Storiesonline.net ------- Oregon by cmsix Copyright© 2008 by cmsix ------- Description: Frank was young, dumb, and fulla come when he rode off from Texas to do his part for the Glorious Confederate Cause. His enthusiasm waned when he found out what a bunch of dumb asses he was fighting a war with. Codes: MF Mf harem cons BF WM ------- ------- Chapter 1 The Civil War hadn't really meant much to us in Texas, at least it hadn't meant much to me. We didn't own any slaves and didn't want any. Our small cattle spread didn't take a lot of help and all the while Dad, my brothers Tom and Jack, and I had been able to get things done. Someone in Texas must have had or wanted slaves, or something. Texas seceded from the Union and joined the war. Talk about a stupid move, there was one for you. I was even stupider. I joined the Confederate Army along with plenty more young fools and was off to war. Eighteen years old and I was off to fight the Yankees. Shit, I wasn't even mad at 'em. It wasn't long before I was mad enough at Sergeant Jackson though, and then I was mad at Lieutenant Johnson, and pretty soon mad at the whole army I was in. I guess some of our folks knew what they were doing, but no one around me did. After the first two little dust-ups I knew that I'd be leaving the war as a dead man if I stayed with this bunch of morons. Yammering about the wonderful Southern way of life, honor, and dignity. Those Yankees didn't give a damn about honor, dignity, or any of that bullshit at all. They wanted to kill us and go back home. To me it seemed Jackson and Johnson wanted to help them get the job done soonest. I took all I could stand of them preaching about fighting to the bitter end for the cause. Fuck the cause. The other dumb bastards could fight for it. I wanted to live over the war and by now I knew that I'd have a hell of a lot easier time doing it with a blue uniform than with a gray one. During guard duty one dark cloudy night I carried my ass. It was only a few miles to a union camp and I made my way there. The young idiot on guard duty nearly shit himself when I surrendered. It's a fucking wonder he didn't shoot me by accident. Eventually he settled down, took my guns, and led me to his Sergeant. Finally I'd come up on someone in a uniform that wasn't a complete fool. Later I'd learn how rare that was. Turns out that I wasn't the first good old boy who had come to his senses. They didn't tell me who any of the others were and I didn't recognize anyone, but the Captain that questioned me let me know that there'd been some others swapping gray uniforms for those nice new blue ones lately. After I'd convinced him that I'd seen the error of the Confederate ways and that I knew now that preserving the Union was the way it had to be he swore me into the U S Army. They didn't let me stay with the group I'd surrendered to though. Two days later I was a hundred miles away and the only ones that really knew that I'd come from the other side were my new Sergeant, O'Riley, and my new Lieutenant, Rosterman. A week later I learned that I hadn't got away from the Rebs a minute too soon. My X Lieutenant, Johnson and my X Sergeant, Jackson had tried to pull off a bold but stupid nighttime raid. All but two of the poor bastards with them had given their all for the cause and the two who lived were shot up bad. Did I feel guilty? Not by a fucking long shot. I felt smart and better yet, I could still feel and I didn't have any holes in my hide. Fuck the cause and free those poor noble darkies, those were my new words to live by and heavy on the living part. Slavery just wasn't right, especially if I had to die to keep it going. I wasn't even pissed at all about my demotion to foot soldier. I'd rather be riding a horse instead of walking of course, but being able to lie down and shoot from cover had its own advantages. Especially after O'Riley noticed that unlike most of those around me, I could usually hit what I shot at. I spent the next sixteen months mostly laying behind cover and poking holes in good old boys from Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. I did my best to concentrate on the officers when I could. They were the bastards who were so anxious to give their all for the cause and I was more than happy to help them along. It was all over but the singing and slow walking by April of eighteen sixty-five, but they didn't turn me loose until June. They promised if I waited around that eventually they could provide me transportation home, but I kindly declined. In the first place I didn't want to sit on my ass around in Virginia for what would no doubt be months, and in the second, I didn't want to arrive home in style while those that had stayed with the cause had to walk. I could see there might be some hard feelings somewhere along the line. I was better off than those poor bastards that stuck to their original side by a good way. Hell, the Union Army actually paid me in real money and for a few bucks they let me keep my perfectly useable Spencer carbine, my more accurate but slower firing Sharp's, and my only recently acquired Remington New Model 1863 44 revolver. They even sold me all the amunition I wanted for dirt cheap. They had plenty now. I was a little pissed that I hadn't been able to keep my saber from my first incarnation as a Confederate Gentleman in the glorious Cavalry, but I hadn't seen that since the night I surrendered. They paid me off, made me take off the emblems and patches from my uniform, and bid me a fond farewell. I lit out walking but I didn't head home. Go west young man. I'd heard that somewhere and it sounded like a good idea at the time. Two weeks of looking around in every little town I came to finally found me a horse good enough to buy, a mule that was worth the price, and a saddle good enough to ride. It would have been easy to find a McClellan for nearly nothing but I'd already done all the time in one of those bastards I wanted to. I splurged and bought a brand new saddle from a small shop. The owner had made the saddle and it was a good one. Just because I didn't want another McClellan ball buster didn't mean I turned up my nose at all the war equipment that was on the market now. I bought another Spencer and two more Remingtons from mustered out soldiers that were short of drinking money. Hell, one of the Remingtons looked like it had never even been fired. Even though they'd let me keep my uniform and it was serviceable enough, I got out of it as soon as I could. I hadn't been broke when I converted myself to a union soldier and I had more sense than to spend my Union pay on whores and shitty whiskey. I wasn't that much a fan of jacking off, but it was a hell of a lot cheaper and even healthier than that. Being a soldier with a case of the clap wasn't one of my lifelong ambitions. So when I was mustered out and paid off I had more than the usual unemployed soldier and I could afford some normal looking clothes. I was heading west but in no real hurry to get there, nor had I any real destination in mind. After a few weeks I did decide to head for Independence Missouri to see about tagging along with a wagon train. I didn't know a thing about looking for gold but neither had thousands of the others that had gone that way with that very thing in mind for years. I did know something about cattle though and all those looking for gold would need something to eat whether they found any or not. I figured I could find something to do that would pay my way for a while and there was a lot of country out that way to see. When I got to Independence I was surprised. I'd had hints from others I talked to while traveling but the reality of the place was more than I'd expected. There were a hell of a lot of people heading west and a lot of them were stuck in Independence trying to get enough of an outfit together to make the trip. I did what I'd been doing for the last ten months or so; I wandered around trying to get a handle on what was going on. I did very little talking and a lot of listening. It was late April of 1866 and I learned there weren't nearly as many people here this year as there had been being. The railroads were well on their way to providing an easy trip west and it seemed that wagon trains would probably peter out all together within another year or two. I was here now though and I had my mind made up to go west. I hadn't decided whether I'd go to Oregon or California or somewhere in between but wherever west I was going this was the place to get started. With a horse and a good pack mule I'd been picking up this and that as I worked my way this far. Knowing that things would come dear out close to the jumping off point, I'd spent considerable time during my wandering in stocking up. I didn't have enough for a trip by myself though, and if I couldn't find someone that needed to hire a hand along the way I would pay dearly for any supplies I needed to buy. At least now a days there were supplies to be had. It must have been a lot tougher earlier on when you had to make do with whatever you could bring along from the first. There still weren't any really big towns or cities between here and there but at least now some trading posts had sprung up. They would probably fade out too once the railroad got finished, unless they happened to be near the train's right-of-way. I found out that the local law around Independence looked long and hard at strange mounted men. It wasn't that they intentionally gave me a hard time, but I was questioned about my plans more than once. Experience with thieves and cheats trying to make off with some of the migrants money or stores had probably taught them to be cautious. I passed muster somehow though and after a couple of days they left me alone. I had a stroke of good luck while hunting a livery stable to take care of my horse and mule. There was a man asking around for someone to drive a wagon. I heard him talking to the livery's wrangler about it and so I just jumped in and volunteered that I might be interested in the job. He gave me a long looking over and then asked me to come on to a nearby saloon to sit down and talk about it. He got a beer at the bar and then we sat down at a table. "I'll buy you a beer if you're tapped out," he said. "I'm not. I don't drink beer or whiskey. I've heard it's an acquired taste and I never acquired it. Don't seem like I've missed out on much so far." "You may have a point," he said. Bill Arceneaux was from Southern Louisiana. He said that before the war he'd had a small sugar cane plantation but he admitted all that was gone now. He'd had to turn his slaves loose and sell his place for whatever he could get out of it. He was taking his wife and family out to California now and he planned to try his hand in the shipping business once he was settled out there. There was Bill, his wife, two daughters, a cook, the cook's daughter and a hired man with him. He told me that the cook, her daughter, and the hired man had been his slaves before the war but that now they were hired help. I didn't care that much whether they were hired or not. If he still treated them like slaves we'd probably have a run in sooner or later, but to tell the truth, I'd switched sides to save my own hide. It wasn't like I'd taken up freeing the slaves as a religion. Still, I'd come to think it was the right thing to do after a while, and the Union had won the war. He said that he'd had two hired men but one of them had left him to join up with some other darkies that had there own wagon and were heading west too. He had three wagons and he needed another man to drive the last one. "I ain't trying to talk myself out of a job, but usually there ain't much driving to do from what I hear. You could probably get by with your wife or the cook driving the other wagon." "It's out of the question for my wife to drive a wagon or do any kind of work. Mary, the cook, could probably do well enough driving most of the time but if something comes up I'll need another man to help out. I haven't got around to asking yet but I'm assuming that you can handle a gun too. Things can come up on a long trip like this and I might need help along those lines too. "Besides, I've heard from a lot of people that Jack Jenkins is the best wagon leader in the business and I've signed on to go with him. He didn't like the fact that I had darkies driving my other two wagons in the first place and when Slim ran off he told me we couldn't go with him unless I hired another driver that he approved of or I left that wagon behind," he said. "Seems like it's a free country and you could go wherever you wanted too." "I can and he wouldn't try to keep us from following him but he wouldn't help us if something went wrong and he says he'd keep us out of his camps. It's too far to try to travel like that and I know myself I'll be better off with another man along. He says there may be times when a man who can shoot will come in handy. You can can't you?" he asked. "I've handled a gun plenty in the last few years." "In the war?" he asked. "Yes." "Which side?" he asked. "I don't remember, most of the time it's healthier not to." He laughed and then he was quiet for a few minutes, just looking at me again. "You'll do," he said, "I'll pay sixty a month and found." I nearly had to bite my tongue. He was the first one I'd really talked to about working my way west and he was offering me about twice what I'd expected. I didn't jump at the offer but I did tell him it sounded more than fair and that I was for it if he was sure he was. "Let's go on out to the wagons then to let you look around and to make sure Jack thinks you'll do," he said. When I agreed we went back to the livery for our horses. I noticed right off that he had the hostler saddle his mount for him and I wondered who'd be saddling it on the trail. When I thought about it the sixty dollars told me I would if need be. "You got any outfit at all?" he asked me, before we rode out. "Yeh, I got a mule in the livery and most of my things are with the pack saddle in the tack room." "Good. If things are ok with Jack you can bring it on out to the wagons if you want to. No sense paying the livery to keep it if you're going with us," he said. That would be even better. I'd already seen all of Independence I wanted to and I'd just as soon stay with the wagons if there would be cooking going on there, but I didn't want to fuck with it right now. I could get my things tomorrow since I'd paid in advance for the week. It seemed that there were wagons everywhere when we arrived. Bill led the way to his setup and when we got there Jack Jenkins was talking to Jim, Bill's darky. Turns out that he was inspecting the wagons to make sure he couldn't see any trouble that might come up quick. Bill introduced me to Jenkins and he looked me over too. He didn't ask any questions though, just told Bill I'd do fine. He went about his business looking over the wagons while Bill took me to meet his wife and kids. As soon as I saw them I knew it was going to be a long trip. Helen Arceneaux was a fine looking woman and her twin girls - she said they were fourteen - were lookers themselves. They weren't identical twins cause one was blonde and the other was a redhead but they both had blue eyes. Helen was a dark brunette with blue eyes also. Even the twins already had curves everywhere they were supposed to, and looking at Helen let me know that their curves were going to get curvier on down the road. I had to watch myself to make sure that Bill didn't catch me with my tongue hanging out. Bill called Jim over but didn't bother introducing him to me. He just told Jim to take care of our horses for us and the way he said it would have pissed me off pretty bad if he'd'a been talking to me. It didn't seem to bother Jim at all though and he got right to it. Bill didn't bother with any introductions to Mary or her daughter Honey either, but Helen did. Knowing that Mary was the cook made me be especially nice to she and Honey. The fact that Mary was as handsome a darky as I'd ever seen didn't hurt my feelings either. Honey was quite a bit lighter than Mary and I was pretty sure that there must have been a white man in Bill's woodshed somewhere about the time that Honey got started. Maybe it was even old Bill. In fact, looking at her closer let me think I could see a little resemblance between Honey and Helen's daughters, Rebecca and Elizabeth. Seemed that this might be a lot closer family than I'd thought at first. Before he left, Jack Jenkins had told us that he'd sent a man ahead four days ago and that he'd just made it back this afternoon. The scout thought that the grass was in good enough shape for us to go ahead and move out, even if it was a little early in the year. Jack said that we'd be leaving at sunrise the day after tomorrow and he told Bill if there was anything he needed from town he should get it tomorrow. Bill told him that all we needed from town was my mule and outfit. Bill talked to Helen for a few minutes and then he wandered off toward some of the other wagons. Helen and the girls got back into their wagon and I found a place to sit on a tongue and just watched Mary and Honey working on supper. Seemed that Mary looked better and better as the time went by and Honey did too. Thing is, they'd started out looking real good in the first place. Being from Texas, I already knew that black women's insides were as pink as any and felt just as good and sometimes even better than white women's did. I didn't know where Jim fit into the picture but it hadn't seemed like he was anything special to Mary nor she to him. I'd have to see how things worked themselves out, but if I got a chance to plow Mary's furrow I'd probably jump at it. Same thing for Honey if it came up. She was still a little young but she was older than Helen's girls and she sure looked like she could do the job already. Things were a little awkward around suppertime; at least they seemed to be for Helen and Mary. I could almost feel Helen thought I should eat with them, the white folks, and I could also see Bill had made sure already that it wouldn't come up. Mary was more confused than they were because she didn't know where to feed me. It was clear that she thought I'd be offended by having to eat with the niggers but I smoothed things over by easing my way right in among 'em. Bill clearly hadn't counted on that and he gave me sort of a stern look. I acted like I didn't even see him over there and I was actually glad to be eating with Jim, Mary, and Honey. They wouldn't say a word about my manners, I knew, and I also knew I could learn a lot more about the shape of things talking to them at meals than I could have talking to Bill, Helen, and the girls. Besides, I knew damned well I wouldn't be getting a chance to fuck Helen or her twins and I still had hopes for Mary or Honey or both. At least eating with them I might find out exactly where Jim fit into the picture. There wasn't nearly as much talk around supper as I'd hoped for tonight and I figured it would take a while for them to get used to being around me. The food was damned good though and I dug in. If Bill had come over right after supper and told me that he was going to have to cut my pay in half I wouldn't have made a single squawk, it was that good. After the meal was over I tried to talk to Jim a little while Mary and Honey were cleaning things up and putting them away. It was like pulling teeth and I knew it'd be a job getting him to come around. I'd have plenty of time to do it though, cause it was a long trail we'd be starting soon. I heard some singing and talking get started about an hour after sunset and it got a little louder and louder as time went on. Sounded like quite a few were having a little get together and passing around some whiskey tonight. It was probably because we'd be leaving soon and I was pretty sure that it wouldn't be an every night thing once the traveling started. I could practically guarantee that it wouldn't happen for the first four or five nights after we began because people would be too tired and sore, at first anyway. About ten I unrolled my blanket under the third wagon to go to sleep. "Is you gonna sleep out on the ground Mr Frank?" Jim asked me after coming over. "I planned on it, you got a better place in mind?" I asked him since I knew that Mary and Honey were sleeping in the second wagon and that this third one was piled so full of crap it would be a bitch to find a comfortable place. When I asked it I knew that Jim hadn't really thought things through before he asked. "Well I guess it would be trouble to sleep in this wagon while it's still so full. Don't you think it'd be better if you was to sleep under that second wagon? The one that Mary and Honey are in?" he asked. "It don't matter to me Jim whether you or I sleep under it. I do want to sleep under one of them though in case there is a heavy dew in the morning." "It wouldn't be right for me to sleep under the other wagon with those women in it Mr Frank, it just wouldn't be right," he said. "Whatever you think best is fine with me Jim," I told him, and took up my blanket to move. At least I had a pretty good idea now that Jim wasn't doing any business in Mary's bush. I spread my blanket again and lay down for the night. I was just about asleep when I heard some movement above me and then heard somebody splashing piss into a chamber pot. I hoped they didn't spill it. ------- Chapter 2 One thing about sleeping on the ground outside - when the sun comes up you are naturally gonna get up too if you ain't up already. Since I beat the sun by a little I went ahead and started a fire where Mary had cooked last night. When she came out of the wagon a few minutes later she stared at it like she didn't know what it was. "Who built the fire Mr Frank?" she asked. "I did Mary, I was up and I knew that you'd be needing one so I built it and I'd like it a lot better if you'd just call me Frank and not Mr Frank." "I dasn't do that. Mr Bill wouldn't like it even a little," she said. "Well how bout when he ain't around, like now. Could you call me Frank then?" "I can try but I hope I don't forget while he's close. I'd get a strappin' for sure," she said. "No you wouldn't, not while I'm here. It ain't been long ago I killed a lot of Southern boys over that very thing and I didn't come out west to go over it again. It ain't gonna happen while I'm around, no matter what Mr Bill thinks." I couldn't believe how wide open her eyes went when I said it. It was plain she didn't think I'd dare. "I'll just be real careful when he's around Mr Frank," she said. "Ok Mary, I don't want to get you upset. My daddy told me to make sure I never upset the cook." She smiled at me then and I wandered off to water something. When I got back she had the coffee on and when it was ready she poured me a cup. It was good and I told her so. "Anybody can make coffee Frank," she said. "Anybody can make dark hot water and call it coffee, but not everybody can make good coffee. I've been in the U S Army and I know what I'm talking about." She had breakfast ready for us a few minutes later, but Bill and the others didn't come out of the wagon until we'd finished. I wondered if they'd been watching and waiting until we were done. It seemed funny to me but I didn't really care. I went out to my horse, saddled it, and was having a last cup of coffee before I rode to town. Mary came back from serving the others and told me Mr Bill wanted me to wait for him to ride into town. That gave me time for another cup and I'd just finished it when Bill called for Jim to saddle his horse. Later, when we were headed into town he finally got to what I knew he would. "It's not right for you to eat with the niggers Frank," he said. "Well it wouldn't be right for a hired hand to eat with your family either, and I don't intend to travel three thousand miles eating all my meals by myself just to keep up appearances. If that's part of the job I guess I'll just stay in town and try to get another one later." I didn't really want to miss out on the pay and I didn't want to wait around Independence trying to find another job going west, but he didn't have to know that. I also knew he didn't have time to spend all day looking for somebody to take my place. If it really mattered I could eat by myself but damned if I was going to. I already had plans to spend my meal time talking my way between Mary's legs and maybe Honey's too, and I wasn't going to pass up the chance just so Bill could pretend he was still a slave owner. We hadn't even started the trip yet and already he was beginning to seem like some of those Southern officers that had caused me to switch sides just lately. "I hadn't thought of it that way and I guess you're right. It is quite a change for me though," he said. "Well the war caused a lot of changes and there'll be more as things go along. We're just going to have to try to get used to a new way on some things. I just try to think of them as hired help just like I am." He didn't say anything else about it or about anything, and when we got to town he left his horse with the livery and headed toward a store. Since this would be my last chance to pick up anything I did a little looking around of my own, though I tried to make sure Bill and I never occupied the same store at the same time. I spied something I wanted in the second general store I went into. They had two Henry rifles standing up for sale among maybe a dozen Spencer carbines like the two I had. The Spencers were more powerful and longer ranged than the Henry, but a Henry's magazine held sixteen while a Spencer only held seven. If we did encounter any trouble with Indians along the way the Henrys would be much more useful. The storekeeper knew it too. The Henrys were both used but he still wanted thirty dollars each. With a little talking I got both of them and five hundred rounds of the 44 rimfires they used for seventy-five dollars and counted myself lucky, even though it would leave me short of money until my first payday. I took the rifles and the cartridges and headed for the livery stable. I got my mule and possibles, put the two together, and forked my bronc, heading back toward the wagon camp. Bill didn't need me to help him find his way back and he hadn't asked me to help him carry anything. I might as well let him get used to telling me if he wanted me to hang around and wait. When I got back I unsaddled my horse and mule and put my things in the third wagon. Damn, it was crowded in there. It was mostly food for the trip but there were other things boxed up in there too and no way to tell what most of it was. It didn't matter to me, but I knew it was gonna be a pain in the ass the first night me and Jim had to get in out of the rain. Maybe we'd eat up a bunch of the food before it came to that. Mary and Helen were near the cooking fire and talking. Somehow they hadn't noticed I'd come back. I guess they just hadn't seen me. I knew because Helen was going on about her corset to Mary and griping because Bill told her that she and the girls would keep wearing their corsets no matter how hot it got. It was all I could do to keep from laughing out loud. Bill must really be a piece of work since I'd bet Helen, Rebecca, and Elizabeth were the only women in the whole damn wagon camp that were wearing corsets. Then I had to think of something else cause thinking of them in their corsets and nothing else popped into my mind and when it did my dick began to swell its head. Shit. I came around to the fire and asked if there was any coffee. Mary smiled and seemed to be trying to blush though it didn't show on her dusky skin. She poured me a cup. Helen did blushed and I could see it up on her neck but I acted like I didn't and I made sure not to let on that I'd heard anything. Helen drifted back over toward her wagon anyway. "We don't cook up a real meal for dinner but I can fix you a sandwich if you're hungry," she said. "I'm hungry all right but it ain't food you got me in the mood for. Don't tell it but I heard what you and Helen were talking about. Y'all can give a man impure thoughts saying things like that." I knew for sure that she blushed this time even though she hadn't been the one to say it. She couldn't keep a smile off her face though she didn't say anything else. Honey came out of the wagon then with a couple of biscuits she'd split open and put sausage patties in. She handed them to me. "We usually make up some extra while we're cooking breakfast. We got to keep everybody fed and strong for this trip," Honey said, as she gave me a little smile of her own. "If you keep this up you're going to have me fat and lazy before we even get going. Just between us, I tend to be lazy anyway." "You didn't get all them muscles on your big frame by being lazy. You've done work in your life and it shows on you," Mary said. "Oh, I've worked, but that don't mean I liked it. What I need to do is find me a rich wife to take care of me." "There's some of that going around too," Honey said, but very softly. "Honey, watch yo mouth. Mr Bill would strap you good for that kind of talk," Mary said. I didn't bother repeating that there wasn't going to be any slave whippings while I was around. Somehow it just didn't sit right with me anymore. I'd seen it go on before and at the time I didn't see anything wrong with it, but I was young then and even though I knew my father didn't really go for things like that either it just didn't register when I was younger. Now that I'd been involved, on both sides, in the big war it made a difference. I couldn't say just what difference but I knew I wouldn't be standing around to watch anyone get a whipping like they used to give. That didn't mean that I couldn't see the value in a spanking or two every now and then. I had to try to stop thinking of things like that too, because as soon as I did I imagined Honey bent over my lap with her naked ass jutting up and my hand about to come down to warm it a little. It had been way too long since I'd been with a woman and when I thought about the trip we were about to set out on I knew that sooner or later Mary was going to have to help me out. About then I got a little plan starting out in the back of my mind. I spent the afternoon walking around the camp and getting to know who was who. Some of the folks were friendly and some not so friendly. Nobody was downright hostile though and that was a good start. A couple of times I pitched in to help with this or that if I happened to be close to something that seemed needful of a hand. Nothing to strain myself, but a helping hand here and there. I'd checked with Jim before I wandered off to make sure he didn't need help anywhere and he told me he'd had everything as ready as it could get for days now. Supper was a little earlier tonight and we were done well before sundown. I sat around with a cup of coffee just watching Mary and Honey bending around while they worked, cleaning this and puttin' up that. It was real relaxing to watch the women work. There hadn't been any more hard looks from Bill tonight as I ate with the other hired hands, in fact it seemed that he never looked our way even once. I tried my hand at teasing Mary a little and then tried some on Honey. I came closer to getting a rise out of Honey but never really did. I could tell they were getting used to having me around though. Later, after I'd spread my ground cloth and my blanket under Mary's wagon and just as I lay down I heard her calling me softly from the back end. I got up to go see what she wanted. The curtain was pulled back and Mary was kneeling inside, just on the other side of the tailgate. She handed me a blanket that had been rolled up and tied that way. I could barely pay it any attention. Mary was in her nightclothes and they were thin and clinging. Her breasts were bigger than they seemed when she was outside and dressed. The neck of the gown was low cut and I could see down in it where those lush pillows came together, they looked good to me. I could also make out the dark shadow of her nipples showing through the material in the lantern light. "Honey rolled up and tied that extra blanket so's you could have it for a pillow for your head," she said, as she handed it to me. "That was mighty sweet of her, here," I said, as I pulled Mary's face to me and kissed her lips soundly, "Give her that kiss from me." Even in the dark I could see that Mary's eyes were wide and I knew I had surprised her. I took the blanket from her and got back onto my bedroll for the night. I was up before light again the next morning and by the time Mary got out of the wagon I had the fire going good. She thanked me again this morning and as she went to get the coffee on she brushed into me just a little. This wasn't a tight space and I knew that she had rubbed against me on purpose. I remembered yesterday morning then. "Mary, do they always stay in their wagon until y'all are through with breakfast?" "Always, I think he has a hole to look out so he can make sure we're through before they come out," she said. "That's kinda strange ain't it?" "Maybe, but I'm glad of it. It makes me nervous trying to cook with him watching and waiting where I can see him," she said. "Well he'd better not stay too long this morning because we have to get hitched up and get ready to move out." "I know that's what Mr Jenkins said, but look yonder to his wagon. He ain't up yet either and he ain't got no one to cook his meals. He does his own cooking unless someone asks him to come eat with them. We got time yet no matter what he said. She kept at her business anyway. The food was ready and we were finished eating within another fifteen minutes. Sure as shootin' when Honey collected the dirty plates Bill popped out the front of his wagon with Helen and the girls following after him. Me and Jim made ourselves scarce by going for the stock to begin hitching them up. ------- Chapter 3 Our only worry with hitching the teams turned out to be wondering if they'd die of boredom before we got to move out. I'll swear I don't have the first idea how most of these people got their wagons to Independence in the first place. It was two hours before the last one got his team hitched to his wagon and it was a puzzle until nearly the end on which one would be last. There were fifty wagons in this train. Jim and I had our three ready in a little over twenty minutes. I could see that two others had their single wagons hitched not long after that and then the wait was on instead of the race. If there was someone that didn't know what fit to be tied looked like, a glance at Jack Jenkins would give them the picture right away. He was so disgusted he was fuming. He was so pissed he had everybody unhitch, put their stock back up and then do it again. It was no skin off Jim's or my asses and we unhitched, took the stock back, hobbled them all, and sat on our asses for the hour the others took to get it done. Jack Jenkins came around about half way through the show the others were giving us while they tried to unhitch. He told us not to bother when he got them started on the next try. "I can already tell we won't be leaving today and maybe not even tomorrow. I've never had a bunch this stupid before but we can't leave until they can get ready to go in an hour or less," he said. "Maybe me and Jim could give a few of 'em a hand," I said, but knew what he'd tell me if he had any sense. "Naw, I appreciate your offer, but if they can't even hitch their own teams I'm not going to let 'em stay with the train," he said. They did two more practices before noon and they were getting better every time, but progress was slow. Jack called for a break so people could get a bite to eat, and after they'd eaten he called a meeting among the men only and lit into their asses. "Don't think I haven't saved the money you paid me. Any of you that can't learn to get your teams hitched up and ready to move out aren't going with us. We don't have the men or the time to baby-sit you all the way to Oregon," he said. Some people just can't keep their mouths shut, even if it would leave them better off. One of the men who was doing a pretty good job with his team came up to Jack to give him a cussin' I think. He didn't get it done though, because Jack figured out what he wanted just from the tone of his first few words. Jack rared back and knocked fire from his ass and then repeated his thoughts as the guy was wigglin' around on the ground moanin'. It was the end of any further discussion and when Jack signaled them to try again, the guy he slugged was right in with the others, hitchin' his team as fast as he could, and with his nose still bleedin' to boot. Even though they were wore plumb out by the last try of the day, they all got it done in less than an hour. Jack let 'em know we wouldn't be leaving tomorrow either since they would probably be too sore to move. He was giving them a day to rest up but he told them they'd better be damned sure they didn't forget what they'd learned today. There's no telling what Bill was thinking over all this, but after supper he went off to find Jack, and I could tell he thought he was going to give him a piece of his mind. I didn't have any idea what he was mad about but I sorely wished I could get a ringside seat for this little chat. At least I knew better than to try. Whatever Bill had wanted to talk to Jack about didn't take long. Bill was back in fifteen minutes with a bloody nose of his own. I made myself scarce when I saw him heading our way. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep from laughing at him and I knew that wouldn't help any of our feelings in the long run. Too bad it didn't help one damned thing at all. Bill had his back up and since he'd already found out that giving Jack Jenkins the business was a no go from the get go he hollered for me. Damned if he didn't get it in his head somehow that he could give me a dressing down. I didn't let him get started good either. "Are you just having a dumb day or are you always this stupid? You didn't have a damned bit of trouble over today's delay. Hell, you didn't even have a bit of work to do. Then you decide that you're going to give the wagon master a talkin' to and you got what was coming to you. Now you think you can come back and give me a ration of shit. "In case you've forgotten, I ain't a slave and I never was. The south lost the war and there ain't any more slaves anywhere for that matter. If you don't keep a civil tongue in your mouth you're about to lose your own little war and I'm not gonna bloody your nose and let it go at that. I'm gonna beat the ever lovin' shit out of you. You'll be too broke up to leave tomorrow, but it won't matter cause you don't even know how to hitch up your own wagons and I'll take Jim, Mary, and Honey with me when I go. "I don't have to work for you. You're payin' good money for sure, but I can leave you and get at least six men in this train to hire Jim and me in fifteen minutes. Thanks to what I've seen today I know just who to go ask whether they'd like some help or not. You, your wife, and your daughters will be left sitting right where you are tomorrow, peeking out the hole in your wagon and wonderin' when somebody is going to fix your breakfast. "I'll hate it for Helen and the girls but it won't be my fault," I said. I guess he though I was bluffing or maybe he though his kind treatment had made Jim and Mary loyal to him. So he told me I was fired. I just went out and caught my pack mules and led them back to camp. When I got there I told Jim to help Mary and Honey pack their things onto the mules while I went to get my horses. Jim took the lead ropes and headed for the wagon Mary and Honey stayed in. Sometimes there's no telling just how stupid a man can get when he lets his temper get away from him. Bill actually tried to get a little whore pistol out and I just watched until he had it loose from his belt and was trying to point it at me, then I showed him how much an 1860 Colt hurt when it shot you in the belly. Helen, Rebecca, and Elizabeth watched the whole thing and so did Jim, Mary, and Honey. It was a little odd to me that while Bill was lying there bleeding, moaning, wiggling, and crying - neither Helen, Rebecca, nor Elizabeth rushed to his fallen side. That didn't mean everybody else in camp wasn't on their way over as fast as they could get here. Thankfully no one came right up to us except Jack Jenkins. He had plenty of questions and I had the whole damned story for him, starting from the time Bill came back with the bloody nose. Jack even asked Helen and the others for their version. Helen looked me right in the eyes before she started and then just told Jack that it was pretty much exactly like I'd said. "Bill has always had a terrible temper, and it's been worse since he can't really boss everyone around like they were still slaves," she said. That was all Jack needed to hear, but he did have a question for Helen. "I'm sorry for your loss ma'am, but the train has to leave day after tomorrow. Do you still intend to go with us?" he asked. "We do if Frank and the others will stay with us. Please don't quit on us Frank," she said, and she didn't seem to think the fact I'd just killed her husband made much difference. In fact I hadn't killed him. Oh, he was going to die all right, he just wasn't dead yet. He started moaning louder about then, crying about the pain and asking for someone to get a doctor for him. Jack just gave me a look and walked off. I knew he was telling me it was my problem. He shooed the others off too as he went. "Do you have any laudanum Helen?" "Yes, we have quite a bit, but it can be bad for you later on," she said. "There ain't gonna be any later on for Bill, and if we don't get some laudanum in him pretty quick it won't even do him any good," I said. "Oh. I see what you mean. I'll get two bottles," she said, and headed for the wagon. Apparently the pain had Bill out of his head by now, or maybe he just didn't understand why his temper tantrum didn't work this time. When I kneeled down by his head he asked me to get a doctor. "The doctor's on his way Bill. He sent some medicine for you to take until he can get here," I said, and damned if he didn't believe me. Helen came back with two big bottles of laudanum in just a few minutes. When I asked she said it wasn't their whole supply, so I got started having Bill drink them down. I knew once he passed out from this dose his troubles in this life would be over for good. Apparently Helen realized the same thing. "Will you at least have Jim dig him a grave?" she asked. "My arms ain't broken and unlike Bill, I'm not ashamed to work. I'll bury him and Jim can help if he likes. In the morning you can ask around and see if there's a preacher in the train if you want to," I said. "No need for that. A dozen preachers couldn't pray him into heaven if they worked at it for a week. Bill was kind to me, and too the girls in his own way, but he was a vicious beast to others, especially the darkies," Helen said. "That was pretty much my idea of things, but I'm glad you let me know I was right. Jim and I will get him in a hole in the morning. "I don't mean to be prying into your personal business but did he leave you enough money to get by?" I asked. "You aren't prying and it's something you need to know anyway. You're the man around here for us now and you have to know what you've got to work with. I'm happy to say Bill had plenty of money available, both paper currency and specie. It is probably unkind of me to say it, but a lot of the money came to him from my first husband's estate. Bill even placed some of it in accounts with northern banks. Money won't be a problem," she said. I liked the sound of that. The advantage of enough money was obvious, but her calling me the man around here sounded even better. I'd always thought she was even a little more submissive than other women and I planed to see just how submissive she could make herself. Marrying a rich widow had never entered my mind, but now that the chance to do it showed itself I decided it might not be a bad thing, especially since the widow in question was such a beauty. My first experiment with the submissive situation came when it was time for bed. I wasn't going to sleep on the ground tonight unless Helen just raised hell about it. When I climbed into the wagon with Helen and the twins I could see she was surprised, but she didn't speak up to protest. When I started shucking my clothes the twins looked away blushing but Helen didn't. It did take her a few seconds to adjust, but then she started off with her clothes too. Of course the twins had to help her out of the stupid corset. It was worth waiting for and I didn't intend to miss a thing. Helen was a beautiful and lushly built woman. I didn't see any fat on her to speak of, but she was sweetly rounded and just an absolute hardon raiser. My favorite scene was when she removed the stockings that the corset held up and it was followed closely on my list by the corsets' exits. Her titties were big, round, and firm and her nipples were large and seemed to grow as I gazed. When she reached for a nightgown I shook my head at her. You won't be needing that. I like to see what I'm getting into," I said, giving her my biggest smile. She gave me her brightest blush in return as she turned to help the twins out of their clothes. I wondered if they realized I'd be fucking them too, soon. I wouldn't start tonight though. Helen would get me through the night, and I'd save them for a few days. After they were all down to nothing but their bloomers, I relayed the sad news that they weren't needed either. The twins looked mortified but Helen shucked hers quickly enough and then they followed suit. I kept my eyes mostly on Helen's copious charms. There was no sense in perving on all the treats at once. When we were all naked I gave Helen a gentle push back onto the wall-to-wall mattress and lowered my lips to hers to give her a good kissing. She put up a little resistance at first but changed her attitude when I slid my tongue into her mouth. I could tell it was a little surprising for her, but she caught on fast. Later I licked, kissed, and nibbled my way down to her breasts and as I sucked and teased one nipple and then the other she started panting and squirming under me. She moaned a lot later as my hands got in on the fondling action and she gasped as I kissed my way from her titties down to her bush and then through it to her love lips. "But Frank, the children are watching," she said. "If they don't know what's about to happen by now it's time they learned. Let them watch," I said, and as I peeked up I could see both of them trying to suppress their grins. "Oh my!" Helen said, as I gave her pussy its first kiss on the lips. I didn't say anything, just kept kissing and licking her sweet snatch. Her hips started moving on their own after a minute or two and her panting became more excited as she added a moan or two every now and again. "Don't tell me the dearly departed never licked your pussy." "Never. He never did anything like that." "Then it won't be long before you're glad he's dead." "I'm already glad he's dead and it seems I'll be ecstatic before long." Poor Helen just went to pieces when my tongue tip started in on her throbbing clit. She didn't know which way to shake her ass for the best effect so she tried them all. I stopped before she blasted off but I knew she was right on the edge. As I slid my body back up over hers she spread her legs wider at once. She hadn't been broke to handing the dick into place yet but I didn't mind. I placed the head to her entrance and slid in slowly. She was very wet and I had no trouble finding my way to the bottom even though she was firmly snug inside. Helen sucked in her breath as I hit home. "Oh God! You're so big," she said. I knew she wasn't lying. I didn't make a habit of inspecting other men's equipment but I'd seen them flopping their dick out to piss often enough to know I had a big one. A long fat cunt handle. I asked Helen if it was too big for her. "My God no. It feels wonderful." "I'm glad you like it because you're going to get plenty, even before we get married," I said. I'd said the magic word and I knew it. Even rich widows were in a bad situation in the here and now. It was different if they lived in a big city, but especially out on a wagon train they were subject to unfair treatment simply because they didn't have a man to protect them. Helen hadn't had to go even a day before she'd found someone to take on the job. She already knew I could take care of business with my pistol and at the moment she was finding out that life after dark was going to be much more exciting. Everything was happening just in time too. It had been over a week since I'd plowed one of the saloon girls back in Independence. She wasn't one of the whores, but she took a shine to me for some reason. I did my best to make it worth her time. That was then though and this was now. I'd been ready for another dose for days and from the way Helen was sobbing and moaning I figured I was doing a pretty good job by her. Hell, she might be headed for her first come supplied by a man instead of her own fingers. I was pumping her pretty soundly by now and suddenly she just arched her neck back and howled. It only took a few more firm strokes to finish my own business since her hips were carrying on as if they'd just been struck by a case of St Vitas Dance. I gave her a pussy full and then sagged down onto her while we both tried to catch our breath. Finally I had my wind back. "How'd you like it?" "I never dreamed it would ever be like that. What did you do to me?" "I gave you a stronger dose of what your own fingers can," I said, and she blushed fiery red, but nodded. "What is he talking about mother?" Rebecca asked. "Don't worry little one. I'll give you two a turn in a few days. Maybe you'll like it too," I said, and watched Helen closely for her reaction. "Are you going to let him do that to us mommy?" Elizabeth asked. "He's our man now girls and we must do as he says," Helen said. "Goody. It looked like you loved it and I'll bet we will too," Rebecca said. