The valley came to life early Sunday morning, and when the Padre came to ring the bell, alerting the people that it was time for them to come to the beautiful church with the santos hanging on the wall, representing the Stations that were followed by our Lord. The Padre nodded his head to the early parishioners, showing that he was pleased with their promptness. He straightened up in time to see two beautiful does standing at the gate and trotting away as if saying "we have done our duty for the day" now we will go to the high country and enjoy the cool breeze that signifies that winter has come. We will see the busy squirrel come and go with his little cheeks puffed out with winter supplies, and the lazy blue birds chirping from their high pedestal, fluttering their wings and making all kinds of funny sounds indicating that they were pleased.
The residents of this beautiful community had prepared for winter. They had hauled wood from la otra banda. They had put up their calabazas and apples, covered with straw to keep them from freezing. The poor people had gotten together and purchased a fat pig to be slaughtered and shared with everyone in Valdez. They had a water tank and wood to heat the water so that they could remove the hair from the pig. After this was done and the pig was completely clean, all the fat was removed in lonjas. Some of the people would use it to make soap. It was customary to make empanaditas with pork" the people also made chicharones. Some people made delicious posole with pork.
Columbus joined the Army in Illinois, three days after his brother William had enlisted. Columbus caught up with his brother, only to see him go down to rifle fire. Columbus was very heartbroken. He felt like going back home, but felt that he could never be happy going back to his homestead without Bill.
He continued to serve honorably, being a good soldier, and later was honorably discharged at Devil's Bluff, Arkansas. He later turned up in Valdez, New Mexico. No one knew why he came to Valdez. Was it an acquaintance? Or had he heard rumors of gold, gambling, and snow-covered mountains waiting to be cultivated in the spring?
Columbus walked daily to the post office. He did not receive any mail from anyone close to him. The people of Valdez would steal glances at this stranger with his six-foot frame walking with his hands behind him. They started calling him Jack.
On one of Jack's trips to the post office, he met another prospector whom he had never seen before, Charles Frazier. They started meeting daily, and as one might guess, their conversation led to their favorite subject: gold.
One day they decided to make a plan, and that was to draw up a route to the Mystic Mine in the area of Baldy. They had heard tales of the beautiful gold nuggets there. They contacted the Forest Reserve, who knew the terrain. On the information acquired from the foresters, woodhaulers, people who grazed cattle, sheepherders, and anyone who knew anything about the peaks and valleys, they were able to draw a map depicting a route to follow on the east side.
Now they could set a time for departure from Valdez and time of arrival at the Mystic Mine, and plot landmarks to observe in order to stay on the right path. They gathered tools, bedding, and other equipment and supplies. Another little matter they had all pushed aside: Ragu, the mule they had purchased two weeks before. A fast talker who sold them the mule said it was as gentle as a baby. This turned out to be false. The first time that they attempted to load Ragu, they had to gather the tools from all over the hillside, and Ragu was nowhere to be found. After searching for Ragu within a five-mile radius, Jack returned to the barn where he found the mule sleeping. He felt like grabbing a two-by-four, but then decided against it.
The next day they continued working with Ragu, and things seemed to go a little better. Jack turned to look down the road and saw the man who had sold him Ragu. Jack asked, "What's this you said about his being gentle as a baby?" The man offered to buy Ragu back for half price, but Jack refused since mules were scarce in Valdez.
One of the men observed something strange about Ragu: he would always point his right ear backward when he was about to "go on a trip". Ragu's behavior improved as the days went by, and Jack finally posted a "Not For Sale" sign on the barn door.
Jack had been watching the clouds getting darker and closer and saw the men milling around. As the thunder began to roll and get louder, Jack went up ahead about a hundred yards. He found a cluster of trees there, where he climbed to a fork and he stationed himself. He was well camouflaged. He had thought that among the roar of thunder he also heard rifle fire. He remained in the fork of the tree with a good view of the trail. He saw a man run across the trail toward the cluster of trees that hid Jack. Jack heard a thud, and took his knife out and carved around the bullet hole in the tree and pulled out a rifle bullet that was of the same caliber as Charlie's rifle.
Jack came down from the tree and assembled the rest. "Move it. It's dangerous here!" They moved up the mountain as fast as possible and arrived at the mine before dark. Exhausted, they put their bedrolls in place. After putting the supplies away, Charlie Frazier started to fix something to eat. The men ate, and after supper they all went to separate places and laid on their bunks. Someone suggested a game of cards, but no one was interested in a game.
