Winter Wings

By Max Smith Sr.

Winter Wings is a story about a man and his horse. Jeb Morrison is what most men would want to be. He was strong in will power and true to his morals. His horse Winter had been given to him by an Indian chief and Jeb had raised him from a colt. They were constant companions and worked together as Jeb would ride 'Indian style' and draw and shoot his gun with great actuality.
One day Jeb was riding through a valley when he came upon a girl Dove, in trouble. After he comes to her rescue he learns of the trouble at her ranch. Jeb decided to stay and help them with their troubles Go with Jeb, Dove and her brother Kin as they take back their ranch from the crooked men in town and free the town folks from the tyrant that has taken control of their town.
Learn what the secret is that Jeb is hiding. Will it effect Dove's love for him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456744625

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© 2011 Max Smith, Sr.. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 6/30/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-4462-5 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-4463-2 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011902698

Printed in the United States of America

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Books also published by Max Smith

The Man with Three faces

The Man in the Wilderness

The Dust of Time, a book of Poems.

Contents

Introduction

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Introduction

Winter Wing’s is about a man after his family was murdered he hunted the ones down that were responsible for killing his family and made sure that they were brought to justice.

Unable to return home where the murders happened, he decided to tour America. As he comes into a valley he finds a young woman being assaulted by two cowboys and rescues her. Then finding that she and her brother own a ranch that another rancher is trying to take over, he helps them find out why the other rancher killed their parents.

Go with Jeb Morrison and Dove Wingate while they try to uncover the mystery of why the ranch is being targeted by these crooks and why Jeb is known as Quick Silver. There is much action for the men and love for the women making this a great western.

Dedication

Max Smith was born in Muskogee Ok. in 1932.

During his childhood, he was badly burned by a bomb that had been left in an air field.

He then had to over come being shot accidentally by his sister.

Then later in life he was delivered from cancer in his right lung.

His strength to overcome obstacles has given him the gift of writing books and poems.

Max wrote poems and short stories as he drove his eighteen wheeler making a living for his family. He started his first book The Man with Three Faces, but it wasn’t until he married Sue in 2005 that everything started coming together.

Chapter One

It was going to be a cold day. The snow had been falling all morning long and was getting worse as Jeb Morrison came across the divide. Coming across the mountains had been a hard ride and he was hungry. When he started across the mountain range he had figured that it would be an easy trip. But now the snow had been coming down for days now and he was running out of supplies. The jerky and coffee that he brought with him had run out yesterday and he hadn’t seen anything to shoot not even a rabbit.

As he dropped out of the snowline the snow started to turn into rain and he decided to find shelter. Jeb didn’t mind the rain so much. He was use to riding in snow and rain. But this was cold. He didn’t relish the thought of spending a cold wet night in the open. Especially since this was the type of territory for mountain cats and bears. Although he was hungry enough to eat one, he didn’t relish the thought of having to fight with one.

Just as he came around a ridge he spotted what looked like a cave in the side of the mountain. Come on Winter, lets see if we can get some shelter there

Getting closer he found that the cave was big enough for both he and his horse to get in out of the weather. Jeb moved closer to the cave. As he made his way in he picked up a couple of branches to make a small fire. With the light from the fire he would be able to survey the area some more.

Stooping down to light his fire he soon discovered that he wasn’t the only one that needed a place to get out of the weather. He heard a growl coming from the back of the cave. Turning around he was almost face to face with Mr. Bear. Jumping to the side he pulled his pistol and shot into the air a couple of times. As he did the shots frightened the bear and he ran out of the cave.

"Boy if I had liked bear meat that would have lasted me quite awhile. But I am sure glad he decided to leave instead of demanding his right to this cave."

Jeb stripped his horse of saddle and blanket. Winter had been a good horse and had brought him over the stretch of mountains that was very bad at this time of the year. Although Jed was tired, he wanted to brush Winter down a little before he stretched out on the cave floor to get some rest for himself.

