Pillars of the Portico

In Ancient Greek there are four names for love.  Each of these is different, yet united by that same bond.  In Platonic theology, it is these loves that bind and hold all things together.  Just like gravity holds the physical world of the cosmos in harmony, so do these loves hold and harmoniously bind the invisible universe beyond the material.

The four types of love are Agape, Philia, Storge, and Eros.  These four loves can be equated with the four worlds, the four elements and the four letters of the Tetragrammaton.

Agape (“love”) is the higher love, the pure love of Deity and His love for the creation.  It is the sustaining archetype from which all the others are wrought in their different shades.  It is like the first Yod in the Ineffable Name, the Fire of spirit.  It is love in the world of Atziluth.  In the material world it is evinced by the virtuous love between spouses and the devotion to Deity.  It has a remarkable property: the more it is given, the more it grows.  Agape is the first and sustaining law of the Invisible.

Philia (“friendship”) is the love of brotherhood, of friends and family.  It is a bond like Agape, but without the devotional connotation.  It can be unconditional, but is more easily broken than that of Agape.  It is love in the world of Beriah, the first Heh in the Ineffable name, equivalent to Air in the spiritual, the intellectual archetype, and is manifest in the material plane by the love of friendship, brotherhood, and the obligated bonds of knighthood.

Storge (“affection”) is best expressed as the parental love for one’s offspring.  Often unconditional it is different than Agape – Agape is a love between equals, or from a lower to a higher.  Storge is irrational, and stems downward.  It is love in the world of Yetzirah, consonant with the Vav in the Ineffable Name, the Yod extending into the Earth, the elemental Water, from whence creation was wrought.  It is like a reflection of Agape; and the image of Agape is birthed in the waters.

Eros (“erotic love”) is love sexually expressed.  When united with Agape, Eros is the material expression of uniting opposites and the propagation of creation.  Without Agape it devolves to lust; rather than growing more abundant as it is given away, the more it is given the more it must take.  Thus, it can be considered the inversion of Agape or Agape’s perfect expression depending on when and how it is evinced.  Eros is the final Heh in the Ineffable Name, the elemental Earth, the manifestation of form brought through the other loves, to bind the universe in its material expression.  And, in the microcosm, it is the bringing together of physical forms to create anew.

All these loves are contained in the first, just as all the elements contain the first Fire.  Agape can exist by itself.  Yet, without Agape, Philia, Storge, and Eros cannot possibly exist.

“We’re perpetuating a building, in which every stone is a living man, every arch the grasping of hands.  Together, we uphold the whole.” 

There are many powerful forces behind Masonry that have helped sustain it through the ages, but perhaps none is more powerful than that of its brotherhood.  Aside from our many activities, Masons make Masons.  It’s one of the most vital parts of being a Mason, the part that extends the Brotherhood and maintains it. 

 In making Masons, the Brothers assemble to put on the necessary rituals.  There is bonding that occurs when brothers unite for a specific purpose.  Not only do they learn the rituals inside and out (which is of itself beneficial), the necessary practices and memorization help bind them together, and come to know each other, in surprising ways. The experience is something like constructing an edifice, or, sometimes, fighting a war.  Anyone who has taken part in a ritual will tell you there is something much like stage fright preceding every enactment, which makes the whole thing a little nerve-wracking.  When it’s over, one feels a part of something, something that required energy, diligence, self-control, discipline and coordination among many different people.  This coeval experience is a powerful agent for strengthening bonds between men.  It’s a kind of shared history, with significance common to a group: shared memories, joys and hardship. Shared experience in the common pursuit of a goal. 

 And, let us not forget, the ritual has a powerful impact on the candidate for whom the whole thing is rendered.  He really comes to know his new brothers through their hard work and preparations to receive him.  You can learn a lot about a man by watching him play other people.  The choices we make define us, and our actions bespeak them. 

 I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit over the last year or so:  It’s amazing the bonds that develop between men who otherwise would likely never meet.  Men of different faiths, backgrounds, tax brackets, perspectives; men as different and individual as any in the world; all united by a common cause, a common act, a common purpose.  A common understanding.

 Of course, it takes time and commitment to prepare and host any degree.  It takes planning and coordination.  It takes practice and learning.  It takes discipline and dedication.  Memorization is not easy. And, left to one’s own devices, one must learn to make time for it, turn off the many distractions that surround us in the modern world, and perfunctorily perform a rote task.  It can be boring.  Even discouraging.  But, once performed, it really is its own reward.

 One must also travel to a common place where the Brothers can practice.  Good degree work takes practice, and practice together.  This takes scheduling and preparation, as well as communication among the Brethren.  I personally commute quite a ways to my Lodge, Chapter, Council, Commandary, and over 100 miles (one way) to the Consistory.  My shortest commute is 17 miles (one way).  It may seem banal to travel all this way, and take the necessary time out of already full days, to practice making Masons, but in my opinion it’s a prudent use of time.  One is working, for sure, and yet it is pleasant work.  It is productive, in that one meets with others and exchanges ideas (imagination is stimulated), there is memorization and history, stage directions, discussion.  Philosophy and metaphor, symbol and allegory.  Not a time goes by when I don’t catch something new which resonates somewhere within.  And it’s for a good cause – to provide the ceremony by which another man will remember his Masonic career, stimulate in him the pursuit of wisdom and an understanding of Divine law.  Knowledge, like love, only grows when it is given away.  This remarkable property only increases knowledge and filial love between the brethren as they make time for ritual and making Masons.

 There is something still more profound, which affects us all in other ways entirely.  This last is a little hard to describe, but in my own experience I know Masonry has helped me aspire to be better – better than myself.  There are many fine words spoken in ritual and these words, when uttered, must stimulate the subconscious somewhere.  The lessons do seep in, and, whether we know it or not, begin to work their subtle magic in our minds’ eye.  These memories – or perhaps lessons – stir beneath the surface, and arise at crucial times – as if under their own volition – to remind the Mason of the importance and necessity of being upright, true, sincere, dependable, honest, good and faithful in the performance of his duties to God, to his country (or land), to his family, to his fellow man and Mason.

 As for the labor involved in hosting the degrees and making Masons, I can only quote the author of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie:  “There is no such thing as work, so long as you’d rather be nowhere else.”

 In the midst of degree-work, one may find oneself in the prop room, in the dressing room, urgently looking for a Brother to fill a sudden vacancy, even transported back in history to a time and place otherwise unknown and, for most, forgotten.  But one thing’s for sure, no matter where your Masonic work takes you, right in the thick of it very rarely do you want to be somewhere else.

 Coming together to make a Mason, of whatever degree, is always a worthwhile endeavor. Worthwhile for the Fraternity, for each individual, and for the candidate.  It should be considered one of the highest honors and duties of the Fraternity.

In the void there is

no up

no down

no kingdom

no servant

no monarch, or crown

no space

no quality

no form, no sound

only becomming

becomming from the void

a willingness

an awareness

a likeness

of oneness

similarity from nothingness

even nothing becomes type

where universality

is rendered

to funnel creation

toward its sustaining thought

the first Yod

like lightning

throws shadows across the cavity

for light is birthed with shadows

even while it fills the whole

there the tip of the Tagin

informs the adornment

such that the glory

of the formless

has form

behold!

it sees

itself extending down

each perception like a garment

or witness

in the act of creation

creation spills forth

Shamayim

through the chain

of buckets

so begins to turn

the wheel

this axis of the ages

this coming of rain

infinitely fills

eternity

everywhere

the coming of movement

moves below

a multitude

comes forward

from the thought

to repeat, and return

the endless affirmation

in each nestled chamber

a light is born

in minute reflection

of that becomming

which utterence turned the world

and rendered a beginning

even before creation

creation sustained itself -

the birth of the small

light joins with the first

the possibility of that awareness

that likeness

of oneness

willing

upon whicn

depends the whole.

Man reaches up to God

and creates Him.

