THREE GOLD RINGS
Copyright © 2009
William Kellar
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This novel is a work of fiction. Certain locations are real, although any references to real events, businesses, organizations, and locales are intended only to give the fiction a sense of reality and authenticity; any resemblance to actual places, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To my wife Sharron, who poured her heart and soul into helping me unravel all the information, and stories that came from notes from my Grandmother's old chest.
Credits and help to make the story as accurate as possible:
* Artwork and Front Cover by: John Sempek.
* Sara Teasdale, Flame and Shadow, Copyright 1916.
* “Sheep, Sheepdogs and Wolves”: Lt. Col. Dave Grossman.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for their contribution on:
* Levedale Farms; *
* The history of the Shorthorn Breed;
* Texas Longhorn; *
* Dr. Stewart H. Fowler, PhD;
* Brahman Cattle;
*Bull Riding;
*American Civil War
PROLOGUE
The snow had fallen in beautiful soft crystals and Nora was excited at seeing the first snow fall in the high Rocky Mountains.
She had dreamed of a winter like this all her life. Her parents had told her about the beauty of the high Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Her father graduated from College in St. Louis, Missouri and started a career as a Dentist in the little town of Sedalia, Missouri. Things were different now, Doctor Bryan, Nora’s father had married Mary Sawyer when he met her in Denver Colorado, and all they talked about was going back to Colorado. Nora’s father and mother, Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Bryan, gave three Gold Rings to Nora on her eighteenth birthday.
When Nora finished her senior year in Grand Junction, she was already eighteen years old, and this is where she wanted to be the rest of her life. She got a job at the Grand Junction Bank and her life seemed to be complete. Al had bought her a horse, it was a young mare she named Ginger. Nora would ride Ginger up in the mountains, north of her parent’s house and seek comfort at the gorgeous snow capped mountains of Pikes Peak. This was her home and this was her life, and she never dreamed of her life changing.
A young, handsome and ambitious cowboy, Ed Kelly, met Nora as he was making a deposit from his last cattle drive from Texas to Grand Junction. She asked if he was going to be staying in Grand Junction and he said that he was going back to his ranch in Amarillo, Texas, but he would be coming back to Grand Junction in about eight months. Nora and Ed’s conversation led to an invitation for a cup of coffee and then it turned into a brief lunch engagement. Ed told Nora he would be back in Grand Junction in about four to five months and he would like to see her again.
The story begins with a romance that has kept Nora patiently waiting for Ed to return to her after being away for over eight months on another cattle drive from Amarillo, Texas to Grand Junction, Colorado. The young and ambitious cowboy, Ed Kelly, married Nora when she was nineteen years old, and she followed this handsome cowboy through four states, and eight cities, on the most exciting adventure of her entire life.
Nora’s Three Gold Rings found their way into the hearts of her children in the most fascinating and intriguing ways that were not only heart warming, but would encourage her children to dream big. Her family and their lives would be continually filled with suspense and danger.
The Three Gold Rings chronicles the lives of this young beautiful and courageous woman and her handsome ambitious cowboy; and how they worked together as a family to build an empire in the cattle business. The story intertwines their lives and how to succeed, while fighting cattle rustlers, gunfighters and outlaws in the frontiers of the Old Wild West.
CHAPTER 1
In the late spring of 1884, Ed Kelly had rounded up three hundred and eighty head of Shorthorn, cattle and was heading northwest over the New Mexico mountain range. A crisps cold breeze whirled the branches of the tall Douglas Fir trees. The cattle were quiet and grazing near the ridge west of Cottonwood Creek. An eagle spread its wings as it soared anxiously in search of prey. Ed Kelly had invested heavily and was counting on a profitable return for the sale of this roundup. All the cowboys on the roundup were seasoned men with years of experience. At twenty two years old Ed Kelly had already been on many successful cattle drives as a ranch hand for his father and he was now brokering his own herd. It was a big investment for Ed, and he had worked hard and spent countless hours on horseback and dusty trails to earn enough money to have his own herd. Ed’s thoughts wandered back to his early years when his dad sat him in a saddle when Ed was only six years old. Ed’s dad, William Armstrong Kelly, was a tall well built and weathered cowboy. He always treated young Ed with respect, just as he would with the other cowboys. After young Ed, Eddie as he was called, learned to handle his horse; he was riding and working cattle on his dad’s ranch in Austin, Texas. By the age of twelve Eddie was lassoing cattle, and branding them.
His goal was to make it to Grand Junction before the end of July or early August. After rounding up the last of his herd in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ed figured that they would have about five hundred miles of rugged mountain trails to reach Grand Junction. Walt Mathews, “Whiskers” as he is known, Ed’s cook and personal friend, has started to load the chuck wagon with everything he needed for the final leg of the trip over the Rockies. Ed has three of his favorite cowboys ready with him, Jake Sawyer, Tommy Brewster and Hank Bowers, all seasoned cowboys. Two young cowboys have agreed to make the trip from Albuquerque with Ed. If everything goes right they could make Grand Junction in six to eight weeks.
Three riders had pulled up to the small General Store; Whiskers and the store keeper, Henry Martin have rolled up the canvas on the chuck wagon and are stocking it with supplies. The tall stranger with a full beard yells at the store keeper, “Hey, old man,” the stranger says with a sarcastic voice, “we need some supplies, pronto, I have a wagon on the way, so I don’t want you sitting around messing with this beat up old chuck wagon.” Henry Martin, the store keeper looked up at the stranger and with a polite voice said, “My son will be back in about an hour and then I can help you, please be patient. You’re welcome to some fresh coffee while you’re waiting,” the store keeper said politely. The stranger pointed his finger at the store keeper and said, in a fit of anger, “Are you deaf old man, or are you trying to piss me off? I said Pronto; now get your sorry ass out of that piece of trash of a chuck wagon and start getting my supplies ready, is that understood?” the tall stranger said.
