Gone to Kansas Ch. 03

I asked Mr. Davis what he knew about the Miller brothers, he said they were outlaws and cattle rustlers that had been stealing a little from all the ranchers in about a hundred-mile radius. But so far had been too smart to get caught. I asked him what he knew about Price, Uncle Tom's hired hand. He said he didn't know anything about him other than he'd come from the Indian territories a few years ago, lending some credit to Marshal Russel's belief that Price might be an outlaw himself.

I thanked Mr. Davis for his time and told him I'd probably be back with some more cattle to sell for Aunt Helen in a few months. He wished me good luck and said he looked forward to doing business with me.

I left outta there, then headed over to the local saloon for a drink and possibly some information. The saloon wasn't a complete shit hole, but it was close, there were better ones in town, but I was hoping to rub elbows with some of the less desirables of these parts, hoping for more information about Uncle Tom's murder.

I bellied up to the bar and ordered a beer, there were a few empty bar stools on either side of me, but it was fairly early. I figured to just sit there and have a few drinks and see what there was to see and maybe get a little information if the opportunity arose.

I was on my second beer and the sun was down, when in walked three cowboys, dirty as hell, looked like they just got off a cattle drive. That or they was allergic to washin, they sat in the three barstools to my right, and I nodded to them and said hello. They all seemed like pretty good guys by their replies to me.

I talked to them for a bit, and they told me who they worked for and that they'd just finished up a cattle drive and were in town tonight to get drunk and then ride back to their ranch tomorrow. I agreed with them that seemed to be one hell of a plan and before the night was over, I'd learned a few things about the Miller brothers.

Apparently, they were into cattle rustling as well as robin stages, freight wagons and just about anything illegal they could do to make money. They supposedly had a ranch they used to hold stolen cattle on before selling them. One of the hands said they had people not directly associated to them that they bought stolen cattle from for a very reduced price with no questions asked. The Miller's would re brand the cattle then sell them as their own.

One of the boys had heard the Miller's ranch was just South of Caney Kansas just a few miles into the Territory but didn't know it's location. I ended up tellin the boys about Uncle Tom and they said they'd heard about his murder, but didn't know anything else, but agreed it sounded like something the Miller brothers were capable of. I asked them about Price and one of the cowpunchers said he wouldn't swear to it, but believed Price rode with the Miller brothers before he went to work for Uncle Tom.

While we were talkin I noticed a couple of rough lookin guys come in off the street, they looked like bad men that had been livin a hard life. They kinda kept to themselves, after gettin a bottle of whiskey and a couple glasses from the bartender they sat down at a table towards the back of the saloon. I asked my new friends if they knew them, they said they'd never seen them around before, said they probably rode up out of the Territory.

Not five minutes later the marshal came in and pulled up a stool by me and ordered a shot of whiskey. He looked over at me and nodded.

"Fancy seein you again Marshal! Are you out makin your evenin rounds?"

"Well Zeb, actually I'm about to try to arrest one of those two men over there, the one with the big scar on the side of his face, goes by the name of Wild Bill. No, not Hickok, mind you, but this here Wild Bill is wanted for rape on several homesteaders' wives in the area. He can't seem to take no for an answer, I guess?"

"Where's your help Marshal? Surely, you're not planning on doin this alone?"

"Well Zeb, I don't have much choice tonight, one deputy is off, and my other deputy went home sick earlier today. So, I reckon it's all on me."

"I'll tell you what Marshal, I'll gladly give you a hand with this, maybe just make sure Wild Bill's partner don't feel the need to get involved."

"Well Zeb that's mighty generous of you, I won't turn down an offer like that for sure! How about you slip on over there and when you get in a good place to back me, I'll approach Wild Bill and try to take him in alive."

"Sounds good Marshal, I'll just slowly make my way over and try to occupy the other gent's attention."

There was a card game going not too far from where the two bad men were sitting, so I worked my way on over acting like I was checking out the card game. I wasn't more than about eight feet from their table, they were involved in a conversation and didn't pay me no mind. When I saw the Marshal start walking over, I kept them in the side view of my vision, I didn't want to look directly at them and tip them off but wanted to know when I needed to act.

