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Chapter Five

Tyler Texas

There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.”—Ernest Hemingway The thunderclap woke Chicolithe. He stretched his legs on the rope bed and listened to a surge of wind as it roared through the pine tops and to the rain as it pounded the wooden shingles and slid from the roof to slap puddles of water on the hard clay ground. He sat up and looked out the cabin’s one window by his bed. The thunder echoed through the piney hills like enfilading cannon, and he heard a bolt of lightning crackle high above the earth, burning sky and air until it augured its tentacle downward into a pine. He heard the tree split and crash into the ground. As the storm moved eastward, the thunder eased into rumbles and the lightning into white-charcoal screens. His bluetick hound stirred, and the dog’s tail thumped the bedpost. Chicolithe reached down and scratched the animal’s head. “One of them will run tonight, Nimrod. Best get some rest, boy.” The dog blew out a breath, licked Chicolithe’s hand, and rested his muzzle on his outstretched paws. Chicolithe rose an hour later, let the dog outside, and then moved to the stool at the fireplace. He threw pine kindling onto the embers and blew them into flame. sac kanken The blackened clay of the stick-framed clay chimney was cracked and thick with charred pine resin. The smoke swirled and looped inside its black crypt, then spiraled up the flu. After the logs caught, he let Nimrod back inside and made coffee and a small boiler of cornmeal mush. NIKE AIR MAX THEA

As he ate, he stared into the flames, his thoughts taking him to earlier pursuits of these erratic and desperate men in blue coats. He heard the splash of brogans wading through the mud and puddles outside his cabin. A small hand, not a man’s fist, pounded on the door. It would be one of the guards from Camp Ford. Slipping his suspenders over his shoulders as he rose, he opened the dilapidated pine-board door. “Come on in, boy. Get dried off.” The fifteen-year-old stepped inside, removed his slouch hat, and squeezed the water out of it. “I’d like to visit a while, Mr. Chicolithe, but I got to get back to the fort. Colonel Allen wants you to come right away with your dogs. Some Yankees run away last night.” “How many this time?” “Colonel said a half-a-dozen of ’em.” Chicolithe ciphered the silver dollars he would earn if he could catch them all. The boy held his hands over the fireplace. “It’s rained like thunder all night long. A cold rain, too. Nick Marshall – Auburn Tigers Jerseys I reckon they thought the rain would cover their trail.” “They thought wrong.” Chicolithe studied the boy who had already worked the camp for a year. The boy was one of about two dozen militiamen on guard duty at Camp Ford—all of them boys, old men, or stove-up soldiers—who guarded the 2,000 Federal troops inside the stockade. More prisoners seemed to arrive every week. He wondered how many the pine log fort could hold. Chicolithe had taken a liking to this youngster. If the war lasted another year, this boy would be sure to sign on with regular Texas infantry or cavalry. A couple of the other boys guarding the fort seemed a bit addled and thickheaded to Chicolithe. He doubted they would ever be accepted for regular service, but this boy—he would be absorbed quickly. A half-dozen. That meant that it wasn’t the impulsive blind run of a few soldiers who seized an opportunity, but it reflected a planned escape. New Balance 990 damskie Likely, they had weapons and food stored up and a route planned. Maybe some help from someone outside the stockade. If the escapees stayed together, they would be easy enough to catch, but if they split up, Chicolithe knew he would have a devil of time catching them all. “Well, boy, help me load up the dogs, and we’ll be on our way. It sounds like the rain is letting up.” While the boy hitched his two mules to the wagon, Chicolithe saddled his horse and tied him to the back. He threw a sack of corn into the wagon bed and checked his guns. He stepped over to open the dog pen, and the six hounds inside bayed and pawed the gate. When he swung it open, the bloodhounds swarmed out, noses to the ground, their tails slapping the air in excitement. “Shut your mouths and get in the wagon,” he said. The dogs sniffed their way to the tailgate and hopped into the wagon bed. “You too, Nimrod,” he said. Nimrod, looked at him like an indulgent sergeant major would look at an officer giving orders before a battle, then hopped up with the others, sitting on his haunches in a corner of the wagon bed. “Why do you call that dog Nimrod?” the boy asked. “I knew this old Jewish man in Tyler. He used to tell me stories from the book of Genesis. One of them was about Nimrod, whom he called ‘a mighty hunter of men before the Lord.’ Now this old man says that Nimrod could hunt and track men and animals better than any man on earth. People feared him, and I’d say they had good reason to. I guess Nimrod had to have been a good manhunter if he caught the good Lord’s attention. This hound of mine is the best manhunter I got, so I gave him that name, Nimrod. “He’s the smartest and meanest hound I ever had. He’ll let a boy in gray pat him on the head, but the sight of a blue uniform seems to make him crazy mad. Must be some kind of natural instinct that some of the human race don’t have.” They happened upon a wagon of refugees—a mother, her young boys, a teenage daughter, and two servants. The wagon was piled high with their belongings. One of the servants wore a Confederate kepi. The servant raised his hand in greeting, then asked Chicolithe, “How far are we from the town of Tyler?” “About a mile straight ahead,” Chicolithe said. “Where are you folks from?” “From Louisiana,” one of the girls said. “We had a plantation near the Mississippi River. We are the Stone family. My name is Kate.” “Things bad there?” he asked. “Yankees and ruffians have taken over. They’re stealing and burning everything. We decided it would be prudent to move to a safer area.” “When you get into town, go to the Methodist church. The minister will help you. He’s taken it on himself to help folks like you. He’s commander of some sort of refugee relief committee.” “Thank you, sir,” she said. “Tyler, Texas.” She sighed. “It seems so far from our Brokenburn.” The pilgrim family moved on. The boy said, “That Kate is a pretty thing. Don’t you think so? I just might have to go to town next chance I get. Make sure they get settled and all. Do you have a sweetheart, Mr. Chicolithe?” Chicolithe spat into the road. “You mind your own business.” He popped the reins and the mules plodded forward. As Chicolithe neared the stockade he reined the mules to a stop. He looked down into the five-acre prisoner of war camp and contemplated the crude makeshift log and earth cabins. Some dwellings were merely lean-tos constructed of scraps of lumber, pine branches, and canvas; some were tarp-covered soddies or shebangs, which were merely holes covered with tarps. Blue coats, dirty muslin shirts, and a hodgepodge of colors and costumes swarmed like restless ants in the daylight. Red-capped Zouaves with their bulbous britches bobbed about like fishing corks on a pond. His hounds pushed their way to the front of the wagon, peering over his shoulder as if they too wanted to again examine this oddity of architecture and humanity. A bugle sounded for the 7:00 a.m. roll call, and the swarm metamorphosed into lines. One dog growled. “You settle down, Stuboy. You’ll get after some of’em soon enough.” He turned his head and spat a stream of tobacco into the muddy clay road. He popped the reins and said, “Go on, mule.” “Place is swelled up real tight now,” the boy said. “All those prisoners they brung back from Mansfield, Louisiana have durn near filled the place up.” “Taking so many prisoners never entered our leaders’ minds, best I can tell.” Chicolithe said. “You know, boy, a prisoner of war camp is an awful thing. You take a man out of a soldier’s life and stick him in a place like this, you’re likely to do something horrible to his insides. I hear it’s worse on our boys they took up north. A Southern boy ain’t like these Yankees. He don’t mind fighting, he can suffer through being hungry and tired and wet and cold, but he just ain’t made to be corralled in a situation like this.” Two young guards on picket duty sat along the road. They stood as the wagon approached, and when they recognized Chicolithe, they sat back down. One resumed cleaning his single barrel shotgun, and the other whittling a cedar branch, the shavings piling up near his feet. Neither boy could have been sixteen. “You been inside that pen yet, Mr. Chicolithe?” the whittler asked. “It’s like a durn circus or insane asylum. Colonel’s expecting you. You can leave the towhead here with us.” The boy stepped off the wagon. “I ain’t had breakfast yet.” “You done missed breakfast. Weren’t much today noway. Just some fried mush and sorghum.” “It’s a long time till supper,” the boy said. “Reckon you could get me something to eat, Mr. Chicolithe?” “If they feed me, I’ll ask the Colonel to send some up to you too.” “Much obliged, Mr. Chicolithe.” At the house, two women sat on the porch in rockers. One was an attractive young woman with a book in her hand. The older woman was knitting. When she saw Chicolithe, she set her work in her lap and smiled. “My husband is expecting you,” she said. A Negro was stacking firewood near the house. “Benjamin, would you please step inside and notify Colonel Allen that Mr. Adidas Superstar Donna

