Pete Weber: The Cowboy Range Detective

By Delbert Carr

Pete was just a boy when his father, a town marshal, was shot down while he was on duty. His mother so heart broken, couldnt resign herself to the death, and she died of a broken heart only months later.
An older rancher in the area took Pete in and treated him as a son. Teaching him the ranching business, and giving him the run of the ranch. After he had been on the ranch a few years, he was introduced to a man, a range detective that came to town in search of some outlaws. Pete always had in the back of his mind that he wanted to go after the men that had killed his dad, and this man showed him the way.
The detective was better equipped to get on the track of the outlaws and follow them wherever it took him. Pete had pledged to himself that he would never be a town marshal that was stuck to a limited area he could search.
After listening to the detective talk about his cases, Pete worked up enough courage to ask the man if he could come home with him and learn the trade. He promised that he would earn his way on the ranch while he was training.
Much to his surprise, the man agreed and this started Petes carrer, both as a rancher, and as a detective.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Mar 8, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466917811

Delbert Carr

After I retired, I needed something to do. I never was good at writing, but I do love to read. After reading several books that I didn’t think were written very well, I decided to try my hand at it. I’m seventy-seven years old and don’t know how to type, but with two fingers, I’ve been able to get along. I grew up in a small town in northern Colorado. After high school, I enlisted in the navy. I became an electrician, and after four years, I came out and worked on a ranch for a while. With a wife and two kids, I found that ranch work didn’t pay very well. I’ve worked at a cement plant, and after a big layoff, I went on to become a machinist. There I found that the fluids they used affected me. I was forced to quit and found myself as manager of a large off-campus apartment complex. This I did for nineteen years and retired from there. My wife and I are both retired, and mostly we enjoy our free time. When I’m stumped in my writing, I have been teaching myself to paint. The few people that have read my works thought they were fun to read.

Book preview

Pete Weber

THE COWBOY RANGE DETECTIVE

BOOK 3

CASE 1 RUNNING WOLF, THE SIOUX INDIAN

CASE 2 THE CHRISTMAS MEAL

By Delbert Carr

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© Copyright 2012 Delbert Carr.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN: 978-1-4669-1780-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4669-1781-1 (e)

Trafford rev. 02/29/2012

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Contents

Case 1 Red Wolf, The Sioux Indian

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Case 2 The Christmas Meal 

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Books by Delbert Carr

Pete Weber, The Cowboy Range Detective

Case 27 Rustlers Robbing from Rustlers

Case 28 The Redheaded Robber

Pete Weber, The Cowboy Range Detective

Case 29 The Missing Mine Owner

and the story by Pete, The Trail Home

Dedicated

To the Indians that were

men of courage, and men that when treated with respect, you could ride the trail with. Also to the neighbors, that go out of their way to help you.

Pete’s start

Pete was just a boy when his father, a town marshal, was shot down while he was on duty. His mother so heart broken, couldn’t resign herself to the death, and she died of a broken heart only months later.

An older rancher in the area took Pete in and treated him as a son. Teaching him the ranching business, and giving him the run of the ranch. After he had been on the ranch a few years, he was introduced to a man, a range detective that came to town in search of some outlaws. Pete always had in the back of his mind that he wanted to go after the men that had killed his dad, and this man showed him the way.

The detective was better equipped to get on the track of the outlaws and follow them wherever it took him. Pete had pledged to himself that he would never be a town marshal that was stuck to a limited area he could search.

After listening to the detective talk about his cases, Pete worked up enough courage to ask the man if he could come home with him and learn the trade. He promised that he would earn his way on the ranch while he was training.

Much to his surprise, the man agreed and this started Pete’s carrer, both as a rancher, and as a detective.

