Chapter 37

“Sheriff is it true, is the Injun deputy really Sky, The Eagle Boy of the Dakotas?” One man asked.

Tom and Cal heard the question and looked at each other.

“I never said a word,” Cal said in a whisper, shaking his head from side to side.

Tom knew in an instant that it had to have been Mr. Richards, the hat maker, that had recognized him and said something, more’n likely to Mr. and Mrs. Bonner. Once the Bonners knew of his real name, the news spread through the small town like smoke from a prairie fire.

Sheriff Wade turned to look at Tom with a look of disbelief and wonder.

“Are you?” He asked.

“Yep, I reckon I knew it was comin sooner or later Sheriff, just didn’t know when. I just told Cal about it this morning after I saw the hat maker drive his peddling wagon into town yesterday, I had a feelin he’d be the one to point me out.”

“Well now Tom, I reckon you know that you’ve got quite a notable name and reputation here abouts. I knew all along that you were different from any Indian I ever met, just didn’t know what it was I was a seeing I reckon,” Sheriff Wade said, then walked to Tom and shook his hand.

“I’m proud to know that I met you, and even prouder to know you as my friend. You sure do fit the bill as the legend I heard tell of years ago. How do you want to handle this crowd that’s gathering out here in the streets, you’ll have to face them sooner or later, you know.”

“Sheriff I reckon I need to try and think of something to tell’em, I knew this would happen, I just didn’t know what I’d say when it did. I still don’t know what to say.”

Tom got up and walked through the open doorway, out onto the boardwalk. The people that had been standing on the wooden walk way, moved off into the street, the growing crowd of people in the street began to push forward to get closer to the man known as Sky, the Legendary Eagle Boy.

Tom looked out over the crowd, his eyes seeming to connect momentarily with each person as he looked them over. The people that had been talking and whispering and some even praying openly, fell silent as Tom stood before them.

The bright afternoon sun was in the western sky and Tom stood on the boardwalk facing east, in the shadow of the overhang on the Sheriff’s Office. The sunlight was reflecting off the glass windows in the feed store across the street, casting a beam of light that seemed to glow across his white shirt. His hair looked darker, his face looked younger than his years, his shoulders looked broader as he stood there, his eyes seemed to flash and sparkle as he began to speak.

“I reckon I owe all of you some explaining, since you seem to know who I am and where I came from. I am the boy that was named Sky by the Sioux after my earth Mother saw me delivered from the heavens by a giant eagle in the plains of The Dakota Territory.

“I was raised near the Lands of the Sioux, I have many friends in the Sioux Nation, I learned the ways of these friends. I was taught to read and write by my earth Mother, I was taught to be a man by my earth Father.

“I have never felt that I was special, even after I was told of my heritage. I know nothing of being a legend or how to accept the fact that I am. I know that I seem different from all of you, but I’m different only by the color of my skin and my long hair. Inside, I am the same as you. I feel hurt when I see you hurt, I feel good when I see you happy.

“I try to be humble and fair in all my dealings with others. I never set out to be a law man, but it seems like it was just meant to be, I try to help those I can help and protect those that need protecting.

“A few months ago, when I set out to see this land I had learned about in the many books I’d read, we knew that it would be hard to keep my true name and my heritage hidden. My Father suggested that I not use the name Sky, but use another name that would not be recognized, so that my journey would not be hindered by those that would mock me or try to do me harm only to make a name for themselves.

“I never meant to deceive anyone, I only wanted to see the lands of my forefathers as they were described to me by the Elders of the Sioux. I am but a man, who was put here on this land for a reason, just as each of you were. Like you, I know not yet what that reason is. I ask that you see me as the man I am and not as the legend you have heard about in some tale, or read about in some book.

“I ask that you see me as I see you, as a friend.”

Tom spoke in a steady voice as he looked out over the crowd of men, women and children. Each person in that crowd knew in their heart that this half-breed man called Sky, had looked directly into their eyes and saw deep into their very soul and knew them as his personal friend.

No one said a word, they stood for a time in utter disbelief at what they had witnessed this day in a small town on the Kansas prairie.

Tom stood before them now, his hat in his hand and smiled out at them.