Ed and Hank were standing in the doorway of the General Store when they heard this harsh demand to Henry Martin, the store keeper, coming from this tall stranger. Ed walked casually over to the rear side of the chuck wagon, where he could see what was going on. Hank walked around the other side so he could be in full view of the other two strangers. Ed and Hank both positioned themselves so they wouldn’t be in any crossfire if the situation became violent.
Standing about eight feet away from the stranger, Ed said politely, “Look mister, I think you’re being a bit rude and demanding to the gentlemen loading our chuck wagon; just who the hell are you?” Ed said with a voice of authority. “Who the hell am I?” The tall stranger said violently, “I’m the guy that’s going to kick your sorry ass out of this county if you don’t keep your mouth shut and mind your own business,” the stranger said sarcastically. Hank, in the meantime, moved behind the other two strangers and was in position if the situation got ugly.
CHAPTER 2
Ed looked at the tall guy with his eyes focused directly into the tall guy’s eyes. Ed noticed that the tall guy had his gun strapped tight to his left hip, he was left handed, and he was standing sideways while he was looking at Ed and facing the chuck wagon. Ed glanced quickly at Hank and Hank nodded to Ed. Ed says to the stupid tall guy, in a commanding voice, “Let’s get one thing straight before you get a case of stupidity, if you make one move for your gun, you’ll be dead before your hand reaches your holster, am I making myself clear?” as he looks straight into the stranger’s eyes.
The tall guy glances over to the other two men and they nod their heads. Hank says in a harsh and loud voice in the direction of the other two men, “Don’t even think about it ass-holes, I can drop both of you before you make one false move,” Hank informs both of them. The tall guy goes for his gun and Ed hits him square in the mid-section with two rapid shots as the tall guy tries to turn around. Hank sees one of the other men spin around as he goes for his gun and Hank hit him in the right shoulder, and the man drops his gun; the other man raises his arms high in the air and says, “Please mister, I’m just a railroad construction guy, I’m not a hired gun, I’m not like one of those guys,” the young man said. Ed walked over to the young man and asked him, “Who are those men?”
“Well, the tall man is Jack Sheldon; he works for Clyde Benton, the railroad boss and the other man is Jesse Martinez, he’s just a construction worker that takes orders from Jack and my name is Billy Walker,” the young man said. Hank took the guns away from Billy, Jesse and also Jack Sheldon, the dead gunslinger. “Ed, I don’t think that young kid is over sixteen years old or maybe even younger, what do you think?” as the two of them tied up both of the men and dragged the dead man, Jack Sheldon to the side of the General Store. They ask the store keeper, Henry Martin, to send a message to the Sheriff by telegraph, while they finished loading the chuck wagon.
The Sheriff rode up just as the chuck wagon was ready to move out. “Henry informed me that you cowboys had a little scuffle with some railroad workers,” the Sheriff said as he dismounted from his horse. “Yes, my name is Ed Kelly,” as Ed reached out his hand with a mighty handshake. “We were loading our chuck wagon with supplies for our trip over the Rockies, and the three railroad workers, Jack Sheldon, the boss and the other two who took orders from Jack Sheldon, demanded that we stop loading our chuck wagon so they could load their wagon first. Their wagon had not even arrived and the tall railroad worker threatened my men along with myself,” Ed said to the Sheriff.
The Sheriff spoke up and said, “It looks like the tall guy bit off more than he could chew; I had a run in with this guy about a week ago for starting a fight with a one of the railroad workers at their camp; his name is Jack Sheldon, and from what I hear he’s a hired gun; he killed the poor railroad worker, Tim Johnson, and then convinced everyone that Tim drew his gun first,” the Sheriff said disgustedly. The Sheriff said he would clean up the mess and would not charge the younger kid, Billy Walker with any crime, but he was going to charge Jesse Martinez with some minor crime if he cooperated with him against Jack Sheldon and his boss.
CHAPTER 3
The herd has bedded down for the night about sixty five miles northwest from Albuquerque to the outskirts of the little town of Rio Rancho. The trip has been fairly easy going. No bad trails or obstacles to cross and Whiskers has been yelling at the cowboys for the last hour…that’s normal with Whiskers. The sky is clear, with only small patches of clouds scattered across the evening sky, and the coffee is hot and ready. The cattle are grazing and quiet.
Hank has appointed the two young cowboys, Jimmy and Todd, to take the first watch. A coyote howls in the far distance and young Jimmy plays his harmonica with a soft mellow tune as the cattle move around as they feed modestly on the meadow grass. At a distance, and casting light on the evening sky with a half moon, the cowboys can see the tall peaks of the snow capped Rockies rising majestically in the north. Ed, Tommy and Jake are gathered around the campfire while Whiskers is dishing out the evening meals. The mild crisp, still air is a comfort from the blazing hot sun of the plains of New Mexico. Ed’s thoughts weigh heavy on his decision for such a big undertaking of this cattle drive. The next few miles could see a rapid change in altitude and colder weather as the cattle drive heads for Grand Junction.
