Author's Note: As a reader pointed out, I planned for Jane to take her ward, Jeremy, with her to Texas. I forgot to do so. If this were a novel, I would correct the error in the previous chapter and continue the novel accordingly (this is why you have beta readers, which regretfully I do not have). However, since each chapter is an independent submission, I can take an author's license and rewrite history. I am now taking that liberty. Thank you.
Chapter 26: Lonely Are the Brave
Lillian Carmichael was not happy that Lady Ravenhill thought she could just give any order and be obeyed without even a thank you or by your leave. After all, the dressmaker wasn't a babysitting service, but the dynamic teenager left her half grown foster child with her to look after, while she was off saving the world. Why the fine Lady couldn't take her son with her or left him with his tutors back in England was beyond her reckoning?
Of course, the sour woman knew perfectly well why the child of ten had been left with her and not settled properly with his grandparents in West Texas. The crisis of the Apache raids had occurred suddenly and the duty-bound noblewoman had been forced to alter her original plans of staying until the Carmichaels were settled, then moving on to take Hugh and Rose to stay with Rose's father for a few days. After that the industrious nomad of Texas would then have seen her son settled with her family at their West Texas ranch.
It wasn't geographically correct to call it West Texas any longer, it was really Central Texas as the new boundaries for the State's western border had been established and expanded. When the Rizzolis had settled in Texas, the western boundary of the territory had been near present day Dallas, but that was changed when Texas became a State. Now, the growing city of Dallas lied in the middle of the State. However, Jane and many others still referred to the area incorrectly as West Texas.
Lillian was repairing her father's slacks, as her mother was cooking bread in the oven. Father and the boys were adding the floor to Mark's cabin. They had completed Matthew's several days earlier. The parent's cabin had been the first cabin completed, as was their due.
Rose mixed clay, sand and water to mix with straw to make bricks. The mixture was placed in wooden molds and then fired in a very hot kiln. After they were cooled, they were used to make the chimneys that would heat the house and line the basements and root cellars.
Jeremy gathered wood and dried bones from the nearby clump of trees. The small thicket could hardly be called a forest, but it was the only source of wood near the new settlement. There weredried bones from animals who were killed for food or who died of natural causes nearby.
The dried bone burned hotter than the wood and used in the kiln, which not only made bricks, but also was used to make pottery and bake goods. Matthew kept watch with a rifle as the others worked hard on the unfinished cabins.
Before the Lady Ravenhill left with all her Rangers to deal with the Apaches, she hired three cowhands to help with the building of the cabins and to cull the brush for maverick long horns and horses. Many times Spanish Dons lost cattle and horses who multiplied in the brush uninhibited by many predators. So, many of the ranchers hunted the animals by combing the brush and foothills.
The trio had been gone for four days and the senior Carmichael was becoming anxious. The first structures constructed were two large corrals. One of the corrals housed sixteen unbroken horses and the other housed twenty-seven long horns, two bulls, twenty cows and five calves. The three cowhands were going to show them how to brand the cows and make one of the bulls a steer.
Once the cabins were finished, Matthew and Mark were going to go with the cowhands and learn how to handle and raise cattle and break wild horses. Luke, the patriarch of the family, was going to build furniture while his sons learned to be cowmen.
Four more buildings were being laid out for construction in the spring. One building was going to be a general store run by Luke. The second building was going to be a hotel run by Ruth, Lillian's mother. The third building was going to be a clothing store run by Lillian. The fourth building was going to be a livery stable with the family looking for a blacksmith. One of the young Ranger, who was interested in courting Lillian had been an apprentice blacksmith for his father and had expressed interest in staying on.
Surprisingly enough it was Jeremy and not Matthew who cried out, "Riders coming! I see six riders over there."
Sure enough six riders were coming from the general direction of Galveston. at a pleasant gallop. Everyone headed to the parent's cabin, which was the main house and had the best position to ward off an attack. Lillian scooped up her charge and struggled to get the youngster into the safety of the cabin.
The six men rode up to within firing range of the house and yelled, "Hallo the house! This chere be Mustang Korsak. I'm chere to fetch Jeremy Rizzoli. I jest got word in Galveston he war chere. I be the foreman of the Rizzoli Ranch and I gotta letter to pick up her son from my goddaughter, Jane Rizzoli."
Luke Carmichael called back, "How do we know ye be who ye say ye ere? We don't know ye from Adam's rib and we're responsible to the lad's maw, who's not a Lady I'd wont angry at me."
The bearded cowboy laughed, "That's fer dang shore. Janie'd scalp y'all's whole family iffin y'all let anythin happen to that there boy. I got her letter rat chere iffin that'll help."
The man who appeared to be in charge took out a sheet of folded paper and waved it in the air as he cautiously rode up to the house, where he tossed it against the door and rode quickly back to his other five men. The folded piece of paper landed just in front of the door, which Mark quickly opened, grabbed the letter and slammed the door shut.
The Irish lad handed the letter to his sister, who was at least familiar with the Lady Ravenhill's handwriting. The anxious dressmaker nodded her head as she confirmed, "This was written by her Ladyship. It does tell this man to get her son and bring him to the Rizzoli Ranch. I guess we have to let them approach the house, but we still need to be cautious."
At that moment, their three hands came into view herding several longhorns and a few horses. The riders seemed to recognize them and rode out to help them bring the animals into their respective corrals. One their hands broke off and rode up to the man claiming to be Mustang Korsak.
The two men exchanged greetings and shook hands. The pair rode gently up to the house where their hand said, "This here be the ugliest, meanest muleskinner this side of the Pecas River. This be Mustang Korsak. Iffin, y'all kin cornvince him to do her, this man could break every head of horse y'all got in two days. Thar's no better maverick wit a horse than Mustang Korsak."