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you like it. Let's go to sleep now though. I have to make sure everything is in order tomorrow since we'll be leaving the next day. Do you have widow's weeds Helen?" I asked. "Yes, from my first husband's death," she said. "Make sure you wear them and have the girls wear something somber too. And by the way, you can forget those damned corsets from now on. I want to see all your titties jiggling," I said. They were kissing me for thanks over the departure of the corsets as I lay down and went to sleep. ------- Chapter 4 The next morning I woke before sunrise and felt strange laying in a dead man's wagon. The warm flesh of his widow pressed against me wasn't making me feel as good as you'd think either. What the hell, he hadn't given me a choice in the matter and it wasn't like he'd been the first man or boy I'd killed. Bill had made some of the right moves toward adjusting to the post war situation, but I guess he just couldn't bring his nature around as quickly as he had his mind. He'd known he was no longer cock of the walk in his own chicken yard after the south lost the war, but he still felt like he had to act that way. He should have known once you were man enough to carry a gun you needed to be man enough to use it, or smart enough to keep your hands off it in an argument. The hell of it was he hadn't been mad at me, not at first anyway. But he'd been mad and frustrated about something and he fell back on the old standby of lashing out at his slaves. That shit just didn't cut it anymore, and Bill was only one of hundreds of thousands who failed to come to grips with the new reality on the ground. It had been his problem though and now it was nobodys. Last night showed me his wife and stepdaughters didn't miss him much and I was betting neither Mary, Honey, nor Jim shed a single tear over his demise. As far as I could see, Bill's death left me with only one problem. We needed another driver for the number three wagon. I put my clothes on and got out to start the day. I barely had the cook fire going before Mary showed up, and I could tell she was surprised to see me when she got out of her wagon. "Mr Frank, is you gonna build the fire still? You don't have to do that now," Mary said. "I never did have to do it Mary, and I'm not saying I will every day. If I get up and the fire's not going I'll build it. If the fire's built already I'll be over here looking for coffee. "That Mr Frank business is gone for good now too. Nobody in our bunch was a slave owner one time anymore, and I won't stand for anybody acting like they were. I'm Frank and that's what you can call me all the time." "Yes sir, Mr ... Yes sir Frank," she said. "None of that yes sir crap either. That don't mean I'm not the boss, it just means I don't want you calling me sir." I took her hand then and pulled her beside the wagon where it was still pitch black even though false dawn was well underway. She stiffened a little when I pulled her to me but as I put my lips to hers she kissed back with enthusiasm. I let my hands drop to get hold of her jutting ass and pulled her in against my rising dick. Her ass felt great as I palmed it with both hands and when she felt what I had for her, pressing against her abdomen, she wiggled and squimed against it. "Oh Frank, it'll be light soon. Someone will see us," Mary said, nearly moaning. "It don't matter if they do. Helen already got her break-in last night and she or the girls know better than to say anything about who I'm kissing. If Honey makes a fuss I can give her some of the same. Jim won't say a thing, will he?" "No, Jim won't, but there's other white folks in this train what will," Mary said, still wiggling against my dick. "Well if it's a man he can get a dose of what I gave Bill. I don't put up with other people meddlin' in my business. Tell Honey no to be surprised when I get in the wagon with you two tonight, and you needn't bother putting on anything to sleep in," I said, giving her another deep kiss and fondling her ass some more. "I'll tell her Frank," Mary said, as I released her so she could get the coffee started. Honey came out of the back of the wagon then and I could tell by the way she was nearly trembling she'd been listening to what I told Mary. I pulled her to me as soon as she had both feet on the ground. She gasp lowly but was quick trying to help when I pulled her against me for a kiss, and she did her best to kiss me back. "You heard what I told Mary, didn't you?" "Yes, I heard. We'll be ready when you come to us," she said, sounding nervous but pressing herself against me firmly. "Have you ever been poked before?" "No. Mama always kept close tabs on me and even Mr Bill warned the other bucks away when we lived at the plantation," she said. "Good. Don't worry, I'll be gentle and I promise you're going to like it. If you don't, just tell me and I'll keep doing it until I get it right," I told her, kissing her neck and nibbling on an earlobe until she shivered. "I'll be waiting for you, but I don't really know how to do it," she said, whispering in my ear. "You can watch close while I do it to your momma. You'll catch on in no time. Now, go see about making some coffee," I said, giving her firm ass checks a squeeze before I let her go. I went back to the wagon to see Helen and the girls, poking my head inside through the curtain at back. Helen was just starting to pull on some drawers and her swinging titties made me want some more of her pussy pretty bad, especially after my morning greetings to Mary and Honey. "Damn if you don't look good Helen, if I didn't know you're probably sore this morning I'd climb right back in this wagon." Helen blushed scarlet while Elizabeth and Rebecca giggled wildly. She smiled at me though and said she'd do her best if I needed her. "Of course I need you, but I don't want to wear out my welcome." "I'm not sore," Rebecca said. "Me neither," Elizabeth said, right behind her. "I know you're not, but you both would be, all day, if I came in there now. I'm going to visit Mary and Honey tonight, right after dark. Honey can watch close so she'll know exactly what's going to happen. Tomorrow night your mother will be rested and we can show you how it's done." "We watched last night," Rebecca said. "Well you can watch closer tomorrow night and then you'll get your turns. Believe me, I'm gonna make it worth waiting for," I said, and the two of them blushed this time. "Now, get your pretty asses dressed and come on out to breakfast. We won't be watching from inside the wagon anymore. This ain't Bill's family anymore, it's mine now and all of us are going to do a little helping out." It was time to let them be for a while so I got a cup of the coffee Honey just made. Jim was sipping a cup of his own but he'd moved off away from the fire. "Jim, come on back over here please. I need to talk to you." "Yessa, Mister Frank." "You remember where Mr Bill is don't ya?" "Yessa." "Well the Misters and the yes sirs are buried with him. I'm just Frank and you don't have to call me sir. You're Jim and I'm Frank and that's all we need to say about it. If you mess up and call me Mr Frank I'm gonna remind you every time until you quit it. "You don't even have to stay with us if you don't want to, but I sure hope you will. Was Bill even paying you for working for him?" I asked. "Not really. He made me tell other men he was but he never did." "Well I'm goning to pay you and not just tell a lie about it," I said, reaching into my pocket for my last three double eagles. "Here's sixty dollars to start with. I can't pay you whatever Bill should have, but from now on I'll pay you in advance. Sixty a month and found if that suits you." Jim was stupefied, and I'm sure he could barely believe it. He could only stare at me in disbelief for a while. "Thank you Frank. This is the first time I've ever been paid in my life, and I thank you for it. I'll never leave you unless you run me off, even if someday you can't pay me no more." "I don't think we have to worry about that for a long while Jim, but I appreciate the thought. Now I spect I'd better go talk to Jenkins and see about finding another man to drive one of the wagons for us. Well, I guess I will see about some breakfast first." The eating arrangements were different this morning too, and I could tell Helen had insured the changes. Before there'd been two seperate tables, one for the hired help and one for the white folks. Actually they had both been rickety and inconveinient. This morning they were pushed together but were still just as precarious. At least we all had three legged stools that could deal with the uneven ground. It took a little talking to get Jim to eat at the new enlarged table with us, and I could see he was uncomfortable with the new situation, but I hoped it would grow on him. I didn't see a damned thing wrong with his table manners, they were probably better than mine. He did stay silent for the whole meal though. After we'd eaten I left the cleaning up to the others and went looking for Jack Jenkins. He had a fire going and was frying some bacon and a couple of biscuits. "Morning Jack. I came to apologize for causing the trouble yesterday, but I didn't really have a choice," I said, right off the bat. "Hell, I'm the one that should apologize to you. I guess I would even do the same to Bill today if I had it to do over again. He just came up bitching at the wrong time. After the all day fuckup trying to teach the rest how to get their damned wagons hitched he got on my last god damned nerve. Just bad timing is all it was." "Timing or no, I couldn't let it slide when he tried to pull that whore pistol. I'd just as soon be the one needing to apologize as the one pushing up daisies. Hell, it all worked out fine for me in the end, so I ain't got a bitch coming." "I noticed you seemed to have steped in shit and come up smelling good. That didn't exactly sound like the wailing of the berieved coming from your wagon last night," he said, grinning. "Well, I always like to help out a poor widow woman and her orphans when I can." "That's the kind of man I like to have on my trains." "We're still going with you, but I do need to find another driver, or maybe a couple of hands. I'm planning to head into town in a while and see if I can find a man or two that know something about manners and who don't mind working. I'm planning to buy another team of mules too if I can afford 'em." "You're a lot smarter than you look. Mules might not seem so cheap in Independance, but they're a hell of a lot cheaper than they'll be anywhere until we get to the end of the line. I make everybody start out with four extra, but that don't mean they won't lose some on the way. If you can afford to buy 'em you won't be sorry. "You do need to be careful about who you hire though, if you do get somebody. Lotta the young guys in town are southern boys just outta the war. They might have trouble gettin' along with those darkies you got," he said. "I know I'm young, but I ain't that dumb. I'm just outta the war myself and I know all about the ones that were fightin' for the cause. I ain't got no cause except an inherited family. I just came by to let you know I wasn't a trouble maker." "I never thought you were, in fact I was more afraid of Bill causing trouble, and it turns out I was right. I'm just glad he got it done before we left," he said, and since his food was ready I left him in peace to eat it and went to saddle Red. As I headed for town I didn't feel all that good about leaving the women alone with Jim. I wasn't a bit worried that he'd cause trouble, but I was sure he couldn't handle a gun and even though Helen said she could deal with things I wasn't sure she could. It couldn't be helped though and I knew Jenkins would come around if a rukus got started. Mary had given me five hundred dollars from the wagon before I left, and she told me she could manage til I got back. I didn't think I could get a team with only five hundred but I doubted I'd find a full eight mule hitch worth buying either. If I did I thought it would be easy enough to get the seller to come out to our jump off camp to get the rest of his money, but all in all I wasn't expecting much. It was a nice morning to be out early and I was actually looking forward to the ride to town. I'd be getting in earlier than I needed to but it wouldn't hurt to be able to take a good look-see before everybody got to moving around everywhere. I hadn't gone two miles before I ran across a surprise and a hell of a bargain at that. As I topped a smal rise I saw what looked like a brand new outfit heading my way. I nudged Red to a stop at the top of the rise and waited for the wagon to finish the slight pull to the top. When it did the driver stopped his team for a blow. "Howdy." "Howdy yourself. How far is it to Jack Jenkins camp. Do ya know?" he asked. "Sure, it's about two more miles and you can't miss it. My name's Frank Calhoun, by the way." "John Flanders here. Is Jack about to take off?" "We're leaving in the morning, or we're supposed to if nothing comes up." "I was afraid of that. I was supposed to join his bunch, but my wife took sick three weeks ago while we were on our way to Independance. She didn't make it, and I don't guess I'll get to go west this year afterall." "I can't speak for Jack, but it would be hard on ya to get ready before tomorrow. Maybe he'll give you another day or so." "Naw, I can't get things ready in a month I spect. I've got two young kids to take care of and I'll have to find another wife before I even think about going west. Wives ain't as easy to come by as a team of mules. I like to get to know one a little before I marry. I guess I'll go on to Jack's camp and see if anybody needs an outfit. Ain't no point in holding on to this one til next year. Hell, I might even wait til they've got the rails finished," he said. That had my attention. It was a nearly new wagon and there were six extra mules on a lead line behind it. Everything I could see was in top notch shape, even the mules. I had to take a closer look. "Would you mind if I looked over your outfit? I was heading into town to see about a few more mules anyway, and another wagon wouldn't hurt a thing." "Hell no I don't mind you looking, especially if you can pay in gold. Here, I'll get down and show it to you," he said, climbing down while I dismounted. He showed me around the wagon and it was in perfect shape. It was also stocked with three barrels of flour, two of pinto beans, and another one of salted meat. There was other food too, and plenty of tools for a trip like we planned. He even had a damned anvil and a few shoing tools plus several things needed to keep a wagon in good shape while traveling. There was a saddled horse tied to the wagon too, but when I asked about it he said it was for him to ride back to town. It soundled like he wanted to make a sale today. "What do you want fo the whole deal," I asked. "Want? Hell I want as much as I can get, but I know there ain't much chance of coming out without losing my shirt. It's just a bad luck deal for me though. I can afford to keep it but what's the point. I've got a little over sixteen hundred dollars tied up in it, counting the mules and all, but I don't want to hang around Independance trying to get my money back. My time and my kids are worth more to me than that. If you can scrape up twelve hundred buck in gold it can be yours." "Let's head back to the camp then. I ain't got that much on me but I can get the rest as soon as we get to my wagons." We shook on it, mounted up, and went straight back to my camp. When we got there he parked the wagon behind mine and said he was going to talk to Jack for a few minutes. I knew he wanted to give me time to get my money from wherever I had it hidden and I was glad enough he was giving me a chnce to do it without him looking. He seemed honest enough, but it's best to keep your business to yourself, especially where gold is concerned. Helen, Mary, and all the others came up to me, wondering why I was back so soon. It didn't take me long to explain and it didn't take even that long for Helen to start smiling. "It's good to know we've found a man who knows how to make a deal. Bill paid nearly two thousand apiece for our wagons and teams and that was without any food or anything else. Does he want gold?" she asked. "Yep, but I only had the five hundred on me. I needed him to drive it back anyway." "I'll go get the full twelve hundred out of the wagon for him. That will only leave us about five hundred in the wagon that we can get to without a bother. The rest is hidden in the frame. You can only get to it from the underside," she said. "That won't hurt a thing. When you get it I'll take it to him. He's supposed to be talkin' to Jack. I think the rest of you should get ready and come back to town with me. I didn't like leaving you here alone in the first place, and on the way back I thought of something you're probably going to need on the trip." "What do we need?" Helen asked. "I haven't been paying attention to what you've been wearing, or I've been paying attention to it for the wrong reasons. Do any of you have any buckskins or any other type of pants to wear?" They all looked at me like I was nuts. ------- Chapter 5 I gave myself a break for such poor planning by telling me I'd only been in charge of this bunch for less than a day, but it was small comfort. I'd have to fix everything I could today though. First thing was the money for the new wagon and team. When Mary went to get it I told her to bring out everything we had that was easy to get. She did, and counted it out at the back of the wagon. There was twenty-three hundred and eighty dollars in gold, a little more than she'd thought at first. I took the twelve hundred for the new outfit and told her to put all the rest in the new wagon and get everyone in it for the trip to town. Jim said he'd put the spare mules in with our others. He thought he'd be staying with the wagons while we were gone, but I gave him the sad news he'd be going to town too. I found Jack and John Flanders having coffee near Jack's wagon and it only took a few minutes of bullshit before I could pay John off. I asked Jack if he'd keep an eye on our things since we were all going to town. He said he try to keep a watch that way, but recommend I give one of the young boys around camp a nickel or so to stay with them. I took it as good advice and Carl Thurgood, a boy about twelve I snagged on the way back said he'd be glad to do it. Carl and I walked to the wagons and I showed him what to watch and then climbed in the new wagon with the others. We headed right back toward town. It took less than an hour to get there and we went into the biggest store in town first thing. We needed buckskins or some kind of pants and shirts for everyone. I hoped we could get it all in one store, and I told Helen to buy everybody a couple of pairs of lace up boots and plenty of socks. The women had all been wearing the kind of shoes they would in a house and I knew that wasn't going to work for our trip. I thought Jim might be a problem with the footwear selection, since his feet were so damned big, but he had some pull on boots now and I'd let Helen do the best she could. I found the owner pretty quick by asking a clerk. I introduced him to Helen and told him she'd be gathering up quite a few things and I'd be back later to pay up in gold. It made his day and I was about to leave when a halfway lardass started causing a commotion. "Is this the kind of place lets niggers come in with white folks?" I could tell from his accent he was a good old Georgia boy. No doubt displaced by the war. Walking right over to him I slapped his jaws as hard as I could, but it didn't knock him down, quite. "You damned dumb ass George cracker. Are you so stupid you don't know the war's over and your side lost?" "I'm gonna kill your nigger lovin' ass, Yankee," he said, reaching for his 36 Patterson. He was the kind of bully I loved. He was maybe five eight and weighed probably two-twenty - short and plenty big around as they say. Stupid too, since he was trying to pull his gun before taking off the strap that held it in the holster. I didn't use a strap and I slapped him again, across his nose with my Remington. I did knock him down this time. I was still standing over him with my pistol's hammer eared back when a town deputy came in. "What's going on here?" the young deputy asked. "I was just telling this ignorant assed Georgia cracker the war is over, and he lost." "Hell, if he's so stupid he don't know that you should have just killed him and be done with it." "I guess it ain't too late. Look, he's still trying to draw," I said, shooting the idiot in the chest. There had only been a few people headed toward the store to see the excitement before my pistol thundered inside it. Twenty seconds later I could see though the windows they were streaming this way now. What a bunch of idiots, they had no way to know if we were done shooting. "He was damned sure still trying to draw Mister. I could see that myself. Ya know, that kinda stupid goes plumb to the bone. Better come by the office before you leave town. The Marshal might want to talk to you, but I'll tell him what I seed," the deputy said, and damned if he didn't just walk off. The next twenty minutes were a lost cause. The store owner sent for someone to haul the dead guy away but it took longer to get all the gawkers to leave. Finally I was able to get it straight that Helen would do the shopping and I'd be back later to bail her out. The livery stable was the next stop for me. I didn't need to buy any horses but I figured it would be the best place to start looking for a new driver or two. Hell, it had worked for Bill, kinda. Of course word of the pseudo gunfight preceded me and there were plenty of people pointing at me and whispering as I went. At the livery I asked the wrangler if he knew anyone who needed a job driving a wagon west, and he did for a fact. He sent one of the stable boys off to find "Old Charlie" - whoever that was. Ten minutes later "Old Charlie" showed up, but he introduced himself to me as just "Charlie." Charlie looked like exactly what he claimed to be, a cowboy who was too old for that kind of life anymore. He was interested in the job, and when he found out I'd pay sixty and found he was anxious to go. "Only one drawback mister. I got a young sidekick, sorta. His folks got kilt 'bout a year ago and I been kinda takin' care of him since. He's only twelve but he knows horses by now too, and he can drive a team near good as I can." "Hell Charlie, that's even better cause we need two drivers. Will he work for thirty and found?" I asked. "What about it Jimmy? Thirty and found suit you?" Charlie asked, yelling across the street toward a boy I hadn't noticed. "Yes," Jimmy shouted, and he came a runnin'. "You got your possibles somewhere?" I asked. "Yep. We got a little hut just outside town," Charlie said. "Do you have enough to get you to Oregon, or California?" "No sir, we don't for a fact." "Don't go callin' me sir, Charlie. It'll make folks think I'm puttin' on. Y'all come on with me and we'll get you ready to travel. You and Jimmy got weapons?" "Nope. Jimmy never had a gun of his own, even though I done taught him to shoot. I had a greener but had to sell it for food 'bout a week back." "Can you shoot a rifle too?" "We can both do that, but I ain't had one in a while." "You'll probably remember how once I get you another'n. Let's go find some weapons first. The same man was in the general store where I'd bought the two used Henry's earlier. He recognized me right away and no doubt he thought he'd found a sucker for the two brand new Henry's I saw on the wall. I guess he had too, but the Henry's weren't the thing that caught Charlie's eye. He motioned me back outside right away. "I know that skinflint Tom Dodson. He'd steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes, but I think you can get the best of him if we work it right. "You probably didn't notice them two new Greeners he's got, but they are something special. You don't load 'em from the muzzle. Those two are the new breach loaders. They take a cartridge just like a Spencer or a Henry. They just come out with 'em 'bout a year or so back." "If they're so great and so new how can we come out with a good deal?" I asked. "Cause Tom don't give a shit about how good they are and nobody that comes around here knows anything 'bout 'em either. Tom don't even own a gun for hisself, the only thing they're good for to him is to sell. Them Greeners are so new nobody wants 'em, specially since you have to buy them custom made shells. Hell, you can't get shells for 'em anywhere on this side of the Mississippi right now 'cept here." "How in the hell is that gonna help us if we can't buy more shells later?" I asked. "If we buy the two Greeners that he can't sell to nobody else, what's he gonna want to do with the thousand shells he already has for 'em?" "Oh." "Oh is right. He's got a lot of money tied up in something that ain't selling at all. When we go back in go ahead and buy me and Jimmy a Spencer if you want to, but I'll be pinin' away over them Greeners. I'll try to talk you into buyin' them instead and Tom with help me since he wants to get rid of 'em so bad. Wait and see, you'll get a deal." Charlie was making good sense and I didn't need any explaining to know a ten gauge Greener you could reload fast would be one hell of a weapon. It was no trouble at all to get off five shots or more a minute with a breach loading anything, and a double barrel would surely do at least ten. I was nearly as anxious for the Greeners as Charlie when we went back inside. Things played out about like Charlie thought. He stared at and slobbered over the doubles while I bought he and Jimmy a Henry, a Spencer, and two Remingtons like mine each. By the time we got down to business on the Greeners I got them for forty dollars each and paid fifty more for the thousand shells he had in stock. I figured Charlie and I had made a hell of a deal. Of course a shotgun that big and with shells that size was not a weapon you'd want to carry far horseback, but they would work out fine for the wagons. No doubt they'd be a big surprise to anyone who gave us any shit on our trip. By the time Charlie, Jimmy, and I made it back to the store where I'd had the dust up, Jim and the women looked like they were shopped out. It wasn't that easy though. While I paid the bill, Helen told me they hadn't found nearly enough buckskins for everybody and not a pair of shoes or boots that would fit Jim. "What about buckskins for Jim?" I asked. "He didn't want any and it's just as well since they didn't have any we could stretch onto him. We got him plenty of overalls and butternut shirts though. We'll just have to keep looking for some boots to fit," she said. "Well let's look for some food to feed him next, and the rest of us too. We can look for boots after we eat. Besides, we need to get Charlie and Jimmy some stuff too," I said, and then introduced everybody. Even I knew that black people would not be allowed into a place were white people were eating, even after the war. It didn't make a shit to me though since there were places that blacks ate where white people wouldn't go. I wasn't one of the whites that wouldn't go there though and after lunch Helen, Elizabeth, and Rebecca weren't either. I suspect that Charlie and Jimmy didn't even give it a thought in the first place. If food was available they didn't give a damn who they were sitting with. After lunch it was back to the shopping. I'd already had enough of it so Helen took over again. I told Charlie and Jimmy to go with her but Charlie took me aside again. At this late date he'd finally decided to tell me about his squaw. I nearly laughed at him but didn't because I knew he was worried if I'd let her come along too. "Hell Charlie, did you think I was going to make you leave your wife behind?" "Well, I didn't know. Some folks are funny about things like that. Most of 'em raise hell if I even call her my wife. She's my wife to me though, no matter what the other bastards think." "Who do you think you're explaining things to? You see I've got five women with me." "Oh," Charlie said, and then he said "OH" again when he figured out what I really meant. "I'll be sure to tell Jimmy not to be flirtin' with any of your women. He's still a little young for that anyway." "Well when he thinks he's old enough you tell him to pick out any other girl he can get and we'll make sure they have a place to stay and a good job." Charlie didn't comment on that but I could tell he appreciated the thought. Later, after the shopping was finally over and paid for, we stopped on our way out of town his at his hut. It didn't take too long to load the rest of his things and to get Nadine. I was sure that wasn't her original name but it didn't matter to me if it didn't bother her. It was a little surprising to see Charlie treated her with more respect than most men did for their white wives. It wasn't offensive to me or anything, just a little bit of a surprise. We made it back to our other wagons about an hour before sunset. Lunch had been ok but it was good to get back to Mary's cooking and it even seemed better since Nadine, Helen and the girls fell right in to help from the start. I took Charlie and Jimmy over to meet Jack before supper was ready and was surprised to find Charlie and Jack knew each other. "If I'd known Charlie was ready to go west I'd have hired him myself. He's welcome on any train I'm leading, anytime. Maybe he can even keep you out of trouble," Jack said, and then laughed. After our top notch supper, Jim, Charlie, Jimmy, and I did a little load shifting and we finally got things situated so everyone could sleep in a wagon. We took enough things out of the storage wagon so there was room for Jim to sleep. Charlie, Jim, and Nadine slept in the new wagon and of course I had two choices for places to bed down now. Since it was good and dark already I headed for Mary and Honey's wagon for tonight. When I raised the flap I could see them looking right at me. I climbed on in like I belonged in there and since I'd already mentioned my intentions they weren't surprised in the least. In fact, both of them were shyly smiling at me. When I started pulling off my boots they started helping. They were both naked already and I lost interest in undressing even though I could barely see anything in the dark wagon. I was feeling my way around and it seemed everything I touched made my dick harder. "Oh lawd. That's a big dick. No wonder Miz Helen was moanin' so last night," Mary said, after she got my pants open. "Did she tell you whether I knew how to use it?" "Yes. She said even big as it was you didn't hurt her any with it. She said she loved it already." "What did Lizabeth and Becky tell you Honey?" "They told me how big it was too, but I didn't believe 'em. They were jealous when you told them I'd get a turn before them," she said. "Then you aren't afraid of it?" "Not a bit. I's wantin' to see what it's like." Mary must have wanted it too. As soon as she got my shirt off she lay back and pulled me onto her, spreading her legs wide. I could smell how wet pussy already but damned if I was going to rush through this. As I lay on her my mouth went to hers and I could feel her trying to guide my dick into place, but I didn't let her. As we locked lips I took a titty in each hand. Even though I already knew she had big breasts, I was surprised since they were even bigger than I'd guessed. Her nipples were large too, and I teased and tweaked them while we swapped spit. Then I kissed down her neck and took one of the fat brown berries in my mouth and later swapped to the other one. Mary was not one to lie there and let you do her. She petted and stroked any of me she could reach and kept up a constant low voiced encouragement. Her excitement got more animated as I kissed over her flat belly and into her bush. After giving her a good cunt lapping I climbed back up and put it to her fight. Mary was hot and slick inside and she felt grand. When I pushed it up her firmly she gasped but pushed it right back to me and grabbed hold of my ass to pull me in to the bottom, and then things picked up from there. We were going good in no time and she moaned and grunted with every stroke. She was banging it up to me hard right at the last and when we went off together he screamed out, but she put her hand over her mouth to keep it toned down. We were both winded for a few minutes but Mary got her breath back before I did. She whispered for Honey to come closer and then moved down to revive my dick with her mouth. After she had me firming up nicely she had Honey give it a try. It really revved me up to have both of them taking turns sucking on my dick and before I knew it I was hard and wanting to give it to Honey. It was easier to take my time and go easy on Honey after Mary had taken the edge off. I spent a lot more time kissing on and playing with Honey's young titties even more kissing down to and on her pussy. Honey was hot too by now and after a good time kissing her pussy lips I crawled up to get aboard her too. Honey's hymen wasn't a tough one, but she winced a little when I pushed thought it and it took her longer to get with the program. Still, she took to fucking with a vengeance after a few minutes and soon enough she had her hands on my ass, urging me on like her mother had. When I got to the short rows Honey wrapped her legs around my waist and then howled out loud as I tripped her trigger when I blew my load. Mary covered her mouth within a second and I was glad she did. I wouldn't mind kicking someone's ass if they made any rude comments over me changing my luck, but there was no sense in going through that if it could be helped. After I rolled off it was time to relax a little, and I must have gone to sleep in seconds. I don't know how long they let me saw logs, but sometime later Mary shook me awake and suggested I go back to Helen's wagon for the night. I didn't bother putting on anything but my pants and boots before slipping out the back and then slipping into the other wagon the same way. Helen nor the girls said a word when I stripped back off and crawled under the covers, but I know they were still awake. As I lay back between Helen and the girls I remembered seeing the six-barrel pepper box pistols in a display case at the store where we bought the rifles and the Greeners. Shit, the women needed something like that on the trip, whether they wanted them or not. I'd have to get up early and ride back to town in the morning. I was pretty sure I could get them and get back before the train took off, but if I didn't make it Jim, Charlie, and Jimmy could get the teams hitched and Mary and Helen would have to make do as drivers until I caught back up. ------- Chapter 6 About four thirty AM I made myself wake up, dragged on my clothes and slipped out of the wagon. I'd told Helen what I planned before I went to sleep the night before. She'd have to explain things to everyone else. After catching and saddling Red I forked him and headed for Independence. It was a pisser to leave without even taking time for a cup of coffee, but I wanted to be waiting for Tom Dodson when he opened the doors. I knew damned well I'd have to hand over all we'd saved on the Greeners, and more, when I paid for the pepper boxes. I thought it just might be worth it when I saw he was already open, or at least someone was. Tom wasn't in the place yet but one of the clerks was ready for business. He came over to help me right away. He seemed to be in a hell of a lot better mood than I'd have been in his place. "What can I do for you this morning?" he asked. "I'm leaving with Jack Jenkins' train this morning and last night I decided I'd get a pepper box pistol for all the women in my bunch. I saw some when I was in here yesterday but didn't think about buying them." "We just got those in last week. They have six barrels and seem to be quality weapons. Would you like to see one?" he asked. "No, I'd like to see six, wrapped up and ready to go." "Oh, we only have eight and six would put us short," he said. "Well if you only have eight I'll take 'em all." "That'll mean we're out completely," he said, sounding more and more like a fool as he went. "What's Tom Dodson running here then? Is this a store or a damned museum? I thought he bought this stuff to sell," I said. "Oh! That's right sir, do you need any lead or powder for them?" he asked, and I figured Tom had given him a going over about saying similar stupid things before. "No, but we need some caps if they need special small ones." "No sir, they use a normal pistol cap and of course all of them come with a bullet mould." "Good then. Tell me how much I owe and get 'em wrapped up. I ain't got time to gab, I got a wagon train to catch." There was no way in hell he could wrap them up fast enough to suit me, but then again nobody could have. I didn't have a gripe coming about him being slow though. I was the dumbass that didn't think of them when I was in town yesterday. The pistols were twenty dollars each and I had eight double eagles stacked on the counter before he was half done. I was happy enough when he handed the package over though. Red made good time trotting back to the wagons and I was only a couple of minutes late for breakfast. There was a crowd around the table now but they'd left room for me. After we finished I showed all the women what I'd been to town for, and handed out a pistol to each. Helen, Mary, and Honey said they didn't want them, but I nipped any arguments in the bud. "I didn't get up before breakfast and race into town because I thought you wanted a pistol. I did it because I wanted you to have one. No arguments about it, you get a pistol and you'll learn to load and fire it or I'll spank your asses every night until you do." "I'll be glad to have one. I already know how to load and shoot it, and I don't want my skinny ass spanked either," Nadine said, and when she did Charlie and Jimmy just howled and I couldn't help but join in. "I'll even teach the other women how to use 'em," she said. "But how will we carry them?" Helen asked. "Don't worry. I have a few hides and we can cut out and sew some holsters. I can show you how to make a short strap to hold it over beside your knee if you're wearing a dress and we can make belts for when we're wearing pants, which will be most of the time if you've got any sense. Traveling in a wagon train ain't no place for Sunday go to meetin' clothes," Nadine said. "There, see, you'll get used to it. You'll probably even thank me the first time you have to shoot an Indian," I said, but none of them looked happy about it, except Nadine. Jim, Charlie, and Jimmy headed toward the mules then to get started hitching the teams. I started off with them but Charlie told me to go back to the wagons and guard the coffee pot. "You'll make us look like we can't do this ourselves, and we damned sure can," he said, so I went back for more coffee and kept out of their way. Jack Jenkins was approaching as I got back and I offered him a cup too. While we were sipping he asked where I'd gone in such a hurry before sunup. "In the middle of the night I woke up and remembered seeing a bunch of pepper box pistols in one of Tom Dodson's display cases. I decided to ride back to town early and buy one for every woman with me. There were eight in the store and I bought them all." "That's one of the smartest things I've heard of from a man getting his first taste of going west. Can any of them shoot?" "Nadine says she can, but I don't think any of the others are up to it, yet. I warned them I'd tan their asses if they didn't learn fast," I said, and I'll admit I was bragging a little. "Nadine can teach 'em, if she will," he said. "She volunteered to do it. She said she didn't want her ass tanned," I told him, and he laughed too. "That's Nadine. Sounds just like her anyway. You got a bargain when you hired Charlie, cause she's worth as much as he is, especially in a gunfight. You got two for the price of one," Jack said. "She may think I did, cause I haven't told her I'm payin' her the same as I'm payin' Charlie yet. I ain't like Bill was. I don't try to get free work outa folks. I know some people might but I ain't one of 'em." "You're right about that too. To my way of thinkin' anyway. I guess that's why I ain't rich. Come to think of it, if I had to act like a rich man to be rich I'd just as soon stay poor. "I guess I'd better finish my walkin' around and checkin'. It makes the others work harder to get hitched up. They'll get better as we go, but I like to make 'em think I'm keeping an eye on 'em for the first few days. Thanks for the coffee," he said, and then went about his business. After he was gone I looked around for Helen and didn't see her or any of the women anywhere. I noticed the table and everything else, except the coffee pot, had already been put away, and I wondered where the women had gone. Just then Nadine hopped out of their wagon wearing buckskins and sure enough she had her pepperbox in a holster. I knew good and well she hadn't had time to make a belt and holster for it already. "This'un don't fit it just right, but it'll do til I can make one tonight. I thank you kindly for the loan of the gun," she said. "I didn't loan it to you, it's yours now. I hope you don't even need it, but it'll be handy if you do. I didn't talk to you about pay, but Jack Jenkins told me you were worth as much as Charlie. Will sixty a month and found suit you too?" "You don't need to pay me. I come along with Charlie and if'n you do pay me I'll just give the money to him anyway," she said. "After I pay, you can do what you want with it, but I'm gonna pay you. I'm even gonna pay you twenty dollars extra for teaching the other women to use and take care of their pistols." "I won't argue over it, but they might not thank you. If you're gonna pay me to teach them they're gonna be taught through and through." "That's what I want. It'll let me sleep easier at night." "You'll need that for sure Frank, cause you sure as hell got your work cut out," she said, and then grinned like a mean little kid. Charlie, Jim, and Jimmy finished with the teams just then and Charlie came over for a last cup of coffee. He looked around a second and then asked. "Where's your horse?" "I unsaddled him after the ride to town and back. Do you think I'm gonna need him for something today. I figured things would be fairly calm no further than we'll likely get in one day," I said. "You'll need him unless you plan on riding in a wagon. I can tell you now it ain't that much fun. No way I'd do it if'n I didn't have to." "Well I've got to drive one of 'em." "No you don't, specially since you said you were gonna pay me too. I was planning on driving one anyway, and since you told me you was paying me too I'm sure going to drive," Nadine said. "What?" Charlie asked. "He's paying me same as you is what. We might just get rich on this trip," she said, and Charlie had enough sense not to argue with me about it. "Believe me Frank, your ass will thank you for riding your horse," Charlie said. "I ain't going to squawk about it either, I just didn't think things through," I said. Jack started making noise about moving out then, and I had to hurry to get a saddle back on Red and climb aboard before things really got to moving. I wound up having to keep an eye on our wagons because I didn't even know where we were supposed to fall in line. I guess Charlie knew because he went up near the others and got in line near the middle. Jim had the next wagon, the one he slept in now, and Jimmy was driving Mary and Honey's wagon. Nadine was in the last of ours, the one Helen, Elizabeth, Rebecca, and I used. I smiled to myself when I saw Helen in the seat with her. Apparently shooting and gun care wasn't all the teaching Nadine intended to do. We were finally on our way west and I found myself more excited about it than I'd thought I would be. It was a new beginning for all of us, or most anyway. I didn't have much of a clue about what it would be like, but was anxious to learn. After my time in the war, traveling wasn't such a big deal. I'd been doing it for the last few years. In the army, the planning and orders had come from someone else and at first I'd expected this trip to be more of the same. Bill's temper had changed things in a big way though. It was a lucky break for me in almost every way, but I had picked up some responsibilities, fast. I was the leader of my own family now and their prosperity would be up to me. I knew there was plenty of money for a good start, but the hell of it was I'd need to figure out what to start. For the time being our destination was Oregon, but that detail might change. I don't know what Bill had intended to do for a living out west but I was pretty sure I wasn't suited or qualified for his plan, if I could even find out what his plan had been. If Helen knew, we'd talk it over, but if she didn't I'd have to make a plan of my own. All I really knew was there had to be some money earned sooner or later. Helen said Bill had plenty but I doubted it would last forever. I was a lucky type of person but I couldn't be that lucky. Farming wasn't one of my favorite occupations. I knew a lot about raising crops and that was a good thing, since I was heading for farming country. Still, my knowledge involved growing things for a family to eat and not raising crops to sell. Raising beef was more what I was used to, and I liked it. I knew ranching was a good way to get ahead, but I didn't know if we could acquire enough land for it where we were going. At this late date there were already a lot of people in Oregon, it had been granted statehood before the war, and lately the free land for the taking had been stopped. Land was still cheap, but it wasn't free anymore, and no doubt the best land was already spoken for. Starting a ranch from nothing but some cash wasn't an easy job, and it didn't pay off during the first few years either. If you didn't do it right it might not ever pay off, since raising cattle wasn't the only thing to it. Cows didn't shit money. They had to be raised and then sold and the selling was the rub. Was there going to be anyone to buy the cattle in Oregon, or anywhere near there? I'd have to find out before I used very much money raising them. In fact there were a lot of things I'd have to learn. I had it to do though. One of the things in my favor was one that might also work against me. The trip was not nearly as dangerous as it would have been a few years before. The Indians between us and Oregon probably weren't so alarmed about our coming as they once would have been. They'd been seeing people moving this way for years now. If we had much trouble with them it would only be from small groups - at least that's what I hoped. On the other hand the people that had been streaming west already might be making things a little crowded. It might be hard to gather up enough land to get a decent ranch going. I'd just have to see once we got there. Of course it wasn't that way everywhere. If Bill had been headed toward Montana for example, things would have been different. That's where the government had been trying to shove many of the remaining Indians and the Indians didn't appreciate the effort at all. Things had been fairly quiet for the last few years around Montana, but it was because the soldiers had been brought back east to fight the war and the Indians had their way about things, as in, they'd killed or run off settlers trying to move in. Montana might get to be a valid destination later, but it would be a lot later and a lot of people, red and white, would have to die first. I didn't plan for us to be any of them. Most of the rest of the day I spent just riding and thinking and wondering. We stopped for a nooning after about five miles. There was a small stream where everyone filled their water barrels if they needed to and then we let the stock water while meals were put together. We started off again after a couple of hours for the mules to rest and then traveled on until nearly six. We made camp near another stream and settled in for the night. By the time the men and boys had all the stock calmed down the women and girls had supper on the table. I was ready enough to eat and glad to get back on my feet. I knew my ass was going to be a little sore in the morning but I also knew I wouldn't be by myself on that score. ------- Chapter 7 Like most everyone else on the train, this was my first trip west. I wasn't sure what kind of nighttime routine would develop later on, but there didn't seem to be anything of the sort planned for tonight. Everyone was tired and sore and I was sure they were all going to make an early night of it. There were no signs of the small groups gathering for conversation or pure bullshit sessions like there'd been while we were waiting to go. Jack did come by to have a last cup of coffee for the night and I was glad to see him. "Looks like everyone is settling down," I said. "Enjoy it while you can. They're too damned tired to get into any arguments tonight, but after a week or so they'll be used to it and damned near anything is likely to happen. "The normal first ruckus is when some young gal's daddy catches her and her new boyfriend hiding the weenie. The two families will spend about an hour or two arguing and then they'll be looking for a preacher. It usually ain't a deadly fuss, but I've seen some serious fist fights between the fathers. "It'll be a recurring show too, especially on this train. We've got quite a few young bucks and even more pretty skirts flouncing around. If I was you I'd keep a sharp eye out on Helen's two girls," he said. "I plan to, but I don't expect much trouble out of 'em. They're pretty good girls," I said. "I've heard that from a lot of daddys I've warned, but you know 'em better than I do, even if that ain't usually any help," Jack said, and laughed. "I still don't think either of 'em will give me any trouble. Watch and see." Jack said he couldn't help but watch and he hoped I was right for my sake, and then he went on about his rounds. I threw out the dregs from the coffee pot and put it away, before going to the back of Mary and Honey's wagon. I poked my head in through the curtain and told them goodnight, getting a good kiss from both. The mood was a little nervous when I climbed in with Helen, Elizabeth, and Rebecca, but it wasn't like they were afraid of me or anything like that. Maybe they were just anxious. They weren't the only ones. I was surprised but happy to notice all of them were naked already, and just kinda hiding under the sheets. As soon as I got my clothes off I teased them by pulling the sheets off and taking a good look. They all giggled. "That's it girls, the work day is over and now it's time for Frank to play with his toys." "Are we your toys?" Rebecca asked. "Sure are, and you're the prettiest ones I've ever had. Becky, you and Liz watch closely now. I'm going to give it to your mother good, and I want you to know what's coming up for you," I said, and lay down beside Helen. "Is the soreness gone Helen." "Mostly," she said, and smiled at me. "I'd better check for myself," I said, and put my face between her legs without preamble. It caught her by surprise but she didn't complain. I kissed around and in her bush for a little and then pushed my tongue up her. Helen wasn't wet yet, of course, but I could taste a little of her dew and as I kissed, licked, and nibbled around down there it started showing up in force pretty quick. With only a few minutes of mouth work, Helen's hips were wiggling and she was good and juicy. I pressed my dick to her and slid in slowly right away, putting my mouth on her and kissing her there for a while. Helen seemed all for it and as her hands caressed up and down my back her pussy started trying to do a little nipping of its own. Tonight she was trying to squeeze me with her tunnel and it was something she hadn't done the first time. As a reward for her hard work my hands took over her titties and big nipples, squeezing and worrying them as I went. Within minutes we were fucking in earnest and I could tell Helen enjoyed it more this time too. She must have had a good talk with the girls though, because as we started to get off together, Becky put a hand over Helen's mouth to keep the noise down. No matter, I could feel her muffled yowling from the inside and it tickled the come out of me. Becky made room for me to lie down between them so I could catch my breath, but I could tell that she and Liz were worked up from watching. They just didn't know exactly what I'd do next. "See if you can show them how to liven that thing back up, Helen," I said, after I had my wind back. "What do you mean?" "The three of you need to get your mouths down there to kiss and lick around on it a little. It'll probably spring right back up ready for action." Helen gave me a little look and then went right to work. She licked around the head tentatively at first, but when it perked up the slightest she sucked it into her mouth and I could feel her tongue playing around the head. My dick perked up a lot more after that. "Try a little of that Elizabeth. Suck it on into your mouth but careful with your teeth. They don't have a part to play in this action." Elizabeth blushed scarlet but she moved her head down and rooted her mother out of the way. My dick was firm by now and she took about a third of it into her mouth, but was stymied because she didn't know what to do. "Move it in and out and bat around on it with your tongue, suck a little while you're at it," I told her and she had the hang of it in no time. By now I was ready for some more pussy, but I didn't hurry things. I had Rebecca take Elizabeth's place after a little while and she must have been paying attention because she was doing a good job herself right away. Damn all the cocksucking for now. I was ready to fuck somebody and since Becky was nearly in place already I took hold under her armpits and pulled her up for some real kissing. It only took a little more instruction to have her squatting over my hard dick and then I told her to guide it in place with a hand. "This first time is gonna hurt, maybe a lot, and maybe not much at all. It's different for each woman. Just line the head up where it needs to go and then try lowering yourself onto it. Take your time and go as slowly as you need to." She was nervous about it but her nipples were swollen near bursting and she was obviously hot as a house a'fire. She tried easing herself down onto it a couple of times and finally got a little frustrated and just dropped her hips. She let out a little squeak at first, but it must not have been too painful. She was confused now though. She had about two inches of dick up her and didn't know what to do. "Just raise up a little bit and then lower yourself back down. The hard part's over now but you have to take your time and work my dick on up in you. Just be gentle and patient and I'll be fucking you for real before you know it." As she tried it and started having a little success her eyes got wider and wider and then her breathing sped up. I knew it was mostly just knowing she was fucking for the first time that was getting her excited and I was sure the actual physical stimulation probably wasn't doing much for her yet. "You're doing fine Becky. That's some nice pussy you've got there and it's feeling nicer all the time. If Liz is this good you two won't have a bit of worry about working you're way west." She smiled at the teasing and kept to her business. Finally she got it all up her and then took her first full stroke. I took hold of her hips and when she bottomed out again I pulled them forward a little and as I'd hoped, it must have caused my bush to tickle her clitty. She gasped and gave me the strangest look. "That's the secret to how it all works baby. Try to gently rub that spot against me every time you take my pole all the way in. You'll find out what coming is all about in no time if you do." She must have liked it because now she wiggled her ass around every time she bottomed out. I could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to get the best feeling from every jiggle of her ass. It was time for some titty work as far as I was concerned. I released her hips and took one in each hand. A little playing around let me know she liked her nipples pinched and twisted. Nothing rough, but she seemed to enjoy it when I got a little firm with 'em. She was panting by now and her ass was waving around faster and faster. I pulled her over to lay on my chest then and started kissing her mouth with a will. She had to make a little adjustment with her legs but she was right back at it soonest. I threw her a curve by sliding a hand down to where we were joined and teasing her love lips and wetting my forefinger good in the juice she was putting out. She was close now and when I felt the moment coming I slid my wet finger up her ass and pulled her toward me even closer with it. Elizabeth and Helen were both worked up again too, and neither of them remembered to muffle Becky's announcement. Helen caught the mistake before anything too loud came out of Becky's mouth, but I'm sure Becky didn't notice a thing. She went off like a green colt spurred in the flanks, bucking and shaking until she was spent. I'll bet she never even noticed the load of come I put up her. As we settled down to catch our breath, Helen rolled Becky off onto her back and Elizabeth couldn't wait to get on for her turn. She had her mouth around my dick, trying to suck it back up hard before it had much time to even go soft. I was hard again in seconds and Elizabeth climbed aboard without prompting. Liz's cherry wasn't nearly as tough as Becky's had been and her little pussy gobbled up my dick on the first try. She must have really been paying attention to this part because she was getting the job done without any help from me. What the hell, I took hold of her titties and enjoyed myself. I don't know if it was the watching and waiting or what, but Elizabeth hit her stride and then got her cookies before I expected it. She did wiggle and squirm impressively as she did it though. Still, she was over the finish line and gasping for breath in a flash, leaving me with a hard dick. No matter though, I pulled Helen to me again, lay her on her back and gave her a royal pounding. After all I'd been through already I lasted a long time. Helen got off before I was half the way home but I kept on putting it to her until I finished my part. Helen looked dazed for a while, but the girls were caught up and they helped me get us all tucked in for the night. This wagon train shit sure had its benefits. The sun showed up way too early for my way of thinking. I had to dress and get out to pee though and so I did. Helen, Rebecca, and Elizabeth didn't lay around either and I barely had the fire going before they slipped out of the wagon, wearing their buckskins, and making me want to climb back in it and fuck them all again. The buckskins and their nice firm asses made me ready for another goround. Mary and Honey were surprised that Helen and the girls beat them up and out this morning. Helen already had the coffee on and Mary didn't know what to do at first. Rebecca and Elizabeth were walking a little funny today but the surprising things were the smiles they couldn't wipe off their faces. Before long the two of them and Honey were over by a wagon whispering to each other. It made me wonder how long this trip was going to take. I was ready for a house and a bed big enough to get all of them in it together. I probably couldn't hold up to that much work, but I was sure as hell ready to try. I only got down two cups of coffee before breakfast was ready and it didn't take long to get it eaten and get everything cleaned up. One of the good parts of our arrangement was that with a big group there was plenty of help. Charlie, Jim, and Jimmy started hitching teams as soon as the food was gone and I saddled my horse. We were in for another boring day and I knew it, but that was probably what most of the days would be. By this late date the trails were well known and mostly pacified. There was a chance we'd run into a few Indians wanting to cause trouble but not much of one. People moving west were not a novelty now. As usual our teams were hitched first and then it was hurry up and wait for the rest. The only one that was even close to being ready by the time we were back to sitting on our asses was a young man from West Virginia. He was twenty-one at most and aside from his size, nearly six feet and about one-eighty, the only remarkable thing about him was his wife. She didn't have much English, though she could communicate. She was as tall as he was though and just as young, or maybe a little younger. I thought she was probably Dutch or Scandinavian or something similar. She had a pretty face and her light blond hair hung almost to her waist. She had it plaited and then rolled the long braid up into a sort of bun on top of her head. Her hair and height couldn't hold a candle to her titties though. They were huge, and even with the big size they stood up proud. Her husband must have been the proper type, since she always wore dresses that covered her to her feet. I'd have paid good money for a long look at her in buckskins. I know it sounds stupid for me to be lusting after another woman, but there it was. I didn't intend to do a damned think about it, but I did walk over to her man and introduced myself. His name was William and hers was Helga. It was easy to see that he knew exactly what he was doing with his team, even though he didn't do it all that fast. William said he had come from a big family and the land they held was straining to keep them all fed by now. He hadn't been in the army, but had been in a local militia and saw some fighting during the war. He was a friendly sort and Helga seemed nice too, even though she wasn't much on conversation. Maybe because her English wasn't much to speak of. She seemed like a happy person though. I invited them to come over and eat with us after the train settled down for the day, and William made Helga understand exactly what I'd asked and waited for her to respond. Apparently he could speak a little of her language. They agreed so I said my goodbyes and went to give Helen and Mary the news. Of course they were all in a bunch since there was nothing to do but gossip until it was time to go, so I got to tell all the women at once. When I did Helen spoke up. "I met Helga yesterday. She's from Sweden and her family moved here in the fifties. She said they settled in West Virginia. She and William haven't been married long. I don't know why but I got the impression that his wanting to move west was one of the main reasons she accepted when he asked," Helen said. "Well they seemed nice to me, and I invited them over for supper tonight. You ain't gonna whup me for it are ya." "Of course not. You're the man around here and you can invite anyone for supper you want to," Helen said. "I'm not that bossy and you know it," I said, protesting. "You're bossy enough when you need to be," Helen said, and then all the women, even Nadine, laughed at me. "He wants better look at big titties," Nadine added, and got more laughter. "Well, maybe, but I didn't say anything about touching 'em. It sure would be nice if she wore buckskins every now and then though," I said. "What a funny thing. Helga was wishing for some yesterday when I talked to her, and even William joined in and asked about them. They don't have much money but he was talking about how he never even thought of it. He intends to get some for both of them if he gets a chance," Helen said. "That good. I can make everybody happy, even boss. I have plenty of skins to make. I do hers first for Frank," Nadine said, bringing more laughter. "You can get another bonus too if they're tight in the rear end," I said, and got more laughing for my trouble. ------- Chapter 8 We moved out before long and it was another boring day. There just ain't much fun you can get into when mules' asses make up most of the scenery. Three times during the day I nearly went over to offer Nadine another little bonus for saving me from the driving chore. We covered a little more ground today, and I figured we'd keep up that pattern for at least a week. The mules had been lazing around for weeks and they needed to get warmed up slowly to the pull the fucking wagon all God damned day routine. We needed to get on down the trail ok, but it wouldn't make sense to wear the mules out on the easy part. That didn't mean I wasn't ready to unass my mount at the end of the day. I'd done a little lazing around myself since the end of the war and to tell the truth my ass was taking its own sweet time getting into riding shape. I wasn't saddle sore or anything; I just had a tired ass by the end of the day. After unsaddling my horse and turning him out with the others I came back and helped the women set up our most important piece of equipment - the supper table. Nadine had beat me to the fire-building chore, but I sure as hell wasn't mad about that. All of them seemed to be rushing around just a little and then I remembered I was the cause of it all. We had company coming to eat with us tonight. Before long William and Helga came on over. He and I took a seat and had a cup of coffee while Helga joined in on the cooking. Helen and Mary tried to tell her she was a guest but she acted like she didn't understand and just kept trying to help. Funny thing, when they gave her something she could help with she never had any trouble understanding what they were telling her. "You ended up with a big job before we even got started," William said, right off the bat. "Well, kinda, but I've had worse. This is gonna be a long wagon ride but it beats hell outta chasin' longhorns around in the mesquite." "Longhorns? Are you from Texas?" "Without a doubt." "I guess I heard wrong then. I thought someone said you fought for the North," he said, but he didn't act like it bothered him. "I did, most of the war anyway. I joined up with a bunch of fools that kept yammerin' about The Cause like it was some Holy mission, but I wised up before our idiot officers got me killed. "I never held with slavery anyway and