PREFACE :What you are about to read is the second story in a series of short stories told by a story teller around a campfire. It’s important that you visualize this wise old man dressed in a western outfit reminiscing about his past experiences. Appreciate that fact that he’s not a writer he’s a teller of stories created by a vivid imagination. The first story in this series was about his adventures in Ragtown, Nevada and each new story is a continuation from the previous story. Ragtown was threatened by a gang of notorious bandits who raped the women, stole anything of value and killed anyone who tried to stop them. The story ended when the main character Big Daddy Cash, with the help of his friends, cleaned up the town and made it a safe place to live. Now I know what you are thinking, if this wise old man that loves to tell stories around the camp fire is not a writer, why are his stories written down for the listener to read? It’s simply his way of recording his stories so he won’t have to tell the same story over and over again. He assumes that you’ve heard the previous stories but if you haven’t it’s all recorded in his written word. The names and places never change so new introductions are not necessary a quick review of his written word is all that’s required. Give the wise old man a break and listen to his stories with this in mind. Now it’s time for some horse shit and gun smoke.
PART ONE
Headed for Dry Gulch After seeing what Johnny had to show me I was satisfied that Poncho was dead. Carnival people have a code of justice that differs from anyone else, I remember Johnny once saying; “On the plains of hesitation lie bleached bones within the grasp of victory just sitting waiting and waiting they died." He further said; "I urge you to take a moment to reflect on whether you hesitate when you should charge forward?” I was always confused when Johnny came up with these strange innuendoes, always out of thin air. I told myself it was only his nature and the way carnival people thought. Now that it’s over I can see what he meant. Forgive me as I continue with this thought; if you are not where you want to be in life, then you have to ask yourself...why not? The answer does not lie in blaming others, blaming circumstances or just plain whining. No matter how bad things get, or what’s done to you, face the worse circumstances and overcome them and move on. Do not shy away from any problem, instead, grab life by the horns and go for the ride of your life. I think this explains Johnny’s way of thinking. I’ll be moving on in the morning, the people of Ragtown have been ridden of the threat of death, Doug will have a chance to rebuild his ranch and the people from Hey Rube can peacefully go back where they came from. My only regret is that I never had the chance to get to know Tamara which is probably a good thing because you can’t change a range riding drifter like me. I’ve always done things my way. If Tamara was part of my life I’d have to do things her way. Doug was right it wouldn’t take much for her to hog tie me. I forgot all about my letters, I think I’ll get them and read them now. One is a personal letter from Great Falls, Montana; the other is from the State of Nevada. The State of Nevada couldn’t be good news so I’ll read the one from Great Falls first. Hello Cash, I’m writing you from a mental institution, I have hallucinations and they say I’m crazy. I don’t think I am but I’m told that I’m locked up for my own good. I see things that others don’t see and parts of your life have vividly been revealed to me. There’s a man who hates you and wants to kill you and I see him as clearly as if he were sitting right next to me. We have never met so I don’t expect you to believe what I say but for the sake of my sanity I have to warn you. Your name and your where a bouts came to me in a dream that’s how I knew where to send this message. I also know that you’ll pick up my letter at the same time you pick up your fathers will and for some reason you won’t open them immediately and when you do you'll read my letter first. How would I know this if what I say isn’t true? The man who want’s you dead will claim to be your friend, he’s six foot tall, has piercing blue eyes, wears horn rim glasses is blond and going bald. He must be rich because he wears very expensive clothes and wears real shiny boots. This is no delusion or fantasy hallucination as my doctors would say, it’s real, now I have freed my obligation by sending you this warning. Wendy B Ha, Ha, WHAT A NUT! I’m expected to believe this hogwash, I’m not to smart but I’m no dummy. Let’s see what Nevada has to say; Well, I'll be damned! It really is my dads Last Will and Testament. It seems my dad passed away six months ago and left me, A Gold Mine!! I’ve had dreams about a strange lady trying to read my mind. I’ve shrugged them off as nonsense but the things she brings up in my dreams actually happen. Up until now I’ve thought it was all a coincident but now I’m starting to wonder. Is there really a dimension beyond human comprehension? As it turns out dads gold mine is in Dry Gulch, Montana just on the out skirts of Helena, Montana, so that’s where I’ll be headed in the morning. Great Falls is only a two day ride from my destination so you can bet your life I'll pay a visit to this Wendy B.
