The Crow Legacy

Chapter 7

Earl Stump, 1st Sergeant, US Cavalry, stood with his back to the room. He leaned against the bar, resting on one arm while lifting his drink with the other. Three malicious looking men eyed the man standing at the bar in the Red Rooster saloon. “I"m a gonna gut that son-of-a-b***h,” the big one said to the others. The big man stood up and drew a heavy bladed knife from a scabbard attached to his belt. The assassin advanced on the unsuspecting1st Sergeant and prepared to thrust his blade into the back of his victim. From out of nowhere, a chair crashed down on the big man"s head, dropping him like a shot deer.

Earl Stump jerked around to face the commotion. The big man"s friends charged the tall man with the broken chair in his hand. Earl grabbed a bottle from the bar to use as a weapon. Before he could engage the two advancing men, the man with the chair threw it across the floor tripping the second attacker. The third attacker fell over the second, landing hard on top of him. Before either could move, two quick blows from the stranger"s closed fists knocked them both out.

“Damn son, was it something they said?” asked Earl, with a lopsided grin on his face.

“The one with the knife was about to stick you in the back. "Just didn"t strike me as being right.”

“I"m obliged to you. The one with the knife took exception to me taking up space at another saloon a couple weeks ago. I tried to beat some sense into him, but apparently, it didn"t take. "Don"t know the others though. "Must be friends of his.” Earl Stump stuck out his hand, “I"m Earl Stump.

Shaking Earl"s hand, the man said, “I"m Jedadiah Crow.”

There was a groan from the man with the knife as he began to regain consciousness. “I think we might want to move on from here,” said Earl. “How about I treat you to a good meal?”

“I"ll take you up on that! I"ll just get my kit.”

As Jed gathered his kit, Earl noticed that the man with the knife had gotten to his hands and knees. Earl leaned over him and said, “I didn"t get a chance to give you a proper hello!” With a punch that heavyweight champ Tom Hyer would have been proud of, Earl knocked out the would-be assassin.

“Now that we"ve got the pleasantries out of the way, let"s go eat.”

Leaving the Red Rooster, Jed carried a canvas bag over his right shoulder and another in his left hand as he walked along with Earl. The streets of Washington were filled with people on horseback, in carriages and like themselves, just walking. “I"m not used to so many people,” said Jed.

“Where are you from?”

“I"m from California, near San Diego. You?”

“Born and raised in Michigan. Here, give me one of those bags to carry.”

Jed handed the bag he had in his hand to Earl. “Damn! What have you got in here?”

“I stopped and picked up a few things. I hope to join the cavalry.”

Earl stopped, “You don"t say! How about after we eat, I take you to our commanding officer? He might be interested in talking to you. Do you ride or know anything about shooting?”

“My family raised horses, and I know a bit about shooting.”