I still don't know who stuck that feather up my ass and got me to join the Confederacy. At least I came to my senses in time." "Oh, is that what you and Bill got into it about?" "Nope. Bill couldn't help thinkin' he should be running things like he did on his plantation, and after Jack knocked fire from his ass I guess he thought he'd come back to his wagons and give me a ration of shit to make up for it. "He'd have lived over that if he hadn't lost his head and went for that little pistol he carried. I was gonna quit over his first mouthful, but I wasn't going to shoot him for it. I damned sure wasn't going to give him a chance to shoot me over it though. He just let his temper overload his ass, but I don't guess it's botherin' him much now," I said, and William couldn't help laughing. I could tell William wanted to keep talking about it but it must have come to him that he was being downright nosey. That had already occurred to me, but I didn't mind talking about it and I was the one that invited them over. He took over the job of keeping up the conversation for a while then and gave me a good rundown on what farming in West Virginia was like for a few minutes. It made me glad I was getting farther away for there and I knew he was probably right thinking he could find some better way to spend his days out west. By the time supper was ready I was ready for it, and everybody else was too. We had to wrangle with Jim again to get him to sit with the white folks, but at least it didn't make him so nervous this time. Damn my women could cook. I wasn't sure whether Helga had done much to help, but she sure didn't do the food any damage if she had. I ate so much I was sure I'd be too full to fuck tonight. After the food was gone we sat around gabbing for a couple of hours and like the big dumb ass I was I drank coffee the whole time. Now I can handle my coffee, but even I couldn't get off to sleep after the six cups I'd had. I didn't even act like I was getting in the wagon when everyone else went to bed. I told Helen I was going to stay up a while and see what went on after dark. That's what I was gonna do to, whether I wanted to or not. I didn't get in with them because I knew I'd be tossing and turning for hours and would probably keep them from getting any sleep. I was going to be worn out in the morning, but it was too late to do anything about it. After walking out away from the fire a little I found a dead fall lying at the base of another big tree and sat my ass down, leaning back against the tree that was still standing. Maybe I could at least get some physical rest even if I couldn't go to sleep. It must have been an hour later when I noticed someone stooped over and creeping around in the dark. At first I figured it was a man looking to creep up in the back of a wagon to meet a woman or gal that must be expectin' him. Damn if that was so. He passed near the glow from the remains of our cook fire and it was a young boy I'd seen around. I'd already noticed he was kind of a young smart ass, but he damned sure didn't have any business sneaking around our wagons after dark. I just watched until I saw he was heading for the back of Mary and Honey's wagon. I slipped my pistol out and slipped up behind him. "What in the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked, putting the Remington's barrel against his spine and clamping my left hand around his skinny neck. He jumped when I spoke and tried to spin around to face me, but my grip around his neck didn't let him. "I asked you a question boy?" "I's just gonna slip in their wagon and get a little poon-tang mister," he said, and his voice let me know he was scared shitless. "No, you weren't. You were creeping around trying to get your throat slit, but I don't guess I will this time," I said, and I felt him relax a little. "Mary, you and Honey have a visitor," I said, not caring if anyone else heard me. "What?" Mary asked, opening the flap and looking out. "I caught this boy trying to slip into your wagon. He said he wanted a little poon-tang." "He better back a mare up to a stump then. He ain't gettin' nothing in here unless it comes from that nice pepperbox pistol you bought me," she said, and pointed it at him. He'd been doing pretty good right at first, but you know how it is. Some people just can't keep their mouth shut to save their lives. "Nigger, you know they'd hang you for shooting a white man... When I laid the Remington's barrel firmly against his skull it cut off the rest of what he was going to say. It also put him out, for a while anyway. "Throw me a few stout thongs will you Mary?" I asked, as her young would be swain listened to the birdies. She pulled herself back inside and then handed me a handful after a couple of minutes. I'd stripped Romeo naked while she was looking for them and then I tied him to the back wheel of her wagon. To make sure he didn't cause any commotion if he woke up, I stuffed his drawers in his mouth tight and used another couple of the thongs to tie them in place. I told Mary I'd be watching the rest of the night just in case something else happened, but I didn't think anything would. She thanked me for saving her the trouble of shooting him and gave me a sound kissing before she tried going back to sleep, and I went back to my deadfall couch. Somehow I managed to get about four hours sleep later on, but I was up with the fire going before false dawn. I went and checked on our captive. He was asleep or else still knocked out and I didn't care which. It would have been a shame if I'd happened to kill him, but it was on his head as far as I was concerned. When everyone else was up I made sure none of us went around to stare at the boy. I saw that quite a few grownups and a lot of the youngsters just couldn't resist. I was wondering what his folks would say when they found him, but we had breakfast eaten and the mess cleaned up before his father walked over. "Howdy, Mister. I see you must have been bothered by my Jimmy during the night. I think I appreciate that you didn't just kill him," the man said. "Frank's my name." "George." "Jimmy made up his mind he was going to crawl into the wagon with Mary and Honey last night. Luckily I stopped him before he surprised them and one of them blew his brains out." "They'd have to be damned good shots. I tried to raise Jimmy right, but I guess I just didn't know how. His Mama thinks I was too easy on him, and didn't whip him enough when he was bad. She may be right. I've been trying to catch up these last few years, but maybe it's too late. This ain't the first trouble he's got into," George said. "Maybe one day he'll realize he's grown and stands a chance of getting killed pulling kid stunts like that." "I hope so, I really do." "I guess I should cut him loose so he can maybe get back in time for some breakfast," I said. "He ain't gettin' any from his mama. I wanted to come see if I could get him before we ate, but she said if he couldn't get to breakfast on his own by now he'd have to do without. When I first took the gag out I though there was going to be more trouble. Jimmy got wound up to tell George what an asshole I'd been. George slapped him open handed pretty damned hard and then backhanded him harder on the way back. "I guess you're just a damned fool and always will be. Most men would have killed you for what you were trying to do. You should thank Frank for only putting a knot on your head. You're sixteen years old boy, and I wouldn't bet a dollar you'll ever see seventeen. "I ain't even gonna whup ya. It ain't worth the effort. Try to be out on your own before you do something stupid enough to actually get yourself killed. You owe your mama that much at least," George said, and then walked off to let Jimmy drag on his clothes on and find his own way back. Jack walked over a few minutes later and I could tell from the way he looked he was having a hard time keeping from laughing. "Frank, that's about the best one I've ever seen. I'm glad I didn't make any bets about Becky and Liz collectin' suitors. You probably couldn't drive a young boy over here with four cowhands on cuttin' horses after that stunt." "Hell, I didn't pull any stunt, but Jimmy did. I'll bet he don't try it around my wagons again." "I'll bet he don't too. At least he got to show his wares to all the other young girls that wanted a peek." "He did that. I got to feelin' sorry for George right there at the last though. He talks like the boy's been a trial," I said. "If last night was any example he must have been. It's funny too, George is as nice and polite as can be and Margaret, his wife, is the same way. You know the boy's bound to come to grief and it'll probably be hard on the two of 'em." "George sounds like he's already resigned to the facts. Ain't really nothin' they can do at this late date though. If the boy's too dumb to pay attention then they never had much to work with in the first place," I said. "Probably. Seems like it works out that way sometimes when the woman don't have any kids until she gets on up there. Mary was around thirty before she had Jimmy. Oh well, ain't shit we can do about it. I gotta see if I can get things moving," Jack said, and then left. We pulled out before long and I managed to stay in the saddle until noon, but after lunch, I unsaddled my horse and turned it out with the other stock then crawled into the wagon, got naked and had a real snooze. Luckily Helen woke me up for supper. We didn't have any invited ahead of time guests tonight but Jack Jenkins walked by too close and Helen roped him in for supper before he could get away. I don't think he was fighting her off all that hard. He sat around a while after supper to talk but I'd learned my lesson last night and didn't have any more coffee. "I guess this group is getting into shape to move on out by now. I'm going to try to get us moving a little faster tomorrow," Jack said, as we sat around. "I know we're up for it. My stock and wagons are in good shaper." "I ain't worried about yours, but there's a couple I'm not sure about." Later, at bedtime, I went by Mary's wagon to tell them goodnight and get a little sugar. "If that pesky boy is dumb enough to come around again tonight I want you and Honey to start screaming as loud as you can when you see him and don't stop until I get here." They promised they would but I was hoping the young dumbass would stay where he belonged as I walked to join Helen and the girls for the night. They did a damned good job of taking my mind off my troubles and thankfully there weren't any screams in the night. I didn't know whether Jimmy Romeo had learned something useful or just figured out my wagons weren't good hunting grounds. ------- Chapter 9 A good night's sleep can make a world of difference in your attitude, especially if you start it out with plenty of pussy. I was flying high and feeling mean when I woke. I also needed to water a tree pretty bad. I dragged on my clothes, buckled on my pistols, walked out from the wagons and whupped it out to drain. Mary had the fire and the coffee going by the time I was back. "Get any company I oughta know about in the night?" "No. Didn't even hear a peep. Maybe that white boy tried to peddle his pecker at some other wagon." "He'll probably try to stay low for a while at least, but he may not be smart enough. That was a pretty damned dumb stunt he tried to pull. If he'd been a grown man I'd have just killed him." "If he'd a slipped into the wagon I'd have shot him no matter how young he was. We ain't supposed to have to put up with that shit no mo after the war," she said. "You ain't gonna shoot me next time are ya?" "I won't shoot you less you stop coming around. Me and Honey wants our share. We don't mind having Helen, Lizbeth, and Rebecca to spell us though." "They'll be doing more than spellin' ya if we ever get a house built." "What? What'cha talkin' 'bout?" "I'm talkin' 'bout the bed I'm gonna build big enough to hold all six of us. Come to think, it might have to hold eight or nine. No tellin', I might have to take in another young widow or some young girl on this trip. One might end up needing a man to protect 'em." "You ain't planning to do something rash is ya?" "No, I don't have one picked out, yet. Even though the trail to Oregon is pretty well staked out and pacified at this late date it don't mean accidents can't happen. I'm not gonna get any of them started, but you saw how Bill came back from his talk and just begged me to shoot him," I said, and it must have started Mary thinking about something, because she was quiet for a few minutes. The coffee was ready by now and Honey brought me a cup. After taking a quick look around I pulled her into my lap for a good kissing and a feel of titty. Even her dusky skin showed a blush when I let her up. I liked it so well I slipped over by Mary and gave her a dose too, even though a blush had to be a good one to show up on her. "Is you really gonna build a bed for us all to sleep in at the same time," Mary asked, when I let go the big titty I'd been fondling. "Hell, I can't think of nothin' I'd like better. Matter of fact, just thinkin' 'bout it has my dick hard as a bone right now. Feel it and see if it ain't." She whipped her head around to make sure no one was looking and then reached down to pet and squeeze it gently for a minute. "Lawdy, it sho is hard. Don't it hurt when it stays like that?" "Sometimes, but if it don't go down in a little I'm gonna leave my horse tied to your wagon when we start off and I'll take it out on Honey," I said, loud enough for Honey to hear me. She blushed again but was smiling the whole time. Helen and the girls were out by now and they'd heard it too. The blushes didn't have any trouble showing up on them. I poured some more coffee in my cup and walked aside to sit down and drink it. Mary and Helen whispered together at first and then Helen gasped and blushed even brighter. I figured Mary had just shared the one big bed information and no doubt Honey was letting Rebecca and Elizabeth in on the secret too. Breakfast was good and plentiful again this morning. After it was over I saddled my horse and mounted up. Jim, Charlie, and Jimmy didn't waste any time hitching the mules either. As usual we were ready to roll before anyone else, but by now we weren't nearly as much ahead as we'd been being. It was a long boring day mostly, and Jack had warned us we wouldn't be stopping long enough to cook a meal at dinnertime. I assumed everyone had fixed something extra at breakfast. I knew Mary had. I had my bacon and biscuits in the saddle. Jack wanted to make sure we got to our first serious stream crossing in time to get over it today, and we did. A couple of fools thought we were done when we got there and started unhitching their teams. It earned them both a cussing from Jack. Hell, even I knew you crossed a stream as soon as you could. Just because the water was low enough to cross when you came to it didn't mean it wouldn't come a turd floater during the night and leave you looking at a mini-flood. If you had good sense you crossed water when you came to it. You could rest on the other side. The stream wasn't such a much and right now it wasn't very deep at all. Jack was sure the wagons wouldn't even have to float any on the way over and I figured he was right. It was a good thing too, because even if most of the drivers were catching on by now, not all of them were. Even in a slow running shallow stream like this one, three men nearly turned their damned wagons over on the way across. I still don't know how they managed to fuck up that bad, but they did. Luckily it didn't come that far but it was close for a minute or two. I wondered what was going to happen when we came across a real river that did float the wagons. After the fun was over we made camp and it wasn't long before I was catching up on the food I'd missed during the day. While I was eating a devious thought came to me. Hell, there was no need to wait until we had a house built to get the women together. Oh sure, there wasn't enough room in any wagon for all of them at the same time, but arrangements could be made. I made them. I told Helen she'd be sleeping with Mary in her wagon that night and that Honey would sleep with Becky and Liz. She gave me such a look, but it wasn't racially motivated disgust, it was guarded excitement. "That's right sugar. I'm gonna plow a row up you and Mary with y'all side by side. She's gonna suck your juice off my dick and then you'll suck hers off it. Turn about is fair play, don'tcha think," I said, and she couldn't even speak for trembling and panting. Mary was able to keep a little better grip of herself, but not much. Honey was stunned, but Becky and Liz thought it was a wonderful idea. "Are you gonna come up and do it to us when you've done with them," Rebecca asked, and she sounded hopeful. "I doubt it. Tomorrow will be the night for your treatments." Everything went pretty much unnoticed by the other wagons. Hell, it was getting dark by the time Helen went into Mary's wagon. Pretty much unnoticed wasn't completely though. We weren't far from William and Helga's wagon and as I got set to crawl in I saw her looking right at me. When she noticed I'd spotted her she smiled her widest. Helga couldn't have missed hearing the noise the women made either. Helen was gushing before I even got my hands on her and she went off like a short fused bomb not five minutes after I ran it up her. She didn't scream her loudest but her moans and groans surely reached their wagon, no further away than it was. Mary was on fire inside after watching Helen get what was coming to her too. She was able to last a while, but when Helen leaned over to suck some of Mary's black titty into her mouth, poor Mary went ballistic. I'll admit Helens white cheeks sucking on Mary's black titty made an inspiring contrast. At least I managed not to shake the earth with my roar as I blew my load. After that I was satisfied with a job well done, but the two of them wouldn't let well enough alone. Within minutes they were kissing and fondling each other and when they each got a couple of fingers up the other and started frigging I had to find a place to socket my pole. Helen's sparkling white ass got what was its first taste of a hard dick then, but she never missed a stroke fingering Mary. In the morning Mary made sure we were at least partially dressed and out of her wagon even before false dawn. I let Helen get back in her own and waited until Honey was back where she tentatively belonged before I lit a fire and started boiling water for coffee. I'll admit I needed a cup pretty bad. Jack Jenkins seemed to be trying to pick up the pace by at least a few minutes every day now, and so far he was getting it done. I hadn't heard any griping about it yet, but I expected some sooner or later. I wanted a ringside seat when it happened too. It was spring grass and mules' asses all day long again today; in fact it was for the next three days. We crossed a small stream every other day or so, but none of them even nearly as big as the first good-sized one we'd hit. We even saw the occasional Indian but no farther west than we'd made it so far they weren't a problem. We stopped about an hour and a half before sunset today and I didn't mind a bit. I was having a cup of coffee while Mary and Helen were cooking and I was anticipating the meal. Nadine came up to where I sat and motioned me away from the fire for a short talk. "Tonight I measure Helga for her buckskins. I've done a little cutting out already but I need to check the sizes for a good fit. She be in her bloomers in the wagon while I fit," she said, with a lascivious grin. "I wish you hadn't told me, it'll just make me suffer." "You want watch?" she asked, and her grin was even more sinister. "How?" I asked, whispering now. "I fixed place. Hide you there after eat. She won't see, you'll be in shadow. I need bright lamps to fit right. Slip in after eat," she said, and wandered off. My dick throbbed and pounded so hard I could barely eat from just thinking about it. It wasn't all because I knew Helga must have a spectacular body either. Just the thought of seeing her in her bloomers without her knowing had my pulse pounding. I was worried about something going wrong, but the risk was nothing compared to the reward I expected. I didn't even notice what we had for supper. I did see Helen, Mary, and all the girls keep giving each other sly smiles. No doubt Nadine had given them the word too. I didn't care at all and as soon as I could slip unnoticed into their wagon I did. Nadine was already inside and I saw at once what she intended to do. About the last five feet of the wagon was cleared out and most of the things that had been there were pushed up and piled near the front. She'd left a little cubbyhole to hide me in and she covered me with a buffalo robe I assumed they used for sleeping. She pointed out a tiny hole for me to look through and then fastened the cover to the wagon in a couple of places so it wouldn't fall off and reveal me. I was nervous as hell when she left to get Helga and all the time they were gone. It seemed like hours but was probably only a minute or two. Helga seemed thrilled about the progress and when they were inside with the wagon's flap closed she started off with her dress at once. I was so shocked to see Helga hadn't bothered with any bloomers I nearly gave the game away right then. She was glorious and even more beautiful than I'd imagined. Her titties were a caution and they stood up firmly and proud. I already knew she had light skin, but naked it seemed to be creamy and fine. Her areolae were a little larger than a double eagle and her nipples were large too. They'd even stiffened after she was naked. Helga's beaver was the same light blonde as her hair but her cunt lips were nearly bright pink, exactly like those nipples. I stared so hard it's a wonder she didn't feel it. It was just as good when Nadine turned Helga's ass to face me as she fooled with the buckskin pieces she'd already cut out. The icing on the cake was when she had Helga bend at the waist with that gorgeous ass pointed right toward me. She pretended to be checking the length for the legs, but I knew she was doing it for my benefit. As Helga bent over and then held in place I had a wonderful view of her pussy lips between her legs. They even seemed to gap open slightly and it looked for all the world like she was damp between them, as if she were getting hot and bothered. She was fantastic, and Nadine kept up the show for more than fifteen minutes. It's a wonder I didn't shoot off in my pants. After the measuring show was finished Helga stood around to talk to Nadine for ten more minutes or so, and she was in no hurry to put her dress back on. In fact, the way she turned this way and that made it seem she knew she was giving a show. She even hefted her lovely big titties with her hands once, and then let them drop and wobble. Finally she covered up the goodies, made her exit, and I could breathe again. Nadine pulled the robe off me so I could cool off a little I guess. I still didn't make a sound but I wanted to yell out my delight, then Nadine threw me a curve. "I think she know somehow." "How could she have?" "I not know that. It just feel that way. She not see you, I know that. I have good nose though, and she smell excited after here a few minutes. You no smell?" I took a big sniff and sure enough I did get a hint, or at least I imagined I did. Nadine gave me a funny look for a second. "Maybe next time you sit in open. Play with big titties for her. Nipples got very stiff this time." That was a fact, and I'd seen it for sure. I thought it might be just because she was standing around naked, but I could dream. As fine as it sounded, I knew I couldn't watch in the open next time. It would wind me too tight. As it was I headed right for Helen's wagon. She was in Mary's again since it was the girls night to get it in the same wagon together. I knew damned well I was going to wear all three of them out. ------- Chapter 10 Eight days later I woke between Helen and Mary in Mary's wagon. I was still wound up from imagining what Helga must have looked like naked three nights before when she had her final fitting. I knew better than to hide and watch again even though Nadine was sure Helga wouldn't squawk a bit if I sat right out in the open. I told Nadine there was no way I could keep from hopping on Helga for a ride and Nadine just said she wouldn't watch, much. Her offer and comments tempted me, but I made myself stay away. At the end of the session I realized I might as well have given it a try. My imagination was keeping me harder than watching would have, and that's saying something. I'd given Helen and Mary a serious workout that night and switched my attention to Honey, Elizabeth, and Rebecca the next. Last night I'd worn Helen and Mary out again, but I didn't get any complaints. Even after spending time in the wagon with Mary and Helen during the wee hours I was still up a little before false dawn, and when Mary came out to get started on the food I had the fire in good shape and the coffee made. Hell, I'd even had a couple of cups already. Helen and the girls came out to help right after Mary and Honey showed up. Grass didn't grow under the women's feet and in what seemed only a few minutes we all ate our breakfasts. Jim, Charlie, and Jimmy left after they were done and started hitching the teams while I caught and saddled my Red. At this late date everyone knew the drill and Jenkins headed us out not long after dawn. The sky was clear and it would probably be another uneventful day of drivers staring at mule's asses. I could settle for riding along while it was going on. It might be boring, but anything that wasn't was likely to be dangerous or deadly and the war had already showed me all of that kind of shit I wanted. Today was our twentieth day and the two scouts agreed that we'd probably come to the Republican River tomorrow or the next day. It suited me fine even though when we crossed it there'd be another day of pains in the ass. It's ain't so bad getting one wagon across a river if there's a good ford, but when fifty three have to cross, someone is going to fuck the dog before you're done and then everybody has to help. At least I was sure Jim and Charley had all our wagons ready to make a crossing. I'd paid a couple of guys who knew what they were doing to help them check the wagons out and fix up any little buggers before it was our turn to get wet, or try not to. What the hell, we had plenty of money and spending a little of it on the help was a bargain. It meant I didn't have to fuck around making sure there was plenty of caulking and tar in every single crack. I did step and fetch for the guys that were doing the job but that beat the hell out of getting under a wagon, pounding cord or torn up blankets into the cracks and slathering the damned hot tar over the whole business. Shit, mostly I just stood around. The next day was the same old same old until around eleven, when we reached the Republican's ford. Of course all the women and kids got out to walk around and most people seemed to be fixing a regular noon meal while the rest of us got our wagons in line to cross the river. Jack Jenkins had his final checkout to do on our rolling stock before we started across. This time it was our turn to suck hind tit. We'd be the last wagons across today. The good part was any unforeseen nasties in the river would be sorted out by the time we tried it. The bad part was we'd be expected to lend a hand for everyone else if it came to it, and then they'd all be trying to get their shit back together on the other side if we stepped in something. Oh well. Things went along just fine, and after a couple or three hours it was time for us. Of course I'd been in the river a few times already and my wet clothes didn't make me feel all that chipper. At least there were plenty of trees this close to the river and they gave a good shade so we weren't worn out from the heat. I was walking back to my wagon to pull it up when I heard screams out in the trees where some of the women and kids were sitting around passing time. I looked that way and nearly shit. There's no way to tell how they did it, but there were four mounted young Indian bucks among the women and children. All our folks were running around wondering whether to shit or go blind and the Indians were chasing hell our of them. I'm sure it was a bunch of young bucks wanting to count coup, but that kind of shit would be dangerous with the women and kids, and of course the Indians didn't give a rat's ass if someone got hurt from their foolishness. It crossed my mind that they weren't above nabbing a woman or two if they thought they could get away with it. They must have, because just then I saw one of them, mounted on the biggest Steel Dust stallion I'd ever seen, race by Rebecca and as he got near he leaned over to the side toward her and scooped her up and across the big horse's withers. Then he let out one of those stupid Indian yells and hauled his ass, taking Rebecca with him. I hauled my ass to, toward Red, and off to the side I could see the other Indians scatter now, each in a different direction. That Steel Dust was fast and by the time I'd mounted and lit out they were probably nearly a quarter mile ahead. I didn't worry about catching them though; mostly I worried about getting Rebecca back without her getting hurt. Things were going to be tricky and no matter what I tried it was going to be dangerous for all concerned. Of course the Steel Dust was a good bit faster at first. Hell, that's why they were so popular for working cows in the first place. They had early speed. I wondered where in the hell the Indian had stolen it. Aside from saving Rebecca my next thought was saving the Indian's horse. It was the best Steel Dust I'd ever seen, and in Texas I'd seen a bunch of 'em. My horse wasn't nearly as good as that one but it wasn't a Steel Dust either. Mine was more of a long legged drink of water and I was pretty sure there was a Thoroughbred somewhere back among his ancestors. The Indian was ahead now and staying ahead for the moment but a Steel Dust isn't a horse that can run all out for long, and besides, it was carrying two. Even though the Indians had just been fucking around scaring people for the hell of it, that didn't mean Rebecca wasn't going to end up a squaw if I didn't get her back. Indians were opportunist if nothing else, and a free woman was a free woman to them. I'm sure they'd have rather had a horse or two but he was sure as hell intending to keep Rebecca now that he had her. I intended to make sure he didn't. If the Indian had been very smart he'd have already pitched Rebecca off and tried harder to get away. He had to know I had a gun or two of some sort, and since he'd looked around at me a time or two he knew that by now I was gaining. Hell, we'd come over a mile and a half now and the Steel Dust had done his best in the first quarter mile. That's why some people called them quarter horses. I'd be nearly up to them in another half mile and then what was mister noble savage going to do? Using my head for once I pulled back just a little. My horse was still galloping hard, but no longer as fast as he could. The Indian had slowed a good bit but there was no sense bringing things to a quick ending. I hoped I could keep him thinking he still might get away if he just kept running. The slower we were going when he finally wised up and got rid of Rebecca the easier it would be on her hide, and other important parts, like her neck and punkin' head. Even though I'd held back a little we were still gaining. The Steel Dust was done for in this race. He knew it, Red knew it, and I knew it. The only one who didn't seem to know was the Indian. It wasn't a minute later that they fell out of the slow lope and the Indian's horse broke into a trot. Might as well see if we could get this over with. I urged my horse on a little and he was up to them in no time. What I was about to try was going to be more trouble than a whole lot and tricky as hell besides. When I was nearly even with the Indian I saw he had his left hand on Rebecca's back, holding her down and his tomahawk in his right hand, no doubt intending to see if it would be any help. It wasn't. I shot him just under his right shoulder blade and from slightly behind. I hoped the bullet would hit lots of important things in there and it must have. He tried to keep his seat for a couple of seconds but just a few was all, and then he slumped back and fell off over his horse's ass. I couldn't see what he got up to after that because I was busy. For the rest of my life I'll probably wonder how in the hell I managed to lean over and keep Rebecca on that poor Steel Dust with one hand while I grabbed the twine the noble red savage thought of as reins and slowed the horse to a stop. It's just lucky for me that my horse and I had fucked around with cattle for a few bucks on my way to Independence. We knew each other well enough that he stayed right with the Indian's former mount as we all came to a halt, more or less at the same time. I bailed off Red and helped Rebecca off and onto her feet first thing, then looked around for Geronimo, or whatever his name was. I saw him about fifty or so yards back the way we'd come and from the way he was sprawled I didn't think he'd be fucking with us any more. Served the annoying bastard right. I was having to help Rebecca keep upright right now and the poor thing was shaking to beat hell. I guess I would have been too if something this shitty had happened to me when I was fourteen. Of course the real horror for her hadn't had time to develop, as if being kidnapped by an Indian and riding three or four miles face down on the back of his pony wasn't horrible enough. "Everything is all right now Rebecca. I've got you and there aren't any more Indians near us. Try to settle down some. Can you stand by yourself?" I asked. "I, I, I think so. Oh God, I was so scared. I was so so scared. Oh my God, I wet myself," she said, and I wondered that she'd just now noticed it - no doubt it hadn't seemed too important at the time it happened. "Can we rest a few minutes before we go back?" "Sure, wait a second, I'll spread my bedroll and you can lie down. After that I need to walk these horses around a little to help them cool out," I said. She was lying on my bedroll trying to calm herself a minute later and after loosening my horse's saddle girth I took his reins and the Steel Dust's twine and started leading them around in a big circle to help them get over the excitement. It was probably luck for us that the scouts had been at the river today to help us make the crossing. They came riding up less than five minutes later. Five more minutes and about ten others came up too. Cal, the head scout called to one of the men that rode up and told him to take care of leading the horses I was until they cooled off so he could get the story from me. Hell, I was glad to hand them over. "How in the hell did you catch 'em?" Cal asked without preliminaries. "I've got a pretty good horse and he's got some wind in 'im. The Indian's horse is a damned good one too though, probably better than mine, but it's a Steel Dust and you know he wasn't made for this kind of distance. He's a hell of a horse though," I said. "Well it's good that you like him cause he's yours now. It's for sure that redskin won't be needin' 'im no mo'. I wonder where in the hell he stole it?" Cal asked. "That the same damned thing I was thinking when I first saw him riding off with Rebecca. It's a damned good thing I saddle mine up and ride every day. If I'd ever lost sight of them he'd have taken Rebecca and bailed off lettin' the horse run on. This grass is plenty high enough for him to have hidden the both of 'em in it by just holdin' her down on the ground. I'd have probably been wanderin' around trying to find sign," I said. "Ain't no doubt about that. If the horse had run off you'd have never found them in all this prairie," Buck, Cal's buddy, said. "Are you feeling any better yet Miss Rebecca?" Cal asked, turning to face her. "Yes sir. I was just so scared while he was stealing me. All I could think about was getting scalped," she said. I didn't bother to explain that scalping wasn't what the Indian had in mind for her. If he'd made his escape she'd have been looking forward to a life of drudgery and Indian dick for sure. Indian's didn't go by the recent law against slavery. "Hey Frank, where's your pistol?" Buck asked. "Oh, it's somewhere between here and the Indian probably. After I shot him I had to drop it since I was pretty busy trying to stop two horses and keep Rebecca from falling off at the same time." "I want to know how you did it, if you don't mind tellin'," Cal said. "I don't mind tellin' but I don't know what to tell. Hell, I just did it and it went by so fast I couldn't even pay attention to anything but doing it. I sure can't remember what I did," I said, and it was probably the most truthful thing I'd ever come up with. "Here it is," Caleb Carstairs, one of the wagon train members that had come with the scouts said, and then he brought it to me. "Thanks Caleb." "No, thank you Frank. I got kids too," he said, and my asshole puckered up tight. He'd gone and done it now, and it took ten more minutes for everyone and their horse to thank me for saving Rebecca. Not to mention the way she was looking at me like I was Robert E Lee and Jeb Stuart together, all rolled into one. Thankfully Cal finally called a halt to all that crap and got us heading back after he asked if I thought my horses could manage it now. "As long as we don't have to lope 'em back they'll be ok I guess." Rebecca rode double with me on the way back and the only thing odd about it was they hadn't brought a horse for her. I guess they didn't really think I'd get her back. I was glad enough though. She probably wouldn't have wanted to ride back on the Indian's mount and I knew he sure as hell didn't need to be carryin' anyone either. It had been a dangerous deal and I figured it was sure as hell plain luck that I pulled it off. Now that it was over I was glad to have the big stallion but I sure as hell wouldn't have done it for him if I'd had any choice in the matter. I will admit I never once considered shooting him to stop the chase though. I hadn't noticed it at the time, but one of the men had gone straight back to the train as soon as he found out that Rebecca and I were safe and the Indian was dead. I hope I get a chance to thank him for his consideration someday, with a kick in the balls or something else along those lines. I barely had time to unass my horse before someone was leading him away to unsaddle him and wipe him down. When everyone else discovered that the Indian's former quarter horse was now mine, somebody else led him off for the same treatment, and I found out that Caleb had stripped everything off the dead redskin, including his moccasins, and brought it all back to me, for mementos he said. Well, at least his napped flint knife was a nice one and the tomahawk he'd been waving around was high quality too. I'd save them for sure. There was no way in hell I could keep from being continuously thanked for about an hour. The good part was Jack Jenkins had got the others to take our wagons across the ford while everything was happening fast for me. In fact, everyone else was already across the river and we'd walked right across before we even dismounted for the Thank Frank ceremonies. There were other good things going on too though. The camp was already set up and women were cooking. When I walked up to Helen and Mary to see what was to eat they let me know I was in for some more thanking later tonight. Hell, I'd have to save a few more girls on down the road I guess. To top it all off, William and Helga ate supper with us again tonight. Nadine took the occasion to mention she needed Helga for another fitting later on after dark. I knew I'd do my best to keep away from temptation but I also knew I wasn't strong enough. Especially when Helga bragged on my bravery and gave me such an admiring look. William went on about me too, but I didn't really want to hear it from him considering the thoughts I was having about his wife. After supper was over William headed back to his wagon and Helga went with him, telling Nadine she'd be back in a while. It made me wonder about what was going on. Nadine had said last time it was the final fitting. I had stayed away by the hardest, but here Helga was coming for another final fitting. It was almost like the two of them were in cahoots to give me another gander of Helga's naked charms. What the hell, I climbed in the wagon while Helga was away and had Nadine hide me under the buffalo robe again. It was almost a repeat of the first time when Helga climbed in, but it seemed she got her dress off even faster. Something was surely going on though, because Helga looked right toward where I was hiding and gave her big titties a big lift and drop again, then she turned around and Nadine held the finished buckskins up beside her as if checking the size before she had Helga put it on. For some reason Helga bent over at the waist with that fantastic ass pointing right at me again. When I caught sight of her pink pussy lips this time they were not only moist, they were practically dripping and I didn't have a bit of trouble smelling her sex within a few seconds. ------- Chapter 11 It was all I could do to keep from jumping out from under the robe and revealing myself by grabbing hold of Helga. She didn't stay bent over showing me the goods for long though. She stood up, turned back to face my hiding spot, and said... "Frank, come out your hiding place. Come get close look, I want you see." At least I had sense enough to reveal myself then and it was my turn to blush I'm sure. I couldn't see myself turn red but my ears and face felt so hot they seemed to be on fire. Helga giggled and then smiled her widest, but that wasn't the only shock. Nadine scampered out the back of the wagon. "Now come look." "But how did you know I was here?" "Frank, if woman show you titties and pussy she want you look. I knew first time and was sad you not watch last time. Now you big hero today and I try again. Come, play with titties, diddle pussy. No keep me waiting." "I was very surprised and even more curious but I was obedient. I stripped off my shirt so when I hugged her to me for a serious kissing her titties were pressed into my bare chest. She sighed as my tongue explored her mouth and then I moved a hand around to cup a titty and tease its nipple with my thumb." Helga wasn't holding back either; her hands attacked my gun-belt buckle and then my pants. She dropped them when they were unfastened and pushed my drawers and the pants down my legs. She took a good handhold on my rod, stroked it slowly, keeping time with the two fingers I'd slid up into her wet heat. "Oh Frank, I'm so hot, but no time for fucking now. Sit there," she said, pointing to Nadine's chair, "I suck dick." God almighty, what an offer. I parked my ass on the stool and she was on her knees in front of it at once. She groaned lowly when she took a good look at my dick. "Frank. Such big long fat dick. I suck now," she said, and made good on the promise. Helga used one hand to steer my dong and the other to cup and fondle my balls. First she swabbed her tongue round and round my dickhead, working the tip between my foreskin and the knob. It was wonderful torture, and when she popped the head into her mouth and sucked I was in heaven. Even though Helga was a tall girl with a generous mouth she didn't have a hope of taking it all in, but she sucked and slobbered over me, pumping slowly with one hand and caressing my balls with the other. I know I couldn't have lasted over five minutes but it felt like my dick was in her mouth for years. When I blew it was a big time explosion and I could feel it starting down around my toes. It wrung me out completely and Helga didn't lose a single drop. While I was gasping for breath she licked me clean, then stood and put her dress back on. She pulled me to my feet for a few more kisses. "Remember Frank, Helga never wear bloomers. You near and want to feel pussy, pull my skirt up and play. Finger me," she said, pulling the hem up so I could have another shot right now. It was no time to waste time. I put a hand in her bush and slid my two fingers up her again for more of the minor frigging I'd given her before the cock sucking she'd given me. Jesus, she was dripping still, and her insides were hot and slimy. I pulled my fingers out and sucked them into my mouth. "Oh! Does Frank suck pussy?" she asked. "Every chance I get." "If Helga sneak over some night you suck mine?" "In a heartbeat." "Helen no mind?" "If she gripes I'll spank her." "I come then, soon," she said, and then left. God! What an experience. Helga seemed to be even hotter than I'd thought. Right now I wondered if she really would have the nerve to slip into the wagon with us some night, and I wondered how in the hell she'd do it without William finding out. I could only wonder and hope though. After pulling my pants back up and putting on my shirt I slipped out of the wagon too. Nadine was hiding in some shadows but she gave me a little laugh as I walked off. Helen and Mary were in Mary's wagon tonight again and I climbed in with them, putting my still sticky fingers under Helen's nose first and Mary's next. "That smells like pussy. Have you been diddling the girls for a warm up?" Helen asked. "No, I had them up Helga in Nadine's wagon and she sucked my dick too." "You gettin' a good price for those buckskins," Mary said, and laughed. "You might not believe me, but it was her idea. I sure as hell didn't tell her no. You should see her titties. In fact she said she would slip in with us some night and you might get to. She wants me to lick her pussy." "Oh God Frank, I want you to lick it too, and I want you to fuck her. Mary and I want to see you put that big dick up her, and watch, we want to watch you do it," Helen said. "And help too. We want to help," Mary said. "Oh, you're going to help all right, but right now I'm going to fuck the beJesus out of you two. Having my dick sucked was nice, but now I want some pussy," I said, and started off with my clothes. The next morning, after breakfast, I caught up the Steel Dust bay instead of Red. My saddle didn't fit him perfectly but using two blankets I made it work. Red had more prominent withers than the barrel chested Steel Dust, but the extra padding made things work well enough. I'd be off on my ass if we had to work cattle and he made a fast move, but we didn't work any cattle on the trail, we just hazed them along. Besides, other people took care of that. The bay didn't like having a bit in his mouth and he fooled with it until I took that bridle off and put on a headstall with a bosal instead. Luckily I had left the reins and lead rope knot tied to it the last time I'd been using it and in ten minutes I was ready to go. As the train moved out I rode over to say good morning to William and Helga and was able to do it without looking guilty. That didn't mean I didn't feel guilty, but I'm pretty sure I didn't show any signs. Helga didn't help me any since she was licking her lips the whole time. Luckily William was looking at me as we talked a little and she was behind him. I was ranging out farther from the train during the day lately. I didn't want to be surprised again by asshole Indians. I knew the white man was running them off what they considered their land, and I really didn't blame them, but there wasn't one fucking thing I could do about the situation except keep my eyes open and be ready to shoot any of them that were taking it too hard for my good. Thankfully it was another boring day. In fact it was another boring five days before we reached Fort Kearny. Jack picked us a good spot to stay for a couple of days not far from the fort, which wasn't exactly the kind of fort you might expect. It looked more like a ramshackled town. It did have some general stores and three blacksmith shops and the like. And saloons, it had several saloons. Not a damned one of them looked like the kind of place I'd like to visit without an armed squad to back me up. During the war we'd faced whole regiments that didn't look as rough as those saloons. Of course Bob, the name I'd given the bay, needed shoes. Indians never bothered with such. I watched several of the smiths from a distance before settling on one that seemed to know what he was doing. He said he could get to Bob the next day so I told him I'd bring him and Red by early the next morning. It was too late in the day for it today. When I turned Bob out and went back to the wagons, the cooking had already started but the women weren't in a rush. Mostly they were gabbing about another shopping trip. I was all for it. I knew they all could use more shoes and boots. I hadn't even thought about it before we left Independence, but a wagon train trip involved one hell of a lot of walking. We were able to cut way down on it by riding in the wagons more than others did. We could afford to though since we had extra mules. People that only had a couple of extras couldn't do that and even we couldn't ride all the time. The extra load on the stock would leave us all walking if we weren't careful to rotate mules out for days of complete rest. During supper I noticed more than a few men drifting off toward town after they'd eaten. No doubt some of them were dying to get into a saloon so they could get tanked up for the first time in a long time. I was surprised to see William was one of them. He'd no sooner left than Helga came over for a visit. Helen must not have noticed William leaving because she asked Helga where he was as soon as she came over. "Has gone to find saloon. William is good man, most of the time, but he does like whiskey a little too much. He'll probably do fine tonight and stay halfway sane, but if we stay tomorrow or longer he'll end up too drunk to walk. He usually doesn't get into trouble though and he never tries get rough with me when he's in that shape." "Oh. I'm glad Frank doesn't drink. It must be hard on you when he does it," Helen said. "Not really. When drunk he doesn't get hard enough to be any use," Helga said, and then laughed, which made everyone else laugh and most of the women blush. "Charlie used get drunk. Took me years make him quit. He no have time after we take in Jimmy. Rolling pin handy for those lessons," Nadine said, and damned if Charlie didn't blush. We stayed up later than usual but finally decided it was time for sleeping. Helga gave me some good news before she left. "William not stay too late tonight, but tomorrow night might not get home before sun come. He probably sleep in some alley. Save me place," she said, and reached down to give my dick a squeeze. Things were looking up all over for me. Before I started on this trip I'd have never even considered plowing another man's field, at least not in such a precarious situation, but I knew good and well I'd never be able to resist Helga. She just got my heart racing. If William didn't want to stay with her and take care of business I'd just help him out, whether he thought I needed to or not. No matter whether they'd been married long or not it seemed Helga knew her man. He came walking back to his wagon at what I figured was a couple of hours after midnight. I wasn't waiting up or anything like that. His singing woke me as he made it to his own wagon. It didn't bother me a bit since Helga skipped cooking the next morning and ate with us again. She said William was sleeping it off. We all enjoyed her company and she did her share of the cooking. I enjoyed it more than anyone I think. She was wearing her new buckskins and they fit her ass perfectly. I had several chances to give her pats and squeezes and she seemed to enjoy them as much as I did. We all walked into town after the clean up was over. I let everyone else head for the stores while I led Red and Bob to the blacksmith. I left them and went to catch up. There were several general stores, a couple of gunsmiths and so on. I didn't really think we needed anything in the gunsmith line but there were things we needed. We went to the biggest general store first and it didn't take much looking around to know the prices were higher here, but they would probably be worth it. The stock was even a little more specific to travelers than the stores in Independence had carried. For one thing they carried a lot more shoes and boots and in a wider range of sizes. We had no trouble fitting Jim this time and I made sure he got five pairs. Everyone else got shoes too and in multiples. When I saw Helga and Mary wore the same size I made sure we ordered double for those without mentioning it to anyone except the clerk. I didn't want anything to get started over me buying things for Helga, but I didn't intend for her to get stuck on the trail with worn out boots and shoes, so I bought the extra pairs for her on the sly. In another store we found more Indian made buckskins for sale, but Nadine looked them over closely and turned up her nose at the quality so we did too. Actually our clothes weren't in bad shape and we all decided we had enough to last, especially since Nadine was teaching the other women how to make them right. With the shopping done we headed back to our wagon camp. I stopped by the blacksmith and he was done with my horses. "You got here just in time with that Steel Dust mister. He was about to split that right fore-hoof. Why in the hell were you way off out here with nary a shoe on him?" "I just got him a few days ago. The Indian that tried to steal one of my daughters didn't need the horse after I got finished explaining why I didn't want him to take her." "Huh? How'd you explain that to him?" he asked. "With my Remington. I got a nice flint knife and tomahawk in the deal too. I came out fine, but I'd have never tried it if he hadn't made me," I said. "Well now that you've come out whole I'm glad you did. I don't mind Indians so bad, but the ones that try shit like that need to be dead before they bother more decent folks." "Now wait a minute. Don't be callin' me decent. It'll make my head swell," I said, and walked on with my stock. The women got our late lunch started as soon as we got back. William was conscious and walking around by now, and when he noticed Helga was cooking with Helen and Mary and the girls he came over. Helga gave him a little teasing and minor scolding when he showed but he took it well and had the decency to blush a little. Nadine gave him the business too for a few minutes, and then she loudly explained how a rolling pin worked to Helga. It was pretty much all in fun and William took it that way. Even if he wasn't from Texas, it was plain to see he was a good old boy of the first order. He knew he shouldn't be drinking that much, but he was too young to cure himself of it yet. He didn't even blame much of it on his daddy's still and his own early start at sippin' the product. I liked William, he was as friendly as could be and he reminded me of a puppy who wanted to play even if his feet were still to big for the rest of him and he couldn't run around all that well. William realized he was going to stumble and fall for a few years yet, but he intended to see what life was all about, to his way of thinking anyway. Later, after dinner, he pulled me aside before he and Helga headed back to their wagon. "You've been a damned good friend to us Frank, and I appreciate it. Would you mind keeping an eye open toward my wagon tonight, in case Helga needs anything? Kinda keep an eye on her?" "Hell William. You've been a good friend too and I planned on it before you asked. I pretty much keep an eye on everything as long as I'm awake, and I'm a light sleeper to boot." "Thanks. I know damned well I'll be back in town tonight. Likely as not I'll get drunker than I did last night. It'll make me feel better someone will be watchin' out for her," he said, and then seemed a little embarrassed and headed over to join her. What I didn't mention was I'd be keeping a lot closer eye on Helga than he thought. I was going to be keeping my dick up her as far as I could and there was no doubt I'd be watching those titties wobble from as close as I could get. I should have been ashamed of myself, and in a way I was, but if he was going to take off and leave her lonesome I wasn't going to miss the chance. When it came down to the facts of life, if you didn't look out for your own woman, you didn't have much gripe coming if someone else did, especially if you asked them to in the first place. ------- Chapter 12 The bad part was I already had my mind on Helga and her fabulous body. The even worse part? It was only a little after one now. I saddled Bob and took off for a looksee at the outer edges of the fort, such as it was. Even though it wasn't such a much as a town, it was still sectioned off sorta. Things weren't quite as pronounced as they would have been back in the east, but there were a few houses that looked pretty nice in one spot and some that seemed almost respectable in another. Then there was shantytown. You couldn't really call these hovels houses even though they were habitations for human living, sorta. Most of them looked like they'd been thrown together with whatever could be found, stolen, or maybe even bought if it could be had cheap enough. There seemed to be an Indian female in residence at almost every one of them and often as not the was an obviously drunk Indian male laying around close somewhere. Usually there was a naked kid or two playing in the dirt. I rode on off from shantytown without taking too close a look. I didn't want to spend much time thinking about what whiskey peddlers had let Indians do to themselves. That wasn't really the whole truth though. Indians were people too, and they had the same weaknesses white people did. They couldn't resist the lure of the white man's technology and of his whiskey. The two civilizations should have never been mixed. Then again, there was no stopping them once European peasants found out about free land and a chance to have a