Chilicothe has arrived.” “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “This is Mollie Moore, Mr. Chicolithe, a wonderful poet and singer from Houston. She has come to entertain the troops stationed here and the prisoners as well, though the escape last night may have sabotaged their chances for much entertainment. albion gold My husband is most irate over their ingratitude.” “I’m pleased to meet you, ma’am,” Chicolithe said. “Mr. Chicolithe is here to recover the escaped prisoners, Molly. He is an expert tracker and marksman. He can follow the faintest of trails, and it is said that he can out-track any Indian in the woods or prairies. His skill and instinct is legendary.” “Is that so?” Miss Mollie said. She looked at his dogs. “They do look like they are vicious creatures.” “I wouldn’t call them vicious, but they can put on a ferocious face when they want. Some prisoners say I starve my dogs to make them meaner. That ain’t true. buy albion gold They say that I don’t allow them to hunt nothin’ but a man. That is true. Memphis Grizzlies They can follow a scent eight days old, even after a rain. The Yankees call them sleuth-dogs. Like me, my dogs don’t care for Yankees none.” “Do you have to use dogs to catch them? He reached down and petted Nimrod’s head. “No, ma’am, I don’t have to use dogs to follow and ketch a man, but the dogs do hasten the process. My dogs are hunters like me—they’ll follow a man day and night till they get him. You know, when Cortez landed in Mexico, he got the attention and respect of the Aztecs by three things: guns, horses, and his war-dogs. I’ve got all three, and I’ve surely got the attention of the Yankees here.” “Do you like poetry, Mr. Stubbs?” Mollie asked. Her eyes were sparkly, playful. He thought her a little arrogant, like she was testing him. “Lot of folks write poems, ma’am,” Chicolithe said. NIKE AIR MAX SEQUENT “I like some of what I hear, though most of what people call poetry leans toward the overly sentimental. I do enjoy reading good poetry when I can get it.” “Well, I hope you favor mine. I will look for you at my reading this evening.” Colonel Allen, a captain, two lieutenants, and a civilian came out of the cabin. “Mr. Chicolithe,” the Colonel said, “It seems I am in need of your services once again.” “That’s what I hear.” Colonel Allen scratched his neck under his beard and said, “Every batch, there’s always a few that starts planning an escape. And I don’t know why. I allow them to sell their souvenirs to Tyler folks. I try to feed them decently. They’ve heard of Camp Groce, they know this ain’t no Andersonville, and they know that if they go back to fightin’ they’re likely to get killed or captured again.” “It’s hard to explain human nature, Colonel. The ones that try to escape never think it out entirely. I see you enlarged the stockade.” “I had to. It’s a perplexing thing, having all these prisoners. It filled up faster than we had thought, so I had to pull all the logs up, cut them in half and split them and rebuild the fence. buy albion silver And they still keep coming.

We already got prisoners from a hundred Federal regiments and seventeen states, a herd of sailors from the Federal Navy, seven colonels, four majors, forty-eight captains, ninety lieutenants, one doctor and one naval captain. Even got a couple of Texas boys from Jack County who had joined the Federal army.” “I thought you had arranged a prisoner exchange, so you could get them out of here.” “We thought so. We marched them to Shreveport, but the talks broke down, so General Kirby ordered us to march them back. You should have heard them Yankees cursing their idiot leaders. One Kansas boy broke down and cried. They couldn’t understand why the Grand Army of the Republic didn’t want to exchange prisoners. “I must apologize, Mr. Chicolithe. The responsibilities of my position sometimes distract me. Regarding your pay. I’ll pay you in Mexican silver coin, one dollar per man you return.” “The boy said that a half-dozen lit out?” “That is correct. I’m afraid we had a bad storm last night, and they made use of that diversion to slip away. They dug under some logs loose on the eastern side of the stockade.” “It looks mighty crowded. My guess is you’re about to have a passel of escape attempts. Course, when I get back with these, the others won’t be in such a hurry to get out.” “What do you mean, sir?” a Lieutenant asked. “I mean that they’ll find it’s safer there, than when I’m after them. adidas zx 700 damskie And this camp here . . .Well, it will seem like a traveler’s hotel compared to life on the run.