Luke came out holding a rifle and asked cautiously, "Riley, do ye vouch fer this man?"
The tough cowhand nodded as he replied, "He's Rizzoli through and through. I know cause I rode fer him a time or two."
While the others crowded out of the cabin to gaze upon their visitors, Korsak asked, "War's Janie, Riley?"
The experience cowpoke answered, "She rode outta chere with twenty Rangers four day ago to fit Apaches raidin' bordertowns. I figger she should be thar by now or close to her. She personally hired me and the boys to rangle fer these tinhorns. Seems they be friends of hers and needed to larn how to do things, except building they be good at that at least."
Korsak thought for a moment about riding after his beloved goddaughter to help, but realized she would want him to take care of her adopted son. So the savvy mustanger came to a mental compromise as he ordered, "I'm stayin' chere to hap out and keep an eye on thangs. Riley and his boys'll stay chere wit me, while the rest of chew start cullin the brush. Rawhide, y'all're in charge."
His five hands didn't know the country that well, but they had been doing this type of work all their lives and knew how and where to locate mavericks. So they went into the corral of horses and started taking the top off three head apiece before they headed out to look for more horses and cattle.
Rawhide exclaims, "Boss, we'uns dint bring many supplies. I figger we'uns need some bacon, flour, coffee and beans."
Luke volunteered, "Boys, hep y'allselves to anythin in that there wagon. It has everythin y'all said y'all needed. We war gonna open a general store and those two wagons got our stock. Iffin, y'all gonna ride fer us, it's up to us to supply y'all. I'll also pay y'all fifty cents a day."
Korsak intervened as he said, "Sir, meanin' no disrespect, but these boys ride fer the Rizzolis. We be jest hepin' out a neighbor, who ere friends of Janie's. Now, we don't take pay fer doin' wat's necessary to be a good neighbor."
The ranglers went to the wagon and took just what was necessary for a week's hard work and rode off. They knew Miss Jane would not take too kindly to any of her hands that took advantage of a tenderfoot, especially one who was a personal friend of hers.
Korsak turned his horse loss in the corral and walked up to one of the mustangs talking to the horse like it was a long lost friend. The veteran horse rangler was cooing and quietly mesmerizing the animal until he could touch the beast with his hand. Suddenly the wily horseman had a bit and bridle on the horse before it could complain.
With bit and bridle in place, the deeply brown animal started to buck, but the experience horse breaker kept his hold. Again he cooed and mesmerized the dumb beast, whose memory wasn't that good, Korsak rubbed the horse with a blanket while letting it slip upon the animal's curved back.
After several minutes of blanket training the horse allowed the foreign object to stay on its back. Now came the saddle training. The experienced horseman petted and slipped the saddle on and off the wary animal, who kept sircling in hopes of avoid the weighty leather.
Finally the horse allowed the foreign saddle to stay on his back and the belly band to be tightened. With bridle and saddle in place, it was time for the veteran rider to mount the wild beast. One of the other men held onto the reins of the animal waited for Korsak to mount her.
Korsak slipped onto the stirrup and was on the animal before he had a man on his back. After several seconds of indecision, the wild horse decided she needed to rid herself of this unwelcome rider. The strong mare bucked and spun and bunked some more. Korsak held on.
Finally the brown filly had had enough and began to settle down until the expert mustangers could ride the broken animal around his paddocks. As a final test the tamed animal was taken to the cow pen and herded a couple of the animals. The pretty mare performed perfectly and when Korsak was satisfied the newly conquered horse was relieved of his bridle and saddle and returned to his corral.
***SE***
The Comanche scouts returned with word the Apaches where still waiting on the pinned vaqueros to run out of water and get desperate. Jane asked her Comanche friends to circle to the south and cutoff any stray Apache that may escape their assault. The crafty Ranger Captain didn't want word getting to the other larger Apache band that Texas Rangers had crossed the border to confront them.
The Comanche warriors though a bit disappointed they were not going to be fighting in the initial battle saw the wisdom in the plan and hurried off to get into position. The savvy commander called her officers forward and told them she was dividing the troop into two squads one commanded by herself was going to hit the Apache in the center while the other commanded by Hugh was going to circle them to the north.
The tall brunette's troops were going to drive the Apache warriors toward the entrenched Mexican, while Hugh's party was going to force them toward the waiting Comanche. The plan was simple and direct which was the best way to deal with Indian braves. Too much thinking usually got men killed unnecessarily. There was something to be said for simple and direct.
Captain Rizzoli with ten riders drove right at the Apache who were watching the Mexican and for any riders coming from the south. The intent Indians were startled when several riders came charging at them with their guns breathing fire from the west. As they turned to meet the new threat, a party from the north was attacking them.
A few Apache forgot the Mexicans for a moment, only to be reminded of them when the embedded vaqueros shot several of the braves when they hurried to new cover while forgetting to keep their backs covered. Soon the warparty of twelve was down to three, who retreated using their only avenue of escape the south. The trio only discovered their mistake when the Comanche were taking their scalps.
The Ranger Company formed up to greet the vaqueros they saved. Jane rode up to the eight men, many of them sporting wounds. The dark leader said in Spanish, "Buenas Noches, vaqueros, Como esta? Cazamos al Apache. Ha observado algún?" (Good Evening, vaqueros, how are you? We are hunting Apache. Have you seen any?)
A chuckling Mexican said, "Hubo un par de último minuto después atrás, pero a toda prisa." (There were a couple a few minutes ago, but they left in a hurry).
The weary American asked, "Hablas Ingles?"
The smiling vaquero answered, "Si, I speak English. Why are you here, Gringa?"
The wary Texan replied, "We were protecting the border towns when we heard from my Comanche friends you were being attacked by the same Apaches that have been attacking our towns. So I brought my men to help you. So you might help us."