It’s 5am and Ed has already saddled “Blazer”, ready for his daily inspection of the herd. The sun has not yet reached over the mountain peaks, so Ed is cautious not to disturb the cattle. The forming of meadow fog is moving away from the mountains now and the quiet sound of cowboys whispering words that are gently soothing to the herd as Jake, and Tommy are keeping the cattle quiet on their early morning watch. In two hours the cowboys will be fed, the camp will be cleaned up and the cattle will be on the move north. On one of the last cattle drives, two years ago, Ed was a young and eager cowboy. He was anxious to be one of the best cowboys of the crew. That year, in the late fall of 1882, one of the worst blizzards hit the mountain range half way between Durango and Grand Junction, Colorado. They lost forty head of cattle and one cowboy died of exposure. On this drive Ed knew the route and the dangers and stayed close the river on the west bank. The railroad had been partially finished on the route north to Grand Junction and it traveled back and forth, winding its way around the steep slopes of the mountain range.
The herd was moving at a comfortable pace and they were on their third day of the drive out of Rio Rancho. They decided to make camp and give the cattle a rest before they reached the steep slopes near the fork of Canyon Creek. They had traveled about twenty one miles to the north.
CHAPTER 4
Everyone was gathered around the camp fire and Jimmy was playing the Harmonica. Hank was cutting up, trying to sing a cowboy ballad…something about lonesome cowboys. Everyone was in a good happy mood. Ed’s horse, Blazer, was tied up near the chuck wagon. And then Blazer let out a frantic snort and weenie sound. Everyone stood up and listened. Something is wrong. The cattle were restless and moving erratically.
Jake got his rifle and all hands, including Ed were grabbing their weapons. Ed asked everyone to be on the lookout and listen to see if anything out of the ordinary was moving. The moon was near full and in the moonlight, about a hundred yards away, breaking out of the trees and heading slowly and cautiously towards the cattle was a big brown bear. Ed, Jake, Hank and Tommy along with Jimmy and Todd quietly mounted up and moved cautiously toward the bear without spooking the cattle. Everyone including Ed began moving slowly away from the campfire and closer to the cattle. Jake and the rest of the crew surround the herd keeping them quiet. Ed asks Tommy to move to his right, away from the creek so he can be in better position to confront the bear.
Ed informs Jake that no one is to fire on the bear until he gives the signal. The bear is now about seventy five yards away and is now closer to the trees. The bear stops and raises his head to get a good whiff of what is going on. The cattle are now getting restless and Ed is hoping they don’t panic and stampede at the scent of the bear. All the cowboys, at some time or other, have worried about this type of situation and they know how dangerous it can be. Ed moves Blazer about ten yards closer to the bear and waits.
The bear is now about sixty five yards away and Ed and Tommy are about ten yards apart. The bear now stands on his hind feet to show how big and brave he is. Not a sound from the bear or the cowboys. No one wants to use a weapon at this time. This would really spook the cattle. Ed moves Blazer another ten yards closer. Tommy moves his horse another ten yards closer, and the bear is now about fifty five yards away. Ed levels his rifle at shoulder length. The bear has not moved, still in the raised position. Tommy moves his horse closer to the trees and levels his rifle. The rest of the cowboys are now whispering quietly to the cattle and soothing them with comforting words… “Easy does it, you’re doing good, stay calm” “It’s alright baby”… and the cattle listen to the cowboys nervously.
The bear doesn’t move from the upright position. Ed moves Blazer another ten yards closer. Tommy moves his horse ten yards closer and the bear is now about forty five yards away. This could be very dangerous for everyone, but Ed has only two options…either they bluff the bear out and the bear leaves…or they have to kill the bear. They wait. Ed and Tommy move slowly another ten yards, the bear is now only thirty five yards away. Blazer is ready to rush the bear, but Ed holds the reins tight. The bear drops down on all fours and prepares to charge. Ed zero’s in on the bear’s chest with his Winchester 44. Tommy is ready to squeeze off a round into the bear’s front quarter. The bear stops, turns toward the trees and Ed gallops toward the bear with a loud shout. Ed and blazer follow the bear as the bear is running away from the threat. The cowboys laugh and rejoice, and the tension of the threat has been relieved; and peace and quiet is a comfort for all in the high Rockies.
CHAPTER 5
When Nora, the only daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Bryan, turned eighteen her mother gave her three gold rings for her birthday. But when she turned nineteen years old she married Ed Kelly, a young and brilliant cattle broker from Texas. Ed was a hard-hitting Irish cattleman who was well known for his taste in selecting fine cattle and his knowledge in negotiating the best prices.
Two years earlier, on a cattle drive to Grand Junction, Ed had met Nora at the bank in Grand Junction, where he was making a deposit, she ask if he was staying in Grand Junction and with that little bit of conversation she agreed to meet him for coffee at a small restaurant. Ed said that he was leaving to go back to Texas where he had started a small cattle ranch and was going to be back in Colorado in about eight months from now. They met the next day for coffee and lunch. Six months later on another cattle drive heading to Grand Junction, Ed told Nora he loved her and wanted to marry her. Eight months later, on a trip to Grand Junction, when Nora turned nineteen, they were married.
After their wedding, Nora and Ed went back to her parent’s home. And although Dr. and Mrs. Bryan did not entirely approve of their, perspicacious, marriage, they accepted it and agreed to share their lives together, of course with visits and mail as frequently as possible. Ed and Nora decided to wait until the spring to make their trip to Ed’s ranch in Texas. Grand Junction was part of the new west where cowboys and railroad workers frequented and of course there were also the saloons to make the west a more colorful place.