“They cain’t have gone far. If they went due east, like I think they did, they’ll slow down when they hit the swamp. Nike Air Max 2016 Dames Groen Most of them have no sense of direction and will get lost trying to cut through it or circle it. You want them back alive? If I have to shoot one, and if you wanted his body toted back, you’ll have to send along me some help.” “Live will do fine, but don’t put yourself out to make them walk back. I’ll send a wagon along the road, and you can have the three guards you met coming in, and a couple of the Twelfth Texas Cavalry that have just been stationed here. These Federals who escaped were all officers. I can’t tell you how important it is that we find them quickly.” “Don’t you worry none. I’ll fetch them home. As far as men, just give me the towhead. If I need more, I’ll send him back to get them. I will need some rope or lariats though.” “As you wish.” Chicolithe walked around the stockade and found where the prisoners had slipped through. Two servants were resetting the logs. His eyes followed the faint trail made by their bare feet and thin brogans. He filled his pipe, popped a Lucifer on a stockade log, and smoked, speculating. He walked around the stockade, looking for other breaches and trails. At the gate, Chicolithe watched a guard escort a Yankee out of the stockade to the hospital building. A gaunt, walking skeleton, his body wasted away by dysentery, he must have lost his mind somewhere in Camp Ford. He held an ear of corn in the air and was gibberishly talking to it as if it were a close friend. As far as Chicolithe could tell, the corn’s new friend didn’t have a grain of sense. He moved on to his wagon. The towhead was already there. “Well, let’s get started,” Chicolithe said. He untied his horse from the wagon and mounted. He shouted, “Let loose the dogs of war!” He glanced up at Miss Mollie and saw her nod approvingly. “I see Mr. Chicolithe knows some Shakespeare. I do so hope that you will be back in time to hear my poetry.” The towhead dropped the wagon’s tailgate. Chicolithe’s eyes shifted to the visiting poet. “I look forward to hearing your poetry, Miss Mollie. ” Chicolithe shouted, “Let’s go boys. Sing for them! Sing, Cerberus! Sing, Nimrod! Sing, Stu-boy!” The hounds filed off the wagon and let loose a chorus of barks, bays, and growls and followed him to the escapees’ trail. buy albion gold The low murmur of voices and other sounds in the stockade stilled. It became so quiet that Chicolithe heard the shrill cry of a hawk above them. He knew it was good for the prisoners who had lacked the gumption to attempt an escape to see and hear the dogs. There was something about the dogs that frightened them. cheap albion gold And my dogs should frighten them, he thought. He and the boy followed the dogs, and as he anticipated, the escaped prisoners moved east, right toward the big swamp between Tyler and Shreveport. albion silver If they didn’t split up, he’d be finished by supper. From his horse he studied the trail. They weren’t traveling with great speed. They were either worn out or arrogant. “Are we close to them, Mr. Chicolithe?” the towhead asked. “We are. Now, listen to me, towhead. As the sleuth-dogs get closer, those Yanks will stop traveling together and make it ever man for himself, and they’ll scatter. Are you listening to me? They’re likely hungry, tired, and eaten up by briars and mosquitoes. The mind of an escaped Federal is a most peculiar thing. Once the dogs start baying, the runners always think the dogs are closer and running faster than they are. Makes them careless. Makes them crazy stupid. They’ll get scared and run themselves out. That’s just what we want. Under Armour Shoes Keep your eyes open too. When we start catching them, we’ll truss them up like a string of haltered horses and you’ll lead them along. You follow me slow. Don’t untie them, and don’t stop; I don’t care what they say or how much they whine. They might try some kind of desperate ambush on you. If you think one’s going to fight you, or if he threatens you, shoot him with that shotgun of yours.” Chicolithe studied the fringe of the swamp ahead. At the next rise, he saw a blue jacket weaving erratically through the brush, and white arms flailing at the briars and vines. When Chicolithe blew his horn bugle, the dogs raised their voices in a chorus of barks and howls. “Get him, boys!” he said. A couple of the sight dogs caught a glimpse of their prey and belted out in front of the pack, snarling like berserk Vikings working themselves up into a battle frenzy. A few yards away from its quarry, one sprang into the air, hit the Federal high in the back and knocked him down. The other dogs swarmed onto the fallen Yankee, latching onto arms and legs and pinning him to the ground. In his peripheral vision, Chicolithe caught a flash of blue to his right. Two more Federals were making their way into the cypress brake. “Towhead, you go pull the dogs off this one, and get a gun on the prisoner.” He spurred his horse toward the fleeing prisoners. The men paused at the edge of water then waded out into it. Listen to me, boys. That little bit of water ain’t goin’ to slow the dogs down. They like a swim now and then.” One of the Yankees hollered, “I’m not going back to that camp!” “You’re wrong about that boy,” Chicolithe said. He lifted his rifle and dropped the man. The surviving Yankee said, “Don’t shoot me! And don’t sic those dogs on me! Please, don’t sic those dogs on me!” “Alright,” Chicolithe said. “You come out here to me, and I’ll keep the dogs off you.” The Yankee trudged out of the water and came and stood by Chicolithe’s horse. The towhead led his prisoner and the dogs back to Chicolithe. Chicolithe pitched him a coil of rope. “Hog-tie these two and let’s get the other three.” From his horse Chicolithe could see other tracks leading to a canebrake. He nudged his horse toward it, figuring that the other three had stayed together. Chicolithe hollered, “You Federal boys in there, you best come out. My dogs done chewed up one of your friends, and the other’s lying facedown in the swamp water. Los Angeles Lakers Y’all are going back—one way or another. Now, I could set the dogs on you, or hell, I could just set fire to the cane and shoot you when you run out. I’ll give you a minute or so to decide.” A voice called out, “We’re gonna come out, Mr. Chicolithe. Don’t shoot us.” Chicolithe said, “You got any guns?” “Theodore here has a small pistol, but I think the powder’s wet.” Chicolithe heard them arguing among themselves. “What are you doing, holding a durn election? There ain’t but one decision to make and that’s if you’re going to walk out of the cane. I’m in a hurry to get back to camp and have a good supper and hear Miss Molly read her poetry.” Two Federal officers filed out. Chicolithe studied their faces. A man’s face and eyes shows what he is, he thought. Try as he might, a man can’t hide some things. As a manhunter, he had seen the whole spectrum of the emotions and mindsets of captives—rage, defiance, fear, confusion, frustration, madness, and despair. Officer or enlisted man, when a man is on the run, his face wears the naked truth of what he is in his essence. cheap albion silver Chicolithe counted the now silent men huddle in front of him. Four, one dead on the water, that made five. One missing. “Where’s the other one?” he asked the one who had the most fear on his face. “I—I—I don’t know,” he replied. Chicolithe lifted the rifle’s muzzle and pressed it against the man’s chin. chaussures de foot adidas “This is no time to take up the bad habit of lying.” Nimrod had frozen like a dog pointing quail, his eyes fixed on the cane. Chicolithe heard his low and steady growl. “Nimrod thinks there’s still someone in the cane.” The Lieutenant’s eyes widened. “Get him, Nimrod,” Chicolithe said. Nimrod spurted into the cane, the other dogs following his lead. A man’s angry voice cursed, and Chicolithe could hear him thrashing about in the cane trying to get away from the dogs. The man-voice was swallowed up by the barks and growls of the dogs, and the angry voice changed to cries for help. “It isn’t right for you to sic your dogs on him,” one of the Federal officers said. “Call them off.” “They do sound like their getting worked up, don’t they? You can go get your friend if you want,” Chicolithe said. “He should have come out like the rest of you had the sense to do.” Chicolithe waited a minute longer, then whistled sharply. The dogs stopped their attack. He knew they still circled the man, waiting for another chance to attack. Chicolithe heard the man hyperventilating and wheezing. He called out, “You ready to come out of that cane now?” “Yes.” Chicolithe whistled again and the dogs returned to the manhunter party. Nimrod rubbed his bloody muzzle on the grass, then nudged each of the other dogs as if congratulating them for their work. Chicolithe heard the prisoner trudge cautiously toward them through the cane. He stepped out in the open. His blue jacket was shredded and stained with blood. His eyes were glazed and crossed. “Lord, have mercy,” one of the Union officers said. “He needs medical attention. Can’t you put him on a horse?” “Patch him up best you can. He walked away from Camp Ford. Air Jordan 18 I reckon he can walk back like the rest of you.” He lifted his rifle and pointed the barrel west, toward the road. “You boys get to walking that direction. That will put us on the Tyler road and it will be easier walking. We’ll follow along right behind you.” “What about that Yank you shot?” the towhead said. “What about him?” “Captain won’t pay you unless he sees the body, Chicolithe.” “I reckon you’re right about that.” Chicolithe backtracked the group to where he had shot the escaping prisoner. The Federals stood at the edge of the swamp in silence, staring at the bobbing blue body, facedown on the water. “Y’all wade out and get your friend,” Chicolithe said. “You can bury him back at the camp.” When they had dragged the corpse out of the water, Chicolithe told the towhead to walk, so they could tie the dead Federal across his horse. He allowed the Federals to walk in a clump until they neared Camp Ford, then he tethered them neck to neck and ordered them walk in a single file. Chicolithe called out, “Sing for them, boys!” Nimrod and the dogs began their hunters’ chorus—howling, snarling, and barking, as they herded the prisoners forward, nipping at their heels like stock dogs. The Colonel met Chicolithe at the edge of the camp. He angrily eyed the prisoners, and then turned the manhunter. “Excellent work, Mr. Chicolithe. Excellent! Come by my cabin and I will pay you for your services. Guards! Open the gate for the prisoners. Write down their names, for I shall call them later for questioning and punishment.” After the Federals had filed into the stockade, the dogs sat on their haunches outside the heavy pine-log gate. Chicolithe rode on to the Colonel’s cabin, dismounted, and tied his horse to one of the cedar porch posts. There was a pail of water on the porch. He drank two gourds of water, wiped his mouth with his shirtsleeve, and walked back to the stockade. He climbed a ladder and studied the mass of prisoners. A few of the prisoners saw him and pointed his way, whispering to their comrades. He saw a prisoner, standing as if paralyzed, a pewter spoon in his hand. That’s odd, he thought. The prisoner’s eyes shifted to the man next to him, who held a bulbous rag, cupped in his hand. The one with a spoon vanished into a dugout, and Chicolithe watched the other untie his bundle. A thin stream of dust poured out as he walked along the path the Yankees had named Main Street. The soldier folded his rag and stuffed it into his pocket, then he too ducked inside the same dugout the man with the spoon had gone into. They’re digging a tunnel, he thought. Spoonful by spoonful. Guess it gives them something to do. He returned to the cabin where the Colonel, Mrs. Allen, and Miss Molly waited for him. Miss Molly said, “I see Caesar has returned with many captives. I shall later compose a poem as a tribute to your exploits.” Colonel Allen handed Chicolithe a small sack of coins. “I believe this capture will demonstrate to the prisoners how futile the notion of escape is. Hopefully, we will not need your services in the future. Some of the officers want to hunt for deer or perhaps even a buffalo tomorrow. Would you care to join us?” “Naw, I reckon I’ll stick to hunting Federal prisoners.” Chicolithe contemplated informing the Colonel about the tunnel. They had probably been working on it for sometime. He felt sorry for the Federals in a way—all that work and time expended for nothing. Canotte Phoenix Suns A tunnel meant several soldiers would attempt an escape. He thumbed the sack of silver coins in his palm. Scanning the sky, he speculated about future weather. cheap albion gold Too much rain would flood or collapse the shallow tunnel. This group wouldn’t wait for bad weather. They would escape as soon as they dug past the stockade wall. Nimrod trotted to Chicolithe and rubbed his muzzle against his leg. Chicolithe scratched Nimrod’s ears. “Don’t worry, boy. We won’t have to wait long.