The suddenly cautious Mexican asked, "How can we help you, when it was we who needed your help?"
Jane winked at the man and said, "We want to end these raids for some time to come. We want to join forces and hit the main party to the south. You can get most of your cattle back and we can stop these raids. Everyone wins."
The crafty cowman shook his head and responded, "We would like your help, but if the Army catches us siding with Texas Rangers then they will keel all of us. I wish it were not so, but it is."
With another wink and huge smile, Captain Rizzoli replied, "We will take off our badges. I am Jane Rizzoli and run cattle in Texas. We will say I was south buying cattle for my ranch when we found you in trouble. We are after the cattle so we may buy them."
The Mexican cowman laughed as he answered, "Even they are not so stupid to know you do not need so many men to herd a few head of cattle."
The charismatic Texan's smile broadened as she responded, "I am a woman and I brought extra men for protection."
This time the vaquero translated this statement for his men who all laughed as he also added the name Jane Rizzoli, "Even we in Medico have heard of Jane Rizzoli, the one the Comanche call 'Iron Woman.' Will they believe one who is so famous will have men to protect her?"
Finally, Jane said coldly, "Yes, because they will want to."
***SE***
Korsak was breaking his fifth horse, when Lillian announced dinner was ready. The tough mustanger completed breaking the horse he was riding and used it to go to the main cabin, where he tied the now rideable horse to the horse rail before going to the back of the cabin to wash up for dinner.
When the aging cowboy got to the table of water pails and washing pans, he was greeted by Lillian Carmichael, who after a formal greeting got right to the point of her being there, "I was wondering if you could stay for a month or two and help my family and I adapt to our new circumstance. You see, we just came from England and not of our own accord. It seems I did something very foolish and my family and I were banished here from our homes. We are not prepared to survive here and we have five soon to be six small children to worry about.
My brothers are strong and are skilled with their hands when it comes to building things, but they are lost when it comes to hunting, cattle and horses. We need someone to teach us and from what I've been told, you are the best teacher available. We will pay you handsomely and I would be ever so grateful."
The way she put the last sentence promised more than money and more than just some winter games. Korsak was an expert fighter, an excellent horseman and a generous teacher, but he had little experience with woman and did not notice the trap or the danger with which he was treading. Had Jane been there she could have warned him, but she was busy trailing Indians in Mexico.
The innocent cowhand replied, "Well, I don't know iffin the Rizzolis kin do witout me fer a spell, but I shore kin ax Janie. I mean I've worked fer the Rizzolis all Janie's life. I war thar when she kilt that rattler when she war a babe. But thar ain't no reason why I caint show y'all'ins a thing or two while I kin. Tomorrow mornin' I'll take y'all's brothers huntin' and show dem how to get some meat fer the table."
The wily young woman wasn't satisfied with that, she needed him to agree to stay at least through the winter, but from what her cowhands said there was no way he was going to leave Lady Ravenhill. After hearing the tough cowhand had helped raise her, there was no reason to expect him to leave her without a strong incentive.
The beautiful dressmaker knew her family was here because of her and also knew it was her responsibility to keep them alive in this wild wilderness. The observant former aristocrat had seen her family in action and knew that they were going to die if they weren't shown how to survive. It was going to take a long time for the inexperienced Irish men to adapt to so many changes. So the desperate young woman did the only thing she could think to do to get this man to commit to her and her family and that was to marry him.
Though the rough cowhand was in his fifties, he was still a powerful and vibrant man. Besides the lovely seamstress was almost thirty and unmarried. Thinking of no other way to solve her family's dilemma, the determined spinster started wooing the unsuspecting cowman by saying with a sultry whisper, "Well you wash up and come to dinner. I will appreciate anything you can do for us and I will do anything to show my gratitude."
The old mustanger looked at the woman who he figured was at least thirty-five years younger than him and smiled. The older man had long since given up on his youthful dreams of a pretty wife and family and put his energy into his surrogate daughter. Now the aging mustanger was starting to see possibilities… lovely possibilities.
***SE***
With her Mexican companions and Comanche scouts, she now commanded 41 men armed with rifles and pistols, more than enough to handle the estimated 120 Apache armed with mostly bows and arrows.
The scouts returned with information, "The Apache have stopped and killed three of the cows and are feasting on them as we speak. They have those horses ground tethered and have posted two guards, who were sent food while we were watching them. By now, they will be quite full and ready to sleep. The six caballeros are tied to posts at the far end away from the horses They have been beaten very badly and have no guards, which means they are not considered a threat."
Jane called her officers and the Mexican leader to counsel and explained what the Comanche braves had seen. The Mexican leader cursed as he responded, "We need to free the captives because they will be the first to die when we attack. You know as well as I do the Apache will kill any captive. So how do we free them before we attack?"
The tall Texan thought on the problem for a long time before she responded, "The best we can do is let you work your way to them and give you a chance to free them before we attack. I can give you one hour. However, the minute an alarm is sounded, we will have to attack. I leave it to you to pick your men and how many you need to do the job properly."
The Mexican trail boss was not happy with the response, but understood the options:
Risk giving up surprise by mounting a full rescue attempt with half the troop. Many of the men in the troop would pay with their lives if they were discovered before the liberators were in position.
Ignore the captives completely and attack the enemy with the full strength and surprise of the troop. This would accomplish the victory and cost the fewest lives, except all the hostages would be killed.
This is the option the savvy leader chose. Give a small rescue party a chance to free the hostages before the attack. Should the rescue attempt be discovered then the attack would occur during the confusion. This would only endanger the hostages, who were already in danger and the rescuers.
The top Mexican understood the tall teenager's dilemma. The tough Ranger had to consider the safety of every citizen on those border towns. After all, it was the brunette Texan's job to prevent any more excursions by the Apache into the United States.
