The Legend of Eli CrowChapter 47
- 2 years ago
- 19
- 0
Eli knew he had to get over to the women as soon as he could. He saw them laughing and talking with Analisa, pointing now and then toward where he stood. Even Sissy, Miranda, and Grandmother were huddled with the young Mexican woman, whispering and laughing. When Catt and Eva pulled her aside, they were laughing aloud and Eli knew it was time to go.
“I see all of you have met Analisa. I hope you’ll make her welcome. I’ve asked her to work for us when we get back to Tulsa,” Eli told them when he walked over to hug Rose first, then each of the women.
“Miranda told us about it as soon as she introduced Analisa, Eli,” Rose said as he hugged the others and they not only welcomed him back, but thanked him for making the long trip to rescue Rosa, and for bringing Analisa back with them.
“I have some really good news for the family, and I see Jon David making his way over here, so we’ll both tell all of you about it,” Eli told them. He knew this would take the talk away from Analisa for now and have the women excited about getting to travel again.
“What’s your good news, Eli? We already know you and Moses made a deal to buy the herd of cattle from Manuel and his family,” Miranda told him.
“Well, while we were in Las Cruces, New Mexico waiting to get the cattle loaded on the trains, I had a chance to meet the owner of the new fancy hotel down there,” Eli started out.
Analisa interrupted, smiling at him when he looked her way, “Eli met the owner of the hotel after they refused to serve Willis at the table with him and the others, and he stormed from the dining hall.”
“Thank you, Analisa. He never tells the real story about him losing his temper. Dad just tells the parts he wants us to know about,” Sissy told her and the women laughed as Eli stood waiting to continue his story.
“As I was trying to tell you, I met with the man and while we were talking, he told me that the mayor of the town had told him who I was and that he wanted to discuss some business with me.” Eli stopped and looked around, as he always does, wanting them to urge him on.
“What was the nature of the business, Eli?” Clarissa asked, knowing this was what he waited for.
“He asked me to buy his hotel.”
“Eli Crow, did you buy a hotel way off down there in Las Cruces, New Mexico?” Rose asked.
“I sure did,” Eli answered and smiled.
“Tell them the rest of it, Dad. You’ve teased them enough already,” Jon David said, smiling when the women looked at him.
“Well, let’s hear it, Dad. What else did you do?” Sissy spoke up.
“Turned out that he owned a whole chain of twenty hotels scattered all over the United States and he wanted to sell all of them.”
“And you bought all of them, didn’t you, Eli?” Tin Yu said immediately.
“All twenty of them. With two more set to be completed this fall and three more planned with property in place to build on.”
“OH MY LORD!” Rose screamed, as the women laughed and began asking more questions.
“Rose, remember The Wyandotte we stayed at?” he asked, grinning at her.
“Eli, did you buy that one too?” she asked as she hurried to hug him again.
“Yep, we’ll own that one too. That is, as soon as Jon David, Amanda, Joe and Sissy get down to New Orleans to close the deal.”
The screams and laughter covered the ranch place, causing the others to look over to see what was happening.
Joe, Doc, Jefferson, and Howard walked over at that time to get in on the news.
“Joe, you and Sissy better get some clothes packed, you’ll be leaving here shortly for Little Tree so you can catch a train to New Orleans,” Eli told him and watched Joe’s eyes get bigger and bigger as he looked from Eli to Sissy.
Jon David and Amanda were already making plans as fast as they could talk. They pulled Joe and Sissy close as they hurriedly planned their trip.
“Dad, we don’t have enough clothes for a trip like that. I only packed buckskins for Joe, Chane, and me,” Sissy told him as she turned away from the huddle.
“I’ve already given Jon David enough money to buy all of you some new clothes. You and Amanda can’t be staying in the private suite at that fancy hotel in New Orleans wearing buckskins,” he told her.
“Eli, you never cease to amaze me,” Jefferson said as he stepped up to shake Eli’s hand.
“Jefferson, you and Rose, and Howard and Lorene better get ready to travel some too, along with your young daughters. I want all of us to start enjoying some of the finer things that have come our way in the past few years.”
“Eli, I’ll never know how you can go off on a trip and suddenly buy into something like this when no one else even knew it was for sale,” Howard said as he shook Eli’s hand.
“Howard, I just have a habit of being in the right place when a deal is about to happen, I reckon,” he told him.
“Jefferson and I have some really good news for you, now that you’ve told the others your news,” Howard told him.
“What have you two been up to now?” Eli asked, grinning at them.