Each person in the crowd knew he was through speaking, this was all he was gonna say to them, yet they were not wanting to leave, they wanted to stand here close to him a little longer and not let this feeling go away.

Tom turned and walked back inside the Sheriff’s Office and sat down, he had tears in his eyes. He was not sad, but he knew that his life would never be the same now.

In the street, people started to mumble and talk among themselves, repeating to each other small parts of what Sky had said. Each of them looked once more at the open doorway of the Sheriff’s Office before they turned and walked away, returning to their lives that would be forever be changed by what they had just seen with their own eyes and heard with their own ears.

Soon the wide dirt street was back to somewhat normal as the people resumed doing what they were here to do. Each of them had a part of what they had just seen and heard, to tell someone else and ask if they’d seen or heard it the same way.

People that lived on the outskirts of the small town returned home to tell other family members what had just happened. Those that lived farther out on the prairie took longer to get home, but as the story was told, most of them added to it, and some took away.

There were people passing through on their way to other parts of Kansas or headed farther west, they told everyone they came close to, about what they had seen and heard in Hays, Kansas on that day, July 11, 1877.

Passengers on the west bound train heard of the story from a man and woman that had seen and heard what Sky, the Eagle Boy of Legend had done and said. They were the most popular travelers on the train that day, and they made the most of it.

Each time the story was told, Sky got a little taller, a little bigger, and better looking. His voice soon came out and carried on the wind to other parts of the small town.

They told of the strange light that had shone on his chest and spread across his face and arms whenever he moved. They told of how his eyes would look so deep into them that they could feel him stir their hearts and shake their very soul.

They told of his story about growing up on the prairie of The Dakotas and learning the ways of the Sioux, wanting to see the lands his forefathers had described to him.

They told of seeing him face three men at once in the middle of the dirt street in Hays City just before it was known who he really was. How he had reached out to slap two of them in the face before they even knew what had happened, how the three men walked away, afraid to even raise a hand to defend themselves.

In all directions, the legend spread, taking on a new life into itself now as the stories and tales were told over and over, then told and repeated by those that weren’t even there, but claimed to be.

People wrote letters to friends and relatives back east and told of the events of that day and added just enough flavoring to make the story even bigger than it was.

Word spread south to Dodge City, to the counties and towns surrounding Hays, and Ellis County. When people heard of the tall Indian, they remembered seeing him, and now they knew what it was about him that made him stand out in a crowd.

In Atchison and on to Topeka and Kansas City, the story spread about the tall half breed Sioux that was a lawman known as Tom Cooper, but was actually Sky, The Eagle Boy of Legend.

In the Long Branch Saloon down in Dodge City, a man stood with his back to the bar, his hat pushed back, drinking whiskey and telling a tale about a half breed Indian that stood six and a half feet tall and wore buckskins and moccasins.

He had the attention of everyone in the bar that day as he told of seein that Indian draw his Colt so fast that the eye couldn’t see it move.

He told of seeing him draw his Colt and shoot a dime from the air as someone flipped it up in front of him.

“He was so fast that when I saw the dime fly off, makin a buzzing sound, I looked down and his Colt was in his holster.”

“The man I speak of is also known as Sky, The Eagle Boy of Legend”

“Does he wear a big, black flat top hat and have long black hair down his back?” A man asked from the other end of the long bar.

“Yes he does, you know him too, don’t you Sir?”

“He was a lawman here in Dodge for a while, the name’s Tom Cooper, he’s from up in The Dakotas,” The man said and everyone turned to see who had spoken.

Bat Masterson was a man that everyone believed to be a straight shooter with his words as well as his guns. They all knew it must be true now, if Bat Masterson knew of him.

In just a few days the stories grew and spread even more, and each telling of the tale gave chance for it to be added to, then told over and over by those who had seen him in person. Then there were those that had never seen nor heard of him before this day, but claimed to know him personally.

“Tom, I don’t hardly know what to say to you, except to tell you that your life will never have another peaceful day as long as you stay where you are known. I know you can’t run away from who you are, you can’t stay hid from people all the time, you have a life to live, but this is too big for folks to let go of,” Sheriff Wade said as he sat looking at Tom.