Jack sat by an old table and worked on some straps that would hold Ragu's load. He worked by candle light, and could hardly see beyond the curve in the tunnel. He thought he heard something. He went to the peep-hole and said in a low voice "It's snowing heavily; take it easy on the supplies". No sooner had Jack returned to his seat than he heard a louder noise. As he looked up to the wall he saw the shadow of a man standing with a rock over his head. Jack jumped to the side as the rock came down, demolishing the table top and rolling wildly into the corner. When the dust settled, Jack stood speechless by the door. Charlie Frazier lay dead in the corner. It took them several minutes to analyze what had happened. They decided that it was probably Charlie who had tried to kill Jack. The next morning a fence rider came by" they told him what had happened and asked him to notify the officials in Taos. No one ever came" Charlie Frazier lay in a bank of snow for five weeks. One morning in the early spring the snow was melting fast, and Jack heard a noise near the mine. He looked through the peep hole and to his amazement he saw some buzzards pecking and dragging Charlie Frazier's bones. His clothes were torn to shreds.
One Saturday afternoon Jack was sitting in on a small poker game in one of the places he frequented, a back room at Juanita's eatery. The door flew open and there stood Mr. Medina, holding a political banner and shouting toward Jack "Hurrah for Cleveland". Jack stood up from his chair and walked slowly toward Mr. Medina. Mr. Medina thought that Jack was leaving and gave him a big smile as Jack came toward him. Jack, with a fast movement like a panther, grabbed Mr. Medina by the seat of his pants and practically carried him toward the door. He gave him a kick in the pants which made him land in the middle of the street. He remained sitting down, saying he did not want any more. Jack, who was not a violent man, glared down at him. He picked up a pail of water and poured it over Mr. Medina, telling him that the next time he struck a lady, he would boil him in oil. Mr. Medina pleaded for mercy. Jack picked up Mr. Medina's hat and pulled it down over his ears, saying "Get out of my sight!" Mr. Medina got up and started running down the road, with the hat still over his eyes. He ran into a building and fell backwards, immediately sprang up, and started racing around, and then disappeared into a side street.
For several days there were rumors of a pending wedding. Jack reminded his friends that there had to be a divorce before there could be a wedding, but would admit to nothing. But soon it was known in the small community that Jack had purchased a new suit. Later he was carrying a small bag, in which was presumed to be a tie. Jack had several items hid in his cabin and would admit to no one what they were. Jack was acting very mysteriously, and seemed to have a twinkle in his eyes. On one occasion he was seen coming out from the priest's quarters.
Joe and Juan were doing their best to find out what was going on. Joe and Juan were always quick to find a fiesta, wedding, or any other celebration where there were free drinks and free food. They were not all that bad, but when they suspected that Jack was courting Juanita, they started hauling wood, cleaning the yard, and doing other chores that should be done.
In the meantime Jack disappeared from Valdez. It puzzled his friends. They began saying that he could not have gone to Baldy alone. Others whispered that he had gone back to Illinois. As the days passed, the women of Valdez started whispering that Jack had jilted Juanita.
Early one Sunday morning, a rider was seen watering his horse, and later tied his horse to a hitching post behind the church. The rider made the announcement that he had seen smoke at the mine. The rider also told the crowd that had gathered in front of the church that someone had butchered a cow on the land grant. The fence riders were employees of the land grant company. These men patrolled many miles of fence line, guarding against cut fences and stolen cattle. For a long time there had been a feud going between the land grant owner and the miners. The grant people claimed that prospectors were trespassing on company land.
Juanita Medina was a beautiful girl and very well liked by the people in the community of Valdez. Everyone approved of the upcoming wedding to Jack, who by now had become the champion of the old and the weak. It was being said that he was doing well in his prospecting and mining operation. Everyone in the community seemed to be very excited about the pending wedding. The women were going to Taos, to purchase materials to make beautiful dresses, and the men were trimming their moustaches in order to appear young for the event. The smell of beautiful brown loaves of bread coming from the hornos was in the air. At Juanita's eatery there were pans full of freshly made bread and biscochitos.
Juan and Joe were being very helpful; as one might think they had found the jug with vino de capulin. They kept searching until they located a bottle of Taos Lightning, which put them out of circulation for a while.
Jack could not keep his mind from wondering about the beautiful find that he had made during his stay at the Mystic Mine. He had been chiseling away at the wall of the tunnel when he struck a beautiful vein of gold. Jack knew that he had found the proper wedding gift for his bride-to-be, his lovely Juanita. He cuddled his gift in the palm of his hand. He would softly caress the valuable find and petting it as if he were stroking Juanita's beautiful long hair.
Jack placed his valuable find on the dresser. A full moon was out and throughout his bedroom. For a moment he felt like he was floating on a cloud. He was afraid to show his valuable gift for fear that someone might try to steal it, or start a gold rush.
