The camp of the cattle drivers laid just outside of town. It were tough men who loved their work. That work wasn’t always very pleasant but often it was. It was a job with good pay and you were in the open air. Edison, whose last name was unknown by the others, was fond of the work. If needed he could replace everyone in the group except for Ansel, the cook. Ansel couldn’t cook at all but the men always threw the food quickly into the dark hole in their bodies. No human being had died of the brewing of Ansel. This was a miracle for trail boss John Collins who had the whole crew under him. He had taught Edison the work and knew as only one the boy through and through. As a five year old boy Edison had come to join them after the cavalry had murdered his parents. Collins was a very good friend of his parents and had adopted the boy. Another good working hand was scout Stuart Woods. His chore was to look for water and grass for the cattle and a place to make camp for the cattle drivers.
One day when boredom began to hit very well in the camp a stranger came riding up to them one dag.
“Mr Collins, it looks like that we get a visitor”, said Stuart.
John came there and saw the stranger coming too.
The cowboy stopped by them and asked, “Are you Mr John Collins of the cattle drivers?”
“Certainly. With whom do I have the pleasure?”, asked John.
“I am David Caranson, the foreman of rancher Brennan. He sent me to announce that he has work for you. In case you are interested then you can ride along”, said David.
“Of course I am interested. I do take the ramrod Edison along. Stuart, go and get him”, said Collins.
Stuart went away. Meanwhile Collins saddled up his horse and that of Edison. When the boy came to his boss annex father the face of Edison was one and all smile.
“Are we going on the road again with a herd?”, the boy asked excited.
“Hopefully yes son. You come along to hear about the work”, said John.
He and Edison mounted on their horses.
David asked the trail boss, “Isn’t he a bit too young to drive cattle?”
“More people ask that when they see him. He does it very well and is one of the first ones who were with me when I started”, John explained.
David didn’t ask further but went back to the ranch of his employer. Edison rode at the back and felt very uncomfortable. He had heard the question of David and it bothered him very much. As soon as they were back at the camp Edison would cut the subject to Collins personally. What did that David Caranson think anyway? He wasn’t a rookie anymore. On the contrary. He was one of the best cattle drivers of the group. If not the best.
Arrived at the Brennan ranch the three dismounted.
“Just you come along Mr Collins”, said David.
They went into the ranch house through to the office of Jason Brennan.
“Mr Brennan, Mr Collins and his little helper are here”, said the foreman.
“Let them and close the door behind you”, said Jason.
That happened and it turned out that Brennan and Collins knew each other for years.
“Hello John. How are you? It has been a long time since we have met”, Jason said when he recognized the trail boss.
“Excellent. I may not complain. How are you?”, John asked on his turn.
“Alright. The ranch runs better than I had expected. Is that your son?”, asked Jason.
“A bit because he has been adopted by me after the cavalry made an orphan of him. Since then he is with me. Edison, this is Jason Brennan. Jason, this is Edison”, said John.
There was toasted at the reunion. Edison felt somehow too much.
“What sort of work do you have for us?”, John asked after a while.
“I have 20000 head of cattle to bring to Oklahoma. I pay $ 50 per month and $ 10 per head of cattle. On top of that amount there is another extra bonus of $ 75 per man”, said Jason.
John looked at Edison and asked him, “You wanted to travel again? Now is your chance. Must we do it?”
“Why do you ask me that? I am not the boss”, the boy said a bit shy.
“Has happened something underway?”, Jason asked worried.
John looked at the boy and asked the same thing.
Edison looked at the ground and asked slowly, “In our camp your foreman asked if I wasn’t too young to drive cattle. I find that a personal insult. Is he always so cheeky?”
Jason sighed and answered, “David isn’t always very tactful. I will discuss it with him. Do you take the assignment?”
“Alright. We do it”, Edison said finally.
The rancher said, “Alright. I will arrange everything this coming week. John, it was nice to see you again.”
They left the office.
Outside David stood near the horses and he asked Edison, “Is the little boy going back to his little tent again?”
Edison looked for a moment cool at him and hit then the foreman down to the ground.
“Satisfied now grandpa?”, asked Edison.
David rubbed across his painful cheek and said angry, “You won’t live for very long time.”
Edison mounted on his horse and rode away with his boss.
“You leave Edison alone. Or otherwise you won’t live for very long”, Jason ordered when the trail boss and hand were gone.
“He didn’t have the right to hit me”, David claimed while he got up.
