Caliber of Justice: Volume 2

By David C. Gooch

There are eight adventures altogether, with each volume containing four adventures each. These stories tells the story of a young boy who experiances circumstances in his life that lead him to seek revenge. Thanks to the aid and mentoring of two Texas Rangers, Shane Dawson becomes a welcome help to them in tracking down the most violent criminals of west Texas, thus earning him the opportunity to himself become a Texas Ranger. The eight books introduce you to Shane and his acuaintenances as they ride on many adventures together that span the course of Shane's life as a lawman. The Caliber of Justice allows the reader to become famliar with the main character and then follow him through his career as a Texas Ranger as he tracks down outlaws, robbers, Indians and horse thieves. The books, in order, are:

Texas Ranger
Bounty Hunter
Grapevine Stage
Smoking Gun
Wagon Train
Inside Man
Cattle Drive
Santa Maria

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456721084

David C. Gooch

David C. Gooch is a minister, earning his Master’s in Biblical Counseling in 2008. David is the husband of Deborah Gooch, an elementary teacher for the Fort Smith Public Schools, and the father of Meagan Gooch, and Jonathan Gooch. David has always held a love for western movies and writings, along with his daughter Meagan, his father John Gooch, grandfather Luther Gooch and his God-father, William Birdsong. From a very young age, David was introduced to the writings of Louis L’Amour and the classic western movies with John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Audie Murphy. David lives in Fort Smith, AR., which is home to the icon of western justice - Isaac Parker, and is the home of the Marshal’s Museum, and the referenced hometown in the newly remade John Wayne classic, “True Grit.” David’s writings mostly stem from the importance of justice in our American system that is no more exemplified than the lack of it in the old west. Being a citizen of Fort Smith, AR., David was influenced greatly by the heroic dedication of men like Judge Isaac C. Parker and U.S. Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves. Fort Smith resides on the border of Arkansas and Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. In the 1800’s, Fort Smith was the only U.S. Court and the only post for law enforcement for what was one of the roughest destinations for some of the west’s most notorious outlaws. Judge Isaac Parker was known as the Hanging Judge due to his thirst for justice and a quick sentence. Judge Parker had many marshals and deputies who risked their lives entering Indian Territory in order to bring to justice the bandits, murderers and horse thieves who would escape into the rough territory to hide from the law. During his career, Judge Parker tried over 13,490 cases, 344 of which were capital crimes, and 9,454 of the cases resulting in guilty pleas or convictions. Over 160 men were sentenced to death by hanging, although only 79 were actually executed. Judge Parker died of exhaustion after years of working six days a week, ten to twelve hour days. One of his most famous quotes can still be heard throughout the territories, “I have ever had the single aim of justice in view…’Do equal and exact justice,’ is my motto, and I have often said to the grand jury, ‘Permit no innocent man to be punished, but let no guilty man escape.” Judge Isaac Parker 1896

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Caliber of Justice

Volume 2

David C. Gooch

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2011 David C. Gooch. 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 01/28/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-2110-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-2109-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-2108-4 (e-b)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010919556

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Dedication

The Caliber of Justice series is dedicated to the memory of William ‘Bill’ Birdsong who taught me to love life and to be myself at all costs. Bill’s humor and genuine nature drew folks from all across Little Rock, Arkansas and friends from even further as he welcomed each as his own and was never short on stories or laughter. Bill was my hero and my inspiration for goodness. To Bill, I ironically commend you using your favorite line from The Quick and the Dead, Mister, you’ve shore got one handsome woman.

I also would like to dedicate this series to my father, John D. Gooch who is a man whom every man should aspire to resemble. My father is cowboy at heart and exemplifies the very nature of what I consider to be a good man. I have found none during my lifetime who have had fault with John Gooch, but normally overwhelmed instead with compliments and credits to his character.

I would like to express my appreciation to my beautiful wife Deborah, to my wonderful daughter Meagan, and to my awesome son Jonathan. Thank you for your patience and support. I love you.

