There were two, maybe three wolves outside the make-shift tent. Glancing around the camp I spotted a pile of wood, that made me feel some better as I didn’t figure the wolves would try and enter as long as I kept the fire going. Problem is, there wasn’t enough fuel for the night. It was cold and it was going to get colder. There were two bedrolls, I could stay warm, but once the fire died down, plus the dead body of Ebert, well, it was an open invitation for those varmints.
I could go out a blasting and probably get back to the train before darkness set in, but, as I looked at the body, I promised him, and I knew what those wolves would do. They would tear it completely apart, gorging themselves upon the flesh and organs.
My thoughts went back to Molly and the others at the train. They would be expecting me. Then the thought struck me, no, she wouldn’t come looking for me. None of them should be out here with the cold and the hunger of the wolves. They usually didn’t bother humans, and they shouldn’t be that hungry. The winter hadn’t been hard as of yet.
Then I heard another howl, and it wasn’t a wolf. It was the snarling cackle of real evil, the Pale Rider. It brought a grim smile from me. This is the second time he has tried to get me with wolves. The last time was about five years ago or so, time seems to pass by so quickly, up near Meeker when I was helping Juanita and her mother out. It was a severe winter and we most barely made it.
I saw a glimpse of fur where the canvas was tied down. I fired, heard a yelp then the savage attack of the wolves on their wounded mate. Reaching down I snatched the bandana off the neck of the dead man and rigged up a sling for the shotgun and slung it over my right shoulder. Then checking my pistol I made sure I had six cartridges loaded. Stooping I picked up the body, which was becoming stiff and slung it over my left shoulder.
Easing back the canvas, I looked to the left and saw the snarling animals tearing at the wounded wolf. Then a snarl in front of me. Something leapt at me. I threw the body I was carrying at it and fell letting the wolf go over me. He was tangled briefly with the body of Ebert while I struggled to get my pistol out. My coat was in the way, so I pulled the shotgun off my shoulder and swung it as hard as I could, hitting the wolf along its jowls. I thought that at least he wouldn’t be eating anything. It gave enough time to fire one barrel from the Greener. At that range the blast lifted the wolf up and managed him into mincemeat.
Momentarily it scared the others away as well. Laying the shotgun on the ground I reached for my burden sling him again over my shoulder then reached and picked up the Greener and started on my way. It was dark now but I knew the way back to the train, plus I could see the glow of the fires they had made. I just needed to watch my step; I surely didn’t want to twist and ankle or break a leg out here.
I was sweating, but I wasn’t worried about that right now. Normally, I wouldn’t rush like this and get a layer of sweat on my body with this severed cold, but I would soon be able to get by a fire. Then I heard the sound of the wolves, it had changed. They were now on my trail. Only about a quarter mile away. They would be upon me. There was a small outcropping of rock. Laying down the body, I blew on my hands then leveled the shotgun.
There were still four of them I could see. They had slowed, knowing that I had stopped. As soon as I could see them I fired wanting to wound at least one of them hoping they would turn upon him as they did the others. Cutting loose with the other barrel, I hit one. I think I broke it leg and it yelped hobbling. Only this time they didn’t turn on him; I could see them slowly moving on me.
Dropping the Greener, I pulled my pistol and waited. Then a shot, a yelp. With that I fired, hitting another one. Now there was confusion and they were turning on each other.
“Miles!” came the shout. It was Theo.
“Over here,” I answered. “I’m starting to move back.”
“I can see your shape, just keep going straight back. I’m coming with you.”
Within minutes I was back with the refugees of the train. Molly was standing by one of the fires looking out into the dark as my shape came into view. “Are you hurt?” she asked softly, then, “Who’s that?”
“This here was Clem Ebert. He and his brother Silas were the ones that blew up the train and shot Charlie,” I said as I dropped Clem to the ground.
I reached for Molly and gave her a big hug. “Wolves,” I said with a heavy sigh. “Lots of them.”
Theo was there next to us. “I don’t reckon they’ll bother us, but just in case we’ll keep the fires burnin’ hot and men posted with guns.”
“Where’s Lucas?” I asked wanting him to know that he didn’t have to worry.
Wolves began to howl…
Month: February 2019
Echoes From the Campfire
A man is born beside the road to death. To die is not so much, it is inevitable. The journey is what matters, and what one does along the way. And it’s not that he succeeds or fails, only that he has lived proudly, with honor and respect, then he can die proudly.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Ferguson Rifle)
“I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness.”
–Ecclesiastes 3:16(HCSB)
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Many years ago President Franklin D. Roosevelt made this statement.
“The old ship of state is still on the same course, because the nation has based its life on moral principles.”
Look at our country now. Can that statement be made today? Hardly, for now people are calling good evil and evil good. To keep the media away from you a person must be a perverted, left-wing, moronic fool. How dare a person be righteous and godly in today’s society, why it is almost blasphemous to the leaders on the liberal side. However, Psalm 15 describes a godly person. Before looking at the Psalm, notice right off that the Psalmist alludes to the “holy mountain.”
In the Old Testament there would be a group of priests standing guard at the gate of the sanctuary. They would allow only those who qualified to enter. Shocking, and you say that is Old Testament and it doesn’t pertain to us. Take another look. Jesus, our High Priest, will one day preside and determine who gets to enter the Sanctuary–Heaven, the throne of God. Do you fit the bill?
1 Lord, who can dwell in Your tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain?
2 The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness, and acknowledges the truth in his heart—
3 who does not slander with his tongue, who does not harm his friend or discredit his neighbor,
4 who despises the one rejected by the Lord but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his word whatever the cost,
5 who does not lend his money at interest or take a bribe against the innocent—the one who does these things will never be moved.