However, the tough Mexican had a much different job to finish. The dark Spaniard had a much different problem. The tough trail boss keep his men from sheer loyalty and were he to leave those men to die, he would loss the respect of all his men.
So the dynamic Spanish speaking leader acted by selecting five of his best remaining men to go on a rescue mission. The six vaqueros took off their spurs and boots before slipping on moccasins, which were much more suited quiet covert work. This mission was going to require stealth and cunning rather than macho bravado.
As the liberating party was leaving camp, Jane organized the attack. Several of her best rifle shots were given the task of circling the feasting camp, and finding firing positions into the camp from higher ground. While the Texas cavalry was charging through the camp the snipers were going to be causing chaos in among the Apache.
While diving for cover around their camp, the Indian braves won't be in any position for defending themselves from the charging Rangers. Hopefully the Mexican prisoners will be free and causing their own brand of confusion on the ground.
Jorge Lopez's father was from Puerto Real, Spain and his mother was a Yaqui Indian, who was a niece of Juan Banderas. He led the Yaquis against the Mexicans during the uprising of 1825 until he was captured and executed in 1833.
Jorge and his vaqueros made a good living buying Mexican breeding cattle and horses further south and selling to Texas ranchers around the border. All the money the tough Mexican and his men had were tied up in these cattle and horses. The whole outfit would be broke if they failed to get the remaining cattle and horses back.
The captured caballeros in that Apache camp were like family to the Spanish leader and they didn't have much time left before the Apache tortured and killed them. The only reason they were being kept as captives was for pure sport. Apaches loved their favorite sport… torturing captives.
The torture was not because of a disregard for life or savage behavior as the European settlers believed. Rather it was a belief system fundamental to their culture and religion. Killing the enemy captives prevented the enemy captives from killing you in the future. Torturing them prevented them from getting revenge in the hereafter. So Jorge and his followers were going to do everything they could to save them.
Slowly and quietly, the six rescuers made their way to the Indian camp. The Apache horses and Mexican captives were in the middle of the camp tied to several stakes driven into the ground. The able liberators' plan was simple; get as close as they could to the men before the attack and keep the Apache from killing their men before they could free them.
It took Jorge and his five saviors fifty minutes to get with twenty paces of the bound vaqueros. Using hand signals, the Mexican leader had two of his men work their way left and two others right, while he and the remaining caballero went down the middle.
The men on the right were forced to stop or risk being seen by one of the alert guards. The men on the left were hampered by heavy brush. Jorge and the remaining vaquero were forced to almost a stop by milling horses. Not wanting to alert the dozing Indians with full bellies to their presence, Jorge had his partner wait while he moved forward.
The Mexican leader had just made it to his staked companions when gunfire erupted from the direction of the American Rangers. While Jorge fought to free his men and keep them alive simultaneously, his five partners were fighting to keep the Apaches away. As a bonus, the Indian ponies were running away from the approaching gunfire.
Suddenly an arrow flew out of nowhere impaling the Mexican boss through his side. One of the released prisoners had taken up a spear and was fighting off approaching Apache. The freed men and their rescuers had formed a ring around their captain and were fighting for his and their lives.
***SE***
A week after they left to round up steers Rawhide and his riders returned with over forty head of prime breeding cattle. With the stock Riley and his men had already brought in and the cattle they were able to cull from local brush, the Carmichael herd stood at nearly one hundred and twenty head, more than enough to start a fine ranch.
While Korsak was taking the rough off the mustangs, the rest of the men were busy branding the captured cattle and any broke horses with a C, which in cattle parlance is the Lazy C. Riley had gone to Austin to register the brand and insure it wasn't being used by someone else in Texas.
Old Man Luke and his sons constructed and erected two large signs, each on two long poles, which they placed at the edges over the only road leading into and out of their property. The sign read, "C Ranch, Home of the Carmichaels, Visitors Welcome, Trespassers Shot."
Sixty acre sections were filed in each of the family member's names as with all the hands. The hands sold their property to the Carmichaels. Each section was carefully selected in such a manner as to give the Carmichaels control of three square miles of land with its water rights.
Lillian prepared a noon-day meal every day for Mustang and herself, which brought it to him wherever he was working. The older man would sit with her while they shared the delicious and hot meal.
One of the original hands, Apple Bob Thornton, was jealous of the old man, because he had had designs on the lovely seamstress himself. One day while the couple was sharing one of Lillian's lunchs, the angry cowhand braced them, "Old Man, y'all ain't good enough fer her. I thank y'all should ride on."
The wild horse expert always carried his pistol just in case his foot got caught up in the stirrup of his mount, in which case he would shot the animal rather than be dragged to death. However, the old frontiersman was not as handy as Jane was. The former pioneer preferred rifles, but the pistol was handy and a present from the young woman he considered to be a daughter.
Nonetheless, the challenge could not go unanswered. His command of these strong-willed men depended on his reputation and their respect for him. So the tough mustanger had little choice when he rose from his meal and handed his plate to the startled younger woman. The long-time fighter said evenly, "Miss Lillian, y'all move over aways. I don't wont y'all to git hurt none."
Lillian backed away from the confrontation confused as to what was happening. The frightened dressmaker and ranch owner commanded, "Apple git back to work. Ya have no right to interfere. This is my ranch. You just work here."
The younger man responded, "I've got every rait. I fancy ya and wont to court cha. This old man's in the way. Now y'all git away so men kin settle this here thing."
Mustang looked at the young cowhand with hard, cruel eyes and said in a still even voice, "Boy, I kilt mo men than y'all ever know. Now, y'all don't wont to do this, cause iffin ya do, I'll keel ya dead. Y'all may get lead in me, but I wilt be the one standin' at the end."