Juan and Joe were capable of performing certain shenanigans. They greeted Jack in a very friendly manner. The both looked around the room as if casing the place. Joe stood up in front of Jack and pointed at him what appeared to be a pearl-handled pistol. Joe and Juan burst out in loud laughter and Juan stood on a chair in mocking presentation, giving him a bow that went to the floor, making a presentation that had probably come from somebody's dresser. When Joe was questioned, he explained that he had found it in the hall. A smart person from the back of the room said "Leave your beautiful gift on your dresser and he will find that too."
The following day Jack went to see Juan and Joe to assure them that the remarks that were made were only in fun. He hired them to hang curtains. They did not like that job too well, but they were very happy to be part of the excitement. As they worked throughout the day, they greeted everyone that passed by.
After the priest pronounced Jack and Juanita man and wife, the violins and guitars starting putting out beautiful music. The congregation was still kneeling at prayer, praying that Juanita and Jack live a long and happy life.
The Gran Marcha was forming in the back of the church. To nobody's surprise, Joe and Juan were selected to lead the march. They started moving toward the Vineteria" from there they started turning back toward the mouth of Twining Canyon. The priest also joined the march, sprinkling holy water on the people who were on the sidelines.
You could hear the music of the violins and guitars for miles, and at times the singing would drown them out. After the Gran Marcha, tables had been set around the church and people started lining up to eat the delicious food. All the ladies in the valley had donated food for the occasion -- tables full of pies, cakes, and some real fine chile made by Juan and Joe" pans and pans of biscochitos. And there was plenty of sopa.
All the ladies were dressed in beautiful dresses made for the occasion. These ladies were waiting on tables and helping the people to be served. While they were eating an announcement was made that there would be a dance that night. There would be luminarias placed around the church and the road which led to the dance. There would be another Marcha around the hall.
The ladies of Valdez gathered at the hall to help Juanita examine her many, many lovely wedding gifts, and to put away those things that were not immediately necessary.
Juanita received lovely gifts such as scarves, blankets, utensils of all kinds, and flowers. Juanita admired all her lovely gifts, but in the back of her mind the one that stood out was the fist-size gold nugget which she received from Jack, her new husband.
In the meantime while the ladies were helping Juanita set up her new home, a new addition was being added to the cabin. Juan and Joe were busy sawing lumber, nailing the boards, and doing the best they could to please Jack and Juanita. They took it upon themselves to build a trail down to the creek, where Jack would do his thinking and planning as to what should be done in the days and years to come.
Jack knew that the news of gold in the area would bring people from all walks of life to Valdez. Among these newcomers would be cattle rustlers, thieves, gunmen, bank robbers, and whores. He knew that the people of Valdez would not like this. A new Constable was appointed" his name was John Brooks. Everybody agreed that he was a good man for the job. John came to Valdez in search of gold many years before but had the misfortune of falling on a mountainside and hurting his right leg, causing him to limp for the rest of his life. An expert marksman, from time to time he would go to the hills of Valdez for target practice. People would come to watch him. He could toss a coin in the air and hit it before it touched the ground. Jack was pleased with John Brooks' appointment and felt that they were getting a man to serve as Constable for little pay.
By that time the two strangers were becoming restless and sarcastic. Jack said that if Juan wanted to play poker, or there were at least four players, he would play. So they played poker, for two or three hours. No one seemed to be winning too much. Jack kept looking towards the door as if he was waiting for someone.
After some time had passed, a young guitarist stood at the door strumming his guitar, playing beautiful soft music. By this time there were other people in the room. The guitarist kept on playing his guitar and the people clapped.
In the meantime the betting was getting serious. As one of the hands was being dealt the guitarist was playing a little louder and suddenly broke out with a Spanish song which went:
"Juan, Juan, no jueges esta mano/ Lleno esta el Americano"
(John, John, don't play this hand / The American is full)
The stranger almost fell out of his chair -- he had a beautiful full house, and no one to bet against him.
Jack's luck changed. He won several big pots. Soon after that, Jack stood up and said that he had to tend to other matters. He picked up his money and walked toward the door. The two strangers made some insulting remarks, calling him a big chicken, and saying that he had not given them a chance to win their money back. Jack smiled and said to them "I'll be back another day."
The next day was Saturday and Jack went back to Doña Maria's hoping that the two strangers would be there so that he could have another crack at them. The men were there. They appeared to be drinking. They were using bad language and being very abusive. They let out a big yell and Jack waved at them, and motioned them toward the poker table.