“You didn’t have the right either to insult him in is camp. Get to work”, said Jason.
There was nothing else for David to do than to obey his boss and to get back to work again. But Edison hadn’t gotten rid of him yet. The foreman was there 100% sure of.
First Edison was silent which was for John not very unusual.
On the way to the camp asked Edison, “You do want that I come along as well?”
“Certainly. But I hear some sort of refusal in your voice. Am I right?”, asked John.
“I can’t hide anything from you. Yesterday I saw the daughter of the sheriff”, said Edison.
John sighed deep and began to smile.
“Have I said something wrong?”, Edison asked amazed looking at boss.
“No. I think that you rather stay here. I will talk to the sheriff. We stay here for another week just yet”, said John.
The young cattle driver nodded smiling. He was a young talented cattle driver who had learned the job with ups and downs. He had lost his parents very young. Mainly by this he had become tough. He was a loner and didn’t give himself very soon. Only is boss and foster father, John Collins, knew him through and through.
But yet before they arrived at the camp Edison said, “I don’t want to see her anyway. She is the daughter of the sheriff and I am just a simple cattle driver.”
“I will talk about it with him”, John answered calm.
Edison watched him employer and a big uncertainty took control of him. Since his mother had died he hardly or not been in touch with women. Especially not of his own age. When John told his crew about the upcoming trip the well known for them optimism returned again.
That evening David said to his brother Jake, “Brennan has sold his cattle. Trail boss Collins must bring that herd to Oklahoma. ”
“So? What is that for news?”, Jake asked amazed.
“Well, that little hand of Collins named Edison is a big nuisance. He almost wants to give all the orders there”, said David.
“How old is that little lad?” asked his brother.
“I bet a year of 17. Maybe a bit younger. You go to call yourself as a cattle driver and eliminate him then. I will reward you rich and the world too”, the foreman of the Brennan ranch told laughing.
“What has he done that you want him dead so much? You are not going to tell me that he knocked you down? Don’t make me laugh”, laughed Jake.
“Keep your dirty mouth! He did that indeed”, David said very furious.
“My brother gets knocked down by a lad who is twice his age”, Jake said chuckling.
“Shut up or otherwise I help you to the other world!”, David said furious.
That helped because Jake stopped laughing. He left the saloon and rode to the camp of the cattle drivers.
The trail boss was there alone and asked him, “What can I do for you?”
“In town I heard that you are looking for cattle drivers to bring a herd to Oklahoma. I make myself hereby available”, said Jake.
“Hm, have you driven cattle before?”, asked John.
“A whole lot”, Jake lied he was because an outlaw also the most laziest guy who walked around in the world.
Although John had his doubts about Jake the trail boss decided to hire him. Satisfied Jake left the camp to get his stuff. Before David went back to the ranch again he wanted to know how the interview had gone.
Jake asked, “Edison is as good as dead. Isn’t the last name of that lad known?”
“No, apparently not. But the most important thing is that you are with that group of cattle drivers”, David answered chuckling.
Somewhere else by the sheriff in his office was Edison. Sheriff Dan Mitchell noticed that the boy was shy and really didn’t dare to ask his question.
So Dan said, “It is about my daughter Rosemary for sure. Your father told me.”
Edison got a color and nodded.
“She is at home. I walk with you along”, said Dan.
A moment later they were at the house of the sheriff. Now the heart of Edison beat in his throat. This was new to him. For years he had lived in the open air and now suddenly he stood in a nice furnished house. The cattle driver took off his hat and looked around.
The sheriff called, “Rosemary, there is someone for you.”
To Edison he said, “Just go in. she will come in a minute.”
Edison went inside into the living room. He looked around with big amazing.
“Hello”, said suddenly a voice behind him.
He turned around and saw Rosemary standing. From up close she was more beautiful than from far away.
“Eh hello”, he stammered shy.
“Pa said to me that there was a visitor for me. You must be Edison?”, Rosemary asked who was less shy than he was.
Edison nodded. He gave her a hand but said nothing. He didn’t know where he had to look.
“Do you feel like coffee? Then I will make it”, said Rosemary.
The cattle driver nodded again. He followed her to the kitchen where she made the coffee. Edison went to sit at the kitchen table and looked at her moving. He couldn’t take his eyes off her anymore.
Rosemary noticed that and said, “Pa already said that you were shy but I hadn’t expected it so shy.”
