Roswell Fanatics

cjsi8ne
mary mary
keepsmiling7
begonia9508


Chapter 10
It was late in the afternoon when they rode back into Roswell. Miguel and Kyle entered the Crashdown and Jim was waiting for them.

This was the moment Amy had been dreading. She had told José to keep his shotgun close. She didn’t want to loose Jim to some young gunman looking for a reputation.

“Kyle, how have you been?” was the exclamation of Jim when he saw Kyle.

“Dad it is good to see you,” Kyle answered as he hugged his father.

José relaxed and Amy was perplexed. “Jim, just who is this man?” she asked.

Amy, meet my son, Kyle. He has his own life and we don’t see each other very much.” Jim was truly proud of his son.

Now, Amy had time to see to Maria. “Are you all right? Did that monster hurt you? Amy wanted to ask did he rape you, but she couldn’t bring herself to form that question. She did frown when she noticed that Maria was wearing a serape and little else under it. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Miguel.

Maria quickly said, “No mom, Kyle and Miguel came in just in time. It was Pauley Pierce that did it, mom. He is a monster.”

Jim turned to Kyle and Miguel, “What happened?”

Miguel stated, “I got two bullets into the bastard, but we had problems and he got away.” Miguel left it for Kyle to tell his father what he wanted to.

Maria left to go to her room, so Miguel just faded out and returned home.

Kyle sat down and Jim signaled to José that they wanted two beers. “Well catch me up. What have you been doing? It has been how many years?”

“Five, dad, the last time was in Waco when I was up against the Bernalli brothers. I had one of them down and only two shots left in my revolver. That damned bartender was going to cash me in with his shot gun when you just put gun to his head and asked me what you should do. I remember shooting the remaining brother and we rode out of town together. I ain’t been back. Do you suppose they still want us?”

Jim just smiled, “I hear they finally voted to give us a medal for removing those rats. I don’t suppose you want to go back and collect it.”

Kyle laughed. “They wanted to give us a noose when we were leaving town. I don’t know as I want to try their patience. Then, he became more serious. I knocked around a few places. Most of the world is getting too civilized. I was a deputy in a cowtown in Kansas for a while. They got incensed at the way I got a confession out of a guy. I moved on.

I worked for the army for a while, but the bluebellies are just as stuck on themselves as Gramps said they were during the war. I got a deal from a man here in Roswell. I want to check with you before I do anything. Something bout this deal just smells.” Kyle told about the letter he had from Pierce and then, he just leaned back. He did need his father’s advice.

“Well son, you already done put a bullet into the son of the man who wrote the letter. Pierce ain’t from round here. He’s from back east some where’s. It is thought by some that he cain’t go back there, neither. The brother of the man who came back with you declares that Pauley, the man you faced, done shot a woman back in the hills. Course you saw what he was about to do to the girl. He is a bad man and I mean that like a skunk of some kind. You are a man to make your own decisions, but if you team with him, you and me will likely cross swords sometime. “

“Miguel’s family is good people. The four young’uns came here in mysterious terms. It is said that they can do marvelous things. Don’t knows as I can tell you anything bout that.” Jim was leaning toward Kyle as he spoke.

“Well, I can. That Miguel is a strange one; that’s for a fact. He goes back to an outhouse and returns telling me exactly where we is going. Then, he points out the cabin where he says the girl is held. I catched a wild one and he just sits there a looking at me. Then, he tells me I am healed. Claims his sister was there telling him what to do. Never had a sawbones that good. Once had a medicine man with the Cheyenne who told me being wounded was just a state of mind, but that Miguel feller just told me to rest and be careful.” Kyle sighed as he leaned back sipping his beer.

It was two days after Miguel got back that Max and the vaquero’s boys came back and just a little later when the vaqueros and Philip returned. “We are going to have to burn that bastard Pierce out,” Philip stated.

Alex was there visiting Isabel, as usual. “Mr. Evans that would be illegal. There has to be another way to keep the Pierces in check.”

Philip looked at Alex. Alex was fine when they were involved in legal trouble and maybe, they should listen to him other times, but the ravages of the Pierce family were just getting on to bothersome.

Alex stated, “I heard that Pierce hired a gunman from Texas. I do not know who he is.”

Miguel spoke up, “He is Kyle Valenti, the Pecos gunman. I met him the other day. I don’t know which side he is going to come down on. He rode with me to bring back Maria. Pauley put a bullet in him, so I don’t think he will be too happy with Pierce, but you will never know. I am sure Pierce will offer a lot of money.”

Philip looked up, “He is the son of Jim Valenti. I need to ride to Roswell and see Jim. I need to, also, see Hanson and make a formal complaint.

“Mom, I don’t want to go back to school. I am just getting used to living out here. I don’t want to change again,” Maria was angry.

“That is the trouble, young lady. You are getting to used too living here. Thieves sneaking into bedrooms and steeling you, being taken to a cabin and I am still not sure what happened there, riding home with gunfighters half naked. That is not the life I wanted for you,” Amy was wringing her hands. She had brought Maria out west because it was so hard to keep up the tuition and board of the school back east.

Mom, you don’t understand. I don’t have any chance back there at all. I probably would have run away if you hadn’t taken me out of school anyway,” Maria was trying to explain.

“What do you mean? Weren’t you working hard enough to be in good standing back at school?” Amy questioned.


“Mom, you don’t understand. When I meet someone, the first thing they ask is who is my mother and who is my father. I can’t tell them my mother works in a saloon and my father was killed with four queens by the another man who had a queen high flush. Those people want quality. They want established families. If I ever meet some young man, he will never marry me after he finds out who I am or rather, who I am not.” Maria had avoided telling Amy of the cruelty the students had to those not of their social status.

“Maria, I do not want you to marry or run off with a gambler like I did or to follow a gunman as he flees the law. There just aren’t that many nice men out here,” Amy said as she wondered what avenue would ever be opened to Maria.

“What about that Miguel Evans? Jim said he was a real quality person,” Maria said.

“Yes, and Jim thinks Kyle is probably quality because he is Jim’s son. Maria there just aren’t any refined men living in this country.” Amy turned, meaning to tell Maria that the subject was closed.

Maria knew that she didn’t have a single chance back east. Out here, people might be more understanding and she would be judged on her character and actions, not on who her parents were or what they did. She had seen something about Miguel and she still didn’t understand it. He did something to Kyle that Maria didn’t understand. Maybe given half a chance, she would be able to learn more from Kyle, next time he was in the bar.

Miguel had left abruptly when he brought Maria back. Kyle fit in so smoothly that Miguel felt awkward. The four of them were strange. What would Kyle think about him? Yes, he had healed Kyle, but that wasn’t the act of a normal man.

Would Kyle think him a freak and would he tell Maria and her mother that there was something different about Miguel? Of all the four, Miguel was the least able to find a place for himself. Isabel had told the Evans family that she was the messenger, Teresa was the confuser, Max was the healer and he, Miguel, was the soldier.

That was fine when they were children. Then, if there was danger, the other three turned to Miguel, but now, they each had their own abilities. Was there any need for a soldier? Could a soldier ever find a mate and settle down? Did the soldier have to maintain a stonewall forever thinking of others and not himself?

Miguel was trailing a group of cows that seemed to be ranging. They were drifting slowly so they probably weren’t rustled. Miguel had picked up a bag of hard tack, ground corn and some flower tortillas at the house and taken off on their trail. He was pretty far off the home ranch when he spied a rider just sauntering along the trail. He recognized the rider. It was Kyle and from the direction he had come, it looked like he had paid a visit to Ole man Pierce.

Kyle had enjoyed talking to his father, he enjoyed flirting with Maria, but her mother looked like she might take a butcher knife to anyone who trifled with her daughter.

Jim had been careful not to tell Kyle what to do. He had said that if Kyle tied himself to Pierce, they might have to cross paths some day. Kyle had tried to be careful what jobs he took. That was at least one thing he had learned from his father. Kyle always looked the country over and he never used ambush to get his man. It was a point of honor, which Kyle knew would get him killed someday.

Kyle’s mother had married Jim so long ago. Jim had tried to make a home for her. She just wasn’t satisfied being the wife of a small town sheriff. When she married Jim, he had been working for a cattlemen’s association. For the most part, they wanted Jim to cure the rustler problem. As a fast gun, cure the problem he did. Jim never carried a rope, but he was fast with a gun and the men he confronted did not want to ever surrender. Finally, the cattlemen’s association wanted Jim to force out some small ranchers. As usual, Jim checked to see if the allegations of rustling were true. The small ranchers might get a calf or two mixed in with their branding from time to time, but no more than the large ranchers did branding all the calves they could find, no matter what brands the mama cows might wear.

Now, Kyle was going to see Pierce and see what was his deal. The letter had been vague. It just promised a service to be rendered and twenty thousand dollars when it was done. That was a lot of money for Kyle to just wad up the letter and forget about it. The fact that Pauley had put a bullet in Kyle was only a minor consideration. Kyle was well and Pauley was the son, not the father who would be paying the bills.

Pierce had heard of Kyle. No one ever said Kyle’s last name. It was doubted if fifty people really knew. He heard that Pauley had had trouble with Kyle and he had chastised him dutifully. The fact that Pauley had taken two bullets was punishment enough for him to consider his actions.

Kyle had knocked on Pierce’s door. The old man answered the door. He knew who Kyle was by his looks. Kyle was wearing his 45 in a holster that was slung too low to be worn by a man who worked cows for a living. “Name’s Kyle, you be Pierce?” Kyle’s clipped remark threw the old man off for a second.

“Yes, and I am glad to see you.” Pierce led Kyle into a living room filled with furniture, books and even a piano. Kyle surveyed everything as he walked to the best chair in the room and sat down. Kyle took out the makings for a smoke. Pierce quickly reached for a humidor of the best cigars he could buy.

Kyle just shook his head, “If I got used to those, I might have to work harder to keep them in stock. The plain leaf is good enough for me.” Kyle folded the thin paper holding it in his left hand. He carefully shook the dry shredded leaf, from the small cotton bag with a bull printed on the front. With a practiced hand he replaced the bag in his shirt pocket and licking the edge of the paper he rolled it into a tube. Twisting each end and again, running it in and out of his mouth to moisten the paper. Then he struck a sulfer match and lit up.

Only when he was through, did he again look at Ole’ man Pierce and indicate he was ready to listen. As he had been doing all of this, Kyle had been looking around the room. Everything looked new and nothing looked like it had, in any way, been used. Kyle heard a rustling up the stairs. He was sitting so he could see anyone who might come down.

“I have the chance to build something big around here,” Pierce started. “These hick southwesteners just do not have the ability or the vision to see what I want to accomplish. I need a man who will make them get in line and not cause me trouble. There is a man who has a bunch of Mexican bandits working for him. I have tried to buy him out, but I need someone to run him out the first thing.”

Pierce was informing Kyle without ever inquiring whether or not Kyle was going to take the job or not. Pierce was so full of his plans, he continued, “Once the rocking E is burned out, then the rest of the area will straighten out. Evans has a bunch of wood’s colt kids. There are two girls, probably just whores, and two boys. The boys were suspected of murder a few months ago, but a shyster lawyer got them off.

You get them anyway you can. I have the law more or less on my side now, so it don’t matter how you do it.” Pierce sat back, satisfied that he had outlined a procedure that if followed would leave him as the strongest man in the valley.

Just what did you want done with the Evans girls?” Kyle inquired.

Pierce just waved his hands, “Rape ‘em, shoot ‘em or take them to Mexico and sell them for whores. I don’t care. I just want that ranch and land under my control.

“What do you suppose the Evans men and the so called, ‘Mexican bandits,’ will be doing all this time?” Kyle asked as he blew a smoke ring.

Pierce was a little gruff answering this question. “That is what I am paying you for. For $20,000, you ought to know how to make people disappear, especially if I control the law.”

Kyle was thoughtful, “I heard you had started some trouble back in the mountains. What happened?”

“They weren’t real people. They weren’t ‘mericans or even Mexicans, they was some strange furrin talking people. My son was getting friendly with this little girl when the Evans interfered. That is what I mean. Them Evans don’t know their place. No one should care what happens to a slutty little sheep girl. That bitch, Isabel Evans, horse whipped my boy while her brothers held their guns on him,” Pierce explained things as he chose to see them.

“Your boy is a yellow little bastard,” Kyle stated looking at Pierce. “He got a bullet in me the other day.”

Pierce laughed, “And he brought home two bullets himself. “Maybe, you were involved in things that hadn’t oughta concern you.” Seeing Kyle’s raised eyebrow he stated, “Pauley is a bit wild, but he was just taking his due out of that whore’s girl. No one should care about them people. They are nobodies. Like that sheriff I had to rid myself of last year, Valenti or something like that.

These are people that are standing in my way to making an empire in this land.” All the time talking, Pierce was seeing himself in a position of being governor or something.

“Pauley ever pick on anybody except women?” Kyle asked.

Pierce now frowned, “Now see here, if you work for me you keep your opinions about my son to yourself! Pauley is a good boy who just needs to sow some wild oats. As long as he sows in fields that don’t count, there hadn’t oughta be a problem. He will leave decent folks alone.”

Kyle, as he talked, was sitting playing with his black hat. It was not Texas style, being squat without the high crown of the plains rider. It did have silver dollar conchos around the band. Kyle looked at this as his scrambling away money. Kyle stood. He switched his hat to his left hand and without taking his eyes off the old man, he pushed the hat back on his head. The old man was not astute enough to see that from the minute Kyle stood up, his right hand was positioned above his holster. If there had been a problem, the old man would have been dead before he even knew what would have happened.

“A man is known for who he works for, and a ranch is known for the action of their men. Your son, Mr. Pierce, is a yellow-bellied snake. If I ever see him or if he descends one step down those stairs, I will kill him without thought. If I kill him here, Mr. Pierce, I guess that I would just have to shoot you a few times. My name by the way is Kyle Valenti. My dad is a pretty fair sheriff.” Kyle turned and walked out of the room.

Pierce wanted so bad to reach in his desk drawer and grab that Colt he had there. He wanted so badly to put bullets in this insolent example of what Pierce hated out here. Pierce was afraid that if Kyle sensed any movement on his part he, Pierce, would be a dead man in the next instant. He made motions to Pauley waiting just out of sight on the stairs to stop. He didn’t know how fast Kyle was, but Kyle had been around a long time.
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Stories by Ken

mary mary
XAF RU208
begonia9508
cjsl8ne

Author note: Issac Asmiov writes in his story "Cave of Steel," about devices that allow you to collect your thoughts. Ever since reading that story over 40 years ago I keep watching for these. You ask a question and the person takes off their glasses. They carefully polish them and sight against the light to see if they are clean enough. A man who smokes a pipe is alway fussing with it, relighting it and tamping it down. There are many other devices, you might think of any that you unconsciously use. These activities all allow a person to think about what they want to say next. They are a polite way to delay action. That is what Kyle is doing, he is looking at the room to get an idea of who Pierce really is. The scene is taken from a movie "Naked Jungle," originally called "Leiningen Versus the Ants." In the scene Charlton Heston as Leiningen was showing off his house. He stated ever thing was new. Nothing had ever been used. Nothing ever was used. That contrasted with his new wife who he learned had been married before.

Chapter 11

Kyle made it to his horse without incident. He had no idea what to expect out of Pierce. He knew him to be a coward but he had insulted him pretty good back there. Kyle knew that Pauley had no guts at all and he would only shoot a man in the back. He only faced women and then, only those he thought helpless. Kyle didn’t relax until he was well off the ranch proper.

Kyle didn’t like to silhouette himself on the skyline much but he had to cross a ridgeline. Below him, he saw a lonesome cowboy herding a few head of cows. If he wasn’t mistaken, that would be Miguel. Kyle thought, “I will just saunter down there and maybe, I will get an invitation to the Evans ranch.” Kyle was curious about these people who Pierce held in so much fear.

From the minute Kyle appeared on the ridge line, Miguel knew who it was and he correctly surmised that Kyle had just returned from the Pierce ranch house. Kyle was riding this way. Miguel wondered if he had made a deal with the old man. Kyle and Miguel had parted friendly the other day, but with enough money that he was sure Pierce threw at Kyle, Miguel had no idea of which way the gunman would turn.