While much mention is made of Albert Pike, one of the greatest contributors in the history of the Scottish Rite, still many of us know little about him.  We have all heard his name, seen his pictures, read his quotes.  But precious few have actually read his books — or even know much about him.  This short biography, then, we hope might inspire some research into the life and character of this remarkable man.

Albert Pike was born December 29, 1809, in Boston, MA.  He was born into a poor family, his father was a shoemaker and farmer whose weekly wages were typically less than $4.50.  The family was respectable, moral, hardworking, but without the luxury of disposable income.  It took several months of weekly payments, for example, for the family to purchase their Bible.

Pike numbers among his ancestors some interesting and boisterous folk.  John Pike (1613 –1689) founded Woodbridge, NJ.  Nicholas Pike was a friend of George Washington, and penned the first widely-used math book published, in 1788, in the US.  Zebulon Montgomery Pike was something of an avid explorer; he traveled through the Rocky Mountains and elsewhere courting danger and adventure.

Obviously, Albert Pike had a gifted mind.  Among other subjects, he taught himself Latin, Greek and Sanskrit.  He was a voracious reader.  Many anecdotes persist of his remarkable ability to read through dense and voluminous works in a matter of days.  By teaching at his local school, in Essex County, MA, he raised enough money to cover one term at Harvard, where he was accepted in August, 1825.  Upon discovering that the college required payment for two terms in advance, while he had saved enough for just one, he changed his mind and abandoned the school.

In 1831 he set off west.  He traveled far, a great deal of it on foot.  He traveled to St. Louis, then to Independence, MS, and joined an expedition to Taos, NM.  He spent much time trapping, hunting, and walking in the wilderness.

In 1833 he settled in Arkansas, teaching again to pay his way.  He began contributing articles to the Arkansas Advocate, with some success – in a short time he was asked aboard as a writer, and in 1835, after his marriage to Mary Ann Hamilton (which dowry afforded some ready cash), he acquired the paper as its sole owner.  He then began studying law.

In 1837 he was admitted to the bar in Arkansas.  He sold the Advocate and began practicing law.  His authorship of the Arkansas Book of Forms is said to have garnered him an amount of prestige as an authority on jurisprudence.  He was recognized for his legal mind and, no doubt, as a philosopher of law.

He became the leader of the Whig party in AK, until the party dissolved in 1856, when he joined the Know-Nothing party.  The Know-Nothings were predominantly concerned with limiting immigration and curbing perceived Papist influence in North America.

In 1843 Pike became the Captain of the Little Rock Guards, an artillery unit.  This post made him an attractive appointment in1846 as a cavalry troop commander in the Mexican-American war.  His time serving in this conflict would feature strongly in his poetry.  It was during this time that his disagreements with his commanding officer, John Selden Roane, led to the famous duel in which neither party was wounded, despite the firing of two shots each and both men known marksmen.  After the duel, which was ultimately settled by each man’s seconds, Pike and Roane caroused together at Fort Smith.  Pike, it is said, calmly smoked a cigar throughout the confrontation.

In 1853 Pike returned to practicing law, now in New Orleans.  Here he wrote Maxims of the Roman Law and Some of the Ancient French Law as Expounded and Applied in Doctrine and Jurisprudence, which added more recognition and austerity to his name.

In 1857 he returned to Arkansas.  He represented various Indian tribes, gaining a settlement of $800,000 for the Creeks and surrounding tribes from the federal government.

In 1859 he was appointed Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, after a rapid rise through the degrees.  He had attained the 32º just 6 years previously, in 1853; he was made a member of the 33º in 1857, before his appointment as Grand Commander in 1859 – the same year he turned down an honorary Ph.D. from Harvard – and maintained that post until his death, in 1891.  He was a vital influence on, and contributor to, the revision of the Rite’s ritual.

At the outbreak of the civil war, he was appointed envoy to the native Americans.  He was efficacious in negotiating treaties, the most famous of which was with the Cherokee chief, John Ross, in 1861.

Pike joined the Confederate cause in the civil war, despite (apparently) supporting the ideal of a united country.  On Nov. 22, 1861 he was appointed Brigadier General and given a command in Indian Territory.  Here he trained Indian troops, and led them to victory at the Battle of Pea Ridge.

In 1871 he published the first edition of Morals and Dogma, his exposition on the symbolism surrounding the degrees of the Scottish Rite, demonstrating a far reaching grasp of esoteric philosophy.  His written works are voluminous, comprehensive and complex.  He drew influence from the old texts of India, Egypt, and the Levant, describing the ladder of mystical assent to the comprehension of the Deity, the coming of the worlds, and the necessity of being.

He is the only Confederate general with a statue in Washington DC (in Judiciary Square).  Among other national monuments to this great man, the Albert Pike Highway runs from Hot Springs, AK, to Colorado Springs.

Much more could be said – for his is a rich and intriguing history – but we leave it up to you.  May his life and times be, as he had hoped, an inspiration for you to become better than yourself, an ready example to work in service and duty to your fellowman, and a lasting encouragement to labor for a better world for future generations.  So mote it be!

By Bro. Ben Williams

 

It’s simple – but inexpressible

Chambered in the systole

Yet fills the heavens

And settles my soul

 

I see it in your eyes

When the moonlight breaks the clouds

An opalescent circle

Through the avenues of smoke

Rising, upward tides

And pulling inward notes

Of  long-forgotten silence

The silent music

Shining in the void

Even emptiness has a curtain

Where the eternal overflows.

 

And here we sit in silence

Whisper where it goes

The body is our instrument

To resonate the distance

And make the open closed.

 

It wakens in Spring blossoms

And fills the worlds with snows

Every moment lasts forever

With the passing of shadows.

 

Every darkness is revealed -

It is a good, clear vision

Nothing is left -

Nothing remains hidden

When I lift your veil

My hands play your cello

And sweet music is birthed in silence

In silence is the greatest possibility

For the utterance to be heard

And I hear it all so clearly

Underneath your words

Where truth is shaped in newness

And repeated a million ways

Here beneath the stardust

And the parting of the waves.

 

And so I swim your ocean

Where the moonlight shifts and breaks

I hold you in my hand

So my heart speaks

To rhyme with endless blessings

Silence between the beats

As wave on wave drowns me

Buoyantly

Adrift upon your surface

Pulled down underneath

Disintegrated by the sands

Pinched between the hemispheres

Where the two bulbs touch

Where all time meets

It’s the end of everything

Because eternity is endlessness

And the endless loves so much. 

 

