apache catch up quickly, they don't really have much. I notice one has the meat knife stuck through a rope on his waist, the other only has a rifle, I hand him my tomahawk. He smiles and signals his thanks and a speedy return. Dan and Silvia catch up quickly, Martin and Gwen take a little longer talking about something. "Silvia can you tell the Apache our plan is they go on other side of gorge and creep along the top. I will take everyone else on this side we will go along until we find the camp and shoot down until they surrender or all dead." Silvia looks at me strangely then nods and translates. "They want to know why only they are going to the far side." Sylvia tells me, I giggle. I tell the Apache to listen in Spanish, they do then laugh into their hands. "We're being pretty quiet here." Dan says with a sigh, I shake my head. As we get closer I slow us down, the Apache move on ahead. Moccasins are quieter than shoes or bare feet in the dirt or on wood. As the Apache get across without raising an alarm we get near to the gulch ourselves. We all walk along each on our side, it takes a while of me peaking over and looking before we find the camp. There are a number of men asleep in bedrolls some are awake still playing poker it looks like. A scream erupts from the lone tent, there is some laughter coming from the men. Gwen looks at me scared I motion to spread out waiting for a likely target to appear in the tent. Dan gets everyone spread out while I watch the tent get tufted out by a woman being tossed on the bed. I know the bed because the tent is not fastened to the ground I caught sight of bed legs. I smile when I see it being bent out again by an arm, the woman is crying and pleading he is above her and I know where. The sharp crack of my rifle gets a lot of exclamatory words, it also gets a scream. The Apache start shooting, along with Dan and Martin. I move my aim to find a man just getting up, with a click and another sharp crap he stops getting up. I move my aim around firing and reloading fast as I can, men are falling down in pools of blood everywhere. Martin is shouting about being a marshal and they should give up, in between shooting at them. Takes me a bit to realize I'm singing the treacherous warrior song, the Apache are as well. Gwen is yelling something as she shoots I am reloading when there are only two left yelling that they give up. Dan and Martin get up to go down there, I get Silvia to get the Apache to go collect two horses and get our horses. I get in the two men's view pointing my Winchester at them. Crying can be heard I get Silvia and Gwen to go to the woman in the tent. When Dan and Martin reach the two men who have not moved just staring up at me I move to get in the gulch. It is a long walk the two Apache have already left with the horses. When I reach Dan and Martin the prisoners are flat on the ground, a shout from the tent gets me going that way instead of asking why the prisoners are down like that. I come in to see Gwen and Silvia trying to get the man I had shot off the woman. He is a large man I can see why it would be difficult. The woman trapped under it looks about ready to lose her vittles, the smell in the room explains why. Smelling like an outhouse I prop my Winchester next to Gwen and Silvia's then pull the dead man off her. Not to say it was easy, I needed Gwen and Silvia to help. The woman leans over and exits out the top for a bit, did not seem to be much vittles in her. Longwood First Hunt Day 03-04 "I wish the marshal had not shot him over me. That was horrible." The woman says looking up at us finally. "Janet here did that, the rest of us were waiting for her to shoot." Gwen says looking a bit happy with herself. "Impossible, injuns can't shoot that well they are just heathens." I collect my Winchester and head for the exit. "She can walk back to town let's go." I say over my shoulder, Dan and Martin are staring at me as I come out. "I'd ask but I don't want to know. Michael gave up along with another there are twenty two dead, twenty three I suppose if there is one in the tent. This will take a while to get the bodies on horses." Dan says as I get near to them. "Big one in the tent along with the reason I keep calling round eyes, round eyes. She walks we do not have an extra horse for her, I will watch the prisoners." Dan and Martin trade glances then nod and go for the remaining horses. The woman comes out pleading with Dan and Martin as Silvia and Gwen come over to stand with me. Martin finally tells her to make nice with Cherokee Janet. This gets a squeak of surprise out of her Gwen grins and trades rifles with me then shows it to the woman. The woman crawls over to me begging for forgiveness, I just ignore her taking my rifle back from Gwen. "Let go of me before you become another dead person." She had grabbed my arm. "Please you don't understand I'm a congressman's daughter I can't stay here." I look down at her then pull my knife. "Then your father is responsible for all that is wrong with the way my people are treated. Your father is the reason my entire peoples were marched to death all for the land they had been promised to keep." I am advancing on her she is shrieking and backing away. "Your father is the reason my tribe was slaughtered just for trying to get some meat from the town. We were promised meat we were promised that we would receive enough. Because