“Sorry. I am not used to get on with female contemporaries. I always have been in the company of adults”, Edison said stammering.
“I think that you are quite sensitive”, Rosemary said looking at him.
Now he had the feeling that he was a school boy who had to come by the teacher because he had done something naughty.
“How do you mean. I am not the prototype of a cattle driver. In case you might think that”, the cattle driver said a bit insulted.
“You are enormously shy but still a cattle driver. I think that is a big difference. I like you”, said the daughter of the sheriff.
“I like you too. By the way, you make much better coffee that our field cook Ansel”, Edison said while he took a sip of coffee.
Rosemary blushed and grabbed his hand. He put down his mug and looked into her blue eyes. Then he pulled her to him and began to kiss her passionately. First she resisted but quite soon she let herself go.
Very late that evening Edison left the house of the Mitchell family.
Rosemary walked along with him to his horse and said, “Come again soon.”
“I hold you to that”, the cattle driver promised.
He mounted on his horse and rode to the camp where John waited for him.
Before he reached the camp Edison rolled a cigarette and lighted it. This was a sign that he felt excellent.
Arrived at the camp the trail boss asked somehow curious, “How was it son?”
Edison took a pull from his cigarette and said, “She can make much better coffee than Ansel.”
“That can’t be. I make the best coffee in the world”, Ansel protested at once.
“In your dreams for sure. Not even the pigs like your coffee”, reacted Stuart.
Everyone except the field cook laughed.
The trail boss said to his son, “Go to bed soon because it is early days again tomorrow.”
That happened.
In a week time Edison neglected his work but John turned a blind eye on that. Besides he had it too busy with the new herd and the personnel. Each evening Edison sat by Rosemary. He could lose his shyness with her. Though he didn’t have the guts to tell how he thought and fell about her.
“For now this is our last evening together. Tomorrow we leave with the herd of Brennan. Actually I don’t want to go”, Edison said after the evening meal that Rosemary had cooked for him.
“I will miss you terrible but I will wait for you”, she said.
The cattle driver looked sad ahead of him and asked, “I am months away. Are you so patient?”
“I do everything for you”, said Rosemary.
By this unexpected answer Edison became even more confused.
“Pa doesn’t come home tonight so you can spend the night if you want”, his girlfriend suggested.
That offer was accepted with pleasure by the young cattle driver. He knew damn well that his pa/boss thought about differently but Edison couldn’t care at all at that moment.
At the camp Jake Caranson got received with open arms at first by the experienced cattle drivers. But that would change soon. Stuart didn’t trust him already right away. It was good that Edison was away or otherwise Jake would have started to fight with him after 5 minutes.
When they rode next to each other at a certain moment Stuart asked, “Do you find that new one not very suspicious?”
“He behaves himself very suspicious. I don’t trust him. Besides I know him from somewhere”, Edison answered looking a bit ahead of him.
“I don’t trust him either. I don’t think he is a cattle driver at all”, said Stuart.
What Jake was they would discover soon.
Edison rode to the front and said to John, “Where does that Jake come from? I don’t think that he isn’t a cattle driver at all.”
“He comes from Townville. He said to me that he has a very much experience with driving cattle”, said John.
“It doesn’t look like it at all. I am not the only one who thinks about it that way”, Edison reacted a bit fiercer than he had meant.
He turned his horse and rode quickly to the back of the herd. John thought that something has changed to his son but e didn’t know what. But he would find out soon. Nobody would expect that the trip would be without trouble. The biggest trouble was between the men. Jake behaved as normal as possible but the distrust of Edison and Stuart became bigger all the time. Also the cook, Ansel, began to trust on is intuition that Jake was very unreliable.
In the evening they made camp in a rich field of grass. Unnoticed Jake was being watched by Ansel. It got noticed anyway that Jake had the biggest mouth concerning complaining about the food.
“What is that for a mess?”, Jake asked out loud.
“Just stew. If you don’t like it just leave it”, Ansel reacted fierce like always.
“Are we going to play hard?”, was the question of Jake also fierce but the cook didn’t give a reaction.
A bit farther away Edison was thinking hard.
John came to him and said, “What is bothering you? You are clearly not yourself.”
“I know that Jake form somewhere. But I can’t get to it from where”, the young cattle driver said confused.
“You walk the first guard”, was the order of John.
