Sundown Shootout

By Tom Leftwich

Five unique short fiction stories of adventures in the old west. Break from today's politics and move back a hundred years during a commute or lunch. Experience a life threatening gunfight at sundown twisting in a surprising conclusion. Jim Kern turned away from Curley, then spun around saying , “ Missed your chance Curley; you coulda shot me in the back!” Army Scout Jay Morris ,woke up with a gun in his face hearing a screaming woman say, “ You’re not the man I married! Who the hell are you ?" the beginning of trouble? Then Jake’s “Will you marry me?” Answer, “Of all the idiotic and lame brained people I’ve ever met Mister you are the worst. You don’t just roll off a rock pile and propose to some girl you’ve never met!” And the stage hold up, “ Damnit! You hard of hearin? I said, I need a woman! One of them girls in there.” The Jakala story, Jeanie screamed, “ Oh God! Joe look here!” and with shaking hands, a one ounce gold Ferdinand. All enjoyable reads even for me the author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781794876286

Book preview

Sundown Shootout

Sundown Shootout      

By Tom Leftwich

Copyright © 2019   By  Author

Tom Leftwich

All rights reserved.

ISBN  978-1-79487-628-6

lulu  Publisher ID   26124165

Printed in the United States of America.

Introduction:

That period between 1849 through 1880 in our  early west  with it’s Indian wars and gunfighter activity gave us a living picture of what life was like on the frontiers. The stories of individual and group conflicts influenced the development of cowboy hero’s and gunfighters which were later made popular in Hollywood movies. No movie or story though, could ever match the real life drama that was an every day struggle and experience for the scores of Frontier families that settled the west. Life was raw , harsh and frequently bloodthirsty. Many of these unsung heroic families died in the effort. The west was a melting pot of diverse humanity that came from many lands and nationalities. Thrown together in a struggle to survive, many odd friendships developed as a result of life threatening  or unusual circumstances. In Boot Hill, there was always plenty of room. This collection of fictional short stories  is an effort on my part, to portray some of the life threatening dramas, fears, hatreds, joys and humor that resulted from  associations that developed while trying to live in this early west. Many of the incidents that I have credited to fictional characters were taken from real life events. I personally apologize for the use of third grade English used by some of my characters, but one must realize that few westerners had even a third grade education.

Dedication

This collection of short stories entitled Sundown  Shootout is dedicated to  my good Buddy and co-heart in numerous questionable adventures. Pastor, Parson, Reverend and Man of the Cloth   Aaron Butch Kirkwood. Can’t help but love this guy!

Summaries

1 The Rock Pile

A young Cow hand wants to start a ranch. His approach to getting a wife is kinda sudden and threatening .His marriage  leads to reversal of a conviction for  murder.  Humorous adventure and intrigue.

2 El Sancho Diablo

An Army scout finds a woman dumped in his tent over night. In order to find her assailants, and solve the mystery of attempted murder, she was disguised as Sancho, the mule riding companion of Don  Quixote. Adventure , intrigue, mystery and violence.

3  Sundown Shootout

Jim Kane wants to get married to his beautiful girl friend, but a gunfight at sundown facing a pistol in front and a sniper rifle at his back threatens to end his Marriage before it begins. Drama and violence.

4  The Jakala

Robbed and terribly beaten an old Cowhand is rescued by a faded out of work saloon girl. Joining forces they become owners of a Homestead that includes a  hand built Adobe poor man’s Jakala living shack, finding out later that it was the hide out for a murderous outlaw who died without ever taking all of his ill gotten gold .Adventure and Mystery.

5  Hot Damn!

Ugly enough to scare a barbed wire fence, Black Jack Henry’s son must have a wife to inherit his outlaw father’s ranch. Failing all normal efforts , he robs a stage to get a woman. A humorous adventure with some violence.

CHAPTER  1

The Rock Pile

Yeah, that’s Emily Jessup; folks says she’s twenty two , Ain’t never been married. What’s it to you Jake, she ain’t worth messin with. Too damn stuck up for us range hands. Hey man there’s ten other girls here. You’ll be wastin your time with her. Words of advise coming from a  young range hand named Mike, a bunkhouse mate of   twenty five year old top hand Jake Toliver. Jake replied. ‘’Mike, I told you fifty times or more , I’m done with horsing around. I’m gonna quit the Bar D and get my own spread started . Yeah , I know ,I been talkin about it for a long time. When Dad died two years ago , I just couldn’t handle being around the place, that’s why I was willing to lease to Donalson here on the Bar D. Been saving what I could and that lease money just might get me started. That Emily girl strikes me somehow. Ain’t seen her around. I’d kinda like to meet her. Mike replied exclaiming, Oh No Jake! You best stay clear of that family. A bad bunch. Their Dad’s in prison for killin a man. They live in that hardscrabble homestead over on Wilson Creek. Emily’s got two brothers, bad to mess with and her Mom ain’t the easiest either. Most folks leave’em alone. I’m surprised to see’em here today. If you wanna meet’em ,boy you gotta do it on your own. I don’t wanna get near’em, myself."