“We were riding over east of where the next drilling rig is being set up and saw four men walking across Pecan Ridge property. When we rode over to where they were, we found out they were surveyors for the railroad.
“Would you believe, the railroad mainline has been completed to within a mile of the Pecan Ridge’s east property line?” Howard told him.
“They sure work fast when they set their minds to it, don’t they?” Eli responded with a grin.
“Eli, that’s not all. They’re already laying track for that first spur you wanted down toward the middle of the ranch, and the men we met were surveying for the spur that will run to the new oil and cattle loading facility just east of Don’s home here,” Jefferson added.
“When can we expect to start loading oil from down here? This is way sooner than we ever thought it would be.”
“They told Smitty that they would have the spur completed in two months. He and James and Leon have already sent word back up the line to have our new tanks and supplies shipped down here from the warehouse in Tulsa as soon as the last spur track is laid,” Jefferson told him.
“We need to get Jud in on all of this. He’s the one who’ll head up this operation down here. Don will have his hands full with the ranch and planting more hay and corn for market.”
“Jud has been out there with them since they started planning and staking out the loading facility, Eli. You’d think he already knew all about the business the way he helps the men,” Jefferson told him.
Jon David, Amanda, Joe, and Sissy left by wagon shortly afterward, with one of Don’s men driving them. Jon Jr., Chane, and Shawn were waving and yelling back at everyone until they were out of sight. As soon as Shawn learned Chane and Jon Jr. were leaving, he asked his dad if he could go with them.
They had hurriedly packed their meager belongings with plans to buy more clothes along the way. The company check books and all his legal papers were in Jon David’s leather business satchel. He’d checked everything twice with Amanda’s help, to make sure they had everything they’d need to close the deal on the hotel chain.
They planned their return up through Houston, then north to Tulsa on the Katy, on their way back from New Orleans.
In preparation for a big supper to feed all those gathered at Pecan Ridge, earlier in the afternoon the Mexican women began cooking their dry beans and grinding corn to make the corn flour dough for tortillas.
Their chilé con carne had been cooked and processed long before the trek across New Mexico and Texas was forced upon them. They had many wooden shipping crates filled with small bricks of chilé con carne, ready to break apart and chop up before being added to a pot of boiling water.
The hot water would dissolve the animal fat which had been cooked with the dried tomatoes and peppers, mixed with dried beef, fried in bacon grease. They had drained and cooled this mixture before pressing it into bricks. The suet could then be stored for months, and used for cooking as needed. The more red chili peppers and chopped onions now being added to the cooking mixture, the spicier the chilé, once it was cooked. To add strength and thickness to the chilé, they used more of their suet.
They had prepared their own salsa with tomatoes and peppers, boiling the mixture down to a thick sauce, then stored the many gallons of spicy, savory mixture in earthen jugs for later use.
Today was a day of celebration and the Mexican women broke out the stored food supplies.
While Cookie and his woman helped the Mexican women cook in the outdoor oven and open fire spit, the Robinson brothers played their music, accompanied by Jubal Hooker with his ever improving harmonica.
The four vaqueros brought their weathered, dusty guitars from the carts and joined the circle of musicians as they sat around tightening strings and tuning guitars.
Now and then, one, and sometimes three of Manuel’s young daughters would dance across in front of them on the bare ground surrounding the outdoor tables and oven.
They swished their long flowing skirts with one hand while waving overhead with the other. They danced barefoot as they laughed and tried to lure the Kansas boys out to join them.
Rosa was sitting beside Albert, her arm interlocked with his as she clasped his fingers with hers. She had yet to leave his side and Albert was fast falling for the pretty, dark haired beauty. She spoke better English than he did, with a soft accent that he could listen to forever.
She would laugh and shout in Spanish at her sisters as they danced and celebrated the safe return of their sister Rosa, and all those who went across the border to rescue her.
Rosa looked around for Analisa and saw her sitting next to Marshal Crow and his wife, Miranda. Miranda was wearing one of the Mexican blouses and a long flowing skirt almost identical to the one Analisa wore. Her face was flushed and her long dark hair was combed to fall to her hips in back.
They were laughing and talking together like old friends when Analisa looked up to see Rosa wave her free hand over her head.
“Come dance with me,” Analisa said as she jumped up and kicked her sandals off her feet. She bent forward to pull Eli’s hand. Her dark hair, combed out long and silky like Miranda’s, now fell loosely over her shoulders to cover Eli’s arms.
He looked from one to the other.
“I’m not getting out there with that fast Mexican music playing, no way,” Eli said, pulling back when Miranda and Analisa each pulled his arms.