of your father I was taken from my tribe and taken as a wife to a man who had a wife. Your father is the reason my first son did not know my face when I finally found him. Your father is the reason you die, I am taking revenge for the wrongs done to all tribes." She is screaming and begging for forgiveness when the knife goes high Dan grabs my arm and pulls me back. "Janet wait, this can be good. You heard Gwen and Sally, Cherokee Janet is a hero to the woman in the east. All you need to do is let this one live and return home to make it known you are an injun. Women don't get to vote, they do get to make their husband listen. Trust me what the wife says holds weight to most houses. Think about it this way, you saved a congressman's daughter from being turned into a bandit bedmate that alone will carry weight." I sigh and relax against Dan. "All you had to say was stop." Dan stares at me confused. Not feeling up to explaining it I put my knife back and go to watch the prisoners. Silvia looks over at me and comes closer. "Janet we can keep them here hard to get up with your hands cuffed behind. Go find the grindstone and see if you can find their supplies." I sigh and go, I start at the front end of the camp and work my way through. I giggle when I realize the front end is only the front end because I came into the camp from that way. The tent itself is empty besides the two beds the dead man has already been pulled out. The smell remains making me wrinkle my nose in disgust there is not even a dresser or chest. Puzzled on this I exit the tent and look on the far side, this is where the supplies are and a chest. The chest is locked, I yell for Dan he appears along with the woman I do not wish to be near. I wave her away with what must be a very not nice expression and show Dan the chest. "I don't know, do we break it or see if we have an extra horse to take it with us?" Dan sighs and shrugs. "It's my chest I'd like to take it with if not the key for it is in someone's pocket." The woman says coming closer then backing away when I look at her. "I guess we look for the key, if it's her chest there is likely perfumes on the top where we would shoot." Dan says taking hold of my arm and walking me back around the tent. "Alright out with it I get the feeling there is something you have not told me." Dan pulls me around to look at him when we get away from everyone. "With your child again would be nice." Dan grins then shakes me giving me a tired look. "I'm the chief's wife not the chief. I only have say in what we do in our bed. If you really wanted you could order me to stay at home and cook vittles for you, it is my place." "Janet shush on that, your place is beside me on a hunt. You're the reason we do so well on hunts. I'm going to ask, why do you get say on what we do in bed?" I grin up at him. "Because chief have hard duty they must send the warriors out to fight, the chief decides if the tribe wars or trades. Medicine man advises chief, all decisions are chiefs and only chiefs. The wife of chief gets final say on bed to keep chief in line, chief does something wife not like chief no get roll, true of all bonds especially important with chief." Dan blinks at me. "So what you're saying is, if I told you to have a roll with Gwen you would?" I sigh and shake my head. "I get final say in bed, does not matter whose bed or what you say. If you order me to go to New York I would go, I would be very unhappy and not give you rolls as much as I could stand but I would go." Dan sighs then looks at me. "So what happens if I get tired of waiting and try to get a roll?" I sigh and look down. "I would kill you and be perfectly justified forcing is one thing injuns do not abide by. I could tell you the penalty for it but you would really not like to know. It extends to all women in all tribes nearby." Dan looks at me and sighs. "I am asking for it but give me a quick run down." I look up at Dan surprised, he nods. "It involves your equipment on a rock with all women holding another rock, they all get one hit, the one forced can hit as long as she wants. The warriors hold you down in place it does not happen often, in my old tribe it had never happened, there were stories of it happening in another tribe near to mine when my mother was young. The warriors watch as well as hold, it is the closest thing to a never broken rule as we have." I look up Dan is white. "I think I know why, I've been kicked there when I was young there is really no matching the pain. Let's move past that, do we need a medicine man?" I shake my head then grin. "We are too small to matter for that. If you would like advice on what to do Mr. Johnson is as close as we need. We are only six strong if tribes could still wander we would simply be absorbed by another or you would be killed and I would be taken." Dan chuckles and shakes his head. "I think they would lose ten or fifteen and turn around. You are very good with your Winchester. I better help Martin search for a key you couldn't reach any I think. I still wonder how you manage to get on your horse." I giggle and let Dan go. I move back to the other side of the tent and go through the supplies then cheer. I pull up a mortise and pestle then show it to Gwen when she appears to see what the fuss was over. She grins and takes it from me I find a good amount of flour another chunk of bacon a barrel of water and more