Slim Siringo Series

Danny Siringo, who likes to be known as, Slim, his nickname, enters Paris, Texas in search of a doctor for a friend who had been horned by a cow causing a bad wound. A bad storm had come up at night with lightning, rain, and thunder causing the steers to run. Quite a few dead cows, a few dead horses from the remuda. Men wore out, cold, wet, and very surly. Slim was chosen to go to Paris and bring back a doctor. While there, Slim met a woman he had planned to marry at one time, bu, she called the wedding off. Chet Early, trail boss left for Paris in search of horses to replenish his remuda. Then, as luck would have it, Slim's sister, Jenny, found him in Paris, Texas after she had gone searching for him to let him know there was trouble at home. After hearing what the trouble was, Slim and Jenny boarded a westbound stage to go home. They had traveling companions, as in 2nd Lieutenant Jamie Carlson and his wife, Susan fresh from West Point. An Irishman named Flynn Patrick McDonagh. The stage run into trouble after more trouble with the Apache, as well as, a of group of rough, tough, and rowdy men who, at one time, helped chase an Apache war party away from the Walnut Ridge Way Station where the stage was under attack. Slim and Jenny were going by westbound stage to Ringgold Barracks and Way Station, then, from there, north across Red River into Oklahoma, to Comanche and home, but, the northbound stage was late. Very late. Stranding Slim and Jenny in Ringgold, Texas. 

                                          A Troublesome Wind, picks up where Apache Raids leave off. It seems that wherever Slim, and his sister, Jenny goes, they find trouble, or is it trouble finds them? However you look at it, they draw trouble to themselves like bees to honey. They have been delayed in Ringgold, Texas from going North to Comanche, Oklahoma, and home because the Northbound stage was late due to being attacked by a Comanche war party, and everyone on board was killed, and scalped. Slim, and Jenny had to wait for the stage to be brought in by Sheriff, Ira Bingham of Ringgold, Texas, and a posse of men, then, wait for a new company driver to be sent for and then wait for the new driver to arrive. Coupling their troublesome wind to those who were left of the Ridge Riders, and the troubles they had in Comanche with Devlin Wade and his guns for hire, it was just one troublesome wind after another. When Slim and Jenny finally made it home to Comanche, trouble was, again, waiting for them, but this trouble was more of an emotional kind, and very much expressive to a more sensitive outcome. They were unprepared for the shocking revelation. The remaining Ridge Riders, then befriended Slim, and his family in their effort to rid themselves, and the town of Comanche, Oklahoma of the troublesome Devlin Wade, and his guns for hire. 'A Troublesome Wind', is never a good thing.

Slim has come home, and he has brought with him three men who has sided with the Siringo family to eradicate the menace known as Devlin Wade. However, the way to do that is still in question. Simply shooting the man, as Will Ferguson has suggested, is still under advisement, but it is against the law providing there is no proof of his wrongdoing. The man cannot simply be tied to anything illegal. Everything, at least on paper, looks to be above board and legal as the day is long. Slim has lived through Apache raids, as well as, troublesome winds that seems to be blowing over the land. With the country in turmoil of a civil war looming, and Devlin Wade harassing Comanche, Oklahoma, there is no peace anywhere. There is a howling wind blowing the spirit of ill will towards civil war. Despite the chill in the air of this civil unrest that may lead into a civil war, Slim and his family are on high alert for anything and everything Devlin Wade sends their way. Before Slim and Jenny returned home, Slim had said this would be a search for information, but he hadn't been home for a full 24 hours until he had all the information he needed. His brother, Randy was dead by an assassin's bullet. They believe that order came from Devlin Wade. Then, an evening raid on his home perpetrated by Devlin Wade resulted in the death of one of his guns for hire. A howling wind is more than just noise. There's cause and effect.

'Lengthening Shadows', are dark clouds forming over the country with the threat of civil war looming on the horizon. For the last six months or so in Comanche, Oklahoma, the only war that was being waged was the war against a man named Devlin Wade. He has waged war against the people of Stephens County. The man was ruthless, clever, and heartless in his dealings with the folks of Comanche and the surrounding county area. Wade had caused one grievous act after another only to be exonerated, due to lack of evidence. He kept everyone in Comanche on edge, and well aware of his ruthlessness. What folks didn't know was, what would Wade do next, and when would he do it. In the midst of this turmoil is the Siringo family and anyone associated with them, such as Mike Eagan and his drovers. Mike sold the cattle that Wade wanted delivered, but Mike sold the Texas scrub cattle to Richard Siringo. Flynn McDonagh, Seamus O'Neil, and Casey O'Connor had finally reached Waco, Texas at last. They could not find their connections in Waco as of yet. They were in a hurry to get rid of the wagon of weapons to their contacts in Waco. Taking their weapons wagon to Etsy's barn, and a man to guard the wagon, the other three went to the Buckhorn saloon to wet their throats, but primarily to find their contacts. Prior to Etsy's barn, they had gathered a crowd around their wagon wondering what was on it. When asked what was on the wagon, Clancy told them he didn't know, it wasn't his wagon. He was just getting paid to guard it and not let anybody take a look see. This caused a stir with a few men, and it wasn't long until the sheriff A.K. Masters came on the scene. They kept the contents of the wagon from everyone, especially the U.S. Cavalry. They did not want the guns confiscated due to threat of civil war.  2nd Lieutenant Jamie Carlson and his ragtag detail of troopers, who were now afoot after a Comanche Indian ambush of the 4th Cavalry, D troop. Wounded and mercilessly in pain from their wounds, they finally made it to Whitesboro, Texas. They were taken to a doctor named, Larry Crittenden by a man named, Charley Biggers  and his wife, Rea, who come upon them in their buckboard just out of Whitesboro. Sergeant Major Del Dickerson sent a telegram to Fort Richardson letting the Colonel know what had happened, where they were, and asking for help. The troopers were given rooms at the hotel awaiting troops from Fort Arbuckle where it was easier for Doc Crittenden to care for his charges. Waiting for help from Fort Arbuckle was somewhat a blessing because it afforded the troopers however that much time to recover from their wounds, and it allowed Doc Crittenden to administer his aide to their wounds. These accounts are intertwined in this, the 5th book of the Slim Siringo series. The everyday accounts of three undertakings at the same time herein, affords the reader of life in three aspects of life on the frontier. A story inside a story, inside a story. One of war before a civil war, and one of hurried secrecy, and yet, another one being a story of determination of will and rescue. You will enjoy all three accounts.