Rocky Raccoon Ch. 05

I arrived home in November, happy to see my family and the ranch again. There were new buildings up on various parts of the property, a testament to what my brother had started before he left for New Orleans.

Juan Carlos was there, just about to go back home. He and Helga were practically joined at the hip and when he asked me to take a ride with him I was pretty sure what we would be talking about. We had stopped in a draw, looking down at the cattle sheltering there around the massive haystacks Tex had ordered for the coming winter. They wouldn't be opened until January unless the weather turned really bad. It would only feed the cattle there for a week or so, but it would help.

"Next year will be my last drive unless I choose to make it a profession. I have been asked many times to gather herds and drive them to different locations. It would be profitable but with the risks associated with such ventures I do not think I will do it. I think it is a dying business anyway"

I knew what he was talking about. Between the Indians, rustlers, and owners, crooked trail towns and law enforcement, and the vagaries of Mother Nature the risks could be tremendous. Plus drives had been going on for years now and would hit saturation point soon. "I've been thinking, Juan Carlos, that perhaps we should subcontract the herd for next year. I'm sure you could recommend enough good men to get the job done. Besides, your father is more than ready for you to settle down and commence the next generation."

"You are right my amigo but I'm afraid my sister has already seen to that. I just got a letter last week and she just had her second child. Two boys now. I think, brother, that you missed a golden opportunity there."

I thought about his sister with her ebony locks and flashing eyes and agreed. "I agree but morally and emotionally I was not ready for a true relationship. It will be one of my great regrets in life but I think perhaps she has done well for herself."

She had married a red haired giant that would have been better suited to the Highlands of Ireland than the plains of Mexico, one of the Wild Geese that had fled when the potato blight hit. He'd been a small boy then but he vividly remembered the hunger and vowed no child of his would ever repeat that experience. He came from nothing but he studied, worked, and applied himself, stalking the wild herds of horses that dotted the West, capturing and selling them, keeping only the very best for himself. When he could afford it he imported breeds to strengthen his herds and became very successful.

He sold a few selected head to Don Carlos, saw the daughter, and sparks flew. He pursued the courting process diligently before asking for a private talk with the Don. He showed him his records, his success and financial statement, and asked for her hand.

Don Carlos approved, knowing that if he refused he'd have to keep her under lock and key. His one requirement was that he moved part of his operation to the home ranch so he could see his daughter on a regular basis. They married, a major social event for the local gentry, and built a nice home in a valley five days ride from the main house. Juan says they are very happy and very much in love. I would be meeting him the next summer when I visited. Finally Juan got around to the subject at hand.

"I know it comes as no surprise to you that Helga and I have fallen in love. I intend to ask your father for her hand before I leave. What is more important than his blessing is yours. You are a good friend and I want you to know I will honor her my whole life. Could you see me as a possible brother-in-law?"

It shook him when I answered. "I'm sorry, Juan, but I could never see you as a brother-in-law. I can't because I consider you a brother and that is more important to me. I wish you and Helga the best."

I think the statement moved him but I meant it. Often over the last few years I marveled about my path in life. I came from modest beginnings to achieve things I never thought possible. I had the home ranch and co owned two more with Spuds and all our businesses were thriving.

While I was in New Orleans Gaston and Pierre had come to me with an opportunity. A cotton brokerage and warehouse was going up for sale. The owner was a compulsive gambler with limited skills and had amassed debts he could not reasonably pay off. This sale was a last ditch effort to save something for his family.

We bought the business and kept the owner as the manager. His business skills were not lacking, it was his hobbies that were his undoing. We met him and made it very clear that if he amassed debt again he was on his own, we would fire him immediately and eviction proceedings would begin. Part of the deal was allowing him to stay in his home rent free. We did it more for his wife and two sons than him and the wife promised us faithfully if she found him slipping she would inform us immediately. It was already starting to generate dividends.