They went to Maria's back room and immediately started to play. Not long after that Maria heard a fight going on. She left her post at the kitchen stove where she was stirring a big pot of stew. She ran to the back door and saw that Jack and one of the men were rolling on the floor. Juan and Joe stood nearby ready to join the fracas. The second stranger started to take his coat off and Maria poked him in the ribs and said "I wouldn't if I was you." He asked why, and she said "That young boy there", pointing to Joe, "will break every bone in your body, and if he doesn't, I will."
Jack would lay in the sand next to the big boulders, which would give him privacy and a place to get out of the sun and the rain. Juan and Joe had built this hideaway for Jack to enjoy, but they were also thinking of themselves. They knew that when Jack was on the mountain they could take their Vino de Capulin or Taos Lightning to the hideaway. They would take a guitarist and someone that could sing, and every so often you could hear a female voice giggling in the dark, or someone saying "Venga mi amor." You could hear footsteps fading in the dark, perhaps seeking a little privacy. They would return during the night to the hideaway, but never forgetting to look up at the moon and say thank you for a wonderful evening, and stepping into the hideaway where you could hear the beautiful sound of a guitar in the dark making sweet music.
A man by the name of Stone asked to go along, and was allowed to join the group. He was afraid to go alone because he had heard that the grant people had signed up about 60 horsemen to patrol the fence line and were bringing in loads and loads of ammunition. Stone also had heard that several miners had been shot by fire coming from the grant site.
It was a known fact that fence riders were not only patrolling the fence line, but also observing all the activities in the surrounding mines. They were also harassing the miners by firing at them from the wooded areas. This feud had existed from the time gold was discovered. The grant people contended that the miners were trespassing on their property, and the miners contended that they had permission to mine in search for gold, and that records were on file. It was understood that they could search for gold but not cut trees for lumber, or excavate for gravel or any other mineral.
Stone had gone out to examine the area surrounding the Mystic mine. While he was out, he was confronted by two horsemen who roped him and dragged him across the fence to the grant property. Later, shortly after dark, the people inside the mine heard someone galloping away. They saw something in the yard and went to examine it and found Stone's body. They took him into the mine and examined him. There were rope burns on his neck and hands.
After five days of staying inside the mine tunnel, Joe and Juan were getting cabin fever. They discussed a plan for early Sunday morning. They knew that the people of Valdez slept late on Sunday, getting up about ten a.m. in order to be in church on time. Juan and Joe also knew that there was a nice spring where game would come down to water just before daylight. The spring was a short distance from the trail, just off the beaten path, but well hidden from any passer-by.
The two men got to the spring early enough to see a herd of does leaving the water hole. They remained very quiet, hoping that a latecomer might show up. Suddenly from nowhere a six-point buck stood at the spring. He looked around, as if sensing that someone was watching. He took another glance to see that his herd was safe.
Suddenly a shot rang out, and Juan started feeling guilty that he had killed the most beautiful buck that he had ever seen, but guilty or not they proceeded to dress and quarter the meat. They soon had it ready to load and start out to the Valley, sticking strictly to a path well hidden from the road.
They both knew it was illegal and wrong to hunt out of season and without a license, but somehow they felt some satisfaction in that they would share the meat with the poor people of Valdez. They were hoping that Jack would not find out about the kill, but they knew that somehow he always managed to find out. He would surely give them one of his famous lectures, the kind that went in one ear and out the other.
The three men headed towards Maria's Eatery. Jack did not think that they were of any significance. Jack went back to what he had been doing when he was so rudely interrupted. Juanita returned home from the store and shortly you could smell the aroma of home cooking.
Three days later the three men came again, and they seemed to be going over the same tracks they left the first time. This time they headed to the front door. They were coming up the walk. The two tall men were walking on either side of the short man, escorting him to Jack's cabin. The short man was walking as if strutting and marching to a military band. When they came to the door. one of the tall men knocked; the short man quickly jumped to one side as if getting out of the line of fire. Jack opened the door with the tip of his finger touching the grip of his .45. The tall men stood by the door, one on each side, and stationed themselves where they could see in both directions. Jack asked the men what he could do for them. The short man grinned and squinted his eyes.
They came inside to talk. Someone leaned against the bookcase, knocking a box off the top, which made a loud crash. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife; they all drew their guns, and then blushed at their stupid display. Jack called it to their attention that they should not be so careless with the weapons, and so tense. The short man said "I have some material that I would like for you to examine. This material will make you a very wealthy man." Jack said that he would reserve any decision.
Jack stood up and very firmly denied both applications with an added statement, "Gentlemen, we are not seeking gunfighters, snipers, or any qualifications that you may have. We are only seeking some employees that can load a mule, swing a pick, or make a shovel sing. In some cases we require that they own a wheelbarrow and know how to handle it."