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Chapter Twelve: Militia At Jacksboro, Micah and Ramon joined a dozen men gathered in front of the general store. They tied their horses and stood in a queue in front of a table, behind which sat a man with quill and paper. He had the confident, tired look of an experienced Ranger or cavalryman, wearing his brace of pistols high on his waist. His skin was tan and hard, his eyes blue, and his long hair dark with gray streaks. His lips moved as he read the lines he wrote. Behind him, sprawled on the ground were two Tonkawas, dressed in civilian clothes, but wrapped in blankets. When Micah reached the table, the man laid down his quill. He looked first at Micah’s boots, then his eyes took in his clothes, and finally focused on the silver star pinned on the front of Micah’s hat. The Texas accouterment had been fashioned from a silver Mexican coin. “I’m Captain Howard. I’ll be the commander of this unit. Name.” “Micah Evans.” “Do you have your own horse and weapons?” “Yes, sir.” “Both in working order?” “As good as they ever worked.” “You ever fought Indians before?” “Not personally, but my daddy was a Ranger, so I reckon it’s in my blood.” “I reckon that qualifies you. You have boots instead of brogans, and since they are in good shape, you must have been cavalry or mounted infantry.” “I was both at one time or another. Depending on what Taylor and Captain Allison had in mind that particular day.” “I have met General Taylor. cheap albion gold I was with the Texas 22^nd Cavalry. I know your captain too. Captain Allison is a fine leader, even if he does have a fondness for the liquor.” “Yes, sir, he is a good commander. As far as his fondness for liquor, that’s a fact. We shared a drink now and then. Adidas Homme He gave a couple of us furlough so we could check on our families.” “If you’re on furlough, why do you want to join the militia?” “It’s cause of all that money I know Texas is going to pay me for risking my life joining up with this experienced Injun-killing militia. Nike Air Max Thea damskie cheap albion gold I ain’t gonna be paid in Confederate money, am I?” One of the men in the line snickered. Captain Howard covered his grin with his hand. albion silver “No, if it were in Confederate money, I’ve got enough of that worthless paper at home to pay the whole unit myself. buy albion gold No, the great state of Texas says it will pay you men in gold coin upon our return. I trust that will be acceptable.” “Good. Air Huarache Donna