CHAPTER 8
HIDEAWAY

Elliot rode next to the wagon as they headed for the Vigilante’s base. “So, we’ve got some time before we reach the hideaway. Maybe now you can tell us what’s between you and that feller. Seems like you knew each other.”
Terry came along the other side. “Yeah, Tyler. We’re a might curious. If it’s troubling you, let’s see if we can help.”
Tyler lowered his head. “I don’t want much to talk about it, but I’ll have to some time. That lowdown, dirt-crawling snake was Jonas Lamb. Back in Kansas he come through with his band of Jayhawkers from the South. Texas I think. My family’s spread lay on the edge of the Oklahoma panhandle. Dad and I tried to fight ‘em off, but they killed him and left me for dead. They were mostly right on my bein’ dead. It took months to recover.
“They killed my mom and my sister.” Tyler closed his eyes. “I don’t want to think about what else they might’ve done. They burned our crops and our house. Jonas Lamb was the leader. I came up here to track down that varmint. Tonight’s the first time I’ve seen hide or hair of ‘im.” Tyler looked at Terry. “I would’ve shot him cold-him layin’ there unconscious an all, Terry. I’d be ready to answer my maker for it too. Jonas wouldn’t have been ready. I guarantee it.”
Terry nodded. “Don’t you worry, son. We’ll get ‘im. Bringin’ these boys in is a step in the right direction. You don’t want to lower yourself to the level of a sidewinder like that.”
Tyler nodded. “I don’t. It ain’t always easy to fight my memories.” He looked at Terry. “Thanks for helpin’ me battle my devil.”
“You said you’d fight the devil hisself,” Elliot replied. “Sounds like this Mister Lamb’s your devil.”
“I reckon you’re right, Elliot,” Tyler replied. “Speak the devil’s name an’ you see his tail. Don’t call Jonas ‘Mister’ though, he don’t deserve the respect. I’ve had more than my fill of cowards like him, takin’ advantage of good folks.”
“That’s what we’re doin’ this for,” Terry reminded. “Those good folks deserve to be free. These roughs take away freedom. They don’t deserve the freedom they got if they take it away from others.” He sighed. “One day there’ll be law in this land. Today, we’re all these people got. We’re not the law, but we’ll do in a pinch.”
Tyler nodded. “Yep. These fellers are wolves, and wolves are natural cowards. That’s why they pick on the weakest. If wolves were tough they’d being takin’ on grizzly bears all by their lonesome. What do they do? They pack again a cow.” He shook his head. “Weak and cowardly. That’s what they are.”
Elliot closed his eyes. “Well, don’t worry ‘bout it too much. Good or bad, we all got justice comin’ to us. The good Lord set the wagon a rollin’ that way, an’ there ain’t no way to stop it.” He threw his thumb toward John sleeping in the back of the wagon. “Like your friend there. He done wrong, but it ain’t too late for him neither. Heck, it ain’t too late for the lot by mah reckonin’, but it sounds like he might have a better chance to turn around than the rest of ‘em do.”
Tyler looked back at John’s sleeping form. “I hope so, for his sake. Most ‘specially, I worry ‘bout his family. The boy’s a good ‘un, and that Rose is precious as diamonds.”
“You gotta stop talking like that, Tyler,” Terry whispered low, his words covered by the groaning of the wagon and the crunching dirt beneath its wheels. Those in the back couldn’t hear his words. “It ain’t good for your achin’ heart. She belongs to another man.”
“I know that,” Tyler said. “I just want to watch out for ‘em/ That’s all.”
A few miles west of Alder Gulch, Terry led them down a side road that went through a grove of aspen trees. The horses continued on with the wagon in tow. After many miles they arrived at a two-story house on a small hill set amongst another grove of aspens. Candles burned in the windows of the structure. Terry waved everyone to follow him up the hill. Behind the house rested a barn.
“Pull the wagon in there,” Terry instructed. Tyler pulled the wagon through the open doors. He got off his horse and followed the wagon in on foot.
“I didn’t know this place existed,” Tyler commented after pulling the wagon inside. “What is it?”
“It’s an old spread like yours,” Terry said. “The family that build it got waylayed by road agents and killed. Hardly anybody knew about this place, ‘cause the owner was pretty secretive in building it. All of the men that helped him were Masons, and we thought it would be a great place to operate the Vigilantes from. We put some barred windows in the basement so’s we could hold prisoners for a short time.”
Tyler nodded approvingly. “Seems like a good place to work out of.”
“It is. This ain’t the first time we’ve had prisoners. We don’t try ‘em here, though. If there’re proceedings, we do ‘em right in town.” He shrugged. “That’s if it’s possible.”
Elliot said, “Let’s not stand out here jawin’ the night away. Come on inside an’ meet the fellers an’ their wives.” He licked his lips. “I reckon there’s some fresh pies they baked today. They always got somethin’.”
Three men came out of the house and spoke to Terry. They began unloading the prisoners. Tyler helped John leave the buckboard and followed Rose and Luke into the house.
An older lady greeted Rose at the door. “Why, hello there honey. We’ll take good care of you. We’ll take better care of you if’n you tell me your name.”
Rose smiled. “My name’s Rose.” She put her arm on Luke’s shoulder. “This is my son, Luke. My husband came with. Tyler’s helping him out of the buckboard.”
The lady smiled. “Well, I’m Esther. You’re welcome here, Rose and Luke. Come with me and will get you comfortable.” She lead them into the living room and sat them down. “Can I get you some coffee or tea?”
“Coffee, please,” Rose said. “Some milk for Luke if you have some.”
“Of course!” Ruth said. “Maybe a piece of pie too?”
Luke nodded emphatically. “Yes please. I’d like that very much.”
Tyler came in with John on his shoulder. “Hey there.” He said as another woman walked up. She was in her twenties and attractive. “I’m Tyler, and this is John.”
“Hello,” the woman said. “I’m Phyllis. Pleased to meet you! You two look like you’ve had a time. Do you need to lie down?”
Tyler touched the bandage on his neck. “I’m fine for now, ma’am. John’s not feeling so well, so if he could find a bed…”
Phyllis nodded. “Sure! Follow me an’ we’ll get him a room to sleep.”
Tyler followed the woman to a bedroom and set John to bed while she lit a lamp on the dresser. John fell asleep right away while Phyllis worked on changing the dressings on his wound. “He’s got an infection, I think,” she whispered to Tyler. “He needs time to heal.”
“He ain’t had much of that lately,” Tyler said lowly. “Time to heal, I mean.”
Phyllis nodded. “I see that. This might sound improper, but I see he’s got a weddin’ ring. I see you ain’t got one.”
Tyler blushed. “No, I ain’t. You sure got an eye for detail.”
“I suppose. With so many men around these parts and so few women, a good man’s still hard to find.”
“Not for a good woman like yourself,” Tyler said.
Rose walked in the room and disrupted their conversation. “How’s John doin’?”
Tyler blushed even further. The heat of embarrassment showed on his face. “He’s asleep. We should go so he can rest up.”
Phyllis followed Rose and Tyler outside the room and shut the door. “I’ll check on him tomorrow.”
“No,” Rose said. “You’ve helped plenty. He’s my husband, an’ I’ll watch out for his health.”
Phyllis shrugged. “That’s alright by me. Let me know if you need anything else.”
Rose nodded. “I will.” She walked with Tyler down the hall. “Want to go look at the full moon, Tyler?”
Tyler nodded. “I’d like that. Let’s go.”
They stepped out into the night air and walked to the grove of trees. Rose turned. That Phyllis girl makes me jealous.”
“Why’s that?” Tyler asked. “She was real helpful.”
“I know, and I should appreciate it more. I come into the room to see John, and here’s an attractive woman with both men that I love.”
Tyler laughed. “She weren’t doin’ nothin’. Just getting John comfortable.”
Rose looked into Tyler’s eyes and kissed him on the lips. Tyler grabbed her around the waist. “Oh Tyler,” she whispered with hot breath. “I don’t know what to do.”
Tyler gently removed her arms from around his neck. He looked at the moon. “I do, even if I don’t want to. You’re John’s wife. I can’t get between that. Not anymore than I already have, at least.”
Rose moved toward Tyler again. “I know you love me.”
Tyler’s head drooped. “Can’t pretend you’re wrong, Rose. It’s because I love you I’m steppin’ back. Don’t you see that?”
She pursed her lips. “What we did weren’t wrong, Tyler. We both thought John were dead. He was gone for two years! Maybe we shoulda been married first, but that wouldn’t have made it a lick-bit easier when John came back.”
Tyler smiled sadly. “We didn’t do anything wrong. That’s true. As much as it pains me, the fix is easy. We gotta stay away from each other.”
Rose shook her head. “It ain’t nearly so easy. Not by a long shot. You see, I’m pregnant.”
Tyler’s eyes widened. “I…I’m happy for you two…”
She shook her head. “It’s your child, Tyler.”
Tyler leaned against a tree for support. “You sure about that? Might be John’s.”
She shook her head. “I’m sure. John an’ I ain’t had a chance for relations since he come back. Besides, I knew before that.”
“Whyn’t you tell me?” Tyler asked.
“I was gonna Tyler! What else would I do? I didn’t want people thinkin’ I was a woman of loose morals, an’ I don’t want my baby to be a bastard.”
She put a hand on his cheek. “When you said I should stay with John, I din’t know what to do. I thought him an’ me could make love an’ make him think it were his.” She looked deep into Tyler’s eyes. “I couldn’t do that, Tyler. Don’t you see? I’m too deep in love with you. I don’t think I could allow another man to touch me that way and live with myself.”
“But you love John!” Tyler protested, a tear in his eye.