The wily warrior started walking forward toward the obvious scared younger man, who was suddenly having second thoughts. The cold unemotional eyes of the old man were holding him enthralled and his hands were sweating so much the inexperienced gunman was wondering if he could keep hold of his gun.
Each step of the veteran killer drew him closer to the frightened man and his demeanor was so cold that the less experienced gunfighter was frozen in place unable to move. Finally, the tough mustanger was within an arm's length of the trembling cowherder.
The older fighter suddenly backhanded the young man with his right hand across the lad's left jaw causing the startled youngster to stagger backwards. As the inexperienced warrior was struggling to keep his feet and regain his composure, Mustang Korsak snagged the young man's gun from his holster with his left hand and calmly said, "Boy, git back to work afore I turn ya over my knee and wail y'all's tail."
Korsak held the weaker man's stare for several moments until all the sand had drained from the hired hand. When the veteran fighter was satisfied the youngster had no more strength of will, the cagy warrior tossed the shivering worked his gun, which the terrified cowhand almost dropped.
Mustang commanded, "Git back to work, while I finish my food."
***SE***
The small Mexican contingent was trapped with little cover and fewer weapons. The former prisoners were using whatever weapons they could find, while their rescuers were using only the sidearms they carried. The cap and ball pistols held six shots, which had to be used judicially as they would be impossible to reload given the present conditions.
Despite his wound, Jorge Lopez was continuing to expend his twelve shots as he carried two guns. The experienced warrior left the arrow sticking out his side as removing the foreign object might make the injury worse not better.
Jorge took aim and squeezed off a shot that hit a charging Apache, only the Indian brave kept coming. The Mexican leader took aim and hit the same warrior with a second, third and fourth shot until the tough Apache was down. Unless the shooter hit something vital, it was common to require several shots before a tough opponent was incapacitated.
Despite making every shot count; the group was close to being out of ammunition and were searching for any weapon they could find. The wounded Mexican commander was losing blood quickly and was forced to sit down before he collapsed.
It looked like the small Hispanic group was going to be trapped and die before this battle was completed. One last shot was fired and one more Apache warrior was wounded, but the wound wasn't fatal and he kept coming. Unable to defend himself the injured leader was consigning himself to die, when a familiar horse galloped into view.
Jane Rizzoli was on that horse with a pistol in each hand and the horse reins in her teeth as she sent one deadly shot after another into the panicking Apache. One of her pistol was empty, but that didn't faze her as she just holstered the weapon and pulled another one to replace it.
Jane used the latest in pistol technology, the LeMat. The LeMatrevolver was a .42 caliber cap & ball black powder revolver invented by Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans. The most unusual feature of the LeMat was a secondary 16 gauge smoothbore barrel capable of firing buckshot. The LeMat was known as the "Grape Shot Revolver," because the LeMat's 9-shot cylinder revolved around an independent central barrel of a larger caliber cylinder chambers.
The central barrel had a smooth-bore and functioned as a short-barreled shotgun. The shooter selected either the cylinder or the smooth-bore barrel by flipping a lever at the end of the hammer. When the lever was flipped up, the movable striker fell upon the primer set precisely under the hammer, which discharged the shot gun barrel. Leaving the lever in the standard position would fire the chambers in the cylinder independently and in sequence like any standard revolver of the time.
Jorge watched with a fevered fascination as if the lethal young woman had practiced this dance all her life … one shot… two shots… three shots… four shots… five shots…six shots… seven shots… eight shots … nine shots … shotgun blast … change pistols. The well-rehearsed ballet continued.
All about the avenging brunette; Apache warriors fell to her relentless dance of death … one shot … two shots… three shots… four shots… five shots…six shots… seven shots… eight shots … nine shots … shotgun blast … change pistols. The trapped Mexicans couldn't help but wonder how many pistols the efficient warrior had.
Suddenly the shooting stops as the remaining Indian braves ran away looking for an escape route. The Rangers wanted to pursue them, but their sympathetic Captain announced, "Let them go. They have been punished enough. After all, they are just trying to carve an existence the only way they know how. For hundreds of years the Apache have been fighting and taking what they wanted from the land and from other tribes. Now they have to learn a new way or die off."
Jane dismounted her horse, walked over to the freed Mexicans and found their wounded leader. The veteran warrior examined the wound and called out for Dr. John Duff to come and tend the wounded. Dr. Duff was the last man to enter the camp as Jane didn't want to risk the experienced physician getting hurt.
As the hard-working leader was about to leave the wounded with the doctor, Jorge grabbed the dangerous brunettes arm as he said, "Thank you for you timely rescue. Maybe when I am on my feet again you will show me that gun."
Jane smirked, "Maybe."
***SE***
Six days of hard work had seen all the horses gentled and all the cattle branded and released to graze the Carmichael's ranch and nearby open lands. In the mid 1850's open ranch was the law of the land. In the West Texas and the western territories, open range is rangeland where cattle graze freely regardless of land ownership.
The practice originated in Mexico, where the open range was openly practiced. The American West borrowed many cattle raising techniques from Mexico, which had been raising cattle for over two hundred years. Due to open range laws, branding cattle was essential. Since every rancher's cattle mingled with every other ranch's cattle, the only way to distinguish one cow ownership from another's was to use brands.
For that reason, people wanting to keep another man's cattle off their property must erect a legal fence. However local tradition discouraged use of fences. The 'open range' policy allowed adjacent ranchers to pool their riders so any one ranch only needed to have a few permanent cowmen. The neighboring ranchers would have a common round up where the cattle were counted and divided by brand. All calves, which were unbranded, belong to the cow nursing said calf. Sometimes all the adjacent ranchers would have common cattle drives, again a common labor force allowed each individual ranch to retain fewer cow herders.