These verses depict worship. Hmmm, interesting, nothing about singing in these verses. The reason is that true worship is a lifestyle. It who were able to enter was based on lifestyle. We should live as residents of His holy hill. We are to live on earth with no less than heavenly behavior.
One verse caught my attention and it surely would not be popular in today’s society or church. Look at one of the requirements in verse 4. Those who God has rejected, we are to reject as well. Yet today we molly-coddle those who blatantly sin and then say, “I’m only human.” We say, “oh the poor dear,” when we ought to be praying them to repentance.
Putting all of these verses together I do not see anything about happiness, or your opinion, or doing things for self. We are in an age where people are placing duty aside for personal happiness and satisfaction. No–duty; being a person of integrity, then you can enter the sanctuary; you can dwell in the Lord’s tent upon His holy mountain.
Coffee Percs
He drank coffee and stared into the fire lost in thought. He watched the sparks snap and fly then get drawn up the chimney.”
–Dave P. Fisher (Where No Man Rules)
Pard, be gettin’ yurself in out of the cold. Coffee’s ready, go ahead, take a sip. Now, I’ve been ponderin’–if that little rodent Phil is so smart then why is he dumb enough to get out of a night warm burrow to run outside in the cold? He’s gonna tippy-toe out in the freezin’ cold just so he can see if there’s gonna be more winter. An’ ‘nother thing, his predictions ain’t no better than those high-paid people who get paid for lyin’. Hmpf, weathermen, lawyers, and politicians all get paid for lyin’, now ain’t that something.
Sure hope ya had a good week. If’n I saw things right, where some folks live it got down-right cold. Brrr, my poor little tootsies couldn’t take that cold weather any more. Thought ’bout the times when I was a kid and it would get way down below zero. There wasn’t any heat in my upstairs room, and my bed was by the window. I can remember, my feet comin’ out from under the covers and touching the window and it would be ice. Brrr, makes me shiver to think of it; let me swaller some of this coffee ‘fore I continue. Yuh know, we did what we had to so, and we survived. But some folk will have it rough.
Ahhh, don’t be leavin’ so soon, it’ll make me want to get up and just sit and stare at the fire. Guessin’, from what I’m readin’, that this is the time to declare if yur runnin’ for President. My mercy, look at the, the, sorry Pard, I’m tryin’ to think of a decent name for them, those who are runnin’. If any of those cahoots would get elected, it would surely be a fright. Makes me want to get the shotgun down, have it ready. Get some extra shells and ca’tridges for the pistol, but not gonna fret over that now.
Saw a picture of my ol’ buddy Bill this week. He used to sit ’round the fire and enjoy coffee. Yuh know Bill’s been passed on for several years now. He sure blazed many a trail; makes me wonder where he finally ended up. Always pondered why folks say RIP–rest in peace. Guess it’s to give them ease of mind, ’cause if they haven’t made their peace with the Lord while soakin’ up life and drinkin’ coffee, they shore ain’t restin’ easy on the other side.
Sorry, didn’t want to end on such a somber word. Take yur last few swallers and yuh can be on yur way. Yuh ride easy, don’t be in a rush, take time to see what the Lord has fer you this week.
And my goodness, don’t be a fool, check that cinch ‘fore yuh mount up.
Echoes From the Campfire
There are monsters everywhere in plain sight. We’ll never catch them all. The best we can hope for is that we hang them when we find them so they don’t hurt anyone else.”
–C.J. Petit (South of Denver)
“But evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
–2 Timothy 3:13 (AMP)
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I thought I might get some comments about what I wrote yesterday about being “familiar.” First of all, length doesn’t permit a full-fledged essay, but the fact remains, I don’t really care about being in the woods for any length of time with a novice–someone not familiar with how to live.
Sure, we must first learn. However, at the same time we are not haphazard without learning. Some people are. What quickly comes to mind are a couple of people who grabbed an axe and proceeded to cut, or attempted, to cut firewood. I watched for a minute or so, and then took the axe away. I was afraid that I was going to see them partially amputate their leg. They jumped in, which is good, but without the knowledge of how to do it. So, yes, people must first become familiar. There is that time of ignorance.
Attention was brought to me about Samuel. He ran to Eli asking if he called him. Eli told him to listen and if he heard the voice it was God. From that time forward we do not see Samuel not knowing the voice of the Lord. It became familiar to him. Yesterday I was speaking of the person that God sends. God will never send anyone out which has not been prepared.
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“Monsters!” You got that right. There is evil in the streets, but more dangerous is the evil lurking in the hearts of bureaucrats. There are those who protect their little empires, but want to loosen a horde of evil upon others in the name of humanity. There is a monster who has just signed a “law” for day-before-birth abortion. There is another monster who has now stated that infanticide is all right. There is a person, I hesitate to use the term “lady,” for president who has proclaimed that we are “not a nation of laws, but of feelings.”
Listen folks, you are voting for people who are monsters; their hearts are evil. You vote for them, allow them to make laws, but your children and grandchildren are going to have to live in this nation. Listen again, the election of 2020 is not that far away, and if the left-wing nuts have their way it will be “Katy-bar-the-door”, for evil will be given a green light.
It is time to take life seriously! It is not seeking for self, tip-toeing through the tulips, but you better wake up and realize that there is a real war going on–a war for your soul and for eternity. A.W. Tozer said, “Men think of the world not as a battleground, but as a playground.” Look at those who say they are Christians and then look at their actions. It seems they are more interested in “living life to the fullest,” in the pleasure offered them by the world. It’s time to face the “monsters” for “True Christianity is a struggle, a fight and a warfare.” (J.C. Ryle)
Hmmm, check yourself. Are you becoming one of the “monsters”? We find Jesus inspiring, not enthroned. We are fashioning Jesus to be more like ourselves; we conform Jesus to our image. Mercy, Lord help us!