For all Miguel knew, Kyle had contracted to kill the Evans family and would start with Miguel, now. As Kyle approached, Miguel reached behind himself and untied the string that held the saddle bag closed where Miguel kept his second pistol. Miguel then, carefully, slipped the loop off the hammer of his holster weapon.

When Kyle road up, Miguel saw that the loop was still on the hammer of his Colt. Miguel visibly relaxed a bit. Kyle chuckled. “The old man didn’t offer me enough,” he said.

Miguel still not smiling, “Just how much would be enough?”

Kyle smirked, “A hell of a lot to go against a family where even the girls will fight. I heard of that scar your sister left on Pauley’s face. Thought you might grub state me to board and meals for a few days until I get worked out where I go next.”

Miguel shrugged If Kyle was trouble, he would be better at the ranch house than wondering across the land. “We just have to follows these cows in. They are returning twice as slow as they left.”

Kyle chuckled at that, “Ain’t nobody likes to go back where’s they are supposed to. Cows ain’t no different than humans, I guess.”

They, finally, came to the place where the fence was down. Kyle helped Miguel as he took gloves, wirepuller and staples out of his saddle bag. Soon, working together, they had the fence repaired. The cows were now on home graze and Miguel and Kyle started the cross country ride to the ranch house. Kyle slumped in the saddle and then the sound of a shot reached the men. Michaei pushed Kyle out of the saddle and he grabbed the reins of his horse and forced the animal to lay down. Using the horse as cover Miguel scanned the rim rock. That is the only place a shot could have originated. It was an impossible distance, but it had to come from there. A man mounted on a horse rode out on the rim to survey the scene below. Miguel aimed well over the man’s head and he saw a puff of dust still well below the cliff. Miguel adjusted again and fired. This time he could see a puff half way up the slope. Miguel aimed even higher and triggered the three remaining shots as fast as he could. He saw that he must have ranged pretty well with these three shots because the horse of the man on the rim was dancing nervously. As Miguel reached for the other colt in the saddlebags, the man on the rim had enough. He rode away. Miguel had already alerted Isabel that they were coming in. He told her Kyle had been shot again. She replied that Max was there and they would meet Miguel and Kyle with a wagon as soon as they could.

Miguel helped Kyle sit up and then stand, “Damn it Mike, I don’t know what hurt most the bullet or you pushing me out of the saddle.”

“Yeah, Kyle and if you don’t quit catching them in the chest, there ain’t gonna be enough of you to fix no more, either.” Miguel returned.

As they prepared to mount, Kyle said, “It must have been that damned Pauley. I saw a rifle leaning against he wall. It had some sort of tube on top of it. It looked like one owned by an uncle of mine from the war. He used to say he could hit Yankees at almost a thousand yards with that thing. I am bleeding pretty bad. Guess it was a big bullet I caught this time. Where’s that sister of yourn? The one who tells you how to heal.”

Miguel was trying to stop some of the bleeding before helping Kyle back on his horse. They would ride toward Isabel and Max.

Miguel didn’t not want to tackle this job, if he could help it. The bullet was indeed big and it was still in Kyle. Miguel needed Max’s help badly. It was still over an hour when they saw the wagon in the distance. Kyle was slumped in the saddle, but true to his word when Miguel had finally got him in the saddle, he held on. Miguel waved his hat and they started toward the wagon. When they got there,it was Max and Teresa who were in the wagon. Teresa was dressed in rough clothes. She had been hauling wood when Isabel got the thoughts of Miguel. Max had hurried by horseback to intercept Teresa since they were much nearer than if a wagon would have been dispatched from the ranch. The wood had been off loaded, to be retrieved another day. Max’s horse was tied to the back of the wagon and as soon as they were together, Max and Teresa helped Kyle lie down in the wagon bed. Max immediately went to work with Teresa holding Kyle’s head in her lap. Max worked on his chest. Miguel had done a good job before, but now the injured tissue had just been insulted again. Miguel could do nothing so he just watched and fidgeted.

Chapter 12

It was two hours later when Max leaned back. He had done the best he could. Kyle hadn’t completely healed from the first time. This was just added trauma to his chest. He had lost even more blood. He might even be up and around in a day or so. His body still would need time. They tied Kyle’s horse on the back to the wagon and they headed back to the ranch. It was dark when they finally arrived at the ranch. The women of the ranch, Teresa, Isabel, Diane, along with Elena and Marcella, bathed and cleaned Kyle’s body against his protest. The woman all knew that Max could heal, but they also knew a little about infection and that would just be another procedure Max would have to perform. Kyle, dressed in a nightshirt, was lying in a bed in a spare room. A blonde woman came in to sit in a chair by his bedside. He looked at her closely and she was the woman in pants and coarse clothes who had been in the wagon that brought him in. Now, she was dressed in a gingham dress with a long skirt and puffed sleeves. Kyle looked at her and saw she was beautiful.

“I beg your pardon ma’am. Are you the same person who drove me in from the plains?” Kyle asked.

He wasn’t prepared for the scowl, “If you didn’t like the way I was dressed, then I should have left your worthless hide back there for Miguel to probe for the bullets with a pocket knife instead of breaking my back and running my team. Not to mention that I have to go back and pick up all that wood I dumped when they called me,” the blonde lady was furious.

“I didn’t mean that. Of course, I appreciate your bringing me here, but it’s just that I didn’t realize you were so beautiful,” Kyle tried to explain.

“I suppose you want all your women prettied up and sitting on a sofa. Or maybe you prefer them to be gusseted up and painted, half naked in the back rooms of saloons? You probably don’t know that a gal who hauls hay and fire wood can wash up and be a lady as well,” the blonde retorted.

“Again begging your pardon, ma’am. Just what do you know about saloon gals gusseted up or painted for that matter?” Kyle was determined to have the last word with this lovely spitfire.

The beautiful lady got up and stamped out of the room. Kyle leaned back. This might have been a time when he shouldn’t have needed to have the last word. Miguel walked into the room. You could hear his spurs jingling as he carried them in his hand. He took off his hat and sat on the chair just vacated by his sister. “You hadn’t ought yo rile her up so much. She did leave her morning’s work and come a running when she got the word. Don’t let her size or her dress fool you. Teresa works as hard as any man here. It isn’t often the girls get a chance to put on finery to show off to a man. They take it kind ‘a personal if he don’t respond as they think a gentlemen should.”

Kyle look properly chastened. “I am sorry. I just was so surprised to see such a beauty out here. Most of the frontier women don’t ever take time to set themselves up like she was.”

Miguel just shook his head, “The more the reason to appreciate them when they do take the time. By the way, I have another sister. She carries a whip and she has used it a number of times. Teresa is reasonably safe as long as she ain’t on a bronc with a coil of rope in her hand. Them high-stepping boots she wears are a terror to man or beast who don’t respect her.”

With that, said Miguel left and Kyle was allowed to, finally, drift off to sleep. His dreams usually were disturbing, filled with back shooters and ambuscades just like the one he had survived. This night, they also had beautiful blondes floating through beautiful rooms all furnished like the houses of those living in San Francisco.

When Kyle was awakened, he was surprised at how he felt. Of course in his line of work not to mention his choice of life style, Kyle had been shot many times. Usually, he was stiff and sore for days after. This time when he swung his legs out of bed he was surprised again that he felt almost no pain, just a little dizzy. He looked out and he could see that sun coming up. He dressed, embarrassed at the shirt he had from yesterday. It was all torn and bloody. Kyle looked around and finally found his saddlebags laying on a window shelf. He usually carried a clean shirt, so he got that out and looking again at his shirt from yesterday, he frowned. That shirt was probably ready for the trash dump. When Kyle walk down stairs, he was not surprised that the only person there was Diane. She smiled and introduced herself to him. “My name is Diane Evans. My children brought you in last night. They said not to wake you. They felt you would need your rest.” She made a place for Kyle at the table.

It wasn’t often that Diane had a chance for a guest either. Alex was becoming such a fixture that she was starting to think of him as just another of her children, so Kyle was treated grandly. She sat him down to a heaping dish of scrambled eggs bacon and strips of beef. She also had several fried potatoes in a bowl along with a large cool bowl of fresh churned butter. Kyle was not a farm worker and he almost felt this was overwhelming.

As he was eating he asked, “Where is everyone this morning?”

Diane had to stop and think, “Let’s see, Teresa went back to finish loading her firewood. Miguel went back to get the cows he was driving back toward the ranch house when he found you. Max is off somewhere looking for an old cow who gets herself in a bog every time she can and my husband Philip is off with the vaqueros looking for sign of whoever shot you. Isabel is whereever Isabel is. There is no telling about that girl. Guess that ‘bout does it except for the families of the vaqueros.”

“Isn’t that an awful hard job for a girl to be loading firewood?” Kyle asked.

Diane nodded her head. “Yes it is, but just because she is a women doesn’t mean that if the men folk are all busy, she doesn’t have to some-times do a man’s work.”

Would it be all right if I rode out and helped her? Since it was my fault and all that she had to dump the load,” Kyle inquired.

Diane had to smile. Her girls didn’t have much chance to meet many boys or men either. She didn’t approve of Kyle’s occupation, but she knew his father. Jim was a good person. Maybe, Kyle would have more substance in him that even he imagined. Diane trusted the judgment of her girls. She knew that Kyle would be set running if Teresa found his character wanting.

Kyle rode out. He was a little tender and the world was spinning, but other than that, he felt fine. No one would have known that they had somehow taken a buffalo round out of him less than a day ago. He rode the direction that Diane pointed. He had ridden a little over an hour when he heard someone singing. They were singing the songs he had heard recently when he was in Kansas City. As he rode over a rise in the scrub trees in the bottom of a draw, he saw the wagon pulled up and it was half loaded with the wood that had been thrown out beside the path.

Teresa, again clad in rough pants and wearing gloves, was picking the pieces of wood and carefully placing them in the wagon so they would make the ride back to the house. Kyle cleared his throat in a way of announcing his presence. Teresa quickly turned and glowered at him. “Did you come back to make fun of the hick girl working her butt off?” she asked.

This time Kyle restrained his ready quips and answered, “No ma’am. I came to lend a hand to a friend who probably saved my life or at least kept me from having a very painful experience.”

Teresa was still frowning, “Well, you see I ain’t the pretty female who you saw at the house last night. I am a ranch girl and I carry my own weight. Now’s you have looked, you might as well just ride on down the road. It ain’t many miles to town and them fancy saloon women will be waiting for you and I hope they give you the clap.”

This last part almost blew Kyle away, “Whered you ever get such talk? Nice girls don’t know anything about the clap.”

“Well, this nice girl has two brothers and besides, since when are there things a “Nice” girl is not supposed to know? How are we to keep being “nice” girls unless we know what to avoid?” Teresa was clear in her way of thinking.

Kyle got off his horse and began to lift the pieces of wood on the wagon. Every once in a while Teresa would look at what he was doing and maybe adjust the wood he had put on. Kyle thought that she was probably just letting him know that this was her load of wood and she was the boss. They finished loading the wagon. Kyle wasn’t that used to this kind of work, but he would be damned if he would let a slip of a girl out do him. With his spinning world view he accepted a ride in her wagon. They rode back home.

That night at dinner, once again, Isabel and Teresa were dressed properly. Kyle stood and held the chair for Teresa and she acted like she expected that. Miguel and Max were there also. Later that evening, Kyle was sitting on the porch with the other men as they watched the sun go down.

“What is the argument that Old man Pierce has with you folks?” he inquired.

Philip was smoking a cigar and for several seconds, he just collected his thoughts. How much did they want to divulge to this man? Kyle was Jim’s son and they had never trusted Jim with too much information. With the strange fellow wearing the long underwear, Philip was becoming to believe they needed stronger allies.

“Pierce came out here expecting to find a people who would be in awe of his greatness. Instead, he found a people who demanded that a man had to first prove himself. Pierce thought that if he owned the biggest ranch in the area, he would be respected. He never got over the fact that we wouldn’t sell. The Indians here ‘bouts believed that the land was sacred. When you spill as much sweat as we have building this place, it does become sacred to us also.

“Pierce ran a sheriff against your pa. He believed, again, that if he controlled the law, he could gain respect. Hanson is a fool. He does what Pierce tells him to and nothing else. He will loose for sure and Jim will again be sheriff after next election,” Philip related.

“Max had to destroy the bullet someone put in you, but he thinks that it was mighty like the bullet he found in a little sheepherder’s daughter in the mountains. We already know about Maria, Amy DeLuca’s daughter. That Pauley is out of control. I saw Pauley try to burn out the sheepherder. Me and the boys,” indicating his vaqueros, “were there and we planted several of them Pierce ranch hands. Pauley is just out of control. That’s all I can say.” Philip had explained the situation Kyle found himself in.

Kyle rocked in the chair he was sitting in. It was a typical ranch chair. The legs were rough carved by pocket knife in the winter months when they were trapped by bad weather and with bailing wire holding it together a raw hide cowhide was strung as the chair seat. When it had dried, it locked the chair together along with the wire.

As Kyle rocked back and forth he could hear the strain against the tight leather and the bailing wire as it creaked with every move. “Everybody keeps talking about a feller in long johns. What do you know about him?”

Max and Miguel looked at each other. “He is a dangerous man, but we don’t have to worry ‘bout him no more. The sheepherder took real good care of him. What we do worry is what if some more of them guys come looking for him. There is bound to be more characters who don’t wear decent clothes, that can come looking for their friend,” Max informed Kyle.

Kyle sat rocking and thinking, “What ‘bout this sheepherder, this would be the first time I ever knew of a cowman helping a sheepherder?”

They all looked at Max and Kyle said, “Oh, I forgot, the sheepherders daughter.”

Isabel had brought coffee out on the porch. “Yeah that Pauley used to think he was a might handsome feller ‘till some one almost took one of his eyes out,” she stated.

All the men laughed at her remark. Kyle raised his eyebrows. Philip responded, “Seems Pauley likes to beat up on girls. The boys, along with their sisters, drove into town one day and found him giving the little shepherdess a bad time. Max and Miguel were in favor in shooting him. Then, he made a rude remark against Isabel. Now on a bronc, I would put my money on Teresa, but on foot with her whip, there ain’t nothing like Isabel. She branded that maverick right proper. He has a real scar just below his eye.” Philip still had to laugh.

The rest of the men all chuckled except for Miguel. “There will come a time that me and Max will be sorry we didn’t just shoot that… ,” his voice fell off looking at Isabel.

“Go ahead and say it. It isn’t as if I never heard words like you want to use,” Isabel said to a slightly blushing Miguel. They all laughed at this.

Kyle leaned back against the protesting creeks of his chair, “So you all think more of them strange, dressed critters will come by soon. What is so all fired important that they want to come to Roswell?”

By this time, Teresa had come out to the porch. “It’s us, Kyle. They want to take or kill us.”

begonia9508 it will be a while before Kyle notices any effects.
mary mary
cjsl8ne
keepsmiling7

Chapter 13

Everyone looked at her. She just shrugged, “Kyle’s all right, we have to trust someone sometime. I think I know Kyle enough to say that he wouldn’t join the other side, especially since they already have given him a 500 grain buffalo bullet”

Max and Miguel were still just looking at each other. Philip had learned to trust his children. He knew that they had different means to evaluate people than he did. Isabel just nodded her head. She too had searched Kyle’s thoughts and found reason to trust him.

They all turned to Max. He was still their leader, “Kyle, we are different. We aren’t from around here.”

Kyle just leaned back. This was still very new country and most folks were from somewhere else.

“ Kyle, there is a lot of mystery about where we came from. The people in those long johns are just part of it. They may want to take us back somewhere or may want to just kill us. We are probably bad luck to be around. While you are here, we will have your back, but watch out in front. We think we have some powerful enemies.” Max was hoping that their trust in Kyle wouldn’t be betrayed.

Now, powerful enemies was something Kyle knew all about. He and his father had had powerful enemies for as long as he could remember.

Kyle was used to going to bed as the sun was rising, but here he knew that ranchers got up before the sun so they also went to bed early saving on lighting oil. Tomorrow was a new day and he would probably return to Roswell to see his father.

Max hardly ever drank. Miguel would, now and then, have one beer. That was his limit. Once, when teased by the bartender, he replied, “José, you don’t want to see me drunk. Amy would be mad at the both of us.”

