Chapter 75

Jud and Martha were lying in bed early the next morning when Jud pulled her close, “When you were having that discussion with Eli’s daughters about men and women mating, did you think to tell them that my brothers had already come here early for the Land Run? Eli and I both wanted them to meet beforehand if possible.”

“No. Goodness, we were so involved in talking about what men and women do together and how much fun you and I have, I forgot to tell them.”

“If my brothers had been here, they could have at least met Eli’s daughters while they were here. Any two of those girls are exactly what my brothers need to settle them down and stop their complaining about no girls their age living close by. I’m sure they’ll all be back from Little Tree in a week though. I’m tempted to tell Ladd and Lane about them before they get back.”

“Please don’t, Jud. Let it be a surprise to all of them. That way, if your brothers do happen to be attracted to two of Eli’s daughters, it will be natural and not set up like you and Eli planned it.”

“I suppose you’re right. Which two would you pick for my brothers, if you were to pick from Eli’s four daughters?” Jud asked, running his fingertips down her back as she shivered and pressed closer.

“Without a doubt in this whole world, I’d pick that feisty Lee Yu and Lilly Beth. Those two are as rambunctious as Clara’s and my cousins I told you about back home.”

“The two that got pregnant at sixteen and had to marry the neighbor’s two boys?”

“Oh Jud, it wasn’t as bad as you make it sound. It was only because they were so much in love and couldn’t wait. I told you that.”

“They weren’t Eli Crow’s daughters either. He’s killed men for a lot less than getting his daughters pregnant out of wedlock.”

“Then I suggest you have another heart to heart talk with your brothers and tell them that there will be lots and lots of young women here with their families for the Land Run and they had better be on their best behavior.”

“Martha, you have no idea what it’s like, going to a military school for four years and hardly ever being around girls.”

“You made it through that same school and I think you are the most handsome, most amorous lover in the whole world,” Martha told him as she kissed his lips and snuggled closer.

“I was afraid my daddy would skin my ass if I messed up. He let those younger brothers of mine get by with way more than I ever could.”

“Jud?”

“Yes, Dear?”

“Just leave them to live their own lives. They are both very handsome like their older brother and both are very smart young men. They will more than likely fall flat on their faces for two of Eli’s daughters, just like you fell for me that day you came here on the pretense of inspecting beef cattle. Clara told me about a week after we had met that you came here to inspect my hindquarters, not the cattle,” Martha said and rolled over on top of Jud, cooing as he ran his fingers across her soft skin.

“I’m glad I met Eli Crow. I’m glad I met you too, Martha. Since you mentioned it, I liked your hindquarters and your long legs the minute I saw you walking across the yard.”

“Will you still like me next winter?” She leaned down to whisper in his ear, as she lay on top of him.

“Why of course, we’ll be married by then. Why wouldn’t I still like you?”

“I’ll be gaining weight and my hindquarters will be getting larger.”

“Why would you...

“Martha? Are we going to have a baby?”

“Wonder who that is? Looks like they may have come from the direction of Pecan Ridge headquarters,” Lane McClanahan asked his brother as they rode their horses. They were with Don Cowden’s ranch hands driving half the large cattle herd toward the southwest pasture near Cheyenne Lands.

“Let me see those glasses. It looks like there are six girls in that group, is there?” Ladd asked.

“Yep, there’s six young men and six young women, all wearing buckskins. They look to be part Indian. Here, take a look.”

“They’re leading four saddle horses and have a wagon and team with them. Wonder where they’re going?”

“I don’t know, but those four horses, and that wagon and team came from Pecan Ridge. We’ll have to ask Mr. Don. He’ll know who they are.

“I see one I’d really like to know. She’s about our age too and she has long black hair with two braids down her back, all the way to her saddle. She must be part Indian. Boy, is she ever a beauty too. I love that long black hair.”

“Let me see.

“Which one was it? I see two with long black hair, and two with braided, long red hair. There’s two who look alike, who have long, light colored hair. They must be twins!”

“I didn’t see them, let me see those glasses back.”

“They’ve all stopped to look back at the wagon. You can see them good now. Here, take a look.”

“YES, I can see them good now. The twins are very pretty too, but I like the two with long black hair the best. I hope you don’t want the one on the right or we’ll just have to face off for the first time ever, ‘cause I like her best.”

“What difference does it make? They’re gone already and we’ll probably never see them again.”

“I know, but at least it still makes me feel good that we saw that many pretty girls our age way out here in this back country.”

“Jud told us there would be lots of girls and young women here in a few days with their families, waiting for the Land Run to start.”

“I know. We need to be sure and get our hundred and sixty acres next to each other so we’ll have more grazing land.”

“I thought you said you had no intention of being a cattle rancher.”

“I’ve changed my mind now, after riding with Mr. Don’s men for a week. I love this and I hope you and I can have thousands and thousands of acres of grazing land and hundreds of head of cattle one day.”

“Now you’re talking like a true, pure-blood, Irish McClanahan. Let’s get these cattle moved and maybe each of us will luck up and find a pretty, dark haired girl like those two we just saw.”