Volume 2

Book 1: Wagon Train

Book 2: Inside Man

Book 3: Cattle Drive

Book 4: Santa Maria

Wagon Train

Book 1

Shane Dawson and Gabriel Montoya had become best friends while passengers riding on the same stagecoach to Sand Springs. Shane had been sent to solve two murders that had taken place in Sand Springs as Gabriel was on his way to marry his mail-order bride. As a Texas Ranger, Shane was thrilled that Gabriel had now become a Corporal in the Texas Rangers thanks in part to his personal recommendation.

Gabriel and Hannah had been married for two years and were enjoying the little time they had spent together since Gabriel’s appointment to the Rangers. Though they had not had much time together in between Gabriel’s missions, they found it to be enough time for them to be expecting their first child.

Over the past two years, Gabriel had been a tremendous help as Shane’s right hand man. But it had been a couple of months since the two had an assignment together. A telegraph no arrives that summons both men to meet in Odessa in order to accompany a Wagon Train to Fort Davis near the western border of Texas and Mexico. Although a little confused why two Rangers would be needed to escort a simple wagon train, they were excited to see each other again as Hannah even insisted on making the trip to Odessa as well. Unknown to the duo, adventure, danger and personal relationships lie in wait for them in the hot, arid Chihuahuan Desert as they would prepare to take on their assignment to escort the Wagon Train.

Chapter 1: Night on the Town

It wasn’t normal for a Texas Ranger to be riding to his next assignment grinning ear to ear in eager anticipation to report for duty. The many assignments Shane Dawson had survived could each be compared to a page out of Revelation and probably would have shocked ole John himself had he witnessed such violence in his vision. Life for a Ranger was not an easy one; it didn’t pay well, and assignments didn’t come with a guaranteed safe return. Shane had learned to live by the code of the Caliber of Justice that drove himself and many other of his Ranger brethren who understood that they were the only thing standing between freedom and oppression by rogue Indians and outlaws.

Joshua Meyers and Corban Diaz were Shane’s mentors when he began his Ranger career a few years back. He then had the opportunity to mentor a good friend, Gabriel Montoya, as he entered the ranks.

As Shane rode the hard trail to Odessa, he couldn’t help but to wonder why Texas Rangers were being called on to guard a simple wagon train, but he knew that it wasn’t his place to ask why, but simply to report for duty. On this particular day, Shane had a big smile on his face as he went to report for his assignment because he was meeting his buddy, Gabriel, in Odessa to take on this mission together.

They always had a great time together and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. To sweeten the deal this time, Gabriel was bringing his bride, Hannah, to Odessa to stay with some friends while he and Shane headed west with the wagon train. Hannah was now four months pregnant and they would be gone for at least a month and Gabriel didn’t feel safe leaving her home alone so he arranged to have her stay with some friends who would look after her while he was away.

Shane enjoyed the company of Gabriel, but Hannah was a special woman and had a sense of humor that always seemed to keep Shane in his place no matter how much he tried to get her stirred up. He looked forward to seeing Hannah again as they had all three made a reservation at the fancy Palomino Club in Odessa where they planned on spending the entire night gambling, eating, and dancing. Shane had even obtained permission from Gabriel to have a spin around the dance floor with Hannah, if he could still get his arms around her in her pregnant state. Although he was on his way to another assignment, this one seemed like more of a vacation where he would get to spend time with his best friends. He knew that the mission itself couldn’t be easier, simply escorting a wagon train.

Gabriel Montoya was the son of an influential political figure in Mexico who had helped stage a coup against the existing Mexican government putting himself and some of his associates in control of parliament. Gabriel was an asset to his father as an officer in the military, but he did not approve of some of the policies of the new cabinet. So, he decided to leave Mexico for a simpler life in the States where he could find a job, get married and raise some children. Before arriving in the States, he knew that finding a bride would be difficult for him being from another country. He took the lead of many pioneers before him and began looking for a mail-order bride.