Attempt to Avoid Goodbyes
I got up way before sun up got Thunder out of the barn, fed him some oats and gave him a good brush down. I think he knew we were getting ready to travel. Doug thinks I’m loony because I talk to my horse but to be honest thunder understands me on my own intellectual level, Ha, Ha, at least that‘s what I tell Doug; “Thunder you’re my best friend so let‘s have a little chit chat. You and I are going to be on the road for a long trip so please be prepared my friend to listen to me a lot. Some days I just may talk your ears off cause it’s easier to talk to you then most the people I know, let’s get you saddled and will soon be on our way.” I left notes for every one of my friends with the deskman at the hotel and told him to make sure that they were all delivered and tipped him a five dollar gold piece. I hate saying goodbye so I figured if I left early enough in the morning I’d be well on my way before anyone was out of bed. However when I stepped outside, much to my surprise, I found Tamara standing at the hitching post along side Thunder. “Hi, Tamara my dear, what gets you up so early in the morning?” “I heard you were leaving Cash, and I came to say goodbye.” “Now just what makes you think I’m going anywhere?” Tamara’s eyes were filled with tears. “Last night I went to the carnival especially to see the gypsy fortune teller. I was told that she could see into my future just by looking at the palm of my hand. I told her there was a man I cared for and asked her if she could see him in my future. She looked at my palm and said you might be disappointed if I tell you the truth. I told her that I came to see her for the truth. She placed her crystal ball on the table in front of both of us and gazed into it for what seemed like hours, then she looked at me and said your friend will be leaving town early in the morning. I didn’t know whether to believe her or not but I didn’t want to take that chance, so here I am.” The tears were pouring down her cheeks, I told her please not to cry and handed her my hankie and told her to wipe the tears from her eyes. Before I could stop her she threw her arms around me and started to hug and kiss me. I hungered for her touch so I responded but then I realized that this wasn’t right and gently pushed her away. “Tamara you are the most beautiful and exciting woman that I know and it makes me happy and lustful when ever I’m near you but there is no way that we can be anything more then friends, first of all I’m old enough to be your father, second I’m a born and bred drifting cowboy and a loner.” “I don’t care how old you are, you are everything in a man I’ve ever wanted and I‘d go with you to the ends of the earth.” “You say that now but the time will come when a young man will come into your life and make me look like a worn out old cowboy boot.” “I can’t help the way I feel, I‘m in love with you.” “Tam your not in love with me, you’re just smitten, longing to love and be loved. Yes you can help the way you feel! I’m leaving now and I’m not going to look back. I’ll always remember you as that beautiful red headed lady, flashing the biggest brightest smile in the State of Nevada. God bless you Tamara,” and I got on Thunder and rode out of town. Damn it my heart told me I loved her and everything in me wanted to stay but common sense told me I’d end up making her hate me. I’d rather have her remember me as a friend then hate me as a partner or loving companion. “Come on Thunder let’s put some distance between us and the improbable dream. “ This time of year travel through Idaho and Montana is miserable, heavy snow and below freezing temperatures can lead to all kinds of trouble so I have been thinking about taking the coal train out of Price, Utah, if we can hitch a ride on a box car we can ride all the way to Butte, Montana then it’s only a day or two ride to Helena. Coal trains usually have fifty or sixty coal cars and six to ten box cars. It’s pretty easy to hitch a ride because the conductor is happy to have an extra gun aboard. Price is a little out of our way but the train will save us the discomfort of riding trail in stormy weather. Not counting Utah I estimate its two hundred miles across Idaho and about three hundred miles into Montana. The trip would be six days by train and save us two months or more on the trail.
