It was time I got started. I’d walk back to Hespurus and secure a horse there. I hadn’t had Hawk long, compared to Smoke, but he was a good horse, especially in the mountains. I had brought my Henry rather than the shotgun and I cocked it. Something must have happened. Maybe Hawk figured it was time to wake up, but as soon as I cocked the rifle, he snorted, shuddered again and stood up.
I let him stand to get his bearings and then went over to check the blood coming from his head. I had to grab him and pull his head down as he didn’t relish me probing around. From what I could tell there was just a groove across the top of his head with a lot of blood.
Those outlaws had a good start on me, but I didn’t want to rush Hawk. I grabbed the reins and we started out walking. He didn’t seem out of sorts, and after fifteen minutes or so I decided to mount him. First off, I figured he might want some water, but everything was snow. My thoughts were in a flurry, get Hawk some water, or mount and take off after Dreg and the others. I was afraid they would be heading back to do something to Molly.
I finally succumbed to the idea that Hawk needed something to drink. If I rushed him, neither of us might make it back to Durango. I quickly built a little fire and put some snow in the pan that I carry. It really didn’t take that long and he drank it down so I melted some more. After he finished that I stowed the pan, checked his head once more then mounted starting out at a slow trot.
Clouds were starting to roll in and it was warming up some. Snow – I needed to get back before it hit. Worried? I reckon I was. I tried to not think of all the scenarios that could be taking place. I knew that most of the things we worry about never come to pass, but the threat, no the promise was that they wanted to hurt me.
I rode up to the eatery, but couldn’t see much because the windows were all boarded up. Dismounting up the street I decided to go through the alley. Opening the back door as quietly as possible I could see the room lit up normally. Perhaps I had overthought and was worried for nothing. This time of evening there would be customers. I started to walk right in, but something in my gut stopped me.
Looking around I noticed that neither Marta or her mother was in the kitchen. If there were customers they were mighty quiet. I peeked around the corner from the kitchen and saw Marta’s mother and Lucas laying on the floor, motionless.
Marta and Molly were both in chairs with Dreg and another guy beside them. I looked around and saw a third man, standing in the back right corner behind some customers.
“Good folk of Durango,” came Dreg’s voice. “Tonight you’ll be the witnesses of vengeance to be taken against Miles Forrest.”
A customer, on the left side of the room, stood up. “Now see here….” A shot rang from the man in the corner and the man grabbed his shoulder. A companion at his table pulled him back to his chair.
“Any more of you want to question our authority on this matter?”
“Men, leave the women alone,” came a voice.
The man standing by Marta left and swung his rifle across the face of man who had spoken.
“Now, watch as I make the first cut.” He took his knife and placed it just below Molly’s ear.
I had to move now! Then the door burst open. It was Trenton. The man in the corner fired, but it was the break I needed. I fired at Dreg and Molly tipped her chair over.
The man in the corner turned my way and I snapped a shot at him. I didn’t have time to think of the customers, I just hoped they all hit the floor when the commotion started. My attention went back to the third man. He raised his rifle and put it to the side of Marta’s head. I didn’t have time for a shot came from Dreg. Then there was another somewhere, and then a couple of more.
Getting Dreg in my sights I fired and hit him again. The other man was down, and I glanced at the corner and that man was down with a couple of men standing over him. I walked to Dreg. He looked at me and gave his laugh, but not with the loudness as before.
“Forrest, I’ve done killed myself.” He smiled and rolled over and I could see his knife deep in his stomach. “Another life Forrest, and I could’ve liked you.”
“Who paid you?”
He was still smiling, but there was no answer, for he was dead.
Month: February 2017
Echoes from the Campfire
It was a place I could have stayed forever. How many times I have found such campsites! Places so beautiful it gave a man the wistfuls to see or to think back on. So many times we said, ‘We’ve got to come back some time!’ an’ knowin’ all the while we never would.”
–Louis L’Amour (Lonely on the Mountain)
“Stay on the [trail] that the LORD your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.”
