Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

Ed and Joy had crossed at the ford on the river and ridden to the ranch . There was celebration when Ed rode in ! The men were logging but Katy and Claud filled Ed in about the East Texas Rangers , Wade and Steve and Don . Ed only said ...I need food , water buckets . I leave now ! Joy said ...I go with you ! Ed said ...You stay here . Ed loaded his tall horse light , he was ready to leave and Joy rode from the shed . Ed said ...You do not go ! You will stay here ! Joy looked him in the eye and said ...NO ! I ride with you ! Ed wheeled the pale sorrel and headed upriver with Joy behind .

[chuck j]

The men stayed at the cabins after breakfast . There was too much happening to go logging , they needed to be there to help if anything came up . There was plenty to do . Willow Mae was trying hard to fit in cooking , cleaning and making friends with all of them . Lucy had her cabin set up and Willow was staying with her . Lucy had a bed big enough for both of them and they got along fine .


They were still organizing all the things and supplies brought back from Eliasville . Katy wanted the mattresses made but the cattails were not dry enough to make them yet . She had the men lay out the wagon sheets in the yard scattering the cattails in the sun to speed the drying . Zeke had them shelling and grinding corn to chops for feed and bagging it up in stacks in the shed for winter . They started setting posts to make the shed twice it's present size . Many logs had been brought from the river so there was no lack of work that needed to be done .

They were all worried for Wade , Don , Ed and all who had left . They knew it wasn't going to end well . Katy walked out on the porch to throw out some wash water in a bucket . Lucy was sitting on the bench with tears slowly running down her face . Katy sat the bucket down and sat beside Lucy . She said ...What's wrong Lucy ? Lucy said ...Ed got back alive and didn't stay an hour ! He is back out there ! Why does he have to ? Why can't he let the younger ones do these things ! I have cried and prayed for him to come back and he had to leave again ! It ain't right Katy !


Katy held her . She said ...Ed is a great part of our strength here Lucy . He is given to do these things just like Wade , Zeke , Don and YOU ! You provide a great strength and don't even see it . Ed is not alone out there Lucy ...GOD is with him . Wade , Don and Ed will be alright . When have you seen them fail ? Lets get Willow Mae and pray for them all . Lucy shook her head yes and got up .

[chuck j]

Don had gotten them closer to the river but it was slow . They took turns riding double and holding Ken in the saddle . Ken's leg was broken in more than one place and hurting bad , passing out at times . He was hurt inside , Don couldn't do anything for that . They couldn't stay on the prairie , they had to get to the ranch . They traveled slow to save the worn horses and Ken could not take a hard ride . It was a hard situation . By dark all the water was used up . They had made Ken as comfortable as they could .

In the morning they got Ken in the saddle and headed to the river . Ken was barely aware of what was happening . No one was talking .

[chuck j]

Ed and Joy rode west up the Brazos . They rode steady and Joy pulled up beside Ed asking ...Where do we go Ed ? Ed said ...Where their trail leads us . Joy shook his head yes and they rode on .

[chuck j]

Wade and Steve followed the trail . Shortly after noon they saw riders in the distance , they rode toward them . Don was glad to see Wade and Steve with extra horses when they reached them . Wade passed out water and Steve pulled a pack off one of the pack horses giving the horse to the one riding double , Steve would ride bareback to the dead horse they had found and pull the saddle .


Wade talked to Don hearing the story as they rode slowly to the river , Ken was in really bad shape . The water revived the men some . Toward evening Don spotted riders coming from the north and called out . Wade looked and kept watching and riding . In a bit he could tell ...It was about twelve Comanche leading some extra horses coming straight for them .

[chuck j]

Wade told them ...Keep riding steady ! We can't lose horses , we try to make the river and get our back to it and make it home . They don't know yet the shape we are in but will eventually , we can't run or attack ..we hold a steady coarse to the river ! If they attack we dismount and stand waiting for dark to make the river .

[chuck j]

They rode on . The Comanche got closer slowly . Soon it would be evident their horses and men were worn . That would embolden the Comanche to attack before dark . Once pinned down it was going to be a miracle to get moving again .

Steve said ...LOOK ! He pointed to the east . A lone rider too far away to recognize was riding out alone from the south leading a spare horse and he had a hat on ! He Rode straight for the Comanche . Don , Wade and Steve couldn't imagine who it was or why they would ride right into the Comanche !

They watched him steadily ride , no sane man would take on that many ! The man stopped far out and started firing his rifle at the Comanche . Five Comanche broke off and spilt up riding hard as they could toward him . The man wheeled his horse and rode back the way he came hard .


They were helpless to help him ! They watched still riding to the river . The man rode till the Comanche were almost in rifle range of him and just stopped and dismounted at a few sage bushes ! Wade , Don and Steve along with all the East Texas Rangers waited for the Comanche to kill him ! There was no way they could get to him in time !

[chuck j]

Joy stood there with his rifle waiting for the Comanche to get to them . Ed was laying behind a sage bush with his double rifle in a fork on the bush and his Henry beside him , his saddle on the ground behind him . He told Joy ...You done good son . You brought em right to us . Now you kneel and make a small target , don't fire till I do . Joy said ... Where is GOD Ed ? Ed smiled and said ...He is all around us son . Joy asked ...Ought we say that prayer Ed ? Ed said ...Your catching on son , it's a very good idea .