Nora’s mom fixed up a small cabin not too far from their home and decorated it with curtains, furniture and all the various things to make the newlyweds comfortable. The next day Nora’s parents shared the story of the three gold rings with Ed and explained the importance of passing the rings to their children. The Bryan’s three gold rings came from different parts of the world: One from Central Columbia, South America; one from South East Egypt in North Africa; and one from County Cork in Ireland.
Dr. Bryan explained the history of the ring from South America, as he handed the ring to Ed, and told the story of how he obtained the ring; “The ring was originally made for General Salvatore Ortega,” the Doctor said to Ed. “The General was a ruthless ruler of the Columbian District. And as you can see, the ring was designed with an endless band of ornate, interlocking, chains. General Ortega was killed during the revolution and the ring was handed down to General Ortega’s nephew, a young medical student in Denver; during that time I was studying to be an orthodontist practicing oral surgery at Denver General Hospital.” The Doctor continues. “Jesus Ortega, the General’s nephew, applied to Denver General Hospital for an Internship and I bought the ring from Dr. Ortega when Dr. Ortega needed help paying for expenses during his internship.”
Mrs. Bryan (Mary) handed the next ring to Ed and explained it origin; “As you can see, the ring from North Africa has a wide gold band with a series of carved figures that had no meaningful significance at that time. My Grandfather, Joseph Sawyer was a precious stone broker, and during one of his many trips to Africa my Grandfather purchased the ring from a suspected grave robber. He gave the ring to me, and I, passed the ring to Nora,” Mrs. Bryan continued. “Mystery surrounds the ring and the fabled stories of intrigue and of strange happenings that have said to have followed the ring even to the present time.” Nora said, as she passed the last ring to Ed, “This is my favorite ring; it’s from Ireland and is a precious heirloom from my Grandparents in Ireland. It is, beyond a doubt, the most beautiful of all the three Gold Rings. As you can see the gold band has a brilliant luster. And it appears to hold this luster without any polishing. It has a plain band with no markings whatsoever. And yet, it has a mystique about it that can not be explained.”
Six months have passed since their wedding, the snow that had covered the little town of Grand Junction has disappeared and Ed and his new bride were anxious to make the journey to their new home on his ranch in Amarillo. Ed purchased a covered wagon large enough to pack all of Nora’s belongings, including a piano and a walnut double bed. Ed tied his treasured horse, “Blazer”, his prized Appaloosa to the rear of the wagon. Nora hugged her mother and dad and said her “Good-byes” to her parents. Ed shook Dr. Bryan’s hand and hugged and gave Mrs. Bryan a little kiss on her cheek. ” Both Dr. and Mrs. Bryan put their arms around Ed and Nora and said, “God be with you, we love you both.”
CHAPTER 6
It’s been two long weeks since Ed and Nora left Grand Junction on their way southeast to Amarillo, Texas, about eight hundred miles, near where Ed’s ranch is located. Ed had figured it would take them about eight to ten weeks to reach the ranch. But he didn’t figure on all the challenges he would face with a covered wagon, a wife and the changing weather they were facing.
When Ed was single, he could mount up old “Blazer” and head out for anywhere he wanted to go. Now his life and responsibilities were changing rapidly. Two days out of Grand Junction, the wagon slipped into a ravine and it took Ed, Blazer and the two horses pulling the wagon, while Nora was at the reins, to get the wagon out of the ravine. They all rested for a full day while Ed checked out the wheels and axle and let the animals also have a days rest. Nora was up at the crack of dawn and was preparing breakfast when Ed crawled out of the wagon.
The sun was just creeping over the snow covered Rocky Mountains and an orange colored tint was seeping through the gray clouds overhead. And then the thunder roared its mighty warning and the echoing response from mountain to mountain left a chilling effect on Ed. ”We have to get to a safer place Nora…pack up, we’re leaving, forget breakfast,” Ed barked with a loud voice. Ed and Nora had camped near the base of a ridge that had two mountains intersecting at their campsite. This could be a deadly spot if a “Flash Flood” roared between the two mountains. It would be another four hours before Ed and Nora found a spot near a small lake where they could rest and dry out from the thunderstorm that followed them after they left the campsite. Hot coffee along with beef stew was a warm welcome to both Ed and Nora as they rested near a pristine lake surrounded by the landscape of small trees and wildflowers. Ed nestled up to Nora as they wrapped themselves in a blanket next to the open fire.
The sky was clear now and they watched the endless cluster of stars as the night grew darker and colder. This was Ed’s life…but was it suitable for Nora? Should he ask her how she feels? Is she scared? And then as if Nora knew what Ed was thinking, she said, “Ed, I want you to know, I’m having the time of my life. And I love you”. “Me to Nora”, Ed said as he dozed off with his mind at ease.
The air was brisk and the chill morning whispered softly to Ed as he tried desperately to get up. Then, as if a magic spell had come over him, the aroma of freshly cooked bacon seeped into his nostrils like a call of a hungry cowboy. Ed poked his head out of the corner of the covered wagon, and there she was. His Angel, Nora, she had risen early, started the fire and was cooking their breakfast. As Ed looked at his new bride and the beautiful surrounding landscape of tall trees coupled with the lush meadow, his thoughts wandered back in time when he was a lonely cowboy with a big dream.