“I do love John,” Rose agreed. “It ain’t the same. I love the John I once knew. He’s changed. Worse’n that, I’ve changed. I don’t want to see anything happen to him, but I can’t love him like a wife loves a husband. I only love you that way.”
Tyler pushed her against a tree and kissed her deeply. They fell to the ground, the needles poking through their clothes. The moonlight bathed the scene as they succumbed to their passions. They both knew it was wrong, but the moment would not allow them to pass it by. They became slaves to their desires.
Tyler awoke next to Rose, slipping his hand beneath her open blouse and touching her soft belly. He closed his eyes, knowing his child grew inside. Dawn invaded the grove, killing the magical night. Rose twisted beneath his hand and let out a sigh. She woke up with a start. “What have we done?”
Tyler removed his hand. “I’m so sorry, Rose. I couldn’t help myself.”
She shook her head. “I don’t regret last night. I regret we didn’t tell John. It’ll be worse to tell ‘im now.”
“I don’t see much choice,” Tyler said. He leaned against a tree. “I can’t abide a lie, and especially when I’m tellin’ it.”
Rose stood and brushed the needles off her skirt and blouse with her hands. “I won’t have you tellin’ John. It’ll hurt him worse than that bullet. There’s got to be another way.”
Tyler stood. “There is. Neither of us are strong enough to see it through.”
Rose looked at the ground and nodded. “I know I’m not, Tyler.” She looked into his eyes, tears in her own. “It’s selfish, but it would kill me if you were strong enough. Is it wrong to love somebody so much? We weren’t betrayin’ John. I was movin’ on. I love him, yes, but part hates him for comin’ back.”
“We’ll get through this, Rose. I promise. For now, you need to be strong for Luke and John. Can you do that?”
Rose’s eyes moved away as she nodded. “I’ll have to do that. The question is can you? Last night wasn’t a great showin’ of your fortitude.”
Tyler frowned. “Goodbye Rose. We’ll have plenty of explainin’ to do if John wakes up an’ you ain’t around. I’ve got a bit of explainin’ I need to do to myself.”
Tyler gave Rose a peck on the cheek and headed for the house, brushing off dirt and needles as he went. Terry and Elliot was sitting at the table eating breakfast. Terry looked up as Tyler entered. “Where you been, Tyler? The ladies got breakfast all ready to go.”
‘“I’ve been takin’ a walk an’ thinkin’,” Tyler replied. He rubbed his hands together and yawned. “Any coffee?”
Elliot nodded. “Go ask one of the ladies an’ they’ll get you some.”
Tyler did just that. He walked out of the kitchen with a cup of steaming coffee. He took a sip. “That tastes awful good. Just what I needed.”
“How’d you sleep?” Elliot asked.
Tyler yawned. “I had me a good sleep.”
“Next question,” Terry said, “where’d you sleep? The ladies said they never gave you a room.”
“I slept under the stars,” Tyler replied. “It was a gorgeous night.”
Terry started to talk, but Tyler held up his hand. “I’m not ready for conversation, fellers. Can we discuss this later?”
“No,” a voice said from behind. “I got a question or two myself, Tyler.”
Tyler turned to see John walk into the room, aiming his pistol at Tyler. “Put that away, John,” Tyler said. “There ain’t no call for bullets.”
Terry and Elliot moved away from the table, but John said, “You two fellers put your hands on the table an’ stay where you’re at. This is between me an’ Tyler.”
“If’n you’re aimin’ to kill Tyler,” Elliot said, “this is between you an’ the Vigilantes.”
Tyler waved Terry and Elliot to stand aside. “John’s right fellers. This is between me an’ him.” He turned to John. “Can we discuss this outside?”
John nodded. “I was just gonna propose that.” The two men walked outside.
“What did you an’ Rose do last night?” John demanded, his gun still leveled at Tyler.
Tyler turned to face John. “You sure you wanna hear this?”
John closed his eyes and nodded. “Tell me everything, an’ start at the beginning.”
Tyler sighed. “It’s like this, John. When Rose thought you were dead, she needed help around your place. I helped out where I could, an’ we grew close.” He dropped his head. “There ain’t much more to it. We didn’t do it thinkin’ you were still alive.”
John waved his gun. “What about last night then? You didn’t think I was dead then.”
“No, we didn’t,” Tyler admitted. “Me an’ Rose were just talkin’. It became more. Her feelings run deep, John.”
“What about your feelings?”
“Those are just as deep. I told Rose she should give up on me an’ rebuild your marriage.” Tyler crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head. “If you want to shoot me John, I’m ready. It might be the best thing. Don’t hurt Rose. We both did enough of that.”
John cocked his revolver and gritted his teeth. Tyler took a deep breath. John shot a bullet into the tree behind Tyler. “I can’t do it, Tyler. You think you’re the only one feelin’ guilty about this? My wife an’ son thought I was dead for nary two years! It ain’t neither of your faults for thinkin’ so. It’s mine.”
Tyler looked up. “What do we do now?”
John shrugged. “We go on livin’. If we can. This ain’t the toughest thing I’ve had to face, though it feels like it.”
“I sure wish things were different, John. I hope you know that.”
“I know, Tyler. I just ain’t sure the knowin’ makes it easier.”
Tyler nodded. “Shows you’re a strong man to know what makes it easier an’ still not do it.”
John cocked his gun again and aimed it at Tyler. “Don’t know you’d think very highly of me in a minute or two.” Tyler backed away as the Innocents they brought back last night surrounded him. “You see, I woke up to find you an’ Rose gone. I figured what’d happened. I figured it right from what you told me. I also figured this’d be a good way to get Plummer off my back for good an’ protect my family.”
Tyler smiled. “You got Plummer off your back, but you just set the Vigilantes after you.”
John shook his head. “Nah. After we kill you, we’ll go clean the house out. Nobody to see, nobody to tell ‘em what happened.” John aimed his gun at Tyler. “Goodbye Tyler. This’ll set off the Vigilantes in the house, but we can take ‘em. It ain’t fun ‘less there’s a bit of sport in it nohow.”
Tyler leapt behind a tree as John pulled the trigger. The bullet tore a chunk out of the aspen as Tyler’s hand went beneath his duster and retrieved his pistol.
The Innocents took cover as they heard the sound of shouts and footsteps coming from the house.
“It came from the grove!” Terry’s voice shouted. “Those toughs got out! We gotta rein ‘em in, and fast!”
John shot at the tree Tyler hid behind. Tyler ran to another tree and through the grove as the Innocents fired between the trees. The shots missed him and he came out of the grove. Elliot drew a bead on him as he emerged. Fifteen other Vigilantes stood around Terry and Elliot.
Tyler said, “Don’t shoot!” Elliot let the gun down. “Tyler? What plumb fool thing’re you doin’, runnin’ out like that?”
Tyler turned to look at the grove. “Those trees are full of toughs!” he explained. “John let ‘em out! He’s with ‘em, no question!”
“Like I ever had a question,” Terry grumbled. “I only put up with him ‘cause you said he was okay.”
Tyler shrugged. “Sorry ‘bout that. I hoped we could do somethin’ to help him out. I guess I was wrong.”
“That’s ground we travelled already,” Elliot said. “No good discussin’ it now. Let’s clear out some of those coyotes.”
The Vigilantes ran to the trees, taking cover behind them. “They’re hiding out,” Tyler said. “Be careful to not get bushwhacked.”
“We done this before back east,” Terry assured. “These owlhoots don’t got a chance in hell in this grove.”
“Don’t be too sure,” Elliot said. “They can be tricky.”
Tyler rushed to a nearby tree. A shot rang out, tearing up the bark on one of the aspens. “Give yourselves up!” He shouted. “You’re outnumbered!”
A gunshot gave Tyler his answer. The Vigilantes rushed through the forest, moving from tree to tree. Ineffective gunshots rang out sporadically as the roughs missed their marks again and again. The Vigilantes took note of where the gunshots came from but never returned fire. They spaced their movements to make it more confusing and to make their numbers seem larger.
Tyler moved along with the rest of them as they squeezed the roughs, who began retreating from the Vigilantes.
“I want to give up!” John shouted. “Just don’t shoot, and I’ll come out!”
Someone threw a gun into the clearing. John stepped out from behind a tree, his arms above his head. He shrugged. “I’m out of bullets, an’ you guys will catch me anyway.”
One of the Vigilantes moved forward to grab John. “Don’t!” Tyler shouted. It was too late. A hail of bullets struck the man dead as John grabbed his gun again and rushed behind a tree.
“Things are goin’ to go bad for ya’ll!” Terry shouted. “We ain’t gonna let you go! Givin’ yourselves up is the only chance! Don’t try a trick like that last one, neither!”
A volley of gunshots answered Terry’s statement.
The Vigilantes opened fire into the trees. Two of the roughs fell into the dirt, one of them being Dylan and the guard. “That leaves John an’ the other one. I think Mike was his name.”
Terry spit out some tobacco. “It don’t matter much, but we can put it on his headstone.”
“Just two of ya now,” Tyler shouted. “You can’t win this one. You got a better chance dependin’ on our good graces.”
Mike stepped out with his hands in the air and walked toward the Vigilantes. A shot rang out and Mike fell to the ground. “John!” Tyler shouted as they all rushed the rough. “You didn’t have to kill him!”
They came to the spot where they thought John was and heard a laugh behind them. “So long, fellers!”
They ran back to the sound of horse hooves beating the ground. When they got to the house they saw a horse was missing.
“Damn!” Elliot said. “Saddle up, boys! We can’t let him get away an’ tell the Innocents where this place is!”
Tyler narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Ya’ll stay here. I’ll get ‘im.”
He leapt on Milton, thankful John had taken a different horse, and spurred the bay into action. The rest watched Tyler disappear past the curve in the road.