Edison nodded, rolled a cigarette and lighted it. His thoughts went back to his childhood years. Though he was an only child but he was never alone. His parents had a big ranch so Edison was brought up on the hard work of cattle driving very early. There came tears into his eyes when he thought back to it. The young cattle driver recovered himself quickly and went to walk the first guard.
In the camp everything was in deep rest. It was warm weather but yet you could notice that summer was over. It became quicker dark in the evenings and soon they had the raining season. Then it was very difficult to travel with 20000 head of cattle. Suddenly Edison heard a noise coming from somewhere. He made his rifle shoot ready and was alert. Behind him stood Jake.
“What are you doing here for god’s sake? Don’t let Mr Collins find out because then you are gone”, Edison bit at him.
“I have nothing to do with Collins. It is me about you. They say that you are his son. Is that so?”, asked Jake asked with false interest.
Edison looked at him and said, “You would like to know that. I know you from somewhere. I don’t know yet from where but I will find out. Piss off now.”
Jake disappeared at once. He was heavily insulted by the young cattle driver.
The next morning John said very early, “Eat your breakfast and then we go on.”
Edison walked to the trail boss and said, “This night I got sneaked by Jake. He asked if I was your son. I don’t trust him for a penny.”
“I have noticed that by you already. Stuart shows that too. Keep away from him”, advised the trail boss.
Edison took another piece of bread and walked to his horse.
“Do we do that just like that Edison?”, Ansel called indignant.
“Bye Ansel”, said the cattle driver.
While chewing on the bread he mounted on and he drove the herd together.
When the camp had broken up the men could get on.
Collins rode in the front and called with loud voice, “Head them up. Move them out!”
Slowly the herd got driven to the next area. Stuart rode far ahead to find water for the herd. John began to notice that the other men chose the side of Edison concerning Jake. Just a while and then a big fight would start in the camp. John had to and wanted to prevent that at any cost. It was possible that there would be victims then. Very good cattle drivers were hard to find so John was glad with the crew he had. All were hard by the work.
Already from the first day Jake was harassing Edison. At first Edison didn’t try to listen to it but the hateful remarks hurt him very much. Notre than he wanted to admit.
The trail boss asked Jake, “You keep your mouth shut to Edison. Or you will get what you are asking for and good too! I let him go at you and without mercy. Understood?”
“Yes but he gets on my nerves”, was het answer of Jake.
A bit later on that same evening.
“You were in the way little kid”, said Jake.
He gave the cattle driver another kick. Edison got up and slapped him in the face. Quite soon they were fighting. After a while the others separated them. Edison looked furious at Jake. Edison decided to ignore him but he would pay him back in his own coin. Jake could take poison for that. Edison wasn’t the only one who couldn’t get on with Jake. The scout Stuart Woods couldn’t do that either. He and Edison were in service of John Collins from the start.
It was quite cold in the evening. Just a few weeks and then the winter would start. The cattle drivers were eating around the camp fire. Edison sat against a tree but he had no appetite. He had a strange feeling in his stomach. A feeling that he had never known before. It made him happy but confused at the same time. His thoughts were with Rosemary Mitchell whom he had met in Townville. The evenings with her had been great but still he was too shy to talk to her when they were back again. There came also by that she was the daughter of the sheriff and he was just a simple cattle driver. She probably had met someone else. He was sure of that. The other cattle drivers noticed that Edison wasn’t himself. He said less to nothing, was absent with his thoughts and retreated himself notable a lot.
“A game of poker Eddie?”, Jake asked one evening.
“No, not tonight. It is Edison, not Eddie”, Edison answered annoyed by him.
“Is the baby not alright? Must daddy Jake see to it?”, Jake asked laughing.
Edison got up and knocked Jake down.
He said groaning, “Leave me alone. It is that Collins hired you but if it was up to me you were dead and buried all along!”
Jake began to laugh even harder but Stuart said hatefully, “I hope that you laugh yourself to death!”
Jake stopped with laughing and asked, “What do you mean with that?”
“You know damn well what I mean with it”, answered the scout.
Each evening Jake was looking for a cause to row with Edison. The young cattle driver avoided him as much as possible. Jake was older than Edison but certainly not smarter though.
The farther the group got from Townville the more Edison began to miss Rosemary Mitchell. John noticed that more and more. Edison fought a lot more than usual during the cattle driving. In the end John couldn’t face it anymore and the trail boss took his son apart for a very hard confrontation with the facts. The conversation ended up in a big row.
