Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

The freighters harnessed their team and backed the wheelers into the doubletree hooking the trace chains straightening the tugs in the carriers . They did the same with the leaders running the four sets of reins through the guides to the wagon box . They picked up Lucy's fat black dog and put him in the box pulling up and settling in the box themselves .

Don Steve and John were leading with the pack horses . Don was leading one pack horse , John and Steve had two apiece . Don left first to stay slightly ahead and watch for trouble . Everyone was on lookout for Comanche or bushwhackers . This much supplies and goods were a target for either . They did the same as yesterday making good time but not risking the stock . At noon the Rangers changed their horses to carry packs to spell them out . The freighters unhitched and left their horses in harness to water them in a low spot still holding water .


They ate jerky and gave the dog some . They moved on north steadily

[chuck j]

Lucy and her fried bacon AND ham for breakfast ! They scrambled eggs with onions and fried potatoes in them . Rosa made fried cinnamon beard with sugar on it . It was going to be a light day and hopefully restful for everyone .


The men came bringing buckets of water getting coffee and all bragging on the food setting on the table . They ate and everyone was more talkative and laughing than at supper yesterday . As they sat down Wade said ...We will take a break today . We will have an easy day to rest with light work and go to the river this evening .


All the men started saying ...No ! We are so close to being finished with the cabins ! We want to finish ! Wade said holding his hands up ...We will finish tomorrow but there is still furniture , shelves and more to build . Today we take a break an do different things . Juan and Carlos I want you to saddle up and ride the river downstream . Simon and Tomas will go upstream . We have never really scouted the river both ways and need to know more about what is there and the lay of the river and land . It's important to us . Zeke , Rosa and Nate will hunt and Lucy will just do anything she wants to . They all laughed .


They finished eating and all went to do the job given . Wade worked on his logbook as she and Lucy started a pot of beans for lunch . When he finished he said to her ...Come with me !


They went to the pens and he saddled Bud and the black mule . She said ...Where are we going ! He said ...We are just going for a ride . We have never ridden together and it's time to . They mounted and rode to the ford and Wade said ...Lets cross . She said ...I have never been on the other side of the river Wade ! He just said ...I know . He eased Bud into he water with her following . They pulled out on the south bank and rode east toward the first waterhole to Eliasville talking and enjoying the morning .

[chuck j]

Ed hauled up in the saddle . His horse was rested with him feeling some better . The sun was coming up and he turned his horse west to travel till this evening when he would turn north to try and cut the Comanches trail . He was now on the Llano Estacado, there was no cover and you could see forever to the ends of the earth all around you .

[chuck j]

Zeke with Rosa carrying Nate headed upriver to the bend where Wade had held his cattle . Rosa said ...Maybe we will find a buffalo ! Zeke laughed out loud and said ...But we only have a shotgun ! You need a big rifle like Ed's to kill a buffalo ! Rosa asked what was the difference ! Zeke explained how rifles , shotguns and pistols were good for different things . Rosa said ...I want to shoot a pistol ! They are small and would be easy to shoot . Zeke told her that pistols were for close up and mainly protection .

He stopped and laid down the shotgun . He told her to lay Nate behind them a ways and pulled his Colt Army out . He showed her how to hold it and how it worked . He said ...See the top pad of cactus there pointing . It's about thirty feet from us ...See if you can hit it ! She was a little scared and unsure but raised the Colt with both hands and fired . Smoke filled the air and the cactus was unharmed . Zeke told her to take her time and hit that pad ! She slowly fired all cylinders but the cactus was untouched .


Zeke showed her how to reload and that they would shoot it again before they returned home . She was carrying Nate beside Zeke thinking and said ...I will wait to kill a buffalo when senor Ed comes home ! A pistol is hard to shoot . Zeke said ...You will learn , your a smart girl .! He patted her on the head and they talked about many things .

