Broken Wheel Gold: Western Fiction Mysteries

By Tom Leftwich

These early Western mysteries offer intrigue , drama, adventure , and unique circumstances involving resolution. Gun fighting violence and western action are common place in these stories, but history records horrific incidents that pale my writing . Join a strong saloon girl as she belts a drunk insulting her. Then follow an outlaw woman seeking a fantastic treasure , it’s secret location hidden in the Bible. How does a young woman’s ring finger fit into the location of a gold mine. How was a $50,000 dollar train robbery performed with the money disappearing and who was the eventual thief? Murder, during a stage robbery, but there was no Strong box. Twisting and turning stories sure to provide interesting and enjoyable reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781304649720

Book preview

Chapter  1    The Insult

My God woman ! Are you that ugly or are my eyes that bad?this loud comment coming from  a drunk Brit Fellows, trapper and mountain man from Rayton , Colorado. The woman spun around  and swung a strong right arm punching Brit in the face with her fist.  Brit hit the floor as others in the saloon began clapping for her. Suddenly the woman knelt on the floor yelling, ‘Ben! Ben, bring me a towel. He’s bleeding! Brit’s head had  banged into the corner of a broken crock used as a spittoon. The jagged edge of the crock had cut a deep slice along his jaw and left ear bleeding badly.

The woman was Sally Gladstone, saloon girl at the Rawlings Road house ten miles out of Trinidad. She exclaimed, Damn , I didn’t mean to hurt the man! I guess I’m too quick to anger.’ Ben replied as they wrapped Brit’s head up, ‘’No Sal, he ought to keep his mouth shut around a woman. He’s Brit Fellows , a wolf skinning Bastard mountain man. Any other woman that’s been through what you just went through would have shot him for an insult like that. Sally said, ‘ yeah, but I do look a mess.  Old Billy’s horse didn’t do me any favors. That wall eyed bastard sure stuck my head in the ground. I should have shot him, but he’s all there was. Bucked me off three times. None of those wagon pullers would ride. Sure sorry about Billy. I just heard he died. I guess I’m still wired up over that wagon wreck. Do you know this man? Ain’t seen him here before.

Ben replied, ‘ Yeah, I know him. He’s one of those rough and wild Mountain men ; a real bad one I hear. He was too drunk tonight. I never heard of him making trouble before; most folks walk around him. Sally said, I reckon I better say I’m sorry, but I sure ain’t. Can you help me get him to my cabin. Cain’t do nothing for him in here and it’s gonna be a month before my face heals. I won’t be entertaining for awhile. He’s gonna need some sewing up. That’s a nasty cut. He might lose an ear. Ben laughed and said, I bet you he don’t smart off at a woman again, at least one with a right hand like yours. Sally said, Ben , I was raised with boys  and I never learned to slap anyone. It was always get in the first lick and make it a good one. Ben said,  Ok. We can get Lonnie from the livery to sew him up . he does a good job with horses."

It was near midnight when Sally looked down at the sleeping  man  and sadly said,  ‘ Guess I’ll never learn. A girl like me should be ok with insults, but mister, you burned me at the wrong damn time." She pushed him over and lay down beside him as she blew the lamp out.

It was barely daylight when  Brit awoke crying out in pain  and yelled, Hey! Where am I hello! Anybody there? Damn , what happened?  Sally said, Take it easy mister, you got hurt! Let me light the lamp. Just stay where you are. Don’t try to get up,. You’ll start the bleeding again. Brit said, My God, my head hurts. Where am I?  Sally said, ‘ You were hurt at the Saloon. Gotta bad cut , had to sew you up. I brought you here. This is my cabin. I work at the saloon. Brit looked around and said . ‘ Oh, I see. Damn I got drunk again. Well thanks lady, . Reckon I can sit up? Sally said, ‘ Yeah, but take it slow and maybe you better not talk too much. That was a nasty cut. Had to cut your beard back pretty good. Brit asked, ‘ Did you see what happened to me? Did I get in a fight, or what?. Sally said, ‘ Yeah, you were knocked down and banged your head pretty good. A nasty cut. The bartender Ben helped get you here and Lonnie sewed you up.’ Brit said, I gotta quit drinkin. I cain’t remember a thing.’ Sally said, ‘’Maybe that’s good. You ain’t in no shape to fight back."