“Please, Eli. Come dance with me to the Mexican music. You know you can do it. Then I want you to dance with Analisa. Please?” Miranda said, then leaned over to whisper in his ear.
Eli stood up quickly, a look of shock on his face as he looked from Miranda to Analisa. Miranda was smiling at him, Analisa was looking from one to the other, waiting.
“Are you sure?” Eli asked, standing close to Miranda, looking at Analisa.
“I’m very sure, Eli. Have I ever lied to you?”
“No, but this is far-fetched, Miranda. You mean Rose, Sissy, Clarissa and the others want this to happen?”
“Yes, even Grandmother, Amanda, Tin Yu, Catt, Eva, and all the others too. But on one condition.”
“What condition would that be?”
“That Catt, Eva, and I have your babies at the same time!”
“Miranda...”
“Come dance with us, Eli. Come show the family, all of your friends, and hired hands that Marshal Eli Crow can still kick up his heels at thirty-two years of age.”
“I’ll do it, Miranda, I’ll dance with you and Analisa, but we’ll have to talk about this other stuff later.
“No offense, Analisa.”
“I’m not offended, Eli. Dance with Miranda, then when I see how you and she dance, I will dance with you. We will have plenty of time to talk about those other things before we do them.”
“Miranda, you and Analisa have been talking to Rose, Clarissa, Eva, Catt, and Sissy too much already. I know how they can talk.”
“Eli, just look at Analisa. Look at her face, her long black hair, her dark eyes, her big beautiful breasts. Isn’t she pretty? She would be a beautiful young mother and just think what your son or daughter, or even both, would look like with Analisa as their mother. Just think of your next four babies and how much fun you’d have watching those beautiful babies grow up together on Crow Ridge.”
“Let’s go dance, Miranda,” Eli said as he took one more long look at Analisa, then gripped Miranda’s arm as they skipped toward the wide, smooth dusty spot where the Delgado sisters were dancing.
Over the past years, Miranda had taught Eli to dance as well as any man she’d ever seen. Even her Grandmother had danced with him and told him he was as good as the best there was back in Kansas City.
He seemed to glide across the dance floor, never dipping or bobbing his head or body as he danced. Today, he held Miranda’s left hand high as they danced around the circle to a fast foxtrot with the lively music the men were playing.
For the next one, the Robertson brothers broke out into a slow version of the swing Miranda had taught all of them. The Robertsons had named it The Cherokee Swing, since they had played with a few younger Cherokee musicians in Tulsa who called it by the same name. The vaqueros and Jubal found their places as the Robertsons started playing. In no time, they had harmonized their instruments and were making music as if they played together all the time.
Miranda and Eli were good dance partners, since she had worked with him on the steps over and over. He knew just when she would come out of her turn and she knew he would always catch her hand as she did. They danced smoothly together, he with his back straight, his head high. Her with her feet always moving when he would twirl her three or four times before catching her to start another round of dance moves involving the swing step she loved.
The terrain was becoming rougher than they’d experienced so far. The fifty miles took them almost two days, as the trail twisted and turned, and back tracked through the jagged rocks of the first foot hills as they came closer to the Southern Rockies. By the mid-afternoon of the second day, they had ridden down into a big grassland that covered most of the valley. The horses were hungry for fresh grass and they stopped to let them graze near a cool, clear river. Juni and Tin Yu were naked...
Sissy and Joe came home while they were still sitting around the table. Joe was wearing a Deputy United States Marshal’s badge, grinning that crooked grin, and Sissy was hanging on him like she was shackled to him as she came in grinning. “We’re married, Daddy. I’m a wife now and I love my husband. Judge Parker married us and he cried, he was so happy that we let him. He told us not to worry about that trouble over in unassigned lands, he would take care of it.” “Momma, I’m taking my man...
Fort Smith, Arkansas October 12, 1883 When Eli, Duncan and Moses rode into Fort Smith, they went straight to the courthouse to tell Judge Parker about the flash flood, and finding no rustlers. Before they even got upstairs to his chambers, they were met by Jefferson, and told of a jailbreak. “Eli, it was that Larry Parkins kid, the one who hit Duncan. He was in the cell with L.W. Ward and Clyde Pickens, the ones you brought in from down toward Fort Towson when we got Kia, Michi, Lorene...
“Sundy, you put this shirt on and slide over here on my horse with me. We’re going up there and scout this trading post,” Eli said as he unlocked her shackles and pulled a buckskin shirt out of his saddlebag. “Marshal, you be watchful of Sundy if there’s shootin. We’ve took a liking to her and want to see her do good, now that her kin have been arrested,” Jessie said. “I’ll be alright, I know Marshal Eli will keep me safe,” she said as she hugged her thin body to his back. “Duncan, I’m...