meaningful life with a place of their own. There wasn't one thing I could do to solve the problems of the world though. I was as busy as a cat covering up shit taking care of my own problems. Bob was turning out to have smarts to match his physical attributes. It didn't take us long to come to an understanding, and within an hour I could provide plenty of guidance for him in most situations, without the bother of handling the reins. A little pressure on one leg or the other did fine for steering, and a forward or backward lean was cue enough for him to move out, or stop. Bob also had the most valuable trait of a smart riding horse. He paid attention to what the rider was trying to tell him. A couple of hours on Bob let me know for sure I'd come across another damned good horse, and even cheaper than I got Red. Red was no slouch himself, and he'd already showed Bob who was the fastest overall. Red didn't have Bob's natural ability with cows but he could deal with them. They were both probably better horses than I deserved, but then again I was the herd bull for a hell of a lot more pretty women than I deserved too. That didn't mean I wouldn't try to cover another one if I got the chance. "Hey mister. Wait up," a man called to me from the porch of a small store of some kind. I reined in, bailed off, and tied Bob to the hitch rail in front. Hell, I didn't have anything to occupy myself right now and he'd sounded like he was issuing an invitation for an hour or so in a bullshit session. If he was a local he might even have some actual useful information. "What ya got on your mind bud?" "Well, I's just sittin' on my lazy ass here in front of my shop and you come ridin' by on the best Steel Dust I ever seen. Least he looked that way at first glance. I hollard ya down to see iffen you'd mind if I gave him a look see. Jasper Norwood's my name." "Frank Grogan's mine and since I know you'll be braggin' on Bob after you get a better look I don't mind if you do," I told him. He got up off his chair and stood near me. He looked Bob over from one end to the other and then asked if he could take the saddle off so he could have a better look at his back and the top of his hips. I didn't give a shit so I let him. "That's a damned fine horse Frank. Mind tellin' where you got him?" "Not a bit. I took him out from under a young brave a week or so back down the trail. The son-of-a-bitch stolt one of my daughters and run off with her while the train I was in was tryin' to ford the Republican," I said, and I could see by Jasper's look he wanted to say I could be lying but wasn't about to. "You know much about a Steel Dust Jasper?" I asked. "I hope to shout I do, and I'm wondering how you ever caught the Indian. That's what I'm wonderin'." "My other horse is a pretty good one too. I got him when I come through Kentucky. Bob's a damned fast horse, but Red ain't no slouch, and in 'bout four mile he run Bob down and I shot the buck," I said. "Oh, then that don't even sound like a tall tale. I'll bet you lost ground at first though, didn't ya?" "I said I was on a Kentucky horse didn't I? Of course I lost ground at first. I might have give up if it wasn't my daughter he was stealing, but I doubt it. I'd a done it all for the girl, but Bob just turned out to be a big bonus. I got a nice flint knife and tomahawk outta the deal too." "Sounds to me like you done a good days work for it all. Too damned bad the Injun didn't have no saddle that fit him right." "Well, you can't have everything, and I'm gonna buy him a damned good saddle of his own soon as I find one." "Keep talking Frank, keep talking. Have you got any cash money?" Jasper asked, and I wondered why. He sure as hell wasn't gonna try to rob me in broad daylight, especially since he wasn't even wearing a gun. "As a matter of fact I do have some gold in my pocket, but we ain't going into the story of how I come by that." "Don't worry, even old Jasper ain't that nosey. Come on in my shop and let me show you something," he said, and headed that way. I laughed when I went through the door cause Jasper was a saddle maker. He walked right to one and claimed it would fit Bob perfectly, and it sure looked like it would. Jasper did good work too. It didn't take five minutes to convince myself of that. "Did you stop me just to make a sale?" I asked, but was smiling when I did. "Not prezactly. I wanted a better look at the hoss, but I'll admit I could see the saddle you was ridin' didn't fit him so good." "Well you done me a favor cause I never even knew you was a saddle maker. You oughta put up a sign or something. Let's go see how this thing sits on Bob's back." He grabbed up a new Navajo blanket off a stack of nice ones and I picked up the saddle. When we put them together with Bob it was perfect. I could tell just by lookin'. "Fork him and give it a try. I can look and see everything's just right, but I want you to be sure." "I'm gonna, cause I want me to be sure too." "Bob and I made a round around town for about fifteen minutes and then came back to Jasper's shop. I got off and tied Bob up again." "Well, what about it?" Jasper asked. "I like my new saddle a lot. What's it gonna cost me." "Whooee! That's what I like to hear before the dickerin' starts," he said, and grinned. "I hate to spoil you're fun, but there ain't gonna be much dickerin'. You're gonna tell me what you want for the saddle and I'm gonna count out gold. I like the saddle too much to try talkin' ya down." "Well, I put a lot of work in it, but folks coming through here usually ain't got much money. I'll take forty dollars for the saddle." "No you won't neither. I'm paying sixty or I'm leaving it here. I already like you too much to cheat ya. I need a scabbard for a Henry and I'm gonna need one for the other side too if you can make it afore we have to leave." "I might have one already made. What'll you be carrying on the other side." "One of them new break-open ten gauge Greeners. They ain't quite the same as a regular Greener up about the trigger." "I better have it here when I make the scabbard then. I've heared of them, but I ain't never seed one. I'm sure I can have it did before the moaning though." "Good. Do you make riatas too?" "Used to when I was down in south Californy, but up here it's mostly just hard and fast throw ropes," he said. "Damn. Since you got a dally horn on that saddle I's hoping I could get a good riata." "I never said I didn't have any, I said I didn't make 'em much no more. I've got six nice ones ain't never even been throwed. How'd you learn to dally rope anyway?" "Hell you can't tell I'm from Texas?" "Sounded like it, but I didn't know, and some folks is touchy about things like that," he said. "Well I's borned and raised there and daddy wouldn't let me ride a horse til I could rope my own. I'll take all the riatas you got and the next guy needs one can just wait til you can make it. "Here's five double eagles to get started. I'm gonna ride Bob back to my wagons and then ride Red up here to get him a better saddle too, if you got one'll fit him. I'm glad you stopped me. I didn't have a damned thing to waste my time on till supper before you did," I said, and then took off. Jasper had been a life saver for the rest of the day, not to mention the makings of a good friend. I wondered what the hell he was doing here. It wasn't exactly the best place for a good saddle maker. Most of the people coming by didn't know a good saddle from a kick in the ass. I spent the rest of the afternoon talking to and buying from Jasper. He was entertaining along with having plenty of handy ideas and merchandise. He'd even come up with a sort of half-assed forestock for Henry repeaters. It was made mostly out of rawhide but with a soft leather lining that kept it from scratching up the metal. It also kept you from blistering your hand if you had to keep shooting for your life. "You can't get crazy with it on there though. Sooner or later you got to let the thing cool off, else it gets so hot it'll start cooking off the rounds in the magazine, and that won't do you a damned bit of good. Sometimes though you need one more shot or your dead, and that can burn the shit out of your off hand." "Hell, I was in the war Jasper. I know all about that, and I still want that thing on my Henry." "I guess that's why you're moving farther west since your side lost," he said. "Not exactly. The side I joined first lost, but I weren't no hide bound fool. Daddy never had no slaves to start with and I don't hold with it myself. I knew better than to go back to Texas wearing what was left of my US Army uniform though. That's all over now, mostly, and there won't be many Confederate fools pissin' and moanin' over the Cause up in Oregon." "I've heared it's good country up there some places. I even thought of moving there myself. This ain't the best place to sell good saddles," he said. "Well all you got to do is squat down and decide, and then buy a wagon. Hell, iffen you had one already you could tag along with us. Me and the wagon master get along fine. He's a good 'en and you won't find a better chance't." I didn't convince him though and it was coming on to dark thirty, so I latched my stuff onto the mule me and Red had brought back with us and we headed to the wagons for supper. I saw William walking into town on the way. He waved and smiled big when we passed each other. It gave me a little twinge of guilt but I got over it. Helga was already among 'em when I found the cooking crew and there was almost a party atmosphere. I'll admit I felt like it was my birthday and I surely wanted to celebrate. If there was anyone with us that didn't know what would be happening later tonight it was Jimmy, and I'm pretty sure even he knew. Nadine had a silly grin on her face to, as if it was all her doing, and I'm not sure it wasn't. She wasn't only interested in the human goings on though. She was giving my new saddles, riatas, and scabbards an inspection and she let me know she approved of the workmanship. It was hard to keep from bolting my food down and then trying to drag Helen, Helga, and Mary off into the wagon, but I paced myself. I figured if I got started too early it would be over too fast, and I wasn't looking forward to that. It wasn't a damned bit too soon for me when most everyone headed into the wagons though. At least we'd made a sham of sitting around being bored and talking until it was fully dark. I stayed back to take one quick look around the stock to make sure everything was settled in. They had a candle going in the wagon when I came in and it showed me two lush white bodies tangled up with one lush black one. My dick nearly exploded from the sight. "You wait too long. We start without you," Helga said, as I gaped. "Get your clothes off and get to work Frank," Helen added, so I did. Most of the business between the three was going on up around their heads and titties so I wedged my way in between Helga's beautiful thighs and put my mouth to her pink pussy. She trembled when I licked her from asshole to appetite and then gasped when I gave her pussy a French kiss. She was hot and slimy down there already and when I gave her button a tongue whipping her hips jerked and she gasped again. She didn't have time for any of her teasing innuendo after I got started for real. A minute or so later her hands went into my hair and she tried to start steering but I wasn't having it. I knew she wanted me to get on the sweet spot and stay there but she needed more teasing first and I did plenty. From the earlier show in Nadine's wagon I already knew Helga's pucker was as pink as the rest of her down there and tonight's first lick let me know she kept the back door clean. She had a rigor when I tried to push my tongue in the back way and from then on she was trembling and nearly begging as I worked her bottom end over. Helga sighed loudly when I climbed up over her and moved my mouth to a big fat nipple for some sucking. Mary handled the dick aiming, and Helga and I both let out a long breath when I slid on up into her tight heat. As I started a slow lope Helga's moans got louder but Helen kept the noise down by locking her lips to Helga's for some serious kissing. With that potential telltale muffled I let myself go. Helga was beautiful but she was built to take it. She was taller and bigger than Helen or Mary, and while there wasn't any fat on her there was a lot of firm beauty all over the place. When I was down to pounding it home Helga's legs came around me, her arms wrapped me up and she fucked me back with a vengeance. Right near the end I wasn't even pulling back any, I just kept my dick up her to the root and pushed harder to try for more. It was easy to tell when Helga got her cookies because I could hear her screaming into Helen's mouth and her muscles locked themselves tight around me, especially the ones in her pussy. Her tunnel gripped me so hard it nearly hurt, but not quite. That move made me give up the white juice though and my balls felt like they were cramping from the strain to pump come. What an inspiring night. They kept at me until I did them all twice, and no one could have been happier about it than I was. As soon as they let me I fell asleep and I barely noticed when Helga dressed and went back to her own wagon, sometime after midnight. Just before sunrise I heard someone knocking on Helga's wagon. I didn't even have any drawers on but I jumped out of mine with a Remington in my hand, yelling for them to tell me what the hell was going on. "Settle down mister. I'm a deputy from town and we need to talk to the lady. At least get some pants on before she comes out," he said. That turned out to be just about the end of the good news for the day. I climbed back into the wagon and rushed to get my clothes on. By the time I was dressed and out Helga must have received her news. The deputy was still there, and looking as lost as a newborn calf that couldn't find its mama. Helga was slumped against she and Williams wagon and obviously crying. I stuck my head back into my wagon and told Helen and Mary that Helga needed them and then walked over and put my arm around her. "Oh Frank. William is dead. What will I do?" she asked me, wailing. The deputy said he'd give me the details after Helga could settle down a little. Helen and Mary reached us in another couple of minutes. I told them to take Helga back to our wagon while the deputy gave me the story. "Other deputy seen most of it, but he wasn't close enough to stop it. I think the boy's name was William, and he'd took a load on during the night. He was sleeping in the alley outside the Big Boy saloon and he woke up when the swamper and the head bartender was trying to rob him. He wasn't so drunk he didn't know he needed to fight, but he was too drunk to do the job. "When the deputy was nearly up to 'em the bartender managed to slug William in the head with a club he's carrin' and the swamper stabbed him in the guts, up under his breast bone then. It kilt the boy later. The deputy shot the swamper dead but only wounded the bartender in the hip. "The Marshal was there right after the shootin' was over. We'd found dead men in that alley before. Dead men that had left the place drunker than they shoulda been but we'd never catched nobody doing the deed before. The Marshal was plenty mad about it and had been several times before. "We had us someone that could talk this time though, and we took the bartender to the big livery barn, lit some lanterns, and the Marshal questioned him until he died of it. He tolt us the owner was the one made 'em do it early on, but the Marshal was mad and he kept up the questioning until he was sure the bartender had told him the truth. "We arrested the owner and we're gonna hang him tomorrow morning right after the trial. I know it ain't much help to the lady but the judge done told the Marshal she gets the Big Boy and everything that's in it, 'cept the pay the help and whores got coming already," he told me. "I preciate you telling me the whole story deputy. I'll come to town early and watch the trial and the hangin'. I don't think Mrs Helga will want to," I said. "I make man wish he no do, more than hanging will if you let," Nadine said, and I hadn't even known she was anywhere near. Apparently the deputy hadn't seen her come up either, because it scared the shit out of him when she spoke. "If I could let you do it I'd take you to him now so's you could get started right away. That asshole has always thought he was a tough guy and I'm bettin' you could change his mind right at the last. The judge calls hisself a Christian man though, and he don't hold with much torture unless you need someone to tell you something. He says the devil can take care of the punishment as long as we send them to him promptly. "But devil no mad at asshole. I mad," Nadine said. "You ain't got to convince me, but I ain't got the say so," he said, and then headed back to town. ------- Chapter 13 If this wasn't a fucked up deal I didn't know what was. I probably didn't have much room for talking or for bitching about it, but I'd liked William and just because his wife shared a little pussy with me, that hadn't changed. He was a nice kid and he'd drawn a shitty hand in the end. I wasn't trying to say he was innocent and blameless, because no one made him go into town and get shitfaced drunk. He was responsible for his own vulnerability. To my mind it was completely useless to boot. If you're old enough to get married and move away from kith and kin you should be old enough to take at least some responsibility for your wife's safety. He'd dragged Helga out into the middle of no-fucking-where and fucked around and got himself killed, leaving her with no security or safety. She hadn't intended it that way but she'd had to provide her own security now. There was no doubt many women stranded this way had ended up as whores in two bit saloons. At least Helga didn't have that to look forward to. In a round about way she had secured her future with her body, but at least it wouldn't come down to selling it as a work-a-day job. That thought reminded me I needed to go and let her know she wasn't alone now that William had been killed. I walked over to the back of our main wagon and climbed in. They all looked up at me when I came in and then Helga burst into tears again. "Oh Frank. What will I do now?" she moaned. I didn't speak, I just opened my arms wide and when she came to me I wrapped her up in them. "Don't worry Helga. I can't bring William back but I can make sure you are safe and sound and cared for. I'll take care of you as long as you let me," I said, and she sagged against me, in relief I hope, and then squawled again. There was nothing else I could do for now except hold her, but at least I wasn't going to do it standing in the wagon. I maneuvered around until I found a place to park my ass and then pulled her into my lap after I had. Thankfully she was down to occasional sniffles after a few minutes. Jack had been planning to move out this morning, but he came by half an hour later and called me out of the wagon. He was hemming and hawing with the best of 'em for a few minutes so I tried to help him out. "We're going to take Helga in and look out for her Jack. If you have to go ahead and move on we'll just stay here and try to catch on with another train later," I said. "I ain't about to leave you here and the others wouldn't go if I tried. You ain't noticed what an impression you made on folks when you ran that Injun down and got Becky back. Almost every damned man, and all the women on this train for sure, feel better about you being with us. I'd like to go on sure, but we can hang around a couple of days to go to the trial and then bury William. "It's a damned shame what happened to him, but you know as well as I do we can't do nothing now but try to keep on," he said. "That's a damned fact, and he ain't the first man to let the bottle overload his good sense," I said, and then Jack went about his business. Helen came out of the wagon then and told me Helga had cried herself to sleep. "It's probably just as well for now. Do you know if she has any widow's weeds?" "No, but we can get some in town if she doesn't. I noticed a store with a good stock yesterday." "Don't rush her or anything but she needs some. Jack said the train would stay for a couple more days. I think we should bury William day after tomorrow. I'll go see if there's a church and a decent cemetery. You try to get her something to wear this afternoon or tomorrow please." "Mary and I will take care of that. You be careful in town," she said, and gave me a kiss. I put Bob's new saddle on his back and then rode him to Jasper's shop. He was sitting on the porch so I swung down to see if he could give me any pointers about preachers, churches, graveyards, and such. "Morning Frank. How 'bout some coffee?" "It won't hurt me probably, even if you did make it." "I know I'm old and not much to look at, but Blossum don't mind and she's stayed with me. Still makes my coffee every day too," he said, grinning. "There's a shock. I'd a bet money you couldn't hold on to a woman." "All you know. Blossum, can Frank have a cup of coffee?" he yelled toward the inside, and it sounded more like a question than I'd have thought it would. We didn't get an answer back, but a minute later a Sioux woman walked out onto the front porch. "This Frank? By saddles and riatas, other things?" she asked. "This is him," Jasper said, grinning again. "He have all coffee want. Good man. Pay gold. I get," she said, and went back inside. "Now you know I'm a squaw man, and I ain't a bit shamed of it neither," Jasper said, and I could tell he was proud of it instead of ashamed. "You can't get my goat with that. Charlie, one of my drivers, is a squaw-man too, and Nadine makes the best damned buckskins I've seen. She looked your saddles over and told me they were passable," I said. "Passable? Hell they're as good as you can buy!" "Yeh, she said they'd do," I said, and he finally figured out I was gettin' his goat. "What the hell you doing still hanging around? I thought you folks was moving out today." "We was, but something come up," I said, and then gave him the whole story. "Well I'm sorry as hell the boy got kilt, and it's a shame about his young bride. The Marshal knowed there was something shitty down to the Big Boy, but he couldn't catch 'em at it. I'm beginning to think you was right yesterday. This is a crappy little town and I'd probably do better somewheres else." "I tell you many times. We should go west with trains. Why we stay here? We have mules do nothing but eat. We have two wagons and we have gold. Why we stay?" Blossum asked, and then handed me a cup of coffee. "I 'spect just because I been stubborn. Are you sure the wagon master will let us join the train Frank?" Jasper asked. "I'm sure. Hell, I'll even pay your fee if you'll show Nadine how to plait like you do. She was curious as hell about it." "It ain't the money been stopping me. Hell, if the wagon master will let us come we'll do it. Let's pack up Blossum." "Drink coffee first. No take so long to pack." When we'd finished the pot I took off to find the church Jasper told me about and the preacher said he'd be proud to send William off for not too much money. I paid him cash and then went over and bought William a coffin, a plot, and hired the undertaker to have his grave dug and take care of the rest. Shit, I was glad when it was over and I made it back to the camp in time for lunch too. Helga looked a lot better when we sat down to eat, but her eyes were puffy and red. She looked better than she should have in her widow's weeds though, and I had to strain to keep from growing a boner. It only caused a little commotion when I leaned the wrong way after the meal was over and upset our rickety table. Even Helga got a short laugh out about my predicament, what with coffee in my lap and all. "I'm glad that happened," I said. "Why's you glad?" Mary asked. "It reminded me I need to go get us a decent table," I said, and then saddled Bob and rode back into town. I found a sort of carpenter shop and he had just the thing to fix us up. He sold me two saw horses, two benches, and four wide boards that weren't even crooked or warped. He even brought 'em out to the camp for me in his delivery wagon. Charlie and Jim helped him unload it and they had it and the two benches set up in no time. Jasper rode up to camp about three and I went with him to talk to Jack. Jack was happy to have him join and even though I tried to pay Jasper wouldn't let me. He did allow he wouldn't mind if me, Charlie, Jimmy, and Jim came over to help with the last of the packing. I was happy to have something to do for the rest of the afternoon. We headed to Jasper's store and both wagons and teams were there and hitched. Blossum was on the porch waiting for us to show up. I hadn't noticed Nadine coming along but she went up to Blossum and they started talking right away. For a second I thought they might know each other from somewhere but they were just introducing themselves I guess. They had their household stuff already packed in one wagon but it took all the space in the other one for Jaspers stock, supplies, and tools. We got it loaded before long though and soon enough Jasper and Nadine headed out to set up camp right by us. The only surprise was their twelve-year-old daughter, Swallow. She looked a hell of a lot like Blossum but I could see some of Jaspers markings on her too. Hell, we were gathering a crowd. Tonight at supper was the first time we'd had a decent place to sit and eat since we left Independence. We had enough room for two more if we'd had them around. The way things were going I didn't count on not collecting more warm bodies. Supper was also the first time Jimmy got a good look at Swallow and I noticed Nadine and Blossum glancing at each other and then at the two of them. They didn't seem like it bothered them though. That night I slept with Elisabeth, Rebecca, and Honey. I was sure Helen and Mary would have their hands full trying to keep Helga's spirits up, but the three girls didn't have a bit of trouble keeping my pole up. It was almost a relief when they let me go to sleep. The next morning was gloomy from the start. It was the first time since we got here when the sky was gray and cloudy. Breakfast was good and plentiful but mostly quiet and somber too. Helga didn't have any intention of attending the trial or the hanging and I was glad enough about that. When I got to town it looked like Helga, Helen, and Mary were the only ones anywhere around here that didn't want to join the festivities. The gallows had been put up even before the trial started, but it turned out to be a good thing. The Big Boy's former owner didn't get much respect and when he started running his mouth during his turn to talk the judge got tired of listening to him pretty fast. He polled the jury in place and pronounced sentence without delay. The Marshal didn't waste any time carrying it out either. The condemned was frog marched out to the gallows and waving in the breeze without delay. I took a little comfort in the fact the hangman wasn't such a much and he fucked things up all around. We had the pleasure of watching the lard ass slowly choke to death and I thought it was justice. The necktie party was all over and done before noon and when I headed back to camp it seemed like a picnic was breaking out in honor of the entertainment. By the time we sat down to lunch Jimmy and Swallow were fast friends and sitting side by side at the table. The mothers involved weren't that slow though and the young couple to be had a mother on each side. It didn't dampen Jimmy or Swallow's mood though and even Helga seemed to think it was cute. It was good she could find something to be happy about. ------- Chapter 14 There's no accounting for taste I guess. A man and his wife who were with us thought Ft Kearny was a wonderful place to live. Somehow they made a deal for an empty not quite shanty that came with a homestead's hundred and sixty acres and damned if the fellow wasn't already plowing his new lower forty. His place was pretty handy since his land was right on the edge of town and stretched close enough so his house could still be near others. He was probably going to do a bang up business with garden truck if he had sense enough to raise mostly that. He was back talking to Jack this afternoon though, explaining why he wasn't going the rest of the way and also trying to see if Jack knew anyone with gold that might be interested in another wagon. Since Jack had figured out that I had the most gold around he came to me first. "I don't know Jack, I've got a lot of wagons to look after now and if I take on another one I'll have to hire a driver for it. I can afford that but damned if I can think of who it would be or what I need another wagon for," I said. "I already know of a good driver you can hire cheap, in fact you know him pretty well. He's been minding his manners lately though since the dust up he got into with the Brown's." "You ain't talking about that other Jimmy are you? The one that I tied naked to the wagon wheel?" "Yep. Young Jimmy finally got him some pussy, and damned if Cara Brown's daddy didn't catch him at it. They're married now and Jimmy needs a job awfully bad. It might not be the best hire you could make, but the nighttime wandering is over with. Cara is providing his pussy now and they do seem to get along fine. He'd probably work for little or nothing," Jack said. "Well that ain't what bothers me Jack. I don't work folks cheap just because I can. If I need them and can pay them I don't try to get 'em to do something for nothing. If I ain't got the money to pay them right I just don't hire them. I either do it myself or it goes without doing. "I got the money though and I'd hate to start holding it against boys that came up with hard dicks. If I make a deal for the wagon I'll give him a try. He'd better be hitched good to his new wife though, because his bride could end up a widow fast if he gets up to his old tricks after dark," I said. "I ain't speaking up for him about that, but I don't think it'll come up. Cara Brown is a good-looking young girl and she's got plenty of the right equipment to do the job he wants done. Hell, she's even a good cook," Jack said. About an hour later I made a deal with John Joseph. He'd had two wagons and two teams plus six extra mules. He only sold me one wagon though, and twelve of the mules. The wagon he sold me was a little bigger than normal and he'd used it to bring a lot of his farming equipment. It would work out fine for the purpose Jack had mentioned though, more than fine. That was if things worked out right. At least he sold it all dirt-cheap. It only cost me five hundred dollars, but there wasn't one speck of anything in it. Helen and Mary wondered why I wanted to buy and empty wagon but Charlie and Nadine figured it out right away. "You plannin' on pickin' up a few of the leavings along the way?" Charlie asked, and grinned. "I don't see where it would hurt any and if there's nothing I want I can just leave it where it is. The wagons might not be worth much when we get where we're going, but they didn't cost much either. I'm pretty sure we can find a use for the mules no matter how many we come up with." "You ain't got to worry about nothing to pick up along the way. There'll be plenty and some of it will be good stuff. People that take this trip only do it once, so just about everybody that heads out here brings too much along with 'em. The things they have to leave are usually some of their nicest but if it's a choice between food and water or furniture and clothes and dishes they almost always leave the furniture. "This train ain't as bad as most because Jack just didn't let 'em leave out with stuff he knew already wouldn't make the whole trip. That ain't always the case though and I'm bettin' you'll be proud of that big wagon before much longer. You'll probably wish you had two or three. "Hell, iffen you can read you'll find more books than you'd ever be able to get done with. Some of 'em bring a pretty penny on the other end of the line too, least they did last time I was out there, but it was a long time ago," Charlie said. "I just hope the rest of the trip don't turn into day after day of shopping for what's been left behind. Still, free stuff is free stuff and there ain't no doubt somebody wanted every bit of it at one time. I'm gonna go see about hiring us another Jimmy. The one that I had to tie naked to the wagon wheel that time." "Good boy now. Wife he got cured his worries. He drive wagon good too," Nadine said. It didn't take long to find the young Romeo and I met his wife too. She was a looker with nice big titties and a sweetly rounded ass. Jimmy looked as if he thought I was coming to kick his ass again but when I told him what I'd pay it was hard to get him to stop thanking and promising. "You'll need to take care of and drive a wagon that's empty now. I feed my hands and their women too, and if you want you can live in the wagon, but I'm buying it for a reason and if it gets full along the way you might have to sleep under it to make room," I said. Since he and his young bride were sleeping under his parent's wagon now it didn't slow them down a bit, or if it did they didn't let on. They rushed off to gather what little they had and move it into their new temporary home. Charlie had been hanging around while I made the deal with Jimmy the poon-tang boy and his new wife and he ambled over when they went off to gather whatever they'd be bringing. "You're gathering up a young train of your own now ain't'che?" "Well, they all seemed like good ideas at the time." "If your pocket book cans stand the strain of the extra drivers it is a good idea. Hell, it wouldn't hurt none if you come up on another wagon. T'wouldn't even need no more mules, hell we gots thirty spares by now to go along with the forty-eight we use ever day." "If there's as much stuff throwed off by the side of the road as you say I don't guess it would hurt. Hell, even Honey and Helen have learned to drive by now and I've seen Rebecca, Elizabeth, and even Mary trying to catch on too. I'm just wondering if the things we might find can really be worth the effort. I'm sure a lot of it has been ruined by the weather by now." "Some has, some ain't. It's kinda funny, but when I went before, folks that set stuff off almost always tried to cover it up so's it wouldn't get ruint. Almost like they might come back for it someday. I know they don't though, least ways very damned few do. "They gets west, finds a place, and ends up workin' their asses off trying to keep it. Who's gonna make that long trip back for something that might be gone anyways? Damned few that's who." "If I run across another wagon I might buy it if the price is right. I ain't even ashamed to buy mules too if they come with it, but I won't be huntin' no more mules. It was suppertime by now and new Jimmy and his bride seemed a little shy at first. Mary and Honey didn't even tease him about his last stunt, even if they did grin at him when he wasn't looking. Charlie's Jimmy helped us out with an upcoming problem. He told us all to just call him Jr now to keep from getting mixed up with two Jimmys. We all said we would but I knew it would take a few days for everyone to remember. I don't know whether he planned the whole Jr name-switch joke for this but it worked fine whether he did or not. "Just remember that Jr is the one that ain't been tied naked to no wagon wheels," he said, and everyone just howled, even the new Jimmy joined in after a minute. The sleeping places seemed to be in a constant state of flux lately. Tonight Helen and Elizabeth were in the main wagon with Helga while Mary, Honey, and Becky were together. I joined them for some serious fucking to take my mind off my troubles. We didn't really need the help, but listening to Jimmy and Cara doing it like bunnies did perk up my peter and all three of them had to take a double dose before I was done. When I unassed the wagon the next morning the cloudy skies were gone and it looked like the sun would be bright. The mood wasn't much improved though. We had a funeral and buryin' to take care of and it wasn't helping. At least it was going to happen pretty quick. After a good breakfast we walked into town to the church. We all put on our best clothes, such as they were, and we looked more respectable than I'd have imagined. The preacher did a fine job, especially since the only way he knew who William was came from him being in the box. It was kind of nice that he was able to scare up enough locals to attend and make it look like a decent crowd. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost were done with William soon enough and after putting the first shovel full over him we headed back to the wagons to change clothes. All except Helga. She kept her weeds on for the rest of the day. We headed right back into town after that. The women wanted one last chance at the stores and I advanced Jimmy sixty dollars in case his new bride saw a few things she needed. "I'm kinda proud of the way you've straightened up Jimmy. This is an advance or maybe you'd rather think of it as a loan. Remember that you've got a wife depending on you now and don't go around drinking at night and leaving her a widow like William did." "I never have liked the taste of whiskey and Cara done told me coming home drunk, or even getting drunk at all is a good way to run right out of available pussy. She promised I could have all I wanted if I left off drinking and she's lived up to it so far. I intend to do my part too," he said, and grinned like a fool. "Well, if you turn out to be a good hand, when we get where we're going I'll just consider that sixty dollars a wedding present if you've done a decent job." That knocked the grin off his face and replaced it with a wide smile, and hell, it made me feel good. When the women showed up to fix lunch they let us know there'd be some carrying and fetching to do in the afternoon. I didn't like the sound of that until Helen let me know it was mostly food along with plenty of fresh vegetables she'd found. Lunch was good, if a little bit light by my standards. Still, I got plenty to eat and was in a good mood heading to town afterwards. I was in and even better mood when I got there. One of the main things my time in the war had taught me was you could never have a rifle or pistol that was too good. In fact you could end up dead quickly if your arms weren't good enough. I was looking for more of the pepper-box type pistols since we now had more women than we had pepper-boxes. It wasn't really critical since both Nadine and Blossum carried Paterson 36s and didn't need one at all. Still, Helga and Cara would soon be carrying the last of the pistols I'd picked up in Independence before we started out. I walked into a gunsmith's shop that had been recommended by Jasper and met Howard Stargist, a master gunsmith. He had four of the same model pistols I'd bought already and his mood perked right up after I bought them all. He was inclined to bullshit a little after that. No doubt he'd already learned a good line of bullshit was very helpful in the retail business. He had more than conversation that was interesting though. He had two 44 Remington conversions, cartridge models of the revolver I was carrying. He had me give one a try out his back door and I was in love. Not only was it simple to reload, the whole things just seemed to work better than mine. Within an hour Howard sold me both the conversions, ten extra load-and-replace cylinders for the Remingtons we had already and an Ingersoll pocket watch with a double barrel derringer as a watch fob, it already had a hook soldered onto it's butt that let me attach it to the watch's chain. It used the same 44 centerfires the conversions did. What with the new weapons and a shit load of ammunition for the conversions I wasn't able to help carry any of the food back to the wagons. Helen and Mary didn't even give me any grief over it since I'd demonstrated how handy a pistol could be in an emergency. Rebecca did a lot of reminding about that very fact all the way back to our camp. After we'd unloaded I gave Cara and Helga a pepper-box and Nadine took them away for their first lessons. Jimmy didn't have a firearm at all, and I'd completely forgotten it while I was in town. I gave him one of my spare Remington's, and two extra cylinders and sent him off to follow Nadine and the others for a lesson of his own, even though he said he knew how to use the revolver already. "Learn how to use it better then, I have to ride back into town and get you a rifle." Back at Howard's place I bought a Spencer carbine for Jimmy, and since we had plenty of ammunition for them already I had a light load back to the wagons. ------- Chapter 15 When I made it back to the wagons the shooting practice was over and most everybody was gabbing at the table while Mary, Helen, and Helga were thinking about getting some supper on the fire. I had a hard time keeping my eyes off Helga in her widow's weeds. The black material made her Scandinavian coloring stand out and the tight fit showed off her natural female assets too. I wondered how long she'd be too sad to be abused and looked forward to the time I could get Helen, Helga, and Mary naked together again. Tonight didn't look like the night though since she still seemed a little to down. Honey, Elizabeth, and Rebecca were going to carry the load again tonight and they didn't seem like they minded the extra duty one bit. Breakfast was ready before I made it out of the wagon the next day. I had a busy night and an even harder time getting away from the delectable naked girls I was with. Helen, Mary, and Helga were up and cooking early though and they were all smiling when I climbed out still buttoning up my shirt. Helga was even up to teasing me a little as she handed me a cup of coffee. Since she came close when she did it I gave her nice ass a squeeze. It looked so tempting now that she was in her tight buckskins again. Things were back to normal soon after we finished eating. Same old mule's asses for the drivers to watch and the same old plains to crawl over. According to Jack, the next real excitement would be after the Platte branched off into North and South versions and we had to cross the southern one to stay with the North Platte. Damned if he wasn't right and after day-after-day of more of the same I was almost glad when we made it to Ash Hollow and the ford. We took the next day off to make sure our wagons were in shape to make the crossing. It wasn't because the river was deep; it was mostly just to make sure our wagons were in good repair. The water was deeper than it would be later in the year but it wasn't intimidating. Still, there were wagons that needed attention and Jack made sure everyone paid them some. I had more help now but I had more wagons too. Jasper and I both paid the guys I'd used at the first crossing to give our wagons a checkout on their caulking. It wasn't so much the deep water this time, but I wanted to make sure water couldn't get in and ruin any of what we were carrying. Jasper sure as hell didn't want his leather goods soaked and we both felt like the money was well spent. I did make sure Jr and Jimmy paid close attention because they could help next time we needed to go through the job. The next morning Jack got us across with minimum bother. The only snags were from heavily loaded wagons that got stuck in the mud and hitching another team to them usually cured things. Jack came by and joked once that they'd probably be the first customers with discarded goods for my empty wagon. Boring was it again for more days on end until we finally got a glimpse of Courthouse Rock. It was near the end of the plains and by the time we came to Chimney Rock and then Scotts Bluff we were about to start some of the tricky parts of the journey. We finally found some things appearing for possible scavenging when we started through Scotts Bluffs. Some of the pulls were hard and we even had to belay wagons down a couple of slopes. One of the heavy wagon's owners even came by and asked about getting me to carry part of his load, but he couldn't afford to pay anything, he was just hoping I'd do it for friendship I guess. Maybe I was a little cold about it but most of life ain't a free lunch. I know I'd fallen into a jackpot or two lately, but at the moment I was worrying how I was going to keep up the payments on my good luck and I wasn't about to spend a couple of hours moving stuff into my wagon for the trip downhill and then back out only to do it again later. If it had been food or something I might have helped him out. Most of it was heavy furniture he and his wife thought a lot of and after I looked it over I knew I wouldn't even pick it up if I found it along the trail. I didn't bother pointing that out to the guy, I just told him no. It didn't make us friends but then again, I didn't give a shit. I had my own worries to deal with. Luckily for him his wagon made it down without much trouble and it didn't run away with him, this time at least. While I was walking around and looking, waiting for our turn to start down one of the steepest places, I did find something worth taking a look at. It was a fairly ornate china cabinet and it looked like it was very well made. It was certainly pretty and had been put under an overhang that kept it out of the weather. Deciding to take a closer look, I called Helen, Mary, and Helga over to help. I was mostly interested in the piece as furniture but the women looked through the drawers and the deal was done after they did. It was full of china dishes and nice silver wear. The wagon it came out of must have been heavy for sure for them to leave the silver. Finally I realized that the silver was the main drawback. The cabinet was large but wouldn't have been nearly as heavy as the dishes and the silver. It would have been pointless to leave the cabinet since the dishes would end up in pieces and the silver was the main problem with the weight. Helga did the most looking and she found a note left by the previous owner. It claimed they'd be coming back for their things later and asked that no one take them. That would have been fine except it was dated nearly seven years ago. I called all the guys together and we loaded it into the wagon, but Helen put the note away for later. The funny thing to me was at the bottom of the same down slope I saw two toolboxes. I just had to take a look since we had time and I was curious. They were farrier's tools and there was a damned full sized anvil right beside them. One of the large boxes had a note of its own saying that anyone who wanted the heavy bastards was welcome to 'em. Hell, we had room and plenty of mule power and we loaded it all along with a big box of books. If we found something better along the way we could always pitch it out and load that if we needed to. After we were all down Jack moved us out. We only had about three hours of daylight left but Jack said we had time to reach a better place to camp, and we did. That night was scheduled to be with Mary, Helga, and Helen and I was looking forward to it. Helga had turned into an enthusiastic fuck four days after we left William's remains and she hadn't lost interest in the least since. The women had more or less divided my duties into a night with the girls and the next with them. It suited me fine so far and they'd all started to get more familiar with each other too. I was pretty surprised that I was standing up well to the hard use. Tonight I was going to throw them a curve though since I intended to show Helga what a dick up her ass was like. As we climbed in the wagon for bed Helen had a little curve of her own to throw, but it wasn't about bumping bellies. She'd found another note with the silver wear and it wasn't from the man who'd left it. It was from his wife and she hadn't been a bit happy about leaving things. They'd been from her first marriage and she just knew he'd done it because he didn't want reminders around that her first husband had been a better provider. No doubt that was at least part of the reason he'd never come back to reclaim their things. I was betting good sense was another reason. Hell, it didn't matter to me but I didn't say so. Helen was treating it like some mystery and I didn't mind about that either. Anything they could come up with to scare away the boredom was fine with me, and right at the moment Helga was shucking her buckskins and that was keeping my boredom away. I patted on her ass as she went and warned her it would be getting a workout. "It's about time you got around to mine. I've watched you plow Mary and Helen both there and I want my turn. Just go a little slow at first," she said, and I promised her I would. Helga thought I was going to short change her at first, since even though she was on her hands and knees I pushed my dick up her cooter first. She didn't really bitch but she did let me know I'd promised something else. "It's for your own good. I'm just slicking up my pecker for other destinations." There's a good chance Helga might have thanked me for my thoughtfulness if I hadn't switched targets just then. As it was, the only thing she could do was suck in a big breath and then groan. I held still after the head was up her though and gave her a few seconds to get accustomed to the new presence before pressing on, as it were. She caught on to what was happening fairly quickly and after a minute or two she was fully involved, tightening as I entered and giving me a little slack on the way out. Her next comment was a surprise though. "Jesus God that thing seems bigger this way. I'll cut your throat if you hold out on me again like you've been being. Push it up me harder, and faster." Since I always like to do what the women wanted, especially when it's something I like too, I started pounding. Helga raved over it and before long she had me giving her a come injection and she wailed when I did. When she came to the end of her twine and collapsed onto the thin mattress I was right with her, laying out on her body because I didn't have the strength to get up. When Mary and Helen got us separated I noticed that they cleaned me up by hand this time and not with their mouths and tongues. I didn't blame them one bit and as a change it was fast acting since they teased more on my balls this way. I was ready for action in plenty of time to nail them both to the pad the old fashioned way before we slipped off to sleep. When I woke the next morning I found I'd worked my way around during my sleep and I had one of Helga's big nipples in my mouth. I gave it a good morning suck and then she moaned when I released it to get dressed and out. Breakfast was especially good this morning and I liked to think it was because of the excellent services I'd shared last night, but even I wasn't that conceited. Something had them cooking more and better though and I settled in to make sure nothing went to waste. After we'd eaten it was time to get hitched and get ready. Two hours later we came on the reason for a hurry up. It was a long climb, not really treacherously steep but with several switchbacks and narrow spots. Jack asked me if I'd mind taking my wagons and stock up first and I didn't mind at all. "There's a nice level spot just after you reach the crest. It would help a lot if you'd pull your wagons over to it and wait for the others to get over. I'm pretty sure one or two of them will need another team to help them make the climb." I'd already figured out what he wanted before he got done explaining and I didn't mind. There was no telling if I'd need some help sooner or later and I was glad enough to provide what I could now. Even though I wasn't going to take on other people's things to haul full time, I wasn't going to shirk what I considered my duty to the good of the train. Sure, people with wagons hauling more than they should would be getting the help, but that probably went on with every trip. I wasn't going to haul their things for them but I didn't mind helping them over the high spots. The whole thing only amounted to helping four wagons making it the last little way and it was no strain on my mules, since we rotated most of the ones that had done the original climb out into the resting stock. We used a different set of fresh mules for every wagon we helped and it really wasn't a strain on them. We came out of Mitchell Pass and then leveled off for more, thankfully, boring traveling and we had six weeks of it. Things weren't nearly as easy as they'd been back on the plains but they were better than coming through Scotts Bluff. When we rolled into Laramie about ten one morning we settled in for a few days rest and repairs. It was also time for a shopping trip but not for new things. Laramie was one of the main unloading spots for people who still had too much in their wagons. I went wandering around almost from the start looking at things that had been cast aside. Most of it was junk too heavy for what it was worth and a lot of it was spoiled food, which may or may not have been spoiled when it was unloaded. Still, there were a lot of things I saw that looked to be worth the time and trouble. A lot more of the stuff became indispensable after the women went through it. Especially after Helen found a giant crated up mirror that matched the china cabinet we'd found earlier. He also found a note stuffed into its packing and it made the previous ownership unmistakable. Hell, it wasn't that heavy anyway, just bulky, and I knew mirrors of any size would probably be scarce where we were going. After it was loaded Helen seemed on a quest to examine every fucking thing. It only took a little talking for her to get Mary and Helga right in on it with her. I couldn't be convinced to look harder though and I was just standing around when Cara came up to me and asked if it would be ok for her to get a couple of things. She even promised not to go overboard. "Cara, you're not a second class citizen because Jimmy works for me. If you see something that you think is worth the trouble, get it. If we get the wagon overloaded later I'm not promising that you won't have to put it out, but I won't just toss it aside because it's yours. Go ahead and pick up anything you want to, just try not to get in a fight over it," I said, and she left smiling. A small crowd had gathered and it was people from town, not any of the members of our train. They were pointing at the women going through the cast offs and having plenty of laughs. It was even a little funny to me until one of them spoke up as I walked close. "Hey you dumbass immigrant, Need to buy another wagon to haul off more of that crap," he said, yelling it and getting a big laugh from the other. "Why pal, do you have one to sell?" I asked. "Shore do, I got a nice big one that'll hold plenty. You can have it for only a thousand dollars," he said, laughing again as I got close. "Hell, I shouldn't have to buy it. I'll just shoot your loud ass and buy it from your widow unless she's pretty enough for me to take along to fuck on." I got an even better laugh than any he had and it pissed him off. Damned if he didn't try to get a Patterson out to shoot me. He had a quick draw too and he got off the first shot. The only trouble for him was it didn't come anywhere close to me. I considered it a good lesson when I let one of my new Remington conversions ventilate his breastbone. I'd been intending to insult him and I should have known to be ready for the reaction it got out of somebody so obviously stupid. I hadn't been and only his nearly criminal poor aim had saved my ass. All the other fun seekers were silent now so I went ahead and swung the Remington across them. "Any of you other Heros want to discuss what my women folk are doing?" "No sir, leastways I don't. I'll even show you where to find Slim's wagon and wife. Hell, if you ain't gonna shoot me too I'll even find somebody to bury Slim. I never did like him much anyway," one of the men right in front said. "I'm not about to shoot anyone that don't try to draw on me first and I'd appreciate if you'd show me to his widow so I can make sure she has enough money to get along for a while without him. Hell, I was pulling his leg about shooting him until he tried to shoot me first." "What I figured too, but Slim weren't never much for brains. He, his woman, and his kid were stuck here cause the dumb ass lost half his mules in a poker game last year. He weren't worth a shit for nothing and I know he's been trying to get his woman to sell pussy for money. It was a damn shame she never would if you ask me, cause I woulda been at the head of the line. "She'll damned sure need some help, but it ain't because Slim is dead. That's probably a help in itself. Still, I know they ain't got much food to eat and it'll be working on her back for sure sooner or later." Damned if I couldn't get my self in trouble when Helen let me go wandering off by alone. The talkative one said he was George and he showed me where to find Slim's wagon. I didn't feel so bad about killing him when I got there. The wagon seemed to be in good enough shape and the area around it seemed neat and clean. The four mules they had left didn't look like much and I figured they'd had a long hungry winter since I could see most of their ribs. The young woman that was fixing what she could of a meal was pretty though, even if she did look like she could have been eating more herself. George introduced me to Anita and thankfully took off before I had to tell her the news. "I'm sorry to tell you this Ma'am, but I just shot Slim to death. He didn't give me a choice in the matter since he drew and shot at me first." "If you think I'm gonna cry over him you're wrong mister. I'd have shot him myself if I'd had a gun and I not sorry he's gone now. He talked me into marrying him two years ago and then I was fool enough to stay hitched when he wanted to head out west last year. "I knew I'd drove my duck to a bad pond even before Clarice was born but there wasn't much I could do about it then. I know I'll have to be a whore to earn my keep now, but I won't mind it so much with him gone. I've got to be able to