From Hell to Helena
For the next three days we rode long and hard out of Nevada into the southern mountains of Utah we arrived in Price early on a Sunday afternoon and found out the railroad yards were in Helper a railroad town seven miles north of Price. While lunching in Price I met this fellow who gave me directions and told me if I wanted to hitch ride in one of the box cars I’d have to get an okay from Bill Harper the president of the coal miners union. It seems like the rail workers and the coalminers all belong to the same union. He also told me to watch my step in Helper it was the wildest town in Utah he said; “When the workers are off duty their favorite pass time is a visit to the whore houses then drinken and fighten was their game.” I thanked him for the information, finished my lunch and headed for helper. The first thing I noticed as I rode into Helper was the cobblestone streets and boardwalk sidewalks. Which is something seldom seen, usually the streets are dirt and there are no sidewalks. Every other building was a bar and there was a whore house on every corner. I grinned and thought to myself, oh well never mind what I thought. I had to find Bill Harper. I spotted the union hall adjacent to the rail yard went in and was approached by a man who said; “Can I help you stranger?” “Yes, I’m looking for Bill Harper.” “I’m Bill Harper, What can I do for you.” “I’m headed for Butte, Montana and my horse and I need a ride on your train.” “It’s not my train but for fifty bucks I can fix you up with a box car.” “Great, what time does the train leave?” “They're warming the engines as we talk it should pull out of the yard in just a few minutes. Grab your horse and I’ll take you down and get you all loaded up.” The next seven days was like riding in an icebox. Thunder and I had to wrap ourselves in blankets and cuddle up together relying on the warmth of our bodies to keep from freezing to death. The coal yards were twenty miles north of Butte which was better then I figured because it put us that much closer to our destination. As we rode the long crooked trail along the Last Chance Stream we reached Last Chance Gulch the main street through Montana’s gold capital, Helena. I couldn’t help but notice how all the streets of Helena wound and twisted so that you couldn’t stand in one place an see more then fifteen or twenty yards in any one direction. I heard the reason for this was to prevent innocent people from getting hit by stray bullets, the result of gun fights over silver and gold. The largest vein of placer gold in the Western United States ran all along the Last Chance Stream. Gold mines and claims were scattered along the stream as far as the eye could see, hundreds of miners were scurrying back and forth like armies of ants searching for their quarry, an unbelievable sight to behold. In the envelope that contained Dads will was a letter from Dad with instructions not to open until we were on Last Chance Gulch. He said the content would only confuse me if I couldn’t see with my own eyes what he was talking about. Well, I guess it’s time to see what’s in the letter. Dear Son, I kicked you out of my house twenty six years ago and I have always regretted my actions. There hasn’t been a day gone by that I haven’t wanted to hug you, tell you how much I love you and welcome you back with open arms. I’m sorry but it’s too late now my heart has quit working and I’ll be dead when you receive this letter. I’m leaving you all my worldly possessions which monetarily number in the millions. You’re a rich man son I hope you use your inheritance wisely. Your mine is registered as Gold Horseshoe Mining, the manager of the mine is an Irishman named James McShane, he’s hardworking and honest so it would be to your advantage to keep him on, of course that’s up to you. If you have followed my instructions you should be looking up and down Last Chance Stream at this very moment. Look as far north as your eyes can see and you’ll see the burn off fire of an oil well, that’s yours and the entrance to your mine. James and his family live in a large log house on the property. He knows all the details you'll need to know and he'll introduce you to Chris Smith my lawyer, he's the best there is in Helena, so get everything filed nice and legal. One more thing you should know, your mother and brother were killed five years ago by Poncho Gonzales the Mexican bandit and his cut throat gang. They killed everybody in Hell that they could find and burned the whole town down. Good luck son, I’ll be watching you from where ever my maker sends me.