Hannah was raised in Chicago by two wonderful parents who were able to provide all that she needed growing up; unfortunately, a terrible fire took the lives of her parents a few years back leaving her in the care of her aunt who really could not afford another mouth to feed. Hannah looked into being a mail-order bride hoping to find a gentleman who would be able to take good care of her now that she was alone.

Gabriel and Hannah became acquainted through their correspondence and continued to build a relationship for over a year by writing letters. A couple of years back they had made plans to meet in Sand Springs where they were immediately married and now they were expecting their first child.

Ironically, Sand Springs was the very place that Shane Dawson and Gabriel met, becoming best friends instantly. That was two years and several assignments ago, tracking down horse thieves and robbers and escorting prisoners. Both were excited to finally land a mission that would be a cake walk and allow them a little time to catch up.

As Shane rode into Odessa riding Lady, his black and gray Appaloosa, he found the town overrun with wagons, carriages, horses, and gas powered cars riding past him or coming up behind him. After being on the trail for a few days, he found the busyness of civilization frustrating and almost comical as folks were getting riled up from not being able to move as fast as they wanted. Shane didn’t care though; he would only be in town for one night and then back on the trail, this time with his best friend, Gabriel Montoya.

Riding down the main street, he couldn’t help but to notice his assignment sitting on the side of the road preparing for their long journey. Nine covered wagons accompanied by four horses each and an average of two people per wagon made itself quite a spectacle in Odessa. The townsfolk were trying their best to remain hospitable while working their busy schedules around the massive convoy.

The wagons were taking up a great deal of the street. Folks were impatiently trying to hustle for position in the bottle-necked traffic, but they also realized that these pioneers were just passing through. They would be here only until morning, and they knew that the supplies and horses that these visitors would be purchasing would greatly benefit the town’s economy, not to mention the hotel, café, and saloon proceeds that would be generated. Funny enough, but it seemed that the one factor that seemed to bring a neighborly welcome from these city folks was an opportunity to relieve their new friends of a little of their money.

After thoroughly checking out the wagon train and looking over each of the travelers with whom he would spend the next month, Shane rode over to the Highland Hotel to meet Gabriel and Hannah who had arrived the night before. He walked into the hotel, approached the desk, and asked for the room of Mr. and Mrs. Montoya. He made his way to room #14 paying the bell boy for the use of his uniform jacket, hat and the opportunity to deliver champagne to his friends. Shane knocked on door #14 as he yelled, Room service!

A few moments later the beautiful Hannah Montoya, dressed in a red evening dress with her hair pulled back in a black ribbon, answered the door stating, I’m sorry, but we didn’t order room service. I’m afraid you must have the wrong room.

Shane answered, with his head drooping as to not give away his identity, No, ma’am, it’s courtesy of management. It’s on the house.

Just as Shane began to pull the cork from the bottle, Gabriel came out of the washroom stating, Honey, you ordered room service?

Hannah responded, No Gabriel, it came by compliments of the hotel manager.

How nice, please remind me to say something to him before we leave, said Gabriel.

Shane could hardly keep from laughing as he said, Well, actually the manager is a pompous ass. He probably just did it to get a bigger tip from you because you’re obviously rich.

Gabriel was amazed that an employee would speak like that of his employer as he responded, Sir, might I remind you that he is your employer and you should show respect for him, especially when he has done something as generous as sending up champagne. And for your information, we are certainly not rich.

Shane popped the cork of the bottle and then said with a slight grin, Well, excuse me, you just look like one of them rich Mexican politicians whose Pa overthrew the Mexican government and appointed his son as an officer of the military which he didn’t like so he moved to the States and corresponded with a mail-order bride only to marry her and impregnate her with Shane Dawson’s future god-son.

Hannah and Gabriel looked surprised as they suddenly figured out that the bell boy was none other than their beloved friend. Hannah asked, Could you not just knock like a normal person rather than bring all of this confusion and frustration on a woman with child?

Gabriel grabbed Shane and gave him a big hug, welcoming him to Odessa, as Hannah stood waiting for her turn.

