 
Gertrude's Warning

By Rod Wright

Copyright 1217 Rod Wright

This story is fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses or location is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART 1

CHAPTER 1: A MAD DOG ON THE ROAD

CHAPTER 2: THE JUROSKAS AND THE HALEYS

CHAPTER 3: THE OLD COUNTRY SCHOOL

CHAPTER 4: AMYL JUROSKA, SHARECROPPER

CHAPTER 5: JOHN HALEY III RANCHER

CHAPTER 6: TWO BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMEN

CHAPTER 7: THE GREAT DEPRESSION

CHAPTER 8: DEATH FROM THE GARDEN

CHAPTER 9: THE JUROSKAS FORCED FROM THE LAND

CHAPTER 10: IRENE'S SOUTERS

CHAPTER11: THE SEDUCTION OF IRENE

CHAPTER 12: IRENE AND TRAVIS MARRY

CHAPTER 13: THE JUROSKAS GO TO CALIFORNIA

CHAPTER 14: TRAVIS ABUSES IRENE

PART 2

CHAPTER 15: TWO YEARS PASS

CHAPTER 16: TRAVIS TRIES TO MURDER IRENE

CHAPTER 17: JOLENE AND BILLY JOE PROVIDE FIRST AID

CHAPTER 18: OSCAR AND TRAVIS JOIN FORCES

CHAPTER 19: JOLENE ENCOUNTERS TRAVIS AND OSCAR

CHAPTER 20: JOHN SEARCHES FOR HIS DAUGHTER

CHAPTER 21: JOLENE ESCAPES FROM HER KIDNAPPERS

CHAPTER 22: TRAVIS AND OSCAR PREPAIR AN AMBUSH

CHAPTER 23: IRENE SPENDS THE NIGHT WITH BILLY JOE

CHAPTER 24: THAT NIGHT AT BILLY JOE'S APARTMENT

CHAPTER 25: JOLENE TELLS HER MOTHER WHAT HAPPENED

CHAPTER 26: TRAVIS FINDS IRENE

CHAPTER 27: BILLY JOE GOES TO THE SHERIFF

CHAPTER 28: A RETURN TRIP TO THE DOCTOR

CHAPTER 29: BILLY JOE GOES TO JAIL

CHAPTER 30: OSCAR IS ARRESTED

CHAPTER 31: BILLY JOE FINDS IRENE

CHAPTER 32: TRAVIS ALLUDES THE POSSY

CHAPTER 33: A GUN FIGHT AT THE RANCH

CHAPTER 34: THE DOCTOR ARRIVES AT THE RANCH

PART 3

CHAPTER35: THE SHERIFF INTERVIEWS IRENE

CHAPTER 36: THE DOCTOR CALLS AGAIN

CHAPTER 37: MAKING FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

CHAPTER38: IRENE'S MONEY IS RETURNED

CHAPTER 39: LUKE LOOKS AFTER JOLENE

CHAPTER 40: IRENE CANN'T OPEN HER OWN BANK ACCOUNT

CHAPTER 41: IRENE CARES FOR BILLY JOE

CHAPTER 42: LUKE'S AND JOLENE'S CONVERSATION

CHAPTER 43: IRENE'S LETTER

CHAPTER 44: THE FUNERAL

CHAPTER 45: IRENE RETURNS TO WORK

CHAPTER 46: SISSY STEALS LUKE

CHAPTER 47: THE MARRIAGE PREPOSAL

EPILOG

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PART 1

CHAPTER 1: A MAD DOG ON THE ROAD

On a hot Texas September Sunday afternoon in 1934, small white puffy clouds dotted the pale blue sky. Two teenaged ranch girls were riding their horses along the gravel country road that would one day become FM 7. As they rode along, Jolene Haley teased her friend Irene Juroska. "Billy Joe Woods is telling everyone that he is sweet on you. Is he going to be your beau?" Irene, who had a crush on Billy Joe, but would not admit it, said, "No, he is not going be my beau! If you remember, he put that old hoppy toad in my desk." Jolene replied, "It sure sounds like true love to me."

Before the teasing could go any farther, the sheriff, Tom Jones in his Model A Ford pulled up alongside of them and stopped. The sheriff leaned out the window, pushed back the brim of his white Stetson hat and looked over the top his sun glasses. "Afternoon, young ladies. Did ya'll see a big red dog with floppy ears and a curly tail?" "No sheriff, we haven't seen any dogs at all." Ya'll better ride straight home now. I got a report from Travis Brown, that he saw a mad dog, when he was driving back into town. I got to find that dog and kill it before it gives someone rabies."

Jolene said, "I am afraid to ride home by myself. I just might run into that mad dog. The dog, that the sheriff described sounds a lot like Emmitt Carpenter's dog, Traveler." It got into fight with a coyote the other day. Poor thing got chewed up real bad. I bet that old coyote gave Traveler rabies." Irene replied, "Let's go to my folk's place. We can cut across the pasture. That way we don't have to stay on the road. My papa can take you home in his truck. When it's safe, I'll ride over to your place and bring your horse home." Jolene looked doubtful, "That is sure is a lot of trouble for your dad." Irene replied, "He won't mind. One of our calves wondered over on to your place. When he is at your folk's place, it can be loaded up and papa can bring it home."

The young women rode over to the nearest gap in the pasture fence. Jolene started to dismount to open the primitive gate that consisted of a fence post that was not planted in the ground. Like the rest of the fence, it had three strands of barb wire attached to it. When the gap was closed, the fence was made complete by attaching the loose post to the next fence post by two loops of wire. Irene said, "Jolene don't get off your horse, that dog just might be around here somewhere." "I can open it, while I am still in the saddle. I've seen the cow hands do it a lot of times." It wasn't easy as it looked. She struggled to get the top of the post loose from its loop of wire. When she finally got it loose, she dropped the post, causing the barbed wire to cut a nasty gash on her knee. The cut made by the barbs would leave a scar, that Irene would have for the rest of her life.

Forgetting the mad dog, Jolene dismounted, finished opening the gap. She led her chestnut colored mare through the gap with Irene following close behind. When Jolene had securely closed the gap, she went over to Irene, took off her bandana and gently wrapped it around Irene's bleeding knee.

The wind blew the scent of the women and their horses to the old longhorn bull that was on the far side of the pasture. He did not like it in the least, that his territory was being invaded. He got up from under the old live oak tree where he had been resting to escape the afternoon sun. With his head held high, his nine foot horns swinging from side to side and with fire in his eyes, he trotted in the direction of the young women and their horses. Irene saw him first. "Jolene, that mean old bull, Lucifer is coming after us." "Let's call his bluff," Jolene replied, as she turned her horse to face the bull. Both of them galloped towards the bull waving their hats and shouting, "Bad Lucifer! Go on! Get out of here!" The horses and riders intimidated the old bull, so he trotted to the far side of the pasture, where some of his cows were standing.

After the bull joined his cows, Irene glanced down and saw that blood had soaked Jolene's bandana and had gotten on the hem of her dress. She looked at Jolene's jeans. "I wish my father would let me wear pants in public, but he says that girls wearing pants in public is not what young ladies do." Jolene shook her head, "My father is so old fashioned too. I hid my jeans, until I am away from the house. Then, when I am out of sight of the house, I change into them." Irene wide eyed asked, "Did y'all ever get caught?" "Not by my folks, but one day, I was changing behind a cedar tree, when Luke came riding up." Irene asked, "That handsome young cowboy, that your Dad hired a while back?" "Yup. One and the same." "What did he say?" Jolene laughed, "Not a word. He just turned real red in the face, and rode off as fast as he could."

The girl's laughter was interrupted by a gunshot coming from the direction of the road. Irene with a tears in her eyes commented, "I guess Sheriff Jones just sent poor old Traveler to doggie heaven."

The girls rode over to the main gate, where, they left the pasture. On the far side of the gate was an ancient old pecan tree. From under the tree. they could see Irene's house. Jolene commented, "I better change out of my jeans before we go to your house." Jolene dismounted and took a blue denim skirt from her saddle bag. Irene looked toward the house and saw a group of teenage boys playing ball in the front yard. Irene laughed. "You better step behind, that old pecan tree to change. The boys can see you from here. You don't want to give them a peek. Do you?" Jolene blushed and stepped behind the tree to change into her skirt.

When the girls arrived at the Juroska's house, Amyl Jr., who was called A.J. by his friends, his brother, Ruddy and Charlie Haley, Jolene's older brother were playing a ball game that they had made up.

One boy would be up to bat, Another boy would be the pitcher. The third player would be the catcher. The fourth player would be the fielder. If the batter hit the ball and it was not caught on the fly or on the first bounce, he scored. He got to bat until he struck out or until the pitcher or fielder caught his hit. When the batter was out, he rotated to the field. The fielder became the pitcher. The pitcher became the catcher and the catcher became the batter.

Jolene called to A.J. and Charlie, "Come here ya'll. Irene cut her knee on the fence. She needs some help to get off her horse." A.J. caught the horse's bridle to make sure the horse stood still. Charlie helped Irene dismount. He would have helped her into the house, but she said, "Thanks' Charlie." I can make it into house. She was wrong. When she got to the front porch, she became faint and almost fell climbing the steps, so Charlie helped her get up the stairs and on to the porch. There on the porch, she was met by her mother, Vlasta, who told her set down on the porch swing. "What happened?" Irene's mother asked. "I got cut by the fence, when I tried to open the gap to the pasture." "Why did y'all try to go through the pasture? Why didn't y'all stay on the road? Y'all know that old bull, that's in that pasture is cantankerous." Irene just looked at the floor of the porch, but Jolene spoke up, "Mrs. Juroska, we were on the road, when the sheriff drove up and told us that a mad dog had been seen on that very road." Vlasta turned pale, then she shouted to A.J., "Go tell your papa to go get his shotgun. There is a mad dog out on the road." Jolene quickly said, "Mrs. Juroska, the sheriff has already killed the dog." "Thank goodness for that! Jolene, you and Charlie stay for supper now. We are going to have caraway seed soup, veal schnitzel, sausage, povezky (fried bread), sour kraut, Bohemian cabbage, and for dessert poppy seed klatches," Valsta Announced. "Thank you, we'll sure will stay for supper," The two always hungry teenagers answered in one voice.

The next day at school everyone was asking Irene, why she was limping. "I cut my knee on a fence gap," Irene told the kids, that were standing by the front door of the high school waiting for the morning bell. Freddy Carpenter, son of Emit Carpenter was, an obnoxious kid, who lusted after Irene, said, "Let see that cut, and reached down to pull up the hem of her dress. Before he could grab the hem of her dress, Billy Joe shouted, "Don't you touch her! You hear!" Then, he shoved him hard against the school door. Freddy saw the angry look in Billy Joe's eyes, and said, "Don't get so mad. I was just messing around." Then he slunk off to the other side of the school. The bell rang and everyone went into the school except for Irene and Billy Joe. "Billy Joe, thank you for defending me." Billy Joe, as he drew a line in the dirt with the toe of his boot answered, "It was nothing. You don't want to walk home with a bum knee. Let me give you a ride to your folk's place." Irene smiled, "Billy Joe, just how are you going to do that? You don't have a car." He pointed toward the street and said, "On my Indian motorcycle."

After school, Irene hiked up her dress and got on the back of Billy Joe's motorcycle. The ride was a real thrill for her. She liked the wind blowing her hair and the bike's vibration going through her body. By the time, that he dropped her off in front of her house, she decided that she really liked Billy Joe, even if he did put an old hoppy toad in her desk. From then on, Irene rode to school every day on the back of Billy Joe's Indian motorcycle.

