Sitting here on the porch, watching our cattle in the pasture on my left, which would be the southern part of our ranch. Looking to the east and north, our crops are doing well this year, to the west of our place sits the creek we fell in love with when we first settled here and built our cabin with its porch all the way around it, just like mom had wanted it built.
Let me start at the beginning. My name is Jake Griffin Jr. I was born in Missouri. I am the proud son of Jake and Janet Griffin, I have one sister Melanie, five years younger than me.
At a young age my dad had me out hunting with him, I could handle a musket rifle very well, between dad and myself we kept the family and quite a few friends stocked up with meat.
At the age of 14, I had started wearing a pistol. I had gotten very good with it as well.
At 15, I lied about my age and joined the Army. The first year of my service was at a fort in Nebraska. With hard work and a lot of help from an older gentleman that was our captain at 17 years old, I got my sergeant's stripes.
On my 18th year, we went to war, The Mexican- American war, after 1 year and 9 months, of a solid victory, the war was over in 1848, I left honorably with the rank of Sergeant Major.
I was invited to join a group of men some would call hero's, some would call mean sons a bitches, but after a few years riding and fighting with them, I called them, my brothers. That group was called the Texas Rangers, we fought renegade Indians, Mexican bandits, and a few bad outlaws.
Just about the end of my second year as a Ranger and almost my 22nd. birthday, I received a letter from mom.
Dad's dream was to go west, he had always talked about Oregon and it's fertile soil, in mom's letter she was saying he had been awarded a section of land in Oregon, 640 acres of prime land of his choosing, all he had to do was follow the Oregon Trail with his family and belongings and claim it in person and live there for 5 years.
I noticed the stamped date of the letter, it was over 9 months old. sometimes mail is hard to catch up to you as a Ranger, some how this letter had got lost in the desk of our Captain while we were out fighting Mexican bandits.
I opened the letter, happy to read it, within minutes of reading my mothers words, my heart was broken and I was furious.
Mom's words were not happy ones. "My dear Jake, I am so sad to tell you that your dad has been killed. As you know your dad's dream of going to Oregon, he sold the farm and crops along with all the tools and most of the livestock to finance the move west."
"Son, your dad was robbed coming home that night from the bank. The only fortunate thing, your dad was smart enough to leave the money in the bank so it is safe."
Tears in my eyes, I continued to read. "Son, the eye witnesses say your dad told the robber, he had no money, but the crazy man shot your dad anyway."
"It was a gun hand that works for the saloon keeper, he pled self defense, and the saloon keeper had enough jurors on his side, he got off, sorry to bring this bad news to you my darling son. Also I guess his dream of Oregon is crushed, it seems only the husband can claim the land and no wagon train will let a woman and her kids travel without her husband, could you please come home son? Mom loves you."
I explained everything to my Captain, I would have to resign as a Texas Ranger and go home and sort this out. One thing about our group, we stuck together, helped each other when they needed it, and had the others back, no matter the odds.
I left the next morning. As I was riding out of town, a rider came up behind me at a rather fast pace.
It was Buck, one of my fellow Rangers. "What are you doing Buck."
"Jake, I am taking a little time off, thought I'd see what Missouri looked like, mind if I ride along?"
"Buck, I don't mind you riding along, but the Rangers need you here and what would Captain do, he would fire you as a Ranger."
"Jake you are one block headed dummy, it was Cap's idea, he asked me if I wanted to go on a special assignment, somewhere in a stupid state called Missouri lol."
"Thanks Buck, I can handle it myself."
"Jake, you know damn good and well a Ranger does whatever his Captain says, so I'm a going."
It was a long hard ride, a few weeks later we came riding through town that evening as it was just getting dark. We rode by the saloon and there was three men leaning against the post in front of the swinging saloon doors, guns hanging low and tied down. I was sure it was one of these dogs that killed my father, I took a good look at them, remembering their ugly faces.
Stopping in at the sheriffs office I asked about the shooting, Sheriff Hayes was hesitant to give me any information, Buck showed him his Ranger badge but sheriff just said he has no jurisdiction here, we would have to ask the judge about any closed cases.
We walked out of the Sheriff's office and his deputy was waiting on me. The Deputy's name was Jim Dodd, we were running and fishing buddies as kids, He told me most of what I needed to know.