beans. I yell for some saddle bags and get the Apache coming around leading a couple of our horses. I smile at them and ask for some help to get our new supplies. We get everything packed up by the time the sky is lit again. We even managed to get the key for the chest. Watching Elizabeth open her chest, she finally deigned to say her name to us, is a study of disgust on even Gwen's face. There are in total seven bottles of perfume, eight pieces of clothing for one dress. I remember the dress Dan put me in to go to Longwood I had a total of five pieces. Suggesting she wears the dress she is wearing gets me a look of disgust, it is only a nightgown. I walk away in disgust, no wonder there is so much violence in New York, takes an hour to get a woman out of enough clothes for a roll. The truly special comes when Martin pulls her chest over for her to get on a horse. I watch this with a sinking feeling she walks out with a poofy skirt. It takes a couple tries to get on the chest, when she tries to get on the horse I whistle and shake my head. Gwen is grinning when I walk over to Elizabeth, I give her a dirty look I'm sure and pull up the skirt, underneath like I thought is another skirt with bands keeping it spread out. Martin picks her up and brings her down to the ground where I pull out a throwing knife. This is too precise for the big Bowie, Gwen comes over to help and I cut out the under skirt showing her bloomers and slip until we let the skirt drop. "I'll have you know that was a hundred dollar whale bone underskirt you just cut up." Any more Elizabeth would have said dies with my Colt in her face. "Shut your trap and ride the horse, walk, or die your choice. I really do not have a preference in the matter so long as words do not issue from you. We did not come here to save you we only came for one of the survivors. Speak again and I will give you to the Apache to break, there are a lot of warriors with no bedmate thanks to your father I think that would be a fitting punishment." Elizabeth turns white and gets on the horse. Dan leads the way out of the gulch the Apache taking up the rear with the horses carrying the dead. Martin has the two prisoner's horse's reins in his hand. Gwen is talking to him low, I assume so the prisoner's do not listen in on their conversation. Dan touches me and gives me a silent question on a roll, I grin and mouth town to him. He smiles and nods as Gwen moves up beside me. "Janet I'm curious, would you really give that pompous woman to the Apache?" I look over at Gwen at the question and grin. "I would try, Dan gets final say in that so likely would not happen. I do not see a reason not to once she is broken she would make a better voice to let us be injuns instead of destroying our ways like they wish." Gwen giggles and goes back to Martin's side. "I don't think the Apache would take her let alone break her. I asked you should speak to them in Spanish more by the by. Both agree she is not a woman, she is closer to a wild animal." Silvia says coming up beside me getting a shocked noise out of Elizabeth, she quiets right down when I look at her. "Martin, would you be interested in Elizabeth if Gwen wasn't draped all over you?" I ask with a grin. "She's hinting at more than draped but no, I like women with a backbone. Elizabeth doesn't have much of a backbone she's just full of herself because her father is a congressman." I look back at Elizabeth, her mouth is hanging open. "What about you Dan?" Dan looks over at me sighs and shakes his head I shake a finger at him then look at our prisoners. "Michael and the other smart one I never heard your name apologies on that, would either of you want Elizabeth?" They look at me, look at Elizabeth then shake their heads. "I'm siding with Martin on this one, even if it got me pardoned from what I am going on trial for. Well I would take the pardon then head west without her." Michael says getting a chuckle out of Martin. "I'm Benjamin and no apologies were needed, I don't recall offering my name to you. I'm going with Michael and Martin, I'm not even sure I'm facing charges, I'll even be a gentleman and offer up more reasons." Elizabeth looks unsure I nod to Benjamin with a grin. "The biggest reason is out here you need sensible, even trying to wear all of that get up to ride a horse is not sensible. That dress may work fine in some city, anywhere else and all you are is an easy mark for bandits." Gwen giggles and looks back. "Wouldn't work well in New York if you wandered out of the fancy section, the gangs would have a field day tearing your clothes off and having their fun. I've seen them do it to women with not nearly as expensive an air to them." I look over at Michael and Benjamin. "I find a bit of curiosity, do you two know why there was not a gang watching over the carriage to Longwood from Kansas City?" Michael nods. "There was no pull there, Longwood until the railroad was a poor town. Anybody going to Longwood would have been likewise poor and not worth the effort. Wicker on the other hand was poor but did not get a sheriff until a few months after the railroad." Dan makes a noise getting me to look over at him, he's looking at Michael. "Michael, I find a bit of the curious in me, you always struck me as a farmer and yet you were busted out of my cell by bandits and you were in their camp." Michael looks over at Benjamin. "I was a farmer, I had the