Chapter 109

Saturday October 3, 1896 Crow Valley, Oklahoma Territory

“Let me see that map again, Deuce,” Ezra said. He stood next to Eli and Isaac as they looked at the map.

They had just gotten their first orders as Deputy United States Marshals two days ago, and the six of them were excited as they saddled up. They’d packed the night before and already had their two packsaddles loaded with tents, food and supplies for at least a two-week stay once they reached their destination.

They were being sent to Saddleback, Colorado, located in the San Luis Valley near the base of Blanca Mountain, thirty miles east of Alamosa.

“Looks like we need to take the train all the way to Raton, New Mexico, then head north toward Walsenburg. What do you think?”

“I agree, that would probably be the shortest route. Looks like there’s another railroad that runs over to Alamosa from Walsenburg, then runs on west along the Rio Grande to the Rockies. We should be in Walsenburg in ten hours from here. Then I’d say another hour over to Fort Garland by the time we get switched and headed out on the next local train west.

“Caleb, you, Micah and Pike get a good look at this map too. This is our first trip and we need to get it right,” Eli told his brothers.

“Eli, I see Fort Garland here on the map. Were you thinking about us getting off there and riding up to Saddleback?” Pike asked as they looked at the map.

“Yep. I figure from the map, the old fort is the best place we can set up. We can leave our Pullman and cattle car there and ride on up to Saddleback the next morning and see if we can find out what the local law has to say. If they even have any local lawmen left. We’ll have a talk with the sheriff of Costilla County too. From what these papers state, he’s the only officially recognized law left in the county.”

Eli, Isaac, Ezra, Caleb and Micah had already said their goodbyes to their wives, women and kids the day before. They’d ridden down to the south end of Crow Valley to spend the night at Pike’s house before leaving out at daylight to load their horses on the cattle car.

The six Young Bucks had planned ahead for the time when they would be sent on their first mission. They’d bought their own used Pullman and they owned their own cattle car to transport their horses.

They each rode horses bred from Eli’s horse, Cheyenne, and the thirteen young fillies they’d gotten from White Elk for the raid on Mexico in 1889. If a man didn’t look close, he’d swear the six black and white Paints were all identical they looked so much alike.

They had built hay and feed storage into one end of the cattle car; they had two galvanized water tanks secured in the car also which could be refilled any time they were stopped for the steam engines to take on water.

When they first bought the cattle car and built the hay and feed storage compartments in one end of it, they knew there would be times when they wouldn’t be near a loading ramp.

They built their own ramps on each side of the car with heavy, rough-cut lumber. They hinged them beneath the sliding doors so they could raise and lower the ramps with a block and tackle. When the ramps were in the up position, they secured them to the sides of the car with two long steel rods on either side.

Their dads had even suggested to the Young Bucks that they consider purchasing their own locomotive, but they had yet to make the final decision and have Jon David find them one. For the time being, they would make arrangements with the railroad to pick them up at Crow Valley and pull them wherever they needed to go.

2:00 am
October 4, 1896
Walsenburg, Colorado

The Young Bucks were slumped down in their leather chairs after tending their horses. Their Pullman and cattle car had been switched onto a westbound sidetrack awaiting the next train from Alamosa, which was due to arrive at 2:00 in the morning.

Earlier, they’d made a meal of the food they’d brought with them — spicy chicken, basted and baked over hickory coals. Their women had packed tamales, refried beans and tortillas for them also.

They were suddenly awakened by someone pounding on the side of the Pullman and Caleb jumped up to stick his head out a window.

“Just wanted to tell you, we’re coming in after your Pullman and stock car. You men ready to pull out?”

“We sure are. Can you tell us if there is still a sidetrack there at the old fort?”

“There is a piece of one still there. It’s good enough to get both your cars on it without running off the rails. Is that where you want us to drop you?”

“Yes, Sir. We’ll flag someone down when we’re ready to leave. May be a week or even two, but we’ll let you know.

“Just how far is it over to the old fort?” Caleb asked.

“About twenty-five miles. We’ll have you there shortly. Are you fellers here in Colorado to hunt?”

“Yes, Sir. That’s exactly why we’re here.”

As soon as the brakeman had set the manual brakes on the cars at the old fort, the train pulled out, headed west toward Alamosa. The young marshals went to the cattle car first to get their horses unloaded and on the ground. Though it was early October, there was still plenty of green grass around the grounds of the old abandoned fort and they turned their eight horses loose to let them graze.

The Pullman they’d bought for traveling while on duty was an older one and still used compressed Pintsch Gas lighting in all the light fixtures. They lit two of the gas lights and sat around talking.

