Mcclain's Law

By A.B. White

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 24, 2009
• ISBN: 9781469104034

A.B. White

A.B. White was born in the Eastern part of the United States. On a trip to Arizona he fell in love with the countryside. He packed up his family and moved west, and never looked back. Being an over the road truck driver he has seen a lot of beautiful sights. With his imagination and his love for the old west, helps to inspire him to write his stories. Married 35 years to his wife Grace, they have 2 children and 4 grandchildren. Together his stories and his writing with her secretarial skills make his work come to life.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Sheriff Mac was tracking a couple of men that a rancher had reported as horse thieves. The Rancher felt these previous hands had stolen them when he fired them. Mac had seen a smoke flume coming up over a rise and thought it might be their camp. Some people ain’t too smart; to build a campfire while on the run, Mac thought.

The closer he got, he realized that it had to be an awful big campfire. He was cautious approaching the smoke, and what he seen he was not prepared for. It was a small cabin that had been burned out and was just smoking. He could see right away a man and a woman in front on the ground, but he still looked around for danger. Chances were whoever did this would be long gone, but it’s always safe to be aware of what could be around. After looking at the bodies he looked at the tracks on the ground and determined that the horses were mixed some were shod and some were not. This led Mac to believe that it must have been Indians with White men or possibly Mexican’s and Whites were responsible.

After coming to the conclusion they were long gone, he buried the bodies about the time he was finishing, he heard a noise in the brush behind him; he turned with his gun in hand; he saw a young child 1 ½ to 2 years old coming out, He could tell right away he was a victim of Indians. The child had a shallow cut across his chest; just enough to make him bleed, the blood would attract animals such as coyotes, wolfs or even mountain lions.

Indian’s would do this to their victims that were too young to identify them. They found no glory in killing such a small child as this at least not on purpose.

After cleaning the boy up, he tried to get him to eat some hard tack, but the boy was having a hard time chewing it. After all if a grown man with good teeth would have a hard time biting it, how could a child not? Just as he was getting ready to leave, he seen a goat and thought the renegades must be slipping, because they would have killed the goat for food, after milking the goat and giving the boy some milk, he went to sleep in Mac’s arms.

Mac decided the horse thieves were going to have to wait; he had to take the boy back to town. In his mind he didn’t think it was right to refer to him as boy, so while he was looking around the cabin he found some papers with the name of Ross on it. He did not know if that was the first or last name, it did not matter the boy would be Ross yea, Ross McClain from now on.

Mac and Ellie had been married for about two years, Mac thought boy will she be surprised after this trip. Mac walked in carrying Ross and Ellie was just taking bread out of the oven, she turned and the questions started like a lawyer at an inquest after she stopped, Mac told her the story. After hearing what had happened Ellie said to Mac that the boy had to have a place to stay and might as well be right here; We will keep him with us until his kinfolk shows up to claim him, if no one shows up then he is ours and that is that. They decided that Ross was eighteen months old and said he will have a birthday six months after today which will be the Fourth of July, a good day to remember.

Just over a year later Mac and Ellie had their own son Jacob, he was called Jake for short, Jake and Ross looked as different as night and day. Ross was dark skinned with black hair; Jake was fair with blond hair and blue eyes. But the differences stopped there cause from the moment Jake was born, Ross was there, they were inseparable; they did everything together. When Jake started school, Ross was there looking out for his little brother. If you wanted to get, Jake upset all you had to do is say something about Ross looking like an Indian, even though they figured his ma was an Indian (maybe this is why he was not killed with his parents) who knows?

Mac’s ranch grew with the help of the boys rounding up every range cow, they could find.

Throughout the years the ranch had grown to three hundred head or more, with the ranch growing as it had.

They hired several men to help, Mac was still the sheriff of the town, he had tried to quit several times but the town wouldn’t hear of it, actually nobody would ever run against him in an election. The town committee had come to an agreement that his deputy or someone from town could come to get him if he was needed.