Prologue

On his way home later he thinks back about his first case that he has covered by himself. An Indian is caused of murder and robbery of a trading post. While getting information from the Indian agent, Pete becomes aquatinted with an Indian policeman. The two men team up to hunt for the killer, only to find out, they are searching for the wrong man. A French Canadian trapper is the man they want. This man, they find out the hard way, is ruthless and a man of little morals. Charlie White Horse is wounded terribly by being tortured by the Frenchman, and in the end the Frenchman is finally killed when he refuses to surrender.

His second case ends with the sharing of a Christmas meal. When a gang of Rustlers needed food, they go to the ranch house from where they plan to steal the food and then the cattle. Part of the gang is sent to the house to take only food and blankets, but one of the men decides he can’t leave with out the young teenage daughter. It’s December and extremely cold when Pete arrives at the ranch. Many cold days and nights later, Pete is able capture the gang members one by one. When the girl is returned to her home, the mother invites Pete and a young deputy that ends up helping, to spend Christmas day with them. It’s a day he’ll long remember.

Pete Weber

The

Cowboy Range Detective

Case 1 Red Wolf, The Sioux Indian

Chapter 1

First case

When he had started out, Tom Broker his mentor had agreed to take him on as a ranch hand, and to teach him all he could about the detective business. Thinking back now, he remembered that he had arrived at Tom’s ranch with a horse, his saddle, his bedroll, and an old single shot forty-four Colt. Tom had put him to practicing his drawing and shooting at night when the ranch work was done. Tom had explained that it mattered some to a lot of people, how fast you could draw, but when your life depended on it, to hit what you were shooting at, was what counted.

The practice paid off, and in time he was able to draw and shoot with great efficiently. One main lesson Tom had always stressed; never draw your gun and threaten any one, but when you did pull your gun, use it with the determination to stay alive. Another lesson was about hesitation. He would talk about this many times. To hesitate was to die. Within the first year, Pete became good with both his pistol and a carbine.

During the later part of the first year that he trained on the ranch, Pete was allowed to go with Tom on several cases, and Tom showed Pete how to handle a case without ever pulling his gun or shooting anyone. Towards the end of that year, a case did come up, where Tom had to use his weapon. He had taken the lead at the time, and had wrapped it up before Pete had a chance to help.

Some time during the last part of the year, At supper one night, Tom had given Pete a present of a six shot repeater pistol. "You may come up against someone or something that takes more than that one shot you have there. Pete grew to love the gun, and practiced with more enthusiasm than he had with his single shot. Before he was done, the gun began to feel like an extension of his arm.

The ranch work was hard, but Pete began to love working the cattle, and when they were busy with the cattke, the detective business was put aside. It was during the last part of August when Tom received the wire that was to be important to Pete. One of the trading posts in the Dakota’s that belonged to a financial group had been robbed, and the shopkeeper had been killed. They wanted the responsible parties apprehended and brought to justice, and they went on to explain that the store was just off a reservation in the Black Hills country. It seems that the store had been holding the proceeds from several other stores at the time, and the shopkeeper had been waiting for the company dispatcher to pick it up. After the shopkeeper had been killed and the store robbed, the killer on his way out had run past a lady that was preparing to enter the store. She was able to describe the man to the sheriff.

How do you feel about taking this case yourself Pete?

Do you think I’m ready?

You have been ready for a while now, and if you want, I’ll wire and see if the client is willing for you to go alone.

Alright Tom, we can ride into town and if they okay it, we can pick up my supplies, or if not, we can get supplies for both of us.

Pete, I think if we send the wire right away, we may hear back while we’re still in town. Their first stop was to the telegraph office, where Tom sent his wire. As they left the telegraph office Tom put his hand on Pete’s shoulder. Well young man, do you want to get some coffee before we look to the supplies?

That sounds great. Pete had begun to drink a lot of coffee, and Tom had said they were going to go broke buying all the grounds he used. To Pete, the coffee had become like a medicine to him. It helped him to calm down, and he found that he could travel for days without food if he just had some coffee. He realized that it had become a habit.