closest house to the town until the sheriff showed up he wasn't sheriff then. My crops failed and I was left without a penny to my name, spent it all trying to get more crops to grow. Nothing would grow just like that, I sold my house to the sheriff he was sheriff then so he would have a place to stay. I found work in the store at first, wasn't much to earn but it was a roof and a bed, until deputies showed up. I don't know why but I had to stop working at the store, left me with nothing to do, then more of the farmers had the same problem. The deputies started strong arming folks those of us who had no home were all leaving. We got met by the bandits who promised coin and food all we had to do was help." I look over at Dan, he sighs and nods. "Michael did you and the bandits ever actually shoot a deputy?" Michael looks a little surprised then nods. "Two of them, both I knew from before the sheriff. I don't think I shot either, I pointed my gun I didn't shoot." Martin curses and looks over at us. "We should leave these two here and go clean town, I've heard tell of this before. Sheriff shows up people end up destitute then bandits show up and ransack the town gradually." Dan shakes his head. "Janet and I are the ones that brought news of it, when we tracked the deserter we found it. I'd like a little more proof than just those two, I'm a sheriff it's not looked well on for a sheriff to shoot a sheriff. We will stay for a day or two and watch the trial, perhaps we will sleep in the sheriff's office." "Unless they speak out against injuns I've had enough of that today." Dan looks at me while I say that, he opens his mouth to say something then shuts it. "Janet could you ask Elizabeth how she was grabbed, she won't tell me." Silvia says coming up close, I sigh and look back at Elizabeth. "Elizabeth out with it how did the bandits end up with you?" "I was getting ready for bed on the train it stops at that town for the night. I would have gotten off if there had been a hotel. I had just locked up my chest when men got on grabbed me up and took my chest. I don't know what they planned to do with me they just said I would do." I look back at her then Dan, he sighs and nods. "They planned to be your husband, no telling how many would have taken you for a roll. If you had not resisted perhaps just the one I shot trying to take you for a roll. You did resist so there would have been many if we had not come." Elizabeth turns white. "That can't be true, they were Christian's." I look back and feel a little sorry for her, Silvia groans. "Christian's seem to be some of the worst offenders of everything. I was led to Longwood on a lie of translating the Apache instead I got locked in a little room and taken by the Christian men. Janet had the same treatment when she was eleven to thirteen by the same Christian. The soldiers that put down the so called uprisings are Christian and yet they slaughter entire tribes, women and children. Talk to the Apache they have survivors of such thing in the reservation. Congress is full of Christian men, and they order the treatment of the injuns that would not be ordered for fellow Christians." Elizabeth opens her mouth to protest until I turn around. "Cherokee are largely Christian do you remember what was done to the Cherokee? They were marched across the country those that fell just died or were shot by Christian soldiers. My tribe's uprising of going to the local town to try and get some meat they were not provided is one of the catalysts of this march. I missed out on the march because I was not in a reservation. We were forcibly taken from the land we were promised as being ours to make room for round eyes. The next time you see an injun think about that, we are tortured, lied to and forced to leave places we are promised and signed treaties saying it is our land forever. This is all done by Christians I follow the old ways to not lie like a Christian." We ride on in silence for a while Gwen is smiling at me, I'm not sure if it is because of Martin's hand in hers or what I said. The shadows are getting longer when I hear the railroad. You can see it off in the distance, more the smoke than the train. Gwen rides up with me again looking at the ground more than me. "Janet, would you be of a mind to teach me how to track?" I look over at Gwen then Martin, both are smiling. "I could, it takes a bit to learn it, why are you wishing to learn?" Gwen smiles at me then looks back at Martin and Silvia. "I rather enjoyed the hunt and Martin, I found the shoot out was satisfying. I'd like to perhaps see about doing hunts with Martin, I'd like if Silvia came with us." I look back at Silvia, she's smiling. "I will teach you, Sally I reckon will not mind so much, she wants more Apache. We have three that speak round eye well enough plus Bonita. I'm not sure Sally will like you doing marshal business Gwen, it's dangerous. I keep doing it because Dan asks me to, I admit it is fun I just miss my sons now." Dan puts his hand on mine, Gwen smiles at me. "Thank you Janet, this means a lot to me and don't worry about my sister, I can get her to agree to it. Would you be averse to letting me keep your old Winchester?" I shake my head at Gwen she smiles and slows down to ride with Martin. We do not beat the train to town the engineer has a strange look in his eyes when he looks out at us. He does motion ahead of the train