Mac’s reputation had spread all over the territory for being fair but firm and tough, even the people he had to lock up respected him, he had earned it throughout the years. Mac recalled how he had become sheriff.

He had only been in town a few months when he was appointed sheriff. There were a few men playing poker at the town saloon, the mayor and the sheriff his name was Ed was two of the players. A dispute at another table began; one of the men accused another of cheating and guns started blazing.

Mac was at yet another table thinking he had just spent his last penny on a beer, and if he didn’t find a job soon, he was going to be living on fish that he would catch for a long time.

Sheriff Ed jumped up and was shot before he could even draw his gun.

The mayor was shot in the arm and was about to be shot the second time, when Mac shot and killed the man after yelling at him to get his attention. The man accused of cheating was dead and so was the sheriff.

Although the mayor was hurt, he was going to be ok. The mayor thanked Mac and said if there was anything he could do just let him know. Mac looked at the mayor for a minute and then said, Well sir if you know of any jobs around, I’m looking. The mayor looked at him for a minute and said, I don’t know you from Adam, but I’ll say one thing you got guts to shoot a man that has a gun in his hand and ready to shoot, and wait for him to turn on you before you shoot has something to say. You’re either crazy or a good person, maybe both. Our sheriff just got himself killed, and we don’t have a deputy, so if you want the sheriff’s job temporarily until someone else comes along the jobs yours. It pays $10.00 a month, three meals a day livery stable and feed for your horse and a place to sleep.

Mac looked at him and said, ain’t never been a lawman before, don’t know anything about it.

You do know right from wrong? Can you read? Have you ever read the Bible? The mayor asked.

Mac replied, Yes I can read and write my ma seen to that, and yes I have read some of the Bible my ma seen to that to. The Mayor said, all you got to do is try to enforce right and wrong, you want the job or not? If you do want it whatever belongings these two guys have is yours for the taking. Mac said if he was serious he would take the job until someone else wanted it. So that’s how Mac got the job as sheriff in the town of Santa Fe.

Mac had been the sheriff for a year when he met Ellie. She came to live with her aunt since her mother and father died of the small pox epidemic. She had no other relation except her aunt that ran the boarding house/café; she was the one that fed the sheriff and his prisoner’s, paid for by the town.

Mac had not met Ellie right away because he left town the day before she came in on the stage. Mac was shaving when the back door opened, and she came in. Mac had his shirt off and was just finishing up, as soon as he seen her, he reached for his shirt apologizing for being indecent.

Ellie said that it was all right, she used to have an older brother, and he passed away a few years ago with pneumonia. He let her know it was not all right because he wasn’t her brother, and he was sorry, she said it was ok. Mac asked her what he could do for her; she said her aunt had sent her to see how many breakfasts the jail needed.

Mac told her he did not need any that he would be down himself for breakfast shortly. When there was no one in the lockup, he would go to the café, so that he could meet anyone that came to town and socialize with those that lived there. This also didn’t make strangers feel uneasy about him asking them questions like where they were from, where they were going and what their business was in town, staying or just passing through!

Even though Ellie was kind of shy Mac new right away there was something about her; he liked. She was about the prettiest girl he had ever seen, and she didn’t have to paint herself up like some girls to look pretty, she was nice and smart to. He had a way of talking to someone, and even in a short time he could tell their qualities, that are one of the reasons he made a good lawman.

Mac started eating a lot more meals at the café, even when he did have prisoner’s at the jail. Aunt Mae noticed this right away and finally said to Mac jokingly, about was he getting tired of eating cold food or did he just like the new company? Mac said, to be honest Aunt Mae, a little of both. Aunt Mae didn’t mind Ellie was a good girl, hard working, and it didn’t matter any to her, she liked Mac if she had been a little younger, she would have tried to give Ellie a run for her money, and go after Mac herself, because what there was to pick from in town wasn’t that good.