CHAPTER 7
Ed and Nora packed the covered wagon and spent time to take another look around the beautiful lake, it’s a small lake, and it’s also a chapter in their lives that they’ll always remember. The air is cool and they walk hand in hand around the small pristine lake. A trout breaks the water in a leap for a small insect. Nora bends down and picks a bouquet of wildflowers. Far off, on a sloping hill, Ed spots a deer and her small fawn. The sky is clear, except for a few small clouds. Quaking aspen trees are frequent to the lake along with Ponderosa pine. And tall Douglas fir trees stand majestically at the foothills and are still showing signs of the last snow fall. They walk and talk softly soaking up the splendor of their experience.
Nora is having the time of her life. She wants to ride Blazer, and he’s tied up next to the wagon. Nora tells Ed that she is experienced with horses. Ed is reluctant for her to ride in the mountain areas and explains to her that it could be rough and dangerous. Nora is persuasive and pleads with Ed. Nora is a petite five feet, one inch tall and weighs less than ninety pounds. But she’s cocky and brave, and wants to ride in the mountains. Ed reminds her that Blazer is a cow horse, trained to work cattle and take foot and rein orders from an experienced cowboy…but he also knows that Blazer is a great horse and is also very obedient, and would never hurt Nora. “Do you still want to ride him?” Nora was out of the wagon and saddling Blazer before Ed had a chance to say anything else. Blazer was a prince never moved or gave Nora a bad time at all while she saddled him up, much to the amazement of Ed. Blazer’s a gelding Appaloosa, and has been trained to take orders from Ed. Blazer is special, with an uncanny form of intelligence that has been bred into him.
Nora and Blazer became real friends and she was a natural on horseback. Ed was jealous, but proud of this little ball of fire that she could easily handle his pride and joy; of a horse he called Blazer. Ed and Nora took turns scouting out the rough spots on the trail south. This helped them in traveling faster and gave them time to enjoy the trip better. About four miles south and on a level stretch of road that follows the railroad, the tracks wind casually through the crest of two mountains. Ed is mounted on his horse and motions for Nora to pull up and wait while he views the narrow road that follows the railroad as it winds through a series of switchback turns and drops down to the valley below.
It’s mid-afternoon and Ed is worried about the width of the road next to the tracks. The banks are steep all through the road side of the winding turns. Other travelers had informed him that this road was the best way for a covered wagon. Ed rides Blazer down the road for about a mile to investigate. The road has been traveled and is packed fairly well, but Ed is still cautious. Once they start down the canyon there’s no turning back. The route he had taken with the cattle on all his cattle drives was much longer, and a very rough route and not suitable for covered wagons. Ed pulls his horse up to the wagon and talks to Nora about their options. “We’ll wait until daybreak before we start down the canyon,” Ed cautions. Ed finds a nice level spot that has some cover from the cold wind and there’s a thick stand of evergreen trees for protection from the weather.
A campfire is started and they reminisce about their journey through the high Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Ed and Nora take a walk around the area and discover the beautiful landscape of tall firs and a crop of pine trees. On the west bank of the mountain, on the far northern peaks, the snow still covers the high jagged slopes of the Rocky Mountains, like a beautiful painting created by the hand of God. They spread their bedrolls next to the campfire and cuddle up together as the night fills the sky with a bright moon and the sprinkles of stars casting a magic spell on the newlyweds. Nora wants to know more about each others past; “do you have any brothers or sisters?” she asks Ed. “No, there’s just me,” Ed said. “I always wanted a big family, but things just didn’t turn out that way.
Maybe we’ll just get lucky and have a dozen kids.” Ed said. The fire was warming them up and Nora snuggled up even closer as the passion rose in both of them. Ed leaned over and with his arms wrapped around Nora, gave her a passionate kiss as they embraced each other. Love had never been this intense as their hearts were pumping with the rhythm as their passionate love exploded in both of them. They melted in each others bodily embrace and no words could explain their love for each other.
CHAPTER 8
The trail is taking a turn west to avoid a steep mountain slope. Hank herds the cattle towards the west bank of the river. Tommy, Jake, Jimmy and Todd have their hands full trying to keep the cattle from wandering in the direction of the moving, downstream, river. Ed takes up the rear and whips his rope at the hind ends of the cattle to keep them going. The west bank is rather steep and the cattle are fighting to break over the slope and grab a footing on solid ground.
Todd moves a stray and heads it towards the river. It’s taken a good half an hour to get the herd up on the bank and onto a level area on the west side of the river. The cowboys are moving the cattle at a slower pace now and Jimmy is serenading the group with his harmonica. Everyone knows that they have to make better time if they are going to beat the bad weather of the late fall season and stay ahead of the schedule. Unlike the roads near the railroad tracks, cattle, in herds, are not able to travel along the steep banks in fear of pushing other cattle and cowhands over the banks. Therefore, the only travelable route is over the rough terrain on the eastern slopes of the Rockies.
Ed takes the point position and moves the herd in a more westerly direction and around the grove of trees. The trail has been traveled frequently and the cattle are moving much faster. Todd yells at Hank and says, “There’s two strays caught in a ravine, must have been pushed out by the herd.” Hank gallops over to help. The frightened steers are struggling and falling over each other. Todd throws his lasso around the neck of the first steer and with the rope, around the horn of his saddle, gently backs his horse up, being careful not to injure the steer. The steer looses its footing and falls back. Hank jumps off his horse and down the ravine to help the steer back on its feet as Todd tighten the rope again.
