Chapter 79

Indian Territory April 10, 1889

Before leaving Crow Ridge and Tulsa, Eli had shut the entire oil drilling and loading operations down. He wanted all his hired hands and partners to have a stake in these new lands. This is what he’d promised them and he was determined to make it happen for them.

He made arrangements with Iron Hammer and his brothers to keep a close watch over all their properties, especially their homes, their cattle herds, their oil fields and their loading facilities.

It had taken the men and women three days to pack the wagons with clothing, food, and supplies for the long trip and extended stay. The wives of the ex-Buffalo Soldiers had helped, as they packed their belongings in wagons parked at the bunkhouses.

The single men in the group of hired hands had packed their own belongings in two wagons. The Barkley brothers, and their wives and kids had packed their two wagons the day before making the trip over to Crow Ridge early on April 5th.

Doc and Lettie left the clinic open with Hadalee and Nadalee staying to provide medical help in their absence. The leather shop and saddle shop had been shut down. They were ready to pull out early on April 5^th.

By the time the men had gotten the teams hitched and the tractors fired with a head of steam, the women had the children and babies loaded. Even with all the delays, they were able to leave out just before mid-day. With this many wagons, this many horses and mules, and the slow traveling steam tractors, they had planned on five full days to reach Pecan Ridge. There were so many of them, they made three campfires at night to get them all fed and in bed for a nights rest before they left out at daybreak each morning.

They made their coffee in huge pots, and with a cup of hot coffee, they ate biscuits from the night before with their salt meat, for breakfast on the go. They were able to make good time on their long trek across Indian Territory, even with the many wagons, families, younger kids, and babies.

Willis rode lead with Eli, Jon David, Moses, and Joe. They had three of the former Buffalo Soldiers armed and riding drag with Duncan and Smitty. Jeno and Jubal Hooker, with Roy and Amos Curtis were mounted and riding two to a side as out-riders along the wagon train. They were taking no chances.

Willis and Moses had ridden out a ways in front of Eli, Joe, and Jon David as they rode side by side, talking. Suddenly Willis whirled his horse back toward the others and whistled to Eli, then waved.

The four of them rode hard up to where Willis waited beside Moses, both pointing toward the west at the twenty riders coming their way. They were smiling as Eli rode up to join them.

“Eli, we got some company coming out to meet us, looks like,” Moses said as they looked to where he pointed.

“I knew that bunch would be coming out this way to meet us before long. Sure looks like a gang of them, don’t it?” Eli said as he urged his horse toward the riders.

As he rode at an easy lope toward them, Eli had a grin on his face. He saw Lilly Beth and Lee Yu riding beside two tall young men. Both his daughters had happy faces. His eyes scanned the others to find Michi and Kia. He was hoping his two older daughters had met and accepted the young men he’d set up for them to meet.

When he could see them clearly, he knew by their faces that they too were happy. Each of his four girls had broad smiles on their faces as he met them a hundred yards out in front of the lead wagons.

By the time the Bucks and the girls stopped their horses, Eli was off his horse and walking toward them.

Little Eli and the Young Bucks pulled their horses up short of the others. With their girls beside them, they sat on their horses and watched as Lilly Beth and Lee Yu ran to their dad. Little Eli looked at Kit and she had tears in her eyes as she smiled happily at him. He reached over and took her hand.

“This means a lot to them, doesn’t it?” he said and Kit could only smile and nod as they watched Lee Yu and Lilly Beth run to their dad.

“DAD!” Lee Yu screamed when she was close. She broke loose from Lane’s hand and ran to meet her dad.

Eli held his arms out as she ran right to him. He could see her happy face, he could see her smile, he could see her eyes.

“Dad, I just love you so much. All of us have so much to talk to you about, but I want to tell you, thank you. Thank you for what you’ve done for us. Thank you for helping us meet Lane and Ladd, Jere Joe and Jonny Bill. Oh Dad, I love you so much,” Lee Yu cried as she hugged Eli. She was laughing through her tears and she was trying to smile as she looked up to see him smiling.

He looked to see Lilly Beth standing next to him. He reached out with his right arm and pulled her close. She had a smile on her face like he had never seen before and Eli felt good.

“Dad, we have some new friends we want you to meet. Lee Yu, Kia, Michi, and I have each met a boy, Dad. We’re so happy and we’re hoping you will like them too,” Lee Yu said as she and Lilly Beth hugged him and held onto him.

“I’m glad my girls have met boys they like. You haven’t hurt them yet, have you?” he said and the three of them were laughing as Kia and Michi came closer.

Lee Yu and Lilly Beth pulled back to let their sisters hug their dad. They looked over toward Lane and Ladd, waving them closer.

“Dad, we know about you and White Elk setting this up so we’d meet his grandsons. I just hope you’re ready for what Michi and I have to tell you when we have more time to talk,” Kia said as he held both of them close.

“Yes, Dad. We know all about your plans and we have already made plans of our own now. We want you to meet them, we know you will like Jere Joe and Jonny Bill as much as we do. Thank you, Dad. You have made us even more happy than we had ever dreamed,” Michi said.

Eli looked up to see Lilly Beth and Lee Yu holding hands with the two tall young men who resembled Jud McClanahan. He smiled as they pulled their boys closer to meet him.