Even though Jolene knew her father would never permit her to ride on the back of a motorcycle, she still wished she could have a at least one ride. No matter how hard she begged, he would not change his mind, but he saw how disappointed his daughter was, so to ease her disappointment and to try to keep her from sneaking motorcycle rides, he bought Jolene a new girl's bicycle, so that she could ride to school too. Jolene loved her new bike. However, her father never learned that it was a very unnecessary purchase, because her one illicit ride on the back of Billy Joe's bike caused her to dislike motorcycles so much, that she would never ride one again.
CHAPTER 2: THE JUROSKAS AND THE HALEYS

Irene Juroska was born on the Four Jacks Ranch, in Longhorn County Texas in 1919. She had two younger brothers. A.J, who was two years younger than she. Rudy was three years younger.

The three children led normal lives for the times. They would sometimes play with the kids from the neighboring ranches, but mostly because of the distance between the ranches, they had only each other as playmates.

When they reached the age of five, their parents gave them small jobs to do. Irene would help her mother by drying the dishes or setting the table. As she grew older, Irene learned to cook. At first she would do simple things in the kitchen, like peeling potatoes and snapping green beans. By the time she was twelve, she could cook a full meal on the wood fired cook stove. Even when she was a toddler, she would go to the barn with her mother, Vlasta to milk Adeline, the milk cow. Because Adeline was a gentle beast, by the time Irene eight years old, she was able to milk the cow by herself. The full milk bucket was too heavy for the little girl, so she and A.J. working together would carry it to the house.

One day, Adeline was restless and put her right rear hoof into the bucket of milk. Irene dumped most of the ruined milk in the pig's food trough. The rest she fed to the barn cats. After that, she went to the well drew water and washed out the milk bucket. When she got back to the barn, she set the milk bucket down, shook her pretty little blond head, put her hands on her hips and said, "Adeline, if you put your hoof in the milk bucket again, I am going to tie your tail in a knot." She then finished milking the cow. Irene could work like an adult, when she was just nine years old.

Because Jolene's family was better off than Irene's, she did not have to work as a young child. Her mother would have her help Maria, the cook set the dining room table. She was required to keep her room straight. This was not an issue because Jolene was naturally neat. Most of the time she would play with her dolls and her Teddy Bear. Her favorite toy was a miniature tea set. She would pretend to have tea parties for her dolls and her Teddy Bear. She wanted Charlie to attend her make believe parties. He would play tea party just please Jolene. They would shut the door to keep Sissy out, because she was just a toddler, who would knock everything over. Sissy would cry by the closed door until Karen, their mother or Maria would come and open the door. The tea party was over when sissy got into the room.

When Jolene learned to read, she spent her evenings reading her favorite books by the light of a coal oil lamp. Some evenings, she would set in her father's lap and read aloud Alice in Wonderland, her favorite book.

A.J. and Rudy had their own chores. They would collect the eggs from the hen house or carry buckets of water from the well, for their mother's use in the kitchen. They would chop firewood into kindling for the stove. A.J. was big for his age, so he could safely use the ax. Rudy would carry the chopped wood to the kitchen to do his part of the job.

Jolene's older brother, Charlie would follow his dad around and try to help him with the ranch work. His only assigned job was to feed the old hound, Blue, that hung around the kitchen steps. After supper, Maria would give Charlie a bowl of table scraps, which he would feed to Blue.

Charlie's mother required him to keep his room in order. Charlie just hated to hang up his clothes and make his bed. His room caused a conflict between mother and son. However, Charlie's father always backed his wife. So, Charlie's bedroom was in order most of the time, if you didn't count a pair of boots left in the middle of the floor or a jacket about to slip off a chair on to the floor.

By the time Irene, A.J. and Rudy had celebrated their sixth birthday, they could ride a horse. They were too young to control the working cow ponies, so they were given Blossom, a gentle elderly mare to ride. By the time each had reached their twelfth birthday, they had the skill and experience to ride any horse on the ranch.

For her sixth birthday, Jolene received Tommy, a Shetland pony. She proved to be a natural rider. On her tenth birthday her parents gave her a beautiful chestnut colored mare. Tommy and his saddle and bridle was passed down to her six year old sister, Sissy.

Charlie told his father, that he didn't want a pony. He wanted a horse. John told his son, that what little money they had was due the bank, so he would just have to wait to get his horse.

One day John went to the neighboring ranch owned by Emmitt Carpenter and saw a young colt, that the rancher was about ready to put down because it had grown very weak from not being able to chew it's food. John saw that one of the colt's temporary teeth, had not fallen out and was interfering with the colt's ability to chew. John saw the potential in the very young stallion and asked Emmitt if he could buy the colt. Emmitt replied, "John, if you want him, you can have him. I was about to use him for coyote bait." When John got home with the colt, he, and his foreman extracted the offending tooth. The sick little horse grew up to be the horse Charlie dreamed of. In his life time, he sired many fine colts for the Rocking H.

Irene did not ride as often as her brothers, but when she did, she would select Zuzka, a high stepping white mare. Zuzka was fast, but easy to ride because Irene bonded with her by keeping her in the barn and feeding her apples and stroking her mane, when she came to the barn to milk Adeline.

A.J.'s favorite horse, Radomir was a small strawberry roan stallion with a big Roman nose and a bad attitude. None of the ranch hands liked to work with him, because he would try to kick or bite the cowboy, who was attempting to saddle him. After the rider swung up in the saddle, Radomir would try to buck him off. Because of this, the ranch hands would spur him in the flanks, as they mounted. This would send the little stallion bucking across the horse corral. The ranch hands would laugh and comment, "That the little stallion would rather buck than eat. "Because A.J. would not spur Radomir, when he mounted, he could ride him, without the horse first going into a bucking tantrum.

When Rudy picked a horse to ride, he would choose a black gilding called Tonik. Tonik was quarter horse that had spirit and the desire to gallop at every opportunity, but not a bad attitude, like Radomir. The reason Ruddy liked Tonik was that coal black horse was the most talented cow pony on the ranch. He seemed to be able to read Rudy's mind, when they were roping claves or driving the cattle into an enclosure.

Both A.J. and Rudy liked working on the ranch. In fact, both boys would have dropped out of school to be their father's ranch hands, but Amyl, who could read and write Czech, but not English said, "Boys, the world is changing. You're going to need book learning. So, you two stay in school. You hear!"
CHAPTER 3: THE OLD COUNTRY SCHOOL

Irene, A.J. and Rudy carrying their books would walk the three miles to the country school. On many mornings they were joined by their friends, Charlie, Jolene and Sissy Haley.

The white wood frame school building consisted of two rooms. One room for grades one through four and the other room for grades five through eight. When the students finished the eighth grade, the students, who were able to continue their education went to the new high school in Comanche Springs.

Irene was a good student, who loved to read. Next to the movie magazine, Photoplay, books of poetry were her favorite reading. When she graduated from high school, she planned to go to the university in Waco with her best friend Jolene Haley to study drama because she dreamed of being a movie star.
CHAPTER 4: AMYL JUROSKA, SHARECROPPER

Irene's father, Amyl Juroska was a big easy going share cropper. The owner of the Four Jacks Ranch let Amyl's family work the land for half of the crop, that the ranch produced. Out of his half of the profits, Amyl had to buy all the things that were necessary for the ranch to operate, so even good in times he was never out of debt. It was good thing that his family were all hard workers.

He and his wife, Vlasta had immigrated from Czechoslovakia twenty five years before. They had read in Czech paper about the Czech community, that was in Comanche Springs, so that is where they decided to make their new home.

Comanche Springs was a typical Texas town. The only difference between it and the neighboring communities was that about seventy percent of the town's population was of Czech heritage and Roman Catholic in faith. Most of the Hispanics were also Catholic. The Anglo and African American, residents, who were not Catholic were Baptist. In the surrounding communities the numbers were reversed.

Amyl and Vlasta worked at odd jobs around town, until they were able to share crop the Four Jacks Ranch. All three children were born on the ranch.

CHAPTER 5 JOHN HALEY III RANCHER

Jolene's father was John Haley III, who owned Rocking H Ranch, the wealthiest ranch in Longhorn County. It was located at the place where the Bosque and the San Saba rivers join together for their long leisurely flow to the Gulf of Mexico. The ranch's location was the place where Texas Ranger Captain John Haley, Jolene's Grandfather defeated the Comanche war chief, Great Eagle. For this victory over a very competent and dangerous foe, the Republic of Texas gave Ranger Captain Haley a land grant at the sight of the battle. This land grant became the town of Comanche Springs and the Rocking H Ranch.

John was six feet two inches tall. Although he was middle aged, his shoulders were still broad and his belly was hard and flat. He had light brown hair which was starting to thin. His face was deeply tanned. However, his forehead was pale because it was shadowed by his Stetson hat.

John, like his forbearers, was a hard man, who would not hesitate to use violence, if it was necessary to protect his family, property or to do his duties as the deputy sheriff. During the First World War, he fought in the trenches of France as an army captain. Twice he was decorated for valor. He meant what he said, and said what he meant. If he thought, that he was in the right, he just kept on coming, no matter what the consequences might be. He was quick with a joke or a pat on the back, but the rough men, who worked on the ranches in Longhorn County, knew not to test him. Even though he could be a stern father, he dearly loved his wife and children.

Jolene at the age of about two years learned that most of the time she had her father wrapped around her little finger. However, if she misbehaved in front of her father, she was sent to her room.

John expected Charlie to behave and follow instructions, because he was the oldest child, who was expected to set an example for his younger sisters. If he was really bad, he felt his father's belt on his rear.

Sissy being the youngest child was her parent's pet. To the disgust of her older brother and sister, she would misbehave in ways that would get Charlie spanked or Jolene sent to her room, but at most, she would get just a mild scolding from her parents. When she was corrected by her parents, tears would fill her beautiful big blue eyes. This would cause her parents to let her have her way. In a word, she was a very spoiled little girl.

CHAPTER 6: TWO BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMEN

Irene matured early. She was about five feet four inches tall. She had an excellent figure and a pretty round Slavic face. When her blond hair reflected the light she looked as if she had an angel's halo. She drew the attention of all the high school boys and some of the older men too. An older man by the name of Travis Brown would cause Irene's heart to break.

When Jolene entered Comanche Springs High School, she was maturing into beautiful young woman, that was five feet and eleven inches tall. She had beautiful red hair and freckles on her nose, which she hated. She had pretty green eyes, that would flash, when she laughed or was angry. Jolene had a beautiful face and a slim figure. When she matured into adulthood, she could have easily been a fashion model.
CHAPTER 7: THE GREAT DEPRESSION

The stock market crashed in 1928. Shortly after that disaster, most of the banks failed. Rural people lost their farms and ranches. City folks had to line up in soup lines, if they wanted to eat.

During the Great Depression years, life on the Four Jacks Ranch was very difficult. All of the money, that came from the cattle and cotton went to pay the landlord and for necessities. They were lucky that they could grow their own food, or they would have gone hungry. Meat came from the cattle, chickens and hogs that were raised on the ranch. The meat was preserved by smoking it in a special building called a smoke house, because in 1934 rural America did not yet have electricity to operate a refrigerator. Even if electricity would have been available, they would not been able to afford the cost.

Bread was home baked from flower that came fifty pound bags. Irene and her mother wore dresses made from these flour sacks.