[chuck j]

Wade and her had a nice ride in the cool of the morning . They just rode the edge of the shinnery on the south side of the river . They stopped across from the laundry rock on the opposite side of the river and went through the shinnery looking at her rock on the other side . She said ...It feels strange to see my laundry spot from here ! They talked of the big fight with the Comanche and Wade said ...I was worried to death for you when you got wounded . It scared me with you and Nate being pinned down ! She said ...Well it scared me when you backed off and just crossed the river right in front of them shooting ! I knew they would kill you ! You must never do anything like that again !

They rode back to the cabin and she said ...This is the first time we ever just took off and did something on our own . We need to do it more . Wade agreed .

They got back to the cabin and Rosa ran out to meet them saying ...Zeke let me shoot his pistol ! Pistols are hard to shoot . We got two jackrabbits and four rattlesnakes ! Zeke showed me to stay back and kill the snakes with a big long stick ! I was scared but not anymore !

Wade carried Rosa in the cabin on his back her laughing .

[chuck j]

The Garcia's reported in at lunch . Her and Wade learned quite a bit about the river and land around it on the north side . They knew more than they did and the Garcia's knew the country better . They of coarse said there were many pecan trees up and down river . Everyone seemed to think her idea to sell pecans would not work because they were everywhere here but she understood that in other parts of the country they didn't grow . She just didn't know what it cost to ship them and the market on them . Captain Jack had said he was going to get her some shipping costs up north so maybe that would help .


They needed to get money coming in , they had spent a lot on land , supplies and wages . They had obligations .

[chuck j]

Lucy told her she wanted to talk to her , Zeke and Wade about staying at the ranch . She said ...Certainly Lucy , I think you already know you can stay though . Lucy just bucked up and said ...Yes ! But it needs be talked about to where we all understand one another ! She said ...Everyone would agree with you . I'll get Zeke and Wade and we will talk on the ground under trees at the stock pen right now . Go on there and I'll find them .

Lucy seemed nervous and agreed , she went to the trees by the pens . She got Zeke and Wade from behind the shed where they were figuring how best to finish the cabins . She told them what Lucy had on her mind and they went together and sat with Lucy in the shade .

Lucy seemed anxious or nervous . She said ...I'l tell it flat out ! I love this place ! My kids are gone on their own and I don't want to live in my big house by myself with nothing to do but gossip with other old women in town !

This ranch has a life of it's own with all the people and comings and goin on ! I want to be a part of it and you if you have me . I'm going to be honest ! My husband Henry and me did well in the freight business , He bought me that big house in Eliasville . I never wanted no big house but he wanted it for me cause I stuck it out with him for thirty eight years and three children . I loved that man and miss him every day .

I have some over six thousand dollars , I will give you five thousand of that . I'm keeping the remainder in case one of my kids needs help or I want something . I will sell my house and divide all that to my children . I will give you all my household furniture , wood heaters ,supplies , farm equipment and all else except what I would need here myself .


In return I do not want to be an owner . All I want is my own cabin . I plan on just doing what I'm doing now and being part of the ranch .

Zeke said ...You can live here and give us nothing Lucy ..You know that . You have been a blessing . Lucy said ...NO ! You three are touching peoples lives ! I want to be part of this !

Zeke said ...I already know we want you to stay . But you think on it till tomorrow ...or longer . It's a big step in your life Lucy .

Lucy shook her head yes and went to the cabin .

[chuck j]

Ed rode west a day and staked his horse , there were still puddles to get water but fading as they went farther into the Lano . The prairie grass was shorter the ground more barren . They were gaining elevation , rain here was little all year . The canyon had water and grass plenty and Ed knew that was where the Comanche were headed .

He woke well before sun up and slowly rode north in the dark . The trail would still be obvious and he didn't plan on finding it till evening hopefully . Ed couldn't hide here , all he could do is fight or run . He wanted the Comanche far ahead of him to track and find them in the canyon . He was kept moving steady and slow saving his horse .