Pierre also introduced me to a man of color who had a great skill. The man could raise anything. He talked to me about crop rotation, allowing fields to rest every four years by not planting them that season and all kinds of other things I'd never known to make crops grow better. He also showed me his recipe for homemade fertilizer.

When he opened the door to the shed it almost took my head off. He used horse manure from his own operation plus the stables that Pierre owned, and he mixed it about seventy-thirty with rotten fish. The fish was provided by two local fishermen who sold him their catch every day instead of journeying to the markets of New Orleans. Phillipe wanted to expand but didn't have the capital. Pierre, me, and one more partner bought eight hundred acres near him at a rock bottom price because the soil was worn out. Our other partner was Marie. Pierre grinned when he told me.

"Her services are by no means cheap and she is very conservative with her money. Her clients usually give her a gift when they part ways and over the years she has received some very nice pieces of jewelry that she sells after a proper amount of time. The only exception I've ever seen her make is your gift. Marie says it will be written into her will that she be buried with them around her neck."

Phillipe promised that within five years all the acreage would be restored and be productive again. He wanted to raise cotton, corn, and rice, rotating as needed. He got fifty per cent of all profits after expenditures and the rest was split between us. It would probably be two years before he would turn a profit but he had an account to draw on if anything was needed and to pay living expenses. Marie assured me our faith would be rewarded.

She was being escorted everywhere by a young man just barely out of his teens and it was evident to all he was smitten. "Poor Charles. He had a very strict upbringing and came to me a virgin. His father passed and his grandfather gained guardianship until he turns 21 in two more years. Wanting him skilled in all things he came to me. His size is a bit smaller than the norm but he has great enthusiasm, excellent recovery time, and a willingness to learn. The girl he marries will be very lucky. Plus the broken heart he gets when the contract is up will make him grow up a little. Unfortunately he's making the classic mistake of youth, confusing lust for love."

New Orleans. Quicksand. I was sad and glad in equal measure to get out. The day I left she showed up wearing the pearls and gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek. Then she whispered in my ear. "My next client is your brother. I hope he lives up to your legacy."

I grinned all the way to the train station.

While I was in New Orleans I received periodic updates on Bradshaw. He did go to Natchez where apparently he had a run of bad luck. His luck was so bad he took to selling Nancy's favors for living money. She acquired a new nickname, Backdoor Lil. Seems I wasn't the only one who had been educated in the pleasures of anal sex. I wondered if she still liked her glamourous life.

From Natchez he went to St. Louis, working the poker room on the paddlewheeler. His luck must have turned because he was in new clothes and flashing cash when they landed. From there they went to Baltimore before heading West again. The Pinks thought he was heading for Chicago.

Juan brought me back to the present by pointing out a line of Sioux that were coming over the ridge. I'd visited Long Horse and Swallow as soon as I returned. My youngest brother had almost gone totally native, his hair in two long braids down his back. His Indian wife was four months pregnant and glowed when he introduced her.

Once the reunion was over he suggested we take a ride. We stopped just under a ridge looking down on the camp. Thanks to our enterprises the tribe was flourishing and they were more than willing to help any other village who needed it.

"I need a wagon. Will you send some supplies out? Make it a big one because I bet we've got more than a thousand pounds of gold stashed away."

That really shocked me. A thousand pounds of gold was a fortune in this day and time. He continued his explanation.

"Despite me telling them not to the tribe continued to bring me gold nuggets when they found them. One weighed eight pounds. They all knew the dangers of showing it to anyone and it's probably the best kept secret in the territories."

A thousand pounds. That was a lot of gold. It looked like my friend would return to his mine in the spring. My brother made a request. "I need some of that gold to buy land. We both know it's only a matter of time before word of the gold gets out and when it does it will be the end of peace. I want to buy enough land to put up a buffer between the tribe and any outsiders who may come looking. The Sioux can't really do anything without starting a war, but if it's my land they can't say shit if I run them off."

It wasn't foolproof but it was still a pretty decent plan. I promised to contact my old railroad friends and get the process started. I left after a week but the night before I would be gone I got the headmen together and gave them some straight talk.

