Chapter 22
Angie made really good bread. Logan ate three sandwiches, which made Travis laugh because that was what he usually did.
He kissed Angie goodbye and he and Logan headed out for riding rounds on the farms and ranches.
They went straight to the livery. Travis was right.
Henry Williams was really nice, and his livery was the cleanest he had ever been in.
“Mr. Williams, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a livery this clean in my life.
And all your animals all look very healthy.
I’d feel privileged to get one of your horses.
Do you have one that would carry a man my size without hurting his back?
” Logan asked him after shaking his hand.
He was thrilled to find that he didn’t hesitate to reach out to shake his hand even though he was black.
Henry grinned. “I am glad to know you think about the horse with your size in mind. Too many men don’t.
I care about my animals, Deputy Logan. I do have a dandy horse that would fit you to a tee, but he won’t come cheap, I’m sorry to say.
He’s a stallion and I keep him away from all my fillies.
Come with me.” He took them back to show them a very large horse.
He was light grey with darker spots on his hind quarters.
He also had a darker grey face and legs.
He was a beauty of a horse. Logan whistled when he saw him.
He also walked up and scratched him between his ears and on his nose.
The horse leaned into him. Henry was surprised that he took to Logan so quickly.
“You got some special magic on you? That horse don’t like nobody…and yet you walk up to him like you know him already. What gives?” Henry asked him in awe at how he was handling the stallion.
“I have no special magic, but I knew the owner of this horse before. He remembers me. The sergeant of our platoon owned this horse. I often took care of him when I took care of our own. I have always liked working with horses. My sergeant called him Hades. He said he was a horse from hell. He would go to hell and back for him, and he did…until my sergeant was killed by a cannon shell. I didn’t know what happened to his horse.
I tried to find out what happened to him…
but in a war, there’s so many men dying that they don’t worry about what happens to a horse.
” Logan told him and turned back to Henry. “I’ll take him, just tell me how much.”
Henry nodded and made out the bill of sale.
Travis was glad that they had their sergeant’s horse.
He remembered Hades very well, but he didn’t have the connection with him that Logan had.
They rode for almost an hour meeting the farmers and ranchers on the south side of Angel Falls.
Logan had never seen such beautiful land.
With the mountains in the background, some of it took his breath away.
They found waterfall after waterfall to give their horses drinks, rest, and then to continue on.
It was while they were ready to head back to town that they stopped at Abe’s little cabin.
He was walking very well on his peg leg, and he was hoeing his garden from weeds when they rode up.
Abe was used to seeing Travis, but not two men on horses…especially his old sergeant’s horse, Hades. He put his hand up to block out the sun from his eyes, it made it possible for him to see who was riding with Travis. A huge grin came over his otherwise solemn face.
“Damnation! It’s about time you got here, Logan Callihan! What took you so long?” Abe asked him as he gave him a huge hug, which Logan returned. “You are a sight for sore eyes!”
“Abe, I never thought to see you in such a good place as this. Travis said you had a little place of your own just outside of town. I never imagined anything this nice. This is perfect for you. I even like your wolf! And is that a kind of cat you have, too?” Logan asked him and picked up the small cat meowing near the bench in front of his cabin.
“Yeah, it is. I found the little cub when Zeus and I went walking one day. It’s a mountain lion or will be when he grows up.
I named him Thor. I figure his roar will be mighty when he’s full grown.
” Abe laughed. It had been so long since Logan had heard his friend laugh, he almost cried.
Abe was happy, really happy living here.
He had healed and to see him walking again was almost a miracle.
“I like Zeus and Thor, Abe. But to see you walking again…it’s like I’m going back in time. How did you manage that?” Logan asked him wiping the moisture from his eyes.
“It was Travis and some of his friends. He found this cabin and barn. It had been empty for almost ten years…it needed a lot of work, but Travis has a lot of friends, and they stepped up and helped him clean it. They put in pumps to make it easier to get water, they gave me animals to take care of that made me independent, yet easy to cook, wash my clothes, helped me put in a garden, smoke house, and even a large corral. I’m free…
away from people, yet close enough to get help if I need it.
They found a way for me to earn money and live the way I want to live.
I have never been so happy or free. The people don’t look at me as a freak or a giant.
They accepted me as I am. They will accept you, too.
It’s a good place to come to heal from all we saw and went through during the war, Logan.
Just give them a chance. I did and it was worth it.
” Abe told him and squeezed his shoulder and looked over his head to Travis.
He nodded at his friend. Travis nodded back.
They both knew of the chip that Logan held on his shoulder at the white man for the way he had to live as he grew up.
They didn’t want him to live that way any longer.
They each knew that he was a good man…just a man, not a black man.
They wanted the world to see him as that, too.
They didn’t stay long. Travis had to bring Logan back to town and introduce him to every business in town, especially every saloon owner they had.
They had to know that he was a deputy and would arrest them if need be.
Logan was quiet as they rode back to town.
He had a lot to think about. Hades had liked to ride around to the farms and ranches.
He loved to run. Henry was there to rub them down and get them ready to put them back in their stalls.
Then, they started on their walk up and down the streets of the town. He was introduced to every business in town. The saloons were especially interested in getting a black deputy, a couple of the customers at the tables saw him come in with a deputy star on his vest.
One stood up and swayed as he said. “You giving niggers the chance to arrest God fearing citizens these days?” He asked and almost fell down, he was so drunk.
Travis wasn’t swayed by his talk. “You ever call my friend and fellow lawman that name again, and I’ll lock you up until you sober up.
He is a deputy of Angel Falls, and he will be given the respect he deserves.
Get over it.” No one else said a word. The owners nodded and shook Logan’s hand as the new deputy, and he was accepted by the town.
One racist wasn’t going to ruin his day.
He enjoyed meeting Mavis Loewen at the resale store.
She hugged him and teased him about getting another good-looking deputy.
She also talked him into getting some other clothes to wear.
He was still wearing his Union Army uniform.
She had Eliza show him where his size would be and he found pants, shirts, long underwear, socks, and even a heavy jacket.
Eliza threw in a hat, scarf, and a pair of gloves.
Then she found a pair of boots for when the snow got very deep.
Logan laughed, he had never seen snow that deep, nor could he imagine snow that deep.
“You’re telling me that the snow is going to get that high? I’ll believe it when I see it.” Logan told her and walked up to pay for his purchases. Mavis heard him laugh.
“You shouldn’t be laughing at Eliza. Snowstorms can last for three, four, or even five days around here.
Nor’easters can be devastating, worst than blizzards.
People can get frozen and lost going to the outhouse.
They string rope from the house to the barn, to the outhouse, to the smoke house, so they won’t get lost. When you can’t see your hand in front of your face, it’s scary and easy to lose your way.
When you see your first frozen dead body, you’ll remember what Eliza told you and be glad she talked you into all those warm clothes.
” Mavis told him and charged him only three dollars and thirty cents for all his purchases.
He couldn’t believe how cheap it was, nor could he get Eliza’s face from his thoughts.
In the coming days, he got quite comfortable with the town and enjoyed working as a deputy.
They accepted him, even if he was black.
It just didn’t matter. He enjoyed seeing blacks working with whites as equals.
This was how it was supposed to be. It was how he had always imagined it could be. Now he had hope for the future.
The End