The shooter was a mean hombre they called Curly, his two sidekicks, have just got here in the last few months, it seems the saloon keeper was expanding his empire in this little town and the Sheriff was afraid of him.
Buck and I rode on out to the ranch, it was dark and we were tired and not thinking very good, we just rode right up in front of the house. All of a sudden, a blast goes off in front of us.
I was thrown off my horse instantly, Buck held on, screaming and yelling at the top of his lungs as that ole plug he was ridding bucked and pitched till finally putting Buck in the dust. I looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of this gorgeous blonde creature, about 17 years old, I would guess. It had to be my sister Melanie.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here." She asked.
"Well little sis, I am your big brother and that man over there laying on his back moaning is my Partner Buck. And what I am doing is sitting here on my sore ass, looking at my grown-up lovely sister."
About that time mom ran out on the porch, she seen me and ran to me wrapping me up in a hug. "I am so glad you are here Jake, I missed you so much."
"I miss you too Mom." I looked at Melanie, "I missed you also little one."
Melanie was blushing. "I am not little any more Jake, I am 17, a grown woman, well almost grown." Then she grinned at me.
I introduced Buck to them and mom and sis, made us some dinner, a good home cooked meal from my mom was unbelievably good, I never knew how much I missed that. Buck and I fixed our bunks in the bunk house, I could have stayed in the main house but didn't want to leave my partner all alone his first night here.
We spent the next few days catching up, mom told me the whole story about the trial, and dad selling everything, but the banker was good enough to let mom rent the house for awhile. When I see the banker, I will let him know how much I appreciated that.
Buck and I rode to town, got supplies, checked with the judge, I thanked the banker, then Buck and I went to the saloon and checked it out. The barkeep was a big fellow, Curly and his two buddies were playing poker and watching every move we made. A few minutes later the Owner came out and sat at a table where there was a few saloon girls sitting.
The saloon owner was dressed up nice, he had a fancy suit and fancy boots, black curly hair and a mustache, I also noticed he kept a pistol inside his coat in a shoulder holster, it looked like a 32 or some small handled revolver.
Curly and his friends had navy revolvers strapped on, one of them was a lefty. Buck and I always carried our Colt Walkers, that was the standard side arm for a Ranger.
We surveyed the place, drank our shot of whiskey and then went about our rat killing.
The ride back home we made a plan, it would go down tomorrow on a Thursday, the Sheriff was out of town and Jim, his Deputy would be there, I knew I could trust my old friend.
Early the next morning we were eating breakfast, mom was bringing more coffee and bacon to the table, Buck was eyeballing Melanie and sis was flirting back with him, mom asked. "What are you boys going to do today?"
I answered her, "We are going back to town, we have some business to tend to, then when we get back home, if Buck don't leave my little sister alone, I'm going to shoot him in his sorry ass."
Mom just laughed, Buck spit his coffee out and sis turned 3 shades of red then ran from the room giggling.
Riding into town, we stopped at the Sheriff's office, I invited Deputy Jim to have a drink with us, he knew something was up, he didn't want a drink but offered to come with us and talk about old times.
Pushing the swinging doors open we walked in, I seen the three rats leaning against the bar, it looked like they had been drinking for awhile. "Buck get us a table, I'll get a bottle and some glasses."
Buck walked over by a table and Deputy Jim stayed inside by the door, I walked toward the bar and told the big lug behind the bar. "Give me a bottle and 3 glasses."
Walking past the 3 gunmen, Curly was the last one at the bar. I acted like I stumbled and stepped on Curly's toes.
"Ouch, you son of a bitch, you stepped on my toes."
"Well you have such big feet asshole."
Curly reached for his pistol, but he wasn't fast enough, before he cleared leather, I put another hole between his eyes. The only man there that was faster than me with a 6 shooter was my friend Buck, he put 2 bullets in Curly's buddies.
Just when we thought it was all over we heard another blast, the big burly bartender fell over the bar, dropping his double barrel shot gun. Deputy Jim shot him in the heart before he plugged me with the scatter gun.
From the stair well we heard one of the saloon girls scream and seen the bar owner coming down the stairs with his tiny little revolver out, Buck and I unloaded our revolvers on him.
The next day Buck and I were sitting on the porch drinking coffee, when the Sheriff, Deputy and the Judge rode up.
Mom was watching through the window as I spoke to them. "Good morning Sheriff, what can I do for you this morning."
