I was walking just off the boardwalk toward the Tivoli Saloon. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man to my left level a gun at me and shoot. I threw myself to the right and landed on the ground, then heard two more shots. I drew my gun and fired at the man who shot at me, hitting him.
He was trying to run away when I heard another shot and the man dropped. Picking myself up, I grabbed my hat and walked toward the man who shot at me. It was the one I had seen in Durango and also boarded the train. Men were starting to gather around and turning I saw another man on the street. He was the second man that had been in Durango.
“Drop your gun and put your hand in the air,” came the order. “You’re under arrest for murder.”
The law in Denver was no stranger to me. They tended to make decisions before they had the evidence. I didn’t drop my gun, nor did I raise my hands. Slowly I turned toward the voice.
“Deputy U.S. Marshal; check my vest,” I said calmly.
“He shot in self-defense,” came a voice from the Tivoli. “I witnessed the whole thing.”
“You stay out of this Masterson!” commanded the officer. “I’m in charge here.”
I heard a loud guffaw from a man as he was walking toward me. “Put down your gun, Stimbard.”
“I won’t tell you again. Stay out of this Masterson!”
“First of all, he didn’t kill the men. I did. Arrest me!” he challenged Stimbard the police officer.
“I saw it!”
“Then you’re blind,” Masterson stated. “What kind of pistol are you carrying, Marshal?”
“Smith and Wesson, Schofield, .45,” I replied.
“Not only are you blind, you’re deaf as well,” snapped Masterson. “I shot twice from my Colt. You can’t even tell from the sound,” he paused then walked to Stimbard. “I ought to slap you silly, but you’d not be any better off. I bet you I can find witnesses that you were even in the vicinity when the shots were fired.”
Turning to me he said, “Marshal, show him your badge.”
I pulled my badge from my pocket and walked to the officer and Masterson. “These men blew up the jail in Durango, attempted to kill a federal witness, and are involved in fraud against the United States government,” I said after I walked up to them with my badge in hand. “If you want I can go back and get Agent Covney of the United States Secret Service and he can take you into custody for interfering with a federal case.”
Masterson laughed out loud again. “I told you that you were stupid, Stimbard,” he grabbed the policeman’s gun, empty the cylinder and handed it back. “Not get along and rouse your drunks!”
As he left, Masterson turned to me and held out his hand. “Masterson, folks call me Bat,” he said smiling. “Blew up a jail, did they?”
“Heard of you. Glad I could meet a real legend,” I said as I shook his hand when I noticed his eyes sharpen. “No jest intended, I meant it. I’m Miles Forrest.”
His eyes returned to normal, “Used to work for Dave Cook? he asked.
I nodded then I noticed that Covney had walked up.
“Evening Gilford,” greeted Masteron.
“Bat,” he replied cordially. “What’s up Miles?”
“We have just deprived this world of two pieces of scum. These are the two men who followed me from Durango. Can you help with the bodies?”
“I’ll take care of them. That means only Merker is out there,” stated Covney.
“Unless he has gathered others…”
Month: December 2018
Echoes From the Campfire
Sometimes we have the dream but we are not ourselves ready for the dream. We have to grow to meet it.”
–Louis L’Amour (Bendigo Shafter)
“Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.”
–Proverbs 24:27 (NLT)
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“It is not until the flower has fallen off that the fruit begins to ripen.”
–J.C. Grey
As you read the first part of Psalm 10, keep the above quotation in mind.
1 Lord, why do You stand so far away? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue the afflicted; let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings; the one who is greedy curses and despises the Lord.
4 In all his scheming, the wicked arrogantly thinks: “There is no accountability, since God does not exist.”
5 His ways are always secure; Your lofty judgments are beyond his sight; he scoffs at all his adversaries.
6 He says to himself, “I will never be moved—from generation to generation without calamity.”
7 Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8 He waits in ambush near the villages; he kills the innocent in secret places. His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;
9 he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket. He lurks in order to seize the afflicted; he seizes the afflicted and drags him in his net.
10 So he is oppressed and beaten down; the helpless fall because of his strength.
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and will never see.”
Why, oh Lord, why? Have you ever caught yourself saying these words? Don’t be alarmed or ashamed, for David expressed the same thoughts? It is one of the themes found throughout the Psalms. Look at verse 1:
“Lord, why do You stand so far away? Why do You hide in times of trouble?”
Where are you Lord? This world is a mess, our nation is in a mess. Turmoil, hatred, and even stupidity abounds. Evil, wicked and arrogant men (woman, and whatever) brag about their desires, and they mock God. Perhaps you have found yourself in the midst of adversity, pain, suffering, and wonder why God is hiding.
There is a haughtiness that is among many people out there. Look at some of the people in the news. Lawyers, politicians, entertainers, and especially media personana. Many of them think they are beyond the reach of man, and also of God. See how many of them fit in these verses.
I saw where Michelle Obama let out an obscene word in front of a live audience. The audience gasped (that shows that there is still the concept of decency out there), but later members of the media and others were applauding her for daring to use the term in public. My, my…is that verse 7?
“Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth; trouble and malice are under his tongue.”
Remember, blessings and cursing cannot come out of the same mouth; it is a matter of the heart.