Sitting in the café, they both ordered coffee, and a slice of the pie that was offered for the day. If I were you, I would head for Pierre and see what information you could gather. They may be able to give you a description of the man you’ll be after. Also check the store records to see what transaction the shopkeeper made before the robbery.

Finishing their pie and coffee, and sliding back from the table, Tom looked at his watch. Let’s go get those supplies and then we can see to the wire. Both men mounted and they rode down the street to the store, where Pete took down a set of supply bags he had on the back of his horse. As they walked in, Tom turned, We better do like we talked about, and order for both of us. If you go alone, I can use the rest of the supplies myself out at the ranch." Handing the shopkeeper the list, they began to visit with a few of the old timers that were setting in the store.

Sure enough, the wire had been answered by the time they got back to the telegraph office, and the group had given the okay for Pete to take the case. It went on to say that a bank draft for a hundred dollars for expenses had also been sent. Their next stop was to the bank before they did anything else. You go ahead Pete, I need to talk to someone, and I’ll meet you later at the livery.

The walk to the bank gave Pete the time to speculate on the upcoming trip. This trip would be different, as it would be the first time he would go out without Tom. Thinking it over he knew that he could do the job, and he wanted to show Tom that all he had been taught would pay off. He quickly got the money and met Tom at the livery. We might as well get on back to the ranch, and you can get an early start in the morning.

Pete was up at five, and went out to the barn and saddled the two horses. His supplies had been packed in a packsaddle, and he now loaded it on the extra horse. Giving both horses an extra scoop of oats in their stalls, he figured he would give them water before they left. Deciding that everything was ready, he went in to have his own breakfast.

Tom was up when he came in, and had the coffee done, and eggs, bacon, and flapjacks were almost ready to dish up when Pete went to wash up. Pour us some coffee Pete, and I’ll get this food on the table. The talk this morning, while they ate, was just of general things. No mention was made of Pete’s trip, as they had talked it all out last night, and Tom didn’t want to make Pete nervous.

Later as the two of them walked out to the barn, Tom spoke up. If there’s anything I can do for you Pete, don’t hesitate, you just send me a wire.

Thanks Tom, but I should be all right. Tom stood in the yard and watched as Pete got to the end of the ranch lane and turned north towards the Dakota’s. On one hand he was hoping that he had taught Pete enough to stay alive, and on the other he knew Pete had been a fast learner.

Pete pasted through some beautiful country on his way to Pierre, and it wasn’t long before he came to the rolling sand hills. As far as the eye could see, the level of the ground would rise and fall. Never too high, but never ending, and the one thing he noticed was that the towns were getting farther apart. There probably wasn’t much need of a town out here in cattle country, and even the ranches were spaced quite a ways from each other.

His trip to Pierre ended at eight o’clock in the morning, and his first stop was to the sheriff’s office. Walking into the law office, he found the sheriff was a man in his sixties, and looked like a man you wouldn’t want to cross. "Good morning sheriff, the names Pete Weber. I’ve been hired to help find the man that robbed the trading post at Mission Ridge.

The sheriff stood, You don’t look like you’ve been at this game very long. Extending his hand he said, I’m Bob Harris, have a seat, and we’ll jaw on this a bit.

Thank you sheriff, you’re right, this is my first case alone, and I’ll be glad for any help you can give. Pete pulled up the extra chair and set down with a sigh, It sure feels good to be out of the saddle for a bit."

Do you drink coffee young man?

I sure do, that’s where I was headed when I left here, over to the cafe for coffee.

Well, this is already made, let me pour you a cup. Pouring two cups to the brim, he came back and handed Pete a cup. It was hot, and Pete knew this was going to be a good day.

This robbery is something I’ve been working on for a while, and in fact I am working on it at this minute.

Well I don’t want to step on any toes here sheriff, but I would appreciate any help, and would be willing to work right along with you.

The sheriff laughed, I guess another set of eyes won’t cramp me any. As the two men drank their coffee, Pete could feel that the tension was leaving the room. Help your self to another cup, and you can fill mine up as well, if you will.