Brit said, Thanks, I better stay in the mountains. It’s a hell of a lot safer up there, but snow’s about to fly. My old shack is pretty  cold and I gotta stay down on the desert till spring. Won’t make it if I git in trouble again. What’s you name miss? I’m Brit Fellows. Sally said, ‘Sally of the Road house, good a name as any.Brit asked. If you don’t mind me askin, what happened to your face? You been in a fight too? Sally said, ‘ Yes and no. Got bucked off a horse a few times. Reckon you’d say I had a fight with him and lost. Brit said, ‘ Well I cain’t thank you enough for your help and I’ll make it right with you. I’ll see if I can find a place to stay soon as I can get out. Sally said, ‘I don’t know how you’d feel about it, but you wanna pay the rent, you can stay here. I won’t be working for awhile. Ain’t many that would wanna sit across from me drinkin even. I ain’t in no shape for a roll. This is one of the creek cabins and I’m sure you understand that.’’ Brit said,  Miss Sally, I think I’d like that. Maybe I can get around and find a place in a couple of days, but it would be nice if I had a place to stay. I been campin out by the creek." It was two days later that Brit was feeling better and thanked Sally for tending to him. He said , Ain’t been treated this good since Mama died and that’s been five years or more. You’re a pretty good cook and  a real looker too I’ll bet, behind your bruises.

Sally said, I’m gonna come clean with you before you hear it from somebody else. It was me that knocked you down. You mouthed off insulting me at the wrong time and I hit you with my fist. You were drunk . ‘ Brit exclaimed, Well, I’ll be damned! You hit me huh? Lady you must have a hell of an arm.  I’ve been in some bad fights, but never one as bad as this. I gotta quit drinkin . Look I’m sorry for anything I done outta line . I respect every woman. Sally said . ‘ You called me ugly  at the wrong time and I just fired back. I took your comment pretty hard. I’ve had a really bad time of it lately. I was in a wagon wreck with Billy Helms, a freighter, and tried to ride a trailing horse of his to get help for him.  I didn’t know the horse was a Bronx he was training. Got bucked off three times, but finally managed to make the bastard bring me to the Road house. I was too late. Billy died before we could get back to him. He was giving me a ride back from Trinidad. I had been there lookin for a descent job. That didn’t work either.

Brit said, Sally, you’re one tough lady. I don’t think I’ve met the likes of you before. You broke a bronx horse to ride to get help for a friend. I know damn few men that coulda done that Salle said, ‘ It was Billy’s four up and none of them rode. The one trailing was wearing a saddle. I thought he was a riding horse. I was wrong. Brit said, Sounds to me like he rides now. Sally said, Yeah, he does, Lonnie at the livery say’s he’s just a mustang, I could buy him for a hog feed price, but I don’t know what I’d do with a horse. Brit asked, ‘ What’ed he look like? I can use another horse for packing furs. I’ll buy him if it’s ok with you .We’ll go see this Lonnie and pick him up.

Sally said, Lonnie,  this is Brit, you maybe remember sewing him up. He wants that mustang. For fifteen dollars Brit owned a horse and saddle. Lonnie said,  ‘ Ol’Billy’s squaw can use the money and I’m sellin his four up and what’s left of his wagon, if you know someone.  Brit said, Wanna thank you Lonnie. I think you saved me an ear. Lonnie replied, ‘Just doin Sally a favor. You’re lucky she didn’t just shoot you. Brit said,  ‘ Yeah , you’re sure right there. Hell of a way to meet a woman, but I’ll take it. She’s something , I never thought I’d ever meet. Quite a woman. ‘ Lonnie said, ‘ Yeah, you’ll never meet her like again. Hell of a thing to happen to a young woman right after gittin married. Brit wondered what Sally’s past was like, but didn’t wanna ask . Lonnie asked, ‘ I know it’s been three years, but did you ever hear anything of Rob? Sally said,  Lonnie, he’s dead. I felt it three years ago. I think King killed him . I cain’t prove it, but I know in my heart he did it. Brit paid and led the mustang away.