Maybe I can use some of that Texas gold to replace the stock the Comanches stole from my folks’ place.” He held up a sheet of paper and ran a scarred finger down a list of names. Fjällräven Kånken Mini “Evans. Yes, I see the occupants of your father’s home was a victim of the recent depredations. I am truly sorry for your loss. Air Jordan 11 For Kids I didn’t know your father personally, but I have heard of him. He seems to be held in high esteem by the residents here.” “How come you’re just getting around to going after them?” “The war has been difficult, Mr. Evans. buy albion silver We needed the time to equip the unit and find enough able men to have an effective expedition.” Micah hooked a thumb over his shoulder at Ramon. “I see you got these Tonkawas, but Chavez here is the best tracker in the county. Minnesota Timberwolves He’ll lead you right to them. NIKE AIR HUARACHE He was a Ranger too, down in South Texas. He and my father rode together with Juan Seguin.” “Good. We can always use a good tracker. Welcome to the unit, Micah Williams. Mr. Chavez, I’ll take your information next.” After all had mustered, the captain called for them to line up. The fourteen militiamen moved into an uneven line. They carried a wide assortment of long arms—a couple of flintlocks, some shotguns, hunting rifles, and a few Enfields and Springfields. cheap albion silver However, all carried revolvers. Captain Howard studied them a minute and then said, “Some of you are experienced soldiers. Some of you have served in Ranger regiments before, so you know that this work is dangerous, and though I intend on finding these raiders, there is no guarantee that we will do so, but you will all be paid upon our return whether we engage the enemy or not. Our mission is important. This land, our stock, our families do not belong to the Comanches and they must learn this lesson. buy albion gold I intend to give the savages hard instruction. We will leave first thing in the morning. You men raise your right hand for your oath.” All of the Minutemen raised their hands, except for Jacob Matthews. Adidas Zx Flux Homme His empty right shirtsleeve hung limply down his side. New Balance 990 mujer He had lost the arm after a skirmish with the Yankees along the Red River in Louisiana and then was discharged. He bragged that when the cannon shrapnel had taken the arm off cleanly at the shoulder, the men in his unit had seen it sail by and the hand slap their Lieutenant on the face. Canotte New Orleans Pelicans albion gold Jacob shrugged when the Captain looked at him. “I ain’t got a right arm to raise, Captain. It ain’t going to hurt my ability to kill Comanches though. I can shoot my pistol with my left hand better than most men with a right hand.” “I believe you. Have the man next to you raise your sleeve.

After visiting my mother in Kemp, Oklahoma for a few days to help her with chores and doctor visits, I and my guitar set up with the MacDuff Clan at the Tulsa Scotfest Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 17-18. new balance 996 homme cheap albion gold I sold out of my Scottish ABC books and sold most of my Irish ABC book. This was a great festival and we were blessed with good weather. nike air jordan 13 mujer buy albion gold         Saturday night, I visited the Hex House, Tulsa’s most famous haunted attraction. nike air max 90 donna buy albion silver Based on a true, creepy events it was not as good as House of Shock in New Orleans, but it was worth the admission. buy albion gold Like House of Shock, it is not an experience for the timid. On Sunday, I drove from Tulsa to Kansas City MO for presentations at four branches of the Mid-Continent Library System. nike air max I believe they have about thirty branches. NIKE TANJUN

This is the most efficient and best organized library systems I’ve ever been booked for. cheap albion silver Every presentation was packed with folks who signed up to attend a week before the event! Here’s a flier of my schedule. Nike Air Max 2016 Dames wit       On Wednesday, Sept. albion silver 21, I visited the National World War I Museum in Kansas City MO. nike pas cher This was an overwhelming experience. cheap albion gold The ticket is for two days and believe me, it would take two days at least to fully explore it. TUBULAR SHADOW KNIT albion gold Amazingly, what they have on display is only 10% of what the museum owns. nike tn requin pas cher There wasn’t too much emphasis on the Eastern Front, but the relics, documents and uniforms and history presented were extremely interesting.

I had always thought and felt that our nation’s policy on illegal immigration was out of balance, but when I read Ann Coulter’s book, Adios America!: The Left’s Plan to Turn Our Country Into a Third World Hellhole, I was completely convinced of how my suspicions were correct, and I was horrified by how warped our immigration policies were and are. New Balance 574 męskie Don’t get me wrong. New Balance 1600 damskie Matt Holliday Womens Jersey Though I live in North Louisiana, I I work almost every month in the Rio Grande Valley in schools, museums, festivals, and other special events. nike air huarache dames zwart

solde adidas chaussures pas cher I have MANY friends who have immigrated from Mexico legally, and I have known many others who HAD to move their families or businesses across the river for safety’s sake, but these are not the issue of Coulter’s book. billige Nike sko norge The Rio Grande Valley where I work is beautiful, safe, and not overwhelmed like some locations are. air max 2017 grigio uomo

Now, here’s what I learned, believed, observed from Coulter’s book, You will need to read Coulter’s book to see what I affirm here:

1. We do need a moratorium (at least temporary) on all immigration.
2. The mainstream media and our politicians have deliberately withheld information about the harm the hordes of illegal Immigrants do to America.
3. The entire world outside of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Western Europe, etc. Bart Starr Packers Jerseys are in humanitarian crises.
4. Americans do not want America to become Mexico. Nike Sko Norge Nettbutikk If Mexico is so great, why do so many want to leave?
5. Immigrants are costing Americans taxes in birthing babies,welfare, crime, and welfare. We cannot sustain this expense.
6. The media and liberals seek for and attack crimes (mostly imagined) of whites while ignoring the crimes of illegal immigrants. Clemson Tigers Obvious hypocrisy.
7. A wall on the border will work to help stem illegal immigration from Mexico. Examples of walls that have worked: Fences around rich folks homes, the Wall between China and North Korea, between Israel and Palestine, the Great Wall of China, and other borders.
8. Democrats are using the hordes of immigrants and the promised amnesty to recruit Democratic voters. Connor Shaw – South Carolina Gamecocks Nike Air Max 2017 Dames blauw Yet, these immigrants will be a source of terrorists for us.
9. Illegal immigrants are the cause of much crime–rape, theft, and murder. Womens Air Jordan 4 Any immigrant convicted of crime should be deported. Nike Free 5.0 Mujer nike air max 2016 grijs Any illegal immigrant should be sent back and allowed to apply for citizenship by legal means.

Read Coulter’s book. negozi new balance milano Nike Free Run Womens Shoes
The numerous documented examples are depressing and overwhelming, but those examples should spur Americans to action on the issue of illegal immigrants.