The second steer is still fighting the steep slope and becomes a real problem for Hank. Todd is successful in getting the steer out of the ravine and Hank hollers at Todd to throw him the lasso so he can wrestle it around the neck of the second steer before they both get hurt. It takes another fifteen to twenty minutes to get this maverick steer out of the ravine. The only route that’s open this time of the year is the passage over the northeastern mountain range. The eastern slopes are still subject to landslides from the heavy rain and snow from last season. The narrow passage is only about twenty yards wide and about three hundred yards long. Ed motions to Jake to hold the herd while he takes a better look at the passage. They’re stopped on a mild up-sloping meadow before the passage levels out to the narrow opening. It’s mid morning and there is plenty of time to make it through the passage to the open range before dark.
CHAPTER 9
Ed scouts the deep slopes of the passage looking for signs of any loose rocks or leaning trees with bare roots. The passage is steep on one side and about eight hundred feet high. On the other side, the passage is only about three hundred feet high with a steep but broken slope. It doesn’t look like there’s going to be a problem. The slopes on the short side are manageable, even if there’s a small slide. Ed talks it over with the boys and they all agree they have plenty of time and everyone is willing to get the cattle moving. They all agree to move the cattle along the lower slopes of the passage, just in case the herd ruffles the steep slopes, and starts a small landslide that gets out of control.
The cowboys move the herd towards the short slopes and work them into a narrower file. Todd is working his horse back and forth in the rear file to keep them in line. Hank has his hands full with a couple of mavericks that are breaking from the herd constantly. Nobody is paying any attention to the cliffs at the passage only trying to manage the cattle. Jimmy is in the middle of the herd and moving the cattle at a good pace. The rest of the crew, including Ed, is about half way through the passage and all is going well. A few rocks fall on the steep slope behind the herd and a few of the cattle bolt nervously.
Hank steps up the pace a little faster so the mild slide doesn’t spook the cattle. A small slide of rocks breaks loose on the steep slope again and a maverick steer bolts at the rear of Jimmy’s horse and another steer rushes in the front of Jimmy’s horse. The horse rears up in panic and is hit by another steer. The horse falls with Jimmy in the path of the frightened herd. Todd and Hank who are behind Jimmy rush in to protect Jimmy from the runaway herd. Rocks are falling around the rear of the herd now. Tommy and Ed along with Whiskers at the front of the herd with the chuck wagon are moving the herd as fast as they can. Jimmy’s horse has broken loose from the wild frantic steers and Jimmy is lying on the ground with his hands covering his head and rocks scattered around his legs. Hank and Todd are still protecting Jimmy with their horses.
Hank hollers at Jimmy, “Jimmy can you get up? Are you hurt?” Jimmy doesn’t move. Todd yells at the cattle to get them to move faster so there away from Jimmy. Hank doesn’t dare get off his horse until he knows Jimmy’s out of danger and the cattle are clear of him. Ed, Tommy and Jake along with the added help of Whiskers have rounded up the herd. Hank and Todd leap off their horses and move the rocks and debris off of Jimmy. Ed is on his way to help. Jimmy is still not moving.
Hank has rolled Jimmy over and put his rolled up jacket under Jimmy’s head. There’s a gash on Jimmy’s forehead about four or five inches long with blood seeping and clotting around it. Todd is checking to see if Jimmy is breathing…he is. And now his eyes are starting to open. It looks like he took a pretty hard fall. Jimmy is starting to come around, to the relief of everyone. Whiskers has brought the chuck wagon around so they can load Jimmy up, Whiskers has also moved some gear and made a bed with his sleeping blankets for Jimmy. The crew is gathered around the campfire. Whiskers is tending the care of Jimmy, dressing his wound and fussing over him.
Hank and Ed take a walk around the back of the chuck wagon, they both reflect on the near disaster. Although Hank is constantly barking at the two young cowboys, Todd and Jimmy, he has a continuing concern about their experience and how they have improved these passed few days.
CHAPTER 10
Todd is an eighteen year old, tall and slim, and has a hyper, masculine, rough and ready attitude. Jimmy is a shyer youngster and Hank believes he is only sixteen or seventeen. He has wavy blonde hair and patches of freckles scattered on his face. Both young men have shown a great desire to learn to be better cowboys. As they walk around to check on the horses Hank and Ed sit down on a fallen tree. “You know Ed; I got a little shook up when I saw Jimmy take that spill on his horse. It wasn’t his fault you know, those steers got spooked and bolted. And for the first time in my life I was scared for that kid. I’ve kind of taken a liken to those boys; Todd, he used his head and made sure none of those steers got near Jimmy. Yes, I’m real proud of both of them,” Hank said as he lit up a smoke and looked up at Ed…”Yes sir, I’m real proud of both of them.” “Me too Hank, thank God we’re all here to talk about it,” Ed said as they both looked pleased. Hank and Tommy take the late night watch. The sky is clear and a light wind is whistling through the tall pine trees. As Hank is wandering through the herd he sees a cow that is struggling on her side. He hadn’t notice before, but it was apparent that the cow was in labor. He hollered over to Tommy and they both swung off their horses to give a helping hand.
It’s not common for a cow to give birth this early, but stranger things have happened on a cattle drive as rough as one like this. Hank felt around the cow’s lower section and helped Tommy spread the cow’s hind legs so Hank could reach his hand and forearm into the cow’s womb. Good news he yelled at Tommy over the cow’s wailing. We have a head first birth coming. We’ll let her labor for a while and see if she can push the little calf through. Tommy laid his body over the cows belly and kept his back close to the front legs of the cow. Part of the head was in site, so Hank was working his hands around the calf’s head so he could pull the little tike out.