Back at Sally’s cabin he asked, ain’t none of my business Sally, but I cain’t help but wonder about you. Don’t get me wrong, but you’ve got me interested. What can I do for you? You’ve gone to a lotta trouble for me and I sure didn’t deserve it. Aside from a hell of a right hand, you are someone that really got my attention. Lonnie mentioned a man named Rob. I buried a man by that name a few years back up on the Trinidad’s he’d been shot and  left to die . I think he said his last name was Stone. Sally almost screamed , ,’ Rob! Rob Gladstone! God Brit was it Robert? What did he look like? Brit said, Tall man dark brown hair. Beat up pretty bad, rope burns on his neck. He was outta his mind . Lived about two days. I couln’t get more than a name . I though it was Rob Stone. Coulda been Gladstone.  Hard to understand him and he kept saying , Keep digging! Gotta keep diggin! Sally exclaimed, Oh God! It was Rob. Brit it was my Rob, my husband. Oh God! I cain’t believe it! Brit said, Sally, this is unbelievable. Gotta be fate that brought me to the Road house the other night. I was headed for Trinidad, but got drunk instead. Down right crazy.  You think he was your husband Rob. Some one sure tried to kill him. Looks like they tried to hang him too. You know he might have been trying to save his life by digging into the pine tree needles they were pretty deep under the trees.

Sally was crying as Brit described where and how he found Rob and finally said,  Sally he had nothing on him but overalls and a red shirt. There was nothing in his pockets . I asked Sheriff Evans about him a few weeks later. He had no information  about such a man. Sally said, He wouldn’t have been known in Trinidad, but I’m sure the Goldstone ranch  was known there. It’s the biggest about thirty miles south east of Rayton. If you asked the sheriff about a Rob Stone he wouldn’t connect the name.’Brit said, Sally , I never believed in the Indians Great Spirit, but I’m half Apache. I almost feel that what I think is fate may be the work of the Great Spirit. Tell me about yourself if you don’t mind. I feel a matching spirit in you and how do you feel about me.’ Sally said, Brit a woman in my business cain’t have any secrets. We just live from day to day. My story is pretty well known by most.

‘ My Rob’s mother was Annie Gladstone and after Sam Rob’s Dad disappeared, she married that Colonel King from fort Union. They never found Sam’s body. Indian kill maybe. Rob was a strong man and  was trying to run things but he broke down in tears every time his Dad’s name came up. I never did understand that. We were married just before Annie died .King  and Rob had a lot of fights after Annie died. King wanted to take over the Ranch.  Rob had been hauling supplies for the fort and on a trip, he just disappeared King claimed the Indians killed him. Then King claimed I wasn’t married to Rob. That I was just a squaw, but Brit I’m no Indian and I had a paper showing I was married by a priest in Santa Fe. King robbed my room and burned every thing. King even tried to assault me , but I’m a big girl. He didn’t like me much after that, but followed me to a  mercantile in Rayton to get supplies. He drove away at a run, leaving me with nothing.’

He wouldn’t allow me back on the ranch. Told every one that I had no claim to any thing, that I was a loose woman living in sin with Rob. It’s bad enough out here when your man is killed . I’ve met lots of those girls in the last few years. It begins just selling drinks and talking with men , but money changes that and soon girls are selling themselves to get more of it. I’m not making any excuses, I’m my own fault.  I made the life I’m living now. Yeah. I’d like to go away, find a husband or a descent job somewhere, but  it’s always just a dream. Descent jobs won’t pay the rent for a single girl. Brit said, Sally my Father was  with the Territorial Government here in New Mexico Territory for most of his career. Yeah, I was schooled against my will and learned a lot, but I took after my mother wanting to live in the wild. Now Gladstone , Sam Gladstone had to be Indian , probably Comanche. That’s an Indian name Sally. It became a name after the white eyes started  mining for gold every where. Sam  evidently came from an Indian family that took their name from having gold or much glad stone as it was known by many. I’d bet anything Sam Gladstone knew the secret to locating gold on that big ranch. I’d also bet that if you could back track the ranch income, you’d find deposits that didn’t come from selling long horn Mexican cattle.

Sally said, " Brit I never heard of any gold, but I do know there was a great argument between King and Rob concerning a big deposit he had made in the Santa Fe Drover’s National Bank to cover cost of adding a big swat of Ranch land closer to Rayton. It was part of an old Spanish land grant that Sam had always dreamed of owning. Rob refused to ever say where the money came from, but claimed his Father Sam had set it aside before his death  to