so off we go that way, I let everyone go ahead around the train and stop to speak to the engineer. "Janet you know I did not expect to see this going by my train." Gus says sitting on the floor of the locomotive his feet trailing out over the side. "I didn't really expect to be part of it walking by your train. You brought us a marshal and prisoner three days ago now. The prisoner got broken out and we came hunting, there were a lot of them along with a freshly grabbed congressman's daughter." Gus chuckles and shakes his head. "I didn't bring the marshal that was Arnold. There are two trains on these rails me and Arnold run them. I don't know when it will happen but there is talking of getting a better light on the front of our trains so we can run at night and day, we would run the route faster but screw up when we arrive at each town. I suppose the higher ups never think to ask us people at the bottom, I think it's a bad idea." I sigh and nod in agreement. "Try being an injun, you get used to having things you don't like shoved on you. I know not your fault and I'm being cross with you, not been the best of days nor night before. We took them out in the middle of the night and not slept since, at least we are at the town, I can give Dan the we live roll now." Gus chuckles and stands up. "Well if you can't find a place in town and not up to on the ground I reckon we got room on the train, at least a cargo box." "Thanks Gus, Dan mentioned trying to mark out a section of the sheriff's for us. You will get Elizabeth she was snatched off a train yesterday according to what she said." Gus gets lower and shakes his head. Longwood First Hunt Day 03-04 "Not yesterday, she was snatched off Arnold's train that was the same day you got a prisoner break. She's been with the bandits for two days." I look up at him and sigh. "If so either they did not force her the first night or she forgot. I'm not mentioning it she's not exactly what one would call good people as it stands." Gus nods and sets about shutting down his locomotive. I head around the train to find everyone sitting and waiting for me. When I catch up to Dan we get in motion again, even Elizabeth is still here. I figured she would have gone straight to the train. The sheriff's office is at the end of the path set a little past the buildings on each side to let wagons in to town around the sheriff's. There is a man sitting on a chair in front of the sheriff's, he stands up and says something into the building. A second man comes out this one holding a rifle, Martin looks a little nervous. I look about to see if there is anything in town we would want to take a look at. I see a store and a feed store, there is the undertaker, I am surprised at no stable Longwood had a stable when we first reached it. As we are coming closer the one that had been sitting in the chair pulls his revolver and holds up his hand walking toward us. "Kindly stop there and tell me your business." We pull up and stop there with a little difficulty with the dead weight horses. "I'm the sheriff of Longwood with a deputy we helped the marshal over there get the prisoner that was broken out of our cell. We got two prisoners for you now and a lot of dead men we want to see if there are bounties on them, promised pay to the Apache and our translator. Any coin in the pockets will go for burial I'll cover the rest if it is not enough." Dan says getting the man to look over at him. I see his hand holding the gun moving upward and pull mine fast cocking both. The man turns to look at me, the one in the doorway adjusts his feet to aim at me I move the second revolver to cover him. "Put the revolver away and tell the fool in the door to put his shotgun away." "Lady you are jumpy I had an itch on my belly. I'll put it away, Gander put the shotgun away these are lawmen, and lady." He puts the revolver away and scratches his belly, Dan chuckles. "Please excuse Janet it has been a while since we shut eye. I notice there are no saloons or hotels would it be possible for us to shack up in the sheriff's? Janet has a need and well dang it would be nice to have a roof." "I don't see a reason to refuse, Gander come on your going to help us put the dead men by the undertaker we can check for wanted in the morning. Closing up a little early today, the sheriff will be here at nine or so in the morning. We got a stove inside if you want to make up vittles for yourselves, once we finish we are going to our house." "Thank you, Janet, go on in with Silvia, Gwen, and I guess Elizabeth is staying. We will be inside shortly with saddles and a powerful hunger." I look at Dan then sigh and pull my Winchester. Gwen does the same along with getting her saddlebag before she drops down. Silvia takes a little longer explaining to the Apache what they are going to do. Elizabeth takes a little coaxing to get down from her horse. Michael and Benjamin are ushered inside into one of the cells. Gwen and Silvia spend a little while going over everything and getting the stove lit while I look over the sheriff's. There is a bed in the back behind the cells hidden by a wall there is no window or door. I go back into the front and take a seat behind one of the desks while Gwen and Silvia get to work making vittles. Elizabeth comes and sits by me, on the floor which is surprising. "Janet, am I that bad?" Elizabeth asks getting Gwen and Silvia to look over