“This big horse wants to run, Duncan. You want to make some time?” “Let him run, Eli. We have almost 700 miles due west to ride and I’m ready. It’ll take us over 2 days hard riding to get to Tulsey Town, over on the Arkansas River.” The two deputies rode hard for over an hour and then slowed their spirited horses to a long easy lope as they talked and laughed as friends, starting a partnership that would be remembered in Indian Territory and surrounding states for years to come. The...
Fort Smith, Arkansas November 2, 1875 Before Duncan had completely recovered from the injury to his head, he was laid up with pneumonia. He’d gotten caught in a heavy downpour and arrived home wet and chilled. He spent two weeks recovering, with the first week spent in bed the whole time. Eli and Moses were split up again, since they were short-handed. “Eli, which way you headed this time? It looks like I’m headed up toward Kansas where you ‘n Duncan come from when he got whacked on his...
Oklahoma Territory Crow Ridge Cattle Company August 4, 1889 Jon David, Amanda, Sissy, and Analisa told Eli yesterday that they needed to be at the office early this morning. They let Chane and Jon Jr. spend the night with Shawn, Karly Jo, Clara, and Maryanne. Eli stepped out on the front porch earlier than usual that morning since he had all his Little Bucks here for the day. He drank the last of the coffee from his mug and stood looking down at the river before turning to look over toward...
Doctor Harrod came out just a few minutes after Eli and Jefferson walked into the lobby and sat down. They both jumped up as soon as he came through the door, hurrying to meet him. “Doc?” Eli said as he looked at the young doctor. “Duncan is fine. He’s sleeping now and you’ll both be able to see him in a few hours. I drained the wound where the injury had become infected. There was a bone fragment just as I thought. It was wedged in a clump of hair that had pushed into the tiny skull...
Indian Territory June 15, 1884: “Eli, look at all them dark clouds down yonder south of here. I sure hope we don’t run into any bad weather on the way home,” Duncan said as they rode on into the late afternoon after getting Joe patched up. “I’ve been watching them too, Duncan. I hope they’re between us and home, I’d hate to know our place was being hammered by storms.” By nightfall, the dark storm clouds had moved east of where they were heading, but the air was still damp and heavy like...
With the arraignments and hearings coming up for the criminals that Eli, Duncan and Moses had arrested in the past weeks, they were all required to be in the courthouse most of each day for a week. After that, they were told by Judge Parker they needed to be on call for another week as the prosecutors, lawyers, and public defenders obtained information from them. Though this was a rough two weeks for the three of them, who were used to being out in the open. They did enjoy their time at...
The next morning early, the three had ridden no more than half a mile from camp, when Eli pulled his horse back. “We got riders coming in, hold up and get your guns ready,” he told them. They were suddenly surrounded by sixteen members of a cavalry patrol, handguns drawn and hammers backed. “Stand your position men, United States Cavalry here. You’re trespassing on government property,” a big sergeant in front of the troop yelled. “Mister, you best put them pistols away before we shoot...
As the three rode back to the courthouse, they felt good about the girls going to learn about nursing. They felt good about getting to ride out together again too. Jefferson had their warrants, since Judge Parker was already in court for the day. “Eli, this big horse wants to run some, let’s get stretched out and make some miles. It sure does feel good to be out here again,” Duncan said. They poked their horses up to a good hard gallop and let them run for miles before they pulled them...
They left the courthouse and headed straight home to see the family. Duncan, Moses, and Eli could hardly wait to see their kids. Moses was extremely proud of his and Suh’s boy. They’d named him Pike Longfeather Kidd in honor of Moses’ father. Duncan and Eli’s young’uns were seven, and the two marshals could hardly wait to get home from a trip. Pike was about six months younger than the other boys, but he felt he could do anything the others could – the other boys expected as much of...
It took another hour to get from the high knoll over to the far side of Fayetteville, but they were at the old trading post at last. Eli helped both women to the ground. They were about frozen from being on the trail most of five days. He tied their horses to the hitching rail and rapped on the solid wood door. “ELI IS HERE,” he heard a scream and the door swung wide as Tin Yu, Catt and Eva ran out to him, nearly knocking him over backwards as they grabbed him in a hug, jumping up and...
The next morning, when Rose and Mary came down to the kitchen to start breakfast, Jefferson already had a warm fire built in the cookstove. As they filled the big coffee pot with coffee and water, they heard a noise on the back porch. Jefferson stepped to the back door to see the two nannies and the two kids on the porch, with the billy standing in the yard, looking up at them. Corinne and Lorene were next down the stairs, carrying the two babies, since they had taken it upon themselves to...