What about me? asked Hannah.

Shane began pushing his luck as he jokingly fumbled around with different arm positions acting as though he couldn’t possibly fit his arms around the only four months along mother.

Hannah responded, Shane Dawson, I’m not that big. Now you quit making fun of me.

As the two hugged, Gabriel suggested that Shane give up his bell boy outfit and that they make their way to the Palomino Club for dinner and a night of laughter. The three spent the entire night eating, gambling, and dancing the night away until the wee hours of the morning. Life was good for the three, catching up on old times and enjoying each other’s company, along with the hospitalities of Odessa.

Chapter 2: Dodge City

After just a couple of hours of sleep, Shane and Gabriel awoke at six o’clock in the morning to report for duty at the wagon train. Approaching the convoy, they were met by Hank Gannon, the wagon master for this particular journey who began to fill them in on the assignment at hand; however, the men were not allowed to reveal their identity as Rangers in order to keep from bringing unwanted attention to themselves. No one, including Shane and Gabriel, understood the reason for the Rangers’ escort on this particular trip. But orders were orders, and they each knew that headquarters must have known more than they were privy to knowing.

Hank welcomed Shane as his new trail scout and Gabriel as a widower seeking to find a new life out west. Just as they were going over the route that Hank had been planning to take, Hannah showed up dressed in a modest dress and bonnet, carrying two bags of luggage with her.

Gabriel asked, Where do you think you’re going?

Hannah responded, I’m going with you, Mr. Montoya. After all, a wife belongs with her husband.

Gabriel responded, You are not going with us. Now you turn around and get back to the hotel. We’re going on an important assignment.

Hannah responded, Assignment? You’re going on a trip on a wagon train with women and children. How dangerous could it be?

After a lot of deliberation, it was finally determined that Hannah’s stubbornness was more committed than Gabriel’s willingness to argue.

Shane and Gabriel decided that Hannah would make a perfect addition to their undercover identities. Rather than Gabriel being a poor widower, he would now be a devoted husband and a proud soon-to-be father whose family was looking to stake a homestead for themselves. When it was settled that Hannah would join the trip, Hank Gannon continued to brief them on the route and the purpose for the wilderness trek.

It seemed that the wagon train had come from Dodge City, Kansas, and had been travelling en route to a piece of property that they had purchased from a banker in Dodge City. The property was located almost at the Mexican border in west Texas just southwest of Fort Davis; it seemed that the easiest passage would be through Imperial towards Fort Stockton through the Pecos River and then to Fort Davis. This route would take them right through the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert. With ample supplies of food and water, the trip was expected to be unremarkable.

The travelers had come most of the way already from Dodge City to Amarillo then Lubbock, then to Midland and Odessa, and now would be travelling about as far west as Texas would take them. It seemed that the travelers were Quakers seeking to live a life of prayer, peace, and simplicity.

Dodge City was no longer the home that they had once known. It had become a landmine of violence, rape, and thievery as a group of marauders called the Cowboys had taken over the territory. They were known for their pillaging of local ranches and farms, stealing and burning anything in their way, and murdering people who didn’t approve. The Cowboys were led by a core group of Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Claiborne. They had begun a rivalry with a group of impassioned lawmen named Virgil, Wyatt and Morgan Earp, along with Doc Holliday, in what was now being called the Cochise County War.

As citizens and federal agents became divided between their loyalty to the Cowboys and the lawmen, violence and politics had bled over into the rights and privacy of the Quaker’s community. With friction between them and the citizens of Dodge rising, they made a business arrangement with a local banker for the trade of their property for a piece of land that his bank possessed in west Texas. For the Quakers, it was a blessing for them to be able to leave the violence infested land to seek the peaceful sanctuary of west Texas where they could be apart from people who didn’t understand them and be able to live in peace at last.