She was happy for Ellie and did everything she could to encourage a relationship between them, it didn’t take much Ellie liked Mac a lot Aunt Mae could see it in her looks and actions. Anytime she would hear a ruckus in town she would look and see if Mac was ok, and when he would come in afterward she was so happy she could hardly keep it to herself. This went on for the year that Ellie and Mac were seeing each other. One day Mac took Ellie for a ride, about two miles out of town to a small spread the bank owned and showed her the place. He asked her if she liked it. In addition, he said he was going to buy it, if she would marry him? There was no hesitation she said yes, but what about your job as sheriff?

He said the mayor was going to let him have a deputy. I will still be sheriff, as long as I want, or until I can’t do it any longer.

Ellie told Aunt Mae that Mac had asked her to marry him, and she said yes, if it was ok with her? Aunt Mae said, of course it’s ok. She thought it was way past due, she had been afraid that something was going to happen, that would keep this from happening, and then she said she was only kidding. Yes you get married and have fun while you’re still young and don’t forget to have a few kids along the way. Mac closed the deal for the land with the bank and kept right on being the town sheriff. He stayed busy locking up drunks and catching the bad guys. Like the two horse thieves Mac was looking for when Ross was found. They were shot trying to hold up a bank in another town west of Santa Fe, about 80 miles away the rancher got his horses back, and he was happy.

Mac and Ellie worked every spare minute on the house to get it ready to move into; finally, it was done before the summer was over. Late August of that year they got married everyone around came to the wedding, even men that Mac had to lock up now and then showed up to congratulate them and wish them well.

Mac started his herd with a few range cattle; he had found running wild now, and then he would find one lost from a trail drive that was branded; he would mail a letter to tell the owner he had found his property! And to tell them where it was at if they wanted to come and get it. If not to send him a bill of sale, so he would not be accused of stealing the animal. Most of the time a bill of sale with a thank you note for being honest would be mailed, a few times the owner would come through and hand him a receipt to keep the animal.

A year and a half had gone by and Mac’s herd with the little ones had grown to seventy five to eighty head. Mac fed and nursed the hurt ones back to good health.

Mac had taken such good care of the cattle that they would follow him anytime they seen him, it was odd. Every time Mac went to town; he would have to chase them back home, even the biggest bull wanted to follow him, and it did one day, the bull made it all the way to the jail. Mac didn’t know until the deputy seen him standing beside Mac’s horse. They had a good laugh.

Chapter 2

Years had gone by Mac, Ross, Jake and Ellie worked hard to build up the ranch to bring in a pretty good income.

Ross went to town one day walked into the jail and there was the deputy sitting at the desk dead. Ross was eighteen almost nineteen, but he was as big as most men and just as strong. After looking at the body with the doctor, they determined he died of natural causes.

Not wanting to show any disrespect, Ross asked Mac if he could be his deputy. Mac said, No! But Ross was determined, tell me why? You know I want to be like you, and I’m as big as you. I can read and write, and I can do my numbers better than you thanks to ma. I can shoot as good as you, and I’ve been thinking about going to Cass County and asking for a deputy job over there. But I just haven’t said anything to anyone except Jake, cause; I didn’t want to leave you, ma and Jake as far as that goes. At least I would be close to home if you need me, I’d be here.

Cass County? Mac said that’s pretty rough over there; they go through sheriffs and deputies faster than they can get elected. Mac though for some time and then said, Ok! Temporarily (just then the thought came to him, he heard that word just over twenty years ago himself, and he is still here, but that won’t be true in this case, he would see to that.)

The Mayor came in; he heard about the deputy, Mac said he was going to let Ross have the job until they could find a replacement. The Mayor said he would have to swear him in to make it legal, so he could get paid. After swearing him in the Mayor said,

Ross if you take after your dad, we will never have another sheriff elect in this county until this territory becomes a state. Ross said, thank you sir, but I don’t think anyone could be as good of a lawman as my dad.

That evening when Mac walked in Ellie asked, Where is Ross? Mac told her. His deputy died and Ross stayed in town, so if there is any trouble he could send and