Edison wondered if he maybe had to give up his present job for a life with Rosemary. He loved the open air and travelling around with cattle. He decided to ask advice by his boss. John had received him after the death of his parents and was like a second father to Edison.
“I can only give advice. It’s up to you to decide what you do with the rest of your life”, John said when Edison has explained him the problem.
With this answer the young cattle driver wasn’t helped much. It had brought him more confusion than before.
Finally Edison said, “I am going to try to lead a normal life with Rosemary . If this fails, then I stay a cattle driver for the rest of my life.”
“I hope that you have made the right decision. I will miss you but there is always a place for you in my group. No one can take your place”, said John.
He paid the boy his wages and Edison left the group of cattle drivers. For the second time in his young life he had to start again. He would succeed, how hard it would be anyway. Though Edison wasn’t scared easily.
He had become quite in the direction of the living world when Edison noticed that he was being followed. Edison stopped at a close bush and dismounted. Very carefully he hid his horse and he kept an eye on his chaser.
“If I didn’t think it. Again that Jake”, the cattle driver mumbled.
The hired killer rode past him. Jake followed the track of Edison. He knew that there was a lot at stake so he put everything on everything to kill that lad. It was Jake for mainly for the reward which his brother had promised him. The hired killer did everything for money. He was discharged out of the army with unhonourable dismissal after he had murdered a rancher and his wife out of pure boredom. After the massacre Jake Caranson had gotten the taste of killing. For this reason he became a hired killer. His brother David was a bit less violent but also of the kind which you shouldn’t get into a fight with. Both had a dislike at cattle drivers who were making out the services. For them that was Edison.
Meanwhile Edison didn’t trust it at all. Jake could be anywhere and just blow him away. The boy didn’t have plans to end his life that way. He owed it to himself and Rosemary to fight for his life.
By his army experiences Jake had learned to approach his victim unnoticed. He used this method often and so also this time. From where he laid Jake could see Edison easily.
He sniggered, “This time you are dead Edison! The world will be ever grateful to me. Count on that.”
He sneaked nearer with his pistol in his hand. With 1 bullet Jake eliminated Edison. Jake approached the cattle driver so unexpected that Edison didn’t have a chance to react. Hereby he laughed so very false and hard. Because Jake thought that the boy was dead he left him lying. The bullet had hit Edison just right into the head and made him lose his consciousness.
Suddenly Stuart saw him lying.
The scout rode to his boss and said gasping, “Mr Collins, I see Edison lying. He has been shot down.”
“Let’s have a look”, John said worried.
They rode to Edison. The trail boss dismounted and examined him.
“Stuart, send the wagon to here. He is still alive. It’s only a grazing wound”, ordered John.
That happened and in the wagon Edison slowly came round.
“What has happened? Where am I?”, he asked confused.
“You have been shot down. We will take you to the next town. You can stay there until you are recovered”, John said calm.
“I was Jake who blew me away. He thinks that I am dead”, Edison said agitated.
“Easy boy”, said his employer.
He took care of the wound and wrapped up the head of Edison.
“How do you feel now?”, John asked after the treatment.
“I would like to have a big drink”, was het answer of Edison.
John smiled and asked, “For the time being you ride in this wagon. Do you still have the money?”
“In my inside pocket. Take it”, the young cattle driver said exhausted.
John took the money that Jake hadn’t seen. Edison fell asleep. His boss covered him up.
“When I get my hands on that Jake he is a goner”, Stuart said angry.
“Edison is a tough cookie. He will get over it. I can’t miss a man. So not you too”, answered John.
They rode on with the herd to the first following town which was Bookerville. By the ride the wound had gone open and the life of Edison was in great danger.
John decided to make camp and said to Stuart, “You stay here. I go to town for a doctor.”
“Alright Mr Collins”, said Stuart.
He let made camp and was with Edison who was awake from time to time.
In the meantime John rode in hurry-scurry to Bookerville. The life of his foster son was at stake. That cost a few days delay but the herd boss couldn’t care less.
Arrived in town John stopped at the house of Doc O’Brien. He dismounted and hitched his horse. The door was open and John stepped into the surgery. Doc had nothing to do and was playing solitaire to kill time.
“Are you Doc O’Brien? I am John Collins, trail boss. One of my drivers has been shot down. Can you come?”, asked John.
“I come at once. Where is your camp?”, Doc asked while he got his bag and put on his coat.
“Just outside of town. The boy has a grazing wound in the head”, the trail boss explained.