Making dresses from flour sacks was such a common practice of the women that lived on the farms and ranches, that the flour companies packaged their products in bags that were printed with bright pretty patterns. So, dresses were not too ugly, if the farm wife or daughter was a good seamstress. Vlasta was an excellent seamstress, so she and Irene were never embarrassed by the dresses they wore. However, Irene was a little envious of her friend Jolene's dresses because she thought they were dresses purchased from the Neman Marcus Department Store in Dallas. Jolene never let her friend know that they were ordered from the Sears and Roebuck catalogue. One of Jolene's few vanities was the love of nice clothes, which lasted her entire life.

Times were tight during the Great Depression on the Rocking H too, but they were able to carry on, even if all most all of the money, that came from their cattle and cotton went to pay the bank its loan. There was still enough money, that Jolene could realize her dream of going to the university in Waco.

After finishing high school, Charlie wanted to stay at home on the ranch and learn to be a cattleman. This was a great help to John because he did not have to pay Charlie's college tuition. Charlie was a hard worker, so his work helped the ranch beat the depression.
CHAPTER 8: DEATH FROM THE GARDEN

Irene and her mother grew a garden, that produced turnips, sweet corn, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes and cabbage. Most of these they preserved by home canning.

This canning process became deadly when one of the jars of string beans was not cooked long enough. The botulism bacteria that were on the beans began to grow.

One afternoon when everyone was at work, Rudy came into the kitchen for a glass of water. As he was drinking the water, he noticed a jar of beans setting on the kitchen cabinet, that his mother was going to cook for supper. Rudy was hungry. Lunch in the field had only been a jelly sandwich. He saw the string beans and thought, "I will eat my share of beans now." He opened the glass jar and ate all the beans before he could stop himself. Mixed with beans and juice was the deadly botulism toxin.

As the sun was just coming up, the next morning, before anyone else was out of bed, Rudy went out to saddle up his horse, Tonik to bring some of the calves up to cattle lot, so that they could be sold at the auction that day. As he was putting the saddle on Tonik, he noticed he had a dry mouth. Ignoring his dry mouth, he mounted up and started for the north pasture. Before he reached the gap in the fence, the old bull in the pasture looked like two blurry animals. That's when the cramping and nausea doubled him over in the saddle. As he tried to dismount to vomit, he lost feeling in his limbs and slide out of the saddle on to the ground. He lay there, on the ground unable to move. After a few minutes, Tonik went back to the barn.

It was not long before Irene went out to the barn to milk Adeline. She saw Tonik, who was saddled standing in front of the barn. Irene called out, "Rudy, you better hurry up and drive up the calves. Poppa has started on his second cup of coffee." When she didn't get an answer, she checked the barn and did not find him. She started to go knock on the outhouse door, but she saw that the door was open. She hurried back in the house and told her father and A.J., "I just know that something bad has happened to Rudy. Tonik is in front of the barn all saddled up, but I can't find Rudy." With a worried look, her father said to A.J., "Son, go get in the truck. Let's go find your brother."

They found Ruddy lying on the ground by the gate. When Amyl bent over his son he asked, "Where are you hurt?" Ruddy replied, "Sick, can't feel my legs." Rudy's father backed the truck up so they could put Tom in the bed of the truck. "A.J., you ride in the back and hold your brothers head."

When they got to the house, Amyl called out, "Vlasta, Irene, come quick. Rudy is real sick. We need to drive to town to find the doctor." Wilma got into the cab of the truck with her husband and Irene got in the back of the truck to help A.J. with Rudy.

Even though his dad tried to drive carefully, every bump in the gravel road was agony for Rudy. Irene held her brother's head in her lap and A.J. held on to his body so he wouldn't slide around in the bed of the old truck. When they got to Dr. Doskocil's clinic, the doctor came out and examined Rudy. "Get him into the clinic and put him in the room next to my office." When Ruddy was put in the bed, Doctor Doskocil did a more through exam. "Son, did you eat anything special." Rudy scarcely got out, "Beans." Then Doc Jones had to turn Rudy on his side to keep him from chocking on his own spit, because Rudy could no longer swallow.

When Rudy was quite, Dr. Doskocil went into the waiting room to talk to the family. Vlsata asked, "Is my boy going to be all right?" "Vlasta, I am so sorry. He has botulism from some beans that he ate. All we can do is pray." (It would be another ten years before an antitoxin for botulism would be discovered.) Late that afternoon, Rudy passed away. Two days later, almost the whole town came to his funeral, when he was buried in the church yard of the Catholic church.
CHAPTER 9: THE JUROSKAS FORCED FROM THE LAND

Irene's family were able to stay on the Four Jacks Ranch until 1935, when the bank finally had to take over the property from the landlord because he could no longer make payments on his loan.

The depression ended Irene's dreams of going to college. She dropped out of high school at the age fifteen to work in the Dixie Cafe to try to help earn money for her family.

She started as a waitress working for fifty cents per day, tips and lunch. It was hard hot work. Some evenings she would have to drag herself to the boarding house, where she shared room with Gertrude Vasick, the Dixie Cafe's other waitress.

Billy Joe still give her rides on his motorcycle on Sunday. If the weather was permitting, they would ride to the Brazos. At the river, they would park his bike under the shade of an ancient cottonwood tree and talk. Billy Joe just loved Irene's Czech accent. Sometimes they would kiss or just hold hands and just watch the river flow by.

When he had the money, he would take her to the Texas to see a movie. Billy Joe dreamed that, when he finished his senior year in high school, he would find a job and then he would ask Irene to marry him. Then one day, Travis Brown the owner of the cafe noticed Irene and decided that he wanted her in the worst way.
CHAPTER 10: IRENE'S SOUTERS

Travis, who had a strong body, handsome face, and who wore his dark slicked down hair parted in the middle considered himself a ladies' man. He dressed the part, spending most of his disposable income on his wardrobe and his car, a 1932 Hudson Greater Eight.

Travis could be romantic, funny, and charming, but he could also be mean, when things did not please him.

Billy Joe also had a strong body and a handsome face. His dark blond hair, which always needed a trim hung down to his collor. However, he was young and inexperienced in romance. He had no money to spend on nice clothes. His wardrobe consisted of jeans, and work shirts. The only eye catching item in his wardrobe was his black leather motor cycle jacket. His only transportation was his Indian motorcycle.
CHAPTER 11: THE SEDUCTION OF IRENE

Travis was hypnotized by Irene's beauty and youth. It was not long, after she started working as a waitress, that he tried to seduce Irene, who was hardly more than a child. Irene rebuffed him for awhile, but finally she gave in to his advances. Because of his charm, small gifts and attention, she thought that she loved him. So, she told Billy Joe not to call on her anymore. Billy Joe sadly honored her wishes and stayed away. Deep in his heart he knew that Irene was headed for real trouble, but he did not know what to do.

Keeping her affair secret from her parents was not difficult, because she shared a room in town with Gertrude.

After going out with him just one time, Gertrude would not date him. On their very first date, Travis tried to seduce her, but Gertrude did not let him have his way.

After their date, Gertrude could do nothing right in Travis's eyes at work. She would have quit, but she had little money and nowhere to go.

Gertrude, who had far too much experience with worthless men for her twenty five years tried to warn Irene, but Irene was too infatuated to listen. Gertrude told Irene, "Travis is a nice guy, when things go his way, but he can get real mean when they don't. If you hang around Travis long enough, he will hurt you real bad." Gertrude went on to tell Irene, that on their first and only date, that he became very angry, and pinched her left breast so hard that, it left a large burse, because she refused to have sex with him in the back seat of his car.

Irene replied, "Gertrude, I don't believe you. You're just jealous because he likes me more than you." Gertrude didn't answer. She just walked out of the room.

Irene did not tell anyone about their affair, because she was under age. If they were discovered, she would be put down by the town people, as a immoral young tramp, and Travis would go to jail. If her father, Amyl would have found out about their affair , he probably would have shot Travis. Irene certainly did not want that. All of Irene's young girl friends except Jolene thought he was so handsome and envied Irene because he was paying attention to her.

There was something about him that turned him off to Jolene. She was too young and inexperienced to know exactly why she disliked about him, but she knew that she hated to be in his company. This dislike may have been caused by an incident that happened after Irene started to work in the Dixie Cafe. Jolene after school was setting in a booth drinking a coke, while waiting for Irene, when Travis approached to tell her a joke. "Why does the Felix the Cat not wear pajamas to bed?" Jolene smiled and replied, "I don't know. Why?" "Because they get in the way, when he screws Pussy Cat." Jolene just sat there and turned very red in the face. Finally she was able to say, "Travis, that's not a joke you tell a lady!" Travis laughed and said, "Miss Prissy, get a sense of humor." He turned and went back into the kitchen. From that day on, he had a pathological dislike for Jolene.

Oscar Broadwater, a good friend of Travis saw the attraction between the teenage girl and the cafe owner. Oscar warned Travis, "Partner, you best not be sleeping with that young gal. She sure as hell is jail bait!"

The conversation worried Travis. He did not want to go to jail, but he could not bring himself to leave her alone, so he decided to ask Irene to marry him.

The next day, Irene had just closed the cafe door behind the last customer of the day, when Travis came up behind her, put his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck. She shuddered with pleasure, and said, "Silly, don't do that right in the front window. Someone might see us from the street." Travis replied, "It doesn't matter because I am going to marry you." She turned around and kissed Travis on the lips. Irene liked the idea of getting married and agreed, but because she was under age. they had to convince her parents to let them marry.

The following Sunday, Travis and Irene got into his Hudson and drove out to the Four Jacks Ranch, to ask her parents, to sign the legal documents, to allow them to marry. Her parents were reluctant to let her marry at such a young age, but Travis had the financial means to support her. Two days before, the bank for closed on the Four Jacks Ranch, so hoping for the best, they agreed to the marriage of their sixteen year old daughter to a thirty five year old man of questionable repartition.
CHAPTER 12: IRENE AND TRAVIS MARRY

The wedding was conducted by the justice of the peace on the Longhorn County court house steps. Irene was in her Sunday dress and heels. She had a cute little hat on her head and small bouquet of flowers in her hand. Travis had his hair slicked down. He was wearing his best suit and a new tie. His two toned wing tipped shoes were polished to a high luster.

After the wedding, there was a wedding cake and a small reception at the Dixie Cafe. The people attending the reception were Irene's family, Oscar, Gertrude and the old cook. Irene wondered why her friend Jolene did not attend the reception. However, it did not take long for the happy bride to forget about Jolene. After the reception, the couple boarded the evening train for their honey moon in Galveston.

The trip to Galveston was a great adventure for Irene, who had never been any farther away from the Four Jacks Ranch than to Waco. In Galveston they stayed in the Buccaneer Hotel. It was definitely not up to the quality of the Hotel Galvez, the finest hotel in town. However, Irene thought it was the finest hotel in the world because she had never been in a hotel before.

Travis bought her a bathing suit. Again, another first for the bride. As they walked holding hands along the sandy beach and swam in the gulf, Irene was so in love, that she just knew that she could float on air.

On the third morning of their honey moon Irene woke up in the bed alone. After wiping the sleep from her eyes, she saw that Travis was nowhere in the room. A little frightened at being left alone, she got up and quickly got dressed, so that she could search for him. As she was setting on the edge of the bed putting on her shoes, Travis came into the room. He swayed a little and struggled to get her into focus. "Guess what my little duckling? I got us some tickets for a boat ride on the bay."