Although the fire he built at the mouth of the cave was small, he felt comfortable that it would keep the bear out for the night at least. He was figuring on getting a few hours sleep but as he lay there, hunger pains kept him awake.

Jeb lay there trying to think of the green meadows and the golden wheat at his farm back home. He missed it but was not ready to go back with all the bad memories there. Soon he heard a noise at the mouth of the cave. Looking closely he noticed a rabbit just outside the entrance. Slowly he eased out his pistol and shot the rabbit.

Now all I need is some more wood to make a larger fire and Mr. Rabbit will be my dinner. Jeb searched back in the cave and found some wood for his fire. It didn’t take long for it to take hold and he now had a big fire that produced light and heat for his nights stay. Soon he had the rabbit roasted and was able to enjoy a good meal. With a full belly he lay down to rest. It sure felt good to have something in his stomach.

Jeb woke up a couple of hours later to find the rain had stopped and it was just about daylight. He had part of the rabbit left and decided to make it on down and out of the mountains. That may take the biggest part of the day depending on how deep the snow was. He decided that it would be to his advantage to get an early start. He didn’t want to be caught half way down the mountain in the open with no place to spend another night in the snow.

It looked like it would be a wonderful day. The snow and rain had washed the dirt off the plants and the sun shinning on the drops made the flowers and plants sparkle. Jeb was taking his time as he came down to the foothills. All of a sudden his horse stopped and Jeb said what’s up Winter? Is there something up ahead that you hear? Then Jeb heard a scream and it sounded like a woman. Let’s go Winter someone is in trouble.

Coming out of the scrub brush he found a woman in a buckboard with two men holding her while she tried to fight them off.

As he pulled up one of the men looked at him and said go on mister this is none of your business and turned back trying to hold the woman.

Jeb said I think if I were you I would let the woman go. It isn’t gentlemanly to hold a woman against her will and the way it looks to me that is what you are doing.

Just then the man that had told Jeb to mind his own business pulled his gun and Jeb shot it out of his hand. Now Jeb said I think you two fellows need to give this lady an apology.

Just who the Devil are you? the man asked.

‘Now you know that always worried me when people are too familiar, always want to know too much. Then they always get themselves in trouble.

What are you talking about the man said.

You see that is what I’m talking about. Always asking questions that don’t concern you. Now you two better get on back where you came from.

We will see you later friend you can count on that.

There you go again and I told you never say anything when you can’t back it up. Now get and he slapped their horses with his reigns.

After they had gone he said I am sorry if I did something that wasn’t any of my business but I never did like to see a woman man-handled. By the way my name is Jeb Morrison from out Montana way. Just passing through.

Thank you for your timely appearance. My name is Dove Wingate and my brother Kin and I own the Flying W. Those men were from the Triple T. They are trying to force us off our spread and trying to say that my Dad gambled it off before he died.

Well Mam it looks like they have you by the short horn’s so to speak. So what are you going to do? Seems to me you would be fighting them with a losing hand?

No but it isn’t any of your affair. We are fighting because my father never gambled in his life and all this is the Triple T trying to get our spread.

"Well I’m sorry but why don’t you go to the Sheriff?’ Jeb asked.

"You must be kidding the Sheriff is in Molline Rolf’s pocket and his henchmen are all crooks.’

Now wait a minute Jeb said are you sure that all his men are crooks wanted by the law. Because you could get the U S Marshal out here and have them arrested if they are all wanted crooks.

No I didn’t mean that they are all outlaws but they do whatever Molline says and you saw what they were doing to me.

Yes and may I ask you where you were going when they caught you? I think I should escort you back to you ranch just in case they have other ideas.

Dove was watching him as he stepped off his horse and it was so fluid as if he just floated off. Looking at him as he stood by her buckboard she guessed him to be well over six foot. He was a big man. Tall and narrow at the waist with wide shoulders he looked like he could take care of himself in most situations.

She jumped out to check the horses as the men had jerked them around while trying to get to her. Just as she stepped around the horse on the left side she saw Jeb draw and fire it scared her and she jumped back only to see a rattler laying there with its head shot off.