José always thought that Max and Miguel were true gentlemen, but he had had experience with more than his share of mean drunks. He knew that most of them were perfectly good people, otherwise. José respected Miguel and he would pour him the one beer. They would both wait until they heard the back door close, many times harder than normal, then Miguel would leave and meet Maria behind the saloon.

Maria knew that her mother would have a fit. She wanted Maria to meet and marry some high-class fancy dude, preferably from back East. Maria had been back east and she had seen enough of the so called gentlemen to think that so much of their action was just fake. She believed none of them would kick in a door and rescue her like Miguel had. Miguel was educated and from a very prominent family. Prominent for around Roswell, that is.

Besides that, Miguel was straight-forward. What he said, you could take to the bank. When he made up his mind, he didn’t change it unless some pretty strong evidence was presented to the contrary.

Maria had pretty much told him all about herself. She had talked about the fancy life back east and her boarding school life. She had told him about the society parties and noticed that he was polite, but very disinterested. When he talked to her, he told her about finding a new-born calf in the rain storm last year and how Isabel and Teresa had raised that calf by feeding it every few hours.

He talked to her about where she had no family, he had three families. He told her of how he felt about the children of the vaqueros he had worked with and played with, if you can call roping the goats, running around the yard and racing their horses around the pasture, play. He told Maria about his brother and his sisters. He told about the things they learned from Diane and, later, Philip and the vaqueros.

Maria always thought he was holding something back. Why, for instance, did he get hurt that day when he faced the fellow in long johns? Who was that strange man and where did he go? Why did he carry off Max? How did Max get back? These were all questions that Maria had decided she wanted answered.

Amy wasn’t dumb and she was a good mother. She knew that Maria was stepping out. She had spied on her daughter and when she brought it up to Jim, she still wasn’t satisfied. “I want Maria to return to the east. I want her to marry and find a home where there aren’t gunfights and where men and women do not have to worry about walking down the street. I don’t want her to be with a gunfighter.” As soon as she said this, she wished she could take it back. Jim had been good to her and she was beginning to feel they might have a future together.

Jim had been leaning toward Amy. Deep down, he was starting to believe that she was a woman he could take in his arms and be the one he would return to every evening. Now with these stinging words, he straightened up. “Amy, Miguel ain’t no gun fighter. Trouble has to seek him out. He don’t never go looking for it. Most real gunfighters aren’t self made. Most get in the business out of necessity. Kyle’s mother and me were married. I always thought that what she had done before me wasn’t any of my business. One night,``11 this feller was drunk and he was bragging bout what he had done to her when she was younger. The other men tried to get him to be quiet, knowing that I was right there hearing all this. He turned an saw me. He loudly said, ‘There’s the fellow who took my leftovers. What she like in bed, cowboy? She got any better with practice?’

“I slapped him as hard as I could. The stupid fool went for his gun. I waited until he cleared leather before I started my draw. His shot went ten feet in front of him. My bullets went into his chest. Two bullets that you could cover with a gold double eagle. That was the first man I ever killed. Judge said it was the clearest case of suicide he had ever seen. Talking about another man’s wife just wasn’t right. Kyle’s mother left me later. She said she didn’t want anything to do with a gunfighter. Trouble was, she was with child. She left the child with a couple in a town far apiece from where we had lived. She said that she didn’t want no truck with the issue of a gunfighter. Kyle grew up with a God fearing family. But they was killed in when another rancher wanted their land. Kyle was younger than I had been when he killed that rancher and from then on, we have both been on the road. Neither of us set out to be gunfighters. Now Miguel, with the support of his family, won’t ever feel he has to prove something alone. I think you should be proud that your daughter had set her sights on a man like him.”

This wasn’t Amy’s plans for Maria, but it did give her pause for thought. She had to try to mend the feeling she was getting from Jim. She truly did not mean to insult him or his son.

Alex had written Teddy Roosevelt. When he had asked Teddy about western girls his answer was, “Bully for you! A good girl is a good girl no matter where you find her. I have found that those in the west are as loyal and steadfast as any you will ever meet. Don’t try to treat them like you might, if you were a cad and would treat some of the girls you met at college. First if I thought you might be a cad, I wouldn’t have recommended your name to Philip Evans. If he had thought you might be a cad, he would have just shot you that first week. These women want honesty and they want independence. They want a man who can run off bandits, if need be. These women will stand right beside you. They will reload as you shoot and they will shoot just as well, if not better, than you. They admire hard work, but make sure you also show them how much you care for them. Make sure that they have a chance to dress up occasionally. Go to church with them. Let everyone know how much you care. Alex when we sparred in the boxing ring back in New York, I felt that there was a lot more to you than even you knew. There is nothing like a few rounds of boxing to see the mettle of a man. Give my best to Philip and the boys and if you get a chance, try for that old grizzly back in the mountains. He is a mighty beast. T. Roosevelt.

Alex had no intention of fighting any mighty beast. He was not interested in Roosevelt’s opinions about hunting. Alex preferred his meat from the store or, better yet, prepared at the restaurant. Teddy was right, though. College hadn’t much prepared Alex for independent women like he had found out here. He had to laugh thinking about Becky Sue back in New York and how she would look carrying a whip like Isabel. He remembered that Becky Sue could be a bit pettish and she could be so helpless at the most inconvenient of times.

Alex and Isabel had driven their buggy down by an arroyo bottom. They had pulled off in a small clearing in the tangled brush and trees. There was a breeze blowing through the length of the arroyo. It was pleasant and Isabel had packed a basket lunch. They were talking. Isabel had been telling him a story about something. Alex just hadn’t been listening very closely. Her presence was just so intoxicating. Without thought or consequence, Alex leaned forward to kiss her. Isabel pulled back. “Aw come on Isabel, its just a little kiss. It isn’t as if you haven’t been kissed before. A girl as pretty as you must have had many opportunities to be kissed.”

“The answer to that is no, Alex. I haven’t, been kissed like that by a beau. I don’t intend to be either, until I am sure of his intentions. You always talk about going back east and I have no interest in going back there for more than a visit. Those women you have back there don’t have much backbone. Talk about fainting at the least stress! What would have become of me if I had fainted when I confronted Pauley? No, Alex, I do not think I would be happy being with those eastern folks very long,” She explained.

Alex was pouting, but he was also wondering what did Isabel mean to him? He knew better than to trifle with her as either her father or her two bothers would take offense if something happened to her. Alex remembered the cold stares of the vaqueros when they first met him. They were the scariest men he had every met and she called each of them Uncle. If Alex was to stay under the spell he had found with Isabel, he had to decide what she really meant to him and what was he willing to do for her.

Alex was a lot quieter riding back to the ranch house. When he had helped her down and walked her to the door, she turned and throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him soundly on the lips. This had taken him completely by surprise.

“Alex, that is a promise of what you might get when you make up your mind about how serious you are about me.” With that, she went in leaving a confused Alex on the step.

Then he turned and saw the two vaqueros, Alvarez and Chavez. They were both wearing serapes and their gun hands were covered by the long covering. They both stared at him with expressionless eyes until he had driven out of sight.

The sheep were being brought in from the mountains. The Englishman Parker would sell many of them off to market, but the rest he would hold on a place he had bought and fenced. It had a windmill for water and there was feed . Next spring, he would again have his man take them back to the cool mountains for the summer. His namesake and his family would remain in a house provided by the Duke near by. Now that the summer work was done, or at least slowed, Jeff wanted to take his family to see the Evanses. He wanted to test the Texan’s hospitality now before Lizzy was too far gone thinking of her Max. Most of the people out here were strong and reliable people. The cowmen were living in constant fear that the sheep would ruin the graze and they had some right to this concern. The duke had bought a place and fenced the cows off the land and the graze had grown the whole summer. He hoped it would be sufficient for the woolies to winter. Jeff had learned that these ranches usually slowed for the weekend. He wanted to spend a few days getting to know the Evanses and he knew that Lizzy was very anxious to see her Max again.

The travel wagon-house drove up to the ranch yard. Many of the ranch hands looked on with disdain at the sheepherders. Jeff and his family waited in the wagon to see how they would be received. They needn’t have worried. As soon as she could, Diane came out to welcome the visitors. Jeff got down and opened the back of the wagon to let his wife, Nancy and, of course, Lizzy out.

Their dogs had stayed with the sheep, along with a young Hispanic kid they had given a dollar to watch the sheep for a few days. The ranch dogs made a fuss, but that was mainly it, just a fuss.

Diane called sharply to them and they stopped barking and approached with wagging tails.

They were invited in and soon, Marcela and Elena came over to meet the strangers. They started talking in fast Spanish until Jeff raised his hand.

“We speak Spanish, but not that well. We are from the mountains of Spain and we are Basques. It is probably better that we converse in English as we have so much more practice in that. Our English is becoming better than our Spanish.

The two women giggled and replied in English, “We also have much more practice in English. We were a little worried that our Spanish was not that polished.”

Isabel and Teresa had heard the visitors. They had changed into dresses and now they brought tea and cakes into serve to them. As they entered, Diane made the introductions, “This is Isabel and this is Teresa, my two daughters. Their brothers are out on the range. They will be back directly as will Philip my husband.”

Lizzy was in awe of the house and the girls, the sisters of the man she cared so much about. How could she compete with them when even her English was so poor? Lizzy was having thoughts. How did she, the daughter of a sheepherder, have any right to like a man who came from a family like this one? Lizzy was almost ready to run back to the wagon and bolt the door to shut herself away from the outside that she didn’t understand. Her father and mother were conversing with the women and she was lost in this world.

Isabel extended her hand and she and Teresa stood to invite Lizzy to come with them. Very hesitantly, Lizzy accepted, all the time looking at her father for permission or condemnation. He nodded and she followed the girls out of the parlor and to the back terrace.

It was Teresa who spoke first. We finally meet the girl who has stolen the heart of our brother.”

Lizzy froze. Was her understanding of English good enough? Did they say, “Stolen the heart of their brother?” Oh, if only. Lizzy knew that Max cared for her, but these women implied it was a lot more than just caring. She looked at both of the women and there was no humor in what they were saying. Lizzy couldn’t help it. She reached out and touched the dress material in Isabel’s dress.

Isabel smiled. Do you like it? She turned to Teresa. It would be easier to redo one of your dresses. What do you think?”

Teresa grinned. “We can completely blow Max out of the saddle.” They led Lizzy up the stairs and into Teresa’s room. Teressa went to her closet and began taking dresses down. “Do you like this one? How about this one?” and kept on like that.

Lizzy was confused until she was asked to stand up. Teresa and Isabel began to hold different dresses in front of her. She was looking at her self in the full length mirror. A full length mirror was a luxury in itself. There would never have been a place for such in the small wagon in which they all three lived for most of the year. Of course, the dresses wouldn’t fit, but when she finally picked one out,the girls were in a frenzy to get her to try it on. Then, they swarmed over her with pins and tape measures. Lizzy put her own clothes back on and then was surprised to see Isabel open a small cabinet, which held a treadle-sewing machine. This was a machine which had a peddle that the user could pump bck and forth, as it gave motion to the machine. Isabel and Teresa ripped out seams and sewed new ones. It took about an hour, but when they were through and Lizzy tried on the dress she couldn’t believe her eyes. She looked like a real lady. Much like the lady she had seen in the Duke’s home when Jeff was hired. They removed the wonderful dress and Lizzy put on her old clothes. Isabel sighed, “We still have to do our evening chores so if you want, you can come with us.”

Lizzy had other surprises. Teresa and Isabel had put on trousers. They were now wearing the boots like the men. They both tied up their hair and taking Lizzy by the hand, they went out to the barn.

The transformation was still stunning to Lizzy. These ladies, a few minutes ago, had been like those she had seen at the houses of gentry. Now they were dressed like common hands and they were forking hay to the two dairy cows and to the horses kept near the house in the corral. As soon as Tess had gotten one of the two cows into a stall, she set up her stool and began to milk her.

Isabel was slower. Her cow, under the urgency of being milked, had come up to the barn, but in contrariness, the cow was refusing to get into the stall. This was the first time Lizzy had noticed the whip that Isabel always carried. There was a swoshe and a crack as the popper of the whip broke the sound barrier just above the ears of the recalcitrant bovine. The cow knew that Isabel now meant business. There was no chance of Isabel hurting the animal, but the sharp crack reminded the cow who was boss and she really did need to be milked.

Teresa was laughing, “If Isabel gets a chance, she is going to sell that old cow to a chili maker in town and get a younger milk cow. This gets played out every day, the same way. The old cow won’t get in the stall until Isabel cracks her whip just above the cow’s head. Then, the cow is all right and everything is nice. She does give a good bit of milk.”

They went out into the farmyard and met the daughters of Domingo and Elena Chavez. Selma and Katie were tending the chickens and gathering the eggs. When they first saw Lizzy, they spoke in Spanish. Lizzy answered hesitantly, so they switched to English. They were excited at seeing a new girl. None of them got many visitors on the ranch. The girls all talked about girl things as they divided up the milk and eggs. Selma went into the barn and brought out the ground corn for the hens. They cast the corn before the hens. Before long, there was the pleasant sound to the contented chickens clucking and cooing as they ate. The old rooster would strut and pace, but it was dinnertime and anything he was thinking about could just wait.
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"Aliens and Witches" is almost ready to start posting. Max, Michael and Isabel are aliens with their powers, but they meet two girls who have their own powers. Liz's great grand mother is a curandera or curing lady of great fame. She leaves a legacy of knowledge to grandmother Claudia. Through Maria's mother, Amy, Claudia arranges Maria and Liz to receive this training. Great grandmother Carlotta was also a bruja. She was known to deal in nature magic. Alien power and the nature magic of the Bruja combine to defeat enemies trying to destroy all of the teens. Au with aliens Teen rating

Begonia9508
keepsmiling7
cjsl8ne
XAF RU208
mary mary
JanieD

Author Note:

Poor girl, living only with father, mother and sheeps isn't the best way to be used to company....

That was the way with many on the frontier. That is why guest were so treasured and if those guest let you down then ... Again cloth, dresses and such were items that all the frontier women enjoyed. I used to use my mother's treadle sowing machine when i was a kid. They were so much better than hand stitching.

Chapter 14

As they were talking to each other, Lizzy heard Selma tell Katie something about, “la novia de Max.” Again, Lizzy’s Spanish wasn’t first rate, but she was sure she recognized the word for girlfriend of Max. Lizzy certainly hoped they were talking about her. Lizzy just couldn’t believe she would ever be this fortunate. The family, the sisters and the women in general at the ranch had been so nice to her. She found it a little overwhelming. She was just a sheepherder’s daughter. Was she to be so lucky?

After they finished the chores, the girls went back to the house to get ready for supper. The men were seen at the corral and Teresa and Isabel had a surprise for Max. Several of the women had put together the dinner. Max saw the wagon in the yard and his heart went into his throat. Miguel had to laugh along with Domingo and Juan at how Max acted. Juan whispered in a very loud voice, “Should we tell him of that track we saw of another lion going back across the mountain?”

Domingo answered in a similar loud whisper, “For what use? The señorita is down here. Max wouldn’t want to travel across the mountain just for a lion.” With this, the two men went laughing to their homes.

Max and Miguel come in their house and Diane reminded them to go to the porch and wash up. She reminded them they had guest tonight and they should act a little civilized.

When Max returned to the house, he saw Jeff and Nancy. He made his greeting to both of them. In his own mind, he thought maybe Lizzy didn’t want to come to see him. Why was she not with her folks? Teresa came traipsing down the stairs. She took up a place at the bottom of the stairway. In a loud voice she announced, “The Señorita, Lizzy Parker.”

Max could see Isabel at the head of the stairs, but he still didn’t understand what his sisters were doing. Then, Lizzy started walking down the stairs. She was clutching her skirts as Isabel told her, to keep from tripping, but this also showed a good amount of ankle. Tears came to Jeff’s eyes. His Lizzy was the most beautiful women he had ever seen, except for the one standing next to him who, grew more beautiful every year they spent together. Even Miguel was surprised. This was the first time he had seen Lizzy since the day she was being bothered by the friends of Pauley Pierce. If anyone had been paying any attention, they would have seen Philip holding Diane. This was the girl who held the heart of their son.

