Boot Hill Can Wait

By Tom Leftwich

Commuter length Short stories of gunfighting, Indian conflict,unusual bravery,unusual friendships,treasure mystery and murder vengence. Wild horse capture and training based on authentic early frontier practices.The characters, conflicts, and locations are period oriented to simulate, in fiction, actual historic events.The melting pot of civilizations that came together in early Arizona and Nevada territories brought together odd combinations of friendships and marriages often resulting from tragic beginnings .These tales are also an effort to illustrate the humor and human attraction that frequently developed between men and women when they were engaged in life threatening conflict.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781105664366

Book preview

Boot Hill Can Wait

Boot Hill Can Wait

By Tom Leftwich

Copyright © 2011   By  Author :

Tom Leftwich

All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-105-66436-6

LuLu  Publisher ID12793413

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.  For the lucky ones, Boot Hill had to Wait; for others, there was 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  Western Short Stories entitled Boot Hill Can Wait is dedicated to good friends  Greg Weaver,Don and Lauretta Barnett, Diana Bladen, Bob and Gail Yawn, Pamela Tanck, Bob Haynes, and a host of other friends that have encouraged me to continue writing. I hope your Boot Hill Luck is at least as good or better than mine!

Summary:

Getting the Message

A wounded Confederate soldier is unknowingly tattooed by outlaws with the map to a hidden treasure and his life endangered by a letter to outlaws family stating that he carried a message .  Escaping possible torture and death, the message  is finally put together by a young girl . The treasure was buried in the last place anyone would look! Action, adventure and  mystery!

A Girl Shot

A drunken young cowboy is involved in a shootout which injures a single young mother of two. Convinced by the local Doctor that he was to blame: he commits himself to taking care of the young woman through her recovery and protection from local Saloon owner’s uninvited attentions. Action and human interest.

Boot Hill Can Wait

A Confederate soldier follows a trail of vengeance to kill twelve Red leg’s that murdered his bride . He is befriended by the Apache Bronco Chief Running Dog and becomes a Shotgun  Guard for a beautiful scar faced lady stage driver. An action tale of vengeance, robbery and murder where Boot Hill can wait till Morning . Gun fighting action adventure.

Hound Dog Ugly

An ugly ex gun fighting  bronco Rider partners with a young prostitute to capture wild horses, train and sell them to get a stake for starting a ranch in California. An adventure in herding wild horses, training draft stock, and shooting horse thieves. Action , adventure and human interest.

A Tale of Whoa!

Damn Yankee! Don’t know what Whoa means! Broken down in the desert, an ex Union soldier is rescued by a tall gun bearing lady a foot taller than he is. Did the Little Feller need her help? Yes, to replace a broken wheel, but when it came to gun fighting ; he was ten feet tall!  Action ,adventure and human interest.

Fang of Texas

A young Chinese woman rescues the Outlaw Texas Cole Manning .His attempts to return her to her people turns into a gun fighting dope trading  adventure and a losing struggle to prevent her from learning and using all of his Texas lingo! Action, adventure and human interest.

Chapter 1 Getting the Message!

What the hell do you think you’re doing? These words angrily stated by Rob Jefferson, wounded Confederate soldier as he regained consciousness! He was directing his anger at the vague figure of a man standing by his bunk sticking a needle in his arm! He was tied down and struggled to get free. Pain from his injuries put him under once again, but from way off somewhere,  he heard a voice saying, Leroy! Leroy!, did you get the job done? the man by his bunk answered , Yeah! Jake! Just in time !  This Rube is coming to, I have to free his arms! Sometime later, Rob slowly came out of the almost dream like state he was in. He hurt all over and he had a splitting headache! His memory slowly came back to him. He had been hit by something in that battle at Mine Creek. Blood had been all over him! Where was he now? In jail! He was in jail! How did he get here

Slowly he managed to sit up leaning back against the wall. His chest and head were both heavily bandaged. Dizzy? Yeah! Had to take it easy or he’d fall off the bunk! There was some one sitting across from him. Rob said , God , I hurt! Where am i? How did I get in jail? The man answered, Reb , I’m Roy Plummer; and you’re not in jail . You’re in the Louisville Union prison Camp. There‘s two hundred of your fellow Reb’s in here ! All captured during that fight in Kansas. You’re lucky! The medics here are pretty good. You’re supposed to take it easy. This is the hospital cell. Better enjoy it while you can! They’ll be putting you in the big Ward cell as soon as you can stand up. Rob lay back down and said , I’m Rob Jefferson from Tennessee, they killed almost everyone at Mine Creek, where’d they get you? You don’t look injured! Leroy replied, No, I’m not , I killed some Union Soldiers to get here! I just volunteered to stay in here with you and help the Medic. I know a little about battle field injuries and No don’t thank me! The food is a lot better here!