She was not surprised that Travis had been drinking, but she was very disappointed that he would get drunk on their honeymoon. "Travis honey, I think y'all need to take a nap before we take our little boat trip," she said, as she helped him get into bed.

By three that afternoon, he was sober enough to take their boat ride. The next day, Travis, who was badly hung over and Irene, who was very angry at her new husband checked out of the hotel and took the train back to Comanche Springs.
CHAPTER 13: THE JANKES GO TO CALIFORNIA

The Jankes no longer had any prospects in Longhorn Country, so with several other families, who also had been evicted from their land, they decided to go to California to work in the fields and orchards. They loaded their few belongings in their tired old farm trucks and started their long journey to their new home in the far west.

A month after they left for California, Irene received a letter saying that her family were living in a migrant camp just outside of Turlock. They were doing OK because all three had gotten jobs picking peaches in the nearby orchards.

Irene was very excited to receive the letter from her family. She would ask each of her customers, "Do ya'll know were Turlock, California is?" None of the customers knew, so when business was slow in the middle of the afternoon, Irene slipped away from work and went to the high school library to find out where Turlock was located. Since she dropped out of school and was married, she did not know what kind of reception she would receive at the high school. Luckily for her, she ran into her friend, Jolene Haley coming down the school's front steps. Jolene was surprised to see her and asked, "Irene it's so good to see you, but why are you here at the school instead of at work? "Jolene, I got a letter from my folks. They are living in Turlock, California and I don't know where that's at. So, I came to school to go to the library to look it up in the Atlas. Jolene do you know where Turlock is?" Jolene with a shake of her red hair, said, "I don't have the slightest idea. I have never even heard of it, until just now." Irene saw Jolene's troubled expression." "Won't the librarian let me look it up? It would only take a minute." Jolene answered, "We will just have to sneak you in. Here, put your waitress cap and apron into my book bag. Take these books. We'll walk in like we owned the place." They walked into the library, went to the Atlas and found Turlock.

Irene, who had fantasies of being a movie star was disappointed, that Turlock was not near L.A., because Travis during some pillow talked promised that as soon as they saved up the money, they would take the train to California to visit her parents. So, Irene had to be content seeing movie stars in Photoplay a movie magazine and on the silver screen of the Texas theater, which was located on the east side of the square in the middle of the block on Main Street.

The Texas was built in the art Deco style of the 1920's. The inside still contained the pipe organ that was left over from the silent movie days. The seats, which were not cushioned were made of wood with cast iron legs. The curtain that coved the screen before the movie started was made of blue velvet trimmed in gold. There were art deco scones for lighting at the entrances and exits. In the dark blue ceiling were small blinking lights that were supposed to be stars in the Texas sky. A fancy movie theater for a small Texas town. Irene just knew there were bigger and finer movie theaters in California.

When Irene and Jolene left the school, Irene said, "I am so glad you sneaked me into the library. Come on over to the Dixie Cafe and I will treat you to a coke and piece of apple pie." Jolene replied, "I'll take a rain check. I have to get home and help mom and Maria with fixing supper." Jolene and Irene hugged and Jolene got on her bike and started the five mile ride home. (The real reason she didn't accept her friend's invitation was that she had been told by her father not to go into the Dixie Cafe because of its owner's sordid repetition. Jolene also remembered Travis's crude joke, so for once, she followed her father's wishes without question.)

When Irene got back to the cafe, Travis was waiting for her with an angry expression on his face. "Where have you been? We got customers." Not bothered by his angry look, she hugged him and said, "I got a letter from my folks. They are in Turlock and I wanted to know where that was, so I went to the school library to look it up" Travis grumped, "You could have asked me. I know where Turlock is. Now get your cute little ass going and help Gertrude with the customers."
CHAPTER 14: TRAVIS ABUSES IRENE

One evening when Travis came home late, after an evening of drinking and playing pool. Irene met him on the front steps of their old Victorian house. "Travis, honey where have you been. I thought you were going to take me to the Texas to see Munity on the Bounty. Didn't I tell you it stared Clark Gable?" Travis replied with no sound of remorse, " I ran into Oscar at the barbershop and we decided to win a little money at the pool hall. There is a new pool shark in town named Amarillo Slim. Me and Oscar decided to show that feller, who was the real pool players." Irene in a suspicious voice asked, "Did ya'll win?" "No. He skinned both of us pretty damn good." Irene put her hands on her hips and asked, "Just how much did you lose?" "That's none of your business," He angrily answered. Irene rushed into the kitchen to look in the fruit jar where she kept her tip money, which she was going to use for their trip. It was empty. "Why did you use my money in the fruit jar? You knew I was saving it for our trip to California?" Travis's face turned red with rage. He shouted at the top of his voice, "Woman, you are my wife. What is yours is mine." Then slapped her. His ring cut her lip. The slap was so hard, that besides cutting her lip, it left a big burse on her cheek. Crying, she ran from the house and went to the rooming house, where Gertrude lived. When Gertrude opened the door, her look of surprise turned to anger, when she saw Irene's cut lip and bruised cheek. "Irene, what happened?" "Travis hit me, when I fussed about his losing our California trip money playing pool. How could he do this to me?" Gertrude put her arm around her and tried to comfort her, but she couldn't help thinking, "You silly little thing, I tried to warn you about him, but you just wouldn't listen." An hour later, Travis showed came to the boarding house and begged to see Irene. Gertrude did not want to let him in, but Irene agreed to talk to him. When they were alone on the front porch, he began to cry. He begged for forgiveness, pleaded with her to come home and promised never to hit her again. So Irene went home with him.

For a while, Travis did not hit her, but as his drinking problem became worse, business in the cafe started to decline. People stopped going to the cafe because they didn't want to hear him cursing at Irene and Gertrude. So, he drank and gambled even more.

PART 2

CHAPTER 15: TWO YEARS PASS

Two years went by. During that time, Gertrude met George Kaminski, a Fuller Brush sales man. He was the type of guy that most people never even noticed, unless he was knocking on their front door trying to sell them some brushes. Even though he was only thirty years old, his thin blond hair, which he combed straight back had already started to recede. He had a thin mustache that reminded some people of a skinny blond caterpillar, that was crawling on his upper lip. His intelligent light blue eyes resided behind his wire rim glasses. George was about six feet two inches tall and was as thin as a fence rail. Gertrude saw these physical short comings, but did not care because when he came into the Dixie Cafe he was friendly and polite. He always left her a large tip.

One morning , when he was in town, Gertrude brought a refill for his coffee, which he drank black, she asked, "George where is it that y'all call home?" He smiled and said, "The road is my home, but Chicago is my home town." Surprised by his answer, she asked, "You only live tourist courts?" "Not exactly. I have a room in a boarding house in Waco. That's where I get my mail." "You get to see a lot of places and do a lot of interesting things. On the other hand, here I am stuck in Comanche Springs." He looked at her and smiled, "Would you like to take in a movie or go dancing with me tonight in Waco." Gertrude smiled back and said, "I would like that very much."

Three months later they were married in St Joseph Catholic Church that was located in Comanche Springs.

Jolene graduated as valedictorian of her high school class. The fall of that year she entered the university in Waco.

College life was very different than life on ranch located near a small Texas town. Her first problem was to find her way around campus. All the large classical brick buildings looked alike to her. She was late to a class the first day because she became lost walking between the women's dorm and the language arts building.

At first, living in the girl's dorm was a real challenge for her because of all the coming and goings of all the residents in her dorm. However, by the end of the first semester she had made friends with most of the girls in her dorm. The second semester, she was invited to join a sorority.

None of the fraternity brothers asked her for a date. If she wanted to attend a sorority function, her sorority sisters had to set her up with a blind date. She really didn't want a boy friend. She believed that a romance would interfere with her studies. However, she worried that something was wrong with her. Finally one of the senior women explained, "Jolene, you are so beautiful, that the frat rats are afraid to ask you for a date."

She was astonished by the amount of entertainment that was on campus and in down town Waco. In a letter to Charlie she wrote, "Charlie, there are so many movie theaters here in Waco, that I could go to a different movie every night of the week!" Fortunately for her grades, she resisted the temptation.

Billy Joe graduated from high school, but did not have the means nor the desire to attend college. He had a mechanical mind and loved machines. He never came across a motorcycle or car that he didn't like. While he was in high school, there wasn't a car, truck or tractor on his father's ranch, that he hadn't taken apart and reassembled His fantasy was nearly as improbable as Irene's dream of becoming a movie star. Billy Joe wanted to be a winning driver in the Indianapolis Five Hundred.

He thought that he was very lucky when he found a job as a mechanic working in the town's only open filling station. Even though the pay was low, the job gave him a few benefits. He got to service and repair cars. He was permitted to live free in the small apartment above the filling station. Finally, a number of young unmarried women and high school girls would come by the station to flirt with him. Most were unsuccessful in getting him to ask them for date, because he still was in love with Irene.

Freddy Carpenter, who was good in math and who liked accounting graduated solitarian in his class was unable to start to college because of the lack of money. He applied for a job at the bank and was hired as a teller.

He was very good at his job and at flattering his superiors. It was not long before he had the confidence of the bank management.

Every time Irene walked by the bank on the way to work at the Dixie Cafe, he would watch her walk by. He wanted her badly, but he never made any advances, because he was very afraid of Irene's husband, Travis Brown.
CHAPTER 16: TRAVIS TRIES TO MURDER IRENE

One Sunday, when the cafe was closed, Travis asked Irene, "I need to get out of this hick town for awhile. Why don't we take a nice Sunday drive up to Waco. Maybe we can see that movie you wanted to see in the Waco Theater. I heard it was the best move house in the entire state of Texas." Irene was very surprised that he was being nice to her. Irene was also suspicious. She had been married to Travis for over two years and knew that he only thought of himself. She replied, "Let me get my purse." Travis laughed, "Doll, that's a good idea, since you are going to buy the movie tickets." As they approached the filling station where Billy Joe worked, Irene asked, "Travis, what's the real reason for you wanting to go to Waco?" He replied, "There is a guy up there that has an almost new Ford, that I want. He wants more for the car, than I can pay, so your job is to be nice to him and do anything he wants, so that he will sell me the car at my price." A hurt and angry Irene said, "I have always tried to be a good wife and do as you ask, but this too much. Travis, take me home, I won't be your whore." As he hit her, he said, "Woman, you will do as I damn well want. If it weren't for me, you would be picking peaches in California, with the rest of your white trash family!"

Irene lunged against her door as she tried to dodge his blows. The car door came open. She would have been able to keep from falling out, but Travis gave her a hard shove. Irene fell out of the car and out onto the gravel road. The rear wheels came within inches of crushing her. Travis didn't even slow down. He just kept driving toward Waco.

Jolene, who was home for the weekend was standing in front of the gas station talking, to Billy Joe, when Irene fell out of the car. Both of them fearing the worst, ran over to Irene. With the breath knocked out of her, Irene lay on the gravel road gasping for air. The upper part of her right leg hurt so bad, that if it had been possible, she would have screamed. Billy Joe was the first to reach her. As he started to bend down to pick her up, Jolene said, "Don't move her. She might have hurt her back." In a few minutes, when Irene got her breath back, she was able to sit up, but couldn't stand. "My poor leg is killing me," she exclaimed. Billy Joe swooped her up in his arms and carried her to a chair that was in the filling station. Jolene said, as she went to the pay phone on the side of the station, "I am going to call Dr. Doskocil and the sheriff." However, Irene shouted, "Don't call the doctor yet. I can't pay him. Billy Joe, I know that you are not supposed to see my leg, but please you and Jolene looked at it and see if you can do something, before you call the doctor."