The man introduced as Butch Snyder from Santa Fe stood up and said that if he were hired on this job he would shoot a few outstanding citizens in the community, and in a week's time they would be eating out of his hands, and the ones that did not move would want to sell their property, which would bring a low price due to the circumstances.
Jack at that time said "Gentlemen, as far is I am concerned, this meeting is over. I have made a ruling based on the presentation you have made, and by your very words, it is clear that we do not see eye to eye. Your qualifications do not meet our needs." They smiled, and Snyder said "Thank you, Mr. Ferguson, we are satisfied with your ruling, and feel that you have been very fair." Hines said under his breath "You will be hearing from us." Snyder said "Amen."
Jack left the room and went straight to Constable Brooks and revealed the events of the day, saying "Frankly, John, I am quite worried about these men. They are not the run-of-the-mill petty thieves, nor are they someone who would just play a dirty trick and laugh. They are the kind who would not hesitate to kill someone. There is no big money here in Valdez, no bank to rob, no big business establishment and no wealthy people to hold up, and no railroad goes through here. So that comes to a big question ‹ what are they doing here?"
"That is the question we have to answer," the Constable replied. Jack asked, "What do you suggest we do?"
The Constable thought for a while. He stood up and walked around the room, walked to the window and looked out for a while, and then he turned to Jack and said very calmly, "These men have committed no crime, violated no laws. All we have is suspicion. I feel the same as you do, but that don't give us the right to arrest them. My suggestion to you, Jack, is that we quietly contact law enforcement agencies in the surrounding communities and any place where we have a chance to find out if they have criminal records or are wanted anywhere."
The next morning the Constable showered and shaved and put on his badge, and went to make the coffee rounds, observing whether there was anyone around that he did not know. He went over to Maria's; while he was on his second cup, Jack walked in with Juan and Joe. They all ordered coffee, and Jack started a conversation, telling John the Constable that he was going to advise Juan and Joe of the situation, and would instruct them in what steps to take. He was going to see if he could get them deputized. To do this he had to go through the Sheriff in Taos. He told the Constable that Juan and Joe would do a good job. Nobody would suspect that they were undercover officers ‹ they always had their noses into everything anyway. They could play the part of a bill collector; they could also pose as officers serving civil summonses. But Jack emphasized that they were not to go around these people asking any questions so they might suspect that they were officers. Juan and Joe would have to do their detective work from a distance. They could go about their business as usual, and also contact their friends, business people, and anyone else that they could get information from.
Jack told Juan and Joe to get a notebook and enough pencils and to jot down the date, the time, and day of the week and descriptions of what happened. He advised them that all actions that they might take could be supported if this case should ever go to court.
Joe and Juan went home, put on their work clothes, and had their meal. Then they loaded a wheelbarrow together with some cement and sand in the back of their pickup with two shovels and they were ready to go to work. They passed Jack on the way to one of the job sites and did not speak, wave, or give any indication that they knew him.
Jack went back to the cabin and joined Juanita for lunch. He notified her of the worry that he had. He started out by saying that Manby and the two gunslingers had come to Valdez; he told her of the qualifications that they presented. Everything they said and did spelled trouble. He also told Juanita of the offer that Manby made, about making him a wealthy man, and about the two applications of the gunslingers that Jack denied.
Some time in the afternoon, Juan and Joe decided to go down to the Vineteria to look around and pretend that they were getting sand. Suddenly they saw two saddle horses tied to a cedar tree. The saddle was something you don't find in a five- and ten-cent store. It must have taken a thousand dollars to buy such a saddle together with the boots and the silver plate on the saddle, and the fancy silver bit on the bridle. Equally expensive were the saddle blankets and the other ornaments on the horses.
They had seen enough and started to leave. Butch Snyder grabbed Juan by the arm and tried to pull him back to give him a drink. Juan refused, and said "I still have to go back to work, and if the foreman smells liquor on my breath, surely he will fire me."
Juan and Joe went to see if they could talk to Jack and the Constable. They went to the hideaway where they found Jack in deep thought and the Constable sound asleep. Jack stood up and stuck his feet in the cold water, and the Constable put some cold water on his face and neck. Once they were wide awake, Juan and Joe told both the Constable and Jack what they had encountered at the Vineteria. Jack told them not to go for sand at the Vineteria any more. "We do not want them to suspect that they are being watched."
Later the gunslingers were seen heading for the trail that Jack and his crew were using to go to the Mystic mine. It was early in the morning and it appeared from their packs and bed rolls and other supplies strapped to their saddle bags that they were going to stay away for a few days. Jack had some powerful binoculars and was able to observe them for quite a distance until they got out of range.