Chapter Seventeen – Micah Returns Ruthie Ramon led them to the O’Connor farm. Like most farm and ranch houses in Jack Country, there was a fence around the yard made of juniper and bois d’arc posts. The house was still solid with only a few signs of disrepair. As they approached the fence Ramon said, “They’ve done fairly well with the place, considering how many men are gone. buy final fantasy gil Women have had to handle everything—the crops, the livestock, repairs, the children. Let us hope the savages leave them alone.” An old man in a rocking chair sat on the porch. He was smoking a long-stemmed clay pipe. When they stopped their horses in front of him, he said, “Ramon Chavez. I haven’t seen you in a spell. I heard you became a Ranger again and signed up with that same unit Frederick’s brother went out with. He didn’t get himself kilt, did he?” “Yes, it is the same unit. No, Henry is well, but he lost his horse to the Comanches. fjallraven kanken soldes He should return on foot soon.” “Get off your horses and I’ll make you and your secessionist friend there some coffee.” His eyes moved to the girl and his smile vanished. “Lord’s sake! Jenny, you best come out here. Ramon Chavez has found your cousin. Good Lord, we feared she was dead.” “We followed the Kiowas who took her,” Ramon said. Jenny stepped outside and covered her mouth with her hand. “Ruthie! Oh, Jesus! Ruthie!” Ruthie stared blankly at her. Jenny ran to Ramon who lifted Ruthie from his horse and passed her down to her. She smothered the girl in an embrace and kisses. “Ruthie, I was so worried, I thought I’d never seen you again! Thank you, Ramon! Thank you so much! And I thank your friend too.” She looked closer at Micah. “Well, if it’s not Micah Evans. You finally returned to Jack County. I thank you too, sir.” “Micah’s what you always called me before, Jenny. And I never wanted to be a sir, especially with old friends. Vanderbilt Commodores Sounds too much like I am—was an officer.” “Well, seems like a strange notion to worry about.” She clutched Ruthie to herself. “Ruthie, are you well, darlin’?” Ruthie muttered a few incoherent words, and then groaned in anger. She pulled in a deep breath, then spoke the first words Micah had heard her speak. “It has been terrible, Jenny. Mama and Papa are dead! So is little Jimmy. These two men saved me, and they killed the stinking Indians that took me. Jenny, they did horrible things to me. They hurt me. I wanted to die. I prayed that I would die!” She buried her face in her cousin’s shoulder. “Shhhh, Ruthie. Don’t talk about it. It doesn’t matter what happened, as long as you are back.” Jenny was crying now, and she placed her arm around Ruthie and led her toward the house. She turned her head. “You men, give us a few minutes so I can tend to her wounds and put some decent clothes on her, and then I’ll fix us a fine supper.” Her eyes fixed on Micah’s briefly, then she looked down. “It’s the least I can do to thank you. Tie up your horses and talk with Papa Charlie. And Papa Charlie, don’t you don’t cause no trouble.” “War’s over, Jenny. I ain’t gonna mistreat no one who brought home your cousin.” He grinned. “Even if he was a disloyal son of the Union. But I reckon since he is a friend of Chavez, I can put up with him. You are Augdon Evan’s son, ain’t you?” “Yes, sir, I am.” “My goodness. My goodness. You can just call me Papa Charlie. I knew your father. He thought a lot of Sam Houston. How did he feel about you joining up with the Confederacy?” “He didn’t cotton to it much, Papa Charlie. We had some words over it.” “You as good as man as your father was, boy?” “I don’t rightly know, Papa Charlie. I reckon he was a better man than I could ever be.” Papa Charlie looked at Chavez. “What do you think, Chavez?” He pitched Ramon a small sack of tobacco. “Corn husk is inside the pouch if you want to roll yourself a cigarette. I know you don’t cotton to pipes none. It’s good tobacco. chaussure new balance femme 2016 Growed it myself.” Ramon carefully pinched out some tobacco and placed it in the cut square sheet of husk, licked the edge, and then rolled it. Papa Charlie popped a Lucifer match with his finger and held the flame out to him. Ramon lit the cigarette, inhaled deeply, then exhaled. “Thank you, Papa Charlie.” Ramon led his horse to the watering trough and finished his cigarette. “He’s as good a man as Augdon. A natural Comanche killer. He is fearless.” “Sometimes fearless ain’t a good quality for a man to have. Fearless man takes too many chances and he don’t know when to let something go.” Ramon passed Micah the pouch of tobacco. “I need to tend to these horses. The Indian ponies belong to Micah, the other two were stolen from Ruthie’s family. I’ll put them in the corral for now.” Micah remained on the porch and rolled a cigarette for himself. He lit it off Ramon’s cigarette, and while he, Ramon, and Papa Charlie smoked, he could only think of the two bright blue eyes of Erin O’Connor. * * * That night, Micah and Ramon sat at the O’Connor table and shared the supper of cornbread, pinto beans, canned tomatoes, and coffee that Jenny had prepared. “I am sorry we don’t have meat tonight,” Jenny said. “It’s better fare than we’ve been eatin’,” Micah said. “I’m much obliged. I heard you married.” “I did. Did you know my husband, Micah Evans?” “No, ma’am, not well anyway. But I did meet Frederick not long after he moved here. He weren’t too friendly at the time.” “Well, it’s been so long since I heard from him. I fear the worst. La chaussure de running Asics I guess I will be another Texas widow. I didn’t want him to get involved in this ignorant war. The store was doing well. He was never real good at taking care of himself, and I just knew some heathen rebel soldier would shoot him down.” She set down her cup of coffee. “I’m sorry, that sounded harsh. Compra Zapatillas Adidas Baratas Online I don’t want to judge you for fighting with the Confederates. Our men here had to choose, and each had to follow his own conscience. I know the war is near over now, but Jack County lost too many men to it, on both sides, and I don’t know what I should be thinking.” “I can’t rightly remember why I went myself,” Micah said. “Ramon and my father both tried to convince me not to go. They said the county was too divided for any sane man to take a stand. It all seems to have been for nothin’ anyway. I guess standin’ up for an ideal you believe in ain’t enough to win a war, specially when you have men running armies who weren’t cut out for the job. Nike Air Foamposite Womens General Smith was a good enough commander, so was Kirby, but some of the others, seem to have been a bit addled. So I take it you are a Unionist like your husband?” “It’s a touchy issue between my husband and me. My brother moved to New Orleans and joined the 6^th Louisiana. One of Lee’s Tigers. He died at Sharpsburg.” “I’m indeed sorry to hear that.” “Well, I have such a busy day tomorrow.” Jenny stood behind Micah and refilled his coffee cup, and laid a hand on Micah’s shoulder. “I must go to Jacksboro for some more supplies. So now, I am going to wash the dishes, then prepare a bed for you men on the floor.” The touch of her hand was light, but it jolted him. “That’s mighty nice of you Miss Jenny,” Micah said. He saw Ramon shake his head slightly. “Aren’t you the gentleman now, Micah. We grew up together. It sounds strange to hear you address me in such a proper manner.” “Micah and I can sleep outside, Miss O’Connor,” Ramon said. “The weather is mild, and I feel that you need to be alone with Ruthie. It will be no bother for us.” “Well, I will give you some extra blankets so you can sleep in comfort, and prepare you a breakfast tomorrow before you leave.” “We are grateful for your kindness, Miss Jenny,” Ramon said. Micah found he couldn’t think of anything to say at all. Erin had withdrawn her hand from his shoulder, but he could still feel her hand’s warmth, and something like pre-battle jitters in his stomach. That night, after they had spread their blankets on the O’Connor porch, Ramon said, “Micah, I am going to say the same thing I know your father would say to you.” “What’s that, Ramon?” “I know you took a furlough, but you shouldn’t go back. Your family needs you here.” “I don’t intend to go back, Ramon. I do have to check on the captain’s family though. Now, quit jawing and let’s get some sleep. Soon Ramon began to snore. New York Knicks Later, Micah could hear Ruthie whimpering inside. “Damn it, Ramon, how can they sleep with that girl carrying on so?” He didn’t know how to put the thought into words. He had seen hard things in the war, but never something like this. Do you think they . . .” Ramon turned over on his stomach and raised up on his elbows. The waning moon still gave enough illumination to make out the rim of hills to the west and the cottonwood trees along the O’Connor’s creek. He sighed, “Yes, they did. I’ve never known of Comanches or Kiowas not violating a woman they take. The Comanches and Kiowa have a story they tell. A war party of fifty warriors captured a white woman. The one who captured her took a fancy to her and wanted to keep her as his wife. The others came to him and said, ‘You are not a war chief. You must share the woman with us equally before you can claim her as your wife.’ Well, they all raped her, all fifty of them.

