Book 3, Chapter 6

"Marshal, I think it would be in your best interest to listen to our husbands. Those men were trying to steal our belongings, and they would have succeeded if Gil hadn't finished eating sooner than expected. Now, I want you and your deputy to drop your guns, slowly ... Good, now deputy, you get your worthless hide down to that freight office and get the agent up here. While you are at it, find the President of the Bank. Our husband just happened to have a friendly game of cards with Mr. Cosmo Topper last night, and I'm sure Mr. Topper will be willing to vouch for him."

Angela was not playing around. She had the .44/40 Remington firmly against the marshal's neck. Angela had been covering the deputy. She picked up the deputy's gun and gave him a kick-start. He took off running toward the wharf. Then she came over and retrieved the marshal's gun. Angela stepped back.

"Now, where were we, Oh yes. You on the big wagon, use your left hand and get that gun out. Now throw it into the back of the wagon. We'll keep that one," David demanded.

The man complied with the order. David and Gil stepped forward and ordered both men to get down, each one on the left side of the wagon. That way they both wouldn't be together. They walked the men back to where the marshal was standing and had them lay in the dirt of the street. A short time later the freight agent came waddling up the street. When he saw the men on the street, he faltered and started to turn away. Angela had made her way to the back of the prairie schooner and had retrieved one of the Greeners. She had just come up behind him when he turned.

"Going somewhere, Mr. Agent man? Why don't you just keep going and we'll have this out," she suggested.

He turned back with the shotgun pointed at his back.

"I think those three were in cahoots with this freight agent. I'll bet that this has happened before, too. Well, hasn't it, Marshall?" David was demanding an answer from the Marshal. "I would guess that this sort of thing is a commonplace occurrence around here."

"I, I guess you must be right. I'll have to arrest these three. We will need to wait for the circuit judge to come..." he started to explain.

"Oh, no you don't, Slim McGee. If I go down, you go down!" the agent yelled as he pulled a hideout pistol from his vest.

He didn't get very far before the blast of the Greener made his guts become just another mess in the street. One thing though. In his death throes, his finger jerked the trigger of his gun and the shot hit the Marshal square in the chest. The Marshal dropped like a stone. While all the attention directed at the agent and the marshal, the two thieves decided it was time to make themselves scarce. When they though no one was looking, they bolted. They hadn't gone more than two or three steps when more gunshots rang out. This time the shots came from a group of women standing in the shade of the store on the corner.

Adele and Georgette both had fired at the same time, fanning the single action revolvers for effect. Each man took two bullets to the torso. One was dead before he hit the ground. The other was just short of dying. David went over to him.

"Look, you're dying. Who put you up to this?"

The man was gasping as he told David what he wanted to know. David related the story to the others after the man expired. The agent and the Marshal had a racket going. They would hire thugs to rob the boat passengers, and the Marshal would impede the investigation. None of the crooks were ever caught, and none of the stolen goods were ever recovered. The one useful piece of information was that the deputy was not in on the scheme. He was totally in the dark about the goings on. Angela handed the deputy back his gun. David retrieved the badge of office from the dead Marshal and pinned it on the deputy.

"I guess this makes you the law in these parts. I will recommend you for the position if you want it," Gil said. "Oh, look! Here comes Mr. Topper now. Let's fill him in. I'm sure he will be a good friend for you to have.

Cosmo Topper, the banker, was indeed interested in the story David and Gil related. He nodded his head throughout the retelling. He agreed with David that the deputy should take over as marshal, and he would recommend that the town council made that a permanent appointment. He was sure Joseph Friday would make an excellent lawman. Since Topper had vouched for the Morgan and Favor families, they were allowed to leave. The women rounded up the guns dropped by the crooks and they were placed in the big wagon. Angela collected the booty from the Marshal's body.

"Hey, Friday, does the Marshal live at the jail?" Gil asked.

"Yep, he shore does," was the reply.

"Well, let's you and me get on over there and pick up his belongings ... I mean, our belongings, now. Since his death was a direct result of his illegal activities, I reckon they belong to us, now."