Quickly they rode to the camp. There was a hushed mood. Each cattle driver was silent until Doc and John arrived.
“How is Edison?”, John asked Stuart.
“He is awake. The bleeding has stopped”, said Stuart.
Meanwhile Doc had come to Edison. The cattle driver looked reasonable healthy despite the grazing wound in his head.
“I will remove the bullet right away. It will be painful but I believe that you will survive it”, said Doc.
He had a strange sense of humor and laughed while doing it. Edison laughed along a bit sheepish. But it didn’t go by heart. While Doc removed the bullet he told one joke after another. Outside there was a deadly silence but out of the wagon where Edison laid came only laughter.
“What is that for a doctor who laughs during an operation?”, Stuart asked amazed John.
“I wouldn’t know. But I think that Edison will be recovered soon”, answered the trail boss.
Then Doc came out of the wagon and he said, “Your cattle driver will be riding on his horse again within a few days. He will have a headache the next few days.”
“Thanks Doc. Just 1 thing: do you always laugh when you operate someone?”, John asked curious.
“Most of the time only I tell the jokes. But your cattle driver can also tell a few ones. I have heard some new ones again. I am leaving”, Doc said laughing.
While Doc rode away Stuart said chuckling, “Knowing Edison that will be a few dirty ones.”
A few days later Edison sat in the saddle like as of old.
“Are you feeling alright?”, John asked worried.
“My head still hurts a bit but I feel good. Is Jake still present?”, Edison asked on his turn.
“No, since your departure he hasn’t been seen anymore. To be honest, I am glad that he is away”, said John.
He rode to the front and called with loud voice, “Head them up. Move them out.”
Slowly but sure the herd got moving and the caravan too. Unnoticed John kept an eye on his youngest cattle driver. Although Edison said to be feeling good it was to be noticed at him that his pride had been damaged. He took more risks than ever. The whole group noticed that very clearly.
Suddenly Edison knew where he knew Jake from. He was the one who made him an orphan. The cattle driver knew that his boss believed him. He decided to try to explain it. John saw the boy coming and wondered what the matter with him was.
“Can I see you in private for a second?”, asked Edison.
John nodded and got up. He mounted on his horse. At the same time they went to inspect the herd.
“Now I know where I know that Jake from. He was the one who shot pa and ma dead. He laughed thereby so false that I always have remembered that laugh”, Edison said a bit shy.
“I already thought that. He looked familiar to me. We go to the nearest fort and there you tell everything you know of that certain day”, answered John answered very sober.
John and Edison rode in a big hurry to Fort Southern. Edison hated the cavalry like poison since they took his parents away from him. John knew that damn well and kept that in account.
John and Edison got hearty received by door general Peter Clemens.
Peter asked, “What can I do for you?”
“I am John Collins, trail boss. This is my foster son Edison. Since he saw that it was a cavalry soldier who had killed his parents he doesn’t use his last name anymore. His parents had a big ranch near Miles City, Montana. The names of his parents were van Frank and Susan Cooper. We drive a herd to Oklahoma. The departure town was Townville. I hired there a hand named Jake Caranson. Is he by coincidence the same who has killed the parents of Edison twelve years ago?”, asked John.
“I can remember that incident very well. Jake fell then under my command. He has been discharged with unhonourable dismissal. Besides there is a bounty on his head”, said the general.
“So I can shoot him dead and get the bounty?”, Edison asked fierce.
“Indeed. The bounty is $ 5000. Do you have another reason to kill him?”, Peter asked on his turn.
“Yes He wanted to kill me. What is the first name of that foreman from whom we are driving the cattle?”, was the next question of Edison.
“David Caranson”, John said calm.
Suddenly it all became clear for the cattle driver. That was also the case for the general and the trail boss.
When Edison once knew that there was a price on the head of Jake Caranson the youngest cattle driver of the group of John was unstoppable. Though he didn’t know that Jake had told his brother about the fact that Edison had been shot down and as good as dead was.
After the incident between Edison and Jake the problems stayed away for the cattle drivers for the time being. Quicker than John expected they reached Oklahoma and the town Table Rock, where the herd had to be delivered. The men brought the herd to the spot where the animals had to be.
He said to Edison and Stuart, “You go to rancher Gary Willis to announce that the herd is there. I will pay the others.”
“Alright Mr Collins”, said the scout.
The twosome left the silently the camp.
“What are you going to do now this chore done?”, Stuart asked at a certain moment.