The three marshals rode for two more days, pushing their horses, keeping them fed and watered, as they made their way toward the Cherokee Outlet, known all over this part of Indian Territory as no man’s land. The third day on the trail after they’d met the cavalry patrol at the mouth of the Chikaskia where it emptied into the Salt Fork of the Arkansas, they met another patrol headed east. Abraham Walker was the scout. “Marshal Moses Kidd, you have made good time. Lieutenant Carpenter is...
The trip back to Fort Smith took three days longer than the trip over to the Panhandle. Twice along the way, Eli killed a small deer late in the day, so they could cook it all night and be gone at daylight, eating the cooked meat along the way. The rest of the time, they only stopped long enough to feed and water the horses and relieve themselves. The prisoners were left to their own devices, as for relieving themselves. While riding on the boards of the rough, bouncing wagon bed, they...
The travelers broke camp at daybreak after an early breakfast. They were still most of a day’s travel from Pecan Ridge and the MacEagle brothers wanted their new friends to visit the Cheyenne Village and meet their grandfather on the way. The Young Bucks and the Crow girls knew White Elk and they were excited about going to the Cheyenne village to meet with him again. They were even more excited to be there when he welcomed his grandsons home after they’d graduated from the private boarding...
Saturday, May 3, 1884 Cherokee Lands Indian Territory Iron Hammer’s Lodge “Eli Crow, I see you have returned and now you bring all the marshals and little Crows to see me. I see my own brothers, the Barkleys, with you. How am I so honored this day?” “Iron Hammer, I came with my friends and young’uns to tell you of a cattle deal we made in Kansas City this week. My little Crows have gifts for your little Hammers and me and my friends are always happy to sit with Iron Hammer and his brothers...
Tulsa, Indian Territory Crow Ridge Cattle Company June 2, 1884 The big house on the hill was full of happy talk as they gathered in the kitchen to talk and catch up on the latest trip into the Territory. Clarissa was typing on her typewriter as fast as she could to keep up with all that was said. She was getting faster at typing and this was the first time she didn’t make notes to type from later. They let the ten youngest travelers talk first, each of them telling their version of the...
A week after the marshals returned from their last trip, Eli rode across the river to Tulsa with Little Eli and the other boys and girls. The young’uns thought they were almost grown now, getting to ride the big high stepping horses all the way across the river with him and going to the post office at Perryman’s. He gave them enough money to buy some candy and even some gum, for the first time in their lives. The boys saw some baseball bats, gloves, and balls and each of them wanted baseball...
December 27, 1884 Tulsa Depot Tulsa, Indian Territory Jon David and Joe were at the train depot when the train pulled in from Kansas City. Jon David had gotten a telegraph message that there would be twenty-one, young Negro women aboard the train arriving on the twenty-seventh. There were only two Pullman cars and a caboose connected to that train. The preacher from the Negro church in Kansas City had made the trip down to Tulsa, escorting the young women personally, since the young women...
Indian Territory October 5, 1884: As the light of dawn began to spread across the plains, they harnessed the mules and hitched the teams to the wagons. They were all ready to meet the others at Pecan Ridge Cattle Company and start the pecan harvest. They saw how the nearby trees were loaded with pecans and knew this pecan crop was going to be a big one. Eli and Moses had been out before dawn, riding the western perimeter. Duncan and Joe had also been riding the eastern perimeter behind...
They did make that trip in September. Eli wanted the family to visit their hotel in Santa Fe then come back through Albuquerque on their week-long trip. They even made it down to Las Cruces to stay two nights at that hotel before heading back home. Eli knew the women would be having babies in the spring and he was already planning trips to Kansas City after the babies were born. In April of 1890, Eli took his Cherokee brothers, Iron Hammer, Iron Hand and Iron Eyes, with their families for a...
Tulsa, Indian Territory Sunday, July 28, 1889 While Moses, Isaac and Little Eli were loading the horses, the engineer yelled and waved to Eli again just as he stepped down from the Pullman carrying Little Eli’s traveling bag. “Marshal, if we’re gonna make a fast run down to Abilene like you want, the fireman will need some help from your bunch to keep up the steam,” he yelled above the noise of the locomotive. “We’ll ride up here with you. I want to keep this this thing red hot and smoking...