Jack and Constable Brooks met again at the hideaway. They remained in the hideaway for a long time. They discussed all kinds of things that could happen if the two gunfighters started any trouble. Suddenly John Brooks said to Jack, "Aren't we missing something?" Jack asked what was missing. "Didn't you tell me that when they first came to see you there were three men?" "Yes," Jack responded, "there was a short man with them, and they were seeking good fertile land to buy or trade. He was going to make several contracts. He said he liked this part of the country, and hoped that they could stay. He probably did not find what he wanted and left."
Constable Brooks said "Well, we will keep on the lookout. We will keep every avenue open and keep searching for them. Sooner or later, if they are the kind we suspect, they will make the wrong move and we will nail them. In the mean time, let's concentrate on the two who went up the trail. I am wondering if they are getting ready to ambush someone along the trail. If they go straight through and go to the Mystic Mine, what business would they have there?"
Jack said that maybe they would want to meet with the fence riders. The meeting broke up and the two men went separate ways. Jack went home to Juanita and told her what he had been doing, saying that it was only a routine investigation. He did not want to get paranoid and suspect everyone he met to be a bank robber, but you could see that he was quite concerned. He went home every so often. He would look out the window, saying that he thought he had heard something. He could not go to sleep. Finally shortly after midnight he dozed off.
Around two a.m. he did hear something ‹ footsteps coming from Ragu's pen. He lit the lantern that he always had handy and went out to investigate, and found a strange man there. He held the lantern closer to the stranger's face. The stranger said in a very low voice, "My name is Sam Jones, and I have been prospecting in these hills for some time. I never give anyone trouble, and I stay pretty much to myself. Yesterday I saw something pretty bad ‹ I saw a man using the same saddle as the one used to drag Mr. Stone. I thought it was the same saddle because it had the same fancy decoration. The first time I saw it I just had a glimpse, everything happened so fast. But yesterday, I had a better position behind some bushes where they could not see me. Mr. Ferguson, I think and I am pretty sure that it was the same saddle. Please don't tell them I told you; if they find that out they will be dragging me," Sam Jones said in a very scared voice and face. "I think I will go back to Kentucky and make my living making moonshine and looking out for Revenooers ‹ it is much safer than this God-forsaken country. This country is too rough for me."
After a long discussion into the wee hours of the morning, Jack and Mr. Jones decided that Mr. Jones would stay in the hideaway, and that the mule would be put somewhere so it could not be seen. Mr. Jones and Jack also discussed the pending investigation ‹ Jack assured Mr. Jones that he would not be exposed as a witness, or a person who had observed the fancy saddle and the other paraphernalia on the horse. Jack told Juanita to see that Mr. Jones was taken care of.
Jack sent for Juan and Joe. Jack went over in detail the report that Mr. Jones had made. Jack told Juan and Joe not to breathe a word of it, and to saddle their horses and start moving up the old trail, the one that Mr. Jones had come down. He told them to make sure that Mr. Jones had not left any tracks, particularly any that led to his place. After that was taken care of, Juan and Joe were sent up the new trail toward the Mystic Mine, and told to observe whether any deer had been killed along this trail; any signs of dead animals, which would attract scavengers.
Jack had given Juan and Joe orders to follow Skit Hines and Butch Snyder up the new trail. They had already checked the old trail that Mr. Jones took when he came down to notify Jack of the fancy Western saddle that he had seen the day Mr. Stone was roped and dragged. They carefully followed Skit Hines and Butch Snyder, staying out of sight, mostly on the shady side of the mountain. The two men did not know they were being followed.
Every so often they would drink whiskey from the bottle that they carried in a saddle bag. They never looked back to see if they were being followed. By noon they were showing signs of drunkenness. They seemed to be talking louder, so Juan and Joe decided to ride a little closer hoping to hear some of their conversation. They could not hear any better, though, and so dropped back.
They came to a small spring that Juan and Joe were familiar with, and stopped to have a drink of cold water and fill their canteens. Suddenly a small buck jumped out of the brush and headed toward the hill, and immediately two shots rang out, but the buck kept going over the top of the hill. The two who had bragged that they could put a bullet in your hip pocket had struck out.
It started to look like rain. Hines and Snyder wasted no time in dismounting from their horses. In about twenty minutes they had pitched a tent and unrolled their bedrolls, and were passing the flask. Juan and Joe were at a loss as to what to do. They could stand out in the rain, or get under a tree and take the chance of getting hit by lightning. Or they could go on up the trail to the Mystic Mine, where there were some friendly prospectors, and take the chance of being spotted by the fence riders. They decided on the latter, though it would be risky since the riders kept the mine pretty well under surveillance. They left their horses in an old shack, and crept and crawled around for about an hour and could not see any kind of life.