From her hip to her ankle was a mass of cuts and scrapes that were seeping blood, but it did not appear that she was bleeding from a torn blood vessel. However, there were dirt and pieces of gravel imbedded in some of the deeper scratches. Billy Joe shook his head and said, "I think Jolene and I can doctor the cuts and scratches. There is gravel stuck in some the deeper scratches. I will have to dig them out with the point of my pocket knife. That is going to hurt. Are you sure you don't want us to get the doctor." "Don't call him. If I spend money on a doctor, Travis is sure to beat me. I couldn't take that." With a dismayed look on his face, he said, "I would go to the drug store and buy some bandages and a bottle of iodine, but I have only fifty cents. I get paid tomorrow." Jolene as she reached for her purse said, "I will pay for it. Get a couple of sponges to wash her leg and wash pan for the water. Billy Joe with Jolene's five dollars in his pocket ran to the back of the gas station, got his motorcycle and started for the drug store.

When Billy Joe was gone, Jolene asked, "Irene, has Travis ever hurt you before?" "He hit me really hard once. I ran away to Gertrude's place, but he came and talked me into going back home with him. He said he would take care of me and never hurt me again. The bastard lied. He hasn't hit me again until today, but when he is unhappy, he yells and curses at me. I think he has a girl friend down in Austin. When he came home from his last so called business trip, his clothes smelled of a perfume, that I don't use and he had red lipstick on the collor of one of his shirts." Jolene spoke before she thought, "Maybe he just took up with some whore for the night. My sorority sisters say that husbands like to whore around, when they are away from home." Irene sighed, "If that is true, he probably brought home some kind of horrible disease." Jolene said, "I am sorry, that I said that. My sorority sisters don't know as much as they think they do." Irene said in resigned voice, "It doesn't matter. I am not going back to him. He pushed me out of the car because I wouldn't sleep with one of his buddies, so that he could get a better price on a car."

Jolene went over and put her arms around her friend. "Don't you worry now. You won't have to go back to that horrible man. Your friends will take care of you."
CHAPTER 17: BILLY JOE AND IRENE PERFORM FIRST AID

Irene looked down at her destroyed dress. "This was my best dress. Look at the skirt! It's torn to bloody shreds. I can't be seen in public like this." Then she started to cry. Jolene softly replied, "When Billy Joe gets back and after we doctor your leg, I'll go over to your house and pack some clothes for you." Alarmed, Irene said, "You can't go there, because I am really afraid Travis will beat you and maybe even rape you. When he is drunk, he says that all you need is for a real man to screw you. A good screwing would get you way from your high toned ways." Jolene grimly replied, "If he hurts me, you will be free of him, because my daddy will kill him."

Just then, a beat up model T Ford truck pulled up to the gas pump. When no one came out to service the car, Emmet Carpenter got out of his truck and tried to come into the gas station. Jolene met him at the door. "Good afternoon, Mr. Carpenter. May I help you?" Emmet asked, "Where is Billy Joe? I need to buy some gas." Jolene replied, "He had to leave because of an emergency, but he should be back in a few minutes." "Emmet turned red in the face. His little pig eyes budged from his fat face. "I knew that kid would be off fooling around, just when I need to buy some gas." Jolene answered, "If you will show me how, I will put gas in your truck." Emmet sneered, "What do you think your pa would do to me, if I let his high toned daughter get her pretty little hands dirty from gassing my truck? I'll do it. That there is men's work. I need fifty cents worth." As he handed Jolene two quarters, he looked passed her and saw Irene. The first thing he noticed were her torn skirt and the dirt in her hair. He leered at her and tipped his sweaty beat up hat. "Afternoon, Mrs. Brown. Where is that worthless husband of yours? Shouldn't you be home fixing his supper?" Before Irene could answer, he turned to put gas in his truck.

Not long after Carpenter left, Billy Joe returned with the medical items, that he had purchased at the drug store. "I got all we need at the drugstore. The druggist made the suggestion, that I use something called hydrogen peroxide. He said it would not burn as much as the iodine. With a worried look, on her face, Irene asked, "You didn't tell anyone what happened? I would be so ashamed, if anyone found out." Bill Joe reassured her, "The druggist was real curious about why I wanted the stuff. I told him that I was always burning or cutting myself here at the station, so I wanted this stuff here just in case."

Jolene filled wash pan with clean water from the water hose, that was used to fill car radiators. She brought in and placed it on the top of the display case, that held the candy bars and cigarettes, that service station sold to some of its customers. Billy Joe looked around on the shelves of the filling station looking for a new bar of soap, that he knew that he put away for safe keeping. He finally found it behind some oil bottles. Jolene whispered to Billy Joe, "This water better be clean or those scrapes and scratches are going to get infected. I guess it will have do. Let's get that leg cleaned up" Billy Joe looked a little pale. "You better do it." Jolene smiled an evil little smile. "Billy Joe, there was a time in high school, when you would have traded your old Indian motorcycle for a chance to wash Irene's leg." Billy Joe blushed and replied, "That was then, but now is now." I'll go stand out front and make sure no one walk in on y'all." Jolene called out as Billy Joe started for the door, "Billy Joe, while you are out there, heat the blade of your pocket knife with your lighter. You are the one who is going to dig out the gravel."

Jolene carried the wash pan, soap and sponges around to where Irene was setting. As Jolene prepared the soapy water in the wash pan, Irene pulled shredded skirt up around her hips. Jolene noticed Irene's bloody stockings "Girl, you're going to have to take off at least your right stocking so I can wash your leg." Irene looked at her stockings. "Damn, these are my only pair of silk stockings. They both are ruined. I might as well throw both of them away." She took off her left shoe and then unfastened her left stocking from her garter belt. She tossed it into the trash can, that sat by the counter. She did not need to take off her right shoe because it was still lying out in the middle of the road. However, she could not take off her right stocking because it was stuck to her leg with the blood, dirt and gravel. Irene started to cry out of pain and frustration. "Its stuck to my leg. I can't get it off. It hurts so, when I try to pull it off."

Jolene got a cigarette and a silver plated lighter from her purse. After she lit the cigarette, with her lighter, she took a puff from the cigarette and handed to Irene. With a very surprised looked on her face, Irene asked, "When did you start smoking?" Jolene laughed, "Girl, you learn a lot in collage, that's not in the text books." With a fake frown of disapproval on her face, Irene asked, "Does your dad know you smoke?" Jolene replied, "No, don't you dare tell him." When Irene took a long drag from the cigarette, Jolene knelt by her friend and said, "Hang on tight. I'll take it off." She grabbed the top of the stocking and quickly pulled the stocking off Irene's hurt leg and over her foot. Billy Joe heard Irene scream and ran back into the station. In a panicked voice he asked, "What's wrong? What happened?" Jolene answered, "It hurt real bad, when I pulled off her stocking. Billy Joe, she will be OK, when she stops crying. For now, it's best if you go stand out front. I'll call you, when I need you to take out the gravel."

Jolene wetted the sponges in soapy water and started to wash Irene's leg. To keep Irene's mind busy, Jolene asked, "Have you heard from your folks lately? How is A.J. doing? Find himself a California girl?" Irene answered, "My folks are doing OK. Dad was able to get a job in a cannery there in Turlock. Mom watches the neighbor kids and takes in washing. Dad was able to save enough money to buy my mom a washing machine. The money she takes in for doing the washing for the unmarried men, that work in the cannery has almost paid for the washing machine." Jolene tried to be gentle when she came to a deep abrasion on the inside of Irene's leg, but the sponge and soapy water stung so badly, that Irene stopped talking and gasped. Jolene quickly said, "Tell me about your brother, I always thought he was kind of cute." Did he find a California girl?" Irene replied, "No, he didn't. He always said that he wanted to see the world, so he joined the navy. The last letter I got said that he was stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii." "Jolene's green eyes sparkled, "Your handsome brother will have a girl in every port." When Irene didn't respond, Jolene picked up the wash pan with the dirty water. "I'll dump this water outside and tell Billy Joe it's his turn to doctor your leg."

After Jolene emptied the wash basin, she walked over to Billy Joe and said, "Billy Joe, be real careful with that knife. She has taken just about as much as she can take." He replied, "It really bothers me, that I have to hurt her, but I guess that this something that has to been done. Jolene stay out front and make sure no one comes inside the station. I had two customers since I have been out here standing by the pumps."

He went into the station and found and extra chair and sat down beside Irene. "Rest your leg across my knees." However, her leg was so stiff and sore that she could not do that. So, Billy knelt down beside her. "Irene, I am so sorry that I have to hurt you, but I have to get the gravel out of those cuts and scrapes." She touched his face. "I know that Billy Joe. Do what you have to do." Billy Joe was relieved that Jolene had been able to wash out the dirt and smaller pieces of gravel. There was three sharp pieces of gravel left that was embedded in her leg. Two were in the calf of her leg and one was stuck in her knee. Billy Joe easily removed the two that were embedded in the calf of her leg. However, for the one stuck deeply in her knee, he had to dig deep with his knife to get it out. When he was finished he stood up and kissed her cheek which was damp with tears. "Irene, I've finished. Jolene will bandage your leg." However, Irene said in almost a whisper, Billy Joe, you do it, please."

Billy Joe opened a package of cotton balls. He took one and soaked in hydrogen peroxide. He then gently dabbed all the cut and abrasion with the hydrogen peroxide soaked cotton ball. Because Irene and Billy Joe had never seen or used hydrogen peroxide, they were very surprised that the liquid appeared to boil, when it touched a scrape or cut. Bill Joe quickly removed the cotton ball from Irene's leg, but Irene said, Go ahead and finish. It doesn't hurt at all."

Billy Joe had just finished bandaging Irene's leg, when Jolene came in the station. She smiled at Irene and said, "Since your leg is doctored, I will be on my way to get your clothes." Irene replied in a tired voice, "Please be careful. We don't know when Travis might return. There is a Mason canning jar hidden behind the bread box. In the jar is all my tip money. Bring it too." "By the time I get back, my daddy should be here to give me a ride home. We can take you to the Rocking H, so that you can rest," Jolene remarked. Irene answered, "Billy Joe said I could rest at his place. Tomorrow I am going to tell the sheriff what Travis did. "Jolene tried not to show her surprise and disapproval. "Tomorrow, while Billy Joe is working, I will come over and we can visit. If you want me to, I will go with you to see the sheriff."
CHAPTER 18: OSCAR AND TRAVIS JOIN FORCES

Travis did not calm down until he was almost to Waco. Then fearful thoughts flashed through his mind, "I killed Irene. What a mess I am in. The sheriff will arrest me for murder, if he can catch me. I have some friends in St Louis. I can go there. First I have to get some money. Oscar will help me get my money and valuables from my house." He turned his car around, and drove to the run down old farm house, that Oscar called home.

When Travis arrived, Oscar was setting on the front steps drinking a beer. Travis parked his car and quickly walked up to Oscar. Oscar asked, "Howdy partner, you want a beer?" Travis replied, "You're damned right. I want a beer." Even though, Oscar had been drinking, that entire Sunday afternoon, he saw how upset Travis was. "Travis, what's the matter? You look like you got some big old bad problem. If you want to talk about it, I'll listen up real close." "First, give me a damn beer and I will tell you all about It." Oscar fished a beer from the tub of ice and water, opened it, and handed it to Travis. Travis chugged the beer in two swallows.