“Eli, I read in that complaint where the McKowns were suspected of causing some of the problems here in the valley. Wonder why a family who owns twenty-nine thousand acres of ranch land would want to cause their neighbors trouble?” Micah asked.

“The way I see it, the land they owned originally was more than enough while their sons were younger. When they got older, all the boys wanted their own land, just like we did.

“I’m glad that Dad saw fit to buy Crow Valley for us when he did back in the early part of ‘89. Just think how hard it would be now for us to find a place that big so we could all live close like we are.”

“I reckon you’re right, Eli, but it’s still hard to believe that the McKowns, who’re supposed to have just about everything they’d ever need, would rustle and even kill men and cattle alike just to try and run another man off his land. If that’s what really is happening out here,” Isaac said.

“I got a feeling that there could be two men, or even two groups of men who’re involved, yet not working together with the killing of cattle and rustling. If a man was going to rustle cattle, he’d want them alive and moving; but if a man was only killing for meat, or for whatever reason, he’d kill and leave the carcass after carving off what he wanted.”

“You may be right, Eli. Just saying there was one or more men who wanted the meat, but didn’t want to be tracked; even if they led one live cow or calf off, they’d surely leave some sort of trail sign. We’ll just have to find out how often there are dead cattle found and see if there’s a pattern to it all,” Pike spoke up.

“No matter how they do it, if they leave trail sign we’ll find them,” Eli told them.

“We know that somebody around here killed three lawmen in the past year. That suspicion is well-documented in the report they sent us. Someone must have been getting close to finding out who is responsible for all the trouble.

“I guess we’ll have to investigate those killings while we’re looking for evidence of rustling and butchering cattle out on the range,” Ezra spoke up.

“Let’s check on the horses, then get a couple hours of sleep. We’ll saddle up and head out at daybreak. I don’t figure we’ll be welcomed by everyone in this valley and for sure not in Saddleback since the town is located on McKown land. We’ll need to be suspicious of everyone we meet until we find our way around. I’ll say it now and we’ll talk about it each day; don’t trust no man at your back until this is over. Someone around here is willing to kill to get what they’re after. I don’t aim for any of us to be killed in the line of duty and it be declared accidental like they did for those other lawmen,” Eli told them.

Daylight comes early to this part of the San Luis Valley. The Rocky Mountain Ranges are to the west of the sprawling valley. The Rio Grande River flows down from its headwaters in those western mountains, making its way through the San Luis Valley then south into New Mexico Territory. Farming is a vital part of the economy in Alamosa and surrounding counties. Potatoes and sugar beets are grown here and shipped out by rail to markets up north and back east.

With an average elevation of 7,500 feet, early settlers in Colorado discovered the San Luis Valley to be the largest Alpine Valley in North America. Larger than Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island combined, covering approximately two million acres.

Spanish explorer, Antonio Valverde y Cosio named the Sangre de Cristo Mountains - ‘Blood of Christ’ – in 1719 after seeing the reddish colors of the snowy peaks at sunrise.

With the Sangre de Cristo Range to the north and east, the Young Bucks set out with their pack horses toward the small town of Saddleback. There was no trail when they started, and they used their compasses and their maps with the tallest mountain, Blanca Peak, as their focal point.

There is no rise to the land leading to the base of the mountain range and there are no foothills. The mountains here emerge right up out of the valley floor, which is flat for the most part.

They came upon a meandering wagon road running northeast and southwest about mid-morning.

“This must be the road to Saddleback. It’s not marked on this map, but from the distance we’ve traveled and looking at Blanca Peak over there, this has to be it,” Eli said and the others agreed as they turned to ride directly toward Blanca Peak.

“That mountain pass up there looks just like a saddle. There’s even a saddle horn on it,” Pike said as they looked toward mountains.

“Maybe that’s why they named their town Saddleback,” Ezra said.

When they’d turned their horses toward the northeast, Micah turned to look down the winding wagon road behind them, “Eli, we got riders kicking up dust and coming hard behind us. Looks like six or eight of them from here,” he spoke loudly.

“Let’s just stop over here and wait for them to see if we can get some directions. This may even be some of the McKown hands,” Eli told them, stepping to the ground to check the rigging on packsaddle on the packhorse he was leading.

The six of them were standing beside their horses when the riders rode up in a cloud of dust and stopped right in front of them.

“You men are on McK land. You can get your asses off now or we’ll throw a rope on you and drag you off by your feet!” the younger of the men spoke in a loud angry voice.