Little Tree, Texas
April 5, 1889

“Listen, I hear a train whistle.” Lilly Beth yelled as they sat inside the small depot, waiting for the train from Abilene to arrive with the Blasingame families on board.

“That’s the westbound headed for Santa Fe. They’re not scheduled to stop here. The engineers love to blow that horn like hell as they pass through,” the depot agent said loudly over the noise.

Lee Yu was looking through the glass in the door when the man spoke to them. She turned to look over at him with a knowing smile. “They may not be scheduled to stop, but they’re stopping here anyway,” she told him over the noise of the steam engine just outside the depot.

The train had no more than stopped, than it was blowing steam and hissing loudly as it began to pull out toward Santa Fe once more.

“That sure wasn’t a very long stop,” Lilly Beth told them and the others laughed.

Kia and Michi had been to the toilet in back of the depot and were walking back along the loading dock as two young men in buckskins stepped off the train. They were looking around as if they were lost or expecting to meet someone. They were each holding two leather luggage bags as they stood and looked at the two sisters.

Kia, reached out to grab Michi’s arm just as her sister opened the door to enter the depot. Michi turned to look at Kia and saw the two young men staring back at them.

They wore their long black hair in braids down their backs, with white, beaded headbands. Both wore moccasins with beads sewn into them. Beads were also sewn up the legs of their buckskin breeches. They looked to be older than the sisters.

But not by much.

“Kia, go speak to them, they look lost,” Michi said as she shoved her sister right toward the two young men, laughing as she did.

“Uh, hi. Are you here to meet someone?” Kia asked as the two continued to stare at her and Michi.

“You”

“ME?”

“I mean, you and your sister are Crows, aren’t you? I mean your last name is Crow,” one spoke and both young men laughed at his stumbling, stammering words.

“Yes, we are Kia and Michi Crow. How did you know that? Have we met before?”

“No, but we have a picture of you that our grandfather sent to us. Well, he sent us a photograph of your father with both of you and four more young girls in the photograph.”

“Your grandfather sent you pictures of us?” Michi repeated.

“Yes, that is true. He even wrote your names on the back of the photograph, see?” The young man spoke as both of them walked closer.

He held out a worn and wrinkled photograph of Eli, Lilly Beth, Lee Yu, Ruby, Kit, Kia, and Michi.

“Who is your grandfather and how did he get a photograph of us?” Kia asked as she took the wrinkled photograph and looked it over. She and Michi both held it and even looked on the back to see their names scribbled there.

“He is called White Elk, Chief Council of the Cheyenne People!”

“White Elk is your grandfather?” Kia and Michi both asked at once, shocked by the news.

“Yes, that is what we just told you. You do know our grandfather, then? It has been four years since we have been here to see him. We are here now to live with our people and help with the big cattle operation on Cheyenne Lands.

“Our grandfather is in the cattle business with your father, Marshal Eli Crow.”

Kia and Michi stood shoulder to shoulder, looking at the worn, crumpled piece of paper, then up to the faces of the two young men who were definitely twins themselves. The two sisters turned slowly to look one another eye to eye as a smile broke out to cover their faces.

“I am Kia Crow, and yes we know your grandfather, White Elk. What are your names?” She asked as the four stood within two feet of each other, looking at the photograph again.

“I am Jonny Bill MacEagle. I am pleased to meet you, Kia,” one of the brothers spoke to her with a broad smile and offered his hand. Kia took his hand and looked at his smiling face. All of a sudden, she felt as if she may need to sit down, her knees were beginning to weaken.

As Kia and Jonny Bill MacEagle kept shaking hands, the other young man reached out to Michi and smiled when she took his hand.

“I am Jere Joe MacEagle. Jonny is my twin and I am very pleased to meet you Michi. Are you married?” He asked as Michi smiled at him.

“No. I’m only fifteen. Why do you ask that?” Michi said as she felt her face become hot and she knew she was blushing.

“I was hoping you weren’t married. You and Kia look much older than fifteen. We are seventeen. Are you allowed to court?” He asked, never loosening his grip on her hand, still smiling broadly.

“Uh, Jere Joe, you sure are bold. We just met and you’re asking me those questions? I’m not sure how to respond to them,” Michi said.

“I apologize for my brother’s boldness. I certainly hope he nor I have said or done anything offensive to either of you. I think we may have been set up by our grandfather. You see, we were told he would be here in person to meet us today. He sent us this photograph of you and your father and told us that he wanted us to meet both of you before the Land Run on the unassigned lands takes place,” Jonny Bill explained as he looked from Kia’s to Michi’s face for some sign of acceptance.

“Please accept my apology also, Michi. I’m afraid my brother and I were both pleasantly shocked by your presence here today. When we saw you both, we were hoping you were here to welcome us. I’m afraid we were a bit over zealous in our approach.” Jere Joe offered.

“I accept your apologies. Michi, do you accept?” Kia asked as she saw Michi looking over her shoulder toward the door. She was grinning and waving her hands at someone.