Cannon Mines

Chapter 1-1

Chapter One

March 1869

Cat Jones sat thinking about the Leadership Council’s recent planning efforts. “Freedom Town is a dramatically different place than it was only a few years ago. The herds have multiplied to the point we now have thousands of cattle and horses, and they are becoming well-known in the region. The performance of our stallions and mules in the Denver races and pulling contests has been amazing. Many people are now interested in buying Freedom Town horses and mules, and they are willing to pay a premium.

Doc’s alcohol is selling great and is well known regionally, and the railroad contract is beginning to push its reputation even further out. People in Kansas City and beyond are enjoying our fine selections.

The sawmill operation that Freedom Town bought into is growing and prosperous. Wilbur and Annie Mae are seldom here now, and that leaves a hole. Wilbur is sharp, and Annie Mae had been prepped to become another Miss Lily. Of course, Kate has smoothly assumed that role.

The freight line is very prosperous, but we are facing a troublesome cloud on the horizon. The railroads are coming closer and will arrive in Denver in a few years. Their arrival will greatly shrink our long-haul freight wagon business. We can shift to local hauling, especially in the mining areas, but that will be distinctly different. We probably need to begin that shift before the railroads get to Denver. The Leadership Council and Rufus have to prepare for different kinds of operations.

Grant approached Cat with a somewhat peculiar look on his face. Cat had a feeling that Grant was bringing news that he would rather not hear.

Grant said, “I’ve been thinking a lot about my dad lately. I would really like to find him. We need to know him better and help him regain a normal life. Living like a wild mountain hermit is a tough life for someone approaching middle age. It’s hard and brutal up there. We now have the money to make his life much easier, and he’s the only reason we have that money. I want to find him again, get him out of the mountains, and do whatever it takes to help him get his memory back.”

Cat thought about Grant’s backstory, “His father, Dale Cannon, left their small hardscrabble farm in East Texas and came west to the gold fields. After not hearing from him for two years, his wife Martha abandoned the farm and went to California. Grant and his brother Clark were in their mid and late teens. They sold everything and headed for Colorado to find their father.

The brothers wandered by Freedom Town when it was under attack by Kiowas. They joined the fray and were instrumental in Freedom Town’s victory. They were told that Dale Cannon had been shot and robbed by a gang of thieves. The brothers stopped their search and joined forces with Freedom Town.

Grant later married Angelina and they took a brief honeymoon trip into the mountains. Dale Cannon wandered into their camp one afternoon. He had been shot but not killed. He rolled into a steep canyon out of sight of the thieves. He woke up with amnesia and had been wandering around the mountains for almost three years. His clothes were in tatters and his hair and beard were long and wild.

By then, he had finally remembered his name. He told Grant who he was but could remember nothing else. Grant was shocked! Dale showed Grant and Angelina a bag of gold nuggets and pointed out where he found them. He then slipped away during the night.

Grant and Angelina eventually looked where Dale said he found the gold, lots of gold. Grant and Clark staked a claim there, and they would soon be incredibly wealthy young men.

Cat knew that one of his most capable Defenders would be leaving Freedom Town, at least for a while. Actually, because Angelina would accompany Grant, they were going to lose two capable Defenders.

Cat responded, “I certainly understand how you feel. If I knew my dad was living alone in those mountains, I would turn over every rock there until I found him. What can we do to help you?”

“I’ve not talked to anyone else about this—not even Angelina. I’m sure she will want to go along. I’m also thinking of asking Talako because this could be a challenging tracking job. So, unfortunately, my search will affect Freedom Town’s security.”

“Yes, it will do that, but we can figure out how to handle it. I don’t need you here while your mind is elsewhere. A Defender must have his mind and body completely in the game. Check with Angelina and Talako and we’ll talk about what you need for your search.”

Grant sought out Angelina and told her about his feelings and his talk with Cat. She responded, “I was getting close to asking you what’s been bothering you lately. You definitely should search for him. If it were my father, I would want us to find him. You, Clark, Margo, and I owe Dale a lot. He has finally been able to provide his family with the financial security he longed for them when he left home.”

She continued, “Clark will probably want to help you if he has regained enough strength. I will go with you as far as Denver. I want to spend some time with Lizzie and Margo.”

With that encouragement, he talked to Talako about going along. Talako understood the need for a son to have a father in his life -- he had been away from his father for over two years before his parents moved to Freedom Town.

Skeeter heard them talking and approached, “Man, I’ve never seen the Shining Mountains. I would love to go with y’all and help with your search.”

Grant liked and trusted Skeeter, “Hey, that’s a good idea. I’ll talk with Cat to find out what he thinks about Freedom Town’s defensive situation if four of us go searching.”

Grant found Cat near the stallion barn helping Gabe gentle two horses. He said, “Angelina does want to go, and Talako is interested. Skeeter heard us talking and wants to see the Shining Mountains. Would that leave you enough Defenders?”