“This is the road to Saddleback, isn’t it?” Eli asked, ignoring the young man’s threats and eyeing the seven riders as they dismounted.

“It is, but we don’t allow Indians in Saddleback. We’ve had enough trouble out of the Utes in the past to last us.

“I’m Simon McKown and you’re not welcome around here. Now get the hell off our land,” the young man said and stepped around directly in front of Eli.

“I’m Eli Crow, Deputy United States Marshal. These are my brothers and we’re here on official business. I reckon we’ll ride on over to Saddleback just as we planned,” Eli told him and dropped his reins to face the young man not three feet from him.

“Ain’t no such thing as a fuckin’ Indian United States Marshal. You and the others get your asses off this land or we’ll kick your asses for you and throw you off,” he yelled as he held his left hand out away from his hip, barely inches from his handgun. He wore a pair of shiny black leather gloves that fit his hands tight. The fingers on his left hand were trembling and he clenched his fist.

“Mister, I don’t really care who you are or whose land this is. You’re close to getting on the wrong side of the law here. You and your men just back off and we’ll be glad to talk this out,” Eli told him as he watched him clench and flex his fingers.

“You ain’t no fucking lawmen! Me and my men are taking you and your brothers into custody. Then we’ll head over to Saddleback and we’ll just see who gets to talk this over. Now hand them pistols over!” he said as he took a half step toward Eli.

“Young Bucks!” Eli yelled when young Simon McKown reached for his pistol.

Just as the boy began to pull his pistol, Eli reached out and slapped his gloved hand, knocking his gun to the ground.

“Look, I don’t want to have to kill you, McKown. Now you and your men just ride on and we’ll meet with the local law and settle this peacefully.”

The six McK riders had also made a move for their handguns when Simon McKown did.

They never touched them.

Ezra and the other Bucks had anticipated this from the way Simon McKown was talking and already had their Colts in their hands, pointed right at the McK riders before they could put a hand on their guns.

“You McK men just step back and settle down and we’ll let this little incident pass. We were sent here with direct orders from the U.S. Marshal’s Service out of Kansas City,” Ezra said as the men stood looking at him.

The McK riders looked over at Simon McKown, waiting for his next move.

Eli noticed one of the McK riders who looked out of place with the cowhands. This one was dressed in black leather pants and wore a fancy, black leather vest with silver conchos down the front on both sides. His shiny Colt was low on his right hip and his hat was low on his forehead as he watched Eli with cold, hard eyes. He too wore shiny black, skin tight gloves.

Simon McKown was red-faced and his hands were shaking. He had been shamed in front of his men.

“Mister McKown, you and your men ride on ahead of us over to Saddleback and we’ll meet with the local law. We’re not here to make trouble for you, your family or your hired hands. We were sent here to investigate the killings of lawmen and the rustling and killing of the cattle in this valley. Now you just pick up your gun and ride on, and we’ll let this little misunderstanding pass just as my brother said,” Eli told him.

“There ain’t no local law. You can damn well count on my brothers and my daddy coming to have a long talk with you and your bunch when we tell him about this. No one slaps a gun from my hand and gets by with it.”

“I was saving your life whether you realize it or not, McKown! Now you pick your gun up real slow and ease it back in that holster. Then you and your men ride on ahead of us. We’ll gladly meet with your dad and the other ranchers here in the valley.”

Simon McKown bent slowly to pick up his gun from the dusty trail, looking up with his eyes on Eli the whole time. When he had his hand on his gun, he suddenly came up with it pointed at Eli with the hammer back.

Eli pulled his Colt and laid the barrel across the boy’s forehead so hard the gun dropped from McKown’s hand and he fell face first in the dirt with a deep cut over his left eye.

“That makes twice I’ve saved your life today, McKown. Don’t push your luck!”

“You men, get Mister Simon McKown on his horse and all of you mount up. Ride slowly along in front of us over to Saddleback and we’ll still let this little disagreement pass.”

“You’ll have hell to pay when Grant McKown and his older sons find out you pistol-whipped that boy. He’s the baby of the bunch and they let him have his reins,” one of the older ranch hands said as they helped Simon McKown to his feet.

“You men tell it like it happened and I’ll stand by my actions out here. I tried to reason with him, he’s just too big in his britches to act like a man.

“I’ll take care of his gun until we get to town, since he can’t seem to get a grip on it with those fancy black gloves he wears.

“I’ve saved his life twice out here today. I’d hate to kill him for being dumb enough to keep on until he makes me mad,” Eli told them, then picked up the gun and stuck it in his gun belt.