After he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, he began his lies about Irene. "Oscar, old buddy, I think I am in big trouble and I need your help. Irene and I were going on a Sunday afternoon drive to Waco. Irene looked put out, so I asked her what was wrong. She said that we should sell my Hudson and get a new Ford. I told her that we couldn't afford a new car. She got real mad and kicked her door. The door flew open and she fell out right in front of the service station. Billy Joe and that Haley gal were in front of the station, so they saw her fall out of the car. She probably broke her fool neck. I just know they called the sheriff and said that I pushed her out of the car. " Oscar, looking puzzled, asked, "Why would they say that?" Travis replied, "Oscar, Billy Joe and Irene were sweethearts in high school. I beat his time with her. After that, he didn't have much use for the ladies. At first, I thought he liked other guys, but then I realized, that he was just waiting for a chance to steal my wife. Nothing would please him more than to see me fry in the electric chair. As far as that high toned Haley bitch is concerned, she would go along with Billy Joe's story just for the hell of it." Oscar replied, "Partner, you are in a world of hurt. What can we do about it."

Travis replied, "If you want to come along, we are going to leave this hick town in our dust and head for St Louis. I have some ideas how we can make a lot of money along the way. Oscar took a another swallow of beer and said, "This sounds good. Count me in."

"Oscar, we first have to go by my house and get some things. I need to get some clothes and some money, that I have squirreled away there." Oscar with a worried look on his face asked, "Do you think the sheriff will be watching your place?" "You still got that old double barrel shotgun?" "Yep, I sure do." Travis laughed, "Bring it along. If the sheriff tries to stop us, you can give a him both barrels."

CHAPTER 19: JOLENE ENCOUNTERS TRAVIS AND OSCAR.

Jolene walked the five blocks from the station to Irene's house. She opened the front door with the key that Irene had given her. She climbed the winding stairs to the bed rooms on the second floor of the aging Victorian house. She entered the master bed room.

In the bedroom were an old fashioned vanity, a chest of drawers and a white iron frame bed. Heavy wine colored curtains covered both windows, so the room was very dark. As she switched on the single bulb that hung from the ceiling, she thought, "What a dark dismal place. It almost like a set for a scary movie. If I have anything to do about it, my friend is not coming back to this wretched house."

She looked in the bedroom closet and found a large old leather suitcase. She sat it on the bed and opened it. Then she took Irene's under ware from the chest of drawers and put them in the suitcase. She also placed makeup and a hand mirror in the suitcase as well. She found three dresses, a pair of women's shoes mixed in with the six pair of men's shoes, that Travis had scattered across the floor of the closet. She closed the old leather suit case, after she placed the shoes and dresses in it.

Carrying the suit case, she descended the winding stairs, and looked around for the kitchen. It did not take her long to find the fruit jar with Irene's tip money. She sat the suitcase on the kitchen table to put the money in it. Then she heard the kitchen door open, Travis and Oscar walked in.

For a brief moment, all three stared at each other in surprise. Travis finally bellowed, "Woman what are you doing in my house?" Jolene made a run for the door with the suitcase, but Oscar cought Jolene by the arm. Travis snarled, "Girlie, what have you taken?" He opened the suitcase. Looking at the clothes in the suit case, Oscar asked, "Why is she stealing them clothes?" Travis replied, "It's because Irene didn't break her fool neck." Jolene definitely answered, "You hurt my friend. We are going to tell the sheriff what you did!" Travis smiled like a wolf. "So you haven't reported me to the sheriff yet. Oscar, old Pal, this high toned Miss Haley is going to learn a hard lesson tonight." He walked over to her and slapped her with the back of his hand. The blow stuck her in the eye and knocked her to the floor. She quickly scrambled to her feet and said in a low voice, "My daddy will track you down and kill you." Travis grabbed a hand full of Jolene's red hair. As he dragged her toward the leaving room couch he said, "Little darling, I going to give you a lesson, that them college boys ain't man enough to teach." Jolene scornfully laughed, "Wife beater, You're not man enough, to teach me anything." Travis snarled, "We will see about that," as he pushed her on to the couch. Jolene tried her best to fight him off, but he was too strong. As he pushed up her dress and pulled down her panties, she freed one of her hands and scratched her face. Blood dripped from the four scratches on Travis's face. "Bitch," he screamed.

Everything went black for Jolene because Travis punched her again and again in her chest and stomach." Oscar rushed over and pulled Travis off Jolene. "Travis, that's enough. You're going to kill her." Travis snarled and started to go after Jolene again, but Oscar said, "Don't be a fool. We need to get out of town." As Travis used his dirty handkerchief to wipe the blood off his scratched cheek, he said, "Let's just kill her and dump her body along the road somewhere." Oscar replied, "I have a better idea. Let's take her with us, and hold her for ransom. Her pa will pay a small fortune to get her back." Travis chuckled, "That is a great idea. How much money should we ask for?" Oscar replied, "Twenty thousand dollars. Ten thousand for you and ten thousand for me."

CHAPTER 20: JOHN SEARCHES FOR HIS DAUGHTER

When Jolene had not returned in an hour, Irene began to worry. "Billy Joe, Jolene has been gone too long. I am afraid that Travis has her. What do we do?" Billy Joe replied, "We have waited long enough. I am going to call the sheriff." However, before he could call the sheriff, John Haley drove up the station. He parked his car and walked into the station. The first thing he saw was Irene setting on a chair with her leg wrapped in bandages. In a surprised voice, he asked, "Mrs. Brown, what happened to you?" Before she could answer, Billy Joe said, "Her husband tried to kill her by shoving her out of his car." Irene spoke up and said, " Deputy Haley, I am worried! Jolene went over to my house to get me some clothes, but she hasn't come back. I afraid Travis might have found her at my house. If he has been drinking, he will hurt her real bad." A very worried and angry John Haley said, "Billy Joe, close the station. I am going to need you to back me up. Help Irene to my car. Irene, we are going to find my daughter. If that miserable excuse of a man has hurt my daughter, there is going to be hell to pay." Haley unlocked the trunk of his car and took out a Winchester carbine. "Billy Joe, do you know how to use this carbine?" "Yes Sir, my dad has one just like it." A grim smile crossed John's face. "Let's go get that bastard, before he can hurt my daughter."
CHAPTER 21: JOLENE ESCAPES HER KIDNAPPERS

Jolene, who had heard their plans about kidnapping her decided that, that it was not going to happen. She knew that she had to escape to stay alive, so she rolled off the couch and made a run for the kitchen door. Travis laughing cought her, around her waist, but he let her go, when she scratched his forehead, sending blood running down into his eyes. Oscar tried to block the door with his body, but Jolene kneed him. He doubled over in pain. As Jolene shoved him to the side and ran out the kitchen door of the old house, Travis fired the old double barrel shotgun at her. Travis, because of the blood in his eyes, missed Jolene, but blew a big hole in the door frame near Oscar's head.

Holding her ribs, Jolene ran as fast as she could down the alley that ran behind the house. With every step she took, she expected a shotgun blast to riddle her back. When she got to where the alley met the street she saw that an elderly couple standing on their back steps. "Jolene ran toward them crying out, "Help me, please! Call the sheriff! He is going to shoot me." The old lady ran back into the house to call the sheriff. The old man called to Jolene, "Young lady get over here quick. We will hide you in the house."

Travis found a dish cloth to wipe the blood from his face. Oscar puked most of the beer, that he had drunk that afternoon into the kitchen sink. Travis screamed at his friend as he tried to reload the shotgun, "Where are the extra shells, I am going to kill that bitch." Oscar replied, "I left them in the car. We can take care of her later. Let's get the hell out of here, before the law arrives!"

Travis and Oscar had been gone only about two minutes, when John and Billy Joe drove up to the house. "John remarked, "I don't see their car. We better check the alley. As they drove out of the alley, Jolene saw them from a living room window. Over the objections of the old man and his wife, Jolene rushed out of the house. Billy Joe saw her first and said, "John, there is Jolene." John stopped his car and jumped out to greet his daughter. John saw her disheveled appearance. As took his frightened daughter in his arms, he asked, "Honey, are you Ok?" Jolene didn't answer, but hung desperately to her father. After a moment he asked, "Child are you hurt? What did they do to you?" Jolene tried to choke back her tears. "Daddy, Travis tried to rape me. When I tried to fight him off, he hit me hard in the stomach. I think he might have broken something inside me. He would have killed me, but Oscar persuaded him to kidnap me instead." John in a low comforting voice, "We are going to have Doctor Doskocil look you over. Then I am taking you home, so that you can be with your mother." Jolene asked, "What about my friend, Irene?" John replied, "Don't worry about your friend. See there, she is in the backseat of my car. We will have the doctor check her too."

While the women were being examined by the doctor, John called the sheriff's office. The telephone operator told him that sheriff had been notified by the neighbors of a gunshot and was on his way to Irene's house. John said, "Billy Joe, there is nothing for him to see at the house." He walked over to where Irene was setting. "Irene, do you have an idea where your husband is running to?" Irene thought a moment, "He always talked about his so called friends in St Louis. He might go there, but then again he might go to California. I don't think he will go far, until he comes back and tries to hurt Jolene and me." John did not say anything, but his face looked like the face of the grim reaper. In her heart she knew that John Haley, rancher and deputy sheriff would shoot Travis Brown on sight, just like the sheriff shot the mad dog, Traveler that summer afternoon, that now seemed so long ago. She felt guilty, that she only felt relief at the thought of a violent death, that was awaiting the man she once loved.

John drove over Irene's house. There, he saw the sheriff and another deputy interviewing the old couple. When the Sheriff saw John walk up to Join the group, he asked, "John, do you know what is going on here. These fine people said that Travis Brown tried to shoot your daughter. I am going to have to talk to her." John answered, "He tried to shoot Jolene and he pushed his wife out of his car. From what his wife tells me, he and Oscar are headed to St Louis by way of Dallas. He is driving his Hudson. They are armed with a shotgun and who knows what else. If we leave right now, we might be able to catch them before they cross the county line." The sheriff looked at John. "Jeff and I will go after Travis and Oscar. You stay here in town with Mrs. Brown and Jolene." John replied, "I want to go too. That bastard owes me for what he did to my daughter!" The sheriff said, "John, you are not going, and that's final. You are so upset, that you are likely to shoot him on sight. I won't have that kind of vigilante justice in my county. Go back and protect Mrs. Brown and Jolene. Travis, that no good skunk may try to sneak back into town and finish what he started." Mad and frustrated, John drove back to the doctor's clinic.
CHAPTER 22: TRAVIS AND OSCAR LAY AN AMBUSH

As Travis and Oscar drove toward Waco they saw an empty farm house. Travis turned off the road and drove down the dirt track, that led to the house. Oscar asked, "Why are stopping at this old house?" Travis replied, "So that we can bush whack the sheriff. With him out of the way, we can go back and take care of my wife and Jolene Haley. "Do I have some special plans for them!" Oscar asked, "You think they might be hiding in town?" "Travis answered in a sarcastic voice. "Miss Prim and Proper Haley has gone to the Rocking H. "My stupid wife has gone home." Oscar scratched his head. "Why would she do that?" "Where else would she go?" replied Travis.