“I reckon I knew all along this day would come, I was hoping I’d get to finish up my doings here in Kansas and ride on out before it was pointed out who I really am. I hope you don’t think I’m ashamed of who I am, it’s just that I don’t know how to handle all this.”

“Just be who you are Tom, you’ll be all right. If I know you, this won’t change the way you look at people, but it’ll sure change the way people look at you.”

“Thanks again Sheriff, I don’t know what I’d do, if I didn’t have you ‘n Cal for friends.”

The three men jerked their heads to the front door as they saw a young boy step quickly into the office.

“Are you Tom Cooper?” the boy asked looking at Tom.

“Yes I am.”

“Mr. Arthur Creighton, sent me to fetch you, he said that he needs to see you soon,” The young boy said, as he whirled in his tracks and was gone.

“Sheriff, I reckon we’ll see what Mr. Creighton wants, we’ll talk to you some more about the train coming through later. The Yanceys will bring the three Hanks brothers to town in the morning, to meet with Mr. Creighton about the legal guardian papers.”

“I’ll meet up with both of you later on and work up a plan to meet the train on Friday,” Sheriff Wade said.

Tom and Cal walked down the dirt street, Tom just didn’t want to mingle with the people walking along the wooden walk at this time.

The door to Arthur Creighton’s office was open, and Mrs. Creighton was seated at the outer desk and smiled when she saw them come in.

“Please come right on in,” she said as she opened the door to her husband’s private office.

“Tom good to see you and Cal, come on in and sit down, we’ve got some good news and we’ve also got some things to go over with you before tomorrow,” Arthur Creighton said as he reached out and shook both men’s hand.

“To begin with, my brother in Kansas City took care of the legal guardianship papers for us, he sent a telegraph message to his good friend in Wichita, Judge Tilden. Judge Tilden then sent a message to our local judge, Judge Roger Willis.

“The Yanceys are now legal guardians of the three Hanks brothers, until they each reach twenty one years of age respectively. When Cole reaches twenty one years, he will take control of one third of the estate, with authority to operate the entire ranch holdings as one operation.”

“Even then there will some stipulations of course, his brothers and the estate administrator will have to agree before he can sell land or cattle or withdraw funds from the estate.”

“That sounds good, you’ve done a fine job with it Mr. Creighton,” Tom smiled.

“Now listen to this, my other brother in St. Louis went to the last known address of Will McDonnough’s sister, which was an asylum for mental patients. They told him that she had died the last day of June, and they had tried to contact her next of kin, but never had a response. They gave my brother all her personal papers and belongings, since he was helping with the handling of her brother’s estate.

“Among those papers was her last will and testament, written and witnessed over ten years ago. All her possessions and all her holdings were to belong to her brother for helping her all her life. Tom, my brother estimates that her estate will be worth over half million dollars when he searches out all her bank deposits, property holdings and stock certificates he found evidence of.”

“Does this mean that the Hanks brothers will also inherit her estate?” Cal asked in shock.

“Yes, with the help of my brothers, we will place notices in the newspapers in St. Louis, Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita serving notice for claims against her estate as well as Will McDonnough’s estate.

“That’s just the main part of it, I will go over all of it with the Yancey’s and the three brothers tomorrow, now I have some more things to go over with you and Cal.”

“The Tanner brothers have been in Rooks County off and on since all of this happened, they brought some of their men over also to help with the ranch operations. Their father, Jedadiah Tanner went to the MDR also to help get the ranch operating again, he will stay on a while to help in the hiring of permanent ranch hands.”

“It seems that he is enjoying this so much, that he made his sons a proposition. He and his wife Delia will stay on at the MDR and watch over the operations and the hiring of new help until such a time that the new owners come of age. Of course all of this will have to be approved by the estate of the Hanks brothers once we get the trust set up in their names. You will need to hire an administrator to look after all of the assets and keep records for the estate also. This will be quite a large estate and involve the handling of payroll, as well as buying and selling of cattle.”

“Well Mr. Creighton, I reckon this is working out real good for the brothers, we’re glad that we came to you to handle all of this for them. I know that I talk for the boys and Cal when I tell you that we want you to be the administrator of the estate, since you and your brothers are the ones that are setting it all up.”