Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

She said lets talk about some legal things , tell me how and where to buy or sell land , where you go to get it done legally and how to get it done without getting cheated . And can black people own land in Texas and can single women buy land from the state like Hosea and I did ?


Captain Jack said ...This is going to take some time but I will do my best ! I'll answer your last question first . Yes blacks can buy or own land but depends on the official they are dealing with as to how much trouble and delay they want to give them if they don't like blacks ...that is just the truth . It helps if a white person is involved on their side or sponsoring them , it's the same way for Indians or worse .
Single women can buy land , in your case you are a widow and already inherited this property so it would not be a problem buying more episcally that you have a son . You need to get this property changed to your name as soon as you can .

[chuck j]

Captain Jack and her talked a good while and Captain Jack jumped up and said ...Dang ! I told Zeke I would rinse out that hominy and get lunch ! I got to get moving , I always lose track of time talking to you ! He started lunch and carried the hominy out by the well to rinse and clean it . He had put the rabbit on to boil for rabbit and dumplings so asked her how to make dumpling dough and got caught up .

Zeke came in and said howdy then went and checked the rabbit and dumplings , the rabbit wasn't half cooked . He was bent over looking at it and said ...It ain't near done yet . Captain Jack said ...I think that's one of those rabbits that's hard to cook . Zeke was bent over looking in the pot . He turned his head to look at the Captain and said ...WHAT ! She started laughing and Captain Jack said ...I can't lie worth a dang ! Sam said ...Why are rabbits hard to cook ? Zeke stood up looking at all of them and said ...Have ya'll gone crazy . She was laughing hard saying ...Oh ! It makes my side hurt ! And kept laughing .

[chuck j]

They got over the rabbit confusion and all had a big laugh . It was needed after the last several days .


They were talking waiting for a late lunch . Zeke said ...Wade I see you finished the project . Wade said ...Yes sir ! It turned out nice ! Captain Jack said ...You finished ? Zeke said ...Yep he sure did and it's like he said ...nice . She said ...Ya'll keep secrets ! What is the project ? Zeke said ...It was Captain Jack's idea ...we just helped . It is a surprise ! She said ...How many surprises am I going to get ? Wade said … Several ! She said ...Ya'll really have my curiosity worked up now ! When do I get to see them ? Captain Jack said ...When you get better !

The black mule brayed .

Zeke grabbed her guns by the door as Captain Jack and Wade ran to the shed to get their rifles and cartridge bags . Zeke told her as he laid the Colt on her bed with powder and ball leaning her Henry by her bed and giving her Nate ...You stay in bed ! Do not get out of bed ! Wade , the Captain and me can deal with this . Don't you think to break open your wound as hard as we worked on it and prayed for you ! You take care of Nate and Sam !

[chuck j]

Zeke walked out on the porch and looked toward the pen . The black mule was looking toward the river bottom . Zeke shaded his eyes with his hand and saw two riders coming out of the bottom ..probably from the west . Captain Jack and Wade ran up . Wade had grabbed a Henry from the guns taken from the Comanche . Captain Jack said … Who is it Zeke ? Zeke said ...They are too far off yet Captain ..I can't tell . Captain Jack said ...Wade ! Go round back and make sure no one is sneaking up on us . These two could be bait ! Wade took off round the cabin .

[chuck j]

Wade came back and reported … I don't see anyone Captain . Captain Jack said ...Wade you go to the shed , you can fire from there and Zeke and me will be in the cabin to protect her and Sam . We will have the gun ports and door to use to fire if it comes to that . Wade walked quickly to the shed and got ready .

Zeke and the captain went in the cabin . When they got inside she said ...What is happening ! Zeke told her ...Nothing yet , two men riding slow from the river bottom . Wade is in the shed and we are forted up here . We will see what they want if they keep coming . YOU stay in the bed and be still , your only a day or so from being able to get around some .


The riders stopped and looked at Hosea's grave and kept coming .