keep feeding Clarice and if I can't eat myself my milk will dry up before long," she said, and the look on her face just about killed me. "You can quit thinking like that right now. I'm the one that killed him and left you here and I'll be the one to take care of you now. You don't have to take up whorin' if you'll just come along West with us. I ain't broke and I ain't trying to force you into selling your body. My women will be glad to have the company and I'm sure they'll all love playing with Clarice," I said. "Your women? Are you one a them Mormons?" "No. I'm a Texas boy. Born and raised." ------- Chapter 16 "What'd you mean about your women then. You got more than one? "Yeh, but if I was a Mormon I'd a called 'em my wives. I ain't officially married to any of them, but I've collected a few here and there and I treat them like wives even if we can't really marry. "That don't mean you have to put up with any foolishness just because you come along with us. I know I left you in a tight spot even if I didn't have no choice. I got plenty of mules to pull your wagon along and we'll take you as close as we can to where you was heading," I said, trying like hell to salve my conscience. "I wasn't headed a damned place 'cept to a crib in some saloon. Bullshit don't carry you far in the world and that's about all Slim was good for. If you'll hitch up to my wagon and can spare a little food along I'd be proud to go wherever you're headed. "The seal's off my bottle too and if you need a little pussy to make you feel better about helping me out I don't mind that neither. Hell, you'll be saving me from selling it to any asshole with two bits and I shore ain't gonna tell you no if you come sniffing around while you're doing it," she said, and didn't even look like the prospect would bother her. "Why don't you get Clarice bundled up and come on over to my wagons with me. I got a lot of people for you to meet and I know all the women will want to get their hands on Clarice, a little at least. There ain't a baby in our bunch and they'll be glad to get hold of one." "I'm all yours now Frank, whatever comes of it. I don't want to be looking out for myself and Clarice without no man around to at least give a little help," she said, and then picked the baby up out of her wagon and said she was ready. We passed near Slim's body and there was a darky loading him onto a sort of wheelbarrow. I asked Anita if she wanted to take a last look, but she said if he was already dead the kick she wanted to give him wouldn't be worth the effort. I gave the man the two dollars he asked for as the price or planting Slim and Anita asked if he'd mark the grave with a buffalo chip, but he never said whether he would or wouldn't and we didn't press him. When we got back to the wagons most of the bunch had just finished eating. I introduced Anita around and gave a short admission of my morning sins. That tore it for the women, except Nadine and Blossum who'd heard a sad song before. The rest of them swarmed Anita and Clarice, petting and cooing to the both of them. "Hey, I ain't that late for lunch and besides, Anita ain't been getting enough to eat lately either," I said, knowing I wouldn't get much warmed up without invoking Anita's plight too. I could tell the fire under the stew pot was stirred up mostly for Anita's benefit and I didn't mind a bit if that was so. There was a hell of a lot more in the pot than she could eat, no matter how many meals she'd missed. In the first place I didn't like to see people going hungry anyway, and in the second I knew her slim body would look even better with a few more pounds on it. It was just a happy coincidence I was going to get a meal out of the deal too. It made me hurt again to see Anita eating, because she was going about it slowly; the same way most people do when they hadn't had enough to eat lately. It made me want to shoot Slim again, but there was no point in holding a grudge after he was dead. I'd just have to make sure I kept all my women in food from now on. I made myself even more useful later when Clarice started a little crying. Helen was holding her and asked Anita if she had any clean diapers. She did, but said they were back in her wagon. I sent Charlie and Jim to catch up some mules and told them where to find it. For the immediate problem I found one of my clean flannel shirts, cleaned up Clarice with a clean spot on her soiled diaper, and then wrapped her up in the shirt. She gave me a grin and a giggle when I was done so I sat on the bench to tickle and bounce her on my knee. I even showed them all I could make plenty of little noises babies liked to hear. Anita gave me a big smile while Helga, Mary, and Helen looked at me like I had two heads. I didn't pay them any attention. I'd played with plenty of babies in my time in Texas and to tell the truth it had been to long since I got to. "I don't guess you'll ever stop surprising me," Helen said, after a minute. "What, you didn't think I knew how to play with a baby? I'm glad Clarice and Anita are with us now so's I can get back in practice. I'm pretty sure a lot of you are going to be knocked up before long." That got me a few giggles and one hell of a lot of red faces. The thing that bothered me though was the way Rebecca, Elizabeth, Honey, and Helga just looked hopeful. About half an hour later Charlie and Jim came back with Anita's wagon. She put one of the diapers on Clarice then and Helen asked her to let Clarice sleep in our wagon while the men took care of any repairs hers might need. I figured it was to keep from being roped into helping the women explore the available junk, but Charlie, Jr, and Jim set to work caulking and tarring on Anita's wagon right away. Jimmy wanted to help them badly too, but Cara wasn't that dumb and she called him out to help her find a few things they might need and would never get any cheaper. Helen decided since I was so good with Clarice I could sit around the wagons and listen for her if she woke up needing another change. Mary sweetened the deal by making a fresh pot of coffee and after it was done the women, including Anita, went out gleaning again. When Jack Jenkins came around later to see what I was up to I picked Clarice out of the wagon and showed him. "I'll be damned. I'd heard you got into it with one of the townies and damned if you didn't come out ahead. Hey, did you get that wagon in the deal too?" "Not exactly, but the widow owns the wagon now and she told me I owned her, so I guess I got the use of it. You know damned well I ain't gonna make her sleep by herself," I said, knowing I was bragging but not able to stop myself. "Hell, you ain't gonna take the cutoff and head for Brigham Young's folks are you?" "Naw, like I explained to Anita - I ain't married to any of these women and far as I know there ain't no limit to the number of 'em you can have living with you. They just hold you to one wife." "Damned if that ain't the truth. I 'spect the women'll extract their own revenge on you later." "They might, but if they keep abusing me like they have been so far I can die a happy man. It's a good thing Slim acted such a fool too. I was headed into town to see if I could find a wagon to buy. He showed his ass just in time." It was all Jack could stand. He walked off laughing and shaking his head. The women kept at it until time to start supper, but they hadn't all stayed out there the whole while. Several trips had been made to bring things back. The most notable was a big chest of clothes from the same wagon or at least same people who'd put out the china cabinet and the big crated up mirror. There were no men's clothes in it but plenty of nice dresses and some young children's clothes. There were things for a baby, including some clean flannel diapers and they went up to things that might fit a three year old. Anita had found them and in fact knew exactly where they'd been to start with. She said it was where she'd found diapers for Clarice before. I wondered why she didn't take at least all the diapers when she first found them but didn't ask. The dresses fit her too, mostly, but as thin as she was now they'd just hang off her. I was going to see if we couldn't get her to grow to them and I was pretty sure Helen and Mary at least had that on their minds too. Clarice got her supper before the rest of us and I wasn't a bit shy about watching. Anita wasn't shy about me doing it either. In fact she seemed to be showing off a little since she uncovered both titties at the same time and gave them a little wiggle every time she noticed I was watching close. That night was for me and the youngsters. They seemed more excited than usual and did more than a little hinting about getting a baby out of me soon. I didn't have the heart to bring up the facts they already knew. The fact I was already doing all I could to get them pregnant and the rest was beyond my control. It would have been stupid for me to mention it anyway, since the girls were trying harder, even if what they were trying probably wouldn't help their cause. At breakfast the next morning I could see at once that Helen and Mary had Anita's weight gain at the top of their list. I hadn't noticed any of them heading for town yesterday but someone had gone and bought some eggs. We all had two of them fried with our breakfast, except Anita who had four. It embarrassed her a little but we all shushed her when she pointed it out. Mary made the best sense of all. "Don't you worry 'bout it a'tall. Two of them eggs is fo Clarice and she can't eat 'em herself. Here, have another cup of this fresh milk Jim fount fo you. We can all tell you missed some meals and we gotta make up." It was easy to tell Anita was moved but she kept back the tears of gratitude I knew she wanted to turn loose of. She made sure to clean her plate and when she did Mary put three more strips of bacon on it and a big buttered biscuit too. At least Anita didn't try to mention it again, but she did hop up to check on Clarice as soon as she finished. Clarice was a little treasure too. Helen told me she slept through the night and woke up happy and smiling. It was easy to see all the women and girls adored her already. Nadine and Blossum kept talking about some kind of plant they'd be watching for now. It had something to do with helping babies through a case of colic, and even Swallow was in on it with them, but she was concentrating on looking for the first berries she could find. The women thought they'd been through most of the cast offs by now and Helen asked me to go to town with them. They wanted to find Anita some decent shoes or boots or both. I wasn't really interested in any shopping, but Laramie looked like it might be rough enough that my presence might be needed. It was for a fact. Just before the women made it inside the first trading post a big, mostly fat, jackass grabbed Anita by the arm. "You ready to sell some of that pussy now that Slim's dead? Come on, I want to buy the first piece." Unfortunately for the asshole I was walking a couple of paces behind the women. He dropped directly to the ground when the butt of my right Remington came down on the top of his head. I gave him the toe of my boot in his ribs while he was down. "What the hell's your problem Mister?" he asked, as he wiggled around. I put the Remington's muzzle in his mouth before I answered. "I killed Slim to get her yesterday, and it won't bother me a damned bit to kill your fat ass to make sure you don't bothers her here in Laramie. You sound like you're from Alabama to me, and in case you're wondering I was in the US Army and I've done killed plenty of you dumb Rebels. The commander of the fort won't give a shit if I kill one more and it sure as hell won't bother me to do it." "Hell, I'm sorry Mister, I didn't know anything 'cept Slim got kilt," he said, and even his dumb ass must have known he sounded pitiful. "You don't owe me any apology, cause I'd never expect any Alabama fool to have manners in the first place, but if Anita don't hear you telling her how sorry you are pronto I'll owe that darky for planting another shitass. Get up on your knees and get over and ask her pardon." He did it and Anita told him she wasn't giving him pardon or nothing else except leave to get his ass out of her sight. He took her up on it right away, and I knew he be warning at least a few of his buddies around town. I hoped they'd believe him because I didn't want to waste two dollars on another hole to hold an idiot. The prices in the trading post were all kinds of higher than they had been in Independence or Ft Kearny either, but I was happy when we were able to find some decent shoes and boots. Helen even found a couple of dresses that would fit Anita better here and now and I was happy enough about that too. I got unhappy again nearly as soon as we went back outside. Damned if some kind of preacher didn't try to make a not so discrete inquiry about the selling price Anita'd be charging now that she was alone in the world. He wasn't wearing a gun but that part didn't make me sad at all. I hit him as hard as I could in the mouth and then kicked the shit out of him after he was down. Some sort of deputy or town law came over to try and stop me, but I told him if he wanted to fist fight he'd have to wait until I was done here. "Fist fight hell. Mister, you're under arrest," he said, reaching for his pistol. At least I was paying attention this time and I had mine out and in his guts before he had a good hold on his. "Are you sure you want to get that thing out deputy? I've heard being gut shot is a long slow painful way to die. I've got six in the wheels of both these conversions and I doubt eleven men are gonna come rushing up to save your ass," I said. "You're right about that mister. You'd be doing the Marshal and the whole damned town a favor if you went ahead and got us shed of him. He ain't really a deputy anyway. He ain't got the nerve to wear that fake badge when the Marshal is around," a bystander said, and I could tell by the look on the deputy's face it was the truth. I didn't shoot the asshole though; I just gave him a taste of the barrel on his forehead and let him drop. It wasn't my normal way of doing things since I knew it was always safer to go ahead and kill someone who'd tried to pull a gun on you. I knew I should have shot the Alabama dumbass and I felt like I should shoot this one too, but I didn't. My first thought had been on the money too. We hadn't gone ten paces past where he was laying before someone yelled "look out" and when I turned around to see what was up, the fake deputy was trying to get his gun out for a back shot. I went ahead and nailed him this time and gave the informative local a dollar for the warning and two dollars to give the darky for the hole my latest customer needed. Most of the people who'd seen things moseyed on out of our way and kept moseying. Anita didn't though, she moved right up against me and had hero worship written all over her face. Helen, Helga, and Mary didn't waste any time moving closer either. I tried to tell them it was safer for them to walk ahead incase some other idiot wanted to shoot me, but they wouldn't pay that any attention. I concentrated on hoping the women had everything they needed from Laramie cause I didn't want to come back to town at all. I think they had the same inclination. We were back well before time to get lunch started but that didn't mean Anita didn't need to get a titty or two out for Clarice. It was a relaxing sight for me and when it came time for a little burping I was glad to lend a shoulder and a few pats on the baby's back. Alas, she was sleepy now that she was full and I couldn't even interest her in playing for a while. The women were bored but they hung around and cooked lunch. After we finished they took off for the junk piles again. Hell, they might as well since they hadn't even filled up one wagon yet. Charlie had pronounced Anita's wagon ready to go and to keep it from leaving completely empty I'd asked Anita if Jimmy and Cara could use it to sleep in so we could pile the other one full. She told me to do what I wanted to with it and she considered it my wagon now. Jimmy and Cara were happy to have it since the one they'd been using would be a little crowded at night now. Moving was Jimmy's afternoon job and I was glad it was him and not me. I did notice Helen, Helga, Mary, and Anita moving a few things out of the main wagon and back into the freight wagon now. I assumed it was so there'd be more room for sleeping in theirs. If they were able to shoehorn us all into it at nights I was all for it. Hell, I'd be glad to make the sacrifice and let one of them sleep on top of me if we got strapped for room. ------- Chapter 17 The next day we did practically nothing but hang around and let the stock graze. The day after that we were gone less than an hour before sunrise. We were well done with plains now and if you looked forward it was easy to see we had climbing in our future, and climb we did. The way was well known by now but that didn't mean it was easy. Of course it was easier than it had been, but that could change at any moment because of the Sioux, Cheyenne, or Arapahos. We weren't particularly worried about it because we'd had no warning about what it would be like this year, and besides, worrying didn't help a thing. Keeping your eyes open was the best help you could get. Though the terrain was leading us to the continental divide it wasn't overly steep. It was more of a climb, descend, climb a little higher, and repeat thing. It wore on the mules and on us too and by the time we made Independence Rock we were sick of it. We weren't even nearly finished, but we were sick of it. At least we made it on the last day of June, which was safely ahead of schedule. It was said if you made Independence Rock before Independence Day you were doing well, and we did. The trip here had been mostly boring, and the same old same old every day. Occasionally we'd kill a buffalo or two and take a break to cut and divvy it up. Other hunting came in handy too but mostly we depleted our store bought food. I was glad we'd bought plenty. Still, bored or not we were glad to be here and even though it came early we had our Independence day celebration, but on July first instead of the forth. We slept late that morning, cooked and ate almost all day, and tried to find something that was fun and entertaining during the daylight. The most fun I got was stealing Clarice and playing with her. By now she knew I was good for a giggle anytime I came around, and if she spied me heading her way she'd spread her arms wide, smile wide, and make little noises to let me know she was ready to be picked up and paid attention to. The best part of the celebration was the rest. We needed it, the stock needed it, and so on. I enjoyed the day doing nothing, but was ready to move out the next morning. This was the big climb coming up, or the last of it anyway. After crossing the Sweetwater for the last time we took the Lander cutoff, or road as some people called it. The government had actually spent some money on it in 1859, clearing trees and moving dirt. We followed the Sweetwater on up toward it source and crossed the divide north of South Pass. Not only did we bypass a lot of rugged travel, we were in mostly forested territory and had wood, grass, and plentiful water and we eventually came back to the main trail near Idaho and we easily cut seven days off the time the old route would have taken. The route wasn't totally trouble free, but it could have been much worse if not for our excellent scout, Cal. We hadn't been moving for over an hour the third day on the cutoff when Cal came galloping back to talk to Jack. We happened to be in a good spot and Jack signaled for us to circle the wagons. Cal had happened to spot a group of about fifty or so Indians, mostly Sioux, and they seemed to be getting ready to hit us from both sides in a narrow spot about two hours farther on. Fifty of the fuckers would be a big bother even with us already circled and ready for action - they would have been hell on wheels if we'd blundered into their trap. Apparently they had some scouts of their own out. Somehow they learned we were already circled and waiting for them, but I guess they figured their medicine was strong. Of all things they came galloping down the trail about an hour later and mostly all from the same direction. We were basically ready anyway, but when they showed themselves some of us were able to move toward places where we could do early damage. Jack asked me to move up under the wagons he thought would be the hardest hit at first. Charlie, Jr, Jimmy, and me did it. Charlie brought a Spencer and his new Greener and Jr did to. Nadine, Jasper, and Blossum came along too. Blossum and Jasper had Henrys while Nadine and Jimmy were using Spencers like I was. Our best advantage was we had more than one weapon each and Honey, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Helga, and Anita stayed right on our asses nearly, to load one while we were shooting the other. Jack kept the rest of the men spread out in case of diversions but let us do things the way we thought best. Of course we didn't have any idea who was leading this scroungy looking party, but I at least was glad he seemed to be a glory hound and a dumbass along with it. About a hundred and fifty yards out the kicked their ponies into a lope and headed our way, yelling and screaming and shooting too, but they were too far off to do any good yet and they seemed to have muzzle loaders. We held our rifle fire until they came within forty yards or so and then let them have it. Even though they dropped like flies from the first volley they kept coming and I guess they thought we would have to stop and reload. Now there was a fatal mistake. Only about ten of them made it even a close thing, but when they were about fifteen yards away Jr and Charley showed them the beauty of the breach loading Greener ten-gauge. It was a pony clearing show for a minute there. Not a damned Indian got any closer to us and for a while I thought we'd made a bad mistake. A leader as dumb as theirs had been needed to survive to guide other fuckups. All the Indians were down but not all of them were dead. Some had been knocked out when they fell of their running horses as the horses took fire and died or rebelled to throw their riders. Charlie, Jr, Jimmy, Jasper and I headed out to finish off any that were still kicking. Blossum and Nadine got up in the wagons intending to keep and eye out and take care of any they thought were trying to pull something. Charlie and Jr carried their Greeners along but most of us intended to do any finishing with a Paterson or Remington that had to be hand loaded. I wasn't wasting any of the ammunition the conversions used and I knew Charlie and Jr wouldn't spend one of the Greener shells unless they just had to. When we got among 'em we found more wounded than dead. One of them raised up and took a shot, but he snapped it off too quick to aim and if you don't point it in the right direction, a rifle is nothing more than a loud club. Charlie nearly cut him in half by letting him have both barrels of his ten gauge. Most of the rest of them were wounded or injured too badly to cause trouble. Mainly they scowled and tried to look mean when we walked up and blew their brains out. Two of them were off to one side and trying to reload without being seen but Nadine and Blossum cashed their chips in. After we'd done for all the braves we gathered the horses that could still walk. There were twenty-one that could still move under their own power, but one had a hole through his lungs and we killed him right away. That left twenty either in good shape or with just minor wounds. Jack said I could have all of them I wanted since we'd done the most of the work, but I told the rest if they wanted one, come get it. Two or three men came up to take a look, but the horses had missed a lot of meals and they didn't look like much right now. Nobody wanted any of them. That was good enough for me, because I'd already seen six or seven that looked like they'd be pretty good if someone gave them time to grab a few decent days of grazing. In fact one looked like he'd be Red's equal if he got the meals in him. They were a bother though, since none had shoes and several looked like they were about to split a hoof. We gathered them up and put them with our other stock while most of the men and women in the train started skinning and butchering the dead or soon to be dead remainder of the Indian's ponies. After the trouble we didn't even get the wagons out of the circle. It wasn't that good a way to camp for the night, but under the circumstances we made do. Jim went off to help with the butchering while Charlie, Jasper, Jimmy, Jr, and I dug out the farrier's tools I'd picked up and started to see if we could do any good for any of the new potential mounts. Giving their hooves a good close trimming cured most of the trouble. There were only three that looked like they'd surely split a hoof after that. Jasper said he could put a shoe on the three worst hooves and it would probably save them. Of course the horses wouldn't be worth a shit to ride until they had shoes on all their feet, since having only one would make them move funny. We didn't need them now anyway so I dug out the anvil too and we found enough metal for Jasper to make three shoes and put them in place. It took one hell of a lot of firewood too, but we all helped with that part and he got it done, whether the ponies wanted him to or not. Of course we had horsemeat for lunch and more horsemeat for supper. It was fresh and I ate every bit I could possibly hold. The skinning and butchering went on a little past sunset, but we got them done and we were set for meat for a good while. One thing that confused me was everyone seemed to just discard the hooves after they'd been cut away. Charlie and Jasper didn't though, they picked up every single one that no one seemed to want. Hell, even I knew you could boil them down and make good glue out of them and it wasn't like they were going to spoil just sitting around. About eight thirty, just about time to get in bed, six dogs came up in a bunch, sniffing around on the bodies of the dead Indians where we'd pulled them out of the trail. Charlie jumped up with the biggest smile I'd seen on his face in a while and he rushed to his wagon to get Nadine. She looked happy as hell when she got out too. Damned if they didn't take some of the horsemeat and go make friends with the now orphaned dogs. They fucked with them for about an hour and finally had every one of them in the wagon with them for the night. I didn't need any dogs to keep me warm though, even if it had been cold which it damned sure wasn't. I was in for a turn with the grown women tonight and while Mary wasn't as excited as the others it was apparent that fending off the Indian attack had put the water on to boil for Anita, Helga, and Helen. In fact they revved themselves up so that Mary finally caught the fever too. They damned near fucked me to death, with Anita taking the prize for being hottest. "God dam Frank, do it harder. I can't believe you went up front and killed all those fucking Indian bastards. I'm so glad you killed Slim I'm about to bust, the chickenshit bastard. He 'bout shit his pants anytime he saw an Indian," she wailed, scratching her nails down my back and clawing my ass for more. The good mood carried on in the morning too, and Anita just had to have another round before sunup. She'd just finished feeding Clarice and then she started waving her titties in my face and saying Clarice had left a little for me and I need to get it quick. I got it quick all right, and pounded her to glory while I was at it. She even got me hard at breakfast by offering to put a little fresh cream from a titty into my coffee. Nadine and Blossum even laughed at her, but the joking wasn't what had Nadine in a good mood and it sure wasn't what Charlie had in mind. The dogs were sniffing around at everyone and exploring and marking the wagons and Charlie was bragging on his Cattywhos. "They's the best dogs ever was and the six of 'em are worth more than all the horses we come up with. Nita, be shore to let 'em all get a good sniff of you and Clarice. Your sent will let 'em know Clarice is yourn and they'll keep a close watch on her." "They're big enough to keep a good watch and back it up if something tries to bother us," I said. "You don't know anything about them, do you Frank?" Helen asked. "I can tell they're big dogs. What else is there to know?" "de Soto brought them to the Americas from Spain when he came. They are fiercely protective of anyone they consider part of their pack, and they are excellent hunting dogs, especially for pigs and bears. They also make wonderful herd dogs for cattle and sheep and such. "These poor things look like they've nearly starved. If you think Anita blossomed when we got some food into her wait until you see how these dogs thrive. I doubt a one of them will weigh under a hundred pounds after they get enough to eat. They're very smart and nothing or no one will be able to sneak around our wagons without them raising hell. They are wonderful dogs," Helen said, and damned if I didn't think she was as happy about them as Charlie. I was happy too if they were even half as good as she said they were. Even if their eyes did look like they were glass and didn't match each other. Their coats were something else too. Not a one of them looked anything like the other. They weren't solid colors at all and most of them had big white, black, or almost blue patches of color. Hell, they looked like their hide had been sewed up from a rag box with whatever color came to hand next. I didn't mind admitting I'd never seen dogs just like them before and I didn't know a thing about 'em. I'd never even heard of such. Still, I kinda liked 'em already. They grew on me sorta fast. Hell, they grew on everybody and before breakfast was even over they'd given us all a big sniffing and then waited patiently for a pat on the head. I think the fact Helen had already started trying to fatten 'em up had a lot to do with that. The last straw was when Anita let 'em get a sniff of Clarice. When the first one licked her she nearly screamed with laughter and after that they all wanted a sniff. Anita put a skin down on the ground to let Clarice crawl a little then and every one of them stuck their noses out so she could try to grab hold. After a few minutes I realized they were keeping her from getting off the skin. After a while I was sure they were doing it on purpose. ------- Chapter 18 We moved out after breakfast and our only ceremony for the dead Indians had been dragging them out of the way so we could get past without running over their corpses. We weren't worried about desecrating the bodies, we just didn't want to be bothered with the rough ride they'd cause. Shit, they'd taken a shot at raping, robbing, and killing and they'd come up on the short end of the stick. Fuck a bunch of noble red savages. For several days the traveling was back to boring and uneventful. The next thing that interested me was when we stopped at Soda Springs and spent a day resting and enjoying the bubbling waters there. Jack warned us not to drink any, but of course a few dyed in the wool idiots didn't pay any attention. They earned several days of cramping stomachs and runny shit for their efforts and I was pretty sure they'd be paying closer attention the next time Jack gave instructions. A few days after Soda Springs we came up to Fort Hall. It wasn't a major metropolitan center but there were people there and we stopped for a day. My women wanted to take a look around and we did, but aside from a pair of boots that happened to fit Anita nearly perfectly we didn't find anything we wanted to own. Our next break from mule ass viewing was a few weeks later at Fort Boise. Our destination was the new one. Twelve or fifteen years ago the original Fort Boise had been abandoned over irritating flooding and deadly Indian attacks. We only stopped for a couple of days to rest the stock and patch up any wagon troubles anyone had. We were headed for wetter traveling though and everyone went over the caulk and tar routine again. From Fort Boise the trail traveled North Northwest for a good while until we basically turned left to skip the old route up to the Whitman Mission where years earlier Dr Marcus Whitman and his wife, Narcissa - Methodist Missionaries - had built the large mission and provided help and care to both immigrants and the local Cayuse Indians. A devastating measles epidemic broke out in 1847 and since the white people lived over it and many Indians did not it made the Indians suspicious. The whites present were killed and the mission was burned. It didn't really mean much to us though. We weren't headed there and besides there was nothing to see at this late date. We could almost feel the end of the trip rushing up on us now. Spirits were high as everything seemed to be going well. By the time we made it to the cutoff for Barlow Toll Road things were going fine. Most of the tough spots had been made bypassable by enterprising men. We were able to pay tolls to get by the bad places instead of sacrificing goods, livestock, and lives. I don't know about the others but I was more than happy to pay seven seventy-five per wagon and ten cents per head to cross the Deschutes. In fact I didn't hear a single person bitch about it. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I was happy as a pig in shit when we rolled to a stop outside Oregon City. The journey was over and we were where we'd headed, mostly. We had a sort of shindig on our last night together. At least the ones that weren't completely sick of the other travelers were. Almost miraculously William had been the only one to be killed or die during the whole trip, except for Bill's suicide by stupidity. I even splurged and took a shot of whiskey in his honor, nearly choking myself into joining him with the unaccustomed foul brew. After the celebrating had mostly died down, my bunch, along with Jasper, Blossum, and Swallow were just relaxing and drinking coffee around our table. "Well damned, we're here now. What do we do next?" Jasper asked. "I'm not sure what to do first," I said, and it was the truth. "I'm not sure about where we go from here, but I do know the first thing Jack, you, and I have to take care of," Helen said, and I just waited her out. "The three of us need to go and see the lawyer Bill made arrangements with. We'll have to report Bill's untimely demise and establish you as my husband in the eyes of the law. "Even though most of the money Bill sent to a bank here in advance was from my previous husband's estate, I'll still need a husband to avoid trouble using it. In fact I don't want to use it but I do want to make sure you can," Helen said. I remembered now, after I'd killed Bill she'd told me about the cash and gold in the wagon and other money Bill had scattered out in banks. I don't think she'd mentioned some of it was here in Oregon City, but I sure as hell didn't mind the fact. "I think the lawyer was also scouting around for properties Bill could buy. Bill wasn't very interested in trying to homestead, or whatever you have to do to get the free land," Helen said. "I don't think there's much of the free land left anyway and I'm sure I couldn't support my enlarged family on a hundred and sixty acres no matter how hard I worked, but why does Jack need to go with us?" I asked. "So he can verify Bill was killed by Indians during the trip and can swear he married us a few days later," Mary said, and smiled so innocently. Of course all the others laughed like hell at me, but I had the last laugh even though I didn't take it in the crowd. Not only did I now have what was surely a rich wife, I had several helpers for her in the bedroom department. I celebrated that happy coincidence later after we were all in our wagons supposedly sleeping. Helen had already talked things over with Jack without mentioning it to me and he was Johnny on the spot just after sunrise while breakfast was being cooked. He and I drank coffee and got our lies straight while the food was in progress, then we ate all we could and drank more coffee while waiting for Helen to get dressed. We struck out walking toward town to look for the lawyer's place later and it was lucky that Mister Jennings offices weren't far. There were two secretaries in a sort of waiting room and after she had the details one of them went to tell what she knew. I thought it was a little odd we were escorted back into his office right away when she came back. I'd never had any use for a lawyer before and I didn't expect to like Don Jennings, he surprised me a little bit though. He was a glad hander, the type I could take or leave, but he wasn't so bad after that. He let Jack tell the tale we'd made up and didn't even ask any questions. He just told us he'd have one of the secretaries fix the papers and we could come back in and sign them day after tomorrow. "You probably understand this isn't such an unusual circumstance, although it came up more in the past than it does now. At any rate there should be no problems. There's a chance you'll need to appear before a judge, but even that isn't likely. I'm sure Mr Jenkins won't need to do anything else at all except sign his statement. "Do you have enough for it Gloria?" he asked the girl who'd led us in. I hadn't even noticed she'd sat down to take notes. "Yes sir. I can have it written up in a few minutes," she said. Jennings asked Jack to go with Gloria in case she needed any reminders and Jack and I said goodbye while Jennings called the other secretary, Dolly, in to take notes now. "For the other things I was working on for the dearly departed I'll need a small retainer from you before we begin," Jennings said, as Dolly came in and shut the door. "What amount?" I asked. "Twenty dollars will be plenty to be legally binding on me. It guarantees anything you tell me can't be revealed by me under any circumstances," he said, and I could smell legal mumbo jumbo that sounded like a good idea for once. I couldn't dig a double eagle out of my pocket fast enough to suit me. When I handed it over Dolly wrote out two copies of a sort of receipt and then everyone in the room signed it and Dolly took it out to get Gloria and Jack to witness it, or at least that's what Jennings told her to do. "I know of an excellent large ranch that might become available. It isn't the type of thing I would have mentioned to Bill Arceneaux, but I think you might be interested. If you aren't we'll say no more about it. "I work for the client that hires me and a woman has lately. She and her second husband came out over the trail a few years ago, and they've done very well with the money she had available after her first husband's death. You may or may not know a widow has a very difficult time using the money that is rightfully hers because of several unfortunate laws. "The lady in question has lost interest in maintaining the relationship with her current husband, and frankly I can't blame her. I might be biased because she has hired me to try and secure a divorce for her. That is not going to be easy. "Be that as it may there is a large ranch and a woman who no longer wants it or the husband that built and runs it with her money. They are separated now and the property is ostensibly up for sale but the husband is in residence there and he's been very aggressive toward people who try to look it over. In fact he's threatened several potential buyers at gunpoint. If you'd like I can arrange for you to try and take a look at it." "You know, it sounds like a wonderful place and a once in a gunfight, uh lifetime opportunity. When can I get a chance to look the place over?" "The property is supposed to be available for examination at any time, but after recent trouble the sheriff has asked me to give him a couple of days warning before I send someone out there. I believe he intends to send a deputy along as an escort," Jennings said. "Three days sound about right to me if you can set it up. It'll be best if he's warned, waiting, and mad as hell when I get there," I said. "I'll make sure everything is ready in three days then. Just come by here anytime before noon please." "I'll try to make it ten in the morning three days from now," I said, and Helen and I said our goodbyes and left. "What was all that runaround about Frank?" Helen asked, as soon as we were heading back to the wagons. "Our lawyer is one hell of a lot smarter than we had any right to hope. He saw through our sad tale of woe about Bill and he decided I was just the one to cure his other client's woes. He's sending me to look over the property hoping her husband and I will get into a gunfight." "But how will that help if you don't win?" Helen asked, sounding a little panicky. "I will win, but it won't matter much to him either way. If farmer Brown, or whatever his name is wins he'll probably end up hung by the neck until not interested in breathing any longer. I'm going out there with a deputy escort for a reason. That reason is to make sure I get close enough to get into a gunfight and to make sure farmer Brown is arrested for it if he wins. "Basically we're making a deal. I get rid of the asshole husband and the widow let's me have the place, or nearly so, after it's over. She gets to keep the rest of what she has and I'm sure we'll have to share a little cash to make things go along smoothly." "But how can you be so sure you'll win?" "Jasper and I are going to work on the odds this afternoon, and they'll already be in my favor. He'll have three days to get mad enough he'll only see red. Almost surely he'll be standing on the ground when he tries to draw and I'll still be mounted. Jasper is going to fix me up a holster called a cross draw. When I'm mounted it'll be right above my left hip and I'll only have to swipe my right hand across it to get it in shape to go to work. I'm not saying it's guaranteed, but I wouldn't be betting my life if I didn't think it was a sure thing." I could tell by the look on her face I should have lied to her about the whole thing. She fretted the rest of the way back to the wagons and after she had time to tell the others most of them fretted too. All but Anita in fact. Anita thought it was a great way to get a ranch cheap and she refused to even entertain the idea I might suffer so much as a scratch. At least Helen couldn't get Clarice upset with me. When I took her up she giggled and after I tickled her a little she screamed with laughter and approval. It didn't take long for me to wear her out and put her in the wagon to sleep. During lunch I told Jasper what I needed, if not telling everybody else what I was up to. Since all the women and girls I had carnal knowledge of were in the know by now I figured that was plenty. After we'd eaten, Jasper, Blossum, and I went back to their wagon and after Jasper explained what we were going to make Blossum dug around in their supplies wagon and came out with a perfect piece of leather to do the job. "You draw and shoot from horse no need bullet loops on belt," Blossum said, and then pulled the leather around my waist and had me hold a Remington in place where I thought I wanted it to sit. Jasper looked things over and then took Blossum's job holding the soon to be gunbelt in place while she looked things over herself. Before I knew it she was drawing on the leather with a red crayon of some type. When she'd finished she took some kind of funny looking and surely sharp knife and started cutting. "Now you know my secret," Jasper said. "What secret?" "When it's something important I let Blossum do most of it. I ain't near as good as she is," he said, sounding woeful. "Come on then, iffen she don't need you we'll go have another cup of coffee." ------- Chapter 19 By breakfast time the next morning the women seemed to have settled down. It looked like Anita's work to me and I intended to thank her for the help when I got the chance. She was rewarding me again at the moment by showing me her titties as Clarice nursed. It was easy to see the show was for my benefit while the breakfast was for Clarice's. Jasper and Blossum had something to show me after the meal was over. They must have worked late into the night because my cross-draw gun-belt was ready. I was surprised it was all from one piece of leather instead of the belt and the holster being added together they were all basically one piece cut out to fit me perfectly, and it did. I strapped it on, saddled Bob, and took off a little way back down the road into town. Bob had never showed a tendency to jump or cut up from firing off his back, then again I hadn't done it much. I gave him a little practice and got in some of my own, drawing and firing while sitting in the saddle. I also worked him at turning one way or the other from leg pressure while he was standing still. I felt as confident as I could when I went back and turned him loose. I'd also done a few draws from standing on the ground and I thought the cross-draw was a little faster for me that way too. I wasn't convinced it was, but it did seem to let me acquire the target and a good firing stance more easily. I wasn't going to spend days on end practicing, but I did spend a lot of time with my draw without firing. Hell, it was free and a good outcome was something worth a little time getting familiar with the process. When it came right down to it this was a dangerous stunt I was planning. I intended to wait for the other guy to get his draw started before I put a hand on my pistol. I wanted the deputy to know for sure I didn't have any choice. If I guessed wrong about my opponent's abilities, I could be dead myself and that was something I didn't want. On the morning I was supposed to get things in motion I got up early and ate earlier than usual. I drank plenty of coffee and spent another hour warming up my arm. After that I relaxed until about nine-thirty, then saddled Bob and headed for the lawyer's office. I was sent in to see Don Jennings as soon as I darkened his door. He went over some specifics of the deal, including the balance of what the soon-to-be widow wanted as payment after I'd made her a widow. If the place was as good as I was told the ten thousand dollars would still be money well spent and after learning about the funds Bill had sent to a bank here I knew we could afford it. After Don and I had things mostly ironed out we went to his outer office and there was a deputy sitting in the waiting room part. Don introduced me to Jed Franklin and we went outside and mounted up. Jed told me it was about twelve miles to Jack Dunbarton's place. "Did Mr Jennings tell you anything about Jack?" Jed asked. "Not really." "Well he's a loudmouth, hotheaded, belligerent, an all around Jackass, and a bully to boot. He's going to raise hell about you coming out to look the place over and he might try to get rough over it. That's the reason the Marshal asked Mr Jennings to request a deputy as an escort if someone wanted to look the place over." "Isn't it a little far out to be in the Marshal's bailiwick?" I asked. "Yes, it is, but the Marshal is also a sheriff's deputy and he's mostly over this part of the county too. Just be sure you keep your eyes on Jack while he's ranting and raving. He gets awful mad sometimes when he's trying to plow over a body and they don't get upset and shaky right away." "There may be trouble for sure then. I was invited to a war a few years ago and I ain't too skittish no more." The scene was as advertised when we got there. I knew it would come to a killing before things were finished. It was plain old Jack didn't like my looks. I didn't give a rat's ass and I was more than tired of his shit before he made his fatal mistake. Jed didn't even get watch out out of his mouth before I drilled Jack Dunbarton through his right eye. He fell like a sack of shit and stayed there bleeding. Just to be on the safe side, I pulled out my left hand conversion too, in case some of the hands standing around decided to argue about the way things turned out. One of them walked up to Jack's body and nudged it with his toe. After he convinced himself Jack was really dead he threw his head back and shouted Hallelujah with enough feeling to make a preacher ashamed about his own efforts. It gave me the feeling not many of the hands were going to miss Jack. Jed got down himself and took a look at the body and then climbed back aboard his nag. "I hate to be troublesome Frank, but I'm gonna have to ask you to ride back to town with me and give the Marshal or the clerk a statement. It was plain as day he caused it and tried to draw on you first. I know it means a long trip for nothing, but we need to do it," Jed said. "Well hell Jed, he's already dead and there ain't no rush to send after a doctor or nothing. Can't you give me a few minutes to look the place over?" "I guess that can't hurt nothing. Remus, will you show him around?" Jed asked the one that had shouted. He agreed to and he saddled a buckskin and started off to the south. He told me there were thirty-five hundred acres on the place and that mostly it had come from bought out homesteaders. They had about fifteen hundred head of cattle and nearly three hundred mares along with about a dozen stallions and around a hundred geldings they used on the ranch. "Will you stay on here now that he's dead?" I asked. "If the lady wants me to I will. It's hers now and all the hands like her a hell of a lot better than we did him. She's a good woman and you just did her a good turn. I just want to find out where they bury him so I can slip around and piss on his grave someday," Remus said. I didn't want to get in on that and I sure as hell didn't mention I'd come out here hoping to poke holes in his former boss. Anyway, I let Remus get back to work and Jed and I headed back to town. I went directly back to Jennings office, telling Jed I had to see my lawyer before I made any statements. He didn't like it much but he rode on to the jail I guess. Don Jennings was surprised to see me back so quickly and he said so. "He didn't make me wait before he tried to get his pistol out. I didn't make him wait to get a bullet in the eye neither." "I'm afraid something has come up that makes the deal impossible. The widow Dunbarton has changed her mind and she doesn't want to sell now." Jennings said, renewing my lack of faith in lawyers. "Well, I'm awful sorry to hear that, Mr Jennings, but take my advice and hire you some guards for the next five or six years," I said. "Why? I'm a well-respected man in Oregon City. I don't need any guards," he said, but he quit talking when the muzzle of my Remington found its way inside his open mouth. "It's good you're so well respected. No doubt you'll have a big crowd at your funeral. It's true I was born at night, but it wasn't last night. Enjoy the time you have left because it ain't gonna be long. I just spent a few years killing good old southern boys lately. I was a sniper in the war, and I ain't forgot how to do my job. "Just incase you don't know much about how normal people think, if you run to your Marshal buddy and claim I threatened you I'll have to tell how you engineered this little dustup this morning. You won't be nearly as well respected after the word gets out." "No one will believe trail trash like you?' he said. "Trail trash? You don't keep track of your clients do you? I have a hundred thousand dollars in the First Bank of Oregon City. When I announce I'm donating a brand new church for the Baptist congregation, who do you think the church going people are going to think highly of?" I rapped him on the forehead with the Remington's muzzle and walked out. Bob didn't take five minutes getting me over to the Marshal's office and that fine law officer had my statement and the details of the self-defense taken care of in less than half an hour. He happened to say something about the war, and when I admitted to him I'd fought for the north we got to talking a little bit. Damned if we hadn't fought at some of the same places and for a while we'd been under the command of the same General. We went over to a saloon and I suffered through two drinks with him before heading back to the wagons. The women mobbed me so when I got back Charlie had to tend to Bob. They made me tell 'em the whole story. They laughed about Remus hollering Hallelujah, but then got mad as hell about the lawyer's double cross. "Something's is very wrong here Frank. I went into town this morning and met Sally Dunbarton. She's staying in a hotel. A lot of the things we picked up along the trail were hers. I recognized her name as soon as I heard it. She was the one who signed some of those notes I found in their things we picked up along the way. "I know she wouldn't do anything as backhanded as the lawyer said. She also told me she didn't ask for any money for her place. She just wanted to be rid of her husband so she could get control of the rest of her money," Helen said. "People say a lot of things before they get an unexpected stroke of luck," I said. "Well we can just talk to her about it. That's her carriage driving up right now. I invited her to come and eat lunch with us." I just shook my head and wondered if things could get more complicated. There was nothing for it though, besides I was ready to eat. Turns out I wasn't in such a hurry I didn't have time to admire Sally Dunbarton. She must have been the same age as Helen, or real close anyway. She had a daughter who came with her and she was nearly the same age as Honey, Rebecca, and Elizabeth - maybe a year or two younger. They all got real chummy right away though, including Swallow. The fun part started when Sally and Helen got their heads together over our former lawyer's tricks. "Judge Calhoun warned me I'd have to keep a close eye on Jennings. We need to go see him this afternoon," Sally said, after about an hour's worth of gabbing. "If I have to see him again I'm liable to shoot Don Jennings on the spot." "Oh, not Jennings, Judge Calhoun. He'll know how to straighten this out. He's a nice older gentleman. He has his ways about him, but I'm sure he'll know what to do about Jennings." Damned if Helen and I didn't hop in Sally's carriage with her and we went directly to the Judge's office. We saw Don Jennings sitting in a little waiting area and he was sure as hell surprised to see us with Sally. He hopped up and came over, tying to butt into our conversation with the Judge's secretary. "Don Jennings you get yourself away from me. I've heard what you tried to pull about getting ten thousand dollars from Frank I never asked for. I'm on my way to discuss your misconduct with the Judge right now. I'm sure he won't find your behind-the-back tricks very funny at all," Sally said. "The Judge will see you and your party now Mrs Dunbarton," the secretary broke in to say, and then she showed us to his office. From the way the Judge was on his feet to greet Sally, and Helen and I too, it was apparent she had his ear and his sympathy. He was very patient with her while she told the tale and he quizzed me thoroughly about my part of it. Against my better judgment I told him exactly what went on and the motivation for it. "The details of Jack Dunbarton's death are a little unseemly, but he was an unseemly man and I've already heard from the Marshal and Jed. No matter what you were hoping to do, Jack is the one who forced you to do it, and for that matter I approve for Sally's sake. "I've always known Don Jennings was a scab on the face of Lady Justice and now you've brought me enough to get him removed, and I thank you for that too," Judge Calhoun said. He got up and went to a back door out of his office. There was a boy waiting there on a little bench and the Judge handed him a note he'd just finished writing and sent him on his way. "Let's put this sorry business behind us now and wait until the Marshal does his job. He'll let us know as soon as he has Don Jennings in custody and it will give the three of you time to go out and laugh at him if you want to. I certainly am," Judge Calhoun said, and got started on the laughter right then. Sure enough, about fifteen minutes later there were some loud voices in the outer office and then a knock on the door. When the Judge called out "come in" - his secretary opened the door and told us the Marshal had Don Jennings corralled and wanted the Judge to know it. We all went out and there was an inspiring sight in the office. Don Jennings was sitting on his ass on the floor. He had a bloody nose and was wearing handcuffs and leg-irons. Jed was on one side of him and another deputy was on the other and they were both smiling. Don Jennings started hollering something at the Judge then, or he tried to. "Gag him and get him out of my office and into a cell. If someone wants him out the bail is set at a hundred thousand dollars, cash," the Judge said, and we all laughed after that. "Now, my dear Sally, I have to get back to work. It looks like you've found some good friends and I think you should spend some time getting to know them. Later today I'll see about finding you a respectable lawyer. One that understands I'll have him in jail if he tries to pull anything." We went back out, boarded the carriage, and were back at our wagons in nearly no time. ------- Chapter 20 I was pretty happy with the way things had turned out so far, or at least I thought I was. Seeing Jennings go to jail for trying to fuck me and the widow both wasn't quite as satisfying as performing the death penalty myself, but it was imminently more practical and I doubt he'd find a long prison sentence very much more to his liking. There was always the chance he'd get out of it someway, but that would probably be just as well. Even if he didn't get sent to prison he was still shit out of luck as a lawyer here in Oregon City and if I kept my eyes and ears open there was a chance I'd find out which way he headed as he left town in shame. I'd thought we'd had enough excitement in town, but Helen and the others hadn't. Anita, Mary, and Helga had already presided over packing up everything we had. They were waiting for us to get