The Month the Babies Cry, a western series by Rickey Pittman. Chapter Two: Shreveport The next morning, Micah and Elbert saddled their horses and rode to where two Louisiana infantrymen were standing guard at the road with two-dozen Federal prisoners. Micah showed the corporal his orders and the pair moved on. A pile of rolled blankets and tin cups had been dumped on the edge of the road. “They’re a sorry looking lot, ain’t they?” Elbert said. He pointed to one. “What’s your unit?” “The 23^rd Massachusetts Cavalry,” he replied. Micah said, “You boys eaten?” “Just some hardtack we had left in our haversacks,” one replied. “Well, maybe that will do you. Pick up a blanket and cup and let’s get going.” Ezekiel rode up to them, leading their pack mule that carried their food and camp gear. He carried a Springfield across his saddle and two revolvers thrust into his belt. A large Bowie knife protruded from his boot. “I didn’t think they armed their Negroes,” one said. “Is the slave yours?” another asked. “No, he ain’t,” Micah said. “Ezekiel’s going to cook for you boys, so I’d be polite if I were you. albion gold He’s proven himself to be a good Yankee killer when he rode with us, so don’t irritate him neither. He might want to cut your head off with that big Bowie knife of his. We’ll get along fine if you don’t run your mouth, and don’t try to run away from us. When you’re on death’s doorstep, you better watch where you put your feet.” “Are you going to tie us?” a young one asked. New Balance buty dziecięce “Not unless we have to,” Elbert said. “We’ll make better time if you’re free. I know you’re not in a hurry, but we’re anxious to get to Texas.” “Well,” Micah said, “We’ve got some walking to do. I know you were cavalry, and I wish I could put you on horses or in a wagon, but I can’t.” He looked at their feet. “Before we’re done walking, you’ll wish you had brogans instead of those shiny boots. Air Jordan 14 (XIV) Just follow the road yonder. I want a good pace, but I don’t want to walk you to death neither. We’ll stop now and then and let you rest some.” “Where are you taking us?” one Federal asked. “They got a prison camp set up for you boys in Tyler, Texas.” “How far is that?” “About a 150 miles, best I can calculate. Now get those sky-blue pants of yours to moving. If we’re lucky, you’ll catch good weather. nike chaussures pas cher buy albion gold Ain’t nothin’ finer than Texas weather this time of year.” An hour after, it began to rain.

* * *

The Texans and their dozen prisoners marched on. The rain stopped just before dark. They made camp and boiled dry peas with hardtack for supper. After they ate, the exhausted prisoners lay down on the clay ground. Elbert posted himself as guard until midnight, then Micah relieved him until dawn. Ezekiel was given no guard duty. Outside of Shreveport, late on their third day of travel, they were hailed by a vidette. He walked out to the road and met Micah. Micah saw a horse tied to a hickory tree just off the road. The soldier’s two-band Enfield was cradled in his arm. sac à dos kanken fjallraven pas cher “How you boys doing?” the picket asked. “Alright,” Micah said. “And how might you be?” He looked back at the prisoners. NIKE AIR MAX 2017 PAS CHER buy albion gold “You boys can set yourselves down a minute if you want.” The sentry rested his musket butt on the top of his brogan. “Better now that my heart has settled down some. The nerve-racking part of vidette duty is having to decide ever time I see someone if I should hightail it back to the picket post, shoot the ones coming my way, or wait for them on the road and see what their business is.” “Much obliged for not shooting,” Elbert said. “Yes, sir, but since I saw three riders and a bunch of blue men on foot and I figured it was more prisoners.