If you truly have a relationship with God. If you truly have an understanding of His Godhood, then you know the answer to the “whys.” It is the Who! While it is not wrong to express our pain and suffering, “we must escape the trap of feeling the Lord does not care and remains indifferent to our plight.” (George O. Wood) “One we have a glimpse of who God is, we can learn to trust him while his specific purposes remain hidden from us.” (William Petersen)
Back to Grey’s quotation. Sometimes the beauty must fade and go away before our fruit appears. The flower is not tasty, but the ripen fruit is. We are told not to bear flowers, but fruit. (cf, Matthew 7:16-20)
“I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned;
I only know at his right hand
Stands one who is my Savior.”
–Dora Greenwell
Coffee Percs
The coffee smelled good, and the sound of the rain was friendly now.”
Yur gettin’ soaked, Pard. Get in here out of the rain; yuh don’t have the sense God gave a goose to get in out of the rain. Didn’t yur Ma teach yuh any better?
Ooops, sorry, I just found out that terms like “goose” cayn’t be used no more. Beats me how all of this came upon us all of a sudden like. Well, if yuh know, don’t spill the beans. Better be careful, there might be a bean-lovin’ group out there.
Say, but did yuh smell that coffee when yuh came in? Ahhh, for a few seconds, makes a person put the cares of the world aside. Now I don’t want to get politikin’, but seems like most folk are this days, but I’m scratchin’ my head tryin’ to figure out how these mini-minorities get so much publicity. I know we’re a republic, but that is a form of democracy, and I don’t care what type of democracy you have, the people are governed by the consent of the people. They’re not govern by the mini-minorities.
Told yuh the coffee was good this mornin’, don’t worry the pot’s right here. Listen those folk aren’t goin’ to steal my bacon from me, I’m goin’ whole hog. Sip yur coffee, while I simmer down but this ol’ world is in a tail-spin. Reckon it cayn’t be too much longer for the good Lord to be a-comin’ back to get us. The demons are gettin’ louder and bolder. Are yuh ready for what I read yesterday? Some college professor, remember that’s one of those folk that teach our kids, said that God raped Mary who was just a teenager. Lord, have mercy… But, pard, let me tell yuh what, those things aren’t goin’ to spoil my Christmas.
Sorry, didn’t mean for it to cause yuh to snort yur coffee. Let me fill yur cup again, then yuh can drink it down and be about the business of the day. Coldspring is supposed to be havin’ some doin’s today, if the rain didn’t cause a change in plans. I’ll be sure before mountin’ up that I check my cinch.
Echoes From the Campfire
A man’s got to do a lot of disagreeable work in this world to chase out the crooks.”
–Ernest Haycox (A Rider of the High Mesa)
“A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.”
–Matthew 12:35 (HCSB)
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At 0755, or civilian time 7:55 am , a low-flying plane was seen violating several safety regulations. Seconds later, Commander Logan Ramsey realized what it actually was–attack. He rushed immediately to the radio room and order all radiomen to broadcast:
“AIR RAID, PEARL HARBOR. THIS IS NOT A DRILL!”
That order came at 0758, Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. Within minutes 2402 lives would be lost in that dastardly, horrendous attack. In the years to come many more thousand would be added to that number. Lamar Underwood stated, “Pearl Harbor wasn’t just an attack, or a battle. It was a turning point in history. From the moment the first Japanese torpedo cut through the water, Japan’s conquest of the Pacific region was doomed; Adoph Hiter’s destruction of civilization was doomed. The price would be high. Pearl Harbor was where America began to pay that price.”
Blood would be required, a severe price to pay–the sacrifice of the lives of many young boys would be offered up to the beast of war to avenge this surprise attack. Shattered would be the hopes and dreams for the future for many of them. Some would be put on hold, others would be totally dashed, unrealized. Everyone would be affected, and to an extent still are today, though there is that faction that would hide the fact and tell the people of the country to get over it as it was 77 years ago.
Those that are still alive will never forget the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt as he addressed a joint session of Congress. Those who are alive today should not forget those words, for they were the beginning of the sacrifice that this nation went through to rid the world of the fascist menace of Japan, Germany, and Italy.
“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
The nation unified, coming together in a heroic fashion. Military, industry, and all facets of civilian life came to fight in this noble cause. There would be blood mixed with the sand of the beaches of islands that most Americans had never heard of nor could even pronounce. The sands of the deserts of North Africa, the rocky land of Italy, then France and on into Germany would see the blood of Americans shed.
President Roosevelt ended his speech thusly,
“With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph — so help us God.”
An oath, a prayer, a declaration? Whichever, or a combination, the enemy would be vanquished. I would tell you to take time and ponder. I would also tell you to research and find out who in your family served in the military during this world conflict. Also find out what your folks at home were doing. Annie’s mother was a bomb inspector.
Blood, so precious, and we think little of it until we are cut, or see an accident, or need a transfusion. Blood, it contains the life. Blood was required to win this terrible war. Yet, it was also blood that was involved in the war with Satan. A war that was fought primarily in the spiritual realm but the blood that was required was real, and in the realm in which we live. Jesus, the Son of God, sacrificed His life-blood for the redemption of mankind. Many Americans sacrificed their lives for the redemption of the world in which we live.
“No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.”
–John 15:13 (HCSB)