Cat responded, “I’ve been thinking about the defense situation, and I believe we will be okay. Malachi and a couple of others did great in our training, and Gabe tells me that he has been working with Fernando. He will be the main scout and Defender for the freight wagons. You go find Dale and don’t worry about us.”

Cat had also been thinking about chatting with Gato and thought it was time to do it. He found him helping Homer with the mules and waved him over.

Cat began, “Gato, I have definitely enjoyed having you around here. You have filled a place in my heart. But you need to do some thinking about your future.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even though you have fit into Freedom Town very well, you helped Gran Gato run a large tobacco operation in Cuba. I know that he was the big jefe, but you were also a jefe from the time you were a young teenager. I’m worried that you will eventually become uncomfortable within the confines of Freedom Town.”

Cat continued, “You now have the money to do anything you want to do. You might want to think about getting your own ranch or farm or other business.”

Gato said, “Hmm. You may be right. I need to do some serious thinking. Right now, I don’t think that I will just pick up stakes and leave. Maybe the right door will open and it will be obvious that I should walk through it. If not, I’m still quite comfortable here.”

Cat responded, “Good! I really like having you around, but I want you to be happy and fulfilled. If you decide to do something different, I hope you don’t move very far away!”

Gato grinned and said, “You know, I’ve been talking with Juana. I think we would make a fine couple. If things keep progressing, I’m going to ask her to jump the broom with me.”

“Y’all do make a good couple. I hope it works out for you both.”

Grant, Angelina, Talako, and Skeeter headed for Denver the next morning. Each person took his favorite horse and each of the three men trailed a pack mule. It would take quite a bit of gear to troop around the mountains for several weeks. It was only late March and not much snow had melted in the mountains, and it could get very cold in April. They also took as much food as they could and decided to pick up more canned food in Denver, knowing they could hunt for meat.

Rather than riding directly to Pueblo, the party rode first to La Junta. Grant wanted to send Clark a telegram about their venture. He wanted to give him a chance to think about it before they got to Denver and to work on persuading Margo to let him go.

Clark was packed and ready to go when they arrived in Denver. Margo worried that he had not regained all his strength, but he thought he was strong enough. Besides, the mountain air would likely help him.

Margo and Angelina sincerely hoped that the men would find their dad and bring him back. Dale had been alone in those unforgiving mountains for almost three years, and, according to Grant and Angelina, he had evolved into a wild man.

Margo and Lizzie were happy with Angelina’s decision to stay in Denver. Margo knew she and Angelina would worry the entire time the men were gone, and Margo’s pregnancy did not make the worrying any easier. She invited Angelina to stay with her, but Angelina wanted to stay at the boarding house. She wanted some privacy and alone time. But she told Margo to come over anytime she wanted to talk or send for her.

The search party headed toward the Cannon Mines. Grant had met Dale in that area, so it seemed like the best place to begin the search. As soon as they arrived where they met Dale, Talako rode ahead to search for any recent signs. He found nothing and waved the others in.

The four riders sat on their horses talking about what to do next. Suddenly they heard shooting coming from a nearby canyon, and they could tell it was not hunters!

They galloped toward the shooting and discovered a huge boulder in the mouth of the canyon entrance. Clark and Grant rode to the right of the boulder, with Talako and Skeeter veering left.

A gang of three men was having a running gun battle with four Colorado Rangers. The gang galloped to the boulder’s left, directly at Talako and Skeeter!

The gang members saw Talako and Skeeter and fired a couple of wild shots at them. The Freedom Towners quickly dismounted and returned fire -- the three gang members tumbled from their horses. Skeeter and Talako rode carefully to them and found that all three were alive. The Rangers arrived along with Grant and Clark just as they were kicking weapons away from the men.

Robley and Mac were part of the Ranger party. They dismounted and put handcuffs on the three villains. Robley then turned to the Freedom Towners and said, “These boys have been rustling cattle all around here, and there’s a reward on each man.”

Talako looked over at Skeeter and said, “You’re wounded. Looks like just a crease, but it’s bleeding a little. Some of Doc’s ‘shine and a bandage will fix it up.”

The Rangers and the Freedom Towners built a small fire and made a pot of coffee. Robley pulled out a bag of jerky, passed it around, and said, “We’ve been in the saddle trailing that gang for two days. This is our first meal standing on the ground. I want to thank y’all. Might have saved us a couple more days of hard riding. I’ll hold y’all’s reward in the Denver Ranger office.”

Mac asked, “By the way, what are y’all doing so far from home?”

Clark responded, “Grant and his new bride saw our dad up here last year. We thought he was dead all this time. He was shot, but rolled off into a ravine. He lost his memory and has been wandering around up here for almost three years. We are looking for him.”

Grant shared the full story of finding Dale after they were told three years ago that he had been shot and killed. He described Dale and asked if they knew anyone that looked like that.