Jake said, Them boys don’t look that mean to me . I think I’ll drift over that way and say my Howdy’s anyway. Mike just shook his head and said ‘ I’ve heard tell they’re good with guns, but don’t shoot to kill. Was I you I’d steer clear. Jake was thinking, ‘’No time to git cold feet. And he walked over to where the Jessup family were gathered. As he got closer , he wasn’t sure he’d made a good decision. Up close those boys were bigger and rougher than what he figured. On the other hand, Emily had him catching his breath. She wasn’t a pretty girl by most peoples thinking, but there was a beauty about her; he couldn’t look away.

Stuttering and stammering he introduced himself as one of the brothers asked, ‘Whatta you want feller? Jake somewhat embarrassed said,  Well there’s gonna be some dancing later and I’d like to ask Miss Emily here if she would hold one for me. Jake almost lost his composure when the two brothers stepped forward threatening him and the look he got from Emily was enough to scare off a wolf. Easily seeing that he wasn’t welcome, he said, I’m sorry , excuse me. As he turned to walk away Emily said, Hold on Mister. Where’d you get my name and what makes you think I might dance with you? Jake said, I asked around and I’m sorry if I was outta line, but most of the pretty girls come here to dance and I just had to ask.

Emily snapped back saying, Mister you’re lying, I can see it in your face. Now tell me what’s the real reason you came over here to meet me. I want the truth Mister. You can’t lie worth a damn, I can read you like a book. Jake twisting his hat in his hands said,  Ma’am you’re right , but it’s really kinda personal. Could I get you a glass of punch and maybe we could talk a little?  Emily replied, Man, if you ain’t the damnest I ever met. I should have Jim and Rob here throw you outta this place. I don’t know what you’ve got up your sleeve , but I promise you if it hurts me or my family you’re gonna be a long time recovering, Yeah, go get the punch I wanna hear what you gotta say,

Jake wasn’t sure what he was gonna do. Yeah they’d probably laugh him outta there, but I’ll just tell her the truth. At least they won’t beat me up. Returning with the punch, Jake could see the storm clouds had mellowed some. Hesitant to say anything in front of Emily’s mom and brothers, he asked if they might talk privately. Emily quickly squelched that idea saying, Any thing you have to say to me , you can say to the whole family, so spit it out.

Jake replied, telling them of his plans to take over and run his Dad’s ranch and give up his top hand job with the Bar D He said, I’ve thought about it for two years. Just what it would take to make it an operating ranch. A man needs a partner , I’ve fought long and hard for the opportunity to do this . Miss Emily , when I saw you tonight for the first time , I knew right away. Will you marry me? Emily was floored. Her brothers and Mom were laughing. Emily exclaimed, Of all the idiotic and lame brained people I’ve ever met Mister you are the worst. You don’t just roll off a rock pile and propose to some girl you’ve never met. I don’t know you from Adam. Is this some kind of a damn joke? Oh God, it’s not a joke is it? I can see it in your face, you really are asking me to be your wife. No one has ever asked me before, Mom, what am I supposed to tell him ? Hell No?

Mom replied, Em darling, very few men appreciate you for the person that you are. This young man Jake evidently is taken with you and I can see he recognizes the wonderful girl you are. I doubt you’ll ever meet his like again. Em replied, Are you saying I should marry him then, even though I don’t know him at all?  Mom said,  Daughter there are thousands of arranged marriages and many advertised brides that have gone on to make great marriages. For years I’ve been concerned that your strong and direct personality would drive men away. Unfortunately I’ve been only too right, If you see in him the man you’ve longed to meet, I’d say take the step. It’s your decision and remember it’ll be for a lifetime.  Em said, Mom this is crazy, but you’re right. He’s honest and that’s good enough for me , Besides he’s pretty good lookin too.  Ok Mister Jake Toliver, remember you asked for it. Yes I’ll marry you.