Ezra, Isaac, Micah, Pike and Caleb held their guns on the McK riders until Simon McKown was on his horse and the cowhands were mounted.

Eli looked over to see the young man with the fancy vest and black hat. He was staring right at Eli as he stood beside his horse.

“You there with the fancy vest. What’s your name? I told you and the others to mount up and ride on ahead of us slow like. If you’re thinking about taking up where Simon McKown left off, you need to know I’m through saving lives out here today!”

“I’m Jesse Cameron McKee. You may have heard the name before.”

“No, can’t say that I’ve ever heard that name. Now get mounted up and ride on with the rest of them, unless you have something else on your mind,” Eli told him as he stood facing him.

“It can wait. But someday I’d like to see just how good you are with that Colt. We’ll meet again when your brothers don’t have their guns on me,” McKee answered.

“Maybe we will — someday,” Eli told him.

“I shall look forward to that day, Indian,” Jesse McKee sneered.

“And I,” Eli paused to stare at him with a cold, hard look, “shall look back on it, McKee.”

“I’d say that was about as good a welcome as we’ll get while we’re here,” Caleb said as they rode behind the McKown bunch.

“I’d say Mr. Jesse McKee bears watching real close. To me, he thinks he’s got a fast gun hand, but he’s just not sure if he really is fast enough. I have to wonder though, would he really try to pull his gun with those gloves on?” Ezra said as he rode beside Caleb.

“If McKee prods Eli again, glove or no glove on his gun hand, the rest of the McKown men will find out pretty damn quick he wasn’t near as fast as he thought he was — when they bury him,” Caleb told him.

“If McKee gets brave enough to prod Eli again, they can put that epitaph on his tombstone, ‘He wasn’t near as fast as he thought he was’,” Pike told them and the six Young Bucks laughed.

The small town of Saddleback, Colorado, was built at the base of Blanca Peak, not a hundred yards from where the rock formations rise up to form the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and more prominently, Blanca Peak.

Even now, in early October, Blanca Peak was snow-covered.

The lone dirt street in Saddleback ran north and south, with five stores on the side next to the mountain and six on the valley side of the street. There were a few houses scattered out around the outskirts of the town. Some were weather-beaten with small barns and corrals; others were whitewashed with white picket fences around them.

When Simon McKown and his McK riders approached the south side of Saddleback, they suddenly spanked their horses and rode hard down the open street into town.

“Eli, I’m beginning to think that bunch don’t like us,” Pike told him as they watched the riders slide their horses to a stop in front of one of the buildings.

“I’m beginning to think you could be right, Pike.”

As one, the Bucks turned their horses off the dusty road and continued to ride north, circling the few buildings to enter town from the north side.

There were a few horses scattered about, tied in front of a store or to a pole near the edge of the dirt street. There were two wagons backed up to the feed barn and livery at the north end of town.

In front of the Saddleback Hotel – Saloon – Dining Hall were nine horses with the McK brand on their haunches.

“I count nine McK horses; looks like this may be their gathering place away from the McK,” Micah said as they tied their horses in front of the dry goods store next to the hotel.

“Young Bucks, this may not be as simple as we first thought. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything that could lead to more trouble. If it comes down to you killing one of them — kill him. I’ll back you up all the way to Washington, D.C.,” Eli said as the six of them stood on the boardwalk.

He reached out with his right fist, and as they looked around the circle at each other, “We Are One,” they spoke, touching fists before walking toward the swinging doors of the hotel/saloon.

“THAT’S THEM RIGHT THERE, AIDEN!

“The tallest one in front is the one who hit me with his gun!” Simon McKown was pointing the Young Bucks out to his older brothers as the deputies walked into the dining hall part of the hotel.

“Just settle down, Simon and let us handle this. Let’s see if we can find out what they’re doing here in Saddleback in the first place,” Aiden McKown told his younger brother as he and Aaron looked at the six lawmen dressed in buckskins.

“What can I do for you men?” the barkeeper asked, wiping his hands on his long bib apron as he walked over to where the Young Bucks stood. The man saw the U.S. Marshal badges pinned on their buckskin shirts and smiled.

“We’d like to wash up, then eat. We need to see your local lawman in charge too,” Eli answered.

“You can wash up right over there through those curtains. There’s fresh water in the bucket under the washstand. Just dash the water through the window back there when you’re done.

“As for the local law, the only person we have in charge at this time is the jailer and he’s too old to be of any help to you.”

“What we need is some information about what’s been happening around here. Maybe you can help us?”