Dodge City had been a fine place to live until the Cowboys began to rise in power and gain influence through their intimidation. Suddenly a life of peace and isolation had become a constant target for those who wanted to demonstrate their hatred for those who didn’t believe as they believed or live as they lived. Those folks just couldn’t relate to a people who were committed to simplicity and faith which they publicly demonstrated in their unwillingness to conform to social influences or to modern technologies. They were constantly ridiculed for driving their handmade wagons, for using antiquated farm implements, and for their women dressing in a more than modest attire of dresses and bonnets that showed no skin except for their hands and face. Although simplicity, modesty and faith were their mantra in life, the folks of Dodge City were more and more becoming a generation who could not be more dissimilar than their Quaker neighbors.

Just before the Quakers had decided to leave, the Earp brothers had determined to restore justice to the town against the approval of the mighty Cowboy gang. They instituted an ordinance that allowed no one to carry weapons while in town and forcing everyone to leave their weapons at home or turn them in at the jail when they arrived. This ordinance gave a significant advantage to the Earp brothers as they became the only men in town with weapons, making law enforcement that much easier.

The ordinance also dramatically lowered the rate of robberies and murders in town as well as castrated the oppressive grip that the Cowboys had over the town. The Cowboys were really nothing more than a couple of loosely related families who had a stronghold on the cattle and lumber markets of the town, and on the economy in general. They never rode alone, and they each wore a long red bandana on their legs to signify and warn folks that they were a part of the notorious clan.

Several events had already triggered outbursts between the Clantons and the Earps. Doc Holliday, a professional gambler and ex-lawman, was now in town and stirring the resentments even further for the Cowboys as he would consistently embarrass them with his run of the poker table or simply with his clever wit. Doc had chosen Dodge City for his retirement because of its great saloons, growing population, and a certain gal named Big Nosed Kate. He was not an old man by any means, but since being diagnosed with tuberculosis he was feeling weak and fatigued, realizing that the disease was slowly killing him.

His eminent death seemed to give him even more nerve and time to aggravate the Clantons and McLaurys which had become one of his few pleasures in life. With the combination of Doc Holliday’s constant ridicule and the Earp’s iron grip on the town, it only reasoned that something was going to eventually erupt in one big game of winner take all. For the Quaker community, violence was an unacceptable alternative to conflict which only influenced their need to literally get out of Dodge.

Uriah Bonner was the shepherd of the community and had decided that God was leading them elsewhere to a place where they could practice their faith and live their lives apart from the ungodly influences of Dodge City. His family, along with nine others, purchased the land southwest of Fort Davis and had begun their journey towards their Promised Land. Unfortunately, Henry Carpenter had passed on between Dodge City and Amarillo as his eighty year old body just couldn’t bear the challenges of the weather and the long days of riding that this trip had presented.

Mr. Carpenter’s son, Lucas Carpenter, and his family remained in Amarillo where they arrived with Mr. Carpenter’s body and were making arrangements to have it shipped by train to Indiana where his relatives were buried. The Carpenters would be catching up to the wagon train in a couple of days if all went well, but the wagon train would not be able to wait for them considering the children, livestock, and dwindling food supplies.

Now that they had made it to Odessa, the last major town before entering the Chihuahuan Desert, they should have enough rations to last the rest of the journey restocking a bit in Fort Stockton if necessary. Their journey had already been a long and difficult one, but the Chihuahua Desert was a difficult terrain to traverse and would provide its own set of challenges yet.

For Hank Gannon, Shane Dawson, and Gabriel and Hannah Montoya, the only reason they could figure that two Texas Rangers were needed to escort a simple wagon train was that the governor was possibly hoping to avoid another newspaper report that innocent pioneers had been killed by outlaws or Indians. Something like that would halt the development of west Texas and the migration of settlers, and their money, into his great state.

For Hank, his job was to keep water, supplies and a safe trail to Fort Davis for the pioneers. For Shane and Gabriel, their job was to protect against any small renegade bands of rogue Indians or banditos that might attempt to take their horses or women. For Hannah, this was a chance to get out of the house and experience a little adventure. She had never been in this part of Texas and wanted to see more of the country before her child was born, confining her to her home for the next couple of years.