Wanted
“Hang in there Thunder; we’re almost at our destination. A few hundred yards and we can chow down and get a good nights rest.” I took Thunders reins and started to walk the short distance to the mine. All of a sudden several bullets whistled all around me one hit its mark right through the middle of my Stetson giving my hair a brand new part and knocking me totally unconscious. When I came too I was behind bars in Helena’s Grey Bar Hotel. My head felt like someone had taken an ax to it and my face and shirt were covered with dry blood. I couldn’t remember what the hell had happened; my thoughts were a mixture of mass confusion. Flashes of my past would come and go like a foggy dream. Why was I in jail? What was my name? “Hey you, get your ass up off that bunk, the sheriff wants you right now.” It was the jailer, a tough guy who liked to show his authority. He grabbed me and threw me ass over sputnik out in the corridor. Then kicked me in the groin, then my ribs, repeatedly over and over again until I passed out. When I came too, this time I was in the sheriff’s office with my hands cuffed behind a chair. The sheriff was sitting behind his desk with his feet propped up on his desk and the jailer was leaning against the doorway with shit eaten grin on his ugly face. “My name is John Bailey, I’m the law in Helena and all of the Last Chance territory and you’ve met Tom my deputy and right hand man.” “I don’t understand, Sheriff Bailey, why in the hell I’m I here.” “You and your horse fit the description of a thief and a killer who has been terrorizing the miners all up and down Last Chance Stream.” “My mind has been foggy from the wound on my head but my memory is slowly returning. Before I was shot I remember reading a letter from my deceased father. Do you have that letter Mr. Bailey?” “I have the letter and other personal belongings of a cowboy named William Cash Neve. I firmly believe you stole his identity.” “Don’t be ridiculous sheriff.” “The man that I’m after has seven aliases that I’m aware of, one is Cash and another is Big Daddy.” “Dam it Bailey, my friends call me Big Daddy Cash, all this horse shit is a crazy coincident.” “What I see here is a con man trying to con his way into a rich gold mine. When you tried to escape and Tom had to use extreme force to stop you, you created a brand new problem… Prisoners don’t escape from my jail and if they try it’s an automatic six months sentence. Your attempt just proves to me that you’re guilty so be prepared to be my guest for a very long time.” “First of all Mr. John Bailey, I didn’t have the opportunity to try an escape, your right hand man Tom grabbed me when I just regained consciousness and gave me a senseless beating then drug me into your office and told you I tried to escape. Your deputy is a God Damn liar.” “Okay, that does it, Tom, take this asshole back to his cell, shackle him and handcuff him to the bed.” The sheriff decided to check out the Gold Horseshoe Mine and left me alone with Tom in the jailhouse. I knew damn well I was in for another beating maybe this time he’d kill me and I sure as hell wasn’t going to let that happen. I was still handcuffed with my hands behind the chair when Tom grabbed my arm and tried to lift me to my feet. “Damn it Tom, unless you want to carry me chair and all you’re gonna have to un-cuff me to get me out of this chair.” “Shut up ass hole, I know what I gotta do.” He poked his gun in the back of my head and removed the cuffs. “Don’t move a muscle or I’ll kill you right where you sit.” He reached in the cabinet behind the sheriffs desk and grabbed the heavy chain shackles and swung them at me just missing my head, he swung them again only this time I grabbed them and pulled him off balance. He staggered back against the wall and I jerked the chains from his hand and swung them at his head striking him across the forehead. That’s all it took he was out cold. I put the shackles on him and chained him to the bars on the window using the handcuffs to lock the chain links together. I found my guns and my belongings slipped out the backdoor and went looking for Thunder. I was surprised to find him still saddled and tied to the hitching post in front of the jailhouse. “Come on Thunder, you and I have to go in hiding for awhile. I just broke out of jail so we’ll be posted on the sheriffs most wanted list, probably with a with a big reward. We’re going to ride back up the trail towards Great Falls. As soon as we are far enough out of town I’ll get your saddle off and give you a rub down and feed you a nice bag of oats. Come on fellow let‘s giddy up go.”