at us. "To us yes you are. You come from a different place we would be lost in your city just as much as you are lost here." Gwen opens her mouth to say something I shake my head at her. Elizabeth does not look reassured she does let the matter lie. Vittles are well on their way to being cooked when the Apache come back carrying saddlebags and two saddles. Dan and Martin come in carrying four saddles all four men leave again to come back with two more saddles and more saddle bags. Gwen and Silvia set about getting plates ready for all of us while Dan goes through the drawers in the desks. He checks the one I am sitting at first finding a number of wanted posters, he sets those on the desk before heading to the other desk. He goes through the drawers fast then comes to a locked one he shakes it about then asks me for a throwing knife. I don't even think about it just flick one at him. It clatters off the wall behind the desk, Dan had asked and ducked. Martin chuckles as he goes over to the other desk and helps Dan work the lock down enough to open. I groan when he brings more wanted posters over the first one is a face I recognize. "I shot him twice, how can he be wanted?" Dan shrugs and shows me some more, I recognize the big man I shot first last night. Dan shows them to Martin while I get up and go over to Michael and Benjamin. My belly rumbles when I realize they have plates already, I have not ate since the chili. "Michael does the sheriff have a limp?" Michael looks up at me and nods looking mystified. "He has a limp and his left hand is not very good. How did you know he limped?" I look at Michael and sigh. "I shot him twice eleven years ago now I reckon. He was doing the same thing in Idaho, I had my old Winchester then it used revolver bullets. I will make sure I am closer this time. Dan, do we have enough to just shoot him and be done?" I look back at Dan, he sighs and shrugs. "I think we should try and keep it just a visiting sheriff, deputy, and marshal for the time being. It could not be the sheriff in the wanted poster I also think you had best teach Gwen how to track in the morning so you don't see the sheriff, I know how you are and if he is the man he will try and shoot all of us right then." I don't like this plan, I think my face says so Dan just gives me a later look. I nod to him as I sit down at the desk to find a plate for me. Elizabeth moves closer, at first just to have a place to put her plate then she turns to me and speaks low. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" I look at Elizabeth not really sure what it is she means, then it comes to me I hadn't just been ignoring or insulting her. "The engineer on the train told me something that puts your experience in a different light." Elizabeth gets a confused look. "What could he have said? It happened exactly as I said." I shake my head not sure I want to tell her, the expression on her face gets me to. "The bandits had you for two days. We only have two trains that run on those rails, the last one through was now three days ago." "I don't know what to say, I remember being taken from this town to the camp. I was screaming so I was hit on the head from behind, I remember waking up with that man trying to have me." I look at Elizabeth her eyes are saying there might have been more I nod. "It is known for hits on the head to put a person down for long stretches." I don't say I've never seen one that long, Elizabeth nods and looks relieved. I return to my vittles Elizabeth does the same. I notice Dan and Martin at the other desk talking to each other glancing my way now and then. With my plate finished I hand it to Silvia, she has turned into our plate cleaner then walk to Dan and Martin. I put a hand on Martin's shoulder then squeeze in between Dan and the desk to sit in his lap and put my arms around his neck. Dan looks at me in his lap, before he can say anything I lean in and kiss him. This is not just a quick peck, this is an I have needs now type of kiss. I hold on to him and work my lips over his enjoying our lips pressed together. I keep going ignoring Martin sitting there, ignoring everyone else in the sheriff's. I have a desire to meet his needs I want to do it now. Dan puts his hands around me holding on kissing back before pushing back on me a little. One hand to my breast to push he leaves it there while we speak. "Janet wait, we need to discuss a few things first, one of them is where we are rolling and spending the night." Dan says with an urge in his eyes to match my own, I smile at him and point behind the empty cell. "There is bed behind wall of the cell, we will stay there." Dan nods with a smile, Martin coughs once to get me to look at him. "I rather agree with you on the plan, most of it centers on your great spirit taking an interest in us. Dan's plan is to get you away from the sheriff's so the sheriff does not see you and hope he does not recognize Dan. Once we get a look around town and see what they say without the sheriff then we move on the sheriff. The reception we got was perfectly normal, it is possible the wanted posters were locked away to keep the deputies from going after the bandits. Michael was only fibbing to try and get us to let him go." I shake my head and sigh. "Dan I'm not happy with this plan, it anchors on me to save the day. I'm not that always moving always begging for hot rolls gal anymore, I'm