back so we could all head out to Sally's home. I guessed we'd wrassle out who was going to end up with it after we got there. Charlie even had Bob saddled and waiting, and Sally sent her driver back to somewhere, then she and Samantha climbed into the lead wagon with Mary, Anita, and Helga. It would have been a pretty good day's travel when we were still on the trail, but the twelve miles went fast on an improved road and we pulled in about an hour after sunset. Remus came up to see what was going on, but when he saw Sally climbing from the lead wagon a smile split his face and he didn't ask any questions. "I'm so happy to see you Remus. I've really missed you and the others while I was staying in town. Can you round up some men to put the stock somewhere close and a few more to help us carry some things into the house? We'll leave most of it out here in the wagons tonight. We can tend to it in the morning," Sally said, and Remus agreed at once. Apparently the hands did like Sally a lot better than they'd liked Jack because not a one of them were put out over having to work after dark. I joined right in with them, but when Remus asked me about what to take where, I told him the women were running this show and I was just here to help step and fetch. Most of the men laughed at that and sure enough Sally and Helen were giving orders quickly. The house was a big one and clean inside too. That was a surprise since I figured Jack Dunbarton wasn't all that tidy. Turned out I was right about that too. The reason for the nice appearance of the house was Juanita, and older Spanish lady who was good at that sort of thing. She was probably a good cook too and she seemed like she sampled a lot of her own work. Sally and Juanita had a tearful reunion as soon as Juanita came out to see what all the noise was. When they quit hugging and patting each other's backs Sally introduced us all to Juanita and then she headed into the kitchen and stoked up the fire in her cast iron stove. "I have food before long. I see you must be man of house now and I see you like food. We get along fine you no hit Mrs Sally," she said. "If I did my Daddy would ride all the way up here from Texas and strap my ass for it." "Good. Texas man. We have no trouble. We understand each other," Juanita said, and then grinned. To tell the truth I wasn't so sure about being man of the house since I didn't know what the women had cooked up or were planning. That didn't mean I was going to argue with a cook who was getting started on a meal. We'd traveled right through suppertime after all. About then Mary came in and I introduced her to Juanita. Mary wanted to help with the cooking and Juanita said she could this time and they'd talk it over tomorrow. I knew better than to get involved with a quarrel between cooks, so I gave Mary a good pat on the ass and went to see if I could find a dining table. It was easy to spot since it was in a real live dining room and damned if it wasn't plenty big enough for all of us and more. Come to think of it the table reminded me of the china cabinet we'd found on the trail. I was about to grab a chair and sit down when Sally and Helen made me come and sit at the head of the table where the two were seated across from each other and leaving the main chair empty. I smelled something going on, but I had a hint it was going to turn out for my benefit so I did what they wanted. The two of them, along with Anita and Helga were going on about how wonderful things would be with us all living here together. I'll admit I thought it would be a lot handier than going to sleep in a different wagon every night, but I wasn't paying that much attention. I didn't really concentrate on anything much until the food and some coffee appeared and of course I put my full attention to it when it came within my reach. Juanita and Mary had done a bang up job on short notice, but for once I didn't stuff in every single mouthful I could, and it was a lucky thing. As soon as the meal was over Sally had Samantha show Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Honey to their new bedroom, which they would be sharing with Samantha. Sally then showed Jasper, Blossum, and Swallow to a room and then showed Charlie and Nadine to another one. The house was big and there was a separate room for Jr and another one for Jimmy and Cara. Sally saved the big surprise for last though. What she called the Master bedroom took up one complete end of the large ranch house and it had a giant bed. She told us it had been her bedroom but said she'd move her things into Jack former room. Before I could get a word out Helen elbowed me in the rib so hard even I got the hint. "Sally, I'd never put you out of your own bed, especially since I want to get into it with you. How do you feel about becoming my next wife and joining the others? I know the law says I can only marry one woman, but there's no law says what we can or can't do inside our own home," I said, and managed not to drool Sally didn't say a word, she just smiled and started off with her clothes and the others copied her actions. I was still wondering if this lucky streak I was riding was going to turn to shit someday, but at the moment I started shucking clothes myself. Sally was a beautiful mature woman, like Helen. She had plenty of titty, a gorgeous ass, and a slim but well toned body. I figured new pussy deserved the first shot so I went directly to her when I was naked and pulled her to me for our first kiss. She took a tight grip with her arms around me and she didn't even squeal much when I tumbled us onto the bed. It didn't take much kissing, sucking, and feeling to get Sally wet down below and almost before I could believe it my knees were between hers and I was wedging her thighs apart. My dickhead found her warm wet slit and when I pushed she gobbled me up. We didn't get to fuck alone though because with plenty of room in the big bed, women were kissing all over the both of us as we pumped. Mary came in the door just as I got it up Sally good and she had to get a move on to catch up. Before I knew it there was a black face sucking on a white titty and Sally seemed about to swoon. She let us know she was one of us for sure when she howled like a wolf when her stomach muscles clinched and it caused me to give her what I'd been pumping for. Later, it was obvious this was Sally's first time with fucking as a team sport, but she was visibly excited about it and enthusiastic to boot. She nearly fainted when Helga put her mouth to her pussy looking for places to lick and suck and she was amazed when Anita latched her lips to my deflating pole and started sucking life back into it. She blushed crimson while Helen told her that I'd be putting that big things up her ass before long. "Oh it's all so wonderful since you're here now Frank, and you're just in time too. Samantha turns fourteen next week and what a wonderful present you're going to be. I'll bet the other youngsters have her panting over you already," Sally said. Things degenerated into a fuck fest after that, and any time my member flagged I recalled what Sally had said about Samantha and it gave me strength to go on. The next morning I was the last one out of bed and the room was even empty. I washed myself up a little in the face bowl and after dressing I moved on intending to go outside and find a privy. Anita spotted me and came over. "Looking for the privy?" "As a matter of fact I was." "You just left it, come on, I'll show you. It surprised me too, but it is nice," she said, leading me back into the bedroom. She opened a door and showed me what she called the bathroom, and I guess that's what it was. They had a long cast iron tub for bathing and it had spigots at one end where you let water in. There was also a real toilet in there. I'd heard of them before but it was the first one I'd ever seen. Anita left me to discover the way to use it on my own, but it was easy to figure out. I finished my business and found a chain hanging from a tank type thing above my head. When I pulled the chain the evidence disappeared. For a second I wondered where it was going, but decided I didn't really want to know. It was easy enough to find the place to reload. I already had the path to the dining room burned into my memory. My empty chair was waiting for me and when I sat Sally poured me a cup of coffee and Juanita brought me a big plate of breakfast. I nearly stood up to shout my happiness when I saw four fried eggs and three cathead biscuits on the plate with the sausage patties and a young hill of bacon. I was even more delighted when I spied the mason jar of strawberry preserves. Juanita was surprised at the speed I started packing it in and she just stood there smiling and watching for a few minutes. I could see she didn't need for me to slow down and tell her how good it was. My actions were proof of what I thought about her cooking. When I couldn't eat anymore I headed outside to see if I could salvage any of the day. Sally came with me and she spoke to Remus as soon as he showed up. "Remus, Frank owns this place now, but I'll be staying here as part of his family. You two will have to form your own working relationship, but I don't have a worry at all that you can get along," Sally said, and then left us. "Well that pretty much leaves us on our own as far as getting along don't it Remus." "I know how to take orders as well as the next man," he said, and sounded like he was trying to get huffy. "We're in trouble then, cause I don't know hardly nothing about giving orders and I worked on a ranch but I've never run one. Wasn't you the foreman here?" I asked. "That's what Jack called me but he was the one that gave all the orders." "Well, I'm pretty sure he ain't gonna be doing no more of that. You're gonna have to take care of it now, and don't be coming to me for my ideas every ten minutes cause I can give you my whole run down right here. "Keep raising cows but we won't be selling any for a while. If you need anything you can come and ask me to get it for you. Pick out the best fifty or so mares you have and breed 'em to Bob as they come in. If you know of any of the stallions that ain't putting good colts on the mares bring him up and let me look at him. "I want to raise cows to pay the bills and horses cause I like horses. We're gonna weed out the stallions and mares that don't give good colts and try to get others that will." "Can you tell me why we won't be selling cattle for a while?" he asked. "Yep. The railroad is going to come through before long and it'll connect from coast to coast. We're going to wait until we find out the closest place where buyers set up shop. We'll figure out the best way there and it'll be where we end up selling the cattle." "I know he's gone and you're running the show now, but Jack was selling quite a few cows to the army and to Indian agents," Remus said. "Well, if they're paying good money we will too if they still want some, but beeves will bring a lot more money after we can sell them to buyers from back east. I've been on the eating end of the beef the army buys before and it couldn't have been much when it was walking around. I see good fat cattle out there and they'll bring more money for dinner tables than for soldiers and reservation Indians. Sooner or later as the railroads spread out the drives will get shorter and shorter too. "If you get a chance to sell some cattle for a good price with only a short drive let me know about it and we'll decide. We ain't got to turn 'em over quick now though, cause I've got the money to hold 'em until we get a good price. "That reminds me of something else, how's the food here and how's the pay?" "Our food is good. We got a good trail cook and he don't mind doing his job. He could use a helper or two though. The pay is ok too. We never lost many hands over that." "Well I guess you know your men. Let any of them that ain't worth what they draw go, and tell the ones you're keeping they're getting a five dollar a month raise. Tell yourself you're getting a twenty dollar a month raise. If you've got any sure enough top hands give them a ten dollar raise. Might as well have the cook round up some helpers too. I like good food and plenty of it and the hands probably do too." "How many of 'em should I keep and how many top hands can I give the ten dollar raise to?" he asked, looking like he thought he smelled a trap. "Hell Remus, I just said you were the foreman. If you say every damned man here is a top hand I ain't gonna argue with you, but when they get the raise I want them to be top hands and you don't need me to tell you the difference. "Now, have one of them catch me the best horse on the place that no one has spoken for. I want to see if y'all are training them worth a shit." He grinned big at that and I really hoped he was dong what I thought he was. Twenty minutes later he and two other men came up. One of them was leading a big gray stallion. I felt bad about it's color cause it looked like a fine horse, and grays were bad about coming up with skin cancers after a few years. "Ok boys. You done just what I hoped. Now, which one of you wants to ride him and show me what he can do?" Remus just howled with laughter right away and the other two looked like they'd taken a bite of a cow patty and had to swallow it or else. "I told you two dumb asses he'd never fall for it, but you just couldn't help yourselves. He'll show you want he can do all right Frank. He can make you use five men to get a saddle on him and he can throw your ass higher than the top of that windmill if you can ever get on his back. "He acts fine if you just put a halter on him and want to lead him somewhere, but he ain't interested in any further cooperation," Remus said, and laughed at the other two again after he introduced me to Bill and Scotty. "Ok, now that you two know even I ain't that dumb, I'm going to learn you something. I'm guessing this horse ain't been bothered much about his ill manners because he puts good colts on the ground. Am I right?" "Hit the nail right on the head. He's worth more with his dick than any two horses on the place are working full time," Bill said. "Does he put that gray on many of the foals?" "Not many, but some. He's a smart bastard too and he puts that on foals too," Scotty said. "I 'spect he's worth the trouble to get the dick work out of 'em. I don't guess you keep any horses in stalls do you?" "Naw, Jack didn't never do that?" Remus said. "Have we even got a stall we can put him in?" "Not really." "Well I've done lied to you this morning Remus cause I am gonna tell you something to do. I want a big stall for this one. What's his name anyway?" "We call him Frank?" Remus said, and then couldn't help but laugh. "I guess it must really be what you call him since if you'd known I was coming you'd have named a Jackass Frank. Well, call some hands and clean out enough from for a sixteen by sixteen stall for Frank in the barn closest to the house. I want a twelve-foot post at least a foot through too. I'll show you where to put it. "I ain't being nosey just for the practice, but could you give us a hint what this is all about?" Scotty asked. "Hell, ain't nothing I like better than explaining my good ideas. If Frank puts as good'a foals on the ground as y'all claim he's worth more than the whole damned barn I pointed out. After I see it with my own eyes I might build him a barn of his own and hire boys to fan him so's he don't get too hot on summer days. "The bad part is that gray color. It looks pretty but I've seen a lot of gray horses die young from skin cancer." "That's the damned truth. I've seen that since I was a kid," Bill said. "Well Frank is worth more money than you'd think and I hope keeping him out of the sun so much will keep him from getting any skin cancer. Maybe it won't, but it don't cost much to try it. I want him close to the house so I won't have far to come out and mess with him or far to limp back when he throws me." They all laughed at me over that, and Remus asked if they could build a little grandstand so people could have a place to sit and watch when I tried. It made me laugh too. "Hell, Remus, I didn't know you liked to build so much. There's gonna be a little building going on. Have we got a real carpenter working here?" I asked. "Nope. We got a couple of hands can drive nails without bending many but no real carpenter," Remus said. "You know one we might hire?" "I know of two or three that might like a full time job since Jack is gone," he said. Well that let's you out of ranching today. Saddle up and bring us one back. Hell, hire all three of 'em if you can. That bunkhouse looks a little crowded to me and I think I will build a barn to keep the stallions in. Scotty and Bill took off when Remus did. Scotty to find some hands to move hay and build the stall and Bill to get the long post, some post hole diggers and some men to help install the hole. ------- Chapter 21 Somehow I'd ended up with Frank's lead rope in my hand so I thought I could at least lead him around a little and see how he acted. I said get and headed off. He followed without complaint so I said whoa and he stopped. He took and extra step but he did stop. I did it again and Frank showed me he was paying attention, because he stopped exactly when I said whoa this time. I taught him gee and haw without much more trouble and I was pleased so far. I found a handy hitching rail, tied him to it, and then stood beside him in about the same position I'd be if I were about to mount. Instead of trying it I just laid my arm across his back. He tensed up a little, but didn't blow up. I left my arm there for a few minutes and then walked off leaving him tied. Apparently he knew all about being tied and he stood still without pulling against the lead. There were a couple of chairs on the back porch so I sat in one and just watched him. Fifteen minutes later he still hadn't cut up, so I decided he knew that drill at least. After walking back over beside him I lay my arm even farther over his back and he tensed up again, but still didn't do anything radical. It was beginning to come to me that no one had ever tried any thing except gathering enough men to hold him still, putting on a saddle, and then holding him tighter until someone got aboard. My guess was everyone turned loose then and maybe one of them even swatted him on the ass to get things started. It was an ignorant way to break a horse, but it mostly worked sooner or later. If it didn't the horse usually ended up breaking some of the cowboy's bones or some of its own. No doubt Jack had at least known enough about this one to give up and save him for good breeding stock. Hell, this might be easier than I thought. Bill showed back up with two other men with him then. He put Johnny to work digging the posthole and Okey to work watching, and then switching out with Johnny every little bit. I had Bill show me where the tack was stored while they dug. Coming back with only a saddle blanket, I walked directly to Frank and rubbed it all over him from front to back and then side to side. I even covered his head with it for about two minutes then started in again. Johnny and Okey were watching me as close as they could, but trying to keep me from catching them at it. I just draped the blanket over Frank as if the saddle was coming next and let him be for a while. He'd gotten accustomed to the blanket from me sacking him out with it earlier, but he tensed up and shivered when I put it in place like I was about to put a saddle on top of it. He settled down in a few minutes and seemed none the worse for the experience. I left him standing there and went into the house. There was a good bit of a cluster fuck under way, but it wasn't the type I was so fond of. I was looking for Blossum though and found Jasper and her right away. They were coming out of their room and no doubt they'd just delivered some of their things. "I know you two haven't gone into business officially yet, but I need some tack they don't have here. I came to see if you happened to have it in your wagon?" "What'cha needin'?" Jasper asked. "Jauquima. I need a sixteen-strand leather bosal on a rawhide core, a braided headstall, and a fiador. I don't guess there's a chance in hell you've got a real mane-hair mecate. "Damned if we don't. Is it trained to ride at all yet?" Jasper asked. "Naw. It's a hell of a horse though and worth the trouble to do it right, I think." "Probably want the thickest mecate then. If it's a grown horse and ain't trained yet I see some doublin' in your future. Can you tie the mecate?" he asked. "I can sooner or later, but it would probably take me a couple of days." "Blossum can do it in a jiffy. I never have been able to myself. Where is this horse?" Jasper asked. "He's tied to that hitchin' rack by the closest barn. He stands tied fine, but it looks to me like they tried to cowboy him out and he didn't take to it. They say he's the best stallion on the place so they quit trying. Probably scared he'd break something or break up a cowboy." "Let's go look." The three of us headed that way and Jasper liked what he saw. Even Blossum seemed impressed. "I don't think he's no better'n the one you rode in on. Near 'bout good as though. He's a good horse," Jasper said. "Steel dust maybe little better. Not much though. I fix jauquima tonight. Maybe afternoon and make Jasper do all work moving," Blossum said, and then laughed at Jasper and the sour look he gave her. "You're gettin' the easy part. I ain't got a saddle that'll fit 'em right. Gonna have to make one," Jasper said, and they went back to the moving. Frank hadn't shook the blanket off so I went back to the tack room and found a half scroungy double-rigged saddle. It didn't look like much, but I was only going to use it to saddle him, and I didn't even consider trying to ride him with it. I carried it out and set it down by the hitchin' rack and started removing the girths and latigo straps all around. One of the hands I didn't know was walking back toward the new stall construction carrying some lumber over his shoulder. He stopped, stared at me, the saddle, and Frank. "How the hell you gonna break him without no girths?" he asked, obviously curious as he could be. "I don't break horses. I train 'em to let me ride." "Huh, what's the difference?" he asked. "I don't get my ass throwed near as much," I said. "I ain't never heared of anything like that." "You like gettin' throwed then?" "Not much." "Maybe you'd better watch what I do when you ain't busy," I said, as I tied the off stirrup to the pommel so it wouldn't slap Frank on that side when I put it on him. The hand walked on and I picked the saddle up again. Frank's eyes went a little wide, but he wasn't in a panic yet. I didn't try to put it on his back right away because I could tell he was remembering past encounters with something similar. I just eased my way over and pushed it against him lightly. He sniffed it and then snorted pretty loud, but that's all the fuss he made for now. I kept at it for a while. Brushing it against him and them backing off slowly. Soon enough I stretched things out until I could rub him with it almost anywhere without him even stepping aside. That was enough for now so I put the saddle on the hitching rack, untied his rope and led him off for some more halter work - with plenty of gets, whoas, gees, and haws. Bill and Okey had the big post planted and tamped down good by now so I tied Frank to it. He didn't need it since he already knew the only lesson it was really good for, but it wouldn't hurt anything. I left the blanket on his back and wondered if he'd shake or pull it off. I headed into the house then since I thought Juanita might have some more food ready before long. Remus knocked on the door behind me before I even got away from it so I opened it back up. "Did you find 'em already Remus?" "Shore did, they was all at one of 'em's house talking about places to look for work." "Did you hire 'em?" "I forgot to ask you how much you'd pay so they just come back with me," he said. I went out to talk to the three and hired them. I let them name the price of fifty a month and one meal a day. They all had wives who fixed their breakfast and supper. "What do you need built?" John Birch asked. "You ready to start?" "We didn't bring our tools with us, but we can go back and get 'em pretty quick." "Naw, just bring 'em in the morning and I'll figure out what I want first." "First?" "Yeh, there'll be plenty of work for you here. I know for sure I want one barn and maybe two. I'll need a bigger bunkhouse too." "That's good news. We'll be here at sunrise," John said. "Don't come that early tomorrow unless you just want to sit around and drink coffee. I doubt I'll come out of the house before seven thirty." "We'll come early. Cookie makes good coffee," he said, and they headed off. By the time I made it to the table the food was just starting around. It was even better this time and I did my part. Hell, I deserved it after spending the morning actually doing something constructive. It was back outside to work for me after the meal. I wasn't even near done getting started with Frank yet. He was holding up his end of the deal though, still standing there calmly with the blanket still in place. Just about then a young cowboy picked up the piece of shit saddle off the hitchin' rack and headed for Frank with it. "Hold on there. Where you going with that saddle?" I asked, shouting, but not as loud as I could. "I'm gonna saddle that gray and see if he pitches high as I've heard." "No you ain't. Put the saddle back where you found it and get back to work." "What you gonna do if I don't? Fire me?" "No, I'm not gonna fire you. That wouldn't teach your dumb ass a thing. I'm going to whup your ass all over this ranch." I said, and it stumped him for a second. "I quit then." "Fine, put the saddle back where you found it and get gone." He dropped the saddle on the ground and started to walk off then. I knew there were probably six or seven hands scattered around watching and that meant this was more important than just losing one cowhand. I moved in front of him and he stopped, glaring at me. "Put that saddle back where you found it." "I told you I quit. I ain't doing a damned thing you say," he said. "And I ain't letting you come out here to draw pay and cause trouble anytime you want then walk off without cleaning up the last mess you made." "Damned if I won't," he said, and I hit him with a good right hand just nearly to the top of his breastbone. It knocked him straight back on his ass. I already thought something funny was going on, but I knew it was when he tried to get his pistol out while still on the ground. Either that or he was just stupid to the bone. I had mine out and in his face before he even had a good hold of his. "I wasn't going to kill you for it, but if you want me to so bad I will. Throw that pistol over there toward Okey and he'll hold it for you until I'm done." He didn't have much choice and Okey walked over to keep the gun from being thrown around. He took it out of the holster himself and walked away backward. "Now, you still got a choice. Either get up and put that saddle back where you found it or stand up and take the ass whuppin' you got coming if you don't." He got up, picked up the saddle, and took it back to the hitch rail, putting it back where it had been. "Remus. Is this hand worth his pay?" I asked, knowing he was one of the bystanders by now. "He's a good hand when we got plenty to do, and he can ride and rope good," Remus said. "Well, have a talk with him about his manners if he don't leave, then try to keep him in plenty of work. Might as well tell the others not to mess with the gray unless me or you tell 'em too. "That's a damned good horse, but it's gonna take more than the cowboy way to get him to carry a rider. We can still put him with mares to earn his keep, but we ain't got time for cowboys that don't pay no attention to the boss. "We can't make money on their fucking like we can the gray's," I said, and then walked over to the post where Frank was tied and started messing with him again. I was still listening to Remus as he talked to Herbert, the one I'd just had the dustup with. "I don't think he'd a really shot me," Herb said. "Neither did Jack," Remus said, and that was the last I heard about it since they walked off somewhere. The rest of the little crowd remembered something they needed to be doing, elsewhere, and Frank and I had the area to ourselves for a while. I pulled the blanket off him and gave him another good going over with it. I rubbed it over him everywhere again, but didn't do it as slowly and carefully as I had the first time. Twenty minutes of it and it didn't bother him no matter what I did with the blanket. Probably I was rushing things a little, but I put the saddle blanket back in place and went to fetch the saddle again. I was still careful with it at first, but nearly an hour later he didn't pay much more attention to it than he had the blanket at the last. He did look around when I finally plopped it down on his back, but he was mostly waiting for what came next. Nothing came next. Not right away anyhow. I left it on him and went back into the house. Most of the confusion of ranch hands stepping and fetching with clothes, boxes, and whatever else the women needed toted was over. Helen, Helga, Sally, and Anita were in the dining room fussing over the china cabinet and mirror we'd picked up on the trail. The mirror was in place and Helga and Anita were cleaning it under Juanita's watchful eye. Sally and Helen were unpacking the dishes and silverware and there was a small mountain of paper and rags growing bigger every time they unwrapped something. "Sally, what can you tell me about Remus?" I asked. "What do you mean? He's been the best hand here for two or three years." "Is he honest?" "As the day is long." "I think we should give him some money to take care of small things he might need to pay out. Like if he wants to fire somebody so he can pay 'em off without sending 'em to the house or something." "It would be a very good idea. It would save us trouble and it would reinforce his position among the other hands. What you're really saying is, you'd feel better after you whipped a cowboy's ass if you could just have him see Remus to draw his pay," she said, and giggled. "Well, yeh. That did occur to me a little while ago. I just didn't know y'all knew about it." "Every one of us was at some window somewhere. I'm glad you didn't have to kill Herbert though. He's usually such a nice boy, but he does get in moods. I'm pretty sure he'll be trying harder not to around you from now on," she said, and all of them in there laughed a little this time, including Juanita. "Aw, what he was intending wasn't such a bad thing. He's probably heard about how bad the gray has acted and actually thought it would be a help if he rode him. I'd a let him try if I wasn't making good progress already. Besides, I knew damned well he couldn't get the job done. "I don't think the gray will really mind carrying a rider, but the way they've been trying just scares hell out of him for some reason. When you get a horse cornered and it can't see a good way out it will fight. You have to show some of them there's no reason to." "You sure show boy there no profit to fight with you," Helga said, and they all laughed again. "It's pretty hard to buffalo a man that's been in a war if you're only carrying one pistol and ain't very big either. He might have got my attention with a cavalry charge, but he's a little light in the ass to be swapping fist with me." "You mucho hombre Frank. Sit. Juanita have pie, coffee. You need treat," Juanita said, and made my afternoon. Hell, I sat. The apple pie was hot and delicious and the coffee was fresh and even hotter. I'd just finished when Mary came over and whispered in my ear that Jim wanted to talk to me outside. I got up and went to the back door, feeling ashamed of myself all the way. Things had been a little hectic since we got here, but I should have known Jim would need watching out for. I hadn't even made sure he had a place to sleep. "Howdy Jim." "Afternoon, Mr Frank." "You gone back to calling me that? I thought I asked you nice not to do it. Where you been sleeping since we got here?" "In the wagon, and that's what's got me worried. The foreman moved them off somewhere," he said. "Where you want to sleep Jim. You got a place in mind?" I asked, knowing he wanted my permission. "I just don't know Frank. It'll cause trouble fo sho if I sleeps in the bunkhouse. Maybe I could stay by that gray you been working with, somebody oughta be in a barn horses stays all night in. They ain't got sense enough to come out if it catches fire or sumpin'." "Maybe so, but I don't want you sleeping in a barn unless you're bound and determined to. I know we have some empty rooms in this big house. Besides, you haven't showed up for meals neither," I said. "Mr Cookie is a good cook and he don't mind me eatin' with the other hands." "That may be Jim, but it don't give me no time to talk to you in the morning. What if I need you to do something?" "I been wondering what you wanted me to do here. You didn't tell me nothing to take care of." "Well, lets take care of where you're going to sleep first. I'm gonna let you decide that, even if I am gonna want you to start eating your meals in the big house with us," I said, and I could tell just the thought of it was making him nervous. "Well, what about me staying in the barn to watch out for that gray then? That's a fine horse. Near 'bout as good as the one you got from that Indian. We really should put Bob and Red in the barn too. They done a good job getting us here." "Ok, if you can fix you up a spot for tonight stay with the gray. Some real carpenters are coming in the morning and I'll have them build you a nice room in there with a door out the side too. That can serve until I get a nicer barn built for all the stallions. "You just take care of the gray and Bob and Red when we get them some stalls built. Let me know when it gets to be too much work and we'll get you a helper. Now, you go check on the gray's stall and I'm going into the house to tell all the girls where they can find you incase you forget to show up for supper," I said, and went back in the house. Back in the dining room I gave the word to the women in there about Jim and his sneak away from eating with the white folks ways. Mary said we'd never get it out of him, but she promised to make sure somebody went for him if he ever failed to show up. "Must he sleep in the barn? I know he's a darky, but we've got extra rooms in the house and I didn't think you were like that," Sally said. Mary and Helen just howled when she finished and it confused Sally. Honey didn't laugh as loud, but she and the twins did giggle a lot. "Frank killed my husband when he tried to whip Jim before we even started on the trail here and he killed a man in Independence for insulting Mary. Frank isn't like you seem to think about where Jim sleeps. Jim is the one that doesn't want to sleep in the house. He's probably wishing he'd never mentioned a place to sleep at all, because now he's caught out and has to eat with us," Helen said. "Oh. I see. We'll just have to make him more comfortable around us without making it obvious we are. You'd best make it plain to the carpenters that he needs a nice room out there," Sally said, and I nodded in agreement. "Is there a place in Oregon City where we can buy some more bathtubs and some of those fancy indoor stools?" I asked. "Yes, and that's a good idea. Jim isn't the only one that needs a place to bathe, if he does. I've seen him a couple of times and he seems to keep himself cleaner than most of the other hands already," Sally said. "He probably keeps himself cleaner than me for that matter," I said, just as Charlie walked in. ------- Chapter 22 "Charlie, what have you done with your dogs? I haven't seem 'em since we got here," I asked. "Ain't no wonder. You done taken up banker's hours and I've had them roamin' round at night. Kinda spooked Remus and the others at first but I tolt 'em the dogs was yourn and you wanted them watchin' things while you was asleep. They ain't even bit anyone over prowlin' around after dark, yet," Charlie said, and grinned like a fool. "Well, Jim's taking up residence in that closest barn tonight. He's gets along with 'em don't he?" "Hell, they'd chew up you or me either one if we gave Jim any grief. They love Jim since he's allus sneaking 'em some treats from the Cookie's leftovers. You won't hear none of your other hands calling Jim a nigger neither, not if they think there's any chance the dogs can hear 'em. "Jim don't never say a word when he hears such as that, but it makes him flinch just a little. The dogs don't miss things like that and by now they growl low in their throats when they hear it. Most sane people don't want dogs that big making mean noises at 'em." "I don't blame 'em and it won't hurt if they all learn some manners," I said. "Naw, it won't. It'll save a lot of wear on you too. You won't have to kick every ass you see." He had me there, but I really didn't know another way to deal with men. If they worked for you they were supposed to do what I told them too and stop doing what I told them to stop doing. I understood there were limits to the kind of cooperation I could expect; then again they had to understand the limits of their situation too. Unless we'd crossed into some strange new country during the wagon trip I thought these types of things were pretty much understood by everyone, and to my way of thinking they should be. I knew for damned sure Jack hadn't let these guys run around doing what they wanted to do all day long and I didn't mean for the raise I gave them to give them the idea they could start now. I wondered if I should have a talk with Remus about it. If Herb was any example it looked like I'd either have to talk to Remus or whip every ass on the place. I figured the next best step for me - to make sure I didn't have to fight every time some ranch hand was on his monthly - was to keep a dog with me most of the time. I asked Charlie to come outside and call the dogs. I needed to make friends with at least one of them, and I told Charlie what I thought about it. "That's a damned good idea, and I think Buster is the dog for you." "Buster?" "Good enough a name for 'em ain't it? Didn't have no way to know what they been callin' him and he must not a liked it anyways cause he wouldn't tell me neither. I named him Buster." "I can't argue with that. Where is he now?" "Buster," Charlie screamed, and what I remembered as the biggest male of the whole bunch came running. "Buster, this here's Frank. You're his dog now. He'll be feeding you and giving the marching orders. You keep an eye on him," Charlie said, as if the dog could understand, and when Buster looked me right in the eyes I thought he just might. "Come on in Buster," I said, and held the door open so he could. Juanita gave me such a look when we came to the kitchen door so I had to explain Charlie had given Buster to me and I was supposed to feed him now so he'd watch my back. "Have you got a little treat I can give him?" I asked. "Dog name Buster? Dog watch out for you? I give food you feed him," she said, and then walked outside to the smoke house while we followed. Juanita walked out of it with a big ham bone that had a good bit of ham left on it and handed it to me. "Sit there and give it Buster. Pet him on head while he eats ham and then he hide bone. Buster like you good from the start," she said, and then walked back into the kitchen while I sat in the chair she pointed to, gave Buster the bone, and petted his head. There was no telling whether this would work as well as Charlie and Juanita seemed to think, but I was pretty sure it couldn't hurt. I know Buster really appreciated the hambone and he wagged hell out of his tale while he ate it. It didn't take him long to get most of the meat off and then he picked up the bone and poked it under the edge of the house. "Come on Buster, come along and I'll introduce you to the other Frank," I said, and led him to the stall. Someone had put plenty of hay in Frank's manger and his water barrel was nearly full. He perked up when we came in though and in a second he and Buster were looking each other over. Frank put his neck over the gate then and he and Buster sniffed each other's noses. I guess it would have to do since there was no way Buster could get high enough to sniff Frank's ass. Suppertime was close enough for me and so I headed to the house. Buster seemed like he wanted to come along so I let him. Sure enough all the usual suspects were hanging around in the dining room. The women wanted to know what Buster was doing in the house, and when I gave them the tale I was astonished they didn't think I was nuts. They all went over to pet Buster on the head and tell him he was doing a good job already. I was a little confused by their acceptance, but at least I knew better than to argue about it. Especially when Buster came over to lie right beside my chair when I sat down. I didn't know who had trained this dog, but I knew someone had and it wasn't the Indians either. I'd have bet money right then he'd let his bladder burst before he peed in the house. I just hoped he made sure to let me know when he needed to go out. When we headed for bed that night Buster came with us and he lay beside it all night long I guess. One thing Buster did change was what time I got up and out in the mornings. I knew he needed to go outside worse than I needed to pee in the moorning, so we took a little stroll around before sunup. All he did was go piss on a tree and then we went back inside so I could use the facilities myself and get dressed. When I was dressed for the day I headed toward the dining room, but Juanita signaled me and in the kitchen she pointed to a big tin bowl of scraps. Buster and I went outside so he could have his breakfast first. After I had mine Buster and I went to see Frank and Jim. The carpenters came rolling up in their building wagon I guess you could call it, but I wasn't sure if it was theirs or John Birch's since he was driving it while Catfish Johnson and Squiggly were riding horses. After we finished howdying we went in the barn and I explained about Jim's new residence. They were a little surprised about the level of quality I made them understand I wanted. They looked especially dubious when I told them about the shitter and bathtub they needed to leave room for in Jim's bathroom. The youngest, Squiggly, couldn't keep his tongue under control for the whole thing. "I ain't going to all that much trouble to build a fancy room for no nigger," he said, and kinda loud. Buster did what dogs that were upset did best. He bit a chunk out of Squiggly's ass. I laughed at the turd head until he pulled out his hammer as if to hit Buster. He put it down slowly when he noticed the big hole in the end of my Remington conversion was pointed at his face. "You hit my dog and you'll die where you are. I didn't call you out here to discuss what kind of accommodations I wanted for a faithful friend that come all the way across the country with me, and that word don't get yelled around here neither, as Buster pointed out to you. Now, get your ass off my place and don't never come on it again 'less you're ready for your last hole." "You can't just fire me for that," he said. "I can't? I already have and you're working on a whuppin' to go with it. Get your ass away from here now," I said, and eared back the hammer on my pistol. "All right. Let's go then," he said, looking at the other two. "I ain't going a damned place, but to work unless you've ruined it for all of us. I got a wife and kids to feed and I don't give a shit what I need to build or for who. You do what you need to, but I'm going to see if I still got a job," John said. "Me too," Catfish added. The turd head walked off then, went to where he'd tied his horse, mounted up, and left. "I'm sorry about that Frank. Squiggly's always had a smart mouth," John said. "It worked out fine this way as far as I'm concerned. It's hard to do a good job when you don't want to do what you're doing. It's plain he needs to find somebody that'll pay him fifty a month to tell them what they should be doing. I wish him luck," I said, while John and Catfish laughed. For the next hour I explained what I wanted John and Catfish to do, including Jim's room, two more stalls in this barn, the new bunkhouse with bathrooms in it, and then a new stallion barn with at least twenty stalls and more of a house on it for Jim since he'd be moving into it. "I ain't complaining about the work, hell, I'm happy to have it, but we really ought to see about a couple more men so we can make a good showing," John said. "Well, why don't I up your pay, make you the building foreman, and let you go hire all the men you think you can keep working?" I asked, and it made Catfish laugh at John. "If I got to I got to. I'll see about finding some more tonight," he said. "Well, be sure you line Catfish out with something to do in case you're still looking tomorrow morning. I ain't running the show on the building, you are, but I just know Catfish will feel bad if he has to wait around drinking coffee until you get out here tomorrow," I said, and walked to the stall to get Frank out. Damned if he didn't look like he was glad to get out of the barn. I don't know for sure about him, but I was. Carpentry is like real work and I didn't want nothing to do with it. I tied Frank to the post and went in to find his blanket and the shit saddle. Buster followed me every step of the way. Frank and I had a productive morning. He was a smart bastard and he liked to learn what you were trying to teach him. We went slowly at first again and when I put the saddle on him this time he didn't give it a second thought. Just before lunch time I tied him back to the post, found the girths and latigos I'd taken off the saddle before I started using it, and put it all back on then tightened everything up. You don't tighten the back girth much when you're riding a double rigged saddle, but I did this time. Frank wasn't ready for a ride yet and I wanted him to know for sure there was a girth back there too. I didn't cinch it down hard, but I did buckle it up snug. Buster and I headed for lunch then. Mary and Juanita made us both glad we had. Buster's bowl was on a cabinet in the kitchen and I set it on the dining room floor as I sat down. Damned if Buster didn't look at me expectantly when I did. I motioned toward him and the bowl and he finally went over and ate up, but I noticed he didn't gobble it like he would have if we'd been outside. That damned dog was too smart. By the time the rest of us were eating, Buster was through and he came over to lie beside my chair. I'm pretty sure he didn't know anything about it, but the women were talking about his manners and how good they were. I didn't join in because it was something you couldn't get used to talking about. If I slipped up and told someone else there'd be a fight after they called me a liar. Best to just be amazed quietly and keep it to myself. I don't know how the women knew about it, but Squiggly got his share of being talked about too. Sally was proud of me over it, but I'm sure it was nothing Helen and most of the others wouldn't have expected. They knew how I felt about Jim and they knew giving him grief was a good way to earn some from my direction. Jim and me didn't talk a lot but there wasn't really much that needed to be said. I knew he'd be with me from now on and I appreciated his confidence in me and his loyalty, and it made me remember Jasper and Blossum seemed to have thrown in with me too. "Jasper," I said, after the meal was over and while I was waiting around hoping for more coffee and maybe a little taste of something sweet for desert, "Are you still planning on opening up a store?" "Sooner or later. First me and Blossum'll have to go see if we can find a good spot. If there ain't one we'll have to see about gettin' a place built." "Well, there's plenty of room out here and John Birch is going to be off looking for more carpenters tomorrow. I'll be happy to have him build you a store right on the place." "It'll be a might far from town for a good store, but then again I'd be closest to my best customer," he said, and laughed. "Settled then. Build it where you want. We have store right here and no have to go to town," Blossum said, and I knew that was the final decision. It suited me fine. I'd always been picky about my tack and Jasper and Blossum made the best I'd ever seen. Blossum was damn near an artist braiding, if she wasn't one for a fact, and nothing could make the tack fit the horse better than having the one who was going to make it close enough they could go out and check the fit. According to Helen and Sally we had more money than we could ever spend up on the ranch and Sally said it made money every year anyway. If I wasted a little of it on nice tack no one was gonna bitch and that was more than fine with me. Buster and I went back out to visit Frank again after I finished my pie. Frank was waiting patiently and it didn't seem the saddle was worrying him. I must have led him a couple of miles going all around the place. When I passed the feed shed for the forth time I tied him to the hitching rail near it and went in for a hundred pound sack of something. There were plenty of sacks of oats and I took one. I didn't have to spend nearly as much time getting Frank used to the oats. I didn't open the sack and feed him any, but he could smell what was in there and I'm sure he'd seen a feed sack before. He was a little surprised when I put it in the saddle and tied it in place good, but he didn't cut up and it was a little less than half what he'd have to carry when I forked him. We spent the rest of the day with him carrying the oats around and me leading him. At supper that night Blossum told me the jauquima was ready whenever I wanted to start using it. "Can you make me a good halter for him too. I want to work him on a long rope for a while. I ain't going to try teaching him much - I just want to make him go round and round one way and the next," I said. "You longe him? I make cavesson and light longe line. You know longeing? I surprised," Blossum said. "Well Daddy learned it from somewhere. I don't usually do it, but that's a good horse and he's worth a little extra time. Besides, I'd rather him get plenty of training so he can be a smart horse when he throws me off," I said. "I watch some. He no throw you if ride tomorrow," Blossum said. "Maybe, but don't tell it. The hands will feel dumb if I get him to carry me with so little work," I said. Buster and I went back outside and I gave him some time to take care of business. He did a good bit of sniffing, but hell, he deserved some free time. We were a little late getting to the bedroom, but the women spread out to give me room. I was sound asleep around midnight when all the outside dogs started raising hell. Buster was up and joining them in the noise pretty quick and he wanted outside bad. I dragged up some pants, pulled on my boots, grabbed my gun belt, and outside we went. ------- Chapter 23 We were outside quick and it wasn't hard to find the dogs. They had something surrounded about two hundred yards from the house. I pulled out a pistol and followed Buster to the bunch, but I didn't run like he did. Well shit, was the first thing I thought when I saw what was causing the commotion. It was that fool Squiggly. No doubt he was drunk, and of course he was bleeding by now from teeth marks. He had a damned can of kerosene with him and I'm pretty sure he'd intended to burn something to get back at me. The dogs weren't biting him any longer. They'd backed off and were sitting in nearly a circle around him while he whimpered. Remus was the next one to come up and a couple of the hands were with him. Remus hadn't taken time to put on a shirt either. "Ain't that one of them carpenters that was here this morning?" Remus asked. "Yep." "Shore is. It's that Squiggly, the one you run off. I guess he was holding a grudge. I can't believe he was going to try and burn you out," Remus said. "Me neither, but he's done pissed me off now. Hell, there's women and kids in that house besides me." "That's about the sorriest thing I ever heard. We oughta string him up," Remus said. "That'd be too easy on him. See if you can find somebody to go to town and get a deputy. I'm gonna make sure he gets a fair trial, and if they don't send him to prison then we'll string him up," I said. It was three hours later and I'd already had half a pot of coffee before Jed came to the ranch with the hand Remus had sent after him. "Howdy Jed," I said, when he dismounted near the spot me and the dogs were sitting around watching Squiggly. "What'cha got there Frank. Damned if it don't look like that loud mouth Squiggly. Hey, ain't that a can of kerosene?" "Yep, I figured he come to burn the house down with us in it. There's women and kids in there too you know," I said. "That's what it looks like to me too. I'm just wondering why you didn't shoot him yourself, or string him up or something." "Well, I'm trying to stay with the law on this one. Besides, a quick death just seems too easy for what he was trying. If he'd got the house lit we damned sure would have suffered a lot worse." "You got a point there, but I'll bet it was hard not to just kill him, or have them dogs do it," Jed said. "Naw, it weren't. I've talked to a couple of guys that done time in prison. If Squiggly goes to the pen, slight as he is, he'll be some convict's girlfriend before he's been there a week." "I've heard such as that from more than one we've held in jail. What about it Squiggly? How you think you're gonna like a dick up your ass - and then in your mouth?" Jed asked. "Ain't no man gonna put a dick anywhere near me," he said. "Hell, you can talk as tough as you want to and it won't make a bit of difference to some of them big prisoners. If you fuck up and bite one of their dicks they'll just knock all your teeth out and go right back to it. You ain't gonna like prison one damned bit. "Now, stand your sorry ass up and put your hands behind you. I brought you some jewelry to wear back to town." He didn't move from where he was and I didn't want to argue with him and I didn't figure Jed did either. "Buster," I said, and nodded toward Squiggly. Buster gave the turd-head a growl that nearly scared me. Squiggly was on his feet in seconds. Jed had him chained up and gone before quick got ready. Buster and I went back into the house to see if we could get a little sleep before the sun came up. We did, but it was damn little. Somehow the women got out of bed without waking me the next morning and since Buster hadn't been shy about taking a leak or two while we were watching the prisoner last night, he didn't wake me up either. My own bladder did though and after I got up, I took a piss, pulled on some clothes and boots and took Buster outside. By the time I got back inside Juanita had our breakfast ready. I gave Buster his bowl and sat down for a big swallow of coffee and to eat myself. The women all gathered around to keep us company and I had to tell the Squiggly tale. Sally waited until I'd finished eating before she hit me with the really bad news. "I know it's probably hard to believe a woman could be so dumb, but he had a wife with two young children." "Aw shit. I'll bet they don't have a pot to piss in either," I said. "You're right, though I wouldn't have put it exactly that way. They were renting a little shack from somebody and I know he didn't get work much," she said. I guess you'd better tell me where they live. Somebody needs to go by and let her know what's become of her man. I sure hope she don't cloud up and rain over it. "You probably better let me go with you. She won't miss Squiggly, but I'm sure she will break down and cry a bit over wondering what she and the kids are going to do. You won't know what to do and I will," Sally said. "I've got no argument with any of that. If she cries I won't know what to do and if I do something it'll be wrong." "Don't worry about a thing. I'll tell Remus to hitch up a carriage and we'll go right after you finish eating," she said, and then left the table. And away we went. Buster came along of course and it didn't take long to find Squiggly's home if you could call it that. It wasn't much more than a one-room shack. It was obvious someone spent a considerable amount of time trying to keep it clean and tidy, but it was just as obvious they didn't have much to work with. A young woman, babe in arms and another holding on by her skirt, came out onto the porch as we drove up. After I helped Sally down she rushed up on the porch, hugged the woman, took the baby in her arms, and then squatted down to say hello to the one hanging onto her mother's skirt. By the time I made it onto the porch and beside Sally the little girl that could walk on her own was hanging onto Sally's skirt now. Sally stood again and introduced us. "Barbara, this is Frank. I'm back at the ranch now living with him and some others." "Oh. You're the one that shot Jack. Did you kill Squiggly too?" she asked, and I'll swear she looked expectant. "No ma'am. He came sneaking around with a gallon of kerosene last night, but the dogs corralled him and I sent for a deputy. Jed took him away in irons." "Too bad you didn't have to shoot him. He's worthless. Maybe they'll at least keep him in prison for a few years." I felt like I'd let her down somehow and she wasn't the kind of woman I liked to disappoint. Dark black hair and deep blue eyes were a combination I hadn't seen much before, but it looked good on her, especially with that pale skin that disappeared behind her dress. The dress that was also hiding a large pair of titties. She was a little like Anita when I first met her. Barbara wasn't up to her fighting weight, but I didn't have any doubts Juanita and Mary could put it back on her. "How long do you think it will take us to pack up?" Sally asked. "Pack up? Where am I going?" "You know you can't stay here, you'll have to move in with us," Sally said. "With you? Do you have