"The yellow rock will not stay hidden forever. When it becomes common knowledge men will come looking and the fact that this is your land will not stop them. You must be prepared. Short Horse has a plan and you must follow his advice on this. I need your agreement."

Short Horse was my brother's Indian name, a variation on his adopted father Long Horse. There was a lot of grumbling, especially from the younger ones, but the old ones had enough dealings with the whites to know not to trust them. I warned them to think of their families before they went on the warpath. Time would tell if my advice got taken. I knew it wouldn't because the Sioux were prideful people and excellent fighters but that didn't matter. They may beat the men but they couldn't beat the pen. Thier lands would be taken and the survivors herded onto a reservation somewhere to die of starvation and abuse.

I was a little concerned over the presence of the Calvary in the area. It seems there was a hot headed officer looking to make a name for himself because he had political aspirations. He was in the Civil War and knew the quickest way to be recognized was to win a battle. Unfortunately right now there were no enemies to battle but that could change very quickly, especially if it were pushed along. Another reason not to talk about the gold.

Juan and I talked about the political situation as we rode and I was concerned about how things would go. I hinted that maybe he should take Helga and my mother with him when he left. She would see first hand the place she would be living and the people she would be surrounded with. I'm sure his family would welcome her with open arms and I was going to make sure she had an adequate dowry, one suitable to the culture.

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Juan proposed and Helga enthusiastically accepted. We had our Christmas celebration on Thanksgiving. The gifts I had picked up in my travels were well received. I felt a twinge of sadness when I gave Mother and Helga the pearls thinking of Marie. Then I thought of my brother, still in New Orleans and smiled. No doubt he had a very nice early Christmas present as well.

My father was impressed with the walking stick I gave him. I'd had two made when Gaston showed me his. It was a stout cane but with a twist of the handle it was a sword. Gaston was very impressive with it and I took a few lessons from a swordmaster, enough to learn the basics and a few tricks. He also appreciated the Tennessee whisky. I gave Spuds, Tex, and Short Horse(all he would answer to now) a pair of pistols each. Smith &Wesson Model 2 in .44 caliber to match their Winchester carbines. They were extremely reliable and much easier to load thanks to the top break design. It was what I carried now.

Every hand that worked for us down to the cook we had to hire got a bonus. A month's pay. It was unheard of at the time but it wasn't much in the grand scheme of things and it bound them to us even tighter. I got a feeling we would be losing the cook soon. She was a widow and close in age to Spuds. They hit it off and he was a frequent visitor.

I rattled around in the big house for a few weeks. Then I got to thinking. Spuds had someone. Tex told me he was courting the widow of one of his old enemies when he was in Texas and I suspected thaat one day they would marry. I wondered if Tex would move back or remain here. He was segundo now, in charge of the cattle operation, and making over twice what a normal hand made. Short Horse had his Indian maiden. I had Doe Eyes and Smiles, yet here I was alone. It was not hard for me to make the decision. This spring when I saw them they would be coming home with me.

I knew it would be a big scandal when I showed with not one but two Indian wives and a passel of kids but I did not care. The Army and the railroad most likely wouldn't care and if they did it wouldn't be enough for them to break their contracts.

On the next supply run into town I picked up the mail, surprised to see a large packet from the Pinkertons. I know it galled them no end that I hadn't moved on my enemy and had discretely offered to 'take care of my problem' but I held them back. Honestly I was in no hurry. I wanted them to forget all about me while I systematically destroyed their lives.

There was a report saying he had returned to the East, and seen regularly in the Memphis and Lexington areas. He seemed interested in race horses. Nancy was still with him, for some reason he considered her his good luck charm and the increased financial position meant she hadn't had to sell her charms lately, although the Pinkertons reported she did have a dalliance with one of their business partners, which Bradshaw used against him for a better deal. The man was from a prominent family, married to an heiress and with three children. If his affair came to light it could be very bad for him financially and socially. I toyed with the idea of exposing him but let it go. He was just collateral damage and riuning him would bring me no closer to my goal.