When they were drinking the second cup. The sheriff began to explain how the case was shaping up. Were there any clues about the man seen at the store? Pete asked.

We know that he was an Indian, and the lady said that he was about six feet tall, close to my height. I guess when he ran out he noticed her; he stopped and just looked before mounting his horse. She could see a scar on his right cheek from his eye down to his chin. I’ve been up to the Indian Agency, but it was posted that the agent was to be gone for two weeks. He should be back in a couple of days now. They had a new man there at the post when I got there’ he was doing an inventory of the goods to see if anything else had been taken. All he had found missing so far, were several bottles of whiskey, some tobacco, and six hundred dollars and a bag of gold to rounded out the theft. He said that had pretty much covered the loss. We decided that an argument might have started over the sale of some whiskey, since the Indians aren’t allowed to purchase any. I guess there have been several incidents of that nature over the years. A few of the old timers came in and talked to me the time I was up there, but none had any other clues.

If you don’t mind, I’d like to ride along up to the agency with you if you’re going up soon.

That’s fine with me, you just keep in touch.

Pete stood and stretched, I think I’ll go over and get me a room, it will be nice to sleep in a bed again for a while.

Alright Pete, There’s a hotel up the street, and the beds aren’t too bad. You’ll see the café is right across the street from the hotel.

Thanks sheriff, I’ll check in with you tomorrow. Walking out, Pete decided to find the livery first and see to his horses. He ended up walking his horse up the street, and had no trouble finding the stable. The barn was big and well kept. Stopping outside the door he was greeted right away from a man part way down the barn alley, and answered back. Howdy old timer, would you have room for a couple of more horses?

I sure do sonny, you just bring them on back here. Pete headed for the back of the barn leading the two horses. Pointing at one of the stalls, the old man asked, How long you going to be here?

I’m not sure, but a day or two for sure, and I’ll have to let you know after that. I would appreciate it if you would rub them down, and give them some oats. They’ve been on the trail for a few days now.

I’ll take care of that right away. Pete took his saddlebags off and grabbed his carbine before he headed for the hotel. All Pete saw when he entered the hotel, was an old man reading a paper, and a very young man at the desk that looked up when Pete came in. Do you have a room I could use for a few days?

The boy looked up and nodded yes, then asked, Would you like a room that over looks the street sir?

That would be great, and receiving his key, he headed up the stairs. It wasn’t a very big room, but like the boy had said, it looked down on the street below. Sticking his head out, he spotted the café right across the street. After cleaning up he pulled off his boots, and decided to lie down and rest before he went out again. It wasn’t long before he was sound asleep. Days in the saddle under the sun had tired him out, but it was his hunger that woke him up a few hours later. Pulling on his boots, he went back down to the lobby and straight acrossed to the café. When he walked in and looked around, he liked the place right away. It looked clean and they had curtains on the windows making a person feel right at home. He had no sooner picked out a table and sat down, before a young lady came over with a big smile on her face. Good day sir, what can I get you?

How about a big steak, with all of the fix’uns.

Yes sir, would you like coffee with that?

Yes ma’am, I’d appreciate it if you would bring the coffee right away. Pete had the first cup drank by the time his steak came out, and the girl refilled his cup several times while he ate.

Did you leave room for sweet cake or pie? She said with a smile.

Do you have any apple pie?

Yes we do, it was baked early this morning.

If you could you put it in a bowl and pour cream over it, that sure would finish off my meal. Oh, and you better refill this cup again. When he was done and the girl came to pick up his plates, Pete smiled. That meal was better than I get at home.

Thank you sir, the girl said with a smile that just enveloped Pete. I’m so glad you liked everything.

Pete looked up at the girl, Miss I’m going to be coming in here for a few days, and I sure would feel more at home if you would just call me Pete.

Okay Pete, and you can call me Lois.