As they sat at dinner, it was Jeff, whose English was the best, who carried the conversation. Occasionally he would say something to his wife and or daughter in that strange language they had. A lot of the time, Jeff was having trouble getting the sight of Lizzy out of his mind. Nancy had warned him that they should be watching for a suitable man for her. It was beginning to look like Lizzy had found her own man. Jeff was glad he was from such a great and pleasant family.

In all, Lizzy’s family stayed three days with the Evanses. Max took Lizzy riding. He borrowed one of Isabel’s horses since Teresa’s broncs were a bit too wild for Lizzy. She spent time with the sisters of the man she was hoping would be the one to ask her father for her hand in marriage.

Lizzy spent time with the daughters of the vaqueros. Selma and Katie had endless questions. How did three people live in that tiny wagon? How come if she was from Spain, she didn’t speak better Spanish? What was it like to live around sheep? They looked at her hands and they couldn’t believe if she did work around the house, why were her hands so soft? Lizzy got out a jar of sticky, and a little smelly, stuff. It was made from sheep fat. She put it on her hands every morning. The girls all tried it, including Teresa and Isabel. It was miraculous!

It was way too soon, when her father called her. She gave Max’s hand one last squeeze and felt his lips lightly brush across her forehead. Then with her new dress safely bundled, she ran to the wagon to catch up. Soon the ranch was gone from the sight of Lizzy and Lizzy was gone from the sight of Max.

It was a few weekends later when just about noon, Sunday morning Jim drove up in a buckboard with Amy on his arm and Maria sitting just behind them. Amy was far from sure about the welcome she would receive. After all, she was a saloon owner and many of the good people just wouldn’t accept her.

Jim had assured her, over and over, that the Evanses were not like that. True, Marcella and Elena did stand off at first, but when they saw that Diane was accepting her, they stepped up and likewise gave her greeting. Miguel helped Maria down and it was evident that she was special to him.

The women stole her away from Miguel who released her unwillingly. Up stairs, with the purpose of freshening up, the girls set out to know better this girl of their other brother’s affections. Maria had spent most of her life back east going to school. She was surprised that such charming women lived in this rough life. She truly hadn’t been prepared for women who worked as hard as these, and yet could be so lady like. They introduced her to the magic ointment made from sheep fat.

They came back down to lunch, or as so many Texans called it, dinner. Miguel was just pleased his sisters hadn’t done anything to make Maria run away.

Of course by this time, the ever present Alex had dropped by. He always timed it to arrive at mealtime.

“I want to thank Miguel for rescuing Maria from that Pierce man. Things could have turned very badly if he hadn’t arrived when he did. He and Kyle are heroes in my mind,” she said. Miguel was a bit embarrassed. The Evans girls were watching to see the looks that passed between Maria and Miguel. It was obvious that they hadn’t told Amy everything about the rescue. Maria looked at her mom because that was the first time she had said anything nice about Kyle.

“Well, you took good care of Miguel when he was hurt by that funny man in long johns. I would say that, in a western way, we have managed to care for each other.” Philip was not sure what exactly was Amy’s point. He would have expected either Miguel or Kyle, the son of his friend, Jim, to come to the aid of a damsel in distress.

The dinner finished, the men retired to the porch and the women to the kitchen to finish washing the dishes and put the food away for supper, later. The drive out to the ranch was almost a half day for a wagon. They had started way before daybreak, so it was correctly assumed that Amy, Jim and Maria would spend the night at least.

Jim and Philip were discussing the strange man in long johns. Philip had also told Jim about the raid made by Pauley on the sheepherder and his family.

“That far away from town, even I would have trouble making it my business. You sure can’t expect anything from Hanson. Lord Parker or whatever he calls himself and his employee, Jeff, have bent over backward to not cause trouble with the cattle men . They could have just as easily put them woolies on any public graze and then, you would have had trouble with most of the ranchers.” Jim leaned back and then, started again, “You cain’t hardly take your cows up in the mountains like he can his sheep. You cain’t hardly afford to herd them like he does his woolies. Parkers, both of them have gone out of their way to not cause trouble.”

Philip was busy making the fixings for a smoke. There weren’t any chain smokers in this part of the land. It took several minutes to make a smoke and the tiny bit of tobacco they managed to get in the smoke paper was small compared to the factory smokes which no cowboy could afford, or would be caught dead smoking. Cowboys weren’t sissies.

“I don’t hold with sheep, I think they stink, but to each his own. I wear sheep skin coats in winter just like everybody else around here. We also, wear wool shirts and pants and that stuff has to come from somewhere. I met Jeff Parker and he seemed to be a right nice feller. I might even have to welcome him into the family if Max goes hunting lion again.”

Chapter 15

Of course this broke everybody up. Max turned red and Miguel smirked, but Miguel was careful since he knew he, himself, could well be the butt of the next joke, if someone remembered his interest in Maria.

Soon, the talk turned to the Pierces. “That Pauley is just plumb out of control. The old man ain’t willing to put a proper bridle on him or give him the touch of the spurs, now and then. Or, he may even be encouraging him in what he does,” Philip stated.

Jim was blowing smoke rings as he thought. “According to what Kyle said, he thinks that he was shot by the same type of rifle that you claim shot that little girl back in the mountains. By the way, don’t you folks think I can be trusted enough for you to tell me what is going on. Kyle says he done been shot twice. Once Miguel and then, Max healed him. He says some mighty interesting other things that he seen around you folks.”

Philip looked at Max. Max began. “Sheriff, we aren’t from around these parts. We don’t rightly know where we did come from, but it surely wasn’t any place near.”

Jim nodded. He knew the story about the four being found in some sort of wreck, wagon or some sort. Max continued, “We think we must of come from the same place as that strange feller. That feller wants to kill us or take us back or something. The old Shepard done fixed his chickens for good. He emptied his Greener shotgun into that feller as many times as he could. Then, he buried that feller’s vehicle. It was a flying machine of some sort.” Max waited for Jim to be shocked in disbelief or something. It just never happened, Jim just nodded as Max explained. Max wasn’t known for lying and Jim, surely, had seen some weird things about that stranger.

Philip, stood and stretched. “That brings us back to the immediate question, what do we do about Pierce?` ` I could just take the boys and ride over and burn him out.”

Jim shook his head, “Philip, none of that talk, you do that and Hanson will call in the blue bellies and them soldier boys will be poking their noses into everything. I don’t think you want any Yankee government looking into your young’ens.”

Philip sat back down. They continued talking. Meanwhile, Maria was in the girl’s room with Teresa and Isabel.

“Miguel said that you told him where I was,” Maria said. “How did you know?”

Isabel looked at Teresa. As the messenger, Isabel should be the one to explain. “There are special things about us. I can tell things about people who are connected to us.”

Maria looked at the two girls, “Am I connected to you? How?”

Teresa shrugged. “What do you and Miguel talk about when you step out the back door of the saloon?”

Maria could swear that the only other person who might know about her affair with Miguel would be, maybe, José the bartender. She knew that he was aware that Miguel left awfully fast when he heard the back door close. “We just talk and, maybe, hold each other when we are outside,” she stated.

“Yes, but for a boy like Miguel, that is more than he has ever had from any girl.” Teresa said.

Maria thought for a minute. “I have held hands with boys before and I have gone on moonlight walks with boys back at school.”

Isabel interjected, “But, Miguel hasn’t.”

Teresa and Isabel were looking at Maria, “Miguel’s feelings for you are the way I could tell where you were. They are very strong. When you were caring for him, that is probably the first time a woman, not of his family, has ever taken care of him.”

Maria, again, said, “But how could you know what was happening to me?”

Both Isabel and Teresa shrugged. “We aren’t from around here. We don’t know where we are from, but we do know we can do things that other’s can’t. We usually know things that are important to each other. You are important to Miguel. Now, it is up to you to see how important Miguel is to you. That is the reason we could find you,” Isabel stated.

Maria just looked at them. “I am that important to Miguel? Me, the daughter of a saloon owner, I am that important to somebody?”

Teresa put her hands on Maria’s shoulders and looking her in the eye, said, “Miguel is not in love with your mother or what she does. He is not in love with who he thinks you might be. He is in love with the girl he talked to when he was recuperating. Miguel is in love with the real you. If you do not wish to return this feeling, be kind. Do not hurt him, but do not tease him. He is not a man to be teased.”

Maria excused her self and returned to the room where her things had been taken. She wanted to be alone to think. This was so, not like school.

The men’s talk had broken up. The ranchers had to get up early. Jim went to get Amy. He escorted her to the room they were to share. She was surprised that the Evanses would understand their relationship. Jim just assured her that the Evans family was different.

Alex went to his room, which was across from the two boys. He knew of their hearing, listening to what was said tonight, he was even surer that he was in love with Isabel, but he also was more sure that he didn’t want to breach the trust he had earned in her family. This talk about children from the sky and powers was mind boggling.

Miguel was looking for Maria. She had disappeared somewhere with his sisters. He knocked softly on her door and she slowly opened it, almost fearfully.

“Where did you go?” Miguel asked.

Maria stepped back from the door and Miguel entered. He was a little embarrassed because she was dressed in a sleeping gown with a robe around her. “Are you really that different from me?” she asked.

Miguel just nodded. He was not sure where this conversation was going.

Maria indicated a place on the bed and Miguel sat. Maria took the only chair in the room. She had been watching him since he entered the room. To all appearances, he was but a young man. True, he was different from those in the east. Miguel wore two six shooters whenever he ventured outside the house, one in a holster and one worn in a loop in his belt at the small of his back under a vest or a serape. That he was even more different was what Maria was looking for an indication.

“Isabel and Teresa say that you found me because I was important to you. Is that true?” she asked.

Miguel again nodded. What did she want him to say?

Maria said, “Show me how you are different from other men.” She had no idea what she expected. Maybe, he would have some physical difference. Maria had gazed upon Pauley with his pants off. Pauley had a full erection before Miguel kicked the door in. Maria was being daring in asking this of Miguel. Would he show her something that would startle her? She had no idea.

Miguel just caught her in his arms and kissed her. He allowed his emotions to flow into her mind. Maria was over-whelmed with visions of stars, the four little kids growing up and the time Max and Miguel had confronted Pauley over the little sheep herders daughter.

Then, she saw the dark fear Miguel had faced when he saw the strange man and the pain he felt when he was hurt. The final vision was of Maria. Maria,` in a way she had never seen herself. It wasn’t the clothes or her body it was something else. Maria saw her self, loved. She had never faced this emotion from anyone before.

Miguel left the room leaving a stunned Maria sitting, thinking about what she had seen.

Alex entertained the idea of creeping down the hall to isabel’s room. First of all, he wasn’t sure how she would take it and second, he was sure what would happen if Max or Miguel caught him. So for another time, Alex just lay in bed and dreamed. After a while he drifted off to sleep. He was extremely happy when, in his dream, he saw Isabel come by. She stopped and talked to him. He was not sure what she said. He could feel her cool hands on his face. Alex wanted to say something clever, but he couldn’t think of anything. Soon, she disappeared and Alex was left with just the memory.

The next morning they were all up early. For Amy, it was difficult because it seemed they got up just about the time she normally went to bed.

Amy, Jim and Maria were riding in the wagon Jim had borrowed. Amy was talking about sending Maria back east. The Evanses were nice people, but they were not upper crust in her way of thinking. Maria was just looking dreamy eyed as her mother talked. Finally, Amy had about had it. “Have you heard a word I have said, young lady?” she asked.

Maria just smiled and said, “No, mom, I haven’t heard a thing. I am not going back east if that is what you are thinking. I am staying right here. I am going to marry Miguel.”

Amy spun her body around so fast that she almost knocked Jim off the seat. “Do you have something I should know about, Young lady?” she demanded.

Maria just smiled, “No, but I am sure I will have soon,” she said.

It was now spring. The calves were being born so Max and Miguel, along with the rest of the ranch, were constantly busy. Maria and Miguel had not given substance to Amy’s constant worries. Mainly, because Miguel had been so busy with ranch work.

With a heavy heart, Lizzy Parker prepared to leave again in the family wagon. Lord Parker had informed Jeff that this would be the last year he would finance the sheep business. It had been just a lark for the lord, anyway. He was tiring of the southwest and after this season, he would return to England. Jeff could go back to Spain or stay in the southwest as he wished. Lizzy had no idea what her daddy would do. She hadn’t been back to the ranch and was afraid she might never see Max again.

Kyle had remained around town. He had enough money stashed away so he could get by for a bit longer. He did manage to visit the Evans’ ranch and see the fiery Teresa. Kyle informed everyone that Pierce had tried to hire him, but he didn’t hold with back shooters and women killers. That was a hard blow for the old man. Pauley kept after him to let him go after Kyle. He was sure he could get him. The old man just reminded Pauley of the last two times he had tried.

-------------------------------------

The complete report, made by Nickolos, before he disappeared, had been read by Kivar’s advisors. They had tried to contact Nickolos several times, to no avail. The report mentioned that the children had been discovered. It gave both the names of both Clive Cheatum and old man Pierce. The message listed these men as adversaries of the people who were now guardians of the children. Nickolos had made his intension clear that he was going to obtain the children, as soon as possible and then, that was the end. After a time the ship shut its self down. Kivar was open to suggestion. Elexicis stated she would lead a team to retrieve the children. Nickolos must have run into trouble. Elexicis chose ten soldiers. There were two female and eight male, it was a long trip and Elexicis had a broad taste of companions.

--------------------------------------

Lizzy usually liked the mountains in the spring. Everything was starting to grow again. The lambs were playing, as all young do, while their mams were patiently eating for two. The dogs were alert, because the coyotes were hanging close, hoping to catch a lamb straying from the flock. Lizzy had taken a light rifle and was sitting on the hillside, trying to get a shot at the yodel pups, before they could get any of the flock. The small streams, that might fail later in the season, were running from the spring runoff.

Lizzy, still had visions of the Evans family. Lizzy had no idea of what Jeff, her father would do. Did he want to go back to Europe, or to stay in the southwest and find work somewhere, that would be different from anything he had done before. Jeff hadn’t yet decided. He and Nancy were sure that if possible Lizzy would want to stay, especially if she could stay with the Evans boy, as his wife. They would miss her, but children were made to grow up and make their own way.

Jeff had chosen pasture about 25 miles from where they were last year, on an entirely different mountain. He was the first to admit that sheep were hard on grazing range. It took at least a year for the graze to recover.

Lizzy was sitting watching the flock with her little rifle when she heard a noise. The dogs cowered and the sheep got deathly quiet. There were two things in the air, which went toward the mountain where they had made camp last summer. A cold chill ran through Lizzy. Just as her father had feared, those funny men had returned.

When Lizzy got back to the wagon, she heard her father and mother in argument. This was something she had never heard before. They were talking in their native language and it was clear that they were in disagreement.

XAF RU208
begonia9508
mary mary
keepsmiling7
cjsl8ne

Author's note: Pure Lanolin is squeezed out of the wool of sheep. People who work with sheep get it on their hands and it does heal and soften skin greatly. I used a little license about using the sheep fat. I think you could concentrate that and get something like a cream.

One of the reasons of openness contrast with the Pierces is their trust in their ability to protect themselves. Somewhere Alex states, "They make deals with no more than a handshake." Then he reminds himself that the same hands that shake are the same hands that rest just above the butts of the Colt 45s. Sometime this week Carole's school will be out. They changed her schedule once already to include one more week. Then maybe I can run the story faster and maybe start the next one. I wish I could spell and do commas.

Chapter 16

When she approached the wagon, they saw her and stopped. “Lizzy,” her father said. “Do you think you could safely make it back to the Evans ranch? I wanted both you and your mother to go, but she won’t leave. Someone needs to warn the Evans family that the strange men are back.”

Lizzy looked at her mother. She had never heard her mother refuse to do what her father told her. Nancy’s eyes were cast down. “Lizzy, my place is beside your father. That is why I won’t leave. I have stood beside him during cattlemen attacks and stood beside him crossing the ocean to come to a strange land. I don’t want to leave him now. He is right both in friendship and also, because of your concern, the Evans’ family needs to be warned.”

Lizzy was Euskaldunak or Basque in the common language. She understood her mother’s stand. For centuries, women of her people had stood by their men in trouble. Lizzy understood that her father and mother were saying that if she was to form something with the Evans’ family she would need too stand by them, also. It was a long trip. She doubted that she could accomplish it in one day, even a hard day. They had two horses and one pony that her father used when riding through the mountains sometimes. She would take the pony and her father gave her a sack of oats that he kept for times like this when they needed to use their horses and didn’t have time to let them graze.