[chuck j]

They had all went to the river yesterday evening and rested . Lucy , Rosa and her had washed laundry and bathed in the river . Rosa couldn't swim so they started teaching her ..she was a quick learner . The men bathed and fished and everyone wore clean clothes back to the cabin to eat .

They were rested , the easy day had renewed them and they were ready to finish the cabins !

[chuck j]

Don halted them to camp . The stock was unharnessed and unpacked , lead to water and staked to graze . Everything was going well and Don hoped to reach the ranch tomorrow but knew it would most likely be the next day . They didn't build a fire , just ate jerky and went to bed at sundown . Don wanted to get home .

[chuck j]

The men came in to breakfast . They were really looking forward to finishing the cabins today . Wade asked her how she had made the cattail mattress on her bed and she said ...My father showed me , I don't know where he learned but they hold up well . You have to tie small bundles of dried cattails then weave the cord tying them together . Lucy , Rosa and me could make them but we need dried cattails . Wade said ...We need to start cutting and drying then . We have plenty of cattails at the river .

The Garcia's ate and went straight out to work . Lucy sat down and said ...I haven't changed my mind on moving here . When we go to Eliasville I'll get my money , it's buried at the house . Ya'll can pick through my property I can't use and take what you will . I'll get Ed Staley to sell my house for me .


They talked at length and told her if she changed her mind before they went to Eliasville there would be no hard feelings . She just said ...I can't wait to get in my cabin and get it set up and have my dog back !

[chuck j]

After lunch only finish work remained on the cabins . They flew into it ! The walls were tight , the floors well fitted , They might have a few leaks come fist rain but that was nothing and easy to fix . Lucy said she wanted the smaller cabin on the northwest corner of the shed because it was closest to her cabin where they would be during the day . Zeke told her that was fine and he would take the other .

Zeke and Lucy had their own cabins and the Garcia's and Rangers had their own ! It was coming together fast it seemed like but there was still much to do fencing , haying , adding to the livestock shed . Now the Garcia's might move their families to the ranch ! More cabins need be build plus her bedroom .

Tomorrow they would have a new plan , Zeke , her and Wade needed to figure out the priorities for work . Winter was only a short time away and they wanted to have cattle by spring .Yes ...there was much to do .

[chuck j]

They made the last waterhole before getting to the for on the river . They camped and John shot three rabbits around the waterhole . They built a fire and cooked the rabbits . They were all happy the ranch was less than a day away . Don , Steve and John were saying things about the new bunkhouse and they bet it was finished . The freighters asked a lot of questions and they all ate good and talked . Don cut open a sack of potatoes and baked one for each in the coals .

The old black dog got all the bones and trimmings from the rabbits and chewed on the rabbit heads for fun as they talked . It was another good day .

[chuck j]

Ed sat on the ground by his horse . He had gotten far north pacing and saving his horse . he had cut the Comanche trail and knew about where they were headed in the canyon . He couldn't risk getting closer and would travel in the dark to the canyon ..it was his only chance to maybe get away . All he needed was to find their location in the canyon from the rim and head to Fort Stockton . Ed sat and waited for dark , he hoped there was a moon tonight .

[chuck j]

The moon got high enough to give some light little through it was . He rode west north west steadily still saving his horse . He needed to be on the rim as the sun came up . He was worn out but his horse was rested . If his suspicions were true he had a two to three day hard ride to Fort Stockton . He thought that if he made it back to the ranch what would he do .


Ed still was fighting within . He didn't fear the Comanche but feared the people that cared about him . What if he failed them like he did his family .

Ed lowered his head and spoke , his horse turned his ears back unused to Ed saying anything . But Ed said ;


Lord ..God help me ! Hide me Lord . Help me get home . I know I haven't talked to you most of my life . Help me through your Spirit . I want to start living again Lord . I don't know why you have let me live . I ask you to help me . Lord I have changed . Be with me , consider me .


Ed opened his eyes and rode on .