Thank you Lois, now I’ll feel right at home, and both of them laughed, and it felt good to talk and laugh with someone sometimes. Sliding back his chair, he put on his hat, and walked back over to the hotel. With not much to do, until the sheriff went out again, he thought over some things he had wanted to get done while he had time.

Walking up to the desk, the boy smiled and spoke up, Good afternoon sir, is there something I can do for you?

Pete nodded, You might be able to son, do you have a map of this area?

Yes sir, you just go through that door over there, that’s our reading room, and you will find a big map on the wall.

Thank you, Pete said as he turned and headed for the room. The map was big and impressive, and it showed the country in all directions for a hundred miles from this hotel. Pete could see marks where the trading post, the Indian Agency, and the area that made up the reservation. Walking back to the desk, he asked for and received a large piece of paper, and a pencil. These he took back to where the map hung. Sitting down at a small table close by the map, he set about drawing his own copy of the map that he could take with him. This way he could travel around the country and make out where he was at any certain time. He was careful to put in all of the landmarks, as these would define an area on the map.

When he was done, he returned the pencil to the desk and thanking the boy went up to his room. He sat on the bed while he studied the map noting the hills, water holes, and badlands; and figuring if a man wanted to hide out, the badlands might be just the place to go. He hoped this case didn’t come to that. If the Indian agent knew the Indian in question, they may be able to go right to his teepee and arrest him. That sure would be nice if it worked out that way. With nothing more to do, he pulled off his boots and took an afternoon nap.

The time pasted slowly as Pete and the sheriff waited for the agent to return, but the morning of the third day after Pete had arrived in town, found them both on the trail to the agency. The sheriff and Pete had exchanged only a few words as they rode along, when finally the sheriff remarked, We’ll stop at the trading post at Mission Ridge on our way to the agency, since we’ll be passing it first.

Later when they arrived at the trading post, Pete made a quick look around after entering. He noticed that it was made up of two rooms. One room was used for new supplies, and the other was used for a make shift bar and a hide trading station. It wasn’t a big place, and the ceiling was only about seven feet up. In the rafters they had laid slabs of wood, and had piled boxes and small barrels on top of these. Here and there, they had traps of different sizes and kinds hanging up in the rafters on pegs. Trappers and Indians a like, brought in hides to trade for gunpowder, blankets, cooking utensils, and food. Here everyone but the Indians could get whiskey from the small bar in the second room. Pete knew from what he had heard, that this was always a problem. There were Indians at every post that tried to buy whiskey, and it seemed that there were always a few people that would buy it for them, much to displeasure of the Indian Agent.

The new operator at the post came forward as they entered. Hello sheriff, it’s good to see you again. Have you made any head way on the robbery yet?

No John, we’re out here to follow up on a lead today. By the way, I would like you to meet Pete Weber; your company hired him to help in the investigation. We sure need to bring this fella up to date.

How do you do Mister Weber, I’m John Walker. I did receive a wire the other day that you would be showing up.

Just call me Pete, and I’m glad to meet you John.

Did you find anything else missing John?

No, the lady said he was carrying a sack with something in it when he mounted his horse. He probably found a sack here to put the things he took into. Like I said, it looks like he took four bottles of whiskey, a box containing sacks of tobacco, and the money. It wouldn’t take much of a sack to carry off that amount.

Pete looked around, Was the store keeper shot?

No, the sheriff said. He was stabbed four or five times, and the one hole bled him out. No one was in the store when it happened, and if it weren’t for the lady outside, we wouldn’t know where to start.

I was wondering sheriff, Pete asked, do you think we could talk to the lady before we go on to the agency?

We’ll stop at her house before we leave. The sheriff, turning to the shopkeeper asked, Say John, do you happen to have the coffee pot on, Pete and I are both big coffee drinkers?

John laughed, You boys are in luck, I had just put a pot on before you arrived. Come on back. The man started for the back of the store. Just pull up those two chairs, and I’ll pour us all a cup.