Her mother made up a soogan of wool blankets wrapped in a sheep skin with the wool still on it. She made up some bread and some cheese. With a bota skin of water, Lizzy would make it to the ranch in a day and a half.

Lizzy left early in the morning before daylight. The little mountain pony was known to be sure footed. When Jeff rode him, the sight was ludicrous. Jeff’s long legs would be hanging off either side. With Lizzy’s small frame, the pony was just right. Jeff kept the pony because of his ability to travel trails without a misstep. He was not a horse known for speed.

It took Lizzy most of the day to get to the foothills of the mountain where they were keeping the sheep. They had gone quite a distance from where they were last year. The chance of the strangers coming was part of Jeff’s decision to move. The sheep had grazed most of the area where they had been last year, but there were several other meadows closer to Roswell and to the Evans’ ranch that Jeff could have chosen.

Lizzy didn’t want to camp outside the seclusion of the mountains so she stopped while the scrub pinion still offered her shelter, both from the elements and also from being seen by whatever might be out there.

It was a dry and cold camp. There were no streams this far down the mountain and Lizzy certainly didn’t want to start a fire, no matter how much comfort it would bring. There might be something out there and even if not, there were still more human problems that she would not want to attract.

The next morning, she was up with the sun. Lizzy, with the instinct and practice of an outdoor girl, had watched almost unconsciously as her father drove the sheep. She had driven the wagon much of the way as her father, on the pony, had worked the sheep in their journey to the present grazing grounds. Lizzy would soon be at the ranch, which was about ten miles north of Roswell.

Lizzy had again eaten cold food that her mother had packed and used a little more of the precious water from the bota. The pony was not a horse that you hurried. He knew his limitations and he knew that out of the mountains he had to still watch for arroyos and dips in the landscape.

Lizzy had seen something troubling on the skyline. She had seen what she had taken for a man or maybe, several men just peaking over the hills in the distance. Normally, she would think nothing of it. Women to the western man were almost sacred. Lizzy still had, in her memory, the episode of Pauley in Roswell last year.

For the last hour, she had not seen anything to alarm her. Maybe, they were just travelers or maybe, cowboys pushing their cows to some location as they went about their work. They would have taken note of her, as she traveled, since any outdoorsmen needing to always know about their surroundings.

As Lizzy rode by a cut through two hills following the faint trail, five men rode out of a nearby dip in the landscape.

“Well, Lookey here boys, just what have we got? Maybe, we have a little wild vixen. She reeks of sheep, but boys, we could still take her. This time we won’t have Evans to interfere.

Lizzy, now, really knew fear. She was afraid for her own safety and if something happened to her, who would warn the Evans family? She knew the little pony couldn’t run. He would die if he tried. He just wasn’t made for that.

Pauley and his friends rode around her in circles. Lizzy, trying to keep track of where they were, was making her pony keep turning. The little beast was confused and becoming frightened him self at these doings. Finally, Pauley darted in and grabbed her.

Pauley threw her to the ground. He dismounted. He was in the act of taking off his gunbelt so he could drop his pants to assault her, when they all heard a soft drawl.

“Shit, Pauley, don’t take off the gun belt. You never know when you might need it.” They all turned to the sound of the slow voice. Sitting on a black thoroughbred horse was a man. The horse had a silver decorated bridal and the saddle was old Spanish style with silver every where you looked.

The man was dressed in black, but you could tell from looking at his boots the expense of his attire. He was wearing two holstered guns, something that no working cowboy would wear. True, both Max and Miguel carried two guns, but they always had one of them in their saddle bags except for the occasion when they dismounted to go into town. Wearing two holstered guns while working was just too clumsy.

Kyle pushed back his hat with the silver choncho hatband and looked at the five. Pauley promptly dropped his gun belt and raised his hands.

“Aw, come on Pauley, have a heart. Show these boys you ain’t all yellow. Pick up the gun, even if you don’t get a chance to use it,” Kyle drawled.

Pauley just shook his head. He knew that Kyle probably had plenty of reason to gun him down. Pauley’s feral mind thought, “He doesn’t really know if it was me who shot him, so he probably would still be careful about just shooting me.”

That was about right. Kyle, usually, didn’t shoot a man without a reason. He might gun a man in a standup fight and feel nothing about it, but to gun down a man without a gun, he needed more justification.

Kyle looked at the rest of the men. They were all holding their reins high. They were all indicating that they had no intention of going for their guns.

“Shit, a whole passel of yellow snakes. You boys better take this vermin out of here while I still am of mind for fair play. Come on, Pauley, don’t you want to retrieve you revolver? You don’t want to just leave it here, do you?”

Pauley looked at the gun belt like it was a snake who was ready to strike him. He stood up. Pauley knew that Kyle only needed a hint that he, Pauley, would try to fight him. Pauley slowly mounted his horse and as carefully as they could he and his friends rode away. They were going faster, the further they got from where Kyle sat on his horse.

Kyle dismounted and he picked up Pauley’s revolver. Kyle checked it to make sure the hammer was down on an empty chamber. You couldn’t hardly trust an eastern tenderfoot to even carry a weapon correctly. The gun checked, Kyle thrust it to his belt and walked over to the woman lying on the ground.

Lizzy was still terribly frightened. She had seen how easily Kyle handled her tormentors. But, what did he intend for her. She was far from feeling safe.

“You are the little Shepard girl that Evans has a thing for, ain’t you?” he asked.

Lizzy, still watching his every move, nodded her head. At least, she hoped that Max Evans had something for her.

Kyle extended his hand, “Get up, miss. I will ride the rest of the way with you. I can get a few meals out of the missus, and that beats the beans served in town,” Kyle stated.

Lizzy still didn’t completely understand this strange man who her tormentors clearly feared. She had seen the Evans family fight and she knew that certain people had reason to fear them. Now this man appeared to be a friend of the Evans and he was offering to take her safely the rest of the way to the ranch.

When they rode up, they were met by Diane. The men were all out tending their chores, Isabel was bringing in some fresh horses and Tess was tending the truck garden.

Marcella and Elena, hearing the horses ride up, came out to see who had arrived. The three women seeing Lizzy immediately rushed to her. Marcella and Elena started talking in Spanish until they remembered that Lizzy’s English was better than her Spanish. Then, all three women were asking if everything was all right.

Lizzy was almost out of breath. Imagine her, the smallest Shepard girl, getting this kind of reception. “Yes, at the moment, it is. I need to see Max. The strangers have returned. Pauley Pierce and his friends almost caught me, but this man, Kyle, ran them off,” Lizzy informed the group.

Diane quickly walked Kyle and Lizzy into the main house. One of the women Diane had hired to help her was working in the kitchen. When she saw them come in, she quickly placed a cup of coffee before Kyle. Diane looked to Kyle for information.

“We had a smite of trouble with Pauley and his bunch. didn’t mount to much they are all a bunch of yellow women fighting skunks. If what Lizzy is telling is true and those strangers are back, Ma’am, you might want to put out your shotgun by the door with a couple boxes of double-ought buck, near by,” Kyle drawled.

Diane immediately went to the closet and, taking out the house shot gun, she reached to the top shelf and selected two boxes of the buck shot shells. Diane stood the weapon by the door and she, also, brought out her little Winchester 92. It was a lighter rifle than the Winchester 73s the boys carried. It was also in a lighter caliber, but there was no kidding in the way that Diane or, any of the other women, could use it.

Kyle nodded. He always approved of the way frontier woman handled danger. The frontier might be long gone from the Roswell area, but Diane well remembered her Texas up bringing.

When Kyle turned around, true to his expectations, Rosa, the woman working for Diane, had placed a big plate of steak and potatoes out for him. Rosa looked at Lizzy to see if she, also, was hungry when Diane said, “Rosa, fix some tea and maybe a bowl of that stew we had for lunch.”

Marcella and Elena came to the kitchen and in Spanish, Diane told them about what Kyle said. The both nodded and calling their little ones into the house, they also prepared to protect their homes.

When the men folk and the two girls came in for supper, they all washed up outside the house and since they had company, Isabel and Teresa both hurried to their rooms to change clothes.

Lizzy was still unsure how Max would receive her, but the way he hugged her to himself cleared up any fears she might have.

Isabel and Teresa came down to supper. Kyle, once again, was faced with the woman who only a short time before was in pants with a rough shirt and worn boots. She, now, was in a dress with slippers and her hair was carefully combed. He was still amazed how she could perform such a transformation.

At supper, there were a few questions, but Philip made it clear that the main discussion should be held later when Chavez and Alvarez Could be there.

Philip, Kyle, the two vaqueros, the sky children and Lizzy were all in the study. The first item was Pauley and old man Pierce.

“We might just have to ignore the advise of Señor Alex and burn that ‘cabrone’ out some night,” Domingo said. The use of the word ‘cabrone,’ (the b pronounced like a v) meaning goat, had very bad meaning to folks of the southwest. It was a catch all phrase for son-of-a-bitch and asshole, all in one.

Domingo had his knife out and was stropping the already razor sharp weapon.

Philip turned to him, “Maybe, that will be the only solution. But, we should wait and see.”

Then Lizzy told her story. She told about seeing the air ships. They were much like the ship her father had described that he buried last summer. She explained that her father wanted Nancy to come with her, but Nancy felt that her place was with Jeff.

Kyle had been sitting back listening. “Well, you folks sure do make big enemies. I have been run out by federal marshals and fought rustler gangs, but you folks have to go off Earth to find enemies. I sure would like to hang around. If I take part in running these fellers off, I guess I could handle anything else, on Earth.”

Philip turned to KIyle, “We don’t know much about these people. We do know they are powerful. Miguel and Max have already had a run in with them. They seem to want to capture or kill my children. You see, the four of them ain’t from around here.”

Kyle turned to look at Teresa. She lowered her eyes, “Yes, Kyle, I am not quite human.”

Kyle just shook his head, “Ma’am, you are about the most beautiful human woman or otherwise, I have seen in a long time. I would take it most powerful if some outsider was to try to take you away before I even got to properly know you.”

Philip had to smile; Kyle had just made an affirmation that he was now Teresa’s protector. This type of protector she might even accept.

cjsl9ne
mary mary
keepsmiling7
XAF RU208
begonia 9508

Author's note: Begonia, Eve, asked before was Lord Parker related to Jeff Parker. Many times people, who for many reasons, took the name of the man they worked for. In Jeff's case his own language was way too difficult to explain to those he met in the new world. In the United States many Basque were hired to herd sheep. Cowboys would rather starve than be seen with a bunch or woolies. Later native Americans took to herding sheep and many Hispanics did also. For them sheep were a much cheaper investment than a herd of cows. The sheep could be taken to any land not being used and there would be no charge for the grazing. All the herder needed was a couple dogs and some sort of wagon. If you have ever seen movies of the dogs working sheep, the only thing i can compare it to is the 'cutting horse' of the cowboy where the animal seems to know what is expected and does it. Again the people are not surprised at things from another world. I wonder if our fear is mostly from movies. I remember Grand dad talking about 'Haunts' ghosts and things. He seemed to consider these strange things just part of nature, like skunks and rattle snakes. You have to be careful about them.



Chapter 17

Max looked at Lizzy, but she just drew closer to him. She was as strange to all of these folks as he was. That he, maybe, wasn’t from earth didn’t make any impression on her.

Elexcis had split her forces into several groups. She had enjoyed each of their company during he trip. Now, it was important to accomplish the mission. She sent two men to the town. They were to find out what they could about the children. Two men were sent to uncover the vehicle of Nickolos and to see if he left any message. She and one of her women would visit the rancher that Nickolos had pried out of Clive’s feeble mind to see what he had to say about the Evans’ ranch where the four children were thought to reside. She would have the remaining woman to stay with the vehicles and the other four would visit the Evans Ranch.

The two men were already working on the landslide. She dispatched the men to town, and she and one of her women were ready to visit Pierce. The rest would wait until later that afternoon before they left for the ranch. Since they all could travel much faster than humans, Elexcis didn’t think this would take too much time.

Hanson looked out his window. There were two of them constipated fellers in long johns with no flap in the behind to go when they needed to. Before they were after the Evans boys and, as far as Hanson was concerned, that was just “jake” with him. Any one who ran off them Evans boys had to be all right. Now Hanson couldn’t see any reason for them to be here. Hanson wasn’t particularly brave, but it did irk him some that these fellers just walked into town without a by your leave. He reached for his shotgun, loaded it and walked out his office door to see what they wanted.

“Hey, you, yes, you two in the union suits. Them Evanses ain’t here so what are you doing?” Hanson yelled.

The Antarians looked at the feeble earth creature. He sure was noisy. They intended to just flick him away like you would a troublesome fly. They raised their hands to let him have a power blast.

Hanson needed no more demonstration. When you ask a man what he is doing and he starts to point at you, that was drawing, as far as Hanson was concerned. Hanson let them have both barrels.

A man would have been cut in half, but these fellers were just stung. Yes, it hurt like whatever hell they believed in. They both let Hanson have it. He was blown fifty feet down the street.

Jim heard the noise. He had been wearing his double holsters that he used when he was a gunman for hire. Jim stepped out the door just as Hanson went flying down the street. He drew both revolvers and started walking toward those critters, firing as he walked. They threw up a shield, but the constant hammering of Jim’s bullets was weakening it. Finally, they dropped the shield to prepare to hit Jim with a power blast. At that time, José stepped out of the Crashdown saloon and began to let loose with two barrels at a time. Their attention was diverted from Jim who took the occasion to reload at least one of his revolvers. He and José had these fellers in, almost, a cross fire. They were pelting them from two different directions.

About that time, one of the several itinerate preachers came riding into town. He tried to get to the different towns as many times as he could. He was always fearful that the devil would work on the flock in between his visits. As he road up the street, he heard the gunfire and after seeing the sheriff lying on the ground, he was sure that the devil had his hands in whatever was happening. He quickly dismounted and taking his Winchester 73 out of the scabbard attached to his saddle, he started walking down the street. He saw two townsmen firing at two creatures who were glowing. That man, Reverend Black, was sure these glowing creatures were devils fighting his flock. As he approached, between Jim and José, the good reverend was firing his Winchester as he approached. Goldstein, the storekeeper, heard the commotion. Goldstein had seen his grandfather and his father run out of towns for their faith and culture. Goldestein was determined that it all was going to stop here. Goldstein had a sawed off shotgun. He also, started blasting these interlopers. These good citizens had supported his store and some of them even owed him money. This was his town and strangers dressed indecently in long johns with no flap, were not going to come in and disturb it.

Old Sam, the Civil War veteran, came running up the street. He had his 79 caliber smooth bore muzzle loader that he had just loaded with horse shoe nails. Before he even got close enough to use it, the shield of the Antarians just dimmed and the creatures fell to dissolve into dust shortly after.

Goldstein and Jim took Hanson to the doctor. The remark of the doctor was “Son, what kind of mule did you back into?” Hanson had several broken ribs.

At the first shot, all Maria could think of was Miguel. She ran down to the livery and saw Sam getting out his old musket. She had no time to talk to him, so she ran out back to see if she could find something to ride. She found Alex hooking up his horse to his buggy. Without even asking permission she jumped in. Off they went fearful for the safety of their loved ones.

The Evans family was just getting up. Kyle was making himself arise at the time he normally would go to bed. He didn’t want to loose a minute that he could spend with Teresa. Kyle had had other girls in his life. Many of them were always trying to convert him from being a gun fighter. Teresa had told him how much she hated gun fighting, but she was also getting out her rifle that Philip Evans had given each of the girls, just as he had given one to Diane. Kyle didn’t say much, but it was fixing up to be a time when his talents would be needed.

Philip walked out on his porch. Domingo came running over. On the skyline, there were three smoke columns. While they were watching, Philip saw a forth column. It was not just a smoke column, it was puffs of smoke. They were puffs in groups of four. Philip turned to Domingo.

They had a Native American working for them. He was a taciturn man who said little. No one knew what was his tribe. He had been working way out in a grazing pasture several miles away.