“Going after that dirty bastard of a Jake Caranson. I will kill him like he did that to my parents. What are you going to do?”, Edison wanted to know.
“I will see. Maybe I go along with you. I want to blow away that Jake too”, said Stuart.
Quite soon they reached the ranch van Gary Willis.
Edison jumped off his horse and said, “I go and see if Mr Willis is there.”
The cattle driver walked to the house and knocked at the door.
The housekeeper answered the door and asked, “Yes young man?”
“Eh I am Edison. We come from Townville with a herd from rancher Jason Brennan. I had to call of my boss John Collins to Mr Willis that we are here”, Edison said a bit stammering.
Gary came nearer and he recognized Edison.
“You are little Edison, aren’t you?”, asked the rancher.
“Now not so little anymore. I can see that you haven’t seen me for years. We have driven the herd to the meadow like you wanted”, answered the cattle driver.
Stuart and Edison got a cup of coffee in the living room.
Stuart said, “This is much better coffee than that of our cook.”
“Say that again”, Edison said laughing.
“Marie makes the best coffee of whole Oklahoma”, answered Willis.
Though nobody knew what the matter was in the camp.
In the meantime Jake had stolen a machine gun from the army. With this he went to the camp of the cattle drivers. In an unseen moment the contract killer annex outlaw hunted everyone into death. He laughed so very false that her became hoarse of it. He just left the bodies behind for the vultures.
After a while Edison and Stuart returned into their camp. In one look it became clear to them that they had escaped from a massacre.
“Now that dirty bastard will die. Come on Stuart”, Edison said angry.
They rode away to the ranch of Willis. Stuart told what had happened.
“I will warn the marshal”, promised the rancher.
The two nodded agreeing.
Meanwhile Jake had gotten company from his brother. He had Rosemary Mitchell along as his hostage. She knew both well and knew that they were both very dangerous.
“Soon you are going to watch how your lover looks like a corpse. For he is as good as dead”, laughed Jake.
“Not true. Edison is still alive. Soon you are dead and your brother too”, answered Rosemary.
She gave as good as she got. Especially after she had gotten to know Edison. David hit her in the face. She grabbed his rifle and knocked him out cold whereby he was some time out if circulation. She took the chance to get away from her hostage takers. To her big relief she ran into Edison and Stuart.
“Rosie, what are you doing here for goodness sake?”, Edison asked amazed.
“David Caranson has taken me along as his hostage. They are there with those rocks. Eddie, be careful”, she said slowly.
“Stay here with the horses”, said Stuart.
Rosemary kept herself deadly quiet with the horses.
The two cattle drivers went to the rocks carefully. They didn’t know that Jake was chasing them.
“You go left, I go right”, whispered Stuart.
Edison nodded.
So said, so done.
Suddenly Edison heard saying behind him, “Eddie, I am here.”
The young cattle driver turned around and let himself drop on the ground. At the same time he looked into the eyes of Jake. The outlaw attacked him like a wild dog. But when Jake wasn’t paying attention Edison took him into is arms and he threw him off the rocks, so into the ravine. The last thing they heard of Jake was his last scream.
Edison laid still a bit gasping when David said, “You shouldn’t have done that. Now she is going after Jake.”
He held Rosemary under guns hot. Edison was too perplexed to answer or to draw his weapon. He hoped that Stuart was around to help. It remained a bit quiet until a bullet made a hole in the hard of David. Rosemary did dive away and Edison crawled to her. She had fallen down on the ground while David laid next to her staring at the heaven.
“Nice shot, Mr Woods”, Edison said grinning.
“I think so too. Now they are both in hell”, he said.
The scout gave the corpse a kick so that David was with his brother in the ravine.
Edison came to get his breath with Rosemary when everything was over. Stuart was also bit upset by everything that had happened. They needed some time to realize what had happened.
“Everything is over now, Edison. Shall we go home?”, Rosemary asked carefully.
The cattle driver nodded slowly.
“Are you coming too Stuart?”, she asked then.
Stuart said, “I go along with you.”
“Rancher Brennan is looking for a new foreman and pa a deputy sheriff”, said Rosemary.
“Would he like to have his son-in-law as deputy? Deputy sheriff Edison Cooper”, said the young cattle driver.
“Sure he does”, said Stuart.
They mounted on their horses and starts easy the home journey. Now everything was solved about the murder of his parents Edison settled down. Besides he was able to use his last name again and to settle down with the girl whom he loved the most.