They looked up as the Marshal started towards them and were both looking at him as he came closer to their table, when Marshal Russel was only about three steps from their table, he introduced himself, drawing their attention. While he did that I went ahead and drew out my pistol, pointed it at the second man and cocked the hammer. The noise it made drew their attention off of the Marshal and he used that opportunity to draw his own pistol and cock the hammer pointing it at Wild Bill.

Wild Bill and his buddy, who I learned was called Murdock, slowly put their hands on the table top they were sitting at and asked what was going on.

Marshal Russel advised the two to keep their hands where he could see them and told Wild Bill he had a warrant for his arrest, that he was going to take him in and lock him up. Murdock turned his attention to me and just sat and stared at me while the Marshal put Wild Bill in handcuffs. Murdock stared at me like he was looking into my soul, then he spoke these words to me. "Boy, I'm gonna remember your face, no one points a gun at me without consequences, if we ever cross ways again, you're a gonna wish you'd never laid eyes on me."

I didn't take Murdock's words lightly, he looked like the type that would want revenge for anything he took as a slight towards him. As the Marshal walked Wild Bill out of the saloon I backed away from Murdock until I got to the door, once I got out, I holstered up and kept an eye on the saloon door until we got back to the jail.

Back at the jail the Marshal got Wild Bill situated in his new home for the time bein and thanked me for the help. "Zeb, you ever need anything just let me know and I'll try to help out however I can. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you helping me out tonight! I have no doubt it would've turned ugly without you there backin me."

"No problem, Marshal, I was happy to help, and I'll probably be seeing more of you since I'll be bringin a herd of beef in before winter, most probably."

"Zeb don't take Murdock's threat lightly. I'd bet my left nut if the two of you ever meet up again there's gonna be gun play."

"Yeah Marshal, I believe you're right about that. Murdock didn't take that to well."

"No Zeb, he sure didn't, but if you do get into a fracas with him sometime in the future, I'll know you acted in self-defense and if it happens in some other jurisdiction and you need a good word on your part, I'll be more than happy to let whoever the authorities are know that he threatened you and that you acted in self-defense."

"Thanks Marshal, you take care and I'll be seein you around, probably before the snow flies."

"Oh, Zeb, there's something else you should know about this. Apparently, there was a second man involved in the rapes, but he was never identified. I believe it was Murdock but don't have any proof, you be sure and watch your back Zeb."

"Thanks for the heads up, Marshal, I'll be keepin an eye out for him."

"Take care Zeb, and gool luck to ya!"

I was staying in the livery barn again and I headed on back there, I was going to pack up and head out in the mornin. I intended on trying to catch up with the Lee's in the next day or so and ride to their place with them. About that time, I realized with all the excitement of helping the Marshal that I hadn't had any supper yet. I dug through my stuff and found a couple of pieces of cornbread and some honey; it wasn't much but it'd hold me over.

I got up with the sun the next mornin and got my things together, ate some breakfast and headed out for Coffeyville. I'd made about fifteen miles before stopping to let the horse's water at a creek and graze just a bit. I figured to catch up with the Lee's the next evenin if everything worked out.

I wasn't too far from my horses just relaxin in the shade, it was hotter than hell today and the humidity was so high it might as well have been rainin. I was thinking about Emma and wondering if she had opened her present yet. Then I started thinkin about how good she'd look in that new dress and day dreamin of takin her out of it.

I had to answer the call of nature about then and got up to look for a good tree to hang on to for a squat. Upon finishing that I began walking back towards the horses and was day dreamin about Emma again, when I felt something hit the upper shaft of my boot and felt a sharp pain and burning sensation on my right calf.

I looked down and saw a damn rattlesnake stuck to my boot shaft, I began wildly kicking my leg tryin to get the damn thing to come loose, finally I managed to break him free, he landed a few feet away. I drew my pistol and shot the damn thing, then sat down and pulled my boot off, fearin the worst. I pulled up my pants leg and saw where one fang had just barely broken the skin on my leg. I looked up and thanked God that it just grazed me. I guess the leather of my boot kept it from getting a good hold on me. I was feeling a bit off, kinda dizzy and feeling a bit sick to my stomach. I guess even though I didn't get the full load of that rattler it was still enough to make me feel bad.