CHAPTER 7

BARN OF BLOOD

During the journey into town the men discussed very little. The moon cast long shadows of the tents into the night. The lamplight shining from the doorways of tents added to the illumination. Hoots and hollers marked the location of the bar, one of the few woodened structures in town. The three men headed toward it.

Outside the door two men fought. Covered in mud and blood, one of the men Elliot recognized. “It’s Clubfoot George Lane,” he said. “They say he’s one tough customer.”

Tyler smiled. “I told you, I’d beat the devil hisself. Still, we need to bide our time and watch where he goes when he leaves. He’s not going back to Lewiston tonight, and hopefully he won’t find a girl from the dance hall and stay here.”

“How do you know it’s George?” Terry asked. Elliot simply pointed at the man’s strangely-designed boot that compensated for his deformed foot. “Oh, I see now. I thought he surrendered himself in Fort Lapwai after the Berry thing and they locked him in the guardhouse?”

Tyler shrugged. “Or, he lent one of those boots to a man he threatened. That guy turned hisself in claiming to be Clubfoot. When it gets worked out they’ll know they got the wrong man. Just a guess. Let’s go and wait for him to leave.”

Clubfoot George punched the man into the mud. The man stayed in the mud. George turned and walked in the bar. The defeated man followed him a moment later.

The vigilantes rode their horses into the darkness between a pair of tents and waited at a spot they could watch the bar. The noise grew louder as the night went on. Elliot grew tired of waiting. “Why don’t we wait in the saloon? We can watch ‘em better and have a drink at the same time.”

Terry shook his head and spit on the ground. “If Tyler’s a marked man, it’ll spook ‘em at best. They’ll cause trouble for us at worst and we might be fightin’ 60 men at once. Best to wait ‘em out.”

Elliot shrugged. “It was a thought anyway.”

“Spending time herding cattle will give you some patience, Elliot,” Tyler said.

“Yep,” Elliot said. “That’s why I’m not a cowboy or a miner. I don’t have the patience. That’s why I’m a blacksmith. It takes patience, but not as much.”

About midnight Clubfoot George stumbled out of the bar with a woman. “Dang,” Terry said. “He’ll be here all night.”

“Yep,” Tyler pointed, “but look!” Out of the saloon walked the man Clubfoot George had beaten in the fight. Stumbling, he climbed onto his horse and spurred it to a trot. “Let’s follow.”

“Do you think he’s a rough?” Terry asked.

Tyler stared at the man, trying to see his face in the dark. “Dunno. I bet Clubfoot woulda shot him if not. Must be somebody that Clubfoot George wants around as a sparring partner.”

Terry shrugged. “Honor among thieves?”

All three of them laughed.

They tailed the rider out of town at a reasonable distance. They moved to the side of the road and took what cover they could while keeping pace enough for the occasional visual confirmation. As predicted, the rider headed toward Florence.

Elliot watched the rider ahead of them. “He’s not going all the way to Florence tonight is he?”

Tyler shook his head. “No. It’s too far for a drunk man. He must be going some nearby.”

“Mebbe Alder Gulch,” Terry put in.

They followed the man down the road until they came to the small town of Alder. “Looks like you were right Terry,” Tyler said.

Elliot nodded. “Nobody knows this area better than Terry.”

They followed their quarry to viewing distance of a barn some distance from the road. Looking about, the rider moved his horse into the structure.

Terry looked at Tyler. “You suppose they’ve got ‘em in there?”

Tyler pulled his pistol. “Just one way to find out.”

“Whoa Tyler! Don’t let your anger go to your head! We can’t go in there blazin’ away!”

“We can’t?” Terry asked.

“NO!” Elliot insisted. “They’ll be on guard for something. We’ve got to plan this out, and we don’t need to kill nobody if we don’t need.”

Tyler nodded. “Guess you’re right, brother. Let’s see the lay of the land first.”

The three conferred on the best plan of attack and examined the barn from a distance. The moonlight offered them a view to the front, where a single guard walked with a shotgun.

Quietly, the trio crawled through the field to a berm of dirt fifty feet from the guard.

“Okay,” Terry said. “We gotta take that guard out, and quiet like.”

“How are we gonna do that?” Elliot wanted to know.

“We’ve got to take him prisoner,” Terry said. “I’ve got an idea how.” Terry picked up a rock and threw it, striking the guard in the head. The blow knocked the man unconscious.

“How’d you know that would work?” Tyler asked.

Terry shrugged. “I used to hunt muskrats that way back home.” He smiled. “Still a pretty good throw, ain’t I?”

Elliot approved. “It was a dumb risk you took, but that was a great shot.”

“Yep,” Tyler said. “We didn’t have to kill him, and he’s out stone-cold. You boys remember your time in the war?”

They nodded. “Good. Let’s sneak up on ‘em. Take ‘em out one by one, if there’s not too many. If there is too many…” he cocked his shiny revolver. “We fight our way through. Let’s hope it don’t come to that. I’ve had a belly full of killin’ lately.”

Terry went first as he ran across the field. Unnoticed, he tied the unconscious guard up and gagged him. He waved to Tyler and Elliot that all was okay. The pair ran quietly to meet Terry. Terry peeked through the slightly-ajar barn door. “Looks like the feller we followed and one other’s all we got to contend with. There’s only three horses in there. That accounts for ‘em all.”

Tyler sighed lowly. “Good. That’s nowhere near as hard as I thought.” He shook his head and nodded toward the unconscious guard. “It’s too bad we don’t know that cusses name. We could call in an’ talk to ‘em.”

“Leave it to me,” Terry whispered. “Those guys don’t look none too bright.”

“Hey fellas,” he said through the barn door. “Can one of you come out here a sec?”

One of them shouted back, “Whatcha need, Lou?”

“Just get your stupid hide out here!” Terry replied.

“Geez, he’s gettin’ testy an all! You go Mike.”

“Why me? He gets aggressive with me, but he likes you Dylan.”

“Just get your hide out there, like the man said!”

“Okay, okay! I’m a goin’.”

Mike walked out of the barn, bruised and battered being the one who fought with Clubfoot George earlier in the night. He saw Terry and his face seemed confused. He turned to shout, but Tyler raised his gun and struck Mike from behind. Tyler pulled the man outside and they tied him up. They dragged him and the guard over the ground and tossed them in a ditch.