Travis parked his car where it could be seen from the road. "When the sheriff sees the car, he will drive up to the house. Haley and the sheriff will get out of their car, then we will gun them down." Oscar got his shotgun out of the back seat, while Travis removed a Colt .45 Auto and three loaded magazines from a bag in the trunk of the Hudson. "Don't forget your shotgun shells in the car, like you did at my house," Travis said, as he walked toward the deserted farm house. The house had been vacant since the bank had foreclosed. It was fortunate that no one lived there, because Travis would have shot them. A heavy wooden table was discovered in what had been the kitchen. Oscar drug it across the floor to the front window. There, he turned it on its side. Travis, annoyed by the noise of the table being dragged, asked, "Oscar, what the hell are you doing?" Oscar replied, "Fixing up some cover for us to stand behind when the shooting starts. Killing Haley and the sheriff an't going to be easy."

The sheriff did not see the Hudson, so he and his deputy drove on by. When they got to the county line, the sheriff exclaimed, "Well hell's bells! They got away. For all the good it will do, when we get back to the station, I'll notify the police in Waco, Dallas and St. Louis."

Oscar saw the sheriff's car driving back to town. "Travis look. The sheriff is heading back to town. He must think we crossed the county line." "Oscar, old buddy it looks like my luck is changing. We will give him another thirty minutes to get back to his office. Then we go back and tend to some much needed business." Oscar looking doubtful asked, "Then are we going to St Louis?" Travis laughed. "As fast as my Hudson can take us. While we are waiting, let's have another beer."
CHAPTER 23: IRENE SPENDS THE NIGHT WITH BILLY JOE

When John returned to the clinic, he found that Jolene had fractured ribs. Her eye, that Travis hit was starting to turn black. She looked exhausted, but not as exhausted as Irene. John could easily see the sadness and compassion on Billy Joe's face, who was setting in a chair close to them. "Billy Joe, Thank you for your help. I think the ladies have had a long hard day. I better get them back to the Rocking H, so they can rest." Billy Joe smiled and said, "John, Irene wants to stay in town, so that she can open the cafe for the breakfast folks. " John questioned, " With her hurt leg, how is she going to open the cafe?. Where will she stay? She can't go back to her house." Billy Joe answered, "She is going to stay with me at my apartment." Jolene quickly spoke up, "Irene, if you do that, people will talk. You will ruin your reputation. You know, you are always welcome at my folk's place." A tear slid down Irene's face. "I have already ruined my reputation, so I am going to stay with Billy Joe. People can think what they want. Besides, I don't want Travis going out to Rocking H looking for me. If he sees you, he will hurt you." John grimly replied, "No, he won't! If he comes on my place, he is a dead man. He has hurt my little girl for the last time!" Jolene said, "Daddy, please don't do anything, that will get you into trouble. Tomorrow, I am going back to school, so Travis won't be able to find me." John gave Billy Joe and Irene a hard look. "Both of you are adults. Do what you think is best. Both of you are welcome to stay at the ranch until Travis is behind bars."

CHAPTER 24: THAT NIGHT AT BILLY JOE'S APARTMENT

Back at the apartment, Billy Joe held up Irene's lost shoe. "Look what I found, when I went to put away my motorcycle." "I guess we can grateful for small favors, but I still don't have any clothes to wear." Billy Joe quickly said, "Jolene said that she had packed your suitcase and was going out the door, when Travis caught her. I could go get it for you." "That is sweet of you, Billy Joe, but I am afraid to be alone right now. I don't want you to go over there in the dark. Travis might have circled around. If I can borrow one of your shirts for a night gown, the suitcase can wait until the morning." He went over to the chest of drawers and took out a clean shirt and asked, "Will this do?" Even though, she was tired and hurting, she was still able to give Billy Joe smile. "Billy Joe. that shirt will be just fine."

While Irene was in the bathroom, Billy Joe put fresh sheets on the bed. He made himself a place to sleep over in the corner. Near his pillow, he placed a large monkey wrench that he had brought up from the station.

Irene limped out of the bathroom and saw Billy Joe's bedding on the floor. "Billy Joe, I don't want to take your bed. I should be the one that sleeps on the floor." Billy Joe replied, "You are the one that was hurt, so you get the bed. Do you want me to tuck you in?" Irene was surprised, when she noticed that she was blushing. "I am a big girl. I can tuck myself in, but thanks for the offer."

When Irene was in bed, Billy turned out the light and pulled a chair, so that he could watch from the window. The night was still. The only sound came from the croaking of the spade footed toads, that lived in the marsh behind the station. The only light came from the station's blinking neon sign. It was not long before he closed his eyes and went to sleep. So, he did not see Travis and Oscar drive by the gas station.

When they got to the house, they drove around the block to be sure the law was not at the house. As he parked his car, Travis said, "Oscar come on and give me a hand. I need you to carry my suitcases." Oscar replied, "My back hurts. I think I better stay in the car and watch for the sheriff."

Travis went into the house. "Honey, I am home. I am so glad you weren't hurt when you fell out of the car. Come on down here and let's talk. I really am sorry I lost my temper." Only silence answered him in the empty house. "Woman, don't be playing games with me. If I have to coming looking for you, you will be sorry, when I find you." He climbed the stairs two at a time. He jerked the bedroom door open and found it empty. "Damn, she is with Billy Joe. I wonder where they went to hide. Maybe Oscar knows where he lives. As soon as I am finished with her, Billy Joe is welcome to what's left of her."

He grabbed a suitcase and stuffed some clothes in it. As he started towards the front door, he noticed the mason jar containing Irene's tip money and her suitcase. Too bad I can't get my cash that is in the bank. On second thought, Irene can get it. I just have to convince her to do it" That is where Miss Prissy Haley will come in."
CHAPTER 25: JOLENE TELLS HER MOTHER WHAT HAPPENED

Karen, Jolene's mother was stunned to see Jolene's black eye. "Jolene, what happened to you? How did you get hurt?" Jolene stood there for moment looking at her mother. Then she started to cry. "Karen was growing more alarmed by the minute. "John, what happened to our daughter?" She asked, as she took Jolene into her arms. John replied, "It's best, that she tells you what happened, when she gets control of herself. I will leave you two ladies alone to talk, while I take care of some things out at the barn." Karen sat by Jolene on the couch. Jolene said in a strained voice, "It was terrible. I don't know where to start." Her mother replied, "Honey, why don't you start at the beginning?" "I'll try mother. Daddy took me into town this morning. I had planned to buy Charlie's birthday present at the Five and Dime Store. Then I was going to see, if Irene would like to go see a movie. I tried to go into the into the Five and Dime Store, but it was closed. Even after going to Mass this morning, I forgot it was Sunday. As I was standing there wondering what I should do next, Billy Joe drove by on his motor cycle. He waved and pulled in behind the filling station. I decided to go over and say hello, since I hadn't seen him in awhile, and the next movie didn't start until two. He didn't have any customers at the moment, so he bought me a coke and we stood under the shade of the big old pecan tree, that grows by the side of the filling station drinking our cokes and talking about things that happened in high school, when Travis and Irene drove by. The door of the car flew open and Travis pushed poor Irene out of his car. She fell on to the gravel road." Karen responded, "That is terrible. I just knew something like this would happen to Irene, if she married that worthless bum!" Jolene continued, "Billy Joe and I thought she had been killed. Thank God, she didn't get killed or break her back. Her poor right leg was all scratched up. I wanted to call Doctor Doskocil, but she was afraid Travis would beat her, if she spent money on a doctor." The tears welled up in Karen's eyes. "The poor dear is such a sweet girl." Jolene let out sob and bent over from the pain caused by her broken ribs. "Billy Joe went to the drug store to get stuff to doctor Irene's leg. When he got back we doctored Irene's leg. Irene's dress was all messed up, so over her objections, I went to her house to get her some clothes so she could come out to the Rocking H and be safe. I went to her house and packed her suitcase. As I leaving, Travis and Oscar came. in. I think both were drinking. Oh mother, Travis hit me in the eye and tried to rape me! When I scratched his face, he hit me so hard in the chest that he broke my ribs. He would have beaten me to death, but Oscar stopped him by suggesting that they kidnap me instead. I just knew that if I was going to live I would have to escape. So, I made a run for it. Travis tried to shoot me with a shotgun, but he missed. I ran to a neighbor's house and hid there until daddy came and rescued me." Karen, who on hearing Jolene's story was filled with indignation became very protective of her oldest daughter, said "That sorry piece of humanity will never ever hurt you again!" Jolene, whose ribs were really starting to hurt said, "Tomorrow, I am going back to school, but right now, I just want to hide in my bed."

After Jolene went to bed, her parents sat in the living room and talked. "Jolene insists on going back to college tomorrow. John what do you think?" John replied, "That's not a good idea. She needs to heal both in body and soul. The best place for that is here at home. From what she has been through, she won't be able to study. Until Travis is in prison, she needs to stay here." Karen remarked, "She will be worried about her studies." John answered, "She can withdraw from college for the semester. I want her where she will be safe." Karen smiled and said, "Honey, I agree completely. You can tell her in the morning."

The next morning Jolene's ribs were hurting so badly, that she was certain there were more injuries, than just her broken ribs. On the way to the clinic, John and she had a talk. "Jolene, your mother and I think it best that you stay at home until you get well, and Travis is jail." Jolene started to object, but she saw the determined look on her father's face, so all she said, "Whatever you think best daddy."
CHAPTER 26: TRAVIS FINDS IRENE

Billy Joe awoke at dawn to the smell of cooking coffee. He got up out of the chair he was sleeping in and stretched his stiff back. "Irene, that sure smells good, but you didn't have to do that." "If you would have the proper fixings, I would have made you a complete breakfast. When you have drunk your coffee, would you do me a favor?" "Sure, I would be happy to." She limped over to the chest of drawers and got her purse. "Here are the keys to the cafe. The help arrives at five in order to be ready to serve breakfast. Go to the cafe and unlock it for the old cook and the waitress. "Tell them that Travis is out of town, and I don't feel well, so we won't be there today. Please don't tell them what happened." Billy Joe frowned and said, "Will everything go alright without you being there.?" Irene answered, "They are good folks. They will do everything right. She took some money from her purse. "Give this money to them to make change. Billy Joe, when you have done that, remember to go by my house and get my suitcase." Billy Joe smiled, "Anything else boss?" Irene laughed and pointed at the door, "No, that should do. Hurry back."

Oscar's snoring woke Travis. The scratches on his face hurt and he was hung over. It took a minute for him to realize that he was not in his bed at home, but he had been sleeping in the back seat of his Hudson, that was parked on a country lane. His mind cleared enough, that he remembered what had happened the day before. In a fit of temper, he reached over the front seat and slapped Oscar on the ear. "Ouch. Travis, what the hell did you do that for?" As Travis got out of the car to relive himself, he said, "We need to get over to the Rocking H and get that Haley broad." Oscar was starting to get angry, "Travis, what in the hell are you thinking? There is no way in hell that we can do that. We would be shot dead, before we got within a half mile of the house. Why don't we just go get your wife? She is probably is in Billy Joe's apartment." Travis snarled, "Do you know where that is?" Oscar replied, "It's above the gas station." Travis thought a moment, "What if Billy Joe is there? He is sure to put up a fight." Oscar, who realized that he was finally getting through to Travis said, "Billy Joe is hardly more than a kid. Don't you think us two grown men with guns, can handle that young punk. We can tell Irene, that if she doesn't go to the bank to get your money, we will kill her sweetie." Travis face broke into a wicked smile. "When she brings the money, we can kill them both." "If you want too. That's fine with me." However, Oscar was thinking about doing things much differently. "I am bone tired of Travis acting like he owns me. I an't going to take no more of his bull. If we do things his way, we both will be going to the electric chair. When Irene brings the money from the bank, I am going to bust Travis square in the jaw. Then I am going to take his money and car and head for California. I hear that Irene wants to go to Hollywood real bad. Maybe she will want to tag along. I'll just ask her."