The following day , Leroy was taken out and moved to a Ward cell. Rob was notified that the Medic would be in that afternoon to change his bandages. When he arrived , Rob removed the hospital gown! He was horrified to find that his arms had been tattooed while he was unconscious! Both arms above the elbows. carried the sickening blue streak marks of some kind of plant or flower formation and from what he could see; some name was there also! What the hell had someone done to him while he was unconscious! My God this was horrible! Who would do such a thing? He didn’t want no Damn tattoo! Then he vaguely remembered, someone standing by his bed sticking his arm with a needle! Was that man Roy Plummer? He couldn’t remember seeing a face! Why would anyone think that he needed a tattoo? Anger was all that he could do about it! He was marked for life! If he ever found out who had done this , he would kill’em. That’s all he’d been doing to Union soldiers for two years. Killing someone for marking him this way, would come easy! Damn it ! he thought, I wouldn’t be in this place if I hadn’t got hit in that last run!

The memory was very vivid. The major had sent them across that Creek to over run the flank of that Union Company! He fully remembered yelling as they stormed down that hillside; those Union Boys were running for their lives. Cannons were firing from both ends of the valley and explosions were all around him. Dirt and debris flying in his face and suddenly a blinding flash of light and he remembered nothing! Rob found out that he had been a near miss for a cannon shell . Shrapnel had hit him in the chest and head, luckily, only causing moderate wounds. His comrades had not been so lucky! Most of his Brigade was now gone and of the six hundred that originally made up a part of Major Watson’s Company, there were less than two hundred left! The Confederacy was losing badly and from all reports , the War was all but over. Why they had been sent on this last attack, Rob would never know! He was told that the commanding officers had been captured and taken to a prison camp back in New York State. Rob would sure like to talk to Roy Plummer about that Damn tattoo!

Leroy and Jake Plummer had recently been sent to this prison from Arizona Territory. They had attacked and robbed a Union Pay Wagon near Apache Pass and got away with a reported $250 thousand dollars in United States script and gold coin! Lt . John Roberts U.S Calvary was returning from  Petrol  near Ft. Bowie and had intercepted the Outlaws killing all but the two Plummers. Roy and Jake had escaped into the Dragoon Mountains! Two days later they were surrounded and captured, but there was no sign of the money! Robert’s could find no evidence of where they may have buried or hidden it. They had killed the four Soldiers escorting the Pay Wagon. Depositions from witnessing soldiers and the teamster would convict them of murder! Colonel Thomas the Commanding Officer at Ft. Bowie wanted to execute them before a Firing Squad. Unfortunately , word of the capture had spread to local friends who claimed they were Confederate Soldiers and Thomas had to send them east for trial as prisoners of war. They had not been permitted contact with anyone following their capture.

Unknown to Rob , they had made him a Guinea pig. When Roy and Jake had been captured , Roy had drawn the map to their cache of money on Jakes shirt. Before it wore off and faded completely, Roy had gotten permission to write a letter to their family. Using the writing material , he had copied the map while memory of the exact location was fresh in his mind. There was no way to put it on paper and mail it out! Knowing this, they devised a plan to get the map to their family. Some weeks went by and they were constantly in fear that their paper map would be discovered! Roy had rolled it tightly and carried it everywhere, usually rolled up and concealed in his hair. He was to chew it up as a last resort before letting it be found! Roy and Jake volunteered for any and all activities that might give them the opportunity to get the map to their folk’s! When word was passed that Confederate War Prisoners were to be housed with them; here was a great opportunity! 

It was common knowledge that these prisoners would be released as soon as this dying war was over! It was their intention to get the map outta prison without the knowledge of anyone! They would tattoo it somewhere on the body of a Confederate Soldier that would be released and get his name to their family. They would have to do this without the soldier’s consent! Rob, injured and under sedation, offered a great opportunity for them! Roy volunteered to help the Medic repairing all that torn flesh! He boiled the horse hair that was commonly used for stitching and helped with cleaning and bandaging. It was easy for him to steal a couple of needles. He stayed with Rob, day and night. The Medic was very grateful to find someone willing to help. They were severely over worked with all the wounded. The medic noted that on every occasion when he went to check the patient, that Roy was apparently writing letters. He always had the ink sitting out!