[chuck j]

They rode into the yard . They were both young men . One had a tan Stetson a black shirt with denim pants and stove pipe boots with his pants legs tucked into them . The other wore a grey Stetson , a denim shirt , black pants and boots with dogging heels . They both wore a gun belt with a single Colt Army , they had powder flasks and cartridge bags on their left shoulder . The one with the tan hat had a Henry in his rifle boot while the one in the grey hat carried a Winchester 1873 in his . They both rode a bay horse .

[chuck j]

The one with the grey Stetson hailed the cabin . Zeke was sitting on a gun port seat with the gun port cracked watching with her Henry . Captain Jack said ...What can we do for you ! As he stepped out the door with his Henry . Then he saw their badges , He said ...Are you Rangers ? They both said the were . Captain Jack said ...What Company and who is your Lieutenant ? The young man said ...Company D and Lieutenant Hayes .

[chuck j]

Captain Jack lowered his rifle and said ...Come on in ! We will have supper directly ! You need be kind of quiet , we have wounded sleeping . They took their hats off going in and laid them on the floor then sat down . Zeke already had sweet tea made and as he gave it to them They all introduced themselves .

[chuck j]

Captain Jack introduced everyone told them this was her farm . The young man with the grey Stetson quickly said ...My name is Don Hale and my partner is Jimmie Mc call . It's a pleasure to meet all of you . We were sent to find you Captain Coffee and Sam Wallace , they said you had been gone without contact too long . You sent a prisoner to Jacksboro by the sheriff last they heard and headquarters was worried about you . You are a big name in the Rangers sir .


Captain Jack explained the two outlaws being killed , him and Sam following up on her report that Hosea was missing and the fight at the river . Jimmie said ...Looks like somebody bought it in the fight from that new grave between here and the river ..anyone that mattered ? Captain Jack tried not to start anything over that trashy remark and said ...We buried her husband just a while ago . Trying to shame him . Jimmie said ...She's dang pretty ! She can get another man quick ! I wouldn't mind havin her myself . Is any of you gonna take her ? And then he laughed .


Captain Jack calmly walked around the table . He grabbed Jimmie up by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall with his hand on Jimmie's throat choking him as he talked . He said ...She's not your kind ! You were invited in her house to be fed and you make fun of her losing her husband and talk about her like she's trash ! Captain Jack ripped the badge off his shirt and said . You are no Ranger ! Now get out before I shoot you ! I will be making a full report on you very shortly ! Jimmie was gasping for air and clawing at the Captain's hands . Captain Jack threw him on the floor and pulled his Colt saying ...GET OUT !


Jimmie struggled to get on his feet , he got to the door and nearly fell down trying to pick up his hat . He got mounted and left the way they had come .

[chuck j]

The other young Ranger sat during all of it . He was looking at the table when Captain Jack said ...Do you need to go with him ! Don Hale stood up and said … I am so sorry ! I am ashamed I came with him here . I was saddled with him because he's useless and no one can stand him . His father was sick of him and got him in the Rangers some how ...He has money . Ma'am I am sorry for your loss ...I truly am . Please do not judge me by him , I am not like that . And Captain Coffee thank you for what you did sir . If you need a witness at headquarters I will stand up for you . This has been a total embarrassment for me !

[chuck j]

They were all silent . Then she said ...Don could you come here ? They will not let me out of bed just yet . Don walked around her bed and said ...Again ma'am please don't think I am like him , please forgive me . I thank you for having me in your home !


She said ...I will not forgive you ! You have done nothing to seek forgiveness . I'm glad your here . She held out her hand and he took it as she said ...Stay with us a few days , you found Captain Jack so rest before you return .

He said ...Thank you ma'am !

[chuck j]

Don sat down again and they all started talking . Nate started crying as she held him and she said ...Zeke can you give him some milk ? He's hungry . Zeke said ...Sure ! Let me get these cut up dumplings in the pot . Don asked her ...Ma'am can I hold your baby ? She said ...certainly ! Don went on the other side of her bed and took him . He quietened down quick . She said ...You are use to babies , I can tell . He said ...Yes ma'am I was the oldest of twelve children and I don't remember there not being babies .