Miranda turned and sat sideways on the top rail as she watched Little Eli run over to get on his horse. Lee Yu, Lilly Beth, Kia, and Michi were all waiting for him. They all waved to her when they saw her looking. She felt like getting off the fence right then and grabbing Eli Crow. She was so in love with him and his family. No matter if it was right in the middle of the cattle pens, and right in front of all the men, she could have thrown him to the ground and loved him right here. They...
Across the small hotel dining room, there were three well-dressed men wearing tall white hats, drinking coffee and smoking fat cigars. One of them moved closer to sit at the table nearest the Young Bucks. “Excuse me please, but did I hear you say you have an exceptionally fast horse bred from Cheyenne horse blood?” The man asked from behind Eli. Eli turned to look back at the man, “Yes Sir, we sure do. He’s never been beaten in about thirty races,” he told the man. “We’re here to meet the...
After their meal, they rounded the young’uns up and headed them back upstairs. The elevator had to make two trips to get them all to the top floor. By the time they had the younger ones settled and into bed, it was after ten o’clock and they had a busy day planned for tomorrow. The baseball game started at one o’clock and they were scheduled to play two games before dark. The grownups talked for another hour before heading off to their separate rooms and to bed. They still wanted to spend...
“Trapper, there are at least two dozen turkey-buzzards circling overhead back west of here,” Micah told him as they rode north. Trapper and the others turned their horses to look back to where Micah was pointing. “Looks like we could have a fresh one for you men to check out. Let’s get on over there,” Trapper said and spanked his horse with his reins. They topped a small rise to see at least two dozen more buzzards on the ground tearing into a dead calf. When they rode up, the buzzards...
After their performance on their first assignment in Colorado back in October of 1896, the six Young Bucks’ names became well known at the Western District U.S. Marshal’s Service office in Kansas City. During the next two years they were called upon time and time again to settle disputes. They were sent to the Missouri border town of Fort Scott, Kansas, to help settle a railroad union dispute that had already gotten out of hand with clashes of violence by the time they arrived. With strong...
“We’ve never been up this way before, Daddy. Where are we going?” Little Eli asked. “We’re going up the Arkansas to the rough country where the Pawnee and Osage Tribes join lands. We’ll camp on the Arkansas and we’ll have our own school for you boys out here.” They had crossed the Arkansas River in a northwesterly direction, then followed along the west side of the river until mid-day. The boys were told to bring nothing but jerky in their grub bags, they were going to survive on what the...
Kansas City, Missouri July 21, 1889 Eli and Isaac were up and dressed, after washing up from a wild time the night before when they’d had champagne sprayed all over them and made love on the balcony. They were sitting out on the balcony again, looking down on the sprawling city below as people began to stir and fill the streets. The girls came out laughing and talking about the fun, crazy time they’d had last night. They were bathed, dressed and ready for a day of shopping and sightseeing...
Upon their return to Tulsa from racing Cheyenne at Vinita, Little Eli had met with Bill and Jack Robertson that day, asking them about making a lightweight saddle just for Cheyenne. After measuring and fitting him with the special built saddletree and pad, they made a saddle with no high pommel and no saddle horn. There were no fenders, just leather straps that supported the small brass stirrups. This saddle was half the weight of the working and pleasure saddles they used on the ranch. As...
October 1, 1881 While Eli was getting his latest prisoners turned over to the jailers, Jefferson left the courthouse through the back door and ran out to saddle his horse. He rode hard up the back way, cutting across an open lot and through someones yard as he raced home. He didn’t take time to put his horse in the barn, he knew Eli would see it anyway. He jerked the saddle off and turned his horse in the cow pen. When Eli rode into the yard later, it was almost sundown and there was no one...
When they arrived in Durant, the sun had been up a few hours and Eli herded them to the hotel. The fireman and engineer went with them as the local railroad workers filled the reservoirs with water and oiled the locomotive for them. This was the first chance Eli had for more than a few words with his Bucks since they’d boarded the caboose in Abilene. Eli and Moses sat across the table from them in the dining room and looked at each of them as they talked to their brothers and their...
“Kit, would you and Ruby want to wear buckskins like we do?” Caleb asked as they all talked, ate, and became friends. “We sure do. Marshal Eli told us we could, and said he’d even give us our own horse,” Kit answered. “We’ll have to round up our horses in the morning and see how many we have now. Daddy may have to get more horses from our friend, Iron Hammer. He’s the main man in the Cherokee Tribe that owns all the lands around us,” Little Eli said. “Momma told me we could all go down to...
