Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

They had buffalo and rice left over and Lucy made a small pot of beans and tortillas . Rosa made cinnamon bread with sugar on it . They enjoyed supper and sat on the benches watching the sun go down .


Only a very small section of the roof shakes needed be done in the morning , the door and gun port shutters to be hung . They were already working on the roof and floor in the other two cabins . It was all coming together ! They wouldn't need but a few logs to build the walls for her bedroom ! They were proud of their work .


Simon said ...Wade ! I have talked to my brothers . We all agree that we want to live and work here ! Of coarse we must talk to our wives but we can convince them to move here . There will be Rangers here all the time and even without them we are strong . We want our children to grow in a place like this . GOD is working here Wade , we have his strength here with each other .

Wade was already thinking an said ...We need more cabins then Simon ! We will make this a working paying ranch brother ! I would love to see your families here with us . I will talk to her and Zeke but I see no problem . We in the end must meet to be honest and talk . Simon shook his head in agreement and they shook hands .

[chuck j]

The sun was still up and she took Rosa by the hand and walked toward the pens . Wade asked ...Where are you two going ? She said... to see the black mule ! They got to the pen with just the two cows , Pie and the black mule . She showed Rosa to go in and hold her hands out in front of her . Rosa did and the black mule pitched his ears forward looking at her . She said be still . Rosa just stood holding out her hands and the black mules ears laid to the side and he came to her with his head down blowing . He stopped with his head on her chest and she went in the pen showing Rosa how he liked his ears scratched .


Rosa smiled and scratched his ears saying ...He is nice ! She said ...If you must ride ..take the black mule !

[chuck j]

Ed Rawlins sat on the ground in the edge of the line of rocks on the south side of the low saddle shaking and fevered . His horse was saddled and tied to a chaparral bush beside him . Ed was weak , he would stay here one more day and hopefully let the Comanche move on west to follow their trail . It should lessen the possibility of him being spotted on the open prairie . Here behind the saddle he had cover . His horse was slowly failing , under any normal conditions Ed could outrun any Comanche on his long legged horse .

Ed sat and thought about the people at the ranch . He knew they were praying for him . He wondered if Don , Steve and John had made it back . He had been gone a good while , the rain washed away all the old Comanche trail and his own . No one could find him even if they tried . He curiously wondered if he would just die on the prairie just leaving a small memory to those that loved him now . At least a few had cared about him .

His horse jerked his head up looking west along the line of rocks they were in . A coyote stood there coming out of the rocks with a rabbit in his mouth . Ed got up , jerked the reins loose to his horse and swung up wheeling him toward the coyote . The coyote ran west behind the saddle looking back . He dropped the rabbit and kept running into the prairie grass disappearing . Ed dismounted and picked up the rabbit and saw cattail heads over in the rocks . He went there and found eight cattail shoots .


Ed sat on the ground with his blanket wrapped around him at a small fire . The rabbit hung over the coals and he had the shoots boiling in his lard bucket the ladies had sent cornbread in . Ed Rawlins sat and watched the coals and thinking .

[chuck j]

They all had Dried venison and scrambled eggs with pancakes for breakfast . Work started on the cabins immediately afterwards . They finished the roof and started on the interior dividing wall and door between the next cabin running down the back of the shed .

The wall went up quick and a connecting door between the cabins hung . Wade , Zeke and Juan were building and hanging gun port shutters on the inside of the bunkhouse . They stopped for lunch and Rosa had made meat pie with the last of the dried venison with potatoes , onions and hominy in it . It was very good and they all complimented Rosa and Lucy !

They went right back to work on the cabins finishing the bunkhouse and flooring the other two . Zeke measured and hewed beams outside for supports and the roof . Rosa went twice to the pens to scratch the black mule with Nate and the pup . Lucy made beans and rice with ground red chilis with tortillas for supper and talked to Claud and Ray . They were getting better it seemed every day . Claud could sit on the side of the bed and Ray was leaned up against the wall with help .

[chuck j]

Wade told her ...Your working with all the men has really started them moving faster than I would have thought possible . You have that effect on people wanting to help in anything you do ! I'm so glad your better , I worried about you so much ! You bring out the best in people .

She said ...No . everyone is just trying Wade . I have little to do with that . Wade said ...If you actually believe that you are blind , you set the stage for everything that happens with them .

[chuck j]

Don , Steve and John started to Eliasville before daylight . They arrived at the store around noon by pushing their horses . They were sad to see no freight wagons there and went in . Ed told them he knew the freighters and they were dependable . They probably just ran into something that delayed them .

They are at the café and many stopped to talk to them , having Rangers in town was a small event in itself . The freight wagons were at the side of the store when they came out of the café . They went in and Ed said ...I have made a deal with the drivers . They agreed to deliver the load of wire , stove and anything else that would fit in one wagon with an escort back for twenty five dollars . Ed said ...It's a good price seeing they have to cross the prairie to get there and Comanche being out in numbers .


Don agreed and approved the deal . The two freighters would take one wagon to the ranch loaded , a prairie freight wagon with wide wheels and a four up team could haul a lot . They needed to load the wagon then figure out loading their five pack horses . Don was nervous about expanding Wade's supply list . He would ask Ed's help on that .

[chuck j]

The freighters were in the guest bedroom upstairs . The Rangers went up and introduced themselves to them . The freighters names were Carl and Greg . They seemed like competent men , they talked of loading the supplies and just went to harness their teams and backing them to the rear of the store . They started loading the piles of supplies the Staleys had set there . The wire and cookstove were already loaded !