She leaned back on her horse and put her hand to her breast and said that was close thank you.

As Jeb walked around her horses she noticed he spoke to them as he came to them and the horses nuzzled him like he had been their master all along.

Dove said how is it you seem to have that kind of oneness with my horses. They have always been very skidish of anyone else messing with them.

Jeb just looked at her and their eyes meet and this electric impulse went through her body and she thought "watch out for this man he is dangerous to your heart."

Then he said you have to love something for it to respond to you. Your horses know how I feel about them and they return that feeling. Much the same with people they respond to looks and the drawing of affection from each other.

I can’t get over how he seems to be reading my mind. This is getting out of hand I must control myself Dove thought.

I think we can go now he said. If you are ready I would like to escort you back to your ranch.

Yes I am ready and thank you again. I would like you to meet my brother his name is Ken that is short for Kenneth. He is older than me and thinks he is the boss.

I bet you let him think that Jeb said.

She laughed and said you are very perceptive. I do just that and we get along fine.

You are quite a woman Jed said you and your brother have a fight on your hands if what you say is true. It looks like they want your ranch for some reason and are willing to play dirty to get it.

As they traveled along he kept a close watch on their back trail and off to each side. He caught sight of the two men that he had run off watching at a distance. He didn’t mention it to Dawn, no use getting her upset unless they tried to do something.

He was looking at her sitting there in the buggy. She was sitting strait and with a figure that you only saw in those French Fashion book that he had seen back in Chicago Town when he was there. Her hair was long and black like a Raven’s wing and she had the prettiest green eyes he had ever seen.

Before long they were passing some white faced cattle that were in prime shape and Jeb asked Dove how many head do you have?

Last tally we had just over three thousand but we can’t get them to market because of Molline.

How so Jeb replied.

He owns the shipping pins and if we want to ship from there it will cost us five dollars a head.

I’ve seen his kind before Jeb said.

As they came into the front gate Dove saw the men standing around the bunk house. Seeing her come in with a stranger they started walking to the main house. Here Ken comes now she said.

Chapter Two

From up on the hill the men that had been following them headed back to report to Molline. They had followed them to see what this man that stopped them from getting Dove Wingate was going to do. When they saw that he was going with her back to the ranch they decided it was time to report to Molline.

Upon arriving back at the Triple T. both men told Molline what had happened. Vence Cole said boss we were getting Dove off her buggy and this guy came up behind us and got the drop on us. Then we had to leave but watched them go back to her ranch.

It would seem that I need to have some men that when I send them out to do a job they can come back and say we got it done. Now who was this man that ran you two meatheads off?

We don’t know boss we never laid eyes on him before. As far as we know he is just a drifter but a meddlesome one.

Ok Molline said what I want you to do is ride over there and stay far enough away that they can’t spot you. Use the binoculars and keep an eye on what is happening. I want to know if this guy is staying there or just passing through. If he stays we might have trouble.

Do you want us to try to smoke him or what?

No I’ll tend to him later. Now go ahead and get cleaned up for dinner. The cook will be ringing the dinner bell soon.

Meanwhile back at the Flying W, Jeb saw a young man well built close to his own twenty seven years of age. Both brother and sister were strikingly good looking.

As he neared them he had a questioning look on his face and Dove explained what had happened. She introduced him to Jeb and after shaking hands Ken said welcome come on in.

As they entered the parlor Jeb saw a large painting of a man and one of a woman on the wall and said I take it that this is your mother and father.

Yes Dove said they were both murdered but we can’t prove it.

How did it happen Jeb asked.

Ken said well we had all gone to a social party from our church. Sis and I had our horses and we left and rode on back home. Mom and dad had the buggy and were coming after us but they never made it so we went looking for them. We found them off in a deep gully with the buggy upside down and both of them dead.

Sorry to hear that Jeb said so why do you think they were murdered? Do you have any proof?

No not really Ken said "but