“Dad, this is Lane Alan McClanahan. We already know you meant for us to meet,” Lee Yu said as she pulled Lane close to meet her Dad.

“Lane, I’ve heard a lot about you. It sure is good to finally meet you in person. I admire your older brother, Jud as an ex-officer and a gentleman. He spoke highly in your favor,” Eli said as he shook hands with the tall lanky young man. Lee Yu still held his left hand, smiling as she looked from her dad to her special new friend.

“Marshal Crow, it is truly my pleasure to meet you, Sir. Not only does my older brother respect you and your judgment, so do I and my brother, Ladd. Sir, if I may be so bold, I want to tell you now, I am happy you and Jud set us up to meet your daughters. You have some beautiful daughters, one of whom I hope to spend a lot of time getting to know in the coming weeks,” Lane spoke firmly as he stood erect with a smile on his face.

“Lane, you and I will talk some more real soon. I’m glad to see that my daughters are happy. I expect to see them happy for the rest of their lives,” Eli said as he looked into the eyes of the young man.

Lane thought he saw a slight smile cross the man’s face, but it didn’t stay, if it was ever there.

Lilly Beth pulled Ladd over in front of Eli, she was smiling big and so was Ladd.

“Dad, this is Ladd Amos McClanahan. He has something to ask you,” she said and grinned at Ladd as he looked at her with a smile. They were still playing their game that had started between them the day they met.

“Marshal Crow, I am pleased to meet you. Jud and Mr. Don told us you are the best friend they’ve ever had. I’d like the chance to be your friend too, Sir,” Ladd said as they shook hands.

“Ladd, you and your brother are exactly like Jud described you. I see Lilly Beth has a hold on your hand and won’t let go. Does this have something to do with what you wanted to ask me?” Eli said, looking at him without a smile.

“Yes, Sir. Lilly Beth and I have been jawing back and forth at each other since we first met, and yesterday she told me that she sure hoped I made a good impression on you. She told me that she may let me court her if you tell me I can,” he said and Eli looked at Lilly Beth when she laughed. She was smiling and he smiled too.

“I see right now, I have a lot of talking to do with you two McClanahan brothers,” Eli told him, turning to wink at Lilly Beth, before walking over to meet White Elk’s grandsons.

Ladd looked at Lilly Beth with a shocked expression. He saw her smiling and he had to smile. She reached up to put both arms around his neck and pull him down. She kissed his cheek and pulled herself close.

“He likes you, Ladd and I do too. I like you a lot. You better be sure you want to court me,” she whispered.

“I was sure the first time I saw you through my binoculars. I’m even more sure now that I’ve spent time with you and met your dad.”

“Dad, come meet Jonny Bill MacEagle. You already know his grandfather. After all, you and he connived to have us meet. Now I want you to meet my new friend in person,” Kia said as she reached out to take her dad’s hand.

“Jonny, this is my Dad, Marshal Eli Crow. Dad, this is Jonny Bill MacEagle, grandson of White Elk,” she said, looking from one to the other with a proud smile on her face as they shook hands.

“Jonny Bill, I’m pleased to meet you. Your grandfather has a high regard of you and your brother Jere Joe.”

“Marshal Crow, I am honored to meet you. My grandfather holds you as a great friend of our people and I am extremely honored that you and he trusted my brother and I to meet your daughters, Kia and Michi. I can only hope that I live up to that trust.”

“You seem to have captured a part of my daughter’s heart in a short time. I’ve never seen her this happy over meeting a new friend,” Eli told him as he looked into the young man’s eyes.

“Sir, with your permission, I would like to win Kia’s heart completely and earn your respect as well. I hope Kia and I will have more of your time in the coming days. We have many things in our hearts to talk over with you,” Jonny Bill told him.

“We will have plenty of time later. Let us get this wagon train over to Pecan Ridge. All of you help us get our belongings unloaded and our folks settled in. We’ll have more time to talk then,” Eli told him.

Eli turned to see Michi standing near him. She was holding the hand of a young man who looked identical to his twin brother. Both of them were smiling as he stepped toward them.

“Dad, this is Jere Joe MacEagle. We already know about you and his grandfather planning for us to meet. I’m so happy you did. I like this young man a lot, Dad. He’s such a gentleman and he wants to help his people. I want to be with him and help him as he does,” Michi said as she pulled Jere Joe close.

With his left arm around her waist, Jere Joe reached out to shake Eli’s hand. They were each looking deep into the eyes of the other.

“Marshal Crow, I am honored.”

“I’m proud to meet you, Jere Joe. Your grandfather’s respect for you and your brother was enough for me. He and I both wanted my daughters to meet the two of you. I can see that White Elk’s respect of his grandsons was well founded. We will have time to talk later. We will meet and talk more personal then. For now, let us get this wagon train to Pecan Ridge and get these tired women and younger ones unloaded and unpacked.

“Kia, I am proud of all my girls this day. You have made fine choices,” Eli said as she rushed him for another embrace.

“Thank you, Dad. This means a lot to all of us,” she said, kissing his cheek.

Eli mounted then rode over to his Bucks and their girls. With a big smile, he rode up to each of the girls from Texas and shook their hands as they exchanged greetings. He rode his horse past each of the Bucks to shake their hands, greeting each of them with a proud smile.