a grandmother. We have a babe in Longwood that needs us." Dan sighs and nods then looks at me. "There is nothing else we can do I'm a sheriff in another sheriff's town I have to speak to him. Martin needs to stay here as well the Apache can not wander the town, that would get cries of uprising. The only one we can have leave the sheriff's is you Janet. Gwen will go with because you would get cries of an uprising alone, we are not known here." I just lean in to Dan and worry, he must have known since his hands wrap me up tight and holds me. "Dan." I look up at him he looks and gets a worried expression. "I will go to the store in the morning before the sheriff before the deputies perhaps. If they are not awake I will visit the undertaker, I will try every building until I get someone awake and I will get their version of things here. If one agrees with Michael I will come back and there will be a slaughter." "Janet please don't look at me like that, much nicer when you see your husband and not a man you are going to kill." I sigh and look away, Martin jerks getting another sigh then I force a smile. "I'm not risking you perhaps I am unkillable, perhaps the Great Spirit does have a hand on my shoulder. If he does, he is not protecting you and I need you. I need you to put another child in me there will be no risking of you." Dan nods and pulls my face up to see him. "I wasn't under danger, you remember the deputies, they want to act like proper lawmen and have us go away. I want you away from here because you are memorable. You sang your luck song the entire firefight in Idaho, it was beautiful and it was frightening." Gwen makes a noise getting me to look at her. "Janet, could you share the story of the firefight in Idaho?" Gwen asks crossing herself, Silvia doing the same and nodding. "Well I suppose I can do my roll in a little bit. It was a small town, called Silver Creek they had a silver mine there, what was left of it..." The memories come flooding back. *** There were trees all around the town except for the road that had been cut through for the wagons and the space created by the creek. The town itself isn't really much to look at, log cabins that had probably been made out of the tree's that stood where the town sits. There is a saloon, a doctor's office, a sheriff and a mining company building that served as the store. Along with many an unmarked cabin that served as homes for the miners. A deputy appears out the shadows of one of these cabins as we get closer to entering the town, he puts his hand up and asks us to get down to talk normal like. I drop down fast, it was a tall horse I had for this hunt there is no way to get down well besides just dropping. Dan is a little slower his long legs make me jealous often then collects the rein. We had found out earlier in the hunt the horse will just walk off with me holding the reins on the ground. I move closer to the deputy looking up at him, very common occurrence I'm short for a woman. "What wrong deputy?" He looks at me and snorts derisively. "Get your thing to shush and away from me, I want to know what you're doing here..." He stops talking with my revolver pointed at his face my second is pointed at his equipment. "Janet now be nice the deputy is only doing what he is told. We are on the trail of a deserter Janet says he came this way. Here's the wanted paper on him have you seen this man?" Dan holds out the wanted poster, the deputy looks and nods. "Yeah he skinned out two days ago, I think through the forest. Could you have her put those away I'd like to stay breathing and pleasing women?" I push the lower revolver into him getting a groan out of him. "Will look, if not trace will come back, round eye will not like." He nods sweat trickling down his face. "You should just kill him he and all the rest are just robbing us blind." A woman says from a cabin on the other side of the opening into town. "Say it again and we will take our pleasure in you until we have had our fill. Worthless woman like you deserves to be taken..." His words shut off because I have shot him. The first shot goes into his equipment, the second into his forehead after he leans over into my high revolver. The woman is cheering until a shot rings out hitting her. Another zings by me, I move for the cabin Dan ahead of me. I shoot twice more not at anyone just trying to put their heads down, it does not work quite as well as I would like. A second bullet slams into my leg spilling me to the ground getting a shout from Dan. I roll the rest of the way to the safety of the cabin, I do not have to ask for my Winchester and bullets, Dan has the saddle bags dropped next to me and my brand new only hunted with so far Winchester. I heft my Winchester thinking back on all of those men I had in the brothel just to afford the one. Dan has one of his own he has only shot at cans with his so far. I work my way to a standing position then nod at Dan, he gets ready to run while I take a deep breath and sing my luck song. Dan goes when I go around the corner Winchester loaded and ready to fire. Movement gets my attention to the right side I turn aim and shoot, the bullet hitting him with a mist of blood and he is gone. Still singing I reload turn and shoot another man coming up from behind a barrel. I keep reloading and shooting singing my song, the second time through now four men have fallen shouts of