Domingo shrugged. “Boss, I am not sure. Smoke signals usually mean what we agree them to mean before we get to the sending part. Most of the time, three is danger and the puffs, in this case, would mean that there are four somethings bringing this danger to us. Those hills are a long ways off and I imagine that old Tom saw the danger even further away. I don’t know how much time we have, but he is warning us.

Domingo and Philip both went back to their houses. This was just like the old times when they feared a Comanche attack. The houses were thick adobe and for the most part, would turn anything outside of a medium cannon.

Philip went to the bunk house. He addressed the cowboys, he had working for him. “Boys, there are some strange fellers a-coming. They are rightly dangerous. Now, I know that you all signed on to punch cows and that is all you are being asked to do. If any of you want to stick by the brand then I will pay fighting wages until these fellers are run out of the territory. If any of you want to leave, then, you an pick up your due at the main house. Domingo Chavez will be there to take your mark and hand you your pay. I thank you for the time you have spent working. “

Philip went back to the house. Yes, there were several men who cashed out. Most of the Mexicans were loyal to Alvarez and Chavez. They knew that there would be few jobs that were as good as working here. Many of the others were Texan and they rode for the brand, right or wrong. They all signed on for fighting wages and guns were cleaned and ammunition was passed out.

When Domingo went back to the main house, Philip asked, “How many Domingo? How many will stay?”

Domingo shrugged, “Over three fourths will stay. Some of the younger men weren’t prepared for anything like this. Most of those who stay are fighters from Mexico and Texas.” Philip nodded.

Lizzy was worried about her father. Diane put her arms around the girl. “Lizzy, we keep their attention here; they won’t have time to look for your father. It is too dangerous for you to try to go back alone and we can’t spare men to go with you. When this is over, Philip will send men to check on your folks. Right now, the best you can do is be with your man and come back when he tells you to. You will help us here in the house.”

Lizzy just nodded. She was aware that her life was taking a change in direction. Her father had said that this was the last year they would be herding for Lord Parker. Now, her interest would lie with the rancher family of the man she loved.

Bernaldo, Ricardo and Estaban all thought that they should be with the men. Philip talked to them. “You men will be the last defense off the rancho. Your fathers and the men working on the ranch have no idea what we face. If anyone brakes through, then it will be up to you to defend your families.”They weren’t really happy about that but they could see the logic in what the patron said.

It was a little past noon when four men in strange suits were seen jogging down the road. When the first shot rang out, they immediately spread out. The first power blast was against the wooden bunk house. The men inside scattered. The four soldiers paid them, individually, little attention. Max and Miguel were at the end of a adobe wall. They both were wearing their two revolvers, but for this time, they relied on alien magic as Philip would call it. They returned power blasts.

When the men in the bunk house had scattered, they all hit the dirt in the gullies and swells of the land near the ranch. They were continuing to snipe at the four soldiers. Power blasts were continuing to hit the adobe walls. Diane knew that, eventually, the walls would fall in. She could only hope that the men would turn the tide of battle before this happened.

Isabel was watching her brothers. She saw one of the soldiers detach himself work his way to a point behind the boys. There was so much noise that she couldn’t warn them by shouting. Lizzy was watching when suddenly, Isabel was gone. Lizzy started to stand up, but Teresa stopped her. “Isabel knows what she is doing, I think,” Tess said.

Isabel went out the back door and, keeping to the shadows of the wall, she was working toward the soldier. As she got close to the soldier, he stood up and was preparing to blast the boys from behind. Isabel unleashed her whip. She caught the soldier around his neck. She gave a yank that would have broken the neck of a man or maybe, even a steer. But, for this soldier, she just threw him off balance.

He turned, oh what luck he, was faced by the clone of Vilandra. He would knock her senseless and take off back to the ship. The orders were to capture all clones if possible, but if not possible, take the clones of Vilandra and Zan, kill the others if necessary but to return to the ship as soon as any progress was made. The soldier raised his hand to let fire a stunning blow at Vilandra.

As Alex and Maria rode up to the ranch, the noise of the war was deafening. Alex turned to Maria to see if she wanted to get out. She just shook her head. Maria could just see the comments of the girls at school talking about her, Maria sitting in a buggy, the running horse, driven by a lawyer into a gunfight. She didn’t care she had told her mother she intended to marry Miguel and these soldiers were interfering with Miguel having enough time to figure this out.

As the buggy was running down the road toward the house, Alex saw Isabel sling her whip and pull the man down. He, also, saw the soldier sit up and raise his arms. That just wouldn’t do. Alex handed the reins to the screaming Maria and standing up in the buggy as he went past the soldier, Alex let loose with both barrels. Philip had told him that, that shot gun kicked like a mule and Alex was kicked right out of the buggy, leaving only Maria to try to stop the horses.

Max and Miguel, at the noise of the shotgun, turned to see the soldier take the full effect of Alex’s shotgun. That stunned the soldier for some minutes. By that time, Alex with his shoulder screaming to high heaven in pain, again lifted the shotgun and gave it another pull. This time pulling the barrels one at a time. Alex immediately broke the double barrels opened and reloaded for a third time. As he advanced, he fired again, one barrel at a time.

Miguel saw Maria with the runaway buggy. He jumped for the lead horse and dug his heels into the dirt. The horse was still nervous, but Miguel was able to stop the animal.

By the time they had returned to the place where Alex was holding Isabel, the soldier was starting to blow away, just a pile of dust.

Diane was in the house. Another soldier suddenly broke through the roof and dropped in to face Teresa. Quickly Teresa pulled Lizzy behind her. She erected a shield. The soldier recognized the shield as an adolescent attempt at protection. He began to hammer the shield with power blasts. This was one of the expendable clones, so he would just kill her.

Diane unleashed her shotgun. She had shot coyotes many times in the hen house. Now, she was shooting something in her own house. She pulled the barrels one at a time and reloaded and shot again. The power blast hit Teresa and she went rolling. Lizzy was not thinking she was just reacting. There was a problem and she was helping to defend her family to be. She was able to get Diane’s rifle and she began to lever shots into the soldier in front of her. Teresa was now able to stand and she added her own power blast until the second soldier just was reduced to dust and blew away.

After making the smoke signals, old Tom got on his horse and ‘lit a shuck’ for the ranch house. As he was approaching he heard the shooting. Old Tom’s grandfather had been a mighty warrior. He had taken many scalps in battle, both from the white eyes and other tribes with which he had fought. Old Tom’s father had been with the Apache police at White Mountain. Old Tom came from a long line of warriors. The Evanses and their vaqueros had given him a good home. He had only hoped that someone would understand the smoke signals. He dismounted some distance from the house. His joints gained revitalization as he approached the main house. He was as stealthy as any Apache could be. There was one of those strange soldiers. He was approaching the house. It was but a short run and Old Tom was upon him. The Antarian had never fought hand to hand. He had never faced an Apache warrior who was determined to take a scalp.

Tom grabbed the short hair and began to cut the skin with his super sharp knife. The soldier, who never let out an emotion started to scream. Tom jerked the scalp loose from the skull and jumped aside. The soldier was furious and he turned to the primitive being who had hurt him so badly.

He was raising his arm to hurl the most powerful power blast he could when Miguel and Max appeared. They both let the soldier have everything they had. Alex would have let loose another blast from the shotgun, except his arm was now completely useless. This made three soldiers who were turned to dust.

Old Tom kept looking at his scalp. Since it had been removed from the body before death, it seemed to not disappear.

There was a terrible fusillade on the other side of the house. They all went running over to see what had happened and were just in time to see the cowboys of the 'Rocking E' finish off the last soldier.

Because of the way the Antarians fought, the 'Rocking E' had not lost any of their men. The Antarians were used to standing up to each other and throwing power blasts. These they created by their nature. The Antarians had no concept of mechanical or chemical weapons. These primitives just fought too differently for the Antarians to understand.

begonia9508
rar1942 maybe that was the entire problem with Antar. A flap is a mighty important bit of clothing.
mary mary
keepsmiling7
XAF RU208


Chapter 18

Pierce always thought of himself as so much better than the locals. He had grown up in the east; he had learned politics from the ward politicians and they were the best. These primitive people didn’t understand power. When pushed, they just drew those terrible six guns and started shooting. Pierce was convinced that this country needed gun control badly. Then, maybe the, yokels would fall in line like nice little sheep.

Pierce thought he had seen every atrocity that these westerners had to offer, but when the two women showed up on his doorstep even he was taken back. Pierce had slept with whores that covered themselves better than these women. The one in command seemed to think that she should be let in. Pierce just stood aside as the two women stalked into his house.

Elexcis and her favorite companion were going to leave the battle to the soldiers. Nickolos, in his final message, made reference to a rancher who was in contention to the family of the four clones. If there was something she could use, Elexcis did not want to miss it. Her tight environmental suit stirred up all sorts of emotions in the human who answered the door. Elexcis was trying to sort out these foreign feelings.

Elexcis and her companion sat and waited until the primitive had the politeness to sit, also. These humans didn’t even have a rudimentary knowledge of protocol.

Elexcis started, “I understand that you have knowledge of the strange children and are at odds with their families.”

Pierce was not sure if it was a statement or a question. He decided that, at least, it rated a response. “Ma’am, if you mean Evans and those brats he found somewhere, yes, I represent change and progress. They are just throw backs to a long gone past. The sooner I run them out of the country, the sooner I can get everybody else to be in line.”

Elexcis marveled that such ego and such Id could inhabit this body. This man did not care for anyone except him self. She knew of royals that had similar feelings, but this primitive creature could not pretend to be of that cast.

“If you could but tell me what you know of these children,” she requested.

“Well they was arrested for attempted Murder but a shyster lawyer got them free. They caused considerable trouble to the duly elected law while they was in custody. They went against a fellow dressed like you. He took that Max boy off and we hoped we had seen the last of him, but Max returned and the fellow ain’t never been back. I reckoned they kilt the feller somewhere,” Pierce said.

Elexsis thought, Killing Nicklous, that would be a feat even for the clone Zan. The children might be maturing faster than imagined.

Pierce continued, “I hired me a gunman to take care of them, but I understand that one of the Evans girls, a little whore, lured the gunman away from me. She must be good ‘cause I offered the man a pack of money.”

Elexsis was again thinking if any normal man was offered the body of Vilandra, there was no amount of money that could compete with that. If it was the body of the minor princess, Ava, that still would be more than any of these ignorant yokels would ever see.

Pierce had been doing most of the talking. Hell, these women hadn’t said more than a couple dozen words. He felt brave. They were dressed as naked as any women he had seen in a long time. They had the skin tight clothes of an actress. Maybe, they had come to him for more reasons than just information. Pierce’s eyes were feasting on the bodies before him. Even when they sat, there were no folds or any other indication of what kind of clothes they were wearing.

Pierce felt a hardness in his loins. Maybe, these ladies could appreciate his true importance and they had arrived in these clothes on purpose.

Elexsis almost fell over in the mirth she was seeing in this primitive fellow. He was actually thinking that she was being drawn to him sexually. Even if she had been intoxicated by neurotransmitters, the simple id of his being, the pure greed she saw in him, the total lack of concern for anyone else, would only be an excuse to destroy him. If she wasn’t on such an important mission, she would enjoy the company of her favorite companion as this creature before her tore himself apart in unfulfilled lust. He would make a pleasure for her in seeing him destroying himself.

Elexsis caught her self. Her mission was to retrieve the clones and return to Antar. She had plenty of companions for diversion for the trip.

Pierce put his arm around her. Elexsis could smell the pheromones his body was making. She simply attacked his mind. Pierce fell screaming on the floor. He began to scratch his own flesh from his bones. Pierce was killing himself.

Pauley had been standing on the stair. There were two of those almost naked women and he was sure his pa was going to get one of them. Pauley wanted to be near because he was also sure, his father would give him the other.

The screams were something Pauley had no defense for. His father was in pain. Just as Pauley was sure he would get one of the women, now he was just as sure that he would be next in line for the pain. Pauley came running down the stairs shooting. Elexsis was sure these people were all insane. The younger man was shooting as fast as he could pull the trigger. Elexsis raised her shield. She was just standing to see what this creature, the spawn of the elder writhing on the floor, would do. Pauley, when he got to the floor, grabbed his father’s shotgun. He began to shoot it at the women. The next thing Pauley knew was, that he was screaming right beside his father.

All Elexsis had learned was that she had even more contempt for these Earth people. Now, she must marshal her forces and take the clones back to Antar.

Elexsis stood for several minutes. The two foolish primitives were still screaming on the floor. She gave each of their minds a push. Then, she and her companion left. Elexsis was trying to sense her army. She felt the three left in the mountains, but the of the other six there was no signature. She increased her mental power. Elexsis was of royal birth and had considerable power at her command. She just couldn’t feel the rest of her army. There were indications that the six were dead. Elexsis couldn’t make her self believe this. In most of the universe, six troopers could put down a planetary rebellion. The inhabitants here were just primitive creatures. They had no mental power at all. They were barely past the stone casting period of evolution. Elexsis increased her power once again. She could sense the signatures of four immature Antarians. They did not seem to be impaired. Elexsis would return to the mountain and get the rest of her soldiers. Defeat was not something she could face.

The war was almost over as far as Philip was concerned. He would lead a group of men to check on Lizzy’s folks. The four children would accompany him since they were the strongest power he had. Lizzy wanted to return to her folks; well maybe, wanted was too strong of a word. She felt she should return, but her heart was now and forever with the ranch people. Alex and Kyle had no intention of letting their women go without their protection. Again “their protection” might have been presumptuous. Kyle didn’t care. He didn’t want the little space girl out of his sight until they had something more permanent worked out. Alex was hobbling around. He was having trouble even getting up on a horse. Alex wasn’t a horseman. Philip walked up to him. “Look son, I know you want to be with Isabel. We all have to do what we are best at. Right now, I need you to take Maria back to town. You need to find out what happened there and return to the ranch. Son, you will be a heap more help there than trying to keep up with us on horse back.”

Alex felt bad that he had been singled out, but there was a lot of truth in what Philip said. They did need information and the able bodied fighting men needed to be free to ride with Philip.

Threre was no pretense in the Evans girls. They were dressed in pants and they were forking their horses just like the men. Kyle was on his thoroughbred riding, beside Tess. He didn’t even tease her about her attire. Isabel rode on his other side with her whip coiled around her arm. Max had left Lizzy’s pony at the ranch. She was riding one of the horses. They would be moving faster than the pony could move. Alvarez and Chavez were along with about six of the Mexican hands. There were about five or so Texans, along with Old Tom sporting a fresh alien scalp from a pole he had found at the ranch. It was a formable army. The rest of the hands stayed to protect the ranch along with the women and children.

It would be a hard day’s ride. They would first go to the sheep camp to check on Lizzy’s folks. The cowmen didn’t like sheep, but the young son of Philip Evans was set to marry the little Shepard girl.

When they came to the sheep camp, the sheep were crowded together. Lizzy slid off her horse and whistled for the dogs. They both came from out of the trees. Their tails were tucked under them and they were clearly scared. Lizzy and Max immediately began to move the sheep from where they were crowded so tightly. Unfortunately, several sheep had been crushed by the flock. Sheep were like that; without direction they had no sense. That may be another reason why the cowboys hated them. An old range cow would take on a grizzly bear sometimes, if she had room to fight. The sheep were just too willing to die.

Philip was bothered that there was no sign of what happened to Jeff and Nancy. The People going under the name of Parker might herd sheep, but they, themselves, were a canny people. Alvarez got off his horse and with the help of Chavez and Old Tom, he was scouting the clearing.

The cowmen were danged if they were going to herd sheep. Max was in love; let him show off. Miguel got down and lent his help. Miguel and Max always helped each other. Kyle didn’t budge. He didn’t care if it was sheep or cows, unless he was trying to impress Tess, he had no intention of working. Tess was thinking that she would have to have a long talk with him.

There was a low whistle from Old Tom. Chavez and Alvarez quickly came over to where he was. They waved for Philip and the army to come. Philip got down and examined the ground. There were marks where something had been dragged. Philip and Old Tom led the way. They were bent over watching the ground. Chavez and Alvarez were standing, looking in all directions. The evidence said someone had been hurt. The evidence, also, said there was someone protecting the hurt one.