a job I can do?" Barbara asked. "I imagine Frank can find something, after bedtime maybe," Sally said, and grinned. I hated when they did things like that, but there was nothing I could do about it. Barbara looked crestfallen for a second and then she shook it off. "It probably beats hell out of the only other job I knew about," she said. "You are going to feel like such a food by in the morning, but I won't let the others tease you about it," Sally said. "What others?" "Helen, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Anita, Mary, Helga, Honey, and me." "Oh, at least we'll have him outnumbered," Barbara said, and giggled this time. "Jack, would you be a dear and ride back to the ranch to send the other girls out here with a wagon or two?" Sally asked. "Your wish ... and all that. Need any men to step and fetch?" "I think we can handle it. Do you have anything very heavy Barbara?" "I barely have anything at all," she said. I thanked my thinking ahead department as I untied Bob from the carriage, mounted up, and took off. Jim was near the front of the barn that would soon be his home and he took Bob off my hands after I climbed down. "I'll puts him in his new stall. They done finished it and is working on Red's now." "That's good. It'll be a lot handier for me if they're all close. If we get time today I want to show you something you can do for me with all my mounts," I said. "I hope it takes up some time. I don't have enough to do to earn my keep." "You done earned your keep and don't know it." "I is?" "Yep, when I told Bill we was leaving him, right before I shot him, you headed for your wagon to get your things. I appreciated your confidence then and never even told you thanks," I said. "It's the same with me Frank. When you done that I felt my backbone grow for the first time in a long time. I never thanked you for that neither," Jim said. "Well, I'm going on into the house before we start huggin' and kissin' over it like a bunch of women," I said, and laughed. "Good." I might have known fetching the rest of the women was just a formality. They were in the dining room sitting on go. Hell, they looked like they even had a big picnic lunch packed. "I guess y'all know why I'm here?" "To tell us Sally is ready for us to come help pack," Helga said. "Ok, I'm going to go see if someone will hitch up a few wagons." "No need for that. Have a cup of coffee. Elizabeth, Rebecca, Honey, and Samantha have gone looking for Remus for the wagons," Helen said. After I'd found a chair Juanita brought the coffee and I'd just had my first sip when someone knocked on the front door. She went off to answer it and came back telling me an army man wanted to see me. "Invite him in for a cup of coffee and some pie or cake or something if you have it," I said, and Juanita gave me a look. "I invite already, he say big hurry, want you to come along quick," she said, but it put a sour look on her face. It put a sour disposition on me too. I did get up and head for the door. The bright and shiny Second Lieutenant was standing just inside it. "Are you Frank?" he asked. "I am." "Mr Corrigan, the Indian agent, sent me out her to bring you to town. He needs to talk to you." "He's shit our of luck," I said, and it surprised him, "I don't have time to be riding to town for some pumped up fool that things he can make me." "I'm sorry, I must insist you come with me. I'm an officer of the United States Army." "I can see that, and I can also see you're trying to impersonate a policeman. The United States Army has no jurisdiction on my ranch and I know it even if you don't. "Now get your ass off my property and don't come back without a bona fide policeman, or deputy of civilian law enforcement, and he'd better have a warrant if he wants to take me any where." "But you can't do that." "I sure as hell can. Do you think everybody is a brand new shavetail like you? Hell, I fought at Vicksburg and we damned sure knew what to do with a Second Lieutenant if he got uppity. Now get your ass off my property before you end up explaining to your commander how you came to be under citizen's arrest for annoying civilians." Apparently he did give the situation a little thought because he turned around, was out the door and on his mount in short order. I'd have been on my way into town if we weren't busy this morning. It was never too early to get a friendly judge on your side when dealing with the kind of assholes the government hired to buy beef for reservation Indians. Within an hour though we were headed back with three wagons to help Sally and Barbara out. I took the precaution of bringing six armed men with me to help and provide escort. Sally and Barbara had a good head start by the time we got back. I figured they could do without me and when I told Sally where I was headed she said she wouldn't mind seeing the judge again herself. As soon as we made it into the Judge's office I saw bringing Sally along had done wonders already. The secretary hopped out of his chair and came to meet her as we walked in the door and he led us straight to the Judge. We had another five minutes of the Judge and Sally chit-chatting and then got down to the story. The judge laughed hard after I finished, and then he went to the little back door and sent his errand boy after someone. "I want to thank you Frank. This is going to be a good morning for me. I'm already about half off that thieving Corrigan's ass and this is plenty to trump up charges to get him fired, no matter what Senator got him his license to steal from the Government and Indians both. "I know the young fool he sent out to get you and he'll be in a stockade for at least six months over this." "One thing I don't understand judge. How did an idiot like that get through West Point. He's a damned dumb ass if I ever saw one." "He never went to west point. His daddy is a new congressman and he set his boy up in the Army. A brand new congressman don't have enough pull yet to sweep something like this under the rug, especially when I'm pushing it. "I'm not bragging, much, but Federal Judges are appointed for life, and I've been at it a long time to boot. I know which way things go and I'm sick of those assholes Grant is letting run loose coming out here and thinking they can pull that kind of shit around me." There was a knock on the door just then and the Judge told them to come in. It was the secretary again and he said the Sheriff, Marshal, and a deputy were out front saying the Judge had sent for them. "I did for a fact. Draw up a warrant for Corrigan, the Indian agent and one for that Lieutenant he's been using as an errand boy." "Right away sir. What charges?" "Corrigan for corruption in his office as a government agent and the soldier for impersonating a civilian peace officer. I want them in custody without bail. Send a messenger to the Fort to inform them of the Lieutenant's crimes. Maybe we can get him court-martialed and out of the Army quick." "I didn't laugh but I wanted to. The secretary left and I wondered if the Judge could really pull this off, but I figured he knew what he could come up with. Besides, it was a long fucking way to Washington and the people that might be able to save Corrigan or the shavetail either. Probably no one could save the young officer. In the first place there probably wasn't anyone that wanted to. He sure as hell couldn't have any friends in the Army. Sally and the Judge talked a little more and I just sat around smiling and nodding my head. After we left Sally wanted to eat in town and we did. As we left I saw the Sheriff and the Marshal escorting the prisoners toward the lockup. Jed was guarding the rear and when he saw me he laughed. ------- Chapter 24 Barbara and her kids were at the house when we got back and all their things were already inside. My mouth watered from the smell of the lunch we'd missed, and while the restaurant food had been adequate, I knew it wouldn't have compared to the meal I'd missed here. As if she could read my mind Sally spoke up. "Juanita, I made Frank eat in town and I know he'll hold it against me if you don't give him something he likes better for lunch." "Sit Frank. I bring real food soon," Juanita said, from the kitchen where she was making delightful food preparation noises. I sat, and Sally did too. "You don't think the Judge will do anything rash do you? Something that will cause him trouble later?" she asked. "I don't know him well, but from the little contact I've had I'd say there's not a chance in hell. No one can really bother him about it anyway. I'm sure the Indian agent bribed someone in Washington to get the position he had, and most people are sick of what they're doing in Washington now anyway. "General Grant is making a horrible President, and it won't be long before the voters run all the current band of thieves out. The Judge is never coming up for re-election because he wasn't elected in the first place. He was appointed for life. Any sane person that thinks he has the slightest chance of causing the Judge grief knows better than to try." "What about Squiggly? Barbara is worried he'll come back to get her some day." "I seriously doubt he'll ever leave prison alive. Even if he does all his bluster will be beaten out of him before that and he'll probably be scared to show his face in this part of the country again. Besides, a divorce would be cheap and certainly understandable in this case. Everyone would understand she couldn't remain married to such a vile criminal. "People don't like to think about their homes catching fire, and after the trial we won't be the only ones who don't want him around, especially when it comes out there were so many women and children sleeping in the house he wanted to burn to the ground." "You don't think they'll go easy on him because he was drunk?" "They'll go even harder on him. There won't be any drunks on the jury. It'll be mostly hard working men who'll shudder when they think of their house on fire with their families in it. Nobody who has ever seen a home burn with people in it will give Squiggly's plight a second thought. I'm only hoping he'll get prison time. They may very well decide to hang him." "Oh. Maybe I should feel sorry for him then," she said. "If you catch yourself doing it try putting your arm in the stove's firebox while it's going good and then imagine how it would feel all over. I'm sure the idiot didn't think about a bit of that while he was on the way to kill us all. That's the very reason he needs to be locked up, if not hanged. And he didn't just start thinking about getting even with me after he got drunk. He already wanted revenge and the whiskey just gave him the courage to try getting some." "I understand, but I still think it's a shame." "It is a shame. It's also a shame I didn't let the dogs just tear him to pieces, but there's a chance the next fool who wants to burn somebody out will hear about him and decide the fire he wanted to start wasn't such a good idea after all. It isn't much of a chance, but at least there is one. "It's hard enough for people to learn from their own mistakes, much less learning from someone else's. Just look at you." "Me?" "Yes you. You should have known better than to take up with a scallywag like me after you saw Helen's mistake, but you jumped in with your legs spread all the same." "I'm going to make you pay for that, tonight," she said, and left trying to make me think she was in a huff. After Juanita filled me up I thought I might have time to get started with Frank. Blossum had already given me the cavesson and plaited line for use on him. I walked to the barn we'd commandeered for my use and Jim was fooling around inside it cleaning something up. The place already looked a lot better and all the stalls I'd ordered were finished and had occupants. Jim watched me closely while I went into the stall with Frank, put the cavesson on, and attached the longe line, then he followed us outside. I found a good spot of nothing but grass and enough room for Frank to run around in a circle. I settled myself in the center of my imaginary circle and told Frank to get. He took off walking and since I had the line connected to his head he was circling me shortly. I urged him to go faster and he started to trot, and we were on our way. The actual process of longeing a horse seems simple once you see it done, and it is. What makes it useful is what you train them to do while longeing. I only intended to see that he had the three basic gaits down and that he switched leads properly when he turned around. Most people don't even understand what a horse's lead is. It's simply which foot they're leading with as they gallop. After all, one has to go before the other. When they start to turn or curve while galloping they need to be leading with the inner legs. Horses that do it easily in either direction are not as common as you might think. They have to be trained to do it and a longe line is the easiest way to get started. Luckily Frank took the correct lead every time. It's always nice when a horse knows how to do it right from the get go. Still, I made him take a walk, trot, and run around on the line and then had him turn around and do it the other way. After he was doing well I called Jim to me and explained what I was doing. It took Jim a little concentration to talk and listen while we were constantly turning in a circle to keep the rope from wrapping up around us. It was easy though since Frank was being so cooperative. We put Frank back in his stall after a while and took Bob next. I should have known right away that Bob and probably Red too would have their leads settled in correctly. Hell, surely I'd have noticed before if they didn't since it's easy to tell when you're riding them and I'd had plenty of ass time on the both. We gave them some time playing horsy go round though and Remus came walking up as we finished with Red and we putting him a way. "What y'all up to Frank?" he asked, when he got close. "I was just making sure Frank was going to be handy both ways when I start riding him." "Do you think you can fix one that ain't?" he asked. "I can try, and it's sure a pain in the ass when they ain't." "Ain't it. We've got two pretty good geldings that can't work to the right worth a shit. I'll admit I don't know what to do about it. Usually when ones that way you can break 'em of it by just keeping them in the other lead when you get 'em to do it, but these to just don't never," Remus said. "Well, send 'em to the barn there when you can and I'll let Jim work on 'em. I guess I'm gonna need a couple more stalls in there," I said, and Remus took off to somewhere. "How's I gonna do that Frank? I see what you talkin' bout, but I don't know how to make horses that don't want to do that." "Not really much to makin' 'em do it right on the ground with a longe line. Just make 'em circle the way they don't want to, and if they won't switch leads right just make 'em go faster until they have to. They'll change sooner or later. You might even need a long handled whip or something with a little popper on it. Once they get moving they'll go faster if you snap the popper behind 'em." Jim and I no sooner put Red away than Remus had sent one of the hands up with George, a big bay gelding. "George just won't change leads at all. He's got ways to do his work without it but they're clumsy as hell," he said. "Ok, he ain't got nothing wrong with his feet does he?" "Naw. We looked them over a dozen times and they seem all right. He was like that when Jack bought him though and ain't no telling who or what got him so bad with his leads," the hand said, and he left too once we too George off his hands. Jim put the cavesson on George and started him in a slow lope the way he wanted to go. I couldn't see a damned thing wrong with his gait. When we started him in the other direction he did change lead but he kept trying to pull around and change back to the other direction. If I'd thought he was just injured and it hurt for him to go that way I wouldn't fuck with him. I'd put him down and go on to the next one, but I didn't think he was. For some reason he was just used to the one lead now and he wasn't comfortable with the other. Horses can be hardheaded about nothing sometimes. "We're probably going to have to build a round pen to practice in for him. He will change leads but he just keeps pulling away to change back. I've seen some of them act this silly before, but not very damned often. They've let him get away with it for so long now it'll be hard to make him do right." "You right. I can see it ain't hurtin' him to do it like we wants him too, he's just stubborn about it. I thinks a pen would make it easier, but I don't think I gots to have one. I'll just keep making him do it right until he gives up. Ain't no horse or mule as stubborn as me. I never even thought of making them run around like this, but now that I has seed it I likes it. Can this be my job?" Jim asked. "Hell Jim. I done told you any job you wanted was yours. Even just sittin' on your ass in the barn will suit me if you like doing that." "Nawsir, I don'ts like that at all. I'll just do this, and keep their feets in good shape and all if it's all right. Maybe brush 'em and comb 'em too." "You got any good brushes for 'em?" "Naw, not really. I got one but it ain't a good 'en." "Maybe we kin go to town tomorrow and look for some. If you want this job with the horses it's yours. If you need anything let me know and I'll get it. Hell, you need a good saddle don't you?" "I gots a saddle," he said. "I've seen it, but I think you need a better one. I'll talk to Jasper bout it. I think he's got one that'll fit you pretty good and maybe it'll even fit some of the horses too," I said. "I didn't say I wouldn't ride a better one if I had it." "Ok, do what you can with that nag until we get a round pen built," I said, and then went into the house looking for something cool to drink. I wanted to hit my knees and pray to Juanita when she brought me some iced tea, but she wouldn't let me. I had to ask about it though. "Where'd you get ice?" "Mr Frank. We get plenty ice in winter. Ice man cuts it and stores it in town. He bring. I tell him bring more now since more people living here. You like ice in tea?" "Yes. I love it that way. I think you need a raise in pay." "No. Miss Sally pay me good already, and Miss Mary very nice to me. I wouldn't let her help cook if she wasn't so nice," Juanita said, and it made me laugh. I wondered if Mary knew about that, but I decided it was the kind of things I needed to keep my mouth shut about. Things were going my way now. Coffee any time I wanted some, plenty of good food, and now ice tea. I figured if I got something started in the kitchen area things could only go down hill and I wasn't about to risk it. A man had to learn to let well enough alone. Damned if Helen and Sally didn't come in just about then and prove my point, to me anyway. Helen thought she was giving Juanita a break by going in to fetch tea for her and Sally, but Juanita put her out of the kitchen, brought the tea herself, and her expression let us know she was the servant around here and proud of it. I had to bite my tongue to keep from making a wise crack. "You've been gone most of the afternoon and you haven't cause any trouble Frank. What have you been up to?" Sally asked. "I had to take a whip to Jim to try and get some work out of him." Sally gave me a look that said she thought it was awful, but Helen just laughed at me. It made Sally look at her funny too. "What's so funny about that Helen?" Sally asked. "What happened Frank? Did Jim need a whip for something?" Helen asked. "Yeh, he needed it to get a stubborn horse moving, and before you get upset about the poor horse Sally, he isn't whipping the horse. It's just one of those little long popper whips and Jim snaps it behind the horse to get it moving." "You just tease me all the time. Oh well, I'm beginning to like it by now," Sally said. Jr knocked on the door then and I went to get it. "Jr, what are you knocking for. Why didn't you come on in?" "Those men rode up and wanted to talk to you," he said, pointing at three men who'd ridden up. I walked over and asked if I could help them. "We heard you might need some more carpenters out here. Any truth to it?" "I don't know. John Birch is running that job. You'll have to ask him." "Well ain't you the new owner?" "Yes, I am. But if you want a carpenter job out here you're going to have to get your ass off that horse and go ask John Birch. If you want to herd cows, get your ass off and go ask Remus. I don't tend to every little detail around here." "Well Jack, the last owner here, did it that way." "You see where it got Jack don't you?" "You shore got a way with words there Mr. I think I'll get down and go ask John about a job. We need some work," he said, and the three of them followed Jr into the barn. Jim was still working with George and I decided I'd go get Frank and lead him around a little. I heard John talking to the three who claimed to be carpenters before I entered the barn, so, snoopy bastard that I am, I stopped outside the door to listen. "And don't let the word nigger out of your mouth out here," I heard John say. "The boss don't like that huh?" one of them asked. "I'm the boss of the carpenters and come to think of it I don't like it neither. I ain't the one you got to worry about though and neither is Frank really. That fine large black gentleman we're building this room for can raise a ruckus when he gets mad and the dogs are worse. They don't like to hear that word." "What dogs?" "Show him sister," John said, and the biggest bitch that had taken up with us came out of Frank's stall and showed him. She showed him her big self, her big teeth, and a low growl that would scare Satan, but she didn't advance on them." "I see what you mean. That's the meanest looking dog I've ever seen and godalmighty it's big." "Yep, she's nearly as big as Buster, but I don't think she gets quite as mean as he does." "Where is Buster then? Is he hid out in the barn somewhere too?" "Buster is near where ever Frank is. Kinda like a body guard or something. I heard he's the one that did most of the work on Squiggly t'othe night. If you get mad and run off out here I'd advise you to think long and hard about coming around with kerosene." "That dumbass loudmouth Squiggly always was a fool, but even I had a hard time believing how sorry he turned out to be. If they call me for the jury I'm gonna vote to hang him, even though I known him all my life. We just don't need nobody that sorry in Oregon. Hell, people are trying to live and raise families here. Now Squiggly's sorry ass is in jail and he'd left poor Barbara with two kids to raise. I hate to think what she'll have to do to support herself and the kids," the talkative one said. "You ain't got to worry about Barbara. Frank and Sally went out to fetch her and the kids the next morning and brought 'em right back here to live. I'll tell you we got a damned good man we're working for here," John said. "Sounds like it. We'll bring our wagon and be here at sunup in the morning then." "We'll be waiting for you then. Cookie will have plenty of coffee to wake us up before we get started." It sounded like the pow-wow was over so I walked back off from the door a little and then headed for it again. They were coming out the door as I got there. "Well men, did John hire you?" I asked. "Sure did Mr Frank. We'll be out here early in the morning." "That's fine, but there ain't no Mr on the front of Frank. I'm looking forward to y'all taking some of the load off John. I'm already afraid I'm working him too hard." "It probably won't be long before there's more carpenters out here hunting jobs. The pay is good, and most of us like to know we're working for somebody decent. We'll be back in the morning," he said, and they left. "Howdy John. How's it going?" I asked, once I made it inside. "I guess you saw the three new hands I just hired. They said they knew of five more good carpenters that needed work. They'll get word to 'em tonight. We'll start making a showing after that. "I'm glad. We're going to need more stalls and feeders and such in this barn I guess. Jim has decided to take up some corrective horsemanship," I said. "Some what?" "He's going to try to break some of our cowboy trained horses of their bad habits." "I ain't trying to be nosey Frank, but ain't that the cowboy's jobs?" "The hands got real jobs to tend to with the cows. A horse is just their main tool. If you broke the head off your hammer would you try to fix it or get a blacksmith to?" "I see what you mean. If it just needed a new handle I'd do that, but if I knock a piece out of the face it's a blacksmith or buy a new one. I never thought about it that way though." "You ain't supposed to. A cowboy don't know you ain't supposed to use a ball peen hammer to drive nails either." "I guess your right. Only time he cares about a hammer is when he gets forced into the job of nailing something. I'm sure they can build things about as well as I could herd cows too," John said, and he and Catfish both laughed. "Well, we'll take care of the cows and I'm glad you've got some help coming. I'm gonna want a pen built outside for Jim and the horses to use but I want it better than just a normal one the hands would build. "Can you mark off a round pen about forty-five feet across, and with a post every four feet?" "Sure, but what about a gate?" "Just put it on the side nearest the barn. Four feet wide will be enough. I want boards standing upright around the pen though. Make 'em six feet high." "Ok, it don't sound hard, but I can see in my mind what it would look like if the hands built it." "Exactly. I want it to look like somebody who knew what they were doing built it on purpose." ------- Chapter 25 I finally got around to taking Frank out of his stall. He didn't give me a bit of trouble and it was pretty easy to tell he was bored with watching carpenters work, even if Sister did hang around his stall to keep him company. He stood still and didn't fidget while I put a halter on him and tied on a lead rope. When we left for the outside Sister went back in to visit with Bob, her second choice. I didn't really have much on my mind to do with Frank. Leading him around the place would do fine for getting him used to doing what I wanted him to do without a committee meeting to decide what we should be working on. We stopped to talk to Anita when she came out of the house. "What are you doing this afternoon?" I asked her, as she came up to us. "Nothing. I'm bored and came outside looking for something to do." "Good, how about leading Frank around?" "Frank you or Frank the horse." "Well, Frank the horse, kinda. I'll be walking along side him, around him, and leaning on him some while you do it. I guess you'll really be leading both of us." "Sounds nearly as boring as sitting in the house and gossiping, but I guess I can do it a while," she said, taking the lead rope from me and leading out. Anita and I talked a little while we were at it, but mostly I leaned on Frank, or walked around behind him to lean on the other side. I just made sure I was up against him most of the time so's he'd get used to it. He was already ok with me being right up beside him, but when you're trying to train a horse to let you ride it isn't possible for him to get too familiar with your presence. After fifteen minutes I was mostly keeping my arms over his back and having to walk sideways to keep up. Gradually I put more and more of my weight on him and a few times I even picked up my feet and let him carry me as we walked along. He didn't even act like he noticed. I was sure I could strap a saddle on his back and ride by now, but Jasper and Blossum didn't have the new one ready yet so I didn't try it. "I don't see why they thought this was such a troublesome horse, he don't seem to mind whatever you do to him," Anita said. "He don't mind now, but he's used to it. They just had him scared before and he was probably ready to fight every time they put a saddle on him. He's a damned good horse, and smart too, but he's the kind you have to ask if he'll let you ride him. You ain't going to make him let you." "Kinda like a woman then?" Anita asked, but I didn't understand and I didn't mind saying so. "What?" "Most women will let you ride if you talk to 'em just right. They just don't like it when you try to climb on without permission. Hell, we'll all fuck - our mommas did," she said, and laughed. I laughed too. It was an old joke, but she was the first woman I'd ever heard tell it. It was also closer to the truth than she might know too - about horses anyway. Horses didn't come into the world intending for men to ride around on them, but you could get them to let you ride, usually. The problems came up when you tried the same method on every horse. There wasn't a sure fire way to go about it. Horses were like people and every one of them had their own idea. It was best to spend some time and learn how to get along with them. By now I was sure Frank was not going to give me a lick of trouble. After an hour or so of leading Frank around we decided that enough was enough. Anita turned the lead rope over to me and I tied him to the hitching rail I usually used for him. Jasper and Blossum came outside just about then. Blossum was bringing Frank's new jáquima and Jasper was toting the new saddle and a new blanket for it. I put the saddle on first and we all checked the fit. It was perfect of course. Blossum put the headstall and bosal on him then and tied the reins and lead rope knot. Weren't no need to wait any longer so I tied the lead rope end onto the saddle, put my foot in the stirrup and swung aboard. As usual, with this type of slow training, it was pretty much a non-event for Frank. He just stood there wondering what he needed to do next. Since I'd made sure to teach him the vocal cues while I was at it, when I said get Frank took off walking. I geed and hawed him as I used the reins, giving him a whoa while I pulled back on the reins every now and then. It seemed like no time before I could ride him without using my voice at all and he caught on fast. Just to show off a little I rode him down to Cookie's chow hall, tied him to a hitch rail there and went in for a cup of coffee. Cookie had seen me ride up and he was full of it already. Going on about how he couldn't believe it and that it looked like I was the only real cowboy on the place. "Maybe so, Cookie, but I an't gonna raise your pay over all that braggin'," I said, and suddenly he was flustered. "Aw hell, Frank. I ain't looking for more money. Things go so smooth around here now I was thinking about giving some back. I wasn't thinking hard about it you know, but I did think about it once." "Well far as I'm concerned you're earning your pay. Don't feel bad about collecting all of it." I'd just been showing off with Frank so I didn't stay long. Not more than one or two of the hands had seen me ride up, but it looked like more than half of them wanted to watch me leave. There wasn't nothing to it, I just took the reins, swung my leg over, and rode back to the barn. I was just in time too because Juanita looked out the door and signaled me it was time for supper. Tonight was a treat, starting with tamales and frijoles and then moving on to burritos. I made a pig of myself, but I didn't care. I hoped I was going to need my strength. It seemed like Barbara was resigned to her fate when bedtime came around. In fact I could tell that the other women had been giving me a good buildup. Barbara seemed a little shy and she was already under the covers when I came in to shuck my clothes. "Barbara, before anything happens I want to make sure you don't think you have to do anything to pay your way - so to speak. "I'm sorry about what happened to your husband, but I don't know of a thing I could have done besides what I did." "I know of something, but I can understand why you didn't just shoot him when you found him. Well I can kinda anyway. Now, that's enough talking. The others have told me you know what you're dong between a woman's legs and I want to try someone who does if you don't mind." "Anything to please a lady," I said, and then yanked the covers of her and the others who were already crowed in bed. I dove between her legs mouth first and I was licking her sweet spot before she knew what was happening. If Barbara was surprised by my first move she was well with the program by the time I licked my way down to tease her pucker. She didn't try to squirm her way out of it but it did get her started making noise. "Oh my God. I've never even heard of anything like that. Jesus, it feels so nasty, but damn it's good." "It sure was, and when I moved up to stab it home it was even better, for me at least. She wasn't making much sense with her conversation after that, but I got the idea she liked everything I did. Anita helped keep the noise down by covering Barbara's mouth with her palm. I didn't have time to worry about such since I was busy with the in out in out and those big fat nipples that needed sucking. Hell, I even got a little milk for my trouble. Of course they all wanted some after that and I was actually glad that the younger girls weren't with us. They wore me out. I was happy when I finally dropped off to sleep but they'd used me hard. Juanita made everything right the next morning though. I think she said the eggs were ranchos huevos, but I could be wrong. It didn't really matter what you called them because I gobbled them up so fast they weren't around long enough for much conversation. I was ready to start the day after that and when I made it outside I could see John was hard at it on the round pen but there was plenty of hammering inside the barn too. Jim was working with George some more and I could tell they must have come to some sort of understanding. George would keep to his lead on his bad side now and switch perfectly when Jim signaled him to go the other way. Hell, everyone was working so I figured I'd better act like I was worth my pay and princely treatment too. I saddled Frank and decided to give him a little experience. We rode all over the main part of the place. The hands that hadn't seen me on him yesterday took a good look several times but soon enough it was old hat. Frank was still too green to work cattle in my opinion, but he was getting there. I still doubted he'd ever learn as much about cows as Bob was born knowing. Still, I had hopes he'd be fit for a good roping horse. If he wasn't, he'd still be a looker when I rode him. Things went smooth all around for the next two weeks, but I knew Squiggly's trial had to be coming up. One morning Sally, Helen, Barbara, and I rode to town in the buggy to see a lawyer for Barbara's divorce. Sally insisted we go and see the Judge first and it turned out to be a good thing. He wasn't going to be involved in Squiggly's troubles, but he said since we were among friends he could get his secretary to take a statement from Barbara and then have a trustworthy lawyer he knew take care of things. He was on good terms with the local judge and he said Barbara could consider herself divorced already. She told the secretary her tale and the Judge said he'd send word if she needed to show up in the county judge's court to make things final. When we made it home there were five army mounts tied to the hitching rails. We found the riders for 'em around the dining room table and they were having coffee and cake. I knew right away they must be decent sorts or Juanita would have them waiting outside in the sun. We joined them and the major who was head of the bunch didn't waste much time getting down to his business. The fort was running low on beef and then Indians he was in charge of keeping corralled were shorter. "I'm glad enough that crooked agent is in jail and I don't miss the Lieutenant either, but we still need to buy beef. I'm prepared to pay more on short notice because we have to have it," he said. "I'm not the kind of man to hold you up because of bad behavior from the agent and a Congressman's son. I'll admit I'd rather sell off some of my lower quality stock." "It couldn't be any lower quality than the agent has been buying because it couldn't stand up if it was. I don't mind paying what I need to get the beef. The next agent they send out here can worry about the budget. I don't mind telling you I don't know much about cattle and I know less about what it's worth. I do know I have to keep the troops and the Indians fed." "Do you have an idea about how much beef you need?" "I need to take a hundred and fifty head to the reservation and my head cook says he needs at least a hundred head. He'd rather have a hundred and fifty," Major Johnson said. "I'm sure we can handle that easily. Where do you want it delivered?" I asked. "I'd love to have half at the fort and half at the reservation. Will your men drive it there? I can send an escort with them." "I haven't even talked about that with Remus. Let me go call him in," I said. When Remus was seated with a cup of coffee we put the question to him and he didn't seem to think it was a big deal, especially if the Major was going to send some men to the reservation with them. I asked Sally to take care of the money end of the deal and I went back out with Remus to get things rolling. I quizzed him a little more careful after we got outside. "Do you really think this is going to be safe?" "Sure, especially if he sends twelve or fifteen soldiers with us. We shouldn't have any trouble at all getting to the fort and it isn't that much farther to the reservation's pens. The Indians usually don't bother people who are bringing them free food. They'll be even less likely to bother us since our cows will be better than they're used to getting," Remus said. "I think I'll go along. I've never seen an Indian reservation." "The more the merrier, but there ain't much to see. Just a few pens and a store building out in the middle of nowhere. If you ride Bob you'll probably be a big help. Hell, he just looks like he knows how to work cows. I didn't help cut out the three hundred candidates but it was obvious Remus had taken me at my word that first day. The cattle weren't in bad shape and if fact they looked pretty good, but they weren't the best we had by a long shot. We'd be better off without them and with the money no matter what kind of deal Sally made. When I got back to the house the Major and his men were gone. I thought it was a little funny since he hadn't even seen what he was buying. "He doesn't care what they look like now Frank. He just wants to see them on his plate later. I'm sure there are men at the fort to take the best of the lot and then send the others to the reservation. I'm also sure the ones who'll do the culling with put the very best aside for the officer's mess," Sally said. "Doesn't really matter to us, except for the money. I'm betting were sending them the best beef they've had in a while anyway and it's a good chance to put our feed money into more for the better stock we're keeping," I said. "You didn't even ask what they paid?" Sally said, and she seemed a little put out over it. "I knew you'd get the best price anyone could. How much did they pay?" "Since we're delivering he went for fifteen dollars a head," she said, and grinned at me. "What? I was hoping for at least eight bucks. How did you do it?" "You're really the one that did it. You cut that slimy agent out of his share. It's also cheaper on the Army now. The major is going to try to hold onto his stock buying duties now that he knows what's been going on." "I'm all for that. Hell, we'd have come out fine if we'd let him have the best stock here. We probably couldn't get much more for them at the railhead, if it ever gets into operation." "We wouldn't make a penny more and there'd be a lot more bother. Maybe you should hold off thinking about driving the stock that far and see if we can't develop the market around here," Sally said. "I'm with you on that. I'm officially holding off starting right now. I never did like driving cows much anyway." ------- Chapter 26 Whether or not I liked driving cows I had a little bit of it to do. I was going along ok, but mostly just to watch. I intended to leave the organizing up to Remus. We had a little talk when I gave him the happy news. I'll be taking a wagon along so a couple of my wives can come too, and I promise I'm not going to be much help. I'll be mounted and riding with you and the boys, but mostly I'll just be looking around. "I've drove cows before Frank and I don't reckon I've forgot how," he said. "Good. How many men you planning on taking?" "Don't you think fifteen can hold down the ranch while we're gone. We can't expect them to do much of anything productive with the two of us gone and I doubt we'll have any kind of attack, don't you?" "You're probably right, but I hadn't thought about it that way. I was only thinking about how many we might need to take care of the cows," Remus said. "I'm just not familiar with the country or the Indian situation. All the men are getting paid and if we take plenty there will be less work on any of 'em. Tell Cookie to bring plenty of grub and have him hire a helper or two if he needs 'em to make sure he can get plenty of food ready for breakfast and supper. We can get by with a little trail food for lunch in the saddle can't we?" "It's the way things have gone on every drive I've been on, except for the plenty of food at breakfast and supper part. I'll go spread the happy news we're leaving in a couple of days with three hundred head and fifty drovers." "Good, but if you have a couple of men you have faith in leave them here to make sure nothing goes wrong while we're away. Tell 'em Charlie is in charge while I'm gone and let 'em know the one you pick is next in line." "I don't 'spect no trouble from that direction, but I'll tell 'em just the same." Back in the house Juanita seemed like she was trying to fatten me up before I left. She had plenty of coffee available, a cake, and two pies in case I needed a little snack. Sally and Helen were sitting at the table too and it didn't take long for Sally to start with the questions. "How many of us will get to go along?" "How many of you really want to?" I asked. "All of us want to go, but we think some should stay here. We're afraid we'll just cause extra work if we go along," Helen said. "Oh, I see. You're afraid I'll get too much to eat with so many cooks?" "No, you know that's not it. We're afraid we'll be underfoot and we know you'll be watching us more closely than what you're supposed to be doing," Helen said. "That doesn't worry me in the least, because all I'm going to do anyway is ride along and keep my eyes open. Remus and the hands he picks to come along are going to deal with all the cattle. I won't lift a hand unless something goes terribly wrong. "I'll leave it up to you and the other women about who wants to come along. Just remember a wagon will only sleep four comfortably. Maybe you should just draw straws and make the losers go." "Draw straws and the winners get to come is more like it, but that sounds like a fair way to do it. We'll choose after lunch and you can spend the next two nights consoling the one who don't get to go," Sally said. "Whatever you'd like will suit me fine," I said. "Good, we'd like a wagon to hold us all," Helen said. "I can probably get such a wagon built, but I'm not sure about the roads being able to pass it. Remember, I should be back in less than a week. I feel bad enough about leaving you all here by yourselves as it is." "Don't worry, we've been practicing with our guns and we can take care of ourselves. Sally sent a couple of men all over town and they found six more of the new Greeners like you bought before we started west. There'll be a big surprise for anyone who tries to come around here bothering us," Helen said. I didn't say anything more then, but I was proud of Sally for thinking ahead. The Greeners had been an asset while we were on the trail, but six more of them would make the women very safe from inside the house. I felt pretty secure with the hands we had already, but it wouldn't hurt for the women to be armed and dangerous while I was away. Lunch came along just in time and it was so good I considered sitting at the table and eating for the rest of the afternoon. Juanita finally thought I'd had enough and she shooed me outside telling me to try and look mean and important for the rest of the day. When I got to the barn I saw Jim was working with one of the recalcitrant mounts Remus had sent over for a tune up. A couple of the dogs were lounging near him. No doubt they'd be happy to get a horse moving if it gave Jim trouble. Buster and I headed into the barn and I decided Red needed his legs stretched first today. I saddled him then Red, Buster, and I headed out for a ride. We didn't head toward town, but away from it. There was a sort of road tending south and we went that way. After about a mile it had become nothing more than a good trail but we kept going. It's probably punishment for previous bad behavior, but I seem to be lucky enough to find trouble wherever I go. We topped a little hill about five miles from the house and I saw three men with their bandana's pulled up to hide their faces. They had a buckboard waylaid and were pointing their pistols at a woman on the seat. She appeared to be alone and I wondered about her sanity over that, but it was obvious I needed to make a productive move of some kind. Apparently they were too busy arguing with the woman to pay attention to anything else. I pulled one of my Spencer's out of the saddle scabbard, put it to my shoulder and made an excellent hundred and fifty yard shot. I fired again as fast as I could but instead of downing another bandit I ended up nicking his mount. Letting me know it was a smart horse, it promptly ejected the would-be robber, and without much ceremony. The remaining mounted bandit showed he was stupid too as he turned to look at me. The damsel in distress hadn't been as harmless as he'd probably thought. I'm not sure how she could even lift the Colt Dragoon but she made a good shot to put a forty-four caliber hole between his shoulder blades. The Colt did its part too, and the hole it made leaving his body was very much more impressive. Red, Buster, and I sprinted down to the scene of the fracas at once and we got there before the thrown bandit got enough of his wits about him to even stand up. Buster's teeth around his throat convinced him he didn't want to stand up all that badly anyway. Too bad he shit and pissed himself from fear. "Afternoon Ma'am. Are you ok?" "Thanks to your arrival. The one I killed was explaining what the three of them intended for me just before you dealt with the other two," she said. "That leaves us with a prickly choice then doesn't it?" "What choice?" "Well, I'm a law abiding man, but I can't see the need to haul this one into town and have to go through all the questions and probably have to show up for a trial later. Besides, he stinks after he messed his pants so. If it's all the same to you I think I should just go ahead and shoot him and we can tell the law it happened in the fight." The object of our conversation turned even more pale then and he was somehow able to piss even more in his pants while he shook and shivered in fear. Buster was still making sure he didn't enter the conversation. "I don't know. For a while there I had a powerful urge to see them all swinging at the end of a rope. I guess it would be a lot of bother though. I'm not up to shooting him," she said. "Maybe Buster can save us both the trouble." "Buster?" "My dog." "How can he help?" "Watch. Buster!" was all I said, and apparently he was good at reading the tone of voice I used. He ripped the bandit's windpipe out, spit it out of his mouth, and then hiked his leg and added to the growing puddle. "Good dog, Buster. Good dog," she said, praising him. "Please excuse my poor manners Ma'am. My name is Frank. I've lately taken over the Dunbarton place." "It's nice to finally meet you Frank, and timely too. I have to thank you for stopping these assholes. Are we just going to leave them here?" she asked. "I'll deal with them for now and when we get to my ranch I can send someone into town to tell the Marshal. He might want to send someone out to do something with the bodies. I don't know any of them so I can't even tell them who tried to rob you," I said. "I don't know any of them either. I have seen one of them in town before but I don't know his name." "Maybe the Marshal will want to find out. Would you pull your buckboard forward a little so I can gather up whatever they have on them and put it in the back. If we don't take their things now it's likely someone will come along and steal them." She agreed and sat in the seat while I tended to the remains. I went through the pockets and was surprised there was nearly a thousand dollars in gold among the three of them. I put their guns and gunbelts in the buckboard, put all the money in one of the saddle bags, and tied the horses onto the back, then dragged the bodies off the road. When everything was ready to go I tied Red with the other horses and climbed aboard beside the woman. She told me her name was Carolyn Norton and asked me to drive. That's what I'd intended when I got aboard but I didn't mention it, I just took the reins and we headed back to the ranch. Carolyn wasn't a bit standoffish since she was right up against me within a minute or two. I damned sure didn't mind. She was pretty as a picture and damned well made to my way of thinking. She wasn't being obvious about it or anything, but before long we were pressed up as close together as we could get and the breeze was blowing her long blonde hair against my head and neck occasionally. Sitting as close as we were, Carolyn's big right titty was jiggling against my left arm and it made my dick hard. I took the buckboard's reins in my right hand and put my left arm around her shoulders. I hoped I wouldn't get my face slapped over it, but the way she was acting made me almost sure I could get away with being just a little fresh. Damned if I couldn't, since Carolyn seemed to snuggle in even closer. She didn't mention it though. Before long her right hand was resting on top of my thigh and then she began stroking her hand up and down along it. It sure seemed like an invitation to me, so I slipped my arm off her shoulder and moved my left hand beneath her arm and casually slid my hand up to fondle her titty, almost holding my breath hoping I wouldn't get an explosion out of her. I didn't. She sighed and extended the range of her caresses on my leg until she was rubbing my hard dick instead of my thigh. "I've been a widow so long I'd almost forgotten how nice it was to handle a big fat one, and yours seems very big and fat," she said, and she craned her neck up to kiss me. I left the horses to their own devices for a second and turned to her so I could get a titty in each hand. I had her dress unbuttoned to her waist in a flash and her jugs were magnificent. Her skin seemed almost creamy and the big plump pink nipples made me want to suck. Carolyn had other ideas though. "You'd better get back to driving the team. I think I can take care of everything else," she said, as she started on the buttons of my fly. I did as she bid. She had my dick free shortly and to my surprise she dropped to her knees in the floor and was licking and teasing my pole to beat the band. Someone had taught Carolyn to suck a dick good and proper. She didn't try to get it to spit right away though, in fact, she'd back off a little when she felt me getting close. "Who taught you that?" I asked, having to strain to keep from screaming it. "Don, my dear Don started teaching me the night we were married and he gave me a lesson every night after until a damned old Indian put an arrow in him. It's been so long though and I couldn't hold back with you. We were married four years before he was killed and you miss things like that after you've been treated so well. He's been gone nearly two years now and I've done without as long as I can." "You don't look nearly old enough to have been married that long," I said, and then groaned lowly as she took as much of me into her mouth as she could. I'll swear I felt my dickhead mash against her tonsils. "Thank you Frank, but I'm afraid I'm getting older every day. I was already fifteen before we married. Why, I'll be twenty one in two months." She was telling her sad tale between sucks and nibbles. Carolyn was playing and excellent tune of slobber blues on my meat flute and by now I was ready for a big crescendo. I suppose she knew it even better than I did. "There's a nice little pull off ahead and I'm still upset from the mishap with those bandits. I'm afraid I may faint. Pull over off the road please. There's a blanket and pillow in my basket in the back. Perhaps you'd be so kind as to spread it on the ground for me so I can lie down for a bit." I was all for that and when I saw the small trail off the road I pulled down it into the woods. It went on for nearly a quarter mile and then came out in a nice meadow. Even I could recognize a lovely setting for what I was sure was coming next. I was out of the buckboard in seconds and I didn't even bother putting my dick back in my pants, I just made sure it didn't crash into anything while I found the blanket and pillow and made a pallet in the grass. Carolyn was waiting for me to help her down from the buckboard and I was more than ready. Since she was still seated I slid my hands up under her dress and to her bloomerless hips to help her to the ground. I wasn't the only one who hadn't bothered to put anything away. Carolyn's wonderful titties were still out and looking around and they wobbled delightfully as I lifted her from the buggy and carried her to where she was getting her next dose of dick. It was only by the hardest, but I was able to gently help Carolyn remove her dress and shoes. She hadn't bothered with any unmentionables. She looked glorious standing naked on the blanket and I nearly fell twice trying to get out of my clothes and boots. After we were dressed alike I helped her settle to the blanket with her shapely legs spread wide. She was surprised when my lips landed on her pussy and I was slightly surprised she was so clean and tasted nearly sweet. Her slight smell of lust spurred me on and I'll admit I didn't lick her long before my hips were between her legs and my pole was knocking at her split socket. Thankfully I was able to keep control and slowly slide my meat into her slick heat. She was very hot and wet by now and she was ever so snug along with it. I was convinced I was the first to plow her furrow since her sweet Don shuffled off, and I don't mind saying I was damned glad of it. "Oh my God! Sweet Jesus! What a dick!" she said, nearly screaming it and then growling and moaning from deep in her chest as I started pumping her up. Her arms wrapped me up tight and pulled me closer and when I pushed my tongue between her lips her legs flew around my waist and she started banging back at me. We were only loping at first but when she reached a hand down between my legs from behind and gave my balls a gentle squeeze I had to pick up the tempo just a little and pump her on home. I'm sure we were both yelling and screaming over our climax and as we lay side by side cuddling I wondered aloud if we'd been heard and whether someone would come to investigate. "That's on them and none of my affair. If someone comes snooping around just kill them too and fuck me again." "I don't know about killing someone else, but I'm planning on fucking you again, often. I'm not sure I can give it to you every night, but I'll admit I've been sandbagging the other girls and if I put my mind to it and pace myself I might be able to make all the rounds every night," I said, and yes, I knew I was bragging. "Other girls? You mean you have more work to do at night than Sally? I was hoping she and I could come to an understanding and you could visit me now and then." "I'll admit I'm doing my duty to more than Sally. Helen and her twins Elizabeth and Rebecca plus their former slave Mary and her daughter Honey need regular attention and Helga, Anita, and Barbara would probably be displeased if I cut them off. Of course Samantha is too young yet, but she claims to be chomping at the bit. "You mean you're making poor Samantha do without? I guess she is a little young, but it won't be long will it?" she asked. "You're probably right. When I run across a woman that wants help getting her legs apart I usually loan her my prybar," I said. "I see you have your work laid out already, but don't you think you could slip out to my place now and again?" Carolyn asked, looking up at me with begging eyes. "What's out at your place that makes you want to even go back? I know you can't be tending the cows if you have any and any children would like it better living with us anyway." "But..." "But nothing. I'm going to get between your legs again and convince you. If you still want to backtalk I'll take you home and have Sally and Helen and the others tie you to the bed. You know, they'll spank you good for disobeying me," I said, rolling her over onto her face and then pulling her hips up for a good dogstyle angle. Carolyn made a few weak pleas for mercy, but I ignored them, bent over her back and grabbed her titties for a little squeezing and nipple twisting. She was panting like the bitch in heat she was in seconds and when I put my dick where we both wanted it she was practically gushing pussy juice. That fuck took the wind out of both our sails for a few minutes. I'd pulled her over mostly on top of me after I pulled out spurting come everywhere, and we were catching our breath with me playing with everything I could reach. "Well if that ain't a lovely sight. I'm glad you got her all warmed up for me mister. Too damned bad you won't be around to take care of that job for me next time," a nasty voice said. I looked around to see some nasty dirty looking skinny jackass standing there with a pistol pointed at us. Damned if he didn't look like he might be fixing to shoot me. "Buster!" I shouted. Buster seemed to appear with the fool's gun hand in