Hines and Snyder would be passed out by now. Juan and Joe had gone this far, so they could hardly go back without a good account of what they had done. So they sneaked over to the mine, and almost got shot by a cranky prospector who had been watching through a peephole. He did not want to give his name or share his food, nor let them stay there that night. He suspected them of being fence riders, and told them that they had better move on. He said that he liked to be alone at night, and went on to state that he would rather have a skunk with him in the mine.
Hines and Snyder took their tent down and got on the trail, ready to continue their trip up, to the mine first, and then on to the cabins that were headquarters for the fence riders. The old prospector reached for his rifle and pumped a cartridge into the chamber to wait for the two riders to come closer. He mumbled that he had seen them before, and that he knew their kind. Juan and Joe were hoping that he would not open fire. The old man did fire a shot, to everybody's surprise. Hines and Snyder galloped away and the old prospector was still talking to himself: "They will be back tonight. I know their kind."
Juan and Joe were still in the mine, hoping that the two gunslingers had not seen them or suspected that they were there. They knew that the sooner or later the old prospector would take a shot at them. In preparing to leave they were trying to keep up a conversation with the old man, trying to keep his mind off the rifle. Joe mentioned that Jack would be up soon, and asked the old man if he had a message for Jack. At the mention of Jack's name the old prospector made a complete turnabout. He was very complimentary about Jack, and he even had a smile on his face. By this time Juan and Joe were ready to start back to Valdez. They said goodbye to the old man and left him some of their supplies.
There were no delays on the trip coming back to Valdez. They went directly to Jack's cabin. Jack was out in the back repairing a horse stall. They talked for a while and continued to work on the stall. Jack was scanning the hillside with his powerful binoculars when he suddenly saw Juanita galloping toward him on a beautiful white Arabian horse that had been given to them as a wedding gift. Jack also owned a nice quarter horse that he had bought from an Indian who claimed that the horse was ill and would soon die. Jack was keeping the two horses in a pasture near La Vineteria. Jack and Juanita had claimed that they were too busy to go joyriding, but lately Jack had given the idea more thought. Jack knew that if he were to assist Constable Brooks and the other citizens who got deputized from time to time, it would entail more than a walk to the corner. It would mean that he would have to travel a lot to deal with the rise in crime. Jack told Juanita that if he was to continue in the law enforcement field, he would have to exercise the horses more so they would be in shape to get around the many hills. They both agreed to go joyriding more often so that the horses would get the conditioning they needed. It would also give them the opportunity to observe what was going on in this mountain country.
Jack sent Juan and Joe down to the pasture to groom Moro, the Arabian. Easy, the quarter horse that was supposed to be ready to die, was in perfect condition and looking mighty fine. Juan and Joe were very proud of the horses. Moro and Easy were equally proud after being brushed down and presented with a bucket of oats.
Juan and Joe put bridles on the two horses. They held their heads high as Juanita led them around the neighborhood. The next morning, Jack got up bright and early and rode through the toll gate and went up the Twining canyon, about two miles up, walking the horse on the way up and trotting on the way back. He brushed Easy when he got back to the cabin. He did this for a week, after which time Juanita started to join him. All the time Jack was starting a search for Sam Jones. It had been over two weeks since Mr. Jones came down the trail to report seeing someone with a fancy Western saddle, and later he disappeared. Jack had alerted every law enforcement agency from there to Kentucky, and no one had reported seeing the man with the fancy saddle or knowing of his whereabouts, but they would keep searching until they found him.
Jack and the Constable met at the hideaway, and Jack relayed the report that Juan and Joe had given him. The Constable said "Interesting Š Skit Hines was in the area of the Mystic Mine on the day that Max Stone was murdered. Mr. Sam Jones was hunting rabbits and hid in the bushes when Skit Hines came by riding on a real fancy western saddle. Mr. Jones did not have time to see the saddle very well, but nevertheless he saw it, and last week Sam Jones was again rabbit hunting and saw the same rider and the same saddle. This time he got a better look. Mr. Sam Jones is convinced that Skit Hines is the man that murdered Mr. Stone. We have to find him. I am beginning to feel that something happened to Mr. Jones. It's not like a prospector to go off and leave his mule."
One morning Jack got up early, and went out to brush Moro and Easy. He then went into the house and joined Juanita for breakfast. While they were eating, Jack told Juanita that he was going to Taos and from there to Santa Fe. The disappearance of Mr. Jones had him puzzled. He felt that Mr. Jones would have made arrangements for someone to keep the mule, to see that the mule was fed and watered. Being that Juan and Joe were taking care of the chores, the neighbors were already wondering if arrangements had been made with Jack. People were asking questions and Jack felt that it was time to start searching for answers. Jack caught a ride with Maria, the lady who operated the Eatery near the toll gate. Maria and Jack were good friends; Jack often played poker at Maria's. This day Maria had an appointment with Dr. Martin in Taos. When Jack learned about it, he decided that he would stop in and greet the doctor. Doc Martin rolled his cigar from one side of his mouth to the other, saying "cash customers first" to no one in particular.
