South does seem like the way to go, how can any of you not ride? I thought it was essential for survival out here? I mean I am not target shooter from horseback or anything but it can do the basics."
"Sounds fine to me." John boy kneels to help Estelle onto the horse, before clambering into the saddle and waiting for the others to mount up. "I only learned how to ride by sheer luck. A mule showed up near our farm and I somehow managed to ride it. Any way, if we're headin' south, we'd best get some supplies."
Wlliam looks at Stephen, a burr of anger filling his voice, 'I usually walk. Not often I find myself in a group. You have a problem with that?" The lumberjack grunts at the man.
"If it gets us killed or captured I have a problem with it. On horseback we can travel much faster and are less likely to die before reaching a town."
"Simmer down y'all, wouldn't want anyone dead before we get outta here. Jonah, mind if Bunyan rides along with ya? If not I can tie the horse up to mine and he can ride along."
"If it gets us killed or captured I have a problem with it. On horseback we can travel much faster and are less likely to die before reaching a town."
The lumberjack growls, "I never said I wouldn't take a horse. Don't ask questions if you don't like answers."
The road south is quiet and lit by moonlight. Tufts of grass grow inbetween the indentations left by many a wagon wheel. After about four, calm and uneventful miles, the outlaws notice a smaller dirt road leading off to the right. The road your on continues forward. You are tired and hungry and the smell of logs burning in a fireplace attracts your attention.
William perks up at the smell of burning wood. "A small farmer's house or maybe a woodcutters shack? Might be a safe place to spend the night? Maybe they have dinner." The lumberjack grins at the prospect of a real meal, the first in quite awhile.
"Seems like a plan to me. Perhaps one of us should scout ahead? better to know what we are walking into than not."
"Sounds just fine to me. I can scout with someone else, if one of y'all's willin' to."
While discussing their next steps, two big shepherd dogs rush out to confront the group, closing out a careful distance at about fifteen feet away and barking loudly as if to draw attention to their presence.
"Shooting them seems counterproductive, but I have not other ideas."
"Anyone have anything to feed them? Might shut them up." William says, looking around.
Estelle groans and draws her gun, but doesn't move to shoot the dogs. "Reckon they know we're here now. Might I suggest we approach the house openly?"
"Can't say I object. Let's head over to the homestead and see if we can get any dinner. Can't count how long it's been since I had a decent meal."
A small light is wobbling back and forth getting larger as it comes up the road toward you.
"Horace, Jasper, quiet down!" a man's voice yells out. "Who is it that would be disturbing our evening peace?" the voice calls out to you.
"Show yourself!" the man demands.
William walks into the path of the light. "Greetings, stranger. Nasty night out!"
If thinks went south, someone else could circle from behind...
"Whatcha all doing out on a night like this? Where are you coming from anyways?" The man has a lot of questions.
"We spent the night at the fort north of here, seemed time to move on."
"My friends and I were up at that fort when it got attacked and we decided to git outta there. Anyways, we don't mean no trouble, just some worn-out travellers lookin' for a good meal."
Nodding along with John Boy, Estelle does her best to seem younger than her age. "It was awfully scary, Mister."
"It was attacked, you say?" the man asks in astonishment. "By who?"
"Do you need any medical attention?" he continues. " At any rate, come inside and warm up, we'll see if we can't rustle you up something to eat."
The dogs settle down and run back to the main cabin. The man signals for you to follow him back to the two-storied cabin.
"Almost forgot my manners", the weathered man says," The name's Dell, Dell Harper. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
The dogs settle down and run back to the main cabin. The man signals for you to follow him back to the two-storied cabin.
"Almost forgot my manners", the weathered man says," The name's Dell, Dell Harper. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Isn't it dangerous to be this far from anyone in Indian Territory?"
"It was attacked, you say?" the man asks in astonishment. "By who?"
"Do you need any medical attention?" he continues. " At any rate, come inside and warm up, we'll see if we can't rustle you up something to eat."
"Injuns." Estelle replies, shuddering in the night's cold. "Whole tribe of 'em, felt like. Barely got away. Think we're all fine enough though, thankee." She follows him towards the cabin with the others. "I'm Estelle. We're really much obliged, Mr. Harper."
" Your welcome,' he says to Estelle with a smile. Responding to Anderson, " It is, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well. Since I left prospecting, I don't get bothered as much. I have even made a few trades with the redskinned. Come, my daughters should still have some supper and coffee going. Warm you up."
Inside the spacious cabin with a loft, there are seven blonde-haired female humans of various ages ranging from 12-20 years by your best guest. There is a very nice double-barreled shotgun hanging above the fireplace. The place is tidy and small to house so many occupants, but spacious in comparison to most homesteads that you have seen. You can barely make out other buildings on the property. A barn being across the yard behind the cabin. The settler directs his two oldest to take your horses there and then make beds for the night in the barn.