his mouth. The idiot looked down and tried to shake his arm, as if that would dislodge Buster's teeth. He must have realized his own mistake when he felt the pain from his crushed wrist as he tried to shake it. Alas, Buster didn't care whether it hurt the guy or not. He took the shaking as an attempt to get away and he put more pressure into his bite. The wrist gave up the ghost and in seconds the sneak was loose, since his pistol, and the hand holding it hit the ground. He was wailing and staring at the blood spurting stump when Buster grabbed hold of him again, by the dick and balls this time. Thankfully he didn't squeal this time, but he did seem to suck in his breath for about half an hour. ------- Chapter 27 I leaned across our pallet and pulled a Remington out of the right side holster and was about to end our guest's suffering, but when I pointed it Buster gave me such a sorrowful look I decided not to. "Well if you want to play with him a while go ahead, but drag him out of our sight," I said, to Buster. "At least get up and search his pockets in case there's someone somewhere that might wonder what happened to him," Carolyn said, as Buster was taking hold of the handless forearm to drag him off. I didn't bother putting my pants on and walked over to turn the idiot's pockets out. He must have robbed someone recently because he had two hundred and eighty some odd dollars in his pockets. Now I was paying attention I saw his gun belt looked fairly new too. I glanced at the unattached hand, still near his pistol, and saw his gun was a Remington like mine and it used cartridges also. "Damn. You'd never know it from his filthy clothes and scroungy looks, but this piece of shit died rich for his kind," I said. Carolyn wanted to know what I was talking about and I explained. We decided to get dressed and then I was going to look around and see if I could find his horse. Surely he didn't walk this far from town in what was left of his pitiful boots. Buster dragged him off and chewed on him some more after I quit my inspection. Loss of blood had the bastard so weak he couldn't even give very good screams anymore, and Buster was back sooner than I'd have thought. We were dressed by now and Carolyn was sitting on the buckboard's seat again. I explained about looking for a horse and she said she'd holler if anything else came around. Of course what I'd really meant was Buster was going to look for the horse and he started right off when I signaled. He didn't have to look for horses though; he already knew where the three of them and the mule were tied up. It was our bad luck, or the asshole's, that we'd pulled in for a fuck break not a quarter of a mile from his dry camp. The horses and the mule were all tied to a makeshift picket line and from the looks of the camp he'd been hiding out here for several days. I didn't know who he'd killed or where it had happened, but I could tell they hadn't been broke when they died. The horses and the mule were good stock and all the tack was well made and in reasonably good shape. I didn't want to fuck around out in the woods going through it so I packed up anything worthwhile and then attached the tack to the stock, riding the best horse back to where Carolyn and the buckboard were waiting. Damned if I hadn't left home with one horse and come back with several and a pretty complete traveling outfit, including a damned nice bed warmer. It had been a profitable afternoon. As we headed back to the house Carolyn fished my dick back out of my pants and showed me again how lucky my afternoon had been. The horses had to take care of most of the driving since I was concentrating on the way she liked to suck all of me in that would fit and then back off and see if she could get her tongue tip between my dickhead and foreskin. My dick was hidden in my pants again by the time we pulled up near the barn. Jim was there to take command of the stock before we were stopped good, so I helped Carolyn down without groping her very much and then led her into the house. Of course Sally and Juanita knew her, but she made me laugh when she announced herself to the others. "Hi, my name is Carolyn Norton, but Frank said you could just call me his new pussy." The women and girls gave her a look at first and then they all laughed, even Samantha. Of course the little ones didn't understand, but they laughed when everyone else did. "Where Chiquita?" Juanita asked. "She's at home, and we'll have to go get her before dark. She'll be afraid out there by herself," Carolyn said. "Come Mr Frank. I tell you the way," Juanita said, and pulled me into the kitchen. "Be sure tell Chiquita Mrs Carolyn send you and tell her they move here now. They do move here, right?" "Yes, you know I can't leave a widow in need Juanita." "Good, Chiquita was his woman too. Be sure she know she more new pussy," Juanita said, and then giggled. A hard dick's work is never done I guess. Back in the barn Jim helped me saddle Bob this time and Buster was all for heading out again, so we did. Since it was getting on down to the shank of the afternoon Bob got to gallop a while and then trot a while until Carolyn's place came into view. It was a nice place but obviously no men worked here any longer. Chiquita looked a little frightened when she came to answer my knock, but she looked very relieved when I explained they were moving in with us. She was a tasty looking little treat with her dark hair, dark eyes, and deeply tanned skin. Her peasant blouse showed me how nice her big titties looked at the top and she didn't seem a bit disturbed when I asked her to show me Carolyn's bedroom so I could fetch something she'd asked me to get. I think Chiquita was surprised at first when we entered the bedroom and I reached both hands around her and started playing with her breasts. "Carolyn told me to make sure you knew I was Don's replacement for both of you before we left," I said, and Chiquita sighed loudly and leaned back against me while I pulled the blouse down to her waist and freed those lovely brown-berry tipped titties. We didn't have unlimited time, but I wasn't about to rush this tasty treat. After we were naked I pushed her firmly onto the bed and got my lips on her pussy and my tongue up it right away. She probably spoke at least some English, but her Spanish encouragements were exciting and even her wails sounded exotic as I made her come on my mouth. When I moved up on my knees later to get fully between her legs she got her first look at my dick and she nearly swooned. She wasn't swooning as I pushed it up her though and she knew all about crying out and fucking back. Her heels were drumming against my ass in seconds and we pumped each other hard if not for very long. After a good bit of after fuck kissing and fondling Chiquita got up and packed two small handbags, one for Carolyn and one for her. I dragged my clothes back on after that and we headed home shortly with Chiquita sitting sideways in front of me on Bob's saddle. I'm glad Bob knew the way home because I spent most of my time playing with big brown titties all the way back. We made it just before sunset and there was a good commotion when we arrived. It didn't last long though and soon enough Juanita was serving supper with Chiquita helping. I knew I must have been a good boy today since we had even more dessert tonight. It only whet my appetite for the fun and games after bedtime. The next morning I woke when the women did and since they needed time in the bathroom I dragged on some clean clothes so Buster and I could find a place to piss outside. "Mr ah ... Frank, two of those new horses you brought in yesterday are fine ones, and that mule ain't no slouch neither. Can I keeps 'em up in your barn?" Jim asked, after I put my dick away. "Anytime you see a horse you want to keep just grab its lead and put it in there." "I figured I could, but I ain't really like that. Nobody here can have a claim on any of those you got yestiddy though, so I'm gonna keep the mule and them two if it's all right wit you." "Go ahead. How you coming along with the two Remus sent up here?" "They's coming along and I think they'll act right all the time after another week or so." "Good. I'm going in to breakfast now. You coming?" "Ms Juanita done fixed my breakfast. I'll just keep workin' unless you needs me to come drink coffee and listen to what you got to say," he said. "I guess I'll give you a break this morning. If I think of something I'll come tell you later," I said, and headed to the house. Chiquita brought me a cup of coffee as soon as I sat down and everyone else started showing up. Sally was the one who opened our morning talk and it was about the remainder of Carolyn's things. "I know you're anxious to get going to deliver the Army's beef Frank, but I think you should take care of moving Carolyn's things and getting her place secure before you go." "I happen to agree with you, and since I know Remus doesn't have any real work scheduled here until after we get back we should have around fifty hands available for the moving. "Carolyn, do you know what you want to do with the place?" "That's none of my business any longer. You're my man now and that's your place to use or sell as you see fit." I could hear Sally and Helen's advice in the background, but since I knew I'd never cheat Carolyn I didn't waste any time with false reluctance. "I guess we'd best keep the place until we find out how much of a market we'll have around here," I said, and went out to give Remus the happy news. "I know the place and I knew Don and Carolyn. They were good people. It was a shame what happened to him and even worse what Gorsham did after he died." "Who is Gorsham and what did he do?" "He owns the ranch on the other side. When she wouldn't take up with him after Don was kilt, he had his hands steal her cattle. She weren't in no shape to get 'em back so she let her hands go and just forgot 'em I guess. I think Don left her in good shape money wise and she just seemed to forget about the cows." "We'll see about that after the beef is delivered, but today I want to go over there and get all her belongings. Leave the stay at home crew here to watch things and I want everyone who's going on the drive to head over to Carolyn's place with me. Hitch up every wagon we've got, just in case," I said. I went back inside and asked Carolyn why she hadn't told me about Gorsham. She said she tried not to even think about him anymore. "Did he bother you much?" "Not after he found out I wouldn't marry him. He stole all our cattle, but other than that he didn't really pester me." "We're going back to your place this morning to bring you everything that isn't nailed down. We should be back in time for lunch, but if it takes longer it just takes longer. Don't worry about us," I told all of them. "Be careful. He hasn't bothered me, but I know his hands come around to look things over pretty often." I promised them we'd be careful and then went outside. The wagons were hitched and the trail crew was mounted and ready to go. Remus must have clued them in about Gorsham's hands that came around the place sometimes, or at least he must have said something like that, because I could easily see everyone of them had at least one saddle gun with them and those driving the wagons all had shotguns by their side. They weren't the new Greeners, but every wagon had a muzzle loading eight-gauge by the driver. We moved out smartly and came near Carolyn's place in a little less than an hour. I had them stop about a quarter mile back and rode up slowly to take the first look. It was a good move since I saw six cowhands prowling around looking through the barns. I went back to my men without showing myself. "Remus, Carolyn had six visitors snooping around. Their horses are tied and they're afoot and getting into pretty much everything. "We're going to make some citizen's arrest. I want all the mounted men to come to the front and we'll rush 'em at a lope. Tell the wagons to come on in as soon as they can." Remus went back and got the men organized and came back to me when they were. I was on Bob again this morning and I knew damned well he'd get there first. I told Remus I'd ride on past and block any escape. I wanted him to mob 'em before they could mount and try to run. I told him to try not to kill any of them unless they were stupid enough to put up a fight. Bob and I snuck up as close as we could without being seen again and then I gave him my heels and we flew down the road past the place a little with Buster doing his best to stay close. All the sneak thieves looked at me hard as I went by, but I think they were just wondering what the hell was happening. When Remus and the other took out they were really wondering since my men weren't passing by. After the prowlers were surrounded with their hands reaching for the sky as they say, I had Bob take me back to see what they had to say for themselves. One of them had plenty on his mind. He was giving Remus a sound cussing and he looked like he was about to explode. He didn't quiet down when I rode up either, and when he figured out I was the boss he started in on me. Sometimes a good offense is the best defense, but I'd already been around plenty of mulberry bushes and wasn't about to take any shit from him. "Buster," I said, after we were close enough and Buster got started. The loud mouth barely had time to stop hollering before Buster knocked him on his ass and took a firm grip on his throat. One of the others pulled his pistol as if he was gonna have time to get a shot off at buster. He didn't. I was going to shoot him dead, but one of the hands with us shot his pistol and the hand holding it. The rest of the owlhoots were all way too smart to try anything in the first place. "Don't kill him yet Buster. I want to talk to him," I said, and Buster released his prize and sat back on his ass. Whoever the fool was he started cussing me again as soon as buster turned him loose. Another word to Buster shut him back up. "Listen up you stupid bastard. I'm gonna have the dog turn you loose again. If you let one word out of your mouth that ain't a polite answer to a question from me you're gonna have your throat ripped out next time. "And the rest of you get rid of any guns you have right now. We won't be wounding anyone else who tries something stupid, we'll be killing them. You got five seconds to live unless gunbelts start hittin' the ground." I'm not sure it even took five seconds. When they looked done Remus had them lay on their faces and a couple of the other guys tied their hands behind them and then bound their feet. "Now loud mouth, what the fuck were you doing snooping around my property?" "It ain't your property. It belongs to the widow Norton." "Their ain't no widow Norton fool. There is my new wife Carolyn though. We married up yesterday and you didn't have no right snooping around her place anyway. You boys have really fucked up now. You can explain yourself to the Sheriff." "We ain't going to the Sheriff," the loudmouth said, like he had a choice. "Hell, that's fine with me, we can just kill you here and now. Remus, ask around and see who wants the first shot." Remus couldn't even get turned around before the loud mouth was begging instead of cussing. "That's a little better. I guess a man each can escort these fools to town. Tie them together with a rope around their necks. Buster can go back to the ranch with 'em to keep the prisoners moving that far. Send him back when you get there and ask Jim to give you a couple of dogs to help out the rest of the way into town. "Be sure to search 'em good after you untie their feet and pull their boots off. I don't think they'll try to run far in their bare feet. "By the way, I'd a let you ride your own mounts if the asshole in charge hadn't talked so rough at first. We'll see how tough you are after you get to town. If I's y'all I'd let him know how much you enjoyed the barefoot walk as soon as I got my hand's loose." I added that last because I wasn't sure if the idiots were smart enough to figure out who'd really caused them the grief. I didn't even know the asshole's name, but I figured he would look a lot worse for the wear next time I saw him. "Hey Frank, lookee here," one of my men yelled and I headed his way. He'd been searching the loudmouth and he showed me a diamond ring and a wedding ring he'd found in the fool's pocket. "Just checking the place out, huh. Guess you saved yourself a walk to town. Nobody will give a shit about us killing some fool who come around thinking he was stealing from a poor widow woman. Buster! The other five and some of my men lost their breakfast over what Buster did to the loudmouth. I don't know if it was his former Indian Master that taught him to rip a man's balls off, but someone had. Of course the balls weren't the last thing the loudmouth lost, but they were what he screamed loudest about, We didn't find anything in the pockets of the other five so they were headed to town a few minutes later. ------- Chapter 28 "Now the excitement is over for a while I want the rest of you to scatter yourselves out around this place to watch for more visitors. "I mean for you to hide good too. Don't let anyone who comes up see you unless Remus gives the signal to show yourselves. If he does I want anyone who has come up disarmed and dismounted if possible. "I'm going back to the house and tell the women what's happening and I think I'm going to bring Carolyn back to make things even more official. I won't be gone long," I said. I walked over to talk to Remus right before I left, and gave him more specific instructions about when to draw the line if visitors came calling before I made it back. Back at the ranch I was in time for cake and coffee, as if I didn't know I would be. The women had a million questions and I gave them a couple of answers then asked Carolyn if she wanted to come back with me and watch in case something else happened. "Of course I do, and I'm happy my new man is taking such good care of my former property." I had to give all the women a thorough kissing before Carolyn and I headed out. Jim had a buckboard ready and Bob was tied to the back. I guess Buster decided he was tired of all the running around by now and he'd hopped up into the back to ride this time. We returned to Carolyn's place and it didn't take long. Remus had one of the guys put the buckboard and Bob in the barn with the other stock hidden inside and then we went into the house and waited. Later we waited some more, and so on, and... It was just after two in the afternoon when Buster's ears perked up and he looked in the direction of the road from Gorsham's place. Soon enough Edgar Gorsham and seven cowboys rode up into the yard. They stopped and got down to examine the large blood stain left over from Buster ripping the balls off and the throat out of the one who stole Carolyn's rings. Of course they couldn't know what went on, but it didn't keep Gorsham from ranting and raving a little. He also helloed the house a time or two and then he headed for the back steps. "The rest of you look around and see if there's anything here we can use. She's abandoned this place and we'll just take what we want. I'm going inside to make sure she ain't in there hidin'. Either way I'm gonna show that cunt she can't act like she's too good for me and get away with it. "We're gonna burn this place to the ground before we leave," Edgar said, yelling it. I took up a greener and waited on the other side of the door. He came up and pounded on it, yelling for Carolyn to come and open up to let him in. He also made several threats about what he was going to do when he got hold of her. Finally he put his shoulder to the door and broke it off the hinges. He was very surprised to see me inside and even more surprised to see the Greener. "Back your fat ass right back outside the door, and if you put your hands anywhere near your pistol it'll be two main pieces of you to hit the ground." "Who the hell are you?" "I'm Carolyn's new husband and I heard every word you were saying about what you were going to do to her. Didn't I honey?" "He did have a lot to say," Carolyn said. "Don't really matter though since I don't think I'm gonna let him live much longer. Remus, signal the hands," I yelled. Remus was near a window in another room and he fired three shots from his pistol as fast as he could. There was a lot of yelling outside for a minute or so, then we heard from Okey. "Ok, Boss, we got 'em all disarmed and we're tying 'em up now." "Back your fat ass outside Edgar, or I'm gonna blow it outside," I said, and he reached for the sky without prompting and backed out so fast he nearly fell. Remus was with us now and he relieved Edgar of his pistol and a hideout gun he had in one boot. I was watching Gorsham closely and I could see he was about to start ranting and raving. I waited until he opened his mouth to start and then butt-stroked him right between the lips and kicked him in the ass when he hit the ground. "Get his fat ass over with the others Buster," I said, and as always Buster did his duty. Edgar's mouth was bleeding so he sprayed red blood every time he screamed good. He did get his fat ass up and join his men though. I walked over to join him and started my spiel. "How many of my men heard fat ass here bragging about raping my new wife and then burning her home and place?" Probably twenty of them said they had. "Do y'all think we should take them to town for a trial, or just hang every one of these thieves right here and now?" There was no doubt about what they wanted to do. "All right then. Okey, ride back to the ranch for Jasper, Blossum, and plenty of rope. I wanna see whether Jasper or Blossum can tie the prettiest hangman's noose." The confessions started pouring out of Edgar's cowboy's mouths then. I knew Okey was going to be sad he missed it, but I was tired of it before they were even nearly done. Thank goodness the County Sheriff, the Oregon City Marshal, and Deputy Jed Franklin rode up then. "Howdy Frank. I see you seem to have things pretty much in hand even without us. What's going on?" Deputy Jed asked. "I caught this bunch of assholes. They came here to burn my new wife Carolyn's place to the ground. Old Edgar here was bragging about doing that and raping Carolyn as soon as he thought nobody was around. He could talk better back then, before I knocked so many of his teeth out. "I'll say one thing, you have done this county and Oregon City a lot of good turns since you came around. We'll be one hell of a lot better off with that piece of shit looking up from underground. You are planning on stretching his neck ain't cha'?" "We had it in mind all right. I sent Okey to fetch Jasper and Blossum and some rope. I know damned well Blossum can tie a better noose than Jasper, but I was gonna let him try his hand again," I said. "Sounds like it's too good for old fat Edgar, but I guess it won't hurt for the hands. They just went astray over poor leadership probably. Still, they all know they're guilty of stealing cattle and they sure as hell know what that'll get 'em. The judge in town didn't waste no time having a trial and finding the others you sent in guilty. We're gonna hang all them in the morning," the Marshal said. "A real noose is too good for Edgar though. I think we could get by with a lasso and a stout tree branch. I don't like the idea of coddlin' criminals," the Sheriff said. "Buster ain't had no fun since this morning. Don't it look like old Edgar is trying to escape to you?" I asked, and when they agreed I gave Buster the word and he went to town. It was a hell of a show too. Edgar was fat enough to give Buster something to work with and Buster put on his best performance yet. It would have been a shame about the fancy gunbelt and fine boots, but Edgar was so fat nobody else could have used them anyway. "Damn, we ain't got all that much left to bury," the Sheriff said, twenty minutes later when Buster was done. "That's the only bad habit I ain't been able to break Buster of. He does fine with skinny folks he has to take care of, but if they're fat and tender he just can't keep from swallowing a few bites. Old Edgar was probably more tasty than we could have known." None of the lawmen puked over it, but several of Edgar's riders lost all they'd had to eat so far today. Remus watched them all and grinned. "That's another good thing. Now that they've all puked maybe they won't shit their pants so much when we hang 'em," Remus said, and the lawmen could laugh about it easy 'cause I'm sure they were very familiar with that details. The rest of my men who were hanging around laughed too. In fact everybody laughed except the cowboys. "Frank, would you and you're men mind being deputized for a little?" the Sheriff asked, after the laughter died down. "Not a bit. We ain't got much to do today anyhow. What's up?" "We need to go on down to Gorsham's place and round up the rest of his hands. We ain't caught 'em red handed so we can't hang 'em on the spot, but I got my suspicions and we might as well gather 'em all up now since you got plenty of manpower with you. If it suits you that is." "Hell yes it suits me. I don't want no nest of thieves left out here so close to me." An hour and a half later we had sixteen men hogtied and loaded into one of Gorsham's wagons. We didn't bother any of the darkies on the place, except one of the barn hands. We had him drive the open-topped wagon we'd thrown the prisoners in. We also left the cooks and house maids and such at their duties and I left five of my men to make sure no trouble came up until the proper ownership of the ranch could be determined by the courts. We stopped at Carolyn's place on the way back. Jasper and Blossum were sitting at a table they'd brought outside and sipping on glasses of tea Chiquita had fixed. I didn't know what she was doing back down here until I noticed a lot of shadows that were surely women moving around inside the house. Jasper and Blossum had the seven nooses laid out on the table in front of them. I was pretty sure Blossum had tied them all since every one of them was perfect, but I didn't say a word. Sheriff Daniels was impressed and he didn't mind saying so. He paid them five dollars each on the spot and told them they had all the county's noose business as long as he was in office. He didn't waste much more time though. He asked some of my men to get the prisoners mounted and they put them on the horses they'd rode in on. We took the nooses over to a tree with a handy and stout limb and hung the cowboys one at a time. The Sheriff made sure his wagonload of prisoners had a ringside seat too, and then he had a few words for 'em. "There's a chance you fools will get off with a few years at hard labor. I want to make sure you know what'll be waiting for ya if you live to make it out again. I know damned well every one of ya were in on the cattle stealing, but I can't prove it and prison ain't so easy as it sounds so's I know you're gonna get some punishment. "If you ever do get out remember they'll send us notice of it before they turn you loose. We won't be happy to welcome you home if you come back up here. Not one bit happy, and we'll still have trees and ropes then too," he said, and signaled for the driver to head on to town and took five of my men with him and the two other lawmen to act as guards. "My wives had come out to watch the hangings and Carolyn stamped her little feet until I told her what became of Gorsham. She grinned like a mean little kid when I did. Of course she'd stayed here when we headed down there and the others had come down to help her pack. We had supper in her house while Remus took all but five men back to the ranch. The five ate in the house with us and then found places in the empty bunkhouse to spend the night. They were going to work shifts keeping a watch. I had my work cut out for me giving all my wives a dose in Carolyn's bed. Chiquita got up early the next morning to fix breakfast and coffee with Carolyn and Mary helping her. Me and Buster headed outside next to find a good place to take a piss. Carolyn didn't have an indoor privy so Buster and me made sure nobody bothered them when they came out two at a time to visit the necessary. Things had got complicated now with the ranchin' business. I had cows to deliver for the army and now I needed to see about gettin' any of Carolyn's stock out of the bunch down at Gorsham's place. I knew you could tell for sure what the first brand of a re-branded cow had looked like, but you had to kill it and look at the backside of the brand after you skinned the cow or steer. I decided I might as well ride into town and talk it over with the Sheriff or Marshal before we did anything. At breakfast I told the women what I was planning and they thought it was probably best. When I rode back to the ranch I left Bob with Jim to tend to and saddled Red for the ride to town. I stopped by the Oregon City Marshall's office first to tell him what was on my mind. Sheriff Daniels was there too and he said we needed to go see the County Judge, Judge Carnigan. He wasn't in his office but his secretary said he was at Judge Calhoun's office so we went there. When Judge Calhoun's secretary saw us he hopped up and went into the Judge's office, coming back out in a minute and showing us in. Both Judges were standing to shake our hands when we entered and I was surprised when both Judges handed Sheriff Daniels a twenty-dollar gold piece each. Judge Calhoun spoke up right away. "The Sheriff told us you probably wouldn't put up with Gorsham around so close for long. Judge Carnigan bet him you wouldn't do a thing for six months and I bet him it'd take you two months. We're just paying him off," Judge Calhoun said. "Don't really matter though. I bet with the Marshal too and he said it wouldn't take a month so he gets all the money." "No, he don't. Jed bet him it wouldn't take a week and he'll end up with it," Judge Calhoun said, and laughed, then they all did. "I'm just glad it has worked out so far, but I need to see if I can find a way to get Carolyn's stolen cows back," I said. "If she's got a count just go down there and pick out that many. We don't care which ones you take cause we've already decided to give you the rest of 'em for the help you gave the lawmen yesterday. You'll have to pay the deputizing wages though. Is that fair?" Judge Carnigan said. "You know it is," I said. "Good. What would you give for the rest of his place? I know he ain't got no heirs?" Judge Carnigan asked me. "I don't really know. I didn't look it over very well and I'm not sure if I can really use that much more land. How much land is it anyway?" "It's fifteen hundred acres and the county will take two thousand dollars for the whole place. Can you pay cash?" "Hell yes, I can and will at that price." "Let's all go to the courthouse steps then and make this neat, tidy, and legal. Hell, we'll even have a Federal Judge as a witness." We did just that. The four of us went by Judge Carnigan's office to fetch his secretary and he had the young man bring some paperwork that was already made up. When we got up on the courthouse steps the secretary showed he had a firm strong voice while he announced what was going on and called for bidders to come forward. Plenty of people came around and listened while the secretary read the details over what was on sale and then called for bids. I shouted out two thousand dollars cash, and nobody else bid. We went to the bank where I drew out the money and then we went to Judge Carnigan's office again and signed the papers. When I made it back to the ranch it was plain from the wagons in front of the house being unloaded the moving was over, or at least Carolyn's things were here now. Jim took Red to tend to and I walked into the house, dreading what I had to tell my women. ------- Chapter 29 Things were fine and even better when I walked in. I was afraid they'd turn to shit soon though. Carolyn was excited and asked about her cattle. "Oh, we got the cattle with no problem." "That's good, but it will probably be hard to tell which were mine and which were Gorsham's. I'm sure they've altered the brands by now. Oh well, it won't be impossible to figure it out," she said. "It won't be that hard. Jim is an expert, he's done it several times," Helen said. "We don't have to figure it out at all. Gorsham had no heirs and no will. The court gave us all the cattle for our help capturing and disposing of the criminals," I said. "That's wonderful," Sally said. "Maybe, and maybe not. I went off half cocked and bought Gorsham's entire place from the county. It cost us two thousand dollars," I said. "Oh, are you sure you can use all that land profitably?" Helen asked. "It doesn't make any difference if we can or not. Gorsham had one of the best places for cattle anywhere around here. He hardly had to fence any of it. There are natural barriers to keep his cattle from wandering off. Not to mention the river always has plenty of water," Carolyn said. "Yes, and the house is worth much more than two thousand dollars. Now we have plenty of space without adding on," Sally said. "Yes, but our space is spread over three houses," Helen said. "You haven't seen Gorsham's house dear, I have," Sally said. "Is it nice?" Helen asked. "It's very nice, but more important it's huge. I think it's probably twice as large as mine and Carolyn's if they were combined. Maybe even larger than that," Sally said. "I remember hearing about it now, but I've never seen it. Don and I never visited him and I surely wouldn't after Don died. I've heard rumors about his bedroom though. I've heard it's enormous," Carolyn said. "Well, we'll go over and take a good look tomorrow, tonight we'll celebrate," I said, thanking my lucky stars blind luck had caused me to do something right. The celebration wasn't so much of one afterall, at least not in a public fashion. We had a big supper and then took to the entertainment room, our bedroom. At breakfast the next morning I came to my senses and decided there was no way I could spare the time to go on the cattle drive. After I sucked down my last cup of coffee I went outside to find Remus and give him the news. He didn't seem a bit upset over it and even asked if I couldn't keep half the men here with me to use while he and the other were on the drive. "I just don't need nearly that many men to go along Frank. They'll just end up getting into something foolish. I'll still have too many, but leaving half of them here will help me out." "Give 'em the news Remus. I'm sure as hell not going to try and tell you how to drive cattle if I ain't even going on the trip." "Good, we'll leave in the morning if it's ok with you." "Go ahead, I've dragged my feet for too long already and we've got a lot more cattle to tend to now. I bought Gorsham's place from the county yesterday and we need some bodies down there to keep watch until we can get moved," I said. Really it was a good thing Remus wanted to cut his crew back. We were going to need more cowhands around here. I left Remus to get his bunch organized for leaving and I rounded up five men to go with me and the women. Wagons for taking the women were the only option. Some could ride, but some weren't good at it. I intended to cure that problem sooner or later, but for now they all loaded up in a couple of wagons and headed for Gorsham's place. We pulled up about two hours later and we'd just unassed our rides when six cowboys came up driving about forty head of cattle. They stopped as soon as they noticed the big crowd. The apparent leader of the group rode over near me to find out what was going on. "Where is everybody, and who are you?" he asked when he got close. "Most of the hands are in jail in town, except for those the Sherrif hanged yesterday." "But where's Mr Gorsham?" "Oh him. My dog Buster tore him to pieces and he's still dead. We've got about twelve greeners covering your bunch, so if you don't want to be buried you can drop your guns and live until we can get the Sherrif out here." He looked around and could see the others who'd come up with him dropping their weapons, but apparently he thought he could shoot his way out since the Greeners were pointed at his former buddies. As soon as his right hand moved toward his holster Buster let him know that wasn't going to work by pulling him off his mount by the arm he'd been trying to draw with. I gave Buster about ten minutes to explain what dropping your gun means, but by the time the lesson was over it didn't make any difference since Buster had pretty much chewed the guy's right hand completely off. I called for Buster to come over with me while I went to talk to the other five cattle thieves. We left the tough guy on the ground, trying to slow down his own blood loss and crying over his lost hand at the same time. "Ok, men, it was nice of you to bring the cows in, but get your asses off my horses," I said. One of them opened his yap saying someting about it being his horse, but he was probably lying so I shot him in the chest. "Ok, any of you other fools want to try your hand at spreading bullshit fast enough to get you out of this. Me and Buster share the wealth and he'll tend to the next one who lets his lips get away from him. If you don't want to be in a dog fight get your asses off those horses." They were paying closer attention now. I sent one of my hands into town to fetch the Sherrif and had another gather the boots our prisoners were removing. "I'm pretty sure rustling cattle is still a hanging offence, so you boys had better see if you can remember how to pray before the law gets here. It's just your bad luck we killed Gorsham yesterday. He ain't around to help you out no more." Funny, a couple of the youngest spent most of the time until the Sherrif arrived crying instead of praying. Maybe they could do both at the same time. Some of my men had the cattle penned up by now and all the women were inside examining the house. From the looks of the outside and from the size I was pretty sure we'd be moving in here starting about an hour ago. One of the best things I noticed was the place was well kept outside at least and there were plenty of barns and a nice big bunkhouse and even a big kitchen to feed the hands. There was even a big barn with stalls for horses and there were plenty of really nice mounts which were kept separate from the normal cow ponies. Jim was going to love this place. I sent another hand back to Sally's place to stop the construction there and send the carpenters down here. When the law rode up, about four in the afternoon, it was Sherrif Daniels, Marshal Brown, and Deputy Franklin. "Damn Frank, we need to get a badge on you. We'd just got word about these stolen cows when your man got to town and told us you had captured the rustlers. Well, at least you left us four to hang," Sherrif Daniels said. "Five really Sherrif, I didn't let Buster finish that one off," I said, pointing to the one still crying about his hand. It even surprised me when the Sherrif pulled his pistol and put the fool out of his misery. The two yougsters Who'd been crying over being caught so early in their thieving careers both fainted and it began to smell like they'd shit their pants too. The other two owlhoots just puked and pissed themselves. "I don't want to guard them stinking bastards all the way back to town. I think we should go ahead and hang 'em here. What do you think Marshal?" Sherrif Daniels asked. "Hell Mike, you're the Sherrif. I'm just one of your deputies. Can you give us a hand Frank?" Marshall Brown asked. "Just watch and make sure it's all legal. I think my men know the drill for disposing of rustlers. We'll even hold the stolen cattle if the rightful owners want to come pick 'em up." Half an hour later my men were laughing at the wanna be crooks while they did the hemp tango. Was it rough justice. Hell yes it was, but look on the bright side, if we'd caught them trying to steall cattle while we were out driving it somewhere we'd have probably dragged them to death. And hey, at least we buried them all. It was in the same hole of course, but no doubt it was a better end than anyone who'd run afoul of the cow stealing bastards. Sally, as the acknowledged ring-leader, had our residence moved already, or at least enough of it to let us sleep over. When I got my first look at Gorsham's former bedroom I knew why. His bed was not only the biggest I'd ever seen it was also the most comfortable I'd ever been on. And looking around let me know he was fond of indoor plumbing too. He even had two bathrooms off his bedroom. His giant bed was something else. There was some kind of first mattress Sally called box springs. They were covered with the same type of ticking a normal mattress would have and I could tell the difference when I climbed aboard. the whole thing was firm, but soft without sagging, and it was the first time we could all get into the bed together. I had my work cut out for me after bedtime too. Must have been something about me getting rid of owlhoots made my women want to get naked and nasty. Buster slept in the Master bedroom with us of course and he was anxious to get outside as soon as I'd taken a leak and dressed. Juanita was already in the kitchen cooking when we went outside and not only was Chiquita helping her, but so were three young black women I didn't recognize. There was coffee when I came back in for breakfast and one of the black kitchen girls brought some to me. When I spoke to her she called me Massa and I had her bring the other two girls in with her for a talk. I told them all the south had been defeated and slavery was over and done with. Betsy, the one who'd served my coffee told me Massa Gorsham didn't hold with such and would surely beat them when he came back. "Massa Gorsham is deader than a turd in a milk bucket. You can thank Massa Buster for it, he ripped old Edgar to pieces." Where is Massa Buster. I wants to thank him," Betsy said. "Buster, stand up and take a bow." Buster didn't know from a bow, but he did get up and wag his tail. The girls were surprised and Janey asked me what Buster had done to Massa Gorsham. "Well, he bit him a lot and then started tearing pieces off and eating them. I figure he dropped off some of the last of old Edgar when he took a crap this morning." Poor Buster was mobbed with first a lot of petting and good dog which he didn't care so much for and then there were several treats from the kitchen he liked a lot better. "I fought in the Union Army girls, so we don't put up with that Massa crap around here. You're free to go where you want and do what you want now. If we can talk you into staying here we'll pay you well," I said, and I was happy enough with the petting that got me, even if my treats were more in the nature of petting I doled out myself. Luckily Mary and Honey came in about then and they took the new girls back into the kitchen for a talk about our racial relations in the future. I did hear her warn the girls not to wear me plumb out. Chiquita came out with my plate of eggs, bacon, and biscuits then so I forgot about past suffering the girls had probably been forced to put up with and concentrated on making sure there'd be nothing left on my plate after I was done. I was only about half finished when the rest of my women showed up. Juanita brought the new kitchen help out to introduce them then. I learned the one I hadn't met officially was named Sarah. Sally was pleased to have more help for Juanita and Chiquita and especially hoped Mary and Honey could stay closer to the bedroom now and help with my exercise. Alas, I couldn't hang around squeezing titties and pinching asses all morning so Buster and I headed outside. I ran into Jim right off the bat and asked him where he'd been at breakfast. "Ms Juanita fed me just at sunrise and I been trying to get hold of things in the big horse barn. They had some good horses in there, but there's enough stalls for your personal stock too. I still think Frank is the best hoss of all of 'em though." "I probably will too, he is a good 'en. Is there enough room for you to have a place made in there or do you want a separate house now?" "There's a room in it for me already, but it ain't as nice as what you was having made for me down to the other place," Jim said. "It will be before long. I told 'em down there to send the carpenters on up here as soon as they showed up." Our expanded carpenter crew rolled up just then, so I had a talk with John Birch and got him started on what I wanted done first, which was fixing up Jim's place here. We were in luck since most of the building at the other place hadn't gotten very far along yet. We also had a couple more barns here that would let some of that pressure off the builders. We'd still need a place for Jasper and Blossum, but there was a house suitable for Charlie, Nadine, and Jr. There also was a small house I thought would suit Remus. If he didn't like it we'd take care of him after he came back from delivering the cows. ------- Chapter 30 It took most of four days to move everything important down to the new house. It also changed my mind along with Jasper's and Blossum's about building a store out on our place. I promised both of them I'd ride into town tomorrow and look for a suitable building. One thing we didn't have to worry about was where my women and I were going to sleep. The big bed in Gorsham's bedroom was big enough for all of us and we gave it a workout that very night. Juanita and Chiquita didn't take very long to catch onto cooking in the new place, but there was one snag first thing the next morning. It wasn't such a bother for me since I could go outside and take a piss anywhere and so could Buster, but the women couldn't. I to my ass up early and brought them the biggest pot from the kitchen to use as a chamber mug. I promptly went outside once I was dressed and called John Birch into the house and had him study the big bedroom and find the handiest place he could put a bathroom. After a little quizzing he finally admitted that a couple of his hands knew how to do the plumbing too and he even told me there was a special kind of water tank that could be installed and if you kept a watch on it and kept a fire inside it you could have hot water anytime you wanted it. After going over it some more he said if I put in a windmill and dug a well he could build a large water tank up on a tower that would keep water flowing at any faucet I wanted to put anywhere in the house. I told him to get started on it right away, and reminded him not to forget a bathtub and stool either. With the dirty details covered now I sat down to breakfast and we had hotcakes and sausage this morning. There was plenty of Maple syrup to go around and I ate until I was nearly sick. When I finally got moving to do something productive I went out and saddled Frank to ride around the new place and take a look. Like I'd thought at first it was a perfect place for raising cattle. The small river running across the back of the place furnished water for as many cattle as I wanted to raise and it also furnished a barrier to keep the cattle on my land. Hills and ravines took care of most other exits the cattle could take and we only needed about three hundred yards of fence to close the place off good and proper. The fencing was already in place but it could stand a little repair. I let that slide until Remus got back with the rest of he cowhands. I figured they'd be more than happy to do a little fencing when they got back, especially when they got a look at their new bunkhouse and the large kitchen for feeding them in it. Cookie was already moved into the house for him and he was getting everything ready to start cooking in the new place as soon as possible. The next thing on the agenda was the waterwell and a windmill for it. It didn't take long looking around in Oregon City to find a well digger and he could also furnish the windmill and piping up to the water tank when it was ready. By the time the men got back from their cattle drive three weeks later most everything we needed was in place or nearly so, except for the work they needed to do. They rebuilt the small fence we needed and then rode over the whole place looking for problems to cure before they moved the cattle. It didn't take long and a week later they went down and drove our cattle up to the new place and got them settled in. I even got a new round pen built and finally got a room finished for Jim in the big horse barn. He was as happy as a pig in shit and for a good while he didn't even dodge meals with us at all. By the time we'd been in the new place for about two months things had settled down and everyone was already accustomed to taking care of their new duties. Our first hint at trouble came when one of the fence riders came to tell me about fifty head of cattle had been driven off up over a small hill on the back side of our territory. It didn't take long for me to ride out and check the spot the next day and I could see where it could be blocked off easily with just a small charge of dynamite. Still, I wanted to catch the thieves first. I rode directly into town that afternoon and check out the biggest hardware store. As I expected they had telegraph keys in stock and they also had enough wire, batteries and such to erect a complete setup. I bought enough materials for a short telegraph run right away and sent a wagon into town the next day to pick it up. Remus and I scouted out a place to put a watcher and then the men felled and stripped enough trees to run the line back to the house. It took about a week to teach three of the younger hand enough Morse code to send a signal to the bunkhouse and then we made up a schedule for the watchers to start watching. I also set the charges to close off the way out with only the need of a match. We got it done just in the nick of time, as they say. On the fifth night after the watcher was on duty the telegraph in the bunkhouse went off and it said six men were making a gather and and appeared to be heading out on the very trail we'd expected. Remus went ahead and sent the signal to blow the charge when they headed out and then he had the other men saddle up and even had Jim saddle Frank or me to come along if I wanted to. I wouldn't miss it for the world. By the time we got down there the trail had already been blown and the rustlers were trapped unless they headed down the road out front. They were still up there looking over what had happened and wondering how when we got down there. Of course the cattle had promptly turned around and gone back to what they were doing and they had knocked over four of the rustle's horses on the way down, trampling the rustlers who had been unseated. We arrived just as the other rustlers were coming down the trail and no doubt intending to ride out to the road. The watcher had emptied the other two saddles when they'd tried to make it past him. We went ahead and tracked them up the trail and found the four men that had been trampled. They were all still alive when we found them so we tied each one with a lariat and dragged them back down the trail. The two the watcher had shot were already dead when we came up on them but we tied and dragged them too, just for the hell of it. None of them were alive when we got back to the road and so we dragged them back to the house and left the bodies out near the barn. We had also collected their horses and the four involved in the minor stampede weren't hurt badly. We shot the shit over things at the hours but pretty soon we all went back to bed. I sent a rider into town the next morning as soon as he could get breakfast and had him give the story to the deputy sheriff. The deputy rode out around noon and we invited him in for lunch. After we'd eaten we took a ride up to where it had all happened and explained what had happened. "Those horses came off John Jefferson's ranch and no doubt the cattle were heading that way too," the deputy said. "Well, I think I'll keep the watchers on duty for a little longer just to make sure it don't happen again," I said. "Do you think it would be ok if we just buried the men here and not tell anyone what happened yet?" "I don't see any harm in that. Hell, Jefferson might send out another bunch if he can't find out what happened to this bunch," he said, and so he rode back into town and we buried the others. Early the next morning the watcher from the same spot sent a message saying another one had tried to use the trail but had been thrown off his horse right where we'd blown the trail. Remus and I saddled up and went back up there and when we rode to the spot, sure enough, John Jefferson was down on the rocks where we'd blown out the trail. Remus and I made our way down to him and he was still alive. "Man, I'm sure glad to see you folks," Jefferson said. "I don't see why. I know you came looking for the four men you sent out to steal cattle last night. You could have come down to the house if you wanted to see their graves. I don't guess you'll ever make it now though. Looks to me like your back is broken," I said. "Can you at least get me to a doctor?" he asked. "What for. He can't do a damned thing for your back and you'd just cost the county more money taking care of you until they can have a trial and hang you. We might as well leave you laying there until you die. Can you even move your arms?" I asked. "No, I can't," he said. "Well, at least I can save you a long painful death," I said, as I knelt down by him, pinched off his nose and then covered his mouth. His back must have been broken really bad, because as he tried to jerk his head away he must have torn something else loose because he even quit wiggling and just lay still until he died from lack of air no doubt. Remus must not have wanted to watch because he climbed up over the blown out spot and caught John's horse. After John was dead I carried him up and strapped him across Remus' saddle and told Remus I'd meet him at John's place. Jeff, the watcher and I took off for Jefferson's place and by the time I got there Remus was in the house and when I was let in I went in to talk to John's wife, Cherry. She didn't boohoo very much over John's demise, in fact she cursed him. "I knew all along he's been stealing cattle, but I couldn't talk him into quitting it. You ain't gonna call the law out on me are you?" she asked. "No, I'm not about to. I'm going to invite you to come down and stay at my place for a while. I'll let Remus stay up here and look after your place while you come down for a visit and to get yourself together for John's funeral. Are any of your men trustworthy?" I asked. "Not a one I know of is," she said. "I think I'll send Jeff down to gather up some more men and bring them here to make sure yours don't try to steal anything," I said, and I went back out and sent Jeff on his way with instructions. As I was telling him the details I could see Jefferson's men in a bunch talking things over. A little over an hour later Remus came riding up with thirty of our men and they all had rifles or Greeners along with their sixguns. While we'd been waiting I asked Cherry what she wanted to do about the men. She said she'd like to pay them off, but she'd have to go to the bank and get the money, if she even had enough. "Don't worry about a thing. I have plenty of cash at my place. You can let them go and tell them to come down there for their pay," I said. She had gumption, I'll say that for her. She also had a pretty face and one hell of a figure. She went out the back door, told the men what had happened, let them all go, and told them to show up down at my place for their pay. I told Remus and the other men to stay around and wait for all the other men to clear out. Cherry decided to let them leave with one horse each. She was sure none of them owned a one, but she was letting them have one horse and tack as a severance pay. I let Remus in on that detail too and I asked him to stay with five more men after everyone had gone. Helen was the first one that saw us driving up in Cherry's buckboard when we got back and taking a hint she had all the women out to greet us. They took over the care and feeding of Cherry as soon as I helped her down. I called another of the hands over and told him to take nine more men up to help Remus watch the Jefferson Place. They had no sooner left than some of Jefferson's men showed up for their payout. Some of them asked me if I needed any help so I told them to just hang around until Remus got back and ask him. I explained he hired all cowhands. We only had one hand squabble over what he was paid, but Cherry had brought the paybook with her and she showed him where he'd signed for his pay every week. At least John had kept good records with the pay amount every man received and letting them sign or make their mark every week when he paid. I only had to call buster when he claimed it wasn't right and I told him the best I could think of for him to do would be to hire a lawyer and sue if he could prove his case. He still wanted to argue so I had Buster escort him out. He acted a fool and drew his pistol as if to shoot Buster. Buster was way to smart for that and dogs are a lot quicker than humans. The cowboy dropped his pistol when Buster clamped down on his wrist. Buster went ahead and dragged him out the door to make sure he finished his job. We had them all paid off within two hours and it was just in time since lunch was ready. At least it cheered Cherry up a little to get some food in her. That afternoon I let the women talk Cherry into staying with us, for a while at least. When Remus came back a little later I told him to get ready to round up her cattle and bring them down and turn them in with our. "You don't need to brand them or try to keep the separate or anything. Just get a good count on them so if it comes up we don't end up cheating her out of any money. Oh, be sure to look at any brands and check out the funny looking ones to make sure we don't have any of someone elses. Get Jim to look them over if you have any doubts. If you do happen to find some that you think belong to someone else keep them separate," I said. ------- Incomplete and Inactive ------- Posted: 2008-03-21 Last Modified: 2010-03-31 / 08:52:06 am ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------