stay down ringing through the sky about me. With no more targets I walk forward with a limp, my leg hurting with each step my trust in the Great Spirit absolute. A man to my right has me turn and shoot before he realizes I can see him. A man farther up behind a different barrel tries to run farther away I shoot him in the back. The window of the mining company building breaks out. He spends longer than he should breaking out enough glass, by the time he is reaching through to shoot at me I have shot another man and aimed down on him. We fire at almost the same time, my bullet hits him square spilling blood on the remains of the window. His bullet zings over my head. A man armed with a shotgun appears, I drop behind the barrel I have reached when he fires then stand up still singing and shoot him. My song dies then I reload my Winchester I can hear shouting and men coming through the forest. Dan catches up with me he drops the saddle bags until I walk forward, I know where they are coming from. Dan cursing behind me I keep going making my limping way to the saloon, a long building I pull the tarp aside and look in to a few shrieks of fear. I do not go in, no one shot at me and there is no other door. The shouting men are coming up behind the saloon I motion Dan to go the other way and head for the corner of the building when a man comes around the corner. I shoot him fast in the leg high almost into his belly he tumbles to the ground rolling over. I put another bullet into him hearing him collapse with a long sigh then head for the corner. Luck song filling the air I go around the corner right at a second man. His eyes go wide when I shoot him reloading and shooting a third man just behind him as he falls. There is one in the trees trying to get a shot at me, I duck low and shoot him before moving around the next corner of the saloon. There is a man there waiting for me with his revolver ready he makes a click noise I shoot him. As he is falling his revolver fires having spilled out of his hand it shoots him in the knee. I shoot a man behind the one shot twice now his eyes huge moving to run away. A third man does run away this one I shoot twice, my first bullet hits him high near his arm the second is better placed. There is not another to shoot, Dan managed to shoot a few more on his side of the saloon. *** "Janet, I am agreeing with the Apache." Silvia says her eyes wide, the apache are staring at me their mouths open. "What are you talking about?" The word they used sounded familiar but it does not really register. "They called you Tobadzistsini, the man they prey to for good battles. You're not under the protection of the Great Spirit you are up beside him." I sigh and shake my head Dan just pulls me to him closer. "I'm inclined to agree with them Janet, there really isn't a good reason for you going through so much and ending up perfectly well." Dan says making me look up at him. "Dan shush I want to stop killing I'm starting to scare myself. I look up at you and I see my husband, the man I want to roll with for the remaining summers we have. I look at a man with a gun and I have to argue with myself to not shoot him." Dan looks at me a worried expression on his face. "Would you like to take time and visit the Cherokee reservation and speak with the chiefs?" I sigh and shrug. "I don't know, I will speak with chief when we return, speak with the captain as well. Mohin might be able to dance it away, I reckon I may need to just return to the saloon and spend my days with Balik." Dan nods and smiles at me. "I miss him as well I swear no reason to wear your belt when we return to him. You can just take care of your newest addition to our tribe." I smile up at Dan then rest against him bed ready and wanting my roll. "Janet I know you don't care for me but I would like to stay and see what is being done to the reservation. If I return with tales of being grabbed by bandits and saved by a god hating injun my father would press for the Christianizing of the reservations." Elizabeth says kneeling on the far side of the desk from us, I look over at her then up to Dan. "Dan, that can't be right, she was grabbed by round eyes." Dan looks down at me and sighs. "No she's right, city folk have strange forms of right and wrong. Likely the paper will focus on you killing the twenty three men chanting to your gods which will create a rise of panic within the church folk. Think about it, the stories of you are well loved, if it got out that you usually sing songs while shooting dead Christians and not being shot much, they will be feared that round eyes will come flocking to the reservations to learn your religion. While giving his sermon the father passes around a tithe bowl, we put in what we have to spare." I stare at Dan my mouth hanging open. "You pay the father to say words?" Dan chuckles and shakes his head. "No what we do is give him money to help the families that need help, buy more bibles and afford vittles. If you notice he does not eat in the saloon often, he has his own stove in the little shack behind the church. He sends some of the money to his superiors, the rest is for repair on the church, helping those that need it and making sure he does not die of hunger. Sally would give him free food, she's offered many times. You should speak to him and say about the fathers you had pay for your time." I nod and lean back into Dan.