Blackwell Chronicles Volume 1

By Troy D. Smith

Award winning author Troy D. Smith presents five stories of the Blackwell family, originally from Tennessee, plus another short story that features a Blackwell as a major supporting character. These volumes of short stories will follow a set of brothers and their descendents on their adventures (or misadventures, in some cases) from the California Gold Rush in 1849 into the Twentieth Century.

The first story in Volume 1, The Blackwell Claim, introduces the four Blackwell brothers: Max, Duke, Caleb and Jake. After that, my tales about the family jump around in time – Blackwell's Run occurs in 1864 with Max in the US Calvary fighting Indians. Next, The Stealing Moon takes place in 1855 and tells of Jake, a Texas Ranger, meeting a boy struggling to become a man. Blackwell's Stand is set in 1864 where Caleb has an unfortunate meeting with a grizzly and The Windigo is about Max's son Billy, and takes place during the Klondike gold rush.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Western Trail Blazer
• Release date: Jun 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301635054

Troy D. Smith

Born in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee, Mr. Smith has loved books even before he could read them. In 1995 his first short story was accepted by Louis L'Amour Western Magazine, and he has been published in magazines since then on a fairly regular basis. Author of numerous award winning short stories and novels, Troy is currently a Doctoral candidate in the History Department at the University of Illinois. He says, "I don't write about things that happen to people—I write about people that things happen to."

Book preview

Chapter 1

California 1850

When the Blackwell brothers finally stepped into the mining town, they found a world which no amount of description could have prepared them to enter. Men of all ages and nationalities bustled around, different languages and dialects adding to the noisy confusion.

Jake Blackwell stared around in wonder. He and his three older brothers had crossed rivers, deserts, and mountains on their journey; they fought off Indians and bandits, and had seen the Great Salt Lake. Jake felt certain there were more people in his field of vision now than he'd seen on that entire trip.

Where do you reckon the gold is at? Max wanted to know. He was the eldest – at twenty-one he seemed ancient to Jake and Caleb. They were sixteen and seventeen. Some would have called them youths, but in the hardscrabble Tennessee hills they were considered to have reached maturity.

Forget the gold, said Duke. Where's the women?

Duke, the only one to have their mother's red hair, was also the only brother with her excitable temperament.

We come here to mine gold, Max reminded him. Not to go entertainin'.

I don't know about you, brother, Duke grinned, but I don't aim to mine gold no twenty-four hours a day. I ain't seen no fair faces yet, and it's startin' to throw a dim light on this whole venture.

Have you ever seen so many damned people? Caleb asked. By custom, they ignored Duke's ramblings.

I never have, and right now they're all dead set to carry home some of that California gold. The strike's been on for over a year – if we don't get started, it'll all be gone before we can get to it. Max frowned. Shoot, we don't even know the name of this place.

He grabbed the arm of a passing miner. Pardon me, mister. What's the name of this place?

The man initially looked irritated by the interruption, but his face relaxed into a grin. New arrivals, eh? he said in an odd accent. Welcome to Grizzly Gulch.

You surely do talk funny, mister, Duke said, and Caleb rolled his eyes. Max looked away in embarrassment. Where the Sam Hill are you from, anyway?

I'm from Australia, the stranger said. And you talk a lot funnier than I do.

If you don't mind my askin', Max said, where's the gold?

The Australian laughed. If I knew that, boy, I wouldn't be standin' here talkin' to you! Listen, you need to go down to Danton's store. Enos Danton will outfit you, give you a place to bed down for the night if need be, and go over the mining rules with you. Good luck!

As the stranger walked away, Duke called after him. One more thing, mister! Where's the women at?

You are young, aren't you? The women don't show up until after we've found the gold! The Australian disappeared into the crowd.

Chapter 2

The brothers inquired until they found the store he had mentioned. Darkly-lit, it offered the mixed but comforting smells of leather, iron, and tobacco. An old man stood behind the counter. A cat-o-nine-tails hung on the wall within his reach.

Howdy, fellers, he greeted them. What can I do for you?

We ain't here to buy anything, Max said. We just want to find out how to get started. Feller outside said you could help us.

That I can. My name's Enos Danton.

After the Blackwells introduced themselves as well, Danton asked, Are you sure you don't want to buy anything? Might as well buy it now – prices might be double tomorrow.

We brought picks and shovels from home, Caleb said.

That's mighty good, but unless you plan to dig your way to the bottom of the American River out yonder, you'll need more. I got pans, I got cradles, I got riffle boxes to make sluices out of. And unless you plan to live off dust, you'll need beans and flour and coffee.

All right, Max said. But how do we find a place to use the stuff?

Danton nodded. Take you some stakes to use as markers. Walk down the river – or its branches – 'till you find an unstaked claim. Then mark you off a spot. Each claim has got to be no more than twenty-five feet along the river, and forty-five feet back. That might change by tomorrow, too, so I wouldn't put it off.

Twenty-five feet? Duke exclaimed. That's all?