Chapter 3: Wagon Train

Shane, Gabriel, Hannah, and Hank all gathered at the front of the convoy as the travelers began to gather one by one until all were accounted for. Hank introduced himself as the trail master, then Duke Bannister and Trey Cambridge as trail hands, along with Shane Dawson as their guide. He also announced that a new family would be joining them, Gabriel and Hannah Montoya.

Uriah Bonner began to introduce the families of his community as they one by one came and shook the hands with their new friends. He began by announcing, May I introduce the members of our flock who have already come a great distance and are quite happy to have your company on the remainder of this trip as we understand the possible dangers and loneliness of the desert ahead. May I introduce to you Bob and Patricia Kindall; Richard and Veronica Myers with their son Dakota; Phillip and Deborah Polk with their daughters Jennie and Maggie; Patrick and Alice Carlson with their daughter Ellen; Harold and Mary Richards; Matthew and Frances Yother with their son Josiah; Carl and Karen Gallagher with their son Nick and daughter Cindy; and then myself and my lovely wife Rachel with our beautiful daughter Naomi. We welcome each of you to our journey and pray that we shall each be safe, realizing that God has purposed our being together for a reason. We look forward to getting to know each of you as we encounter each beautiful sunrise and sunset together.

With the introductions being behind them and a solemn prayer for the journey being said, the riders mounted their horses and the travelers loaded into their wagons ready to begin the first few miles of their long journey ahead. It was a beautiful day for riding as Hank Gannon mounted his blonde Palomino and rode at a slow gallop up and down the row of wagons making sure that everyone was settled and prepared to get underway. When the last wagon had given the signal that they were ready to ride, Hank yelled out, Wagon train, ho.

Hank and Shane spurred their ponies towards a southwesterly direction leading this mobile community toward their last, and possibly most dangerous, leg of their journey. Each family was eager to get their adventure back underway knowing that this temporary nomadic lifestyle would end the sooner they were able to cover some miles.

The morning was cool and a slight fog could be seen on the open plains as they approached the outskirts of town. The town would be buzzing with people in another hour or so, but it was amazing how quiet the days began in Odessa before the businesses opened and the people began to stir. At five o’clock in the morning, there were just a handful of folks even moving around town which was quite a different perspective of Odessa than what they had observed the night before.

As they left town, some looked back considering that this might be the last sight of outsiders that they could possibly see for the rest of their lives. Intending to travel straight through to their destination and then build their community outside of the influence of the pagan world, it could very well be the last.

The wagon train was now well out of sight of town and officially underway at the mercy of the elements. While some of the women and youngsters were still asleep in the back of the wagons, Gabriel turned from time to time to look at Hannah who was among those sleeping soundly. She was covered in a beautiful quilt that her aunt had made for her as a wedding gift a couple of years back.

Secretly, Gabriel and Hannah were undercover pretending to be passengers who were joining the wagon train. The furniture and clothes in their wagon did not even belong to them but were simply decoys to help masquerade their fake identities. Hannah had brought the quilt onto the stage to protect her from getting sick during the long stage ride and assuring that the baby would be safe despite the cold fall air. On this long journey across the desert, the quilt would now be a great comfort to her as Gabriel and Shane would be the only other things familiar to her in this territory.

The wagon train itself was a spectacle to see in itself as nine covered wagons, pulled by four horses or two oxen, were lined up single file behind two mounted horses making them look just like a train from a distance. Each wagon was a buckboard with about a five foot by ten foot bed and a two foot driver’s bench making each wagon at least twelve foot long. Considering the length of the horses or oxen and the harnesses, each unit could span a length of at least twenty eight feet. Counting the horses on lead, the nine wagons, and the guides in the rear, the entire convoy was over two hundred and twenty feet long. This was quite an obvious presence in the middle of the barren Chihuahuan Desert. For pioneers coming west, the wagon would become their mobile house for as many weeks or months that they would be on the trail; therefore, they had to be equipped with all supplies and tools that they would need to begin their new lives at the end of their journey.