In reality, Blue vitriol mixed with water made a great ink and was readily available in prison for letter writing. It was also great for tattooing! Roy already owned a few tattoo’s of his own and easily sketched in dotted lines the outline of Oak Creek Canyon in the Dragoon’s. His tattoo work was bad and he had not considered how much area he needed. It was necessary to put half the map on each arm. Looking at his handiwork he realized how bad it looked and added a few lines to make it look like a plant on each arm. Squiggly lines and a couple of half circles later, Roy had just about finished his masterpiece when Rob started coming out of his pain killing sleep! The map was finished and now all he had to do was get the message to his family. A letter was written telling his older brother Henry that Confederate Soldier Rob Jefferson carried a special message for the family! Roy knew that all mail was read and any wrong hint would blow the whole thing! Another letter would be sent out in a week or so spelling out to Henry where he could find the message in the form of a map!

It was a fool proof plan, but unfortunately; both Leroy and Jake had been singled out to Prison Guards as murdering outlaws of four young Union Soldiers. It was common knowledge that some prisoners, especially sniper’s; were given an opportunity to run and escape during Battlefield captures. These sniper’s became running targets for Union soldiers! As this opportunity did not present itself in Prison, Roy and Jake  were conveniently executed during a Prison Yard fracas! The second letter was never written! The damage to unsuspecting Rob had already been done ! Henry and family would be waiting for him when he was released! They would insist on knowing what message Rob carried for them. They would also be looking for someone to take vengeance upon for the death of their two brothers!

Winter was finally over and Rob had been transferred to Fort Scott in Kansas for interrogation. His account of the Mine Creek battle just to the north, was wanted by the Post Commander for a special Washington Report. Cooperation and  voluntary interrogation earned his release, He was to be transferred to the Nashville Prison for final processing.  General Lee  surrendered! The War was officially over! All of the Union Prison Camps were over filled with Confederate soldiers and immediate release was ordered for most of them. Word came to the Fort and Rob was given his release papers at Ft. Scott!

He was free! He was Free!  He could hardly believe it! But now what? He had nothing! His clothes were prison garb although; they had issued him a coat and shirt. He asked around and managed to catch a ride south on a freight wagon. Rob wanted to go south! Get out of the north where he would be persecuted by angry family members that had lost loved ones to the Confederacy!  The driver was sympathetic to his situation and said,  Names, Boyd!  Reb, I know things are pretty rough for all you Boys. If you can handle a team, the Overland is hiring.  They’re merging with the Superintendent’s build up of the Well’s Fargo Stage and Freight Line. He might can use you, if you don’t have anything else. Rob expressed his appreciation and said, I can sure give it a try! Maybe if I get my strength back, I’ll be able to hold a job. I was hit pretty bad up at Mine Creek last fall and it’s a long time healing. No, I don’t have anything else. Dad was killed at Shilo. I guess I’m like a lot of folk’s. No home and no family. Mom’s been dead for over ten years. I’m glad she didn’t have to live through this hell of a War! I think I’ll be twenty two this year! I was a dumb and eager teenager when this started. No, a freight job will be great!

Meeting the Teamster had been a Godsend for Rob. He had a bumpy three day ride with Boyd and had driven the team for almost two days of the trip. Every day they hit a stage stop and dropped off supplies. Rob was beginning to really enjoy the work , even though he didn’t have a lot of strength yet. Their final destination was Tucson in the Arizona Territory, where they would unload at the Station House Headquarters. Wells Fargo had already taken a load from California to send north with Boyd. He would be heading back to Saint Jo Missouri in two days. There would be two loads going north and Rob was offered the teamster job if he wanted it. Drivers were scarce in Arizona because of the Indian problems. This was not the safest job to be taking on at this time, but Rob couldn’t afford to be choosey. Taking Boyd’s advice, he prepared for the trip. Guns, ammunition and food; he was able to purchase on credit from the Depot Store. Other personal items he purchased with an advance. Indian trouble or not , he was ready to follow Boyd!

The Apache Cochise was raiding everywhere in south eastern Arizona and the Dragoon Mountains were his winter camp grounds. It was coming on to May and his Raiding Parties would be out looking for victims! The sooner they could get outta Arizona, the better! Boyd said, These horses are fresh and I wanna drive all night! We can make up to fifty or sixty miles in a couple of days , if we can get the horses to hold up! That would get us outta Apache Territory .  Do you think you can handle that?  Rob replied,  Yeah!, I’ve been doin a lot better since I got to eatin your Grub. I think I might have gained a few pounds. Boyd said,  Hey ! That’s great and that’s a good lookin Henry rifle you’ve got there! How does it shoot? Rob told him that he had been using one until he was captured! He showed Boyd the action and how it carried sixteen rounds! The Union had issued some of these to troops back east , but for some reason, the soldier’s stayed with those old single shot fifty caliber’s. Maybe it was lack of ammunition, but when he came by one taken from a young Union Officer; he latched onto it and all the ammo he could carry. It had served him well for two years! Now with a new rifle and Colt belt gun , he was ready for Indians! Boyd was impressed! He carried a seven shot Spencer repeater and side arm. Rob figured