[chuck j]

Joy knelt and was ready . Ed grabbed his Henry and lay there watching . The Comanche started shooting as soon as they were at long range . Ed said ...Hold steady son , let em come ! They are horseback ridin hard and would be an accident if they hit you . Ed waited a few more seconds and said ... Kill the horses on your far right ! They both started firing . Ed started on the left side , two riders fell off their horses in five shots on Ed's side . Joy hit one horse and Ed swung right hitting the far right rider left still there . There was only one left in the center and he wheeled his horse back to the party of Comanche .

Ed knelt shouldering the big double barrel rifle . He waited till the last rider got close to the other Comanche and fired . The Comanche fell off his horse into the prairie grass . Ed told Joy ...Saddle my horse ! As he reloaded his rifles .

[chuck j]

Wade , Don , Steve and all the East Texas Rangers were amazed ! There were two people shooting and when the double barrel rife fired Don said ...ED ! Ed is there ! I know that rifle ! Wade said ...I'll be danged ! Ed is here !


One of the East Texas Rangers said ...Who is Ed ? Wade said ... Ed Rawlins and he is here ! The East Texas Ranger said ...Ain't Ed Rawlins dead ? Wade , Don and Steve just started laughing .

[chuck j]

Don said ...Do we go to help Ed and the other man ? Wade kept riding shaking his head no and said ...Ed is saving US Don ! We keep riding , Ed has a plan , he's buying us time to make the river . Him and the other are doing a dang good job .

[chuck j]

Joy saddled Ed's tall horse . Ed reloaded and gathered his rifles putting them in the boots on his saddle . Two of the Comanche horses were unhurt walking slowly east on the prairie with saddles on dragging their reins .


Ed pulled up on his horse and told Joy ...You go gather them two horses son , then you ride to the other Rangers . I'll be there in a bit . Joy saw blood on Ed's shirt spreading on his side . Joy said ...Your hit Ed ! I stay with you , we both go to the other Rangers ! Ed said ...No ! This ain't over yet. They will dog us to ground son , it has to end . You do what I say .

Joy didn't want to leave Ed ! He said ...Please don't do this Ed ! There is seven or eight of em still ! How would you fight them all ! Ed said ...Because they fear me . You go on and catch them horses and do what I said son . Ed headed at a lope to the Comanche as Joy fought in himself to follow Ed . He rode east to fetch the horses watching Ed over his shoulder drawing closer to the Comanche alone .

Wade and the others were watching and couldn't believe it when they saw Ed on his horse turn and ride toward the Comanche by himself .

[chuck j]

Ed loped his horse straight to the Comanche . He got within easy range with his double rifle then slowed dismounting pulling his double rifle from it's boot . He laid it on the ground and motioned to the Comanche to send two men by holding up two fingers and motioning to come . There was talk among them and two Comanche rode forward to him .

They reached him standing there with his rifle on the ground . Ed said in Comanche ...Leave now ! Go north or east . I know you go to the Indian territories . I will let you pass .

One Comanche said ...There are seven of us , we will kill you . Ed just stared at him and said ...Ride back ! Get them ! Come and kill me ! I will kill you to a man . If any escape I will track them down and kill them at a distance . I offer to let you pass but I swear to you if you hurt my friends or try to hurt me I will kill you all ! I give you choice ..you decide .


They wheeled their horses back to the other Comanche . They talked to them a long time . One them rode back to Ed and asked ...Are you the rider at the canyon several days ago ? Ed said ...Yes ! The Comanche rode back and in a bit they slowly rode north to the Territories .


Ed walked to his horse , shoved the big rifle in it's boot and turned to the Ranger party to the south .

[chuck j]

Joy had gathered the two horses and ridden to the group of Rangers slowly headed south to the river . He quickly explained who he was . Wade had two men on the most worn horses change to the ones Joy had brought . Don , Steve , Wade and Joy were suffering in wanting to go back and help Ed .


Joy kept looking at their backtrail hoping to see Ed . They could see the tree line of the river in the distance to the south . Joy stopped his horse and told them ... I go to find Ed ! The river is yonder ! Wade told Don ...Your in charge , I go with Joy . Camp on the river and make a travois to carry Ken . Leave downriver midmorning tomorrow . Do not hold back for Joy and me !

Joy and Wade headed back north to find Ed .

[chuck j]

Wade and Joy had only ridden their backtrail about two miles and saw Ed coming toward them . They rode to him , Joy had already told Wade Ed was wounded . When they reached Ed his left side bleeding fairly bad from a deep graze wound high up . Wade pulled up to him and told him to take off his shirt and stay on his horse .


Wade got a clean sack out of his saddlebags and put his pistol in the bag . He folded the sack and took his gun belt binding it on the wound to slow the bleeding . Wade asked ...Where are the Comanche Ed ? Ed said ...They are gone , they left north . They rode south slowly to the river , Wade and Joy knew Ed was hurting .


They reached the river at dark . Don had men making a travois out of deadwood lashing it together with a cut up rope . Ken was on blankets unconscious . Ken never woke , he died quietly in the night . Wade , Steve and Don stayed with him until he quit breathing . In the morning they bound his body in a blanket to carry it to the ranch .