As Korsak top the ridge of the small hill overlooking the Carmichael ranch, he calculated the terrain and number of cattle and horse grazing on it. Then the experienced rancher considered how many workers the ranch needed to maintain the ranch and expand the herd. Finally satisfied with the results, the veteran frontiersman rode down to the main house to talk with the family.
Luke, Matt and Mark met the grizzled mustanger in front of the house as one of the other riders came to relieve the head rider of his horse. The concerned horseman ordered, "Give'im oats not hay and extra wata and've 'im rubbed down by somebody who knows wat he's adoin'."
After tossing the rein to the other cowhand, the veteran rancher walked over to the co-owners and said, "I've looked ova the place and fer now. Y'all need to git another hand…maybe two. Y'all got a lot of work left ta do. Y'all need to clean out y'all's watain' holes and y'all need two mo' corrales… one by the crick and one by the lake. That's so y'all kin devide the hosses and keep 'im safe.
Y'all also need a line shack by each of the corrals so y'all kin keep a man to watch the hosses. I also thank y'all need a manger at each spot fer keepin' in the hosses during any cold spells.
I also seen sum tall grass and wild alfalfa east and south of chere. Y'all need to start cuttin' those fer hayin'. I figger y'all got only a couple weeks afer the rains start. Y'all need the hay dryin' in the barn by then."
Luke spoke for the boys and himself when he said, "We kent do all dat in jest a fortnight! We'd need a dozen mo' men."
The wily older man shook his head as he replied, "No y'all don't need no setch thin'. Jest git the womenfolk and chillin' to fetchin' the hay. I'll go to Galveston and git y'all the two hands y'all be needin'. Meantime my men kin hep ya wit all the rest til Janie comes back. I'm shore she'll pitch in and hep y'all to finish her up."
Lillian came out of the cabin drying her hands on her white apron, when she announced, "Dinner's ready. Come on in and eat. You can discuss what needs to be done while you eat."
Luke and his two sons reentered the house, while Korsak went around to the back of the house to wash up from his day's work. Waiting for the elder cowboy was an older Comanche, who he recognized as one of Red Blanket's warchief's. The veteran Indian fighter said in Comanche, "Well met, Roaring Lion, is Red Blanket's singing his death song?"
The tough old brave responded, "The great chief wishes to see his granddaughter one final time. I have sent braves to find her. I know she is below the great river fighting our enemies the Apache, but I do not know if my warriors will find her before she comes back here. If she should come, could you have her ride like the wind to see her grandfather before he sees his ancestor's?"
The wise old cowboy thought for a moment and replied, "I will send my men in a fan toward the border for one day so they will see her one day sooner than her coming here. That way she could save half a day ride. I will sent fresh horses with each rider so she may change horses and be there all the sooner.
I will also leave today with her son, who is staying here, so Red Blanket may see his great grandson before he goes beyond. This much I can do."
The old Indian nodded, which was the closest he could come to smiling, as he leapt to the back of his horse and rode toward their summer village. After the wily mustanger was sure the war chief was on his way home and setting up some raid, old habit died hard, Korsak rushed into the house.
Lillian was setting the table, but before she could say a word, Korsak announced, "I'm takin' Jeremy fer a week's ride south. I'll needa send eight riders in a fan one day to the south to find Janie. Red Blanket's dyin' and we needs to make shore we keeps good relations wit them Comanche after the old man is gone.
Rat now Janie's the onliest one who kin keep them Injuns in line. They's skeered of her sometin awful. Since, Jeremy's her boy he's got nearly as much power as Janie in thar eyes. Iddin I kin git the boy thar to meet the old man and he accepts the boy as his kin, then we got sometin.
The only problem being Janie's gonna skin me proper and ratly so iffin anythin happens to that youngster. I'll git the boys aridin afore the next horse whimpers, while y'all gits the boy ready fer a long rige."
Lillian gasped, "Mustang, you haven't eaten yet. You should get some food before you leave."
Korsak nodded his agreement then responded, "Y'all's rat of course, but furst I hasta git the boys ridin. Y'all git the youngun ready while I eats."
The old mustanger was out the door before anyone could protest. Then everyone else was moving to carry out his orders, except Jeremy, who continued to eat his dinner.
***SE***
Jane's advanced scout came back to the column of Rangers with his report, "Ma'am one of y'all's cowhands' campin jest over dat rise wit two spar hosses. It's broad daylight and he ain't doin a lick of work. Sometin's wrong."
Jane ordered her men to wait for her signal before continuing and spurred her horse toward the small camp with Hugh hurrying behind, after all his new wife had been with the Carmichaels.
Within minutes, Jane and Hugh were thundering into the stunned cowboy's camp, who mistakenly reached for his rifle. Jane drew a pistol before he could complete the reach. The cowhand instantly recognized his boss and held up his hands and shouted hurriedly, "Don't shoot, Miss Jane, I'm rat friendly. Mustang sent me outta gitcha. Old Red Blanket's dyin' and Mustang says fer y'all to hurry. The old Injun wontsta see y'all afore he dies. Mustang says it's rat inporten fer y'all to git thar afore that old man dies. He went on ahead wit y'all's boy."
At first Jane was alarm at Jeremy being put in harm's way. Then the savvy Indian fighter remembered the treaty and how seeing the boy, his adopted great-grandson, would mean a lot to the old man and maybe keep the peace. However the tough Ranger Captain had no time to waste, she had to get to the Comanche village before Red Blanket died.
Tears ran down her cheek in uncontained grief as she asked evenly, "Where are the Comanche camped?"
The tough older cowhand saw the tears, but ignored them, because there was no need to shame someone in their grief. So the veteran cowboy answered, "Mustang told me ta tell y'all to go to the old place. I gots fresh hosses iffin y'all's is tuckered."