"You are welcome to stay the night, but I'm afraid that you will have to stay in the barn as my family takes up most of the room in the house," the settler smiles.
"The barn?" Bunyan whispers to Anderson, "You want to settle for that?" He looked at the kind farmer, sitting across the table.
Not all that tough, if we get to him before he grabs that shotgun down..
John Boy glances over at Bunyan and smirks. He looks out one of the windows and says to the old man, his country drawl slow and friendly, "It's a real rough night out, and we'd sure be more comfortable in here. Besides, you never know what them injuns might try to do, it'd be a shame if they tried anything and we weren't here to help. Looked like a whole warband of 'em when we were gettin' away."
"The barn?" Bunyan whispers to Anderson, "You want to settle for that?" He looked at the kind farmer, sitting across the table.
Not all that tough, if we get to him before he grabs that shotgun down..
"I doubt he can get that before I put one in his chest," Stephen lightly touches his pepperbox rifle as he whispers
"I apologize about the lack of space, the girls take up quite a bit of room. They will make the barn nice and comfortable for you. Come and sit and I will tell you a story that you will hardly believe about why Indians don't come around here much. Besides, my daughters are the finest cooks this side of the Mississippi." Mr. Harper insists.
"You see, there is a circular patch in my field where nothing will grow and the dirt remains black. If you set anything on it, the next morning, it will disappear and reappear miles away. It is a complete mystery. Locals don't come here and the Indians believe dark spirits inhabit this place, but I can tell you that it has been paradise for us." he continues. " The girls have made beans and roasted pork cutlets. Have a seat at the table."
The newcomers realize that the oldest and the youngest daughters have left the great room. Only the middle two daughters remain cleaning up dishes and offering slices of blackberry pie and coffee to the strangers.
"What brought you out west?" the homesteader inquires of you.
Estelle eyes Mr. Harper curiously as he tells them about the patch of ground. "That's truly a curiosity." She says after a fashion. "You believe its spirits yourself, Mr. Harper?"
To the question about coming out West, Estelle is surprisingly honest, but still somewhat evasive. "Wanted to get away after the war." She remarks. "Better to fight Indians and outlaws than your brothers and neighbors, y'know?"
"I really don't know about no spirits or demons, but it has sure been helpful keeping varmints and savages away from us," Harper responds.
"I understand. What a terrible ordeal for everyone. I'm hoping that somethin' like that never happens again,"verbally summarizing his feelings of the war.
I guess we will check it out in the morning, this pork is delicious by the way," Steven says as hereaches for another slice.
"Ain't that the truth, feels good ," John Boy says as he pushes aside an empty plate and accepts some blackberry pie and coffee, smiling at one of the daughters. "I came out west lookin' for some wayward kin, last I know he was in San Francisco, though now ain't the time for that. Fame and fortune too, but I suppose that's what everyone heads west for." He takes a large bite of the pie and washes it down with some coffee, and sighs contentedly.
"Girls, serve the pie and coffee to our guests and then I will show them to the barn." Harper commands kindly.
He looks at Estelle, " Ma'am, wouldn't be proper making you stay in the barn with the men, you can have my room, I will sleep in the chair tonight."
Estelle smiles gratefully at Mr. Harper, having wanted to ask but been unsure of how. "Thankee, that's very kind. It's been real swell of you to open up your home to us like this."
"You are welcome, ma'am," Harper replies. He goes on to say that she should make herself at home. "Gentlemen, I will come get you in the morning when breakfast is ready." Harper gets up to show the men their beds for the night in the barn. " Don't worry, the dogs are a good alarm system if anything comes along."
"I hope y'all don't mind a bit of banjo before tuckin' in for the night. Can't say that I'm the best banjo player, but I can pluck a decent tune." With that, John Boy heads outside, finding a comfortable spot to sit and pulling the banjo off of his backpack. He starts playing, faster than butter slidin' off a hot biscuit.
"Enjoy yourself," Mr. Harper says to John Boy.
Will listens to John Boy play, much as he had in many a logging camp. More then a few could play but this banjo was the best he had heard in a long time, maybe ever.
"Sounds good." he grunts.
Having played for a bit, John Boy heads in for the night, sighing contentedly at a more real bed than he's slept in for quite a while.
"So what is our plan going forward?"
The next morning, Mr.Harper wakes everyone for breakfast. His beautiful young daughters are busy working in the kitchen cooking up breakfast. The younger ones are feeding the chickens outside of the cabin.
Mr. Haper seems to be readying dome gold panning equipment.
I'll point you towards the nearest town if you wish, but if you are in no hurry, how about you stay and pan a bit. I'm still pulling out some big nuggets somedays. I'm feeling generous. I will let you keep thirty-percent of what you find. What do you say?
"An interesting proposition, how often do you have to go to town to trade in these nuggets?"
Being 25 miles away, we only go once or twice a month. Harper replies.
"Sounds alright to me."