"I think you're right Mister Morgan. Come this way."

Gil and Joe headed up the street together. Topper had David disperse the crowd. Hop Sing, the oriental laundryman and part time undertaker came to take the bodies away. David had stripped the bodies of any valuables, so he gave the Chinaman a ten dollar gold eagle to pay for the burials. The oriental man looked over the coin, on both sides and bit it. He was satisfied and the coin disappeared into his clothing. Bowing to David and the ladies, he went directly to his work. By the time Gil returned, the bodies were gone. Even the guts and bone from the Greener blast was cleaned up.

Speaking of Gil, he returned dragging a trunk. The Marshal had kept some of his ill-gotten gains, some of the prettier stuff that was. Gil quietly told David they should get on the road and inspect the trunk later. David nodded.

"Well, Mr. Topper, it has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance. We must be pushing on. We're going to hook up with the Southern Emigrant Trail following the Gila River to Tucson and then on to New Mexico. We plan on heading east following the Butterfield Stage route into Texas. From there we'll head directly to our destination, Waco."

"You folks have a safe journey. We've been fortunate and had quite a bit of rain lately. You should not have any trouble with water. I see your wagons have plenty of water barrels so it looks like you came prepared. If you stay on the trail, you should do all right. Good luck to you and stop by if you ever are traveling through here. They are building a prison here that's going to open soon and I think our little town will grow."

"Thanks Mr. Topper. You take care also. The west needs good men like you and your new Marshal," Angela told him, gracing his cheek with a chaste kiss.

Topper was tongue tied at that, so the family loaded up on the wagons and Gil headed out first with David following behind. They had already gotten the directions and within an hour they were on the trail headed east. They still had a couple of hours of daylight left so they put it to good use.

Peggy Sue woke with a start. She and Waite were sleeping alone tonight and they had just finished making love a short time ago. She had dozed off after the high-energy session they had completed.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Waite asked.

"Trouble of some kind," she answered. "I think our travelers had some kind of trouble, today. But I sense they are traveling again. This is good. Didn't you feel it?"

"Of course I did. I've felt their movement for a while now. It didn't seem like such a big deal though, so I put it out of my mind. Look," he said as he took her head in his hands and gently kissed her lips. "They will be all right, and they will get here when they get here. You are not to fret over them. You hear?" Waite admonished her.

"Yes, dear," she replied.

He pulled her back in close and placed his hand back over her body, cupping her breast as his breathing changed to the slow rhythmic cadence of a sleeping man. Peggy Sue took a little longer to calm down. But soon, she too was enjoying the refreshing sleep that came over her as well.

The Gila trail followed the Gila River across Arizona to Phoenix where it turned south to Tucson, so the small wagon train had a source of water. They would travel early morning until close to noon, then hunker down to wait out the heat of the sun. They were fortunate that the water was flowing this year. The trees near the banks of the river spread wide and green, providing shade for livestock and humans alike. They slept during the hottest part of the day and then hit the trail for several more hours before quitting for the day. The two teams were running into good luck and there was very little trouble along the route. But that was not to hold. On the third day out, David spotted smoke in the distance.

"It looks like there might be trouble ahead," he told his wives. "I think it might be a good idea if I went ahead and took a look. Gil can stay here with you. Just keep heading for the smoke, but stay back. I don't want you too close, just in case. Angela honey, hand forward that extra Winchester and the Sharps. I want to take them too. I'll need the extra scabbard for the Winchester. Midnight already has the saddle set with one scabbard already in place. Let's pull up over by that Saguaro over there and I'll get transferred."

They pulled up the wagons and David jumped down. He trotted up to Gil's wagon and explained his plan. Gil though it would be better if he went along too. David pointed out that no one would be left behind to look after the women and the wagons. Gil hadn't considered that and he reluctantly agreed to stay behind. David installed the second rifle scabbard on Midnight and mounted up. He took the rifles as Angela passed them across. Once he had them stowed, he wheeled the big gelding around and spurred him to a gallop. He soon became a fading spot on the horizon to the group left behind.