Without any other reply, the hardened frontierswoman didn't waste a motion as she hopped from her mount and undid the saddle straps and removed the bridle with practiced hands. The experienced rider transferred the saddle and bridle from horse to the fresh one. The efficient leader ordered Hugh, "Hugh, go back to the column and lead them to the Carmichael ranch. Whitey, go with him! I'm going to be riding fast and hard. I'm taking both fresh mounts. Whitey, you take my mount, but if you're careless with him I'll find out and you had better be in another part of the country."
Without another word, Jane hopped her mount and wrapped the lead of the other horse to her saddle horn. The veteran horsewoman spurred her horse and with a leap and a dash the two horses and rider were headed north northwest with the speed of a brush fire.
Hugh watched her fade into the landscape before he commanded, "Whitey, get mounted we have to get back to the others before they come looking for us."
***SE***
Drums and chanting greeted the two riders as they entered the Comanche village. Jeremy had read several books on the American Indian, but none of those treatises had prepared him from the sights and sounds that assaulted his senses as he and Mustang Korsak rode into that village.
Several Comanche warriors armed with bows and spear greeted the pair of Texans that rode brazenly into their village. Korsak greeted them, "Greetings, I have brought the son of Iron Woman to meet his great-grandfather before he meets his ancestors. I am sure Red Blanket will want to see Iron Woman's son before he sings his final song."
Roaring Lion pushed his way through the milling braves to say, "Well met, Mustang Korsak. Red Blanket is waiting. I have told him of your coming. He waits as best he can."
Korsak was helping the ten year old from the saddle as he whispered to the child, 'Don't show no fear. No matter watt y'all gotta show no fear. Injuns respect bravry and nuttin else. Y'all gotta show 'em y'all's as brave as y'all's Mama. When she war no older than y'all she kilt a mess of Injuns after huntin' buffalo. So y'all remember that iffin y'all git skeered cause these Injun ere mo skeered of y'all's Mama.'
The child had been trained as a nobleman and knew how to act regal. His tutors had pounded in his head for two years how to act before commoners. So when the youngster touched ground he became Lord Ravenhill and stood straight with a cold stare of authority. Korsak nodded his approval slightly as Roaring Lion showed the way to Red Blanket's wickiup.
***SE***
It was the ride of legends. The two horses galloped at a speed that taxed their stamina and conditioning. The two mustangs were breed for their speed and condition and were in constant use as work animals and modes of transportation. The tough ranch animals had no experience with leisure or inactivity, so they were kept in excellent condition.
However they couldn't keep this pace for more than hour so when the experienced rider felt her steed laboring, she stopped and switched her saddle from one animal to the other. After giving both horses some water and taking a few swallows herself, the anxious frontierswoman remounted and spurred her new mount to pace.
***SE***
When Roaring Buffalo opened the flap to the wigwam, Jeremy waited until all the others had entered the teepee. Then with a flare that bordered on funny the youngster strode into the warm wickiup.
Several people were in the confined area. Two women, who were obviously cleaning up something were on their hands and knees, while a man dressed in feathers and paint was chanting while pounding on a small drum. Occasionally the oddly dressed Indian would throw some sort of dust into the fire, which would cause it to flare and burn an odd shade of orange.
Another warrior was standing scowling at the visitors with his arms folded as if they were intruding. Lastly lying on a mat by a roaring fire was a very thin old Indian with bold colors marking his face. His eyes scared the young man momentarily as they gave a look that was familiar to the youngster.
It was the same look his mother gave him when she was cross with him and it was a look that he feared. A faint smile from the old man eased his momentary fear as he tried to sit up. One of the women tried keep him from rising but was cuffed roughly by the old man who said something with authority and anger.
Korsak spoke in a language the child could not understand as he said in Comanche, "Red Blanket, this is Iron Woman's son, Jeremy. His mother was killed and your granddaughter adopted him much like you did when she was his age. He does not understand Comanche yet, but his mother is teaching him. As you can see he is not afraid."
The weakened Indian said with as much vigor as he could muster, "Have the child come forward so my old eyes may see him clearly. He is as tall as his mother. I remember when she was his age and stood tall and straight with no fear. Much like her son is doing now. Though he doesn't know what we are saying, he is standing there with a look of a chief. His mother must be proud."
Korsak called to the bewildered boy, "Come cheer Jeremy and meet a great man. He's a chief and warrior. Y'all's maw loves and respects him. This heres Red Blanket. I'm shore y'all's Mama has toltcha bout 'im. He speaks Spanish."
Though he hadn't understood a word the two men had said, except his own name, he knew the name Red Blanket. His mother had spoken of her grandfather many times and he understood this was a man who his mother loved dearly. So the young boy strode forward and bowed his most respectful and polite bow as he said in Spanish, "A pleasure to meet my mother's grandfather. She has told me many stories about you and I know she loves you very much. Since my mother loves you, I too love you. I do not have much family and it grieves me I losing one I have just met."
Tears were in the old man's eyes, though they refused to fall, as he replied, "I greet my great-grandson and accept his love as he has mine. I cannot be more proud. You are a worthy son of Jane Rizzoli."
The aged warrior turned to his longtime friend, Roaring Lion and said in Comanche, "I accept this child as my great-grandson. Let the tribe accept him as well. Prepare the proper ceremony for my great=grandson."
***SE***
Despite the constant changing of mounts the anxious rider felt her horses were in need of rest. However the driven horsewoman couldn't spare the time to let them rest. The experience frontierswoman knew she needed new steeds.
Fortunately the observant warrior saw signs of a town or a village just beyond the horizon. With gold and silver in her pocket, she knew she would be able to find new mounts if it were a newly settled town.