When he had finished with Maria, Doc Martin motioned Jack toward an old couch in the corner, asking "What can I do for you, Mr. Ferguson?" Jack replied, "Nothing. The last time you gave me one of your treatments, I could not get away from the house for six weeks." Dr. Martin was famous for his castor oil treatments. He was a strong believer in cleaning out the system before any other medication was given. It seemed that he always started his patients on a large dose, no matter what the ailment. On this particular day he offered Jack his cure-all, life-saving treatment, but Jack refused as he had work to do and could not afford to take four to six weeks off.
They discussed everything they could think of, including the influx of prospectors, greatly increasing the population of Valdez, the doctor's business, and the crime rate.
Doc Martin brought to Jack's attention an incident that had happened the previous week. A man had come to his office with a bullet wound in his right leg. Upon examining the wound, the doctor found that it was just a flesh wound and there was no damage to the bone. The man was described as being about seventy-five years old and very scared of being roped and dragged. He kept mumbling about being dragged, and said that he had left behind someone whom he loved very much. He also mumbled about going back on a clear night to get his mule. Jack knew that this had to be Sam Jones.
The law enforcement officers agreed that Skit Hines must be found, and that they must be extremely careful, as Hines was armed and extremely dangerous. Constable Brooks said that he did not want any dead heroes. He and Jack discussed taking Hines into custody and placing a guard at La Vineteria, which was being used as a temporary jail. They notified the authorities in Colfax County, since that was where the assault on Mr. Stone had taken place, and filed charges in Taos County for the assault and attempted murder of Mr. Jones. Constable Brooks placed a guard on Mr. Jones, being the only witness. This decision was welcomed by Mr. Jones.
Judge Federico in Raton issued a warrant for the arrest of Skit Hines; his district included both Colfax and Taos Counties. There was a lot of activity in Valdez once the word got out. The community was normally pretty quiet, but on this day people looked at strangers very suspiciously. Reports started coming in that Hines had been seen in various places, and for the next few days everybody looked like Skit Hines.
Hines had found out that he was wanted and had disappeared. Butch Snyder had not been charged with anything, but he disappeared too. Arthur Roquefort Manby appeared at the Court House an attempted to post bond for Hines, but the judge refused to set bond for a wanted man who was still at large.
The excitement of a dangerous murderer being at large in the neighborhood made night life so quiet that you could hardly hear the crickets chirp.
Early in the morning Jack saddled Moro and Easy and went over to Maria's for coffee. By the time he had his second cup, the Constable had not shown up and Jack started to leave. Then he was about to go back into Maria's when he felt a pebble hit his boot. He looked around and saw some Indian moccasins near some wagons. Jack mounted Easy and rode towards Twining, following the way indicated by the Indians, who kept themselves barely visible to him. After he rode for a while he saw them turn and disappear into the brush. He sat quietly for a while and suddenly felt someone right beside him, his friend Blue Water. He told Jack that there was trouble brewing; that there were devils in the area.
Jack and the Constable got together in the Hideout. They both agreed that the next move was up to them, and that a posse should be organized immediately. The posse should be divided into two groups, with Blue Water leading the group that operated closest to Valdez. The other group would be headed by Juan Chamiso, who had been hunting in the high country all his life, and who knew every bump in the road.
Chamiso was aware of all the water holes where they could bed down at night, so to be able to move out early the next morning with their horses watered and fed. By mid-morning Chamiso would have a hiding place to rest his horses and from which to observe people going up and down the hills. Juan Chamiso had been known to survive in the mountains in the most severe conditions. His counterpart Blue Water was a professional hunter who could read tracks, and tell you of any change in the weather.
On the third day of the search they found where a deer had been butchered. Blue Water interpreted this as meaning the fugitives were short on supplies and would probably try to break in somewhere soon.
Hines must have felt that the posse was right on his tail. Juan Chamiso found his tracks and followed them all the way down to La Vineteria. He reported that Hines had slept there two nights and was planning to sleep there another night. He had found some correspondence that Hines had had with a young lady in Oklahoma. Some of the letter described what Hines had been doing since he came to Valdez. He bragged about all the gold he had collected, about how he had not done a day's honest work, and about the prospector he had roped and dragged on the day he arrived.
Soon afterward he was caught butchering some cattle belonging to the Jicarilla Indians.