Their work done they pulled the wagon in the shed for the night . Don Steve and John under Ed's direction loaded their packs , Ed was dang good at organizing and packing a load for travel . They had two packs empty . Don asked Ed and his wife what they should purchase or take extra . Ed said ...Bacon and ham for one thing , women use a lot of it in the big meals ! Mrs Staley agreed wholeheartedly . Don got three oil lamps for the new cabins and extra oil for them .Gauze bandage and medical supplies .

More denim pants and shirt material . Extra sugar , another bag of flour , a froe , two adz , more nails , extra blankets and just small things they seemed low on or used a lot . They would be bringing a lot back !


They would leave in the morning . Ed Staley told them to cross the stream east of Eliasville about one mile east instead of two and there was a shallow ford with a sand rock bottom . Don , Steve and John were ready to go home !

[chuck j]

They all stood in the bunkhouse looking at their work and proud of it . It was built well ! They would continue on with the other two cabins tomorrow but they really were glad the bunkhouse was built and structure finished . It still needed furniture and such ..but that would come quick .


They were all tired . They had the good supper Lucy and Rosa made and all left early for the shed . Her and Wade sat on the porch a while , he had his arm around her shoulders and they were just quiet .

[chuck j]

Don , Steve and John saddled their horses and packed the horses before daylight tying them in front of the store . Carl and Greg harnessed their team and had them tied at the side of the store . Ed Staley handed Don a half a flour sack of mail going to the ranch .

They all ate with the Staleys , during breakfast John said ...Didn't Lucy say she wanted her black dog at the ranch ? Mrs Staley said ...She loves that old black dog ...he's too fat . They discussed it and Steve offered to go get him , her house wasn't far . They finished odds and ends at the store , Steve came leading Lucy's black dog and they put him in the wagon box . They pulled out and found the ford across the stream , the water was down and an easy crossing . They were on the prairie headed north !

[chuck j]

Her and Lucy got up and got dressed . She made Rosa a cup of coffee with cream and sugar setting it on the table . She knelt and gently woke Rosa telling her to get dressed . Rosa got dressed and sat drinking her coffee the pup wanting her to pet him .

Her and Lucy made bacon , fried potatoes and biscuits with butter . The men were putting the stock out and chores . They all came in laughing and got coffee as the food was put on the table . Rosa gave thanks ;

Lord help us today with all the cabins . Please bless our families back home , I miss my mother Lord please take care of her ! Help senor Ed Lord because we are afraid for him . Please let him come back soon to all of us . Please take care of Don and Steve and John ! AMEN !


They all said ..Amen !


There was still much to do with the cabins left to get in the dry . They ate and left getting organized , she stayed helping Lucy and Rosa pick up and talking to Claud and Ray . Wade stayed and worked on his logbook trying to hurry and get to building the cabins .

[chuck j]

Ed Rawlins sat on a rock behind the saddle . The sun was coming up and the south breeze picking up . He had no coffee but he felt some better and the fever was less . He would stay here one more day to let the Comanche get ahead of him . Another few miles and he would be on the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado there was no place to hide there , you could see from horizon to horizon until he reached the Palo Duro .

He sat with a stem of salt grass chewing on it thinking .

[chuck j]

Mrs Staley had made them sandwiches and tea . They stopped at noon and ate resting the horses . Water was not a problem and the ground had firmed up quite a bit . They made good time heading back north to the ranch . Lucy's fat black dog was enjoying the trip in the wagon box , they could tell he had ridden in a wagon before !


They wondered if Ed had came back to the ranch . Don knew Ed would stay with the Comanche as long as was necessary . Don felt great guilt letting Ed leave by himself , that would never happen again ! Don , Steve and John rode along talking and wondering if they would have the bunkhouse finished when they got back . They all looked forward to getting to the ranch .

[chuck j]

Her and Rosa had gathered cactus and fried it along with dried buffalo that had been simmered and rice with red chilies . Rosa made tortillas . Rosa caught on to things really quick ! They got the all roof supports up for both cabins and the floor done in one . They would get the other cabin floor done today and start raising the roof beams .


They ate and rested an hour . They sat drinking tea on the porch and she said ...The planes are wearing me out ! My arms feel like they are going to fall off ! Everyone laughed and Wade said ...When we get finished tomorrow I say we go to the river ! They all agreed loudly .

[chuck j]

The rangers and freighters camped about two hours before dark . The team and pack horses needed rest , they had covered a lot of ground steadily . They were not pushing hard just steady measuring and saving the horses . Don was satisfied with the progress and water was not a problem . They were figuring out the crossing to Eliasville , the hot and freezing weather would be hardest on the animals . Don hoped to make the ford in two days but would most likely take three , they were heavy loaded and if they lost a horse it would be a major problem . They had no spare horses ...he considered that for the future .


Carl and Greg were friendly enough and liked Lucy's big dog . They camped and John went to rabbit hunt , they didn't have a lot of time to hunt and cook before dark but a hot meal would be welcome . They heard two shots and John rode up with two jackrabbits . They built a small fire and had a decent meal . It was getting dark , the horses were moved a bit to more grass and they bedded down . It had been a good day .

[chuck j]

Everyone at the ranch was tired . They didn't talk and eat like they usually did at supper . It was obvious they were running out of steam . They had worked awfully hard at the cabins trying to finish and didn't lack much being to the end . The Garcia's left the porch early to the shed . Rosa and Lucy cleaned up and figured out breakfast inside working while her and Wade sat on the bench outside talking .

She said ...We are all too tired Wade . Lets give them the day off tomorrow , they have more than earned some rest . Wade agreed , he felt bad that he didn't pace the work better for everyone . This group would kill themselves working if you didn't manage them . They were the leaders and needed to do better .