I took my knife and made a slit along the puncture hole, hoping bleeding it would help some. I managed to unload the horses and drug out my bedroll, I felt like I needed to rest a bit, so I made myself as comfortable as I could on my bedroll and just hoped this feeling would pass.

I had my canteen with me, and I started to drink, thinking maybe flushing my system with water might help some as well. I musta drifted off to sleep after a bit and I dreamed.... well, I reckon nightmares would probably more accurately describe it.

I was at a place I didn't recognize; it was a cabin out in a small clearing surrounded by woods. I was sittin under a big tree, chewing on a stem of grass. There was no one around but me and it appeared to be about mid-day, the weather was slightly cool and there was a breeze, it felt perfect. After a while of just sittin there I decided to walk up to the cabin, as I walked, I began to notice it never seemed to get any closer. I was confused about this, so I sat back down, and realized I was at the same tree I was sitting at when I started walking five minutes before.

The next thing I know, I see a girl on the front porch of the cabin, she's sweeping off the porch in a yellow dress, it was the dress I'd bought Emma for her birthday. I looked closer at the girl, I was probably about eighty or so steps from her and I could see her fairly well when she looked up from sweeping, I realized it was Emma! Just the sight of her warmed my heart. I began waving and calling to her, but she couldn't hear or see me.

All of a sudden, I could hear horses running, the sound kept growing closer, but I didn't see any dust nor any riders, I looked away from the cabin, behind me and saw nothing. Then I heard a scream, it was Emma, I turned back to the cabin and there was a man on a steel gray stallion, it was like he appeared out of nowhere!

He had roped Emma while she was standing on the front porch. She was still screaming and trying to throw off the loop, but it held fast. I was yelling at the man not to hurt her, I reached for my pistol, but it wasn't there, then I tried getting up to run to the cabin, but I couldn't move. I looked down and the tree roots had grown over my legs and around my waist not allowing me to budge!

The man on the horse spurred his mount and Emma was yanked off of the porch onto the ground, he ran the horse away from the cabin about a hundred feet then drug her back, this took all the fight outta Emma, she was covered from head to toe with dust and her dress was tattered, all her exposed skin was scraped and bloody. She just lay still on the ground, the man jumped off his mount and roughly undid the rope that was around Emma, then he drug her up on the front porch and tied her to a chair.

I was yelling as loudly as I could, but no one could hear me. I fought to get up with all my might, but it was like I was paralyzed and couldn't move. The man walked back to the steel gray stallion and mounted up, he pulled out his pistol, cocked the hammer and took careful aim at my beautiful Emma. It seemed like forever he aimed, I was yelling, begging and crying for the man to have mercy on her, but he couldn't hear anything I was saying. About that time Emma opened her eyes and saw the man aiming the pistol at her and she begged for her life. That's when I noticed I couldn't see the face of the man, all his features were vague and out of focus.

I prayed to God to save Emma from whatever evil this was, then I saw smoke coming from the barrel of the pistol and heard the loud bang of the shot! I could see the lead ball going through the air in slow motion towards her, that's when I noticed I was free from my bonds, I quickly jumped up and ran towards Emma! The ball was still traveling in super slow motion through the air to its target, but I was running as fast as lightning! I hit the porch, and the ball was still about a foot from striking Emma, I reached her and tackled her off the chair and I felt the ball strike my leg on my lower right calf, it burned like hell and then....

I jolted awake, looking around, I was sweating like crazy, I didn't see Emma, the cabin, or the man on the steel gray stallion. I was hot with fever and breathing heavy, my calf was throbbing where I'd been shot in my dream, then I remembered the snake biting me was what was causing the pain. I felt instant relief when I realized I'd been dreaming.

I looked around and it was dark out, I'd slept the day away. The moon was full that night and I could see both my horses still grazing nearby. I tried to get up but still felt dizzy and week, so I lay back down and drank some more from my canteen. I thought about the dream and how awful it was, I'd heard of people having terrible dreams after being bitten by a poisonous snake, sometime later I must have dozed back off....