Gil pulled ahead so his wagon was even with David's.

"Okay, then, it seems like there might be some trouble. I suggest we all arm ourselves and keep our eyes peeled. I'd like everyone to keep with them a shotgun, rifle and at least two loaded revolvers. You can stash them along the bed of the wagon, but keep them handy. Also, Georgette, we could use some help over here. If you don't mind helping your aged aunt, that is."

That comment earned him a swat from Adele, but she took it all in fun. Gil was trying to keep the mood light, and that helped. Once they balanced the personnel between the wagons, Gil eased the team out into the lead. He basically gave the animals their heads and let them set the pace. Slow and steady was the key for the day.

David's race towards the smoke continued until he was just short of the location. He pulled Midnight up and walked him cautiously over to a Palo Verde tree at the base of the hill. He tied the horse to the low branches and retrieved his rifles. He climbed the hill until he almost reached the crest. Then he got down and virtually crawled the rest of the way to the top. He took off his hat and cautiously poked his head up over the top. He was appalled as the sight that lay before him.

He could recognize the standard formation of a wagon train as the wagons, or at least what was left of them, sat in a large circle. Some of them had burned out, while a couple were still burning. There were two that had no canvas but were intact. The most disquieting thing about the scenario was that there was no human movement. The place was completely still. David used the scope on the long-range rifle to look over the camp. He watched for what seemed like an eternity. Satisfied it wasn't a trap, he slowly backed off of the rise and headed back down to his horse. He put the rifles back on the horse and then took the reins and led him back up the hill.

Slowly, David approached the crest of the hill once more. He looked over the top and nothing had changed. The carnage of the wrecked wagon train still lay before him. Still cautious, he slowly made his way over the top and down to the valley. He approached the wagons with trepidation. This was going to be bad. He knew it. He confirmed it as he saw the body of a man draped over the side of one of the non-burnt wagons. The bright red splotch on his head proved what David feared. The Apache were riding again. The man had been scalped.

David rode up to the wagon and tied off Midnight to one of the hawser rings at the rear. He dismounted and drew his gun. He checked the man in the wagon and confirmed that the man was dead. When he looked inside, he lost his lunch. The whole family had perished. The wife and mother was a bloody mess. She must have fought back. She had been raped and mutilated. The two daughters had also been molested. They appeared to be in their early teens. The youngest, a boy, was shot in the forehead and scalped.

Steeling himself, David made the rounds of the wagons. There were thirteen in all, not a very lucky number. He was checking out number twelve, when he though he heard a sound. It was coming from wagon number thirteen. He drew his gun and moved silently toward the big wagon. It was the other one that had not burned. As he came close to the wagon, he purposely cocked both his guns. They sounded off loudly in the stillness of the camp.

"All right! You there in the wagon. Come out with your hands high. No funny business, now. Come on out!" he shouted.

"Don't shoot, mister," a small voice called out. "We'll come out. Don't shoot."

David watched, amazed, as the small bodies crawled out of the wagon. The oldest must have been all of twelve years old. It was a ray of sunshine surrounded by the pall of death. David quickly uncocked and holstered his weapons and stepped forward to help the little ones out. Seven children in all came out of that wagon.

Each one was identified by the girl.

"I'm Lisa Waggoner, sir. I was twelve last month on the 6th. This here is Hannah Pettit. She was eleven last Christmas. Next to her is Joshua Pettit. He's six. That boy there is Wayne Pillsbury. He's ten, and he's holding his sister, Blanche. She's two. The twins are Mildred and Prudence Fairweather. They are five."

"Five and a half," one of them offered.

"Yes, Prudi, five and a half," Lisa corrected herself.

"Well met," David said. "Why don't you all come with me over to the river?"

They meekly followed David as he led them away from the slaughter. They were about one hundred yards away from the wagons before David stopped them. He had them sit on the grass that grew close to the river.

"Lisa, can you tell me what happened here?" he asked kindly.