They followed the trail for several hundred yards. Suddenly, Chavez reached forward and pulled Philip down just as Alvarez did the same to Old Tom. There was a blast and just above their heads. They heard the buzzing of buckshot cutting through the trees.

Philip called out, “Hello, the camp. We are the Rocking E.”

There was a delay and a very weak voice called. “Come in; she promises not to shoot you.”

Philip wearily stood up. His revolver was holstered. He was standing with his hands at shoulder level. He saw the bushes move and Nancy darted out. She was in tears. She was jabbering in that strange language. She dropped her shotgun and embraced Philip. She never stopped talking. Philip put his arm around her and walked her back to the bushes where she had been hiding.

Jeff was clearly in pain. The first words he said were, “Is that young son with you? I think I might need his services.” Chavez left quickly to fetch Max.

Philip knelt to examine Jeff’s wound. It was a burn. Jeff and Nancy had met the aliens. Nancy kept talking until Jeff raised a hand and placed it against her lips. Talking to her, he finally calmed her down. “There were two women. They were dressed sort of indecently. They started to move among the sheep. They killed several and the sheep and the dogs did not know what to do. I faced them with the shotgun. That is when they hit me with whatever they do. I dropped the gun but Nancy picked it up. She gave them two barrels. Nancy grabbed my cartridge pouch and she would give them a blast then drag me some. She kept this up until we were back in these trees. One of the women gave chase. Nancy just waited until she was close and she fired over and over. Eventually, the woman sunk into the ground without a sound, closed her eyes. She seemed sort of surprised. She just turned to dust and blew away.

Nancy started again to spout that strange language. Jeff put his hand on her arm and, speaking softly, he finally calmed her. “I am sorry my wife is very upset. The cleanest translation I can give you is that Nancy blew the bitch in half. I think that is the way you would say it. My wife was very upset.”

About that time, Max came up followed by a worried Lizzy. He started on
Jeff immediately. Old Tom was the only one who had never seen Max heal. He wasn’t surprised. The young son of the patron had powerful medicine. Finally, Jeff was at ease and he fell into a needed sleep. Lizzy pulled at Max’s shirt. She indicated her mother. Nancy hadn’t used the shotgun much and it was only fear and anger that made her keep going. She, like Alex, had taken an awful beating with the weapon. Soon Max had made the bruises go away.

They roused Jeff and with help, they got both Jeff and Nancy back to the sheep camp. Philip decided that they would make camp and start out fresh tomorrow morning. Nancy, Lizzy and Max rustled up some mutton stew. The cowboys all made faces, but Nancy had put a good handful of those little green peppers into the stew and the result was passable.

The cowboys tried to get upwind of the sheep to throw down their sugans. The dogs were now back on duty and the sheep were as they normally were. Max was the first to think that normal, for a flock of sheep, was still strange.
----------------------

Aliens and Witches He didn't believe in magic and she didn't believe in aliens,

Tiimelord31
begonia9508
cjsl8ne
mary mary
keepsmiling7


Chapter 19

Elexcis was thinking that going back to Kivar in disgrace was not an action she wanted to do. She was now down to only the two men who were working on freeing the buried flying machine. If she went back, she would only have two men and the woman she left with the ship, to play with. She had tried to keep her favorite female companion safe but those human were as deadly as they were determined. She felt it when the favorite female was cut in two. Elexcis felt the surprise when her companion ceased. Elexcis knew that the clones were close. She would make a do or die try to capture, at least, the Zan clone.

The next morning, there was more mutton and coffee. The cowboys were determined to shoot the first steer they saw when they got out of the mountains. They would eat everything from that poor critter except it’s moo.

Elexcis was making her move with her remaining three warriors. Philip was leading his men toward the other mountain where the flying ships were, one in a field and the other still under tons of debris.

Old Tom had disappeared. He was in his element now. He had taken a scalp and he had ridden with a war party. He could die happy. Of course, another scalp wouldn’t be refused. He was off his horse. A warrior was best on his feet. He was moving quickly through the brush without a sound. He had lost 40 years since yesterday. Finally, he saw the four enemy. They were walking through the brush, not apparently trying to disguise their presence. Old Tom’s father had told him a story like that once. There was this white-eyed captain who led his troops into Indian territory. He had bragged that with his squad, he could ride anywhere through the land of a bunch of primitives. The Apaches had allowed the troop to ride without incident until they were deep in their country. Then, they killed them, one at a time over the next two days. When the Captain was alone, Old Tom’s father had appeared. The captain drew his revolver and fired over and over. He missed every time. Old Tom’s father killed the captain in hand-to-hand combat. These strangers reminded Old Tom of that captain.

Old Tom had a pretty good idea of how Philip would come. Philip had cowboys with him. They did very little without being on horseback. They would be coming by the game trail Old Tom had noticed.

Elexcis had very short hair. She wanted nothing to get in her way when she was in the field. One of soldiers also had very short hair along with the female from the ship, but the other man had long flowing curls. The first scalp Old Tom had taken had medium hair and really wasn’t impressive. It was just better than nothing at the time. Old Tom had followed the three strangers to the edge of a clearing. He could see Philip at the edge of trees on the other side. There was a dry arroyo running through the center of the field. Old Tom hurried to get in that arroyo and place himself close enough to the strangers so that when things started to happen, he would be ready.

Philip waited at the edge of the trees. His four children started to ride toward the strangers alone. That is, they were alone before the thoroughbred of Kyle’s rode up beside Tess. This promised to be better than Dodge City. Tess looked at Kyle. “ Don’t get your self killed. I haven’t even decided if I like you yet,” she warned.

Kyle chuckled. “Woman! What you see is what you get. I can do one thing and I do it mighty well. Me and pa have been gun fighting for years. This is not really that much different.”

Isabel cautioned, “Watch their hands when they start to sparkle, that is when they are ready to send blasts our direction.”

They rode to within 25 yards of the strangers. Elexcis called out, “Clone of Zan, we are here to take you back to your master Kivar.”

Elexcis decided she would take out the weakest of the clones. That pitiful human with them was not worth worrying about. She fixed her eyes on the Ava clone. Teresa, she thought, was the name the clone went by. Elexcis raised her hands. They started to sparkle. So fast the sound was as one shot, Kyle drew and fired 5 shots into her forehead. Little red spots formed and she had to power down to heal them. Shooting women was not his style, but neither was the chance of loosing Tess. By this time Tess had a power blast of her own. Kyle drew his other revolver and again but slower he put five more red spots in the forehead of Elexcis. Tess’s power blast was wearing away at the body of the alien leader. The other soldiers were transfixed at the plight of their leader, but now they formed up.

Then with a rebel yell, the army of Philip Evans charged. They came from two sides so the children would not be in their line of fire. Old Tom was close enough to jump the long-haired soldier. Again, the Antarians had no idea of hand to hand fighting. Yes, they knew the sword, but using bare hands was foreign to them. The wild Apache on his back pulling his hair back and cutting his skin was totally not understood. Old Tom freed the scalp and jumped off to the side. The antarian had never felt so much pain. He turned to Old Tom, but by this time, the Texans and the Mexicans were close enough that they were firing into the strangers. The repeated bullets, that they couldn’t recover from, were bringing the soldiers down.

Elexcis was trying to recover from the continued blast of Tess and now, Isabel. Just when she thought she would make it, Kyle had reloaded. He fired into her chest so fast that she just expired. As she was falling, the surprise registered, “Who would have thought that Kivar’s best could be taken out by a bunch of primitives?” Then, she died and blew away.

Chavez rode up. He was reloading his revolver. “This is the way to fight a war, Señor Philip. No messy bodies to clean up.”

Philip and his army prepared to return home. Too no one’s surprise, Max was going to stay and help Jeff for a few days. Isabel and Miguel couldn’t wait to get to Roswell to see if Maria and Alex were all right. Tess had all she wanted right with her. She just wanted to get home and put on some really pretty clothes to show him.

Back in Roswell, the town was cleaning up after their run in with the small army of Elexcis. Hanson was incapacitated so the town council voted to give the badge back to Jim Valenti, at least for a time. Amy was wringing her hands. Maria had run off with that damned lawyer. Amy could hope they had eloped, but her better sense told her that they had run off to the Evans’ Ranch. Jim had mentioned that Mr. Whitman had it bad for that Isabel girl. Amy remembered the looks he was giving Isabel when Amy had visited the Rocking E ranch.

Just what had those two thought when they took off? It was late that night when Maria and Alex had driven up on the borrowed buggy. The surprise was that Maria was driving. Alex was sitting beside her leaning against her arm.

Alex got down, his arm still hurting from the effect of the blast. He was thinking he should have had Max look at it closely. The noise of the wagon awakened Old Sam, asleep in the loft. Alex called out, “Sam, I will settle up with you tomorrow.”

Sam climbed down from the loft and took the reins from Maria. He led the wagon to the back and disconnected the horses. Once freed from their harness, they proceeded to roll in the dust and finally, to go to their stalls to see if there was any oats left.

Alex walked Maria to the door of the saloon. Maybe, that was not the way of it. The way he felt, it seemed that Maria was steadying him as they proceeded down the walk. The saloon had several local men all talking in very subdued tones. José was standing behind the bar with a frown on his face. These men were all just nursing their drinks. He, definitely, wasn’t going to make much money this way.

Alex released Maria’s arm and made his way down the street to the office-apartment over the feed store. It was with great difficulty that he climbed the star. Once inside, Alex knew that he had several things he needed to do. Right now, all he could think of was a night’s sleep. One quick glass of brandy that he had brought with him from El Paso and Alex was dead to the world.

Maria knew that her mother didn’t want her in the saloon, especially at night. It was just too hard to walk all around the building to the rear door. Catching up her skirts, she hurried across the room to the storeroom and then, to the living quarters in the rear. Amy saw her daughter scurrying across the room and she followed Maria into the back.

When Maria saw her mother, she threw her arms around her. Maria was crying. When Amy felt Maria crying, every bad thing possible ran through her head. “Oh baby, what happened to you?” Amy asked.

“Mom, those people were just so horrible. All they wanted to do was kill Miguel and his family,” Maria sobbed.

“What happened to the people at the Evans ranch?” Amy asked. What she wanted to say was, what happened to you, Maria at that ranch. Amy just couldn’t form the words and Amy was scared that she wouldn’t be able to stand the answer if it was one of her greatest fears.

“Mom, Alex shot one of the strangers, but it blew him out of the wagon. I was in a runaway wagon when Miguel jumped in front and grabbed the horses. Shooting did not mean those people died. It took several shots and something else that Miguel and the other’s have, to finally, stop them. Max’s girl is the little Shepard girl from the mountains. She and Diane killed one which got into the house. They had to shoot it several times. Finally, the vaqueros and Texans at the ranch killed the other. I don’t know how, but finally, the ranch was quiet.” Maria was informing between sobs. “There was something about a scalp and I do not know what else.”

Amy was holding her daughter, “Maria that is why I want you to go back east. Marry a storekeeper or some one. I just do not want you be face these wild people.”

“Oh Mom, I do not want to marry a storekeeper. I would never feel safe with one of those. These wild people are strong and loyal. If Miguel was to ask me, I would go with him in a minute. I would always know that he could take care of me. He would also teach me, like his mother and sisters, to take care of my self. I would always feel safe with them.” Maria was thinking of Isabel and Tess. She was also thinking of Diane and Lizzy. They didn’t faint in an emergency, they all rallied to fight for the safety of their families.

It was noon when Alex finally woke up. He had a bitter taste in his mouth and after dressing and attending to the outhouse outback he walked to the saloon. It was very unusual for him to be this late rising. Jim was right on his schedule. Jim was eating a plate of eggs that the lady working for Amy had fixed. He signaled and the lady brought a plate for Alex. They both had large mugs of very hot coffee with their meal.

“Philip wanted me to find out how the town fared,” Alex began.

Jim nodded, “Most of the town, even Hanson, came together. We gave those long-john clad strangers a real western welcome. Trouble is, when we finally killed them, they just turned to dust and blew away. There isn’t any time to set up the bodies and take pictures like we used to. All we have is our memories. Don’t scarcely know if folks will ever believe us or not.”

Jim took a large bite of eggs, followed by a long drink of coffee. “How’d it go back at the ranch?” he asked.

Alex was thoughtful. How he would like to write Teddy and tell him of how it felt to be in a real western gunfight. Come to think of it, the strangers were more deadly than just typical western bad guys and they didn’t even have guns. Well, he had to answer Jim’s question. “It is hard to think that four strangers, even if they did wear only long johns, could cause so much trouble. There was a lot of damage, but no one was hurt. Well me,I tried to shoot that Greener shotgun while standing up in a buggy. Next time, I am just going to give it to the strangers, let them feel the kick of that monster.”

Jim had to laugh. He felt that, maybe, Alex was going to last out here. He had spunk and that was what was mostly needed here. “Where’s Philip now?” Jim asked.

“He and several hands all took off to the mountains, seemed the sheepherder’s daughter was worried about her family. Kyle went with them and the damnest thing. They took Isabel and Tess with them. Seems it would be safer to have left the women at home,” Alex answered.

Jim nodded, “Guess that explains why Kyle rode along. He has a real thing for that lady. Never thought a woman would put a halter on that boy. He was talking about her; seems she can work like a hand and then fix her self up to be a real lady. As far as taking them two girls, they ain’t from around here. They are probably more dangerous than any gun fighter. They’s the same type as the long-johns fellers, only a lot nicer and softer. I assume Philip wants not only to see to the safety of the shepards, but to also stop those strangers for good. If they get off, they just might return with more of them good for nothing critters. If we got a passel of them folks, we might have a problem.”

Alex was stunned for several minutes. To say that his Isabel was more dangerous than any gun fighter, was a mouthful. If she could take care of herself that well would, she ever want a man who could only be really strong and sure of himself was when he was in court? Did a lawyer have anything to give to such a woman?

As if reading his mind, Jim said, “Don’t give it a worry, young fellow. You have a real future here. You just have the added knowledge that if you was to get hitched to one of them ladies, no one would ever be able to creep into the hen house and steal any of the family linens.”

Alex had to study that one for a bit. It seemed that Jim was mixing his metaphors. Oh well, it meant something to Jim and Alex, if he was to continue to live here, would have to learn to understand that.

Back at the Evans ranch, Philip decided to let those who wanted to have a couple days off, to go to town and blow off some steam. That wasn’t any help to Jim, but Jim was a tolerable cuss so he would probably understand. So far, no one had thought of the Pierce place. Sometime, someone would have to go over there and see what had happened to the old bastard and his kid. Trouble was, they needed to know, but no one really cared about the welfare of the family.

Before he could leave, Isabel waylaid one of the Texans. “ Before you start drinking please see that Maria, the daughter of the saloon keeper and Mr. Whitman that pretty dude lawyer get these letters.”

The letters had the invitation for Alex and Maria to come out to the ranch for a few days. Maria was no problem unless they ran afoul of that mother of her’s. Now, the ranch hand didn’t know about being pretty, but that dude lawyer had been spending enough time cadging dinners at the “Rocky E” that the hand knew who Isabel meant. It was strange that Philip had been running the ranch for years without any legal problems, he could always just turn those two sons of his loose if something came up. Now, suddenly he had a lawyer there almost every week. There had to be some other attraction for that dude.

Maria told her mother about the invitation. Amy was worried. Maria would be unsupervised and that worried her.

“Amy, Maria was essentially unsupervised at the school back east. The Evanses are good people and Miguel liking your daughter could be a very good thing,” Jim told her.

Amy just shook her head. “I, so much, wanted her to meet someone of quality back east. These people are just so savage.”

“Amy, I don’t think many men back east would take care of Maria as well as Miguel. Come to think of it, there ain’t many men who would take care of her like Miguel out here either. You just have to drop your blinders and see that them Evans people is quality folks.” Jim had learned to like and respect Philip and his extended family. For a man to have the loyalty like he received from the vaqueros, he had to be an honest and good man.

Max was at the sheep camp. There was not really much to do this time of the year. Lizzy would sit out and watch for coyotes and to make sure the sheep were stationed on good graze. The dogs could hold the sheep and keep them from wandering, but the couldn’t make judgment as to where they should be held. Max scouted the area looking for large predator sign, cat or bear. There had been none.