The two of them worked together while Tommy was holding the cow down and pushing on her to aid in the labor; Hank planted both his feet with his heels dug in while he pulled the little calf free of the cow’s womb. The rest of the after birth was taken care of by the mothering cow. “Well brother we got ourselves another problem. Who’s going to tend to this little calf while we’re on this drive?” Hank said. “Let’s let Whiskers be the calf’s foster dad/mother…or whatever,” Tommy said. “But I think Ole Whiskers is going to give us all “Billy Hell” when he finds out,” Hank said. The cow let the little calf suck his breakfast for an hour or two in intervals, while he wobbled around the rest of the night. Tommy and Hank changed shifts about 2am, so Todd and Jake stayed up until breakfast keeping an eye on the little tike.
CHAPTER 11
The morning sun is breaking over the eastern mountain range and the shadows of the tall trees are castings images on the meadow below. The air is thin and crisp at this altitude. Ed takes a long look at the deep canyon that lurks far below him. The railroad tracks that are winding down the canyon look more treacherous now. Nora is busy making breakfast. Ed checks the horses and makes sure they’re fed and have plenty of water. They talk over the plan on how to travel the road. Nora wants to ride Blazer in front of the wagon. Ed explains that she has to stay at least twenty feet in front of the wagon in the event something goes wrong. Nora is confident, and assures Ed that she can handle it. He looks at Nora and sees an expression on her face that says, “I’m having the time of my life, don’t spoil it.” “Ok”, Ed says, “Let’s get the show on the road.”
The horses are hooked up to the wagon and Ed checks Blazer’s saddle again. Nora has her riding jeans on and a warm jacket along with leather gloves. She’s ready to saddle up and ride. Ed checks the wheel brake handle and makes sure that both brakes are catching against the wheels. He doesn’t expect any problems, but it’s always good to go slow down the winding road. The road makes a long turn to the southwest and then gradually turns south on the far eastern slopes. It’s been easy going and Nora turns her head constantly to see if Ed’s doing alright, just like a seasoned cowgirl. They holler back and forth at each other to make sure they both are having a good time. Nora gawks once in a while at the northern site where they had camped last night; it’s amazing. They have traveled about a mile down so far, and it doesn’t feel like they have made any progress at all. This is going to be a long trip down this winding road, Nora thinks to herself. Ed is watching the road for any loose and large rocks along the way. Everything is looking good, so far.
They’ve traveled about two miles now and even though it feels like they’re going at a snails pace Ed is real pleased with their progress. He waves at Nora to wait while he gets closer. “Let’s take a break and give the horses a breather,” Ed says. “Going down hill is always harder on the horses, and they need water and also a rest,” as he blows Nora a kiss and a big smile. What a real trooper this gal of his is. Nora swings off Blazer and pats him gently on the neck as she kisses Blazer on his cheeks. “How much farther do you think we’ll have to go?” Nora says. “I think this is going to take about four or five hours before we make it to the level area in the canyon,” he answers.
They’ve been on the road now for about three hours since they rested the horses. The road has not been as steep as it was before but the horses need rest and water. The road near the tracks has widened out and there’s a crop of evergreens about twenty feet from them. They decide to rest in the shade for a while. Looking down the canyon Ed can now see the area where the railroad levels out as the winding slopes of the canyon is ending. Nora looks over at Ed and whispers,”Hey cowboy, how about an apple and some cheese, are you hungry?” Nora reaches in the basket and grabs two ripe apples and slices off a couple of layers of cheese. It just can’t get any better than this. They lean back on the mountain grass and take in the wonderful view of the landscape where the canyon below meets the western ridge of the eastern mountain range. As the tracks level out to the south-east, there’s a river that flows between the eastern mountains and runs a few yards from the railroad tracks. They’ll soon meet that river on the other side of the tracks.
CHAPTER 12
Nora has mounted up Blazer and ready to ride. Ed figures they have about another hour or two to the canyon below. There’s a couple of wash-outs in the road as they meet the next bend near the slopes. Ed moves the wagon carefully through the maze of dips and gullies and then checks the axles for any damage. They move on at a regular pace. Nora hollers out to Ed…”There’s smoke coming from down the railroad tracks, is there a train coming?” she says in a frightening voice.
Ed looks further down the tracks and then sees it. A train has made it to the start of the winding canyon below. Ed knows it’s impossible to make it back up hill to the clearing where the crop of evergreens were, but he doesn’t panic. The road is wide enough for the wagon, but he would rather stay in an opening where the road is straighter and has enough room for the wagon unhitched and the horses hitched to some trees. They have less than an hour to find a spot and get ready for the train to come by. The train’s whistle blows out an ear piercing sound as it approaches the mountain slopes. Nora looks scared. She never thought about the train when they were on the road down the canyon. Ed should have warned Nora.
They round the bend on three or four areas that seem very narrow and with short curves. Ed is confident he’ll find a suitable spot. Time is running out and even Ed is getting a little concerned. The next bend in the canyon should be the one. Maybe the next one… but the train is getting closer. Nora is rounding a long bend when she sees it. “Ed, come quick she yells,” Ed rounds the bend when he sees it. Nora is off Blazer and is moving him to one of the trees about thirty feet away. Ed pulls the wagon as far as he can away from the tracks and is in the process of unhitching the horses. Nora grabs the first horse and heads to the trees. Ed has secured the wagon and has hitched up the horses. “Hey cowboy, how about a little hug, I was scared to death.” Ed grabs her and holds her tight. The train sees them and gives them a wave and a little toot with the whistle.
They decide to take a rest and snuggle up near the shade of the trees. They look up toward the northern peaks of the mountain range they just traveled, and above them gaze at the train, as it winds its way north around switchbacks and slopes. And they wonder how they had the courage to challenge this trip.