"Yes, sir. It was Indians, sir. They attacked after we stopped for our noon meal yesterday. I was given the job of babysitting..."

"I don't need no babysitter. I ain't no baby," said Wayne.

"Well, the way you acted yesterday might have a body think otherwise, Wayne Pillsbury. You was all bluster until them savages attacked. Then you was crying like your little baby sister, Blanche. Now you just hush, or I'll tell what else you did," Lisa shot back.

Wayne was quaking in his boots at her words. He sat back down and didn't say another word. She continued her story.

"Anyway, we were to keep out of the way of the folks on the trains. The Wilson kids decided to stay with their ma and pa but the rest of us decided to explore. I was carrying Blanche, but everyone else was doing fine for themselves. We went down river a ways. I don't know just how long we were gone before we heard gunshots. Some of us wanted to rush back, but I held him, ah, I mean them back. I warned ... them, that there might be trouble. I said it would be better if we stayed back ... out of the way, like."

David was nodding as he listened.

"We got scared real bad," one of the twins offered.

"Yes," replied Prudence "Milly and I held hands, and we hid in the bushes. The others thought that was a great idea because they all joined us, even big old braggart Wayne."

She stuck her tongue out at him. He made a face in return.

"We were so scared. It seemed like the fight went on for hours." Hanna volunteered. "Then it got quiet. Every so often we'd hear a gun shot. There was some screaming from the women, but that soon quieted down. It got near night before we dared move up. It was horrible. There were wagons on fire and a lot of dead people lying on the ground. Lisa and I and Wayne drug the bodies from the wagon circle and put them under one of the wagons. We covered them with the canvas from the Wilson's wagon. We decided not to move the Wilson family cause they'd be too heavy and we didn't want to disturb them. Mrs. Wilson was all messed up, anyway. We wouldn't let Wayne up in the wagon."

"I think you did right, on that," David said. "My wives and my friend will be arriving, soon. Our wagons were about two hours back. So when they get here, we'll load up anything salvageable, and take you with us, if that's okay."

"That would be very fine, Mr ... ah, we don't know your name," Mildred said with a tear in her eye.

"Oh, well, yes. My name is David Morgan, and soon my wives will be here. They are Angela, Jessica, Rhoda and Georgette. My friend is Gil Favor and his wife is Adele. She is Rhoda's mother and Georgette's aunt ... and you know what I think?"

"What?" the twins said simultaneously, eyes wide with excitement because of the way David asked the question.

"I think they are going to just love you kids. So what do you think. Can I persuade you to join us? Maybe even have you adopt us as your parents?"

That seemed to please the little ones to no end. Lisa and Hannah and maybe even Wayne understood that without help, the children wouldn't last long. To the younger ones, this would seem like a new and exciting adventure. Mildred and Prudence moved to sit on David's lap and they talked with him while the others found places to sit in the shade of the surviving wagons. They only had to wait about forty-five minutes before the wagons appeared at the top of the rise. David set the twins down and stood. He waved his hat over his head to acknowledge the train.

Several minutes later, the two wagons pulled up beside the wagon where the children had taken refuge. It seemed that the women were streaming out of the wagons even before they stopped. Concern showed on their faces as they literally demanded explanations. Lisa was allowed to retell her tale for the assembled group. Tears were in everyone's eyes by the end of the telling. The twins clung to David and Angela sat next to them, petting them and whispering soft assurances. Mildred transferred over to her lap.

Jessica and Rhoda were hugging Joshua and Hannah. Adele took Lisa in her arms and held her close when the girl finally broke down. Gil was comforting Wayne along with Georgette who was holding Blanche. With all the adults there, the children were finally allowed to grieve the loss of their parents. Grieve they did, too. They continued to cry for quite some time. The younger children cried themselves out and exhausted from the events of the past few days, sleepily clung to the adults. Jessica quietly suggested they put the children down to sleep under the wagon. Gil convinced Wayne to help spread the tarp from his wagon out for the others to lie on. Once that was done, the youngest ones were laid on blankets fetched from the Conestoga.