Jeff had been seriously burned by the power blast. The strange fellows had not been able to get close to him because of Nancy and his Greener shotgun. Old W.W. Greener sure made a fine weapon, even if did have a sound kick to it. To Nancy, the kick was almost un-noticed. She was defending her man. She would do anything to keep Jeff and Lizzy safe.

With Max’s help they both were getting better. He and Max were talking one night. “Well Max, I guess this will be the last year you cattle men have to put up with us. Lord Parker has already told us he intends to sell the sheep ad return to England. We have the choice of following him to Europe or to stay here and find something we can do,” Jeff said.

Max looked up. He was troubled about this information. “How are you leaning at this time? Go back to Europe or stay.”

Jeff looked across the meadow. “For me, I would probably stay. This is new country and a man can grow in that type of land. Now, Nancy and Lizzy, they are a different story. Nancy will follow me to the ends of the earth, even to fight strangers dressed indecently in long johns with no flap in the back. There is just no company for her. A woman needs her own kind too talk to from time to time. She needs to talk to other women about things that concerns them and we men just do not see. That is why it was so important for us to visit you last summer. Nancy probably felt happier those few days than she had anytime since we arrived in this country. Lizzy is another matter. She is almost a woman grown. It isn’t right for a girl not to be looking for a man. She needs a strong caballero. She is a right spunky girl, but she also needs a man to be with.” Jeff looked right at Max. “Max, you have been right respectful of my family. It might be now the time, if that is your intention, to make your feelings known to Lizzy and also her mother and Me.”

Max looked up. He realized that things didn’t always proceed at a slow comfortable pace. The thought of Lizzy going back to Europe bothered him. It even bothered him more to think of her with a man dressed in the Spanish Charo jacket, maybe dancing and laughing. Max was still young. It wasn’t age, but opportunity. If he didn’t take advantage of the here and now, he would have no one, but himself, to blame.

That night after supper, Max whispered to Lizzy. As soon as the things were packed away, Max and Lizzy took a walk in the moon light. Jeff was sitting when he felt Nancy’s hand on his shoulder. “What did you say to the young man?” she asked.

Jeff shrugged, “I told him that this might be our last summer in a sheep camp. I reminded him that we appreciated his respect for our family, but now might be a good time to make plans for the future.”

Nancy, now, was standing right behind Jeff. She had her arms around him. She leaned forward and was nuzzling his neck. “Just like we have to make plans for our future,Yes?”

Jeff looked up at her. “Nancy, we both have family back in the mountains of Spain. A man and woman should die among family, not strangers.”

Nancy still pressing her face against his neck replied, “Sometimes, a new family can be even better. There is always the chance for grand children. They would be even better than the old ones we knew back in the mountains.”

Max was walking with Lizzy. They had gone on many walks since he had stayed at the sheep camp. To Lizzy, she remembered the Spanish of the girls at the Rocking E. They had all refered to her as Max’s girl friend. Tonight, Max seemed much more preoccupied. Lizzy and Max walked to the edge of the clearing. The moon made everything silver. Lizzy shivered as she heard a coyote in the distance call. The coyote was telling everyone on the mountain that he was happy. Of course, he would be happier if those damned dogs would go away and let him at those delicious sheep. The coyote had already experienced the call of the dogs which brought those men out. The girl was the most dangerous. She was always on guard when she heard the dogs bark.

Lizzy felt her self drawn closer to Max. He put his arm around her. This wasn’t the first time that he had held her close when they had been walking. “Lizzy, your father said you were going to go back to Europe.”

That made Lizzy shiver, even more than the drawn out cry of the coyote. “Yes, the sheep camp is going to be closed so I guess we will be planning to go back pretty soon,” she replied.

Max swung her around to face him “Lizzy, it would be a lot for me to ask you to stay, as my wife. It would mean that you might not see your parents again for a long while. You would be faced with, maybe, never hearing your own language again. You would be the wife of a rancher and have to put up with the cowboys and their feeling about sheep. A very big family, not the family you grew up with, but rather a new family who would all love you and accept you. You would be my wife and we would share the good years and suffer the bad ones together.

Lizzy’s hands on his chest, now traveled up to his neck. Max lowered his head so she could clasp her arms around him. He straightened up holding her in his arms. Max could feel her feet as they left the ground. Max was kissing her fiercely, as they stood in the moonlight.

Max lowered her feet to the ground. She broke her hold around his neck and hand-in-hand, they walked back to the wagon. Nancy and Jeff were sitting leaning against the wagon. Max thought they looked wise as they gazed upon the couple.

“Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker, Jeff, Nancy, I would like to ask for the hand of your daughter in marriage.” Max was so nervous standing there with out any defense.

Max looked from one of them to the other. it seemed like an eternity when they finally looked at each other then Nancy squeezed Jeff’s hand she mumbled something in their own language and then Jeff smiled. “Max, I can’t think of anyone else I would entrust with my little girl. When we get down from the mountain, if it is all right with your parents, I think then we should have the wedding.”

Nancy held out her hand and took the hand of Lizzy. She led her back into the wagon. Jeff was now facing Max. “I think it is time for you to return to the flat lands. You and Lizzy have dreams, let’s not spoil the event by going any further until you face each other as husband and wife. Go, Max, prepare your folks. They need to be ready to accept a new daughter.”

Max returned to the Rocking E. He left the horse with Jeff, that Lizzy had ridden up into the mountains. The gelding was not a replacement for the little pony, if Jeff or someone, had to travel back in the mountains, but the pony would be strong back at the ranch, when they returned.

cjsl8ne
mary mary
keepsmiling7
begonia9508
Timelord31

Author's note: one of the more bizarre traditions of the west was after a big gun fight all the bodies of the bad guys were lined up against the boardwalk and pictures were taken to celebrate the deed. Remember the first ship was buried by Jeff with his flask of black powder. It is not mentioned, but i would imagine, Philip or his ranch hands would come back with dynamite and bury the second one.

Chapter 20

Max went first to Philip. “Dad, I asked Lizzy to marry me. We have decided on a wedding as soon as the sheep come off the mountain. Her folks haven’t yet decided if they are going to stay here or go back to Europe. Lord Parker is going to sell out his sheep. This was just a lark for him, anyway.

Diane came in to hear what they were talking about. “Max, she is a very strong woman. Don’t let her size fool you. She stood right with us and worked the lever of the little Winchester as the alien just withered. She made that terrible ride from the mountain just to tell us that the aliens had returned. Max, you want to also remember that she is giving up a lot to be with you. She probably, will never see her parents again. That is a lot to ask.”

Philip was leaning back, his finger tips pressed together, “So, Lord Parker is going to sell out. That is mighty interesting.” Philip said no more and Max was too excited to really listen to him closely.

Maria and Alex left Roswell with the scowls of Amy. No matter what, Amy felt that in someway, she was being betrayed. If Maria had gotten into trouble back east, she would have been married to a man of promise. Maria tried and tried to tell her mom that the only boys who wanted to go with her were those who were sure she would open up to them and they never had any intention of marrying her.

Ever since the day at the ranch where Alex proved he could fight for his love, he had been trying to picture the girls he knew back east in school. For the life of him, all he could picture were girls who swooned at the slightest thing. Alex didn’t for a minute think that they were really that delicate. Alex remembered Grandma Whitman. The stories told about her were that she was in a cabin defending her home from the marauding savages. Alex just couldn’t believe the fair sex had fallen that far in so short a time. Once he saw Sarah VanWatten, a girl who seemed so helpless. No one was around and Sarah had cut her hand on a fence. She had bound the cut with a piece of cloth torn from her petticoat. Alex had seen Sarah completely pass out over the sight of blood when she had an audience.

The difference was not in what they could do, but in their attitude. He might have saved Isabel’s life when he let loose with the double barrel shotgun, but Isabel would stand beside him and continue the fight as his equal. Alex was sure that their invitation to the ranch was an indication than both he and Maria had achieved some sort of acceptance. When Alex and Maria arrived, they found Kyle already there. The ranch was a buzz about the upcoming wedding of Max and Lizzy. The beautiful nights on the ranch led both Maria and Alex to dream about how they could fit into the scheme of things.

Alex was already accepted as the lawyer of the Rocking E. Maria had talked to Diane about her school. Diane had been teaching the best she could since the sky children had become part of the family. The families at the ranch had grown and Diane, as she aged, found her self becoming tired. Maria had attended what was called the equivalent of “Normal School,” back east. Normal school, or the equivalent, was the requirement to be a schoolteacher. The more she thought about it, this was what Maria wanted to do, teach. Out here, teachers were respected. Maria would be judged not on what her mother did, but on her own successes. The Rocking E and nearby ranches needed someone who could run a school. To Maria, that sounded like a true calling. The open mindedness of those of the Rocking E did not feel that being married would be a deterrent to being a teacher. If she and Miguel did form a relationship Maria had found what she could contribute to the family and the community.

After several days at the ranch, Maria and Alex returned. Maria was tired but happy. Leaning against Alex to keep from falling out of the wagon, Maria was seeing her self, finally, with at future. For Alex and Maria, it was only a matter of setting the date.

Kyle had been at the ranch the longest. Kyle would work beside Tess, but he wasn’t cut out to be a rancher. His feeling for Tess had deepened. Kyle still was careful how he treated her. Kyle might be a famous gunman, but if he trifled with the little Tess Kyle was sure someone in this family would end his life without any thought. Privately, Kyle thought that he hadn’t yet met any man that he couldn’t out draw. He knew that he wasn’t any match for the magic that the sky children could use. He also doubted he could out draw either Max or Michael if they were avenging their sister. He also saw, in his mind, visions of Pauley with the skin just below his eye laid open. Kyle had no intention of trifling with any of the Evans children. Kyle was becoming very much in love with one of these children. If he could find an honest job, he would ask her father for her hand in marriage.

Philip wasn’t rude enough to complain about Kyle free loading at the ranch. Kyle had been great help, both at protecting the house and when they rode back into the mountains. Philip’s gratitude would probably feed Kyle for some time. Philip knew that Tess wanted a man who wasn’t a professional gun fighter. “Papa, I don’t care about his ethics or morals. Killing people for hire bothers me. I just know that someday he would be returned across a saddle and that is not the life I want,” Tess told her father.

Philip looked at his daughter, “What about what his father does?”

“That is not the same thing papa. He is the sheriff and a respected member of the community.” Tess explained.

Philip just nodded and Tess left. Philip had been working for several years with a group of men desiring statehood. New Mexico had some of the most corrupt officials in the country. With statehood, there would be more restrictions on elections, especially during presidential elections. That would put a real crimp in the style of the “Santa Fe Ring,” as the corrupt group was called.

Senator W.H. Greer was a wealthy cattle man in Bernalillo county. Albuquerque was the county seat and was rivaling Santa Fe for importance. Greer wanted statehood and his first step was for a police force. Texas and Arizona had their rangers. The Texas Rangers were famous, but the Arizona Rangers were known for even more heroic deeds. Greer didn’t want to copy either Texas or Arizona. Texas was still an anathema for New Mexicans. Many New Mexicans had left Texas just ahead of legal problems; some of them were even trailed by cowboys holding a rope. Arizona was still considered part of New Mexico. Those in the know believed that statehood would not come until the two were separated. Greer was a fan of Canada. He wanted something like the Royal Mounted Police. They settled on New Mexico Mounted Police.

Philip would pull out all the stops to do something for his kids. The sky children had been a blessing for both him and Diane. His letter read:

Sir:
I am well ready to give you my backing on the New Mexico Mounted Police, on condition that you give my about to be, son-in-law a chance at a position.
Philip Evans of the Rocking “E”

Philip was in favor of the police force as the first step to statehood. He just wasn’t going to pass up any chance to help Tess along.

Kyle knocked on the door of Philip’s study. He had been expecting to get notice that he had overstayed his welcome. When he entered, Philip handed him a fresh cigar. This was a real step up from the hand rolled cigarettes that Kyle had smoked all his life. When Old Man Pierce offered one, Kyle felt insulted. Pierce was showing that he was so much better off than Kyle, who after all, was just a gun for hire. He didn’t feel that way about Philip.

“You been sparking my daughter for sometime, young man. Do you have any honorable intentions or do I get her brothers to bring in the shotguns?” Philip started.

That wasn’t exactly how Kyle had expected the conversation to go. “Sir, I have very honorable intentions. I have always just been a hired gun and Tess won’t stand for that. I have to find something that would allow me to support your daughter,” Kyle stated.

Philip leaned back and blew a smoke ring. “Young feller, have you ever considered law enforcement? He asked.

“Yes, but I ain’t running against my dad, if that is what you are thinking,” Kyle said.

“No, sir, I respect your father, but I think every generation should aim at higher stakes,” Philip said. “Have you ever considered something higher?”

I don’t want the politics that being US Marshal would entail,” Kyle replied.

“Young man, you know all about the Texas rangers and the Arizona rangers don’t you?” Philip asked.

“Yes, sir. I don’t want to go to them states,” Kyle answered.

“Kyle, I am working with a group who are going after the Santa Fe gang directly. We are organizing the New Mexico Mounted Police. I took the liberty of placing your name on the list for employment, if you want it. I made my backing contingent on accepting you. This isn’t a gift. They will question you about your past. If it is as clean as you papa says it is, then, your skill as a gunman will be welcome in that organization.” Philip knew that some young men took great offence at someone offering un-asked for help. He hoped that the desire for Tess and the chance he was offering, would be enough for Kyle. Philip couldn’t hold back a smile as he explained the new organization. Kyle was being offered the chance to be part of history.

Kyle quickly excused himself. Now, he had to find out where Tess was working today. He had an important question to ask her.

Epilog

Max and Lizzy picked out a site for their house as did Michael and Maria. Just a little ways from Michael’s house, they built a schoolhouse. Word was already spreading that a new school was opening up. Maria had to travel to Silver City to take the test to certify her as a teacher. She thought that was very good. So did Amy. The daughter of a saloon keeper had married the son of a prominent rancher and now, was going to open a school for the many ranch children moving into the area.

Isabel had another problem. Alex would spend much of his time in Roswell. He had an office there. Isabel just didn’t want her children running around like wild mustangs as she saw those in town. Philip had a suggestion. They should maintain a home in Roswell, but Philip suggested that they add an addition onto the main ranch house. “Izzy, that man of yours will probably be running for state legislature as soon as we get statehood. When you have children, remember, you must always owe them a lot, but you also owe your man to follow him as he travels up to Santa Fe. Maw and I can look after the children and keep them in school with Maria. You can always establish a home later when you see what Alex does. Give the kids lots of experiences, but also, give them a solid base to believe in.

Isabel was thinking. Who knows Alex might even end up in Washington. They would always return to the ranch. They also might greatly enlarge the world that they saw.

Kyle started out in Socorro. That city was almost in the middle of the state. Later, they transferred him south. He was in Las Cruces for a while and then, back to the Roswell area. Much like the Texas rangers when he was called to a problem he said, “One problem, one mounted policeman.”

Later in 1913, they would arrest a group of gamblers. They turned out to be state legislators. Several of them were of the old Santa Fe Ring. The Mounted Police received a budget of one dollar from the next legislature. That was all right as Philip and many of the others who believed in the police raised enough to keep them going until the following year when legislation was made to return their budget.

I almost forgot. Philip Evans, cattleman, bought out Lord Parker, lock stock and sheppard. Jeff and Nancy Parker their old names known only to their memories, now worked for themselves. They were part of he Rocking “E”. They didn’t have trouble with cattlemen any more. No one wanted to mess with the likes of Max Evans, their son-in-law. Then, if you tried to use the law, you would have to talk to now, New Mexico State Police Sgt. Kyle Valenti. There was also senator Alex Whitman and if you got to insulting his wife, Isabel might just take your eye out. She never did put down that whip. When Jeff and Nancy got too old to work the mountains anymore, they had several Mexican boys who they had trained to take over. They ended their days in a small house near their grandkids. Nancy said that they would make a new family in the new land. They had.

Occasionally when some of the old timers got a little drunk at the Crashdown, Amy had sold it long ago, they would tell of, “Those most ridiculous characters you ever seed. They came in here dressed in long johns with no flap in back to… you know to go when they needed to. They were the most constipated fellers we ever seed. Yes, they started out on us, but they ran into a hail of bullets. Even the preacher got off a shot or two. It is said that they were from a way far off. I guess we showed them a thing or two. They surely ain’t been back!”
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Aliens and Witches