CHAPTER 13
Jimmy is feeling better. He’s got a big knot on his forehead and his leg is all bruised up, but Whiskers doesn’t think there’s any permanent damage. Jimmy thanked Hank and Todd for protecting him from the herd and repeatedly apologized for falling off his horse. Hank and Todd told Jimmy to stop apologizing, it wasn’t his fault, blame it on those stupid cows and get on with it. Of course Whiskers still wants to nurse Jimmy, and Jimmy is getting a little tired of it.
The cattle have rested for the night. The cowboys have grabbed their cups of hot coffee and assembled around the morning campfire for breakfast. Tommy informs Whiskers that they have a guest for breakfast as Hank escorts the new-born calf in Whiskers direction. “And who’s going to take care of this little maverick?” Whiskers said. Ed has already inspected the herd and relieved the late night watch. Everyone ignores Whiskers question about the little calf. “Let’s get one thing clear,” Whiskers yells at all the cowboys, “I’m the cook…and that’s all, and that’s the end of it. I’m not a care-taker for a little maverick calf.”
The cowboys are still ignoring Whiskers. The cattle will be on the move north within an hour. Tommy and Jake head for the chuck wagon and poke fun at Jimmy’s noggin. Everyone starts ribbing Jimmy and Jimmy enjoys the attention. The morning sun is starting to rise and the cattle are on the move. Jimmy’s harmonica is heard from in the distance and Ed and Jake are riding the post position for a change. A small herd of mountain goats are grazing near the top of a small mountain on the southern slopes. Riding the post position is the most aggravating of all. Dust is a constant irritation along with the cattle wanting to wander around the herd. Ed changes the post position with everyone, even though he doesn’t have to. Cowboys are a close-knit bunch and have strong beliefs of fair play and harmony with their fellow cowboys. They’re all like family. The herd has reached the slopes where the river winds through the canyon on the eastern banks. The cattle must pass through the river to the west bank. The river at this point is only about fifteen feet wide while it cascades down the eastern slopes and the current is moving swift. As the river widens out to about fifty feet, the current becomes calmer and the banks on the east side are only about three to four feet deep.
There’s only about fifty yards of calm current until the river makes a sharp bend to the west and then moves swiftly to the south as the river narrows out and the current becomes faster and drops to about ten feet. Ed points to a spot where he hopes the river is shallower and the banks are crossable. The decision is made and Jake hollers at the crew to move the cattle. Whiskers has put the little calf along side of him, with a little rope tied around the calf’s neck. It’s about mid-day when the herd heads into the river.
Tommy and Hank are riding side by side of the cattle and keeping the strays from moving to the swift part of the river. Todd, Jimmy and Ed are riding post position in an effort to coax the herd into the water. The river is fairly shallow, only about three feet where it widens out. The cattle are moving at a record pace and Todd is whipping his hat in the air and whistling to get them to move ever faster. The cowboys rejoice at another successful crossing. Everyone feels great. Jimmy cranks out a fast tune on his harmonica as the cattle move a little slower up the slopes of a small hill. The mountainside is covered with wild flowers and some blue lupine. A large hawk circles the area looking for rodents and other prey. At the crest of the hill, a stand of Ponderosa Pine mixes with patches of other evergreens. It’s early evening and Ed decides to make camp for the night. A small creek trickles down the hillside and into a small pond near the campsite. The guys make a campfire and throw their saddles around the circle. Whiskers locate the calf’s mother cow and lets the calf feed as he patiently tends to the little tike. The heat from the campfire is a warm welcome to some tired cowboys. It’s been a good day.
Ed had a strange feeling as he woke up, late at night, thinking that something or someone had been in the camp uninvited. He raised-up and looked around; he checked to see if everyone was still asleep in their bedrolls; Jake, Todd, Whiskers were still asleep; and Hank and Tommy were supposed to be on watch. Ed must be having some strange thoughts; maybe Hank or Tommy came into the camp to get something. Ed decided to have a cup of coffee, so he walked over to put the coffee pot back on the fire; that’s when he saw it. Four beaver pelts were placed next to where Ed had normally had the coffee pot; there was a note saying, “I needed some coffee ground-up beans and some sugar, I’ve been out of coffee for four days. I hope the beaver pelts are enough to pay you for what I took; I also left some Elk jerky for all of you, thanks for your kindness. They call me Mountain Moses.”
Ed had a big smile on his face as he picked up the coffee pot and placed it back on the fire; the cup was still a little warm and Ed knew the Mountain Man was and honest man. His thoughts were pure and wished Mountain Moses the best of luck as he thought, “I wished I could had seen him and talked to him; maybe some other day.”
CHAPTER 14
The road took a long easterly swing towards a deep canyon where the tracks crossed the canyon. Ed stopped and inspected the crossing. It was a trestle built cantilever bridge of steel spanning about forty feet, with a wooden planked road of only about eight to ten feet wide. There was a steel railing about three feet high between the trestle on the road side and the railroad tracks were only about two feet from the road. “Nora, I want you to walk Blazer across the bridge, he’ll be fine, and I’ll move the covered wagon slowly across the bridge. Will you be comfortable with that?” Ed asked. “Sure, I trust Blazer, and I know he wont cross if he feels there is anything wrong,” Nora says confidently.
She was about fifteen yards away from next curve in the road leading away from the railroad bridge when she saw them. He was on a large chestnut mare and his squaw was standing along side him. She was a lovely young girl, with long jet black hair, and was carrying an infant child strapped and cradled near her breast.