“Two down, one to go,” Elliot whispered.

They walked back to the barn door. Tyler peeked in. “Do you see your friends in there, Tyler?” Terry asked.

Tyler shook his head. “They’re probably in the loft. Get that last one out here, Terry.”

Terry shook his head “I said they didn’t look too bright, but I don’t think that feller’s gonna fall for the same trick. We’ll need to do this the hard way.”

Tyler held his gun in the air. “The hard way it is, then.”

He walked quietly into the barn, watching the man’s movements.

Tyler didn’t expect the blow he received from behind. “Watch out, Dylan!” a fourth rough said. Tyler tried to stay conscious. “This one’s tryin’ to sneak up on you!”

A shotgun pressed into Terry’s lower back and another one into Elliot’s. “Okay you Union boys-you know the drill. Start marchin’! An’ I ain’t just whistlin’ Dixie, so you two Yanks better watch yerself!”

Terry gritted his teeth. “I try mah best to forget the battlefield. Yah all call me a Yank again, an’ I’ll split yer face!”

Both of the men wore bandanas over their faces. The one with his gun pointed at Terry spoke. “Jes’ hush it! We tied our horses up out back just waitin’ for Tyler there to show up. Guess what? He came just like we thought. Didn’t expect you pair, but it don’t mean nothin’. Kill one or kill three, it’s all the same. We still gotta get rid of John an’ his wife…” The man smiled viciously. “Gettin’ rid of her will take us a might longer.”

The other rough spoke up. “Yeah. We’ll be rid of ya’ll in the next five minutes!” The man who struck a blow to Tyler’s temple and dragged the semi-conscious man out of the barn. “Let’s take ‘em out back. The dirt’s softer out there fer diggin’ graves.”

The first rough shouted into the barn, “You stay and guard ‘em, Dylan. We’re gonna fertilize the dirt with these cowpies.”

In a few moments they had Terry and Elliot tied to sturdy trees. They tied Tyler to one between his friends. “Now Tyler,” the rough said, “I suppose you want to know who I am before ya all die?”

Tyler spat on the ground. “I know who you are already. You ain’t nuthin’.”

“Well, since yer askin’ so polite…” the man pulled his bandana under his chin and revealed his face.

Tyler’s face distorted in anger. “YOU! If I ever get my hands on you…”

The man laughed and raised his shotgun to point at Tyler. “You won’t.”

The man aimed and pulled at the trigger. A tomahawk appeared from nowhere and struck the finger clean off. The man howled and fell back, his shotgun discharging harmlessly into the tree branches as it struck the ground. The other two rushed for cover.

An arrow sliced the ropes holding Tyler. In a few, quick seconds he was on the rough with the missing finger. The rough tried to pull his gun but Tyler punched him square in the face. He continued hitting the man, shouting with rage. The rough fell unconscious.

Two more arrows released Terry and Elliot, the later grabbing the bloodied shotgun from the ground as Terry grabbed the rough’s pistol from the dirt and collared Tyler with the other hand. He pulled his maddened friend to safety as gunshots kicked up the dirt around them. Elliot and Terry took up defensive positions. “What the heck got into you, Tyler?”

Tyler recovered his senses. “I’ll tell you after you give me that pistol!”

Terry looked at the unconscious man lying in the dirt. “I’m not gonna let you kill an unarmed and defenseless man, Tyler. You couldn’t live with that.”

“Yes,” Tyler said through gritted teeth. “Yes I could.”

Groggily, the man stood up and ran stumbling behind the barn. “I guess that settles the matter for now. You’re gonna tell me everything when this is done, son. I won’t forget neither.”

Tyler shrugged. “I don’t mind tellin’ you. Let’s finish this here first.”

Luke ran up from the trees behind them. “I’m here Tyler!”

Tyler turned and looked at the boy. “I thought I told you to stay at my spread!”

Luke nodded as he threw himself on the ground next to them as gunshots chewed up the dirt mound they hid behind. “I know,” the youth replied.

“It’s not good to break a promise!” Tyler said.

“I never promised. You said ya’ll would worry about me, and I said I understood. I stayed out of sight so you fellers wouldn’t worry about me, but I ain’t gonna stand by when my mom and dad are in danger!”

Tyler patted the boy on the shoulder. “Well, you shouldn’t be here, but thanks for savin’ my hide with that tomahawk. Just watch yourself, okay? This ain’t play time. I need you to act like a man. We can’t keep you out of trouble all the time.”

Luke’s face beamed with pride. “Looks to me like I’m keepin’ you out of trouble.”

Tyler struck the boy lightly on the back of his head. “Don’t get smart Luke. We gotta get out of this and get your parents. There ain’t time for horseplay.”

Luke nodded. “Sorry, Tyler. I keep outta your hair.”

“Good.” Tyler looked at the gun Terry had taken from the rough. “I wish I had my gun.”

“Is this it?” Luke asked, holding up the shiny revolver.

Tyler took the pistol. “Where’d you find it?”

“They left it in the dirt where you dropped it in the barn. Weren’t nothin’ to grab it real quick without Dylan noticin’.”

Tyler closed his eyes. “Thanks again, Luke. You really came through by not listenin’ to what I told you. Let’s just hope we can get out of this again.”

Terry watched one of the Innocents try to sneak behind a tree. He pulled the trigger on his pistol. The man fell to the ground holding his leg. Another shot blew the gun apart in the rough’s hand. “We just keep an eye on that one, He’s out of our hair for a while. We still got two more out there. That ain’t countin’ Dylan in the barn or any others we missed.”

Tyler shook his head. “I think they pulled out all their cards. We’re dealing with just those four until others show up or they take the time to untie the guard and Mike. I’m surprised they ain’t thought of it yet.”

Elliot checked his bullets. “We’d better make a move before they figure it out and even the odds.”

Terry pulled at his mustache. “I say one of us stays here and watches for the kid. I’ll stick around if you two run for the right side of the barn. That other owlhoot ran to the left side and that’s where the feller with the game leg will stick as long as we hold him down. They can’t do nothin’, and mebbe the kid can send out a couple of arrows to keep ‘em occupied.”

Tyler checked his gun and looked at Terry. “That sounds real dumb Terry.” He turned to Elliot. “You ready?” Elliot nodded. Terry shot toward the left side of the barn. Both men leapt to their feet and ran for the other side.

The man who’d lost his finger had retrieved a pistol and poked his head out to fire. Terry shot at him and the rough ducked back behind the barn.

Luke shot an arrow toward the man with the injured leg as he tried to crawl away. “I’d stay right there if’n I were you, mister.” The rough nodded.

Tyler and Elliot made it to the side of the barn and leaned against it to catch their breath. “I just ain’t as young as I was when I was boy.”

Tyler let out a low laugh. “That’s a mouthful you said there, pard.”

“Watch it!” Elliot shouted as he spun and fired his pistol as one of the roughs appeared at the corner with a shotgun. The rough fell against the barn, his weapon discharging into the ground as he toppled over. “Huh. Guess I still got my reflexes.”

Tyler bent over the dead Innocent. He pulled the bandana up with the nozzle of his gun to look at the face. “Nobody I know.”

Elliot shook his head. “I don’t want to know cusses that try an’ shoot us.”

Tyler nodded. “Yep.”

“What’s with you an’ that other feller?”

“I told you I’d tell you later. We got work to do now.”

The pair snuck toward the front of the barn as a horse and rider rushed down the road. “That no good snake in the grass!” Tyler exclaimed as the man he beat earlier escaped. He shot a bullet after him, but the horse moved behind the trees.

Elliot put his hand on his shoulder. “Leave it. We’ve only got a couple left, and only Dylan’s standing. Let’s get your friends back, if they’re even still here.”

“Or if they ever were.” Tyler grabbed the shotgun out of the dead rough’s hands. “Let’s go find out.”

They looked around the corner of the barn to see Dylan guarding the door cautiously. “Go around to the other side,” Tyler said. “We’ll catch him in between.”

