Lone Star Ranger by James J. Griffin

Author:James J. Griffin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, young adult, western, ya, texas ranger, classic western, painted pony books, lone star ranger
Publisher: Prairie Rose Publications

5

Like practically everything about Texas, the changes in weather were often extreme, a fitting match for the vast land which was the Lone Star State. February turned into March, and memories of the blizzard and extreme cold faded as the weather grew warmer, migrating birds returned, and flowers burst into bloom. Mother Nature seemed to ignore the calendar, skipping straight from spring to summer, as she replaced snow, ice, and frigid temperatures with summer-like heat. On the Circle Dot E ranch, some of the cows had already dropped their spring calves, and most of the mares were heavy with foal. Several chuckline riding cowboys had already shown up at the ranch, looking for work.

The Rangers knew they would have to leave the comfortable quarters they’d had for the past three months soon, since the spare bunkhouse would be needed for the hands hired for the spring and summer work. They’d kept patrolling the Big Bend area over the rest of the winter, making a few arrests, but more often than not frustrated in trying to round up the outlaws plaguing the territory. It was like hunting for gophers. You’d find one, but as soon as you caught one three more would pop up. However, their presence did seem to have some effect. Reports of robberies, cattle rustling, and horse thievery were down sharply. Captain Quincy still wasn’t certain whether that was due to the presence of the Rangers, or the bad weather. If it were the weather, then with the coming of warmer temperatures and dry, sunny days outlaws would start their depredations once again.

This God-forsaken corner of Texas was extremely isolated, so much so that the telegraph lines had not yet reached Presidio. Two weeks previously, Captain Quincy had sent a letter to Austin, asking if his company would be reassigned to another area of the state, or would remain in the Big Bend. If it were the latter, then they would have to move soon, probably to reestablish their camp along Blue Creek. It was just a matter of waiting for the reply to come, on the once weekly stage. He had stationed Ken Demarest and Phil Knight in Presidio, to await Headquarters’ response. While they were waiting, the pair would help the Presidio town marshal to maintain order, and also patrol the surrounding area.

Jeb’s patrol returned to the Circle Dot E late in the afternoon on a far hotter than normal day. It had been an exhausting two weeks, while they pursued a band of smugglers who were bringing opium and ’dobe dollars into Texas from Mexico. In the end, they had been unsuccessful.

The smugglers eluded them by swimming their horses across the Rio Grande, then disappearing into the Chihuahan desert. Almost completely spent once they got back, every man in the patrol cared for their horses, ate a quick supper, then tumbled into bed.

The next morning, when Jeb made his report to Captain Quincy and asked for his patrol’s next assignment, Quincy told him to, along

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