Don asked ...While we are talking could you tell me the story of the fight on the river just recently ? Captain Jack said ...Sure ! And everyone gave their version of the fight as Zeke cooked the dumplings and made frybread .

[chuck j]

Zeke and Wade got all the food on the table with bowls and plates . Everyone sat down and Wade said ...Don since your our guest would you give thanks ? Don quickly said yes and lead the meal in prayer . The dumplings were disappearing fast . Don said ...These are dang good ! I haven't had anything decent to eat since we left Waco ! And the hominy is good too , I never had hominy ! Zeke sat with her and The Captain sat next to Sam at the table in case he needed help . Sam was acting more alert and seemed better .

It had started bad but ended well !

[chuck j]

They had a good meal and it was cooling off a bit . Don said ...I am so full I don't think I can move ! Zeke you are a good cook ! Zeke laughed and said ...We want her to get better ...SHE is the good cook ! Zeke sat what was left of the hard fudge on the table and took her some . Don told them all the news he could think of which was costmary , they hadn't had much contact beyond themselves . Don seemed to be a very likable young man .

Sam said he needed to lay down . Wade and Zeke helped him get on his bed as Captain Jack started clearing the table taking the dirty dishes outside with buckets of water to wash them . Don volunteered to clean the dishes and they let him to allow him to fit in . Captain Jack Asked her to see her wound and with Wade they cleaned and rebandaged it . Wade said ...I think she could sit on the porch if she goes slow . What do you think Captain ? Captain Jack hesitating said ...Yes , but no more than that ! It has stopped draining and needs to scab over . If she does too much we might have to go through this all over again .

Wade put his arm around her and they slowly walked to the bench on the porch him easing her down beside Don washing dishes instructing him not to let her help or get up on her own . Wade went to take care of the stock with Captain Jack and fill the trough in the pen for night . Wade came back fairly soon and told her the cow was limping and holding up her foot , he needed Zeke to help them check her . Zeke went to the pen and they hemmed her in a corner of the pen . Zeke and Captain Jack held her in the corner against the fence while Wade finally got her foot picked up to check it . The cow didn't fight.. she was like a big dog , she was bellowing as Wade pulled a piece of stick out of her foot . It bled some but didn't look serious , they put her in the new big lot with the black mule by themselves and agreed to watch her . They went back and told her what they had done and she said ...Don't let anything happen to her ! She is a good cow . They assured her they would .


The work was done and they sat on the porch drinking tea and watching the sun go down keeping check on Sam inside . Captain Jack would stay with her and Sam tonight . He needed to finish his reports to send back by Don , he would not even think about leaving till Sam was better .

Zeke showed Don where to make a bed and take care of his horse .

[chuck j]

Captain Jack wrote till late by the oil lamp . He detailed reports and wrote letters to be posted . He also kept a journal of events and dates for himself , he hadn't had time to write and caught it up . He reflected on his time here , he had been renewed in many ways living and working with Sam , Zeke , Her and Wade . He had hoped Ed Rawlings would stay a while , he knew Ed struggled in his life with many things being unable to put his life in order . Ed might return and he prayed on that .

Captain Jack was determined to take back the love and caring he had found here to his family . He wanted to go home but leaving this place would be hard . Though there was hard work it bound them together . Through taking care of each other they gained strength . Through the trial of their fighting together bonds were formed knowing they could depend on each other regardless how hard it got . This place seemed safe because of the love and caring that was here .

He checked Sam every little bit freshening the damp sacks . He woke him twice to drink , his fever was lessening and it made Captain Jack glad . She was better also , he knew Zeke was watching her close . Zeke was always where he needed to be and did what needed done . Wade was fearless in a fight just like his father had been , he did more than his share always . He knew that Wade was trying to figure out what GOD wanted him to do and he hoped that would happen soon .


Captain Jack started slicing bacon before daylight for breakfast after pulling the banked coals out of the ashes to the side of the fireplace and kindling a fire to burn down to coals . He would make bacon , pancakes and sugar syrup . As he worked he wondered how Don would fit in . She awoke and he took her a cup of coffee helping her to the table . They talked as he got breakfast ready .