“What about the lame rough?” Elliot asked.

“I’m sure Terry’s got him trussed up like a deer by now. They must have heard the horse take off and the gunshot. I’m sure they figured the others would be busy at least, and out of action at worst. Just hurry!”

Elliot ran around the barn, seeing the lame rough tied to a tree. Terry and Luke guarded him while they watched the barn for signs. Elliot gave a wave as he rushed by and they waved back. He came around the other side. Tyler stepped out holding the shotgun in one arm and his pistol in the other. “Give it up, Dylan.”

Dylan spun to aim his gun at Tyler, but Elliot’s voice spoke from behind him. “You can leave here alive or dead, rough. It’s your choice. If you don’t drop the gun, we’ll make the choice for you.”

Dylan dropped the gun and put his hands up and shrugged. “I ain’t dying tonight. Plummer or the gallows might catch me, but I’m hoping ta die in the cold prison. Quite a promising life, doncha think?”

Tyler had to chuckle. “Sorry you made some bad choices friend. You could have been an entertainer. Where are the woman and the man?”

Dylan nodded toward the barn. “They’re up in the loft.”

Tyler rushed in as Elliot began tying Dylan with some rope. He climbed the ladder to the loft. Rose and John were tied against a post in the hay-strewn center. Tyler pulled his knife out and cut their ropes. When they were free, they untied the blindfolds the roughs put over their eyes and removed their gags. Crying, Rose rushed over to Tyler and put her arms around his neck. “Thank you!”

John smiled. “Hey, hey!” he said. He looked a bit worn from the ordeal. “Lay off Tyler, will you? Yah all aimin’ tah make me jealous?”

Tyler laughed. Rose joined him. “Don’t worry about it, John. Rose loves you too much to go runnin’ off.”

John nodded. “I know that. She’s a good woman.”

Rose stole a glance at Tyler before giving John a smile. “I love you John.” She threw her arms around his neck to kiss him.

Tyler allowed time for them to embrace. The others walked into the barn. “We better get going,” he said. “The rough that rode away will come back with help. We want to be gone long before they make it back.”

Luke climbed the ladder and rushed to his parents. “Mom! Dad! You’re okay!” They both hugged him.

“We better get goin’ son,” John said. “The night’s not over yet, and the roughs will be back.”

They got downstairs and prepared to ride. “What about the roughs we tied up?” Elliot asked.

“Throw ‘em in the buckboard,” Tyler said. “Rose can ride my horse, and John can ride in the back with the prisoners.”

Terry nodded. “We can take ‘em to the hideaway where we hold onto the innocents until we get ‘em to the judge. Just follow me and Elliot.” They blindfolded the roughs so they couldn’t see where they were going before riding into the night.

CHAPTER 6

THE GUNNING TIME

Tyler sat in the saddle as he traveled the road. As he passed a grove three masked riders rode out of the trees with their guns drawn. Tyler gritted his teeth and spurred Milton into a run. The three spurred their own horses to chase him. A bullet flew by his ear as he rode. The Innocents stayed after him, occasionally firing their guns when convenient. Tyler pulled his gun and turned to fire back. To his surprise, the bullet found its mark in one of the pursuers and knocked him off his horse. The other two continued pursuit.

Tyler led the road agents across a field of wheat, the stalks whipping at his skin. The plants slowed them somewhat and interfered with their vision, but Tyler suffered the same handicap.

He came out of the wheat to a cabin. He dismounted and rushed inside the dilapidated building, pulling his horse inside. He looked out the window to see the Innocents coming out of the wheat. Tyler grabbed a rifle off the wall and fired a bullet from it. He kept it here and loaded for hunting, and today he was glad he planned for that contingency. It wasn’t the purpose for which he left it loaded, but it would do.

He reloaded the rifle from a box of shells he retrieved from the table. He fired again, the robbers hiding behind a berm created by the farmer when sowing the field.

The pursuer’s horses wandered loose as they took shelter, firing shots at the cabin. The chimney pipe broke off as Tyler pushed the pot-belly stove closer to the window so he could see and use its protection. He watched the berm closely to see if either man left. He fired at the feet of the horses to spook them. They bolted and ran at the sounds of the gunshots and the bullets striking the ground.

Tyler opened the back door. He mounted his horse and rode it through. He came into sight of the Innocents and he spurred Milton as fast as the horse would go.

He rushed away from the gunmen, expecting that they would be too far away to hit him. They fired after him. They proved him wrong. Tyler slouched in his saddle.

Milton rushed away on his own volition. Unguided, he headed for territory the horse remembered. He trotted on for hour after hour. He arrived at the lodge hall in the morning. Tyler fell to the ground with a loud thump. Terry rushed out to examine him. Elliot followed, moving stiffly from the wounds he received during the confrontation a few nights ago.

“Where’s he been shot?” Elliot asked.

Terry looked at Tyler’s wound. “Looks like it went through his neck. The blood’s dried up quite a bit, so he’s had it for a while. He ain’t bleeding no more, either. Means he won’t bleed to death anyway.” Terry used Tyler’s bandana as a temporary wrapping. “Let’s get him inside.”

Elliot grabbed Tyler’s arm. Tyler awoke as Elliot and Terry pulled him up to his feet. Tyler tried to help as Terry got under his other arm. Together, they carried Tyler to the lodge room on the second floor. Terry bandaged up Tyler’s wound and made him comfortable. “How are you feeling Tyler?” he asked.

Tyler coughed a bit. “I’m having trouble breathing, but I don’t think it’s serious.”

“Neither do I,” Terry said. “I’m gonna get the doc and Elliot will stay with, okay?”

Tyler nodded. Elliot helped Tyler into a chair. “Don’t worry brother. I’ll take good care of you.”

“I know you will. I ain’t so bad off. It’s just irony that I shot that Innocent the other day.” He shrugged. “Mebbe God’s gettin’ back at me for doing wrong.”

Terry returned with the doctor. “This is Doc Jordan, Tyler. He’s a brother and a horse doctor. He’ll fix you up right.”

Doc Jordan was an older man. His eyes were clear and bright and intelligence showed on his face. He pulled the bandana away. “Yep. It went clean through.” Doc looked Tyler in the face. “You’re dang lucky, son. It didn’t hit your jugular vein. That’d kill ya right off. I’m just gonna clean it with some alcohol and wrap it up again. Just keep it clean until it heals. You’ll have a scar, but the lady’s like that in a feller.” He smiled.

Tyler nodded. “It’s okay if they don’t, Doc.” He grinned. “I’ve got woman troubles bigger’n me anyway.”

“You gotta respect women son,” Doc replied as he stitched up the bullet hole. “I got a woman. She’s good to me.” He chuckled. “No son, God ain’t gave us no better gift than a woman to love. Nothin’ like it. Not food. Not water. Only thing comes close is a good horse, but it ain’t near close at all.”

Tyler grimaced as the doctor pulled at the stitches. “How you doing?” Terry asked. “Want some whiskey to take the pain?”

“No thanks,” Tyler said. “I’ve gotta stay clear-headed.”

Terry pulled out a flask and took a swig from it. “Well, I don’t.”

Tyler grabbed the flask from Terry’s hand. “Give me that!” He took a swig.

“Stop wiggling!” Doc ordered. “It’s like tryin’ to sew up a foal with a cut! They never stay still!”

“Sorry ‘bout that Doc,” Tyler said. “I can take the pain in the neck, but not the pain in that pain-in-the-neck Terry.”

Terry laughed.

“You two really are brothers,” Doc said. “You’d better settle down, though. I need you to stay still or I’ll stitch your nostrils shut by accident.”

Terry laughed. Doc shook his head. “If you wanna be in stitches Terry, I can oblige you. I will too if you keep it up.” Terry fell silent with a grin on his face. Tyler sat still and let the doctor finish putting in the stitches. Doc Jordan crossed his arms and looked at Tyler. “Well, it ain’t no Davinci, but it’ll keep your head from falling off.”