–Deuteronomy 5:33 (NLT)
The Daily Paine
I read something totally absurd on Saturday. The “historians”, whoever they may be, state that Obama is the 12th greatest president. It almost made me gag, for a couple of reasons. The first is, what history? It will take years to see the effect of his administration. Out of office a month and they are able to make that statement? There must be something mystical about them, almost prophetic. Secondly, since I am not a “historian” of their caliber, I perceive him as one of the worst Presidents to ever hold that office. If you have read the Paine, then you know that I normally referred to him as a pseudo-president. He was one to begin to really tip the scales reversing right and wrong, and advocating the immoral as being moral.
One more thing, then I’ll get off the politics. I have seen several articles on how much President Trump has used his pen for executive orders. There has been much ado about it. Hmmm, seems to be that the pseudo-president that I just mention made the comment that “I have a pen and a phone.” Don’t give me this nonsense about executive orders.
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I have read several books of C.S. Lewis and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. In the near future I plan on devoting some time to the writings of Dorothy Sayers and G.K. Chesterton. The following is from Chesterton, and I challenge you to ponder it a bit.
“They took the body down from the cross and one of the few rich men among the first Christians obtained permission to bury it in a rock tomb in his garden; the Romans setting a military guard lest there should be some riot and attempt to recover the body. There was once more a natural symbolism in these natural proceedings; it was well that the tomb should be sealed with all the secrecy of ancient eastern sepulture and guarded by the authority of the Caesars. For in that second cavern the whole of that great and glorious humanity which we call antiquity was gathered up and covered over; and in that place it was buried. It was the end of a very great thing called human history; the history that was merely human. The mythologies and the philosophies were buried there, the gods and the heroes and the sages. In the great Roman phrase, they had lived. But as they could only live, so they could only die; and they were dead.
“On the third day the friends of Christ coming at daybreak to the place found the grave empty and the stone rolled away. In varying ways they realized the new wonder; but even they hardly realized that the world had died in the night. What they were looking at was the first day of a new creation, with a new heaven and a new earth; and in a semblance of the gardener God walked again in the garden, in the cool not of the evening but the dawn.”
WOW! Did you get it? Who used to walk in the Garden with Adam? Now He walks in the Garden of Life, sowing seeds of salvation and righteousness. Don’t scoff. Don’t mock a new heavens and a new earth at the Resurrection. When Jesus ascended what did He begin to do? One of the things that He did was to put His carpenter hands to the construction of beautiful edifices for His children. Amazing!
Resurrection did indeed bring new creation. For in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ man can now become a new creation. He can actually be born again!
“That nature (creation) itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of God’s children.”
–Romans 8:21 (AMPC)
Coffee Percs
There was dead mesquite near the water hole, and enough dry wood to make a small fire, sheltered from observation. The coffee tasted good, and they had the last of the jerked beef.”
–Louis L’Amour
Ahhh, good coffee! Goin’ to be a quick time together this mornin’ pard. Have to take the granddaughter back to her Mom. Maybe I’ll have time for some contemplatin’ durin’ the trip.
Yuh know, I just can’t get over the crazies out there. My mercy! Spoiled little brats. I can recall a few years back when a student asked me if I thought he was a man. I told him, very quickly, “No”. He was a little taken back by it, and acted hurt. I proceeded to tell him that to be a man, to be an adult, was to accept responsibility. He wasn’t responsible. Now, take a look at all of the words bein’ thrown around, the tantrums and hissy-fits of some and you realize that they are just over-grown irresponsible brats.
Say, that is good coffee this mornin’! Put an extra heapin’ spoon of coffee for the brew. My ol’ gizzard is jumpin’ for joy. But back to my goin’s on. I think there should be a requirement of a Constitution test. Did you see the words of that one fool? She said that if we can impeach Trump and Pence then Hillary would automatically become President. Uh, sorry, what about the Speaker, then the President Pro Temp, then the Cabinet.
Don’t have the time to get a-ventin’ and sure yuh don’t want to hear it all. Sure good to know that my heavenly Father is watchin’ out over me in all of this foolishness.
Got to go check my cinch before headin’ out; you better be doin’ the same.