Instead, I packed a bag and a case, and left for the East in late January. Spuds sighed when I told him. I was in a poker game with him, Tex, and my father. We were playing for pennies and I was amusing myself by running up the cards and making sure they all won at least one big pot. "I fear, Rocky, that until you put this to rest you will never be content. Finish it, find a nice woman, and settle down. You were a lot happier married."

I grinned at him. Spuds had finally proposed and Mary had accepted. Tex was leaving in March to meet Juan and the herd and I had a feeling he would not be returning alone. Dad and Mother were still happily married even though they spent considerable amounts of time away from each other. I envied them all, then thought about Doe Eyes and grinned wider. Boy were they in for a surprise.

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I stepped off the ferry in Memphis feeling overdressed in my buffalo hide coat. It had been twenty below and a blizzard brewing when I left home and now I was here in the susnshine while the temperarture hovered in the mid-forties.

I hired a handsome cab and soon me and my luggage were deposited in front of the Commodore Hotel. It was supposedly one of the top three in the city and judging by the grand lobby it was quite opulent. I had she the heavy coat and was in a suit. A siut suitable for the praire where formal clothes were the exception instead of the rule but that practically screamed 'countyr bumpkin'. I could see the look of disdain in theclerk's face as I approached the counter.

He didn't give me a chance to speak. "I'm sorry, sir. We have no rooms available."

I grinned. So this was how it was going to be. I gave my best country drawl. "Well it's a damn good thing I booked and paid in advance. I'm Liam McGill. If you check your registry you'll see I was due today. I need a bell captain to take my luggage to my suite, and I'll require a bath in one hour. Hurry along please."

He did not like my tone, he did not like my look, and he hated my attitude. He pretended to look over the registry. "I'm sorry sir but I have no listing for you. I'm afraid we will have to help you find other accomodations."

I stopped the first bell hop that came by and gave him a twenty. It was an unheard of amount of money for a tip but I wanted to make a statement. "Son, this is yours if you'll fetch the manager. THE manager, understand?" Not looking at the desk clerk he nodded quickly and rushed off. Three minutes later he came back with a very agitated man in tow.

I addressed him. "Sir, are you the mananger here?"

"I am."

"Then as manager could you tell me how my reservation, that was made and paid for three weeks ago, has somehow disappeared off the books? If you would, will you check again? If it helps I have a letter of introduction from Congressman Tarlton, and a few others, most noticeably Judge Fairbanks, James Winston, and Mrs. Hanna Jones."

The man paled a little. I'd just named of three of the most prominent citizens of the city. I got the letters courtesy of Gaston and his friends, with instructions on who to call on. He stepped behind the desk and almost yanked the ledger out of the clerk's hand. You could see the hasty eraser marks that didn't quite obscure my name. He glared at the clerk who wilted before him before turning to me.

"I apologise, Mr. McGill. The error has been corrected. If you will allow, I will have your luggage taken to your suite and make sure you get anything you need as promptly as possible."

I shocked him by grinning and shaking his hand. "Thank you sir. it's nice to meet a professional of your caliber. I was just telling your man I'd need bath water drawn in an hour."

The man beamed under the praise. "I have a better suggestion. Please avail yourself of the bath house and steam rooms next door. I will put you on the registry and you may bathe at your liesure."

"That is beyond kind of you. I won't sully your position by offering you a gratuity but I will not hesitate to sing the praises of your establishment and mention you by name to anyone I associate with while I'm in your fair city."

That shocked him. If I was in the company of the movers and shakers of the city and state, word of mouth to those people was advertising that couldn't be bought. He practically fawned over me. "Will you be dining with us tonight sir?"

"After reading the reviews you would have to lock the doors to keep me out. I've actually met your chef once, when we were both in New Orleans. He was visiting his father's restaurant and we struck up a conversation. I promised him I would dine with him at the first opportunity. I'd like an early seating. The trip was not physically demanding but mentally exhuasting."