Each wagon was built of a sturdy lumber frame with oak axles, oak wheels and spokes, and girded with metal rods that would arch over the wagon so that a large canvas tarp could be thrown over the bed of the wagon. The wagons would be loaded with the most essential tools and possessions that they were able to fit inside making sure to leave room for supplies while keeping their load as light as possible. The only seating for the trip would be the driver’s bench that normally sat two to three men, or simply on the top of a box or piece of furniture in the back of the wagon.

By day, the wagon would be a transport to move people, furniture, and supplies. At night it would double as a mobile bedroom that would protect them against the elements, critters, and insects. When they were ready to settle down for the night, they would pull out most of their load to provide sleeping arrangements for the family in the bed of the wagon. The trip would consist of many efforts of loading and unloading the same furniture and supplies each night to make room for the families.

Although most of the wagons were pulled by a team of four horses, the Myers and Carlsons used mules to pull their wagons. The Kindalls and Richards utilized oxen to pull theirs. Horses certainly had the raw speed if you happened to have a need to get somewhere quick and could also be used to ride independently when unharnessed from the team. Mules were not as fast as the horses, but they were certainly much stronger and could also be ridden when unharnessed from the team. However, they tended to be a might more stubborn than the average horse. Oxen were certainly the strongest animal when it came to pure power and could go longer without water than the horses and mules, but they were obviously slower and more difficult to negotiate with when they had a notion to do their own thing.

Riding in a buckboard wagon was not a pleasant experience. The wheels of the wagons were made of pure oak that had absolutely no mercy on one’s backside when they came in contact with a rock, stick, or the hard desert soil. Every bump of the road would be felt by each passenger and the furniture and supplies would also take a tremendous beating as they bounced with every rough impact of the wheels.

Although the conditions were hard and rest was scarce, the passengers were happy to be on the trail again. This was the only place in the last several years where they were alone to practice their faith and were safe from those who felt threatened by their way of life. They were certainly not yet home, but this was the taste of freedom that they had been seeking making this leg of the pilgrimage a blessing.

Hank Gannon was determined to reach their destination as quickly as possible because he knew that the longer they were on the trail the more exposed to the elements, Indians, outlaws, and dangerous critters they would be. Gannon pushed the passengers to the point of exhaustion trying to bleed every possible minute out of each day on the trail.

Though they were exhausted and filthy from the dusty trail, there were always two blessings to look forward to each day. Around one o’clock in the afternoon, Gannon would allow the wagons to stop long enough to allow the folks to stretch their legs, fix a simple lunch, allow the children to play, and to give the horses some much needed rest. The other anticipated time was around dusk when they had no choice but to stop and make camp because the desert would become completely impassible after dark. When the convoy finally stopped for the night, camp took on a completely different personality than its daytime role.

During the day, the wagon train would push on despite weather conditions and exhaustion. But nighttime meant community time as they would all gather to fix meals together on a central campfire. Afterwards, they would play music and sing songs as they ate homemade apple pie or peach cobbler. As the music resounded throughout the desert plains and the sound of children’s laughter could be heard throughout the camp, Shane, Gabriel and Hannah finally realized why these folks had risked so much to have the opportunity to live their lives in peace.

After every drop of lamb stew and every biscuit disappeared from the Dutch ovens and the cobbler vanished into thin air, the smell of fresh brewed coffee would fill the night. It was then that would Uriah Bonner pull out his Bible and begin to give a message of hope and inspiration that would help to remind each of them that God had a plan for their journey and that sacrifice and trials could be expected along the way.

Uriah concluded his message by stating, God’s eyes are never closed and his attention is never distracted from those who are committed to Him. So have faith my friends as we will certainly endure trials and tribulations before the end of our journey but realize that God knows each and every step that we will take before we even take them.

A series of Amens rang out in the camp as each family hugged one other or shook hands with each of the other families reminding everyone that they were in this together as one community.

Shane’s attention was