I’ve been seeing a host of prisoners coming this way. You taking them to Camp Ford?” “I reckon so,” Micah said. “Got papers?” Micah handed him his orders. “How far are we from Shreveport?” The guard handed Micah back his papers. “When you reach the picket post, you’ll be one mile out from Shreveport.” “Is there anywhere I can deposit these prisoners for a while once we get to Shreveport? Elbert and I would like to get a drink.” “I’d take them to the provost marshal. He might relieve you a spell. lunette de soleil ray ban If he can’t, you might go to Army Headquarters. It’s on Commerce Street if they ain’t moved it again. As far as drinkin’—there’s a mess of saloons to choose from. We Louisiana folks are fond of our spirits.” He looked at Ezekiel. “Who is the Negro?” “Ezekiel is Captain Allison’s manservant. He’s riding back to Texas with us.” The sentry nodded. “I’ll let you boys be on your way. Try not to startle the picket. They’ve got a couple of youngsters who are the nervous sort.” A half-hour later, Micah could see the picket’s campfire. He hollered, “Picket! Texas troops with prisoners coming your way!” One of the soldiers met him at the road. He wore a floppy, felt hat that had seen better days, and his Arkansas frock coat was buttoned only at the top button. He slipped on a pair of reading glasses and pondered Micah’s orders. “What is your destination?” he asked. Micah noticed the man held the letter upside down. “Camp Ford at Tyler, Texas.” “What’s your commander’s name? I can’t quite make it out.” “Captain Allison, 23^rd Texas Cavalry.” Three other soldiers lounged about the fire. One called out, “It’d be easier to just shoot them Federals. buy albion silver By the time you walk them to Texas, they’ll wish you had.” “Shut up, Jacob. Wouldn’t be right to shoot them prisoners without cause and you know it. Nike Air Max Goedkoop Every time you drink whiskey you yak like a durn magpie.” “Can you spare a drink?” Elbert asked. “I’ll pay you.” One of the soldiers staggered over to him and held up a gourd jug. “Take a drink, but you can keep your money. You boys watch yourself in town.” Elbert uncorked the gourd and took two swallows. “Much obliged. I’ll not forget the favor. That’s good whiskey,” he said. “Smooth. No bite to it at all.” “My cousins made it. They do know how to make good moonshine in Arkansas.” “I’ve drank mescal and whiskey in Texas that would scald your insides it tasted so bad.” Elbert offered the jug to Micah. Sac À Dos Fjallraven Kanken Micah shook his head. “I’ll drink some later in town.” “I’d like a drink,” one of the Federals said. Canotte Indiana Pacers Maglie Boston Celtics Elbert edged his horse near the man and kicked the man’s shoulder. “You best shut your mouth.” “Any more Federal prisoners coming this way?” the sentry asked. “Not that I can tell,” Micah said. “But hell, we keep chasing them and catching them. Wish they would have all just surrendered at once. Federal prisoners are becoming a damn nuisance. Cleveland Cavaliers We best get on our way. You boys don’t get too drunk out here.” After they passed the picket, Micah said, “Don’t that beat all. Ever one of those men on picket duty was half-drunk. You’d think they and their commanders didn’t know there was a war going on.” “Picket duty is boring work. Ain’t much war going on in these parts since Banks’ army got turned back. Justin Hunter Titans Jerseys Things will tighten up if the Yankees decide to quit running south. cheap albion gold And I hear that Steele’s troops in Arkansas are getting thrashed too. I’m glad they were drinking though,” Elbert said. Nike Pas Cher “That sure was good whiskey.” As they neared Shreveport’s southern line of defense, they used a plank causeway to cross a boggy marsh called Silver Lake. Micah could see batteries spaced along the Red River and on a riverbank hilltop, Fort Turnbull. goedkoop nike air max 2017 The fort bristled with the Quaker guns Micah had heard of—false cannon hewed from fire-blackened tree trunks and mounted on wagon wheels. “Damnation,” one of the prisoners said. Boston Celtics “Porter’s gunboats could never have reached Shreveport anyway. I bet those cannon would have blasted him out of the water before he could make the turn in the bend.” “Banks has probably retreated his way back to New Orleans now. I wonder how this campaign got so disastrous and convoluted,” another Federal soldier said. goedkope nike air max “Cotton,” Micah said. “What?” the soldier asked. “Banks was counting on getting rich by taking Southern cotton. What did you think all those empty wagons you had with you were for?” One of the Federal soldiers sang a little ditty: General Banks wants to be president So says the Boston Gazette, But making blunder after blunder, He’ll lose this war for us yet! “Maybe Lincoln should have picked someone else for this campaign,” said another. “Don’t let it worry you none,” Micah said. “We got our share of commanders like Banks in our own army.” * * * Micah deposited the prisoners at a holding pen used by the provost marshal for Federal prisoners. It was a simple cattle stall, on the edge of a stockyard by the railroad. Micah swung open the board gate. “You boys get inside. This is where you’re sleeping tonight.” “I ain’t never had to sleep in a cattle pen before,” one said. “It’s better than that pigpen of a house you were raised in,” said another. albion silver Two soldiers assigned to guard the Federals joined them, sat down outside the pen and began a game of checkers. While Ezekiel saw to the horses and made camp outside the pen, Micah and Elbert walked into downtown Shreveport. They entered the first saloon they came to. Once inside, Micah and Elbert sat with glasses of watered-down whiskey and a bucket of flat, warm beer that they drank with their own tin cups. One of the saloon girls caught Micah’s eye. She had raven hair and wore a modest blue calico day dress. Three dusty drovers surrounded her. Two were Anglos, and the third a Tejano, and they wore leather chaparreras. Such men were skilled riders and their tanned skins were toughened by sun and wind and work. Micah thought they would have made fine cavalrymen, but tonight they seemed indifferent to the soldiers about them, to the talk of war filling the room, to even the importance of their own work to the cause of the Confederacy. The South was hungrier with every year of the war, and Texas cattle were an important source of food. The girl laughed at something one of the drovers said and tossed her hair. She caught Micah looking her way and smiled bashfully. “Damnation,” Micah said. “She sure is a pretty thing.” “I think she cottons to you, Micah,” Elbert said. “She’s a hussy. She’d cotton to anyone who would pay her.” “You going to pay her?” “Likely not. I’ve got Erin to think about. I swore to her that I’d behave myself around other women.” Elbert drained the glass of whiskey and chased it down with a sip of beer. “I’m married too, but it ain’t going to stop me from going to that whorehouse next door. Doing without a woman makes a man not think right.” One of the soldiers called out for the girl to sing “Lorena.” She was young, and yet when she sang, Micah detected a voice that held years of passion and suffering beyond her age. She got some of the notes wrong, but Micah received some comfort from her voice anyway. Elbert set down his cup of beer and stood up. “Well, I reckon I’ll see you sometime before morning.” He lifted the tin bucket of beer. cheap albion gold “You done with this?” Without waiting for Micah’s reply, he went to the cowhands and set it on their table. “You boys look thirsty. Can’t abide the thought of seeing a fellow Texan thirsty.” “Much obliged,” one of the cowhands said. Elbert motioned the girl over with his hand. “My lonely friend over yonder and I liked your singing. Micah said he would pay you if you’d come over and sit with him a bit. He’s a timid sort or he would have asked you himself. I think he needs some cheering up. Canotta NBA How about some whiskey, boys! Then we’ll go next door to the bawdy house and sample their wares.” “I think we’ll take you up on that. It’s been a long trip. We’re dry,” one of the drovers said. “Days and days of looking at nothing but these ornery cows makes a man thirsty for whiskey and women.” The girl left the cowboys and walked to Micah’s table. They sat together and drank and talked a while then she led him into a back room. After they undressed, he held her tightly to himself, savoring the warmth and softness of the slender body next to him. cheap albion silver Her skin was clean and smelled of rosewater. As he kissed and touched her, his mind moved to the tents of the camp followers that he had occasionally visited during the war, to thoughts of a spring three years ago and a field of bluebonnets and the girl with the bluebonnet eyes. He whispered, “Erin, you are so beautiful . adidas neo 10k męskie . . ” “My name is Mary,” the girl whispered, “but tonight I’ll be anyone you want me to be.” Micah woke from his reverie and pushed the girl away. “I don’t want you to be nobody for me.” He reached for his haversack, dug into it, and pitched her a dollar. “Get dressed and get your skinny ass out of here.” “This is my room,” Mary said.