Crow Ridge Cattle Company Tulsa, Indian Territory Thanksgiving Day November 27,1884: “Here come the Buffalo Soldiers, they’re crossing the river now!” Isaac yelled as he jumped off the back porch, headed toward the barn where the men, the girls, and the rest of the Bucks were gathered. The women had run the men and younger ones from the house so they could finish cooking and get the dinner ready. This was to be the biggest feast and biggest celebration they’d had to date. The men, the...
When they finished unloading the flatcar, they headed back to the house. Smitty, Leon, James, and Albert were on the wagon and Eli drove. “Smitty, I need to have a talk with you. Want to walk down to the river with me?” Eli asked. “Sure Eli, let me get a drink from the pump and I’ll be ready.” “I’ll meet you out front.” Eli went through the house and into the kitchen where the women were fixing supper. “Corinne, come go with me,” Eli said. “Eli, I’m not sure about this now. Can we wait...
After an early start in the cold hours of morning, they rode hard and steady all day, stopping to relieve themselves twice and eat from the grub sack. They made Kansas City, Missouri late in the day as the sun was sinking behind the cold flat horizon, across the river in Kansas. They stopped at a big fancy hotel and registered as Eli and Rose Crow. The desk man was hesitant at first to let the two Half-Breeds stay in his hotel, but saw the Deputy U.S. Marshal badge and the Indian Police...
“ELI! You’re back. Did you get the last one? Dal said you thought there was a woman with them too,” Sam Connor greeted his grandson when he came through the back door, stomping the mud off his feet. Eli was soaked, his buckskins wet and clinging to his body, his moccasins filled with mud and water. He hadn’t even put his long coat on when he left Young’s Store. The back of his coat was shot out anyway. “They’re all taken care of, Grandpa. How’s Grandma? She alright after all this?” He...
When they reached the river’s edge, Kit laid the fuses and caps on a stump. Ruby handed Kit a stick of dynamite and picked up a cap and a short fuse. Eli and the others watched as she inserted the end of a fuse into the open end of the blasting cap, then put her fingers about an inch from the end of the brass. She stuck this short end of the exposed brass into her mouth with the extra fuse trailing down her chin. They could see her straining her jaws as she bit down on the brass, clamping it...
Eli had planned their trip himself and since he wanted them to stay a few days in Boones Crossing without being in a rush, he decided to take his dad’s advice and travel to Kansas City first then come back to Boones Crossing. Though he and Isaac didn’t wear their guns, they did have their knives on their hips, with their guns packed in their traveling bags. Both were dressed in buckskins and their girls dressed in finery like the other women traveling on the train. They ate one meal in the...
Saturday October 3, 1896 Crow Valley, Oklahoma Territory “Let me see that map again, Deuce,” Ezra said. He stood next to Eli and Isaac as they looked at the map. They had just gotten their first orders as Deputy United States Marshals two days ago, and the six of them were excited as they saddled up. They’d packed the night before and already had their two packsaddles loaded with tents, food and supplies for at least a two-week stay once they reached their destination. They were being sent...
Dal Hopkins had been half asleep, half-awake as he worried about his town. He heard a man whisper something behind him in the cell. Was he dreaming? Could it really be? HE KNEW THAT VOICE... He’d know that voice in the middle of a windstorm on the plains or in a howling snowstorm on top of a mountain. No matter where on earth he was, he would know that voice... Eli was here. He knew it was him! How – he didn’t know, but that was Eli Crow behind him, he’d bet his life on it. “Marshal,...
Eli knew he had a battle on his hands convincing the mommas of his sons and daughters that his plan was the best way to keep the Bucks, the Crow girls and the rest of them from having babies and still let them spend time with their friends. He figured the best way to handle this was to get them all at once and get it over with. Miranda, Clarissa, Tin Yu, Catt, Eva, Rose, Sissy, Suh, Juni, and Grandma were gathered together out away from the others. Eli wanted all of them to listen to what he...
Boones Crossing, Kansas July 23, 1889 Little Eli, Kit, Ruby, and Isaac arrived in Boones Crossing early, making the short trip from Kansas City in only a matter of two hours. They had accompanied their friends to the train station the evening before and watched as they boarded the train to Colorado. This was a tearful parting of new friends with all of them vowing to meet again soon. The McInnis sisters especially took it hard, sobbing as they sat on the train and waved out the window to...
Crow Ridge September 1, 1896 “Come on in, Ezra. Your dad and I wanted to talk to you before you head back to Crow Valley,” Rose told her son. Jefferson was sitting up in bed with the covers pulled to his waist. “Dad, are you feeling any better?” Ezra asked as he walked over to sit at his bedside and lay his hand on top Jefferson’s right hand. “I feel better today, Son. This has actually been one of my better days in the past few months. “Dad, I suppose I’ve always taken for granted that...