I was standing outside a church, I was dressed up in a fine-looking suit just staring at the front door of the church, there was no one outside but me. It looked like it was mid-day, and it was in the fall of the year, the leaves had changed to their bright colors and there was a chill in the air. Upon turning my head back to the front doors of the church I noticed they were wide open; I could see all the way to the front of the church.

There at the front of the church in a beautiful light blue summer dress was Emma. She looked more beautiful than I'd ever seen her look in my life. Her hair was braided in a thick long ponytail. Her dress was low cut in the front exposing the upper swell of her firm young breasts and she was holding a bouquet of flowers, there was a preacher standing by her. I could see them talking and Emma looked distressed, like she was looking for someone who wasn't there.

Emma looked to the preacher and said, "Let's wait just a bit longer, I just know my Zeb will show up, he must have gotten delayed!" The preacher nodded his head to her in agreement and they both looked out the door, I couldn't understand why they couldn't see me, it was as if I didn't exist, and they were looking right through me.

I decided to walk on in since it was obvious, I was the one they were waiting for. Then it dawned on me, it was Emma and I's wedding day! I took off at a run for the door and made it into the church. Once inside it looked like Emma and the preacher were about a hundred yards down the aisle, I'd never seen a church with an aisle that long, I began walking forward and made it about a quarter of the way when I got so tired, I couldn't go any further, I sat down in a pew to rest a bit before continuing.

The preacher looked at Emma and said, "I'm sorry dear, I don't think he is coming, shall I ask around and see if anyone else would join you in marriage?"

Emma got the saddest look on her face but nodded to the preacher. "Ladies and gentlemen, it appears the groom for this beautiful bride isn't able to make it and has stood her up at the alter! Is there an honorable man that will take this woman's hand in marriage?"

I yelled out to them, "I'm here Emma! Wait for me!" I began making my way back down the aisle but about halfway there I tired again and had to rest. They couldn't see me or hear my pleas to wait.

That's when a man stood up near the front row, he was an older man of about 50 and he had on a white ruffled shirt, black dress pants, his hair was greased back under his derby hat. He made his way to the aisle; he was carrying an open bottle of what appeared to be elixir, occasionally taking sips from it. Once he got to the isle, I could see what looked like a brown stain on the front of his shirt. Where had I seen this man before? Then I got a sinking feeling in my stomach as I realized it was the carpet bagger from Joplin.

The man made it to Emma's side and took her hand in his, he offered Emma sip from his bottle, she drank heavily from it, when she looked up from taking her drink, she had a faraway look in her eyes like she had been drugged. The preacher asked the man his name and what his intentions were for Emma.

"My name is Chas Fredrick and I intend to take this beautiful creature as my bride, I will father her children."

In a panic, I took off for the front of the church again, yelling Emma's name, she still couldn't hear or see me.

The preacher looked at Chas and said, "Very well then, you seem like a fine upstanding man, and I trust you will have the bride's best interest in mind. I agree to join the two of you in holy matrimony."

"No," I yelled at the top of my lungs! "Please God, No!" I was sobbing and continued running forward, not making any headway.

I could hear the preacher start the ceremony and having them say their vows, then he told Chas to kiss his bride, as he was leaning in to kiss Emma, I jerked awake, soaked in my own sweat but chilled to the bone. I realized it was another terrible dream and I thanked God it didn't really happen.

The sun was high in the sky, I looked around and it appeared to be mid-day, the horses were still happily grazing away. I threw the top cover of my bedroll off of me and shakily got to my feat. I went over to my saddle bags and got out some dried fruit I'd picked up in Baxter Springs. I managed to eat it without getting sick, so I took that as a good sign and drank some more water. I walked down to the creek and washed my face off then got back in my bedroll. I felt somewhat better but wasn't able to head down the trail just yet.

I awoke late morning the next day and felt like my fever had broke. I got up and didn't feel too bad, my dizziness was gone. I just felt exhausted and had a headache. I decided I'd clean up in the creek, so I got a rag and a bar of lye soap from my saddlebag. Once I took my bath, I felt almost like a human being again. I hung the rag on a limb and set the soap on a rock to dry then just waited to air dry before putting on clean clothes, the ones I wore had been completely soaked with my sweat from the fever.