Danton shrugged. You've got to leave some for the next feller. Besides, once you've squatted in that cold water all day sloshin' around a pan, twenty-five feet is all you'll want.

He gestured behind him to the whip I sell ropes here, too, he said. Any claim jumpin' goes on, I'm the feller officially appointed to take care of it. Everybody trusts me, you see. I'm a hard man. Anybody jumps your claim, you're supposed to tell me. If you jump somebody else's, they might tell me, or they might just cut your throat.

The boys nodded, and he continued. Where you boys from?

Tennessee.

He grunted in approval. Alabama man, myself. You have to watch these Yankees around here, they're cheap and immoral. Foreigners are almost as bad. Mexicans, Chinese, and Negroes will steal you blind. Them Hawaiians is just plain strange. And the Indians ain't worth shootin'. Hell, watch ever'body.

Chapter 3

They bought the offered equipment and supplies. Max's face was pinched with worry. Their first day in town and their money was already dwindling.

Jake eyed the firearms for sale – most were pretty – but few looked as handy as his own converted Kentucky breech-loader.

One more thing, boys, Danton said. Once you get settled, plant some of them beans in the ground. Eat the greens when they come up, mixed with some spruce bark. If you don't eat nothin' but meat and beans, you'll get the land-scurvy and your teeth will fall out.

They thanked him for the advice, then left and picked their way through the crowd. Caleb and Jake had to restrain Duke – almost physically – from investigating every saloon they passed.

When they returned to their horses, they found a very tall man examining them.

Howdy, Duke said amiably. Thanks for watchin' our horses for us.

These are your animals? the man asked.

They are, said Max.

Well, they look half-dead.

Shoot, Duke said. They carried us here all the way from Tennessee. I'd say we probably look half-dead too, for that matter.

You traveled overland? The man asked, astonished.

Max nodded. Seemed like the quickest way.

Let me shake your hand, fellows -my name is Joseph Cray. I sailed around the Cape, myself. I'm what they call an Argonaut.

Duke shook his hand. Pleased to meet you, he said. We're Democrats.

Cray chuckled. Most people here arrived by sea. Overland is shorter, but I heard there were a lot of dangers involved. Blizzards, animals, wild Indians, and so forth. Which wagon train did you travel with?

We didn't, Jake told him. We don't abide much with a bunch of people. Especially when they don't know how to get where they're goin'.

Duke said something under his breath about not knowing what to do when they got there. He received a withering glance from Max.

You came over the mountain alone? Cray persisted.

Caleb shrugged. Our grand-daddy came over the Smokies alone, back in 'ninety-five. We figured we could do just as well.

I suppose you're on your way to stake a claim, Cray said cautiously. After hearing a murmur of agreement, he cleared his throat. Well, um, perhaps we can travel together. It would be to our mutual benefit – they say there are some rough characters around here.

Chapter 4

Max stared silently at Cray. The moment stretched out painfully, and Jake became embarrassed for the fidgeting stranger.

Cray looked down. He half-turned, smiling politely, and Duke clapped a hand on his bony shoulder. The man flinched, obviously startled.

Well, hoss, Duke said, for our mutual benefit, I reckon we'd best throw in together.

Duke's words did not seem to register on Cray at first, but then the man laughed. It was a peculiar, high sound.

I'm glad you agree, my friend, Cray said. Fortunately, my own horse is hitched across the street. I'll be right back, and then we can go and claim our fortunes together!

Cray half-ran across the street, apologizing to the disgruntled miners as he collided into them.

Got a little more bounce in his step now, don't he? chuckled Caleb.

Max grunted. Why did you invite that jaybird to ride with us?

Duke gave his older brother an exaggerated shrug. Shoot, he won't hurt nothin'. Fact is, I kinda felt sorry for the pore fella. He looks like if somebody ain't holdin' him down he might blow away.

Jake saw Caleb roll his eyes playfully. Duke had a lifelong habit of taking under his wing whatever stray pup or helpless kid he encountered. Jake knew that he and Caleb had no room to complain; Duke had come to their own defense many times.

Max shook his head in silent frustration. Jake sometimes suspected his privacy-loving brother would break a separate trail from theirs, had they not been kin. Sometimes he felt the same way.

Cray returned, and soon they were all mounted and riding out of town, following the river.

You come all this way by yourself, Cray? Duke said.

As a matter of fact, no. Cray hesitated before elaborating. I arrived two days ago with a partner – a fine man named Barton Lentz. We had a law practice together back in Philadelphia.

A lawyer, huh? Duke said, in a friendly tone. What a waste of a human life.

Yes, well. Someone else thought so too – we were separated that first night – and I found him in an alley with his throat cut.

What have you been doin' since then? Jake asked, and immediately wished that he hadn't.

The lawyer's face turned bright scarlet.

Jake realized what the answer to his question must be – Cray had been searching for someone who looked fairly safe, so he could travel with them.

Good God A'Mighty, Duke said abruptly, and for a moment all eyes turned away from the embarrassed lawyer. "We've done rode a mile, easy, and