Now it was Jake’s turn to be amazed that Emily would accept this off the wall proposal. Now What? He hadn’t expected this. Oh God, what do I do now? She’ll marry me! I can’t believe it. I’ll have a wife! All those daydreams about fixin up the ol’ranch house and making it a home are now coming down on me. There’s no way I can do all this . Damn! He was saying to himself, I sure let my big ideas and big mouth get me in a heap of trouble. Yeah I wanted to do all this stuff but not right away!

Mom said, ‘’Well Jake if you’re gonna be family, I guess you need to meet my boys Jim and Rob, good hard workin boys. They’ll probably be some help to you on that ranch after planting time. Too bad this come up so quick, we’re plumb busy right now. I tell you what, we’ll have that preacher Cruthers come out to the place and you two can get hitched. Ain’t no time like the present, cain’t plow for three days , grounds too wet. Em whatta you say , day after tomorrow be Ok for the wedding or did you wanna be churched in town?"

Em replied, Mom that’s rushing things a bit don’t you think. Maybe I ought to get to know Jake a little better.

Mom said,  Daughter you gotta strike while the iron is hot. Lolly gaggin around and mooning over each other ain’t gonna do nothing but cost us the plantin moon. Let’s get on with it or call it off, me and the boys got work to do.

Poor Jake didn’t know what to think; things were movin way too fast for a ranch hand. The ol’ ranch house was rundown full of pack rats and there was no bedding at all . The well was good  and the buildings were Ok, but the house was no place to bring a bride. He made quick work of quitting his job and everyone was in shock that he was getting hitched especially to that daughter of the outlaw Joe Jessup.

Jake made a full day trip to  his ranch and greased up his  small farm wagon,  returning to the Jessup place. He had no idea what Emily might have to take along. She had very little all packed in a small trunk , but was not too impressed with his decrepit wagon. She said, ‘Mister Jake Toliver, you sure don’t want to impress a girl driving that thing. Are you sure it’s safe for travel ? Jake replied, Miss Emily, I know it doesn’t look the best and I had to grab a couple of my Dad’s old horses for pulling.  Most of the younger stock is loose on the range. These ol’guys just hang close to the ranch house. I’m sorry if things don’t look too good , but I guess I really jumped the gun asking you to marry me. I wish that I had thought this through a little.  Em replied ,   "Me too. I’m thinking it’s a fool thing to do. Mom and my brothers think it’s great, but they ain’t the ones gittin married to someone they never met. Maybe we should just call it off Jake and get to know each other a little better.’

Oh and by the way Jake, you can call me Em . That Miss Emily makes it sound like we just met.  Jake replied , Miss Emily, I mean Em, it would probably be a good idea to wait, but it’s twenty miles to my ranch and there’s so much work to do , I couldn’t get back to town but once every couple of weeks or maybe longer. You see the place has been empty for two years except for the visits I made and that fur trapper Joel  that bunks there during the winter.  There’s a lot of work to be done and I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to quit this marriage thing. I still think you’re the girl for me and I still want to marry you. I wish I could offer you a better deal, but  that’ll be a few months down the road. Things will be rough for a while so we can hold off if you like.

Em replied, Jake are you saying there might be a little work involved, I’ve worked all my life. No I’m no quitter and Mister you ain’t no better than me. If you’re still willing to try this thing , I guess I am too. It’ll beat farming this ol’ creek bed and being looked down on and treated like outcasts by the town folks. I ain’t sure about this man and wife thing just yet. You might have to give me a little time with that. Just don’t be gittin no ideas, I ain’t no saloon girl.

Jake’s face lit up with a big grin saying, Em , I can’t wait to get married and get to my place! Emily laughed and just wagged a No finger at him. Jake said, We have to get into town and get supplies. We’ll need to get bedding too . There’s none at the ranch. I use my bedroll and saddle when I go up there. I’ve got extra, but you would prefer a bed I’m sure. Emily wasn’t listening , her mind was on preparations for the wedding. Later she was to find out that things were a lot worse than she could have imagined.

Two neighbor families and the Donalsons from the Bar D joined the Jessups for the wedding ceremony and dinner. The Preacher Cruthers had earlier voiced his displeasure with Jake marrying the Outlaw Jessup’s daughter and left without eating.  Jake was thinking, It didn’t matter . I’m glad to see his sourpuss leaving. The ceremony was his first chance to hug and kiss Emily. God ,he was happy and Emily was beaming beautiful.  It was a shame that the town didn’t get a chance to see such a beautiful bride.

That evening things were a little awkward