Jane was quite familiar with the area, as her home was only a few scant miles away. This was a common occurrence in unsettled Texas town rising quickly and failing quickly. The reason these settlements were created varied in function. Some were boom towns established to support some sort of mining strike. Some were towns established to support a large cattle ranch or several small ones. Some sprang up because of a railroad spur between two large cities.
The attentive horsewoman rode by several men panning a stream, so this town was a boom town. Not wanting to waste much time in obtaining new horses, the vigilant warrior rode quickly past the busy men.
It wasn't much of a town, just five buildings…two saloons, two general stores and a livery stable. Two unfinished buildings were sitting dormant like skeletons in the dessert. Jane rode to the livery stable and dismounted her horses.
The cautious fighter called to the unlit barn, "Hello the livery. I need to buy some horses. Is there anyone here?"
A light ignited in the small room attached to the large barn, as a gray-haired bowlegged man exited the small room. The slightly hunched cowboy approached Jane and announced, "I be John Henry Clayton. People call me Jack. I knows y'all firm somewar. Let me thank… I got it, y'all's Jane Rizzoli. I knows y'all's Pa. Watt kin I do ferya?"
The weary young horsewoman weakly smiled, "I need to swap my two horses for two other horses. I'll pay twenty dollars in gold for the swap. I'm in a hurry. If I don't get where I'm going in time the Comanche and Kiowa may break their treaties."
The old man smiled nearly toothlessly as he responded, "Why I kint take that much money fer an even swap! It wouldn't be honest, pecially firm a friend. I gots two good Injun ponies I kin swap straight up. Even in this here light I kin see y'all got two fine pieces of hoss flesh. Even at an even swap, I'm gittin ahead."
Jane went into the barn to examine the horses and more from touch than sight she could tell the man was telling the truth her horses were better, but the two Indian ponies were sound and had no real flaws. So the savvy horsewoman said, "You're an honest man. Here's twenty dollars in gold and I'll give you a note. Please have these horses sent to my Pa and he'll pay you another twenty for your trouble."
Jane wrote a note, 'Pa, pay this man twenty dollars on receipt of two horses. Jane'
The man responded to the note, "I war fixin to leave this place anywho. The mines ere bout played out. So I war agoin sumplace else anywho. Do y'all thin y'all's pappy might need a smithy?"
The harried horsewoman wrote a second note, 'Pa, I hired this man as a smith. Put him to work. Jane.'
The anxious Ranger finished getting ready to ride and saluted her new hand as she exited his livery stable.
***SE***
The young English aristocrat was dressed in new buckskins and his face was littered with painted symbols of his new tribe. The ceremony was fairly simple, but the result was a major accomplishment for Jeremy. He had been accepted as the great grandson of Red Blanket, which put him in line for becoming a chief of the Comanche someday.
For the present, the youngster had to endure the ceremony and then prove himself a Comanche warrior. At the age of ten, the young warrior-in-training would be expected to learn to use a bow, a knife and a horse. The inexperienced youth would have to learn how to track, hunt and kill the enemies of the Comanche.
All these things would be the responsibility of Iron Woman and everyone knew that she was the perfect example of how to be a Comanche warrior. Even the dangerous fighter's worst enemies within the tribe would be forced to admit that Jane Rizzoli was the most hazardous fighter in the tribe.
Red Blanket insisted on witnessing the ceremony personally. A litter was made and the old war chief was carried outdoors to see his new great-grandson become a Comanche. Another thing the old warrior demanded was his blood would be used in the ceremony.
Part of the ceremony involved mixing the blood of a Comanche with the youth's blood signifying his acceptance into the tribe. As his mother was still absent, it was the duty of her grandfather to substitute for her.
At the proper time, the medicine man cut along the palm of the adolescent and that of the old war chief. The two then grasped palms to mix their blood. After an appropriate wait, the two released each other's grip and their wounds were quickly bound after a healing balm was applied.
At that moment, everyone in the camp gave a whoop of granulations and the startled boy was being patted on the back by everyone who wished to share in the moment. The cagy youngster knew he had to do one thing to seal the deal. So the stout English lad walked over to his new great-grandfather and hugged him generously.
Korsak couldn't have been prouder of the intelligent boy. The savvy adolescent had been well schooled by Jane and his teachers. The ten-year-old was a natural leader and the shrewd horseman had no doubt this lad would one day take Jane's place in dealing with the tribes.
Half a buffalo was roasting on a spit as the tribe ready for a feast of welcoming. Roots and vegetables were being prepared and soups with reach grains were being boiled. Every member of the tribe, except for the new member and his family was pitching in. The cooking had been going on for a couple hours and the feasting would soon begin.
In interim, Korsak, Jeremy and Red Blanket retired to his teepee to talk about what was going to be expected. After two large warriors placed their valued elder down, they retreated from the wickiup. Red Blanket spoke first in Comanche, as he knew the youngster still did know the language, "What does the boy know of the things a Comanche must know?"
Mustang replied in Spanish, "His mother knows what the lad knows. I don't really know his skills. I do know he is bright and capable."
Understanding the experienced horseman wanted the youngster to understand what they were saying caused the old warrior to change to Spanish, "My grandson, do you know how to use a bow and a knife as well as ride a horse. Can you hunt and catch fish? Can you find food in the wilderness and fight your enemies?"
The accomplished lad responded, "I have hunted and fished. I have been taught to use a bow and a knife, as well as a sword and a gun. I can ride and have been taught which plants are food and which are poison. My mother brought me here to learn more."
Both of his elders were pleased with his answer, it was obvious the youthful aristocrat had been well trained in the art of speaking as well as those he mentioned. The dying elder exclaimed, "In the morning take my grandson to the training grounds, and let his abilities be tested."
At that moment, an older woman entered the teepee and announced in Comanche, "The feast is ready. Two warriors are waiting to move you Chief Red Blanket."
The aged Comanche smiled, "Let us eat until we get sick."