“Thanks Doc,” Tyler said. “What do I owe you?”

Doc held up his hand. “For what? Took me five minutes to stab those stitches in you. I ain’t charging a brother for nothin’ that didn’t cost me more than ten minutes an’ some bailing twine. A thanks will do, and you just gave me one.”

“Well, thanks again. I guess I’ll be hittin’ the road.”

“No you don’t,” Terry said. “You come in here and ruined our breakfast. You’re not going until you get some victuals in you, you here?”

Tyler nodded. Terry went and brought over a stack of flapjacks and a syrup pot. “The flapjacks are lukewarm, but the syrup’s been by the potbelly. It’ll warm ‘em up for you. We’ll get some coffee too.”

Elliot brought over a pot of coffee and some cups. “Already got it.” He tossed his head toward the table. “Come on over here Tyler so’s I can set it down.”

Tyler moved over to the table as Terry put a stack of flapjacks on his plate. He poured warm syrup over them and took a bite. “Mmm! Those are darn good, Terry!”

Terry nodded. “You throw some water in wheat and toss it in a pan. Ain’t nothin’.”

Doc touched the brim of his hat. “I’ll see you fellers later. I got work to do.”

They said their goodbyes. Elliot sat down at the table and put some flapjacks on his plate. “We gotta do something ‘bout these road agents.”

Tyler took a drink of his coffee. “Yep. When we meetin’ next?”

Terry’s eyes narrowed. “Right now. The main group of Vigilantes gave us leeway to act according to what’s right. Any idea of who these fellers are?”

“I know one of ‘em,” Tyler said. “He’s a good egg, but the Plummer’s boys are gunnin’ for ‘im. He don’t think he can get out of it, but I’m keepin’ him and his family safe at my place for now.”

Elliot shook his head. “That won’t last long if’n it weren’t a coincidence they came after you. If they were just thinkin’ you were just an easy target, they won’t check your place. You don’t look like no easy target to rob, Tyler.”

Tyler thought about it before rising to his feet. “You’re right, Elliot. I’ve got to get home!”

Terry stood. “You can go, but not without us.”

The three of them walked out of the lodge hall and mounted their horses. They rode out of town, hellbent for Tyler’s spread.

The trip took a few hours at a fast pace and the horses were exhausted when they rode into the fence in front of the house. The door was kicked in. Tyler pulled his pistol and rushed in. Terry and Elliot followed him. “Rose!?” he called out. “Luke? John?”

No reply came. He walked into John’s room. He walked to Rose’s room. He walked outside and headed for the barn. A tomahawk flew by his ear and stuck in the wall. “Come out, Luke! It’s me, Tyler!”

Luke walked out, afraid. Ashamed. Crying. Tired. He rushed over to Tyler and put his arms around him. “I was out here when they came, Tyler! I was too afraid to try an stop ‘em! They took mom and dad!”

Tyler ran his hand over Luke’s head. “Take it easy, boy. You did right to stay hidden. If they didn’t kill ‘em here, they took ‘em alive. They’re calling me out, I’ll bet.” He stared at the wall. “They came through my gates and took my friends. I’m gonna show ‘em the gates of hell and send ‘em through.”

“You ain’t doin’ that alone,” Elliot said through gritted teeth. “They brought the vigilantes down on their heads. Let’s give ‘em a headache.”

Terry nodded. “Seems they want to play rough.” He punched his gloved hand. “We’ll show ‘em what playin’ tough means.”

“I’m goin’ with you fellers,” Luke said. “They ain’t takin’ my family an’ getting away with it! I owe ‘em one!”

Tyler knelt in front of the boy and put his arms around his shoulders. “You gotta stay here, Luke. We can’t be worryin’ ‘bout you while we try to save your mom and dad.”

Luke hit his chest. “I’m brave! I’m a crack shot, too! I can throw the tomahawk like nobody’s business! Let me go with!”

Tyler looked at the ground and shook his head. “No, Luke. You’re a man now. To be a man, you gotta know when to do the right thing. The right thing is to listen to me. If we’re worrying about you, and we will be if you come, there’s a chance it’ll get us all killed. We need to know you’re safe. Do you understand?

Luke nodded. “You’re right, Tyler. You can’t be worrying about a kid.”

Tyler stood and smiled. “You’re no kid. You just showed us that.”

The three men saddled up. Luke stood on the porch and watched them ride down the road as twilight invaded the land.

“Where do you think they took ‘em?” Terry asked.

Tyler shrugged. “Somewhere around Florence, I’ll bet. That’s where a bunch of ‘em come from.”

Elliot looked at the others. “Shouldn’t we get some more guys?”

Terry laughed. “That’d be the smart thing. Nobody accused me of being smart before, that’s for sure. How about you Tyler?”

Tyler shrugged. “Accused? No.”

“Now that I think of it,” Elliot put in, “nobody’s lectured me about bein’  nonetoo smart neither. None of us are stupid, though. The smart thing’s to grab some others.”

Tyler shook his head. “No time. If we come across some brothers we’ll rope them in. If not, we’re playing the three musketeers.”

“Fine by me,” Terry replied. “We had it tough back in the war. Ain’t nothing new to me. I’m more worried we might not find ‘em.”

“We’ll find ‘em,” Tyler assured. “They can’t hide from justice.”

“Yeah, but how?” Elliot asked.

“We go into town and find ‘em at a saloon. You can see a road agent a mile away, an’ there’ll be plenty on a Friday night. All them drunk miners travellin’ home? It’s too easy for ‘em. We just grab one and make him tell where the hideout is or follow him there. I bet we can find Clubfoot George.”

“Sounds right to me,” Terry said. “Let’s go find us one. Clubfoot George’s a slippery one, though. Maybe Cherokee Bob?”

Tyler shrugged. “Maybe Henry Plummer himself. I ain’t tussled with any of those boys,” he clenched his teeth, “but I’ll crack the devil hisself for Rose.”

“Rose!?” Elliot said. “She ain’t yours, son.”

“I sure know that brother. Just ‘cause I can’t have her don’t mean I can’t love her.”

Terry looked at his friend. “Well, don’t tell her husband you feel that way. Don’t tell her, neither. It’d serve no purpose.”

“A little late for her, although John don’t know nothin’.”

“You mean she knows?” Elliot asked.

Tyler nodded. “She thought her husband was dead for over a year, and she needed someone to help around the place. I know it weren’t right, but I’m just a man and know the pains of being lonely. Wish I was stronger, an’ I’m ashamed as a man an’ a mason. God’ll ask me about it when I go up, an’ I’ll tell ‘im all about it then.”

Terry nodded. “We’re supposed to keep our passions under wraps brother. Ain’t none of us perfect. You try more’n most.”

“Thanks. It might be true what you say, but it don’t make things rest easy on my head. I gotta bear my mistakes and try to learn from ‘em. Try to do right by others.”

Elliot nodded. “That’s all we can do.”

Saturday, March 6th
- Michelangelo, the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, engineer, and — next to Leonardo Da Vinci the quintessential Renaissance man, is born in 1475.
- Elizabeth Barret Browning, one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian Era, is born in 1806.

Sunday, March 7th
- Piet Mondrian, Dutch painter and spiritual seeker, is born in 1872.
- Joseph-Maurice Ravel, the French composer of Impressionist music is born in 1875. He is best known for his work “Bolero” (1928) which has been described as “a piece for orchestra without music.”
- John Herschel, an English mathematician, astronomer, chemist, experimental photographer, and inventor, is born in 1792.

Monday, March 8th
- St. John of God, the Portuguese born friar and saint and who would become one of Spain’s leading religious figures is born in 1495.

Tuesday, March 9th
- Samuel Osborne Barber II, the Pulitzer prized composer, is born in 1910. His piece, “Adagio for Strings” is widely considered to be a masterpiece of modern classical music.

Wednesday, March 10th
- Tibetan Uprising Day is observed. It commemorates the 1959 Tibetan uprising against the People’s Republic of China. The failure of the uprising led to a violent crackdown in Tibet and the the flight of the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, into exile.