When the Buffalo Soldiers rolled in from Little Tree with empty wagons, all of them jumped in and loaded them as quickly as possible. There were fifteen more loads to ship after they held back the last three loaded wagons to take to Tulsa. Willis turned fifteen of his men right back around, telling them to get on back so they could all head over to Tulsa and start learning to be oil well drillers. The next morning early, Eli and Jon David were sitting by the fire outside, drinking coffee...
Two weeks earlier, when Duncan and Eli had split as they arrived in Tulsa, Duncan felt alone as he rode north toward Kansas. Though he’d been a deputy marshal for over two years when he met Eli, he’d grown to like hid friend so well that he missed his company and the friendship they shared together on their trips into the Territory. He rode into southern Kansas two days later, after riding late like he and Eli often did when they first met. He wanted to hurry and do his law business, then...
The men of Crow Ridge Cattle Company loaded the second trainload of cattle bound for Kansas City and knew there wasn’t time to load another fifteen cars before dark. The first trainload would have to make it to the next sidetrack, near the Kansas state line, before the two empty trains could travel on down to Tulsa. They made plans to start loading at daylight the next day. The empty trains would arrive during the night and have to lay over. They gathered around after the first day of...
The Waco Kid never raised his head as he reached out to pick up a stick and thrash it across the bedroll nearest him. “Get your asses up, we got a score to settle this morning and I’m ready to get started!” he said loudly. The other men began to stir in their bedrolls and The Waco Kid rolled over to sit up. He had yet to look up as he pulled his boots on, then picked up his two pistols and shoved them down in his holsters. He stretched his arms over his head, wincing at the pain in his ribs,...
Crow Ridge March 29, 1889 The family was up before dawn to see the Crow girls and the Young Bucks off. Even their younger brothers and sisters were up. Eli cornered Little Eli and Ezra as soon as they came downstairs and pulled them aside. “I need to give you men something. I’ve been wanting to tell you about this, but never felt like it was the right time until now. “Eli, back when you told me that you Bucks wanted to have a place of your own and still wanted it to be near each other, I...
Union Station Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania June 19, 1885 Eli had been on the train for four days when he arrived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They had an hour layover there, one of many layovers they’d had on his long train ride from Indian Territory. After he’d found the toilets to relieve himself, he sat inside the huge train station and watched the hundreds of people coming and going. He’d never seen this many people in one place ever before, not even in Kansas City at the ballpark. He kept...
“This is absolutely beautiful. I just love the way the houses and barns look with all the pecan trees around,” Miranda said. “It does look good and shady back in them trees. We need to plant some pecan trees over at the other place to shade it a little, I reckon,” Eli agreed. “You boys get you some clean buckskins and go back behind the barn and get a bath,” Eli told the six boys. “Miranda, would you help Sissy get the girls back there and get them bathed?” “I will, but first we’re going...
There were snow flurries blowing in the wind, with a light blanket already covering the ground when the Bucks started out the next morning after saying their goodbyes to the family. They were dressed in their buckskins with their union suits underneath and heavy boiler overalls over their buckskins. Each had a leather fur-lined cap pulled down over their head and ears. They wore wool scarves backed with flannel over their faces, leaving only a slit with their eyes exposed as they rode...
Eli and Duncan headed out of town with their wagon load of prisoners. Bud Parkins drove the wagon, Duncan and Eli rode their horses. “Eli, I already like this horse pretty good. He’s as tall and long legged as that big stud you got.” “Yep, you got a good’un, Duncan.” They turned south at the creek crossing, and rode right by Noonan’s ranch. “You could at least let me see my wife before you take me back,” Noonan said. “I’ll go see if she wants to see you... “Duncan, you keep them headed...
“What can I do for you, Mister? You look to be part Indian. Are you?” The man behind the window at the train station said as Eli walked up to the window to send a telegraph message back to Little Tree. “I need to send a message over to Little Tree, Texas. Can you do that for me?” Eli said, ignoring the man’s remark. “I sure can. Who is it for and what name do you want on it?” “Put my name on it, Marshal Eli Crow. Send it to Hoke at the livery. Tell him I need him to get word to my folks at...
“Son, that was some race. We heard what Parkman’s jockey said. You did the right thing holding Cheyenne back, then letting him run away with the race after they’d tried to run him down like that. You’d think Sam Parkman would know better by now,” Eli said as he and Joe stood beside Little Eli when their picture was made. “Did you win big again, Dad?” Little Eli asked, knowing by his smile that he did. “We all won big on that race. I already have another big bet placed on the last race...