Irene was watching for Billy Joe, when she saw Travis and Oscar pull up in front of the gas station. At first she was so frightened that she couldn't move. Then she thought to herself, "He may beat me and maybe even kill me, but I am not going let him see my fear." She had just finished praying for strength, when Travis knocked on the door. She asked.."What do you want Travis?" He replied, "Please let me in. I just want to try to explain." She shouted, "No, there is nothing to explain. Go away!" "Oh Honey, I won't hurt you none. See, I brought Oscar along just so you would feel safe." As crocodile ran down his cheeks, he sobbed, "I know that I hurt you. I am so sorry. I love you so much." The tears weakened her resolve to not let him in. So she opened the door and let them in.

Travis looked around the small apartment and asked, Where's Bill Joe?" Irene ignored the question. Travis then said, "Irene, I don't know what came over me yesterday. The Cafe, this town and its people, just drove me crazy. Why don't Oscar, you and me get in my Hudson and drive all the way to Hollywood? You always wanted to be a movie star. With your looks, it's bound to happen. We could even go visit your folks. We just need for you to go to the bank and get my money." Irene asked, "Travis, why don't you get it yourself?" "I would, but Oscar heard that the sheriff is going to arrest me because Jolene filed a complaint, She said that I hit her. Isn't that right Oscar?" Oscar nodded his head. Irene in a firm voice said, "Travis, I am not going anywhere with you and Oscar. There is no way in hell, that I am going give you the money, that is needed to keep the cafe open. I want a divorce!"

Travis stepped forward to hit her, but at that moment Billy Joe walked through the door. "Irene, your suitcase wasn't there." Travis drew his pistol as he turned on his heel to face Billy Joe. "Look who just came through the door. I think I will just shoot my little wife's lover." Irene said, "Travis, please don't shoot him." Travis smiled, "I'll make a swap with you. I will trade Billy Joe for my money that is in the bank. In fact, I will sweeten the deal. Get the money for me and you can have Billy Joe and you can also have your divorce." Irene said, "I'll do whatever you want, but don't hurt him." Travis looked over to Oscar and crowed, "See, I told you she would be putty in my hands. Irene, the bank opens in an hour. Go get the money and bring it right back here. In the mean time, make Oscar and me some coffee. Billy Joe, you want a cup? If this little gold brick screws this up, it will be your last one."

A car drove up to the gas pumps. When no one came to service his car, the driver started honking his horn. "Travis looking nervous said, "Billy Joe, go sell that fool some gas. Don't try anything or I will kill her." Billy Joe went down to wait on the customer. Travis noticed that Irene was wearing Billy Joe's shirt. Travis said to Oscar, "Did you notice the only thing the little tramp is wearing is one of Billy Joe's work shirts." Oscar replied, "Yup, I sure did. She looks sort pretty in a messed up sort of way. Sort of like a gangster's girl, that you see in the movies. Yep, she sure could be one of them movie stars." Travis angrily answered, "Oscar, the only thing that she ever will be is a whore. Woman, you are making this idiot all jazzed up. Go put on some clothes. Irene thought, "I was right. Oscar has always wanted me. The little creep is always staring at my boobs. Maybe I can get him and Travis fighting." She looked at Oscar and gave him an inviting smile. She slowly unbuttoned the shirt and let it drop to the floor. She limped over to the foot of the bed where her clothes were. She put on her bra, but tossed her panties and garter belt to the side. "I can't get these on because of the bandages on my hurt leg. I guess I will have to be naughty and not wear them." She put on the ruined dress that buttoned down the back. Went over to Oscar, turned around and pushed up her hair. Oscar, would you button me up please.?" Travis's face was red with fury. "Oscar, watch out for Billy Joe. I'll button her damn dress." Irene smiled at Oscar, "Let the big man do it. He is doesn't think you know how to button a lady's dress." Travis drew back his hand to punch Irene in the face, but Oscar jumped up from his chair and caught Travis's arm.

At the moment, that the fight Irene tried to start was beginning, Billy Joe came back into the apartment. He saw to two men struggling. Thinking this was his opportunity, he got the large monkey wrench he had left by the door. Oscar saw him and shouted to Travis, "Watch out behind you." Travis ducked the monkey wrench that was aimed for his head. He hit Billy Joe in the chest. Billy Joe doubled over and fell to the floor gasping for breath. Travis pulled his pistol and pointed at Billy Joe, but Irene fell over Billy Joe and said, "You will have to shoot me first." As if a light was turned on, Travis mood reversed. He looked at Oscar and said, "Sorry about that, but she can just drive me nuts." Pointing at Irene's ruined dress, he said to Oscar, "Partner, I am OK now. Why don't you go down to the car and get Irene's suitcase. She can't wear that dirty rag to the bank."

Oscar brought the suitcase into the apartment and put it on the bed. She rummaged through the suitcase and found a dress and a makeup bag. She went into the bathroom and closed the door. She washed her face, brushed her hair, put on lipstick and put on her dress. After she was satisfied with her appearance, she came out of the bathroom and poured herself a cup of coffee. Travis, who thought she had taken far too long in the bathroom, said, "Irene, quit fooling around. It is already after nine. You can have a cup of coffee as soon as you get back." Irene noticed that Oscar and Billy Joe was not in the room. Anxiously she asked, "Where is Billy Joe?" "He and Oscar are down stairs waiting on customers. In case you're figuring that he can get a customer to help. He won't risk it. He is just a yellow grease monkey. Now get your ass down to the bank and get my money.

She replied, "Travis, you are going to have to give me a check. "Without a check, I can't withdraw money from your account." "Damn it. I don't have my check book with me. Don't just stand there. Find me a piece of paper. I'll write one on that." Irene looked in her purse and found a letter from her brother. She handed Travis the letter's envelop and asked, "Will this do?" On the blank side of the envelope he wrote, "To whom it may concern, Please remit to my wife, Irene Brown the amount of $10,000 & 0 cents (Ten thousand and no hundred dollars) from my account. Sincerely, Travis Brown." Irene read the note. Before she could help herself, she demanded, "Where did you get all that money?" Travis snorted, "That is none of your business!" Now go get it, before you get what is coming to you."

Walking the five blocks to the Longhorn County Bank, a massive classical building, which was constructed in 1892 of native limestone, was a painful ordeal for Irene. Three blocks from the bank, Freddy Carpenter, the boy who bullied her in high school, drove by. He parked his new Ford in front of the bank. Irene, thought, "I sure hope, I don't get him as my teller." She limped into the bank. To her dismay, Freddy was in the teller's booth. "Mrs. Brown what can I do for you today? Irene answered, "I would like to cash this check," as she handed him the envelope. He stared at the envelope, "Why didn't your husband use a regular check?" "He left his check book at home and things are so busy at the cafe, that he used this old envelope." Freddy said, "I don't think this is a good check. Sorry, but I am not going to cash it." Irene who was just holding back panic, said, " That check is good. If you won't cash it, Please call Mr. Rubenstein." Freddy in a huffy voice said, "If I won't cash, he won't either." Irene gave Freddy a look that would kill and hissed, "Go get him now!" Freddy was so surprised by Irene's anger, that he turned quickly around and hurried into Mr. Rubenstein's office. Mr. Rubenstein came out of his office holding the check. Mr. Carpenter says that you want to cash a check for the amount of ten thousand dollars on your husband's account. You know, if I cash it, there will be no funds left in the account." Irene lied, "I know. He needs the money to pay off a dept he made. The man, who loaned him the money will not leave the cafe until the debt is paid." Mr. Rubenstein thought, "I think Travis's gambling has finally caught up with him. For Irene's sake, I'll cash it. The last thing the poor woman needs is to be a widow. "Mrs. Brown, I will cash the check." The banker went to the safe and removed one hundred one hundred dollar bills. and placed them in a bank bag and gave it Irene. "Do you need someone to help you carry it to the to the cafe? Freddy will be glad to help you." "No thank you." she replied, as she limped out the door

Because she was worried about what might have happen to Billy Joe, her leg hurt, and the bank bag of money was awkward to carry, it seem like it took forever to walk back to the filling station. Billy Joe and Oscar met Irene in front of the gas station. Oscar said, "Billy Joe, you take the bank bag and all of us will go up stairs. "Remember I will be right behind you. Any funny business, and will shoot you both." Travis let them in the apartment.

As they entered the room, Travis picked up Oscar shotgun from where it was leaning against the wall and, said "Oscar get over here by me' so I can shoot these two love birds." Irene begged, "Travis, please don't shoot us. You said that if I got the money you would leave us alone." Travis laughed, "You lived with me for two years and you haven't learned that I lie. Woman, you are really stupid." Billy Joe would have attacked Travis, even though he held a shotgun, but Oscar hit Travis hard behind the ear with the barrel of his pistol. Billy Joe started to pick up the shotgun. Oscar pointed the pistol at him. "Step back and go set at the table. I don't want to shoot you, but I will If I have too. Irene, I want you to take Travis's belt and hog tie him with it." Irene in a shaky voice, said, "I don't know how I will ever thank you." Oscar stammered, "You could let me take you to California. I always have had feelings for you, but I didn't say nothing because you were married to Travis. I think you are pretty and smart. With me watching over you, I know you would be one of them movie stars." She replied, "Oscar give me a minute to think." "Think about it, while you tie up Travis, but no matter what, I am taking the car and the money and going to California."

Irene tied up Travis with the belt. Oscar asked, "Irene are you going with me or not? California is waiting." She replied, "Oscar it was very sweet of you to offer, but I can't go with you." Oscar with a sad expression on his face asked, "Why won't you come with me?" She answered, "The most important reason is that I am still married to Travis. It wouldn't be right to run off with another man. I want to see Travis go to prison. He tried to rape my friend, he pushed me out our car and he would have killed me and Billy Joe, if you hadn't stopped him. Finally, I want to be free of him good and proper. I am going to hang around to make sure I get a divorce. Oscar, you saved my life, so I am giving you the car and the money." Oscar asked, "Are you really giving me the money and the car? You're not going to send the sheriff after me?" "No, I promise. Now get out here while you can." Without a another word, he got the car keys and his shotgun and went out the door."
CHAPTER 27: BILLY JOE GOES TO THE SHERIFF

When they saw Oscar drive away in cloud of dust, Billy Joe said, "It's not over until Travis is behind bars." I am going to get the sheriff."

Not long after Billy Joe left to get the sheriff, Travis let out a loud moan and tried to get up. He struggled against the belt , but could not get it loose. When his vision cleared ,he saw Irene looking at him. "Tears ran down his face as he said, "Oh Irene, my head hurts so bad. I think Oscar broke my skull. Please, untie me. I need to set up, so that, I can get some air." He glanced around the room and said, "Where is Oscar?" Irene didn't bother to answer him. Do you think he really thought that, I was going to shoot you. You know, that I was just joking around. You can untie me. I won't hurt you." Irene laughed, "Travis, you have lied to me for the last time. If you remember, you called me stupid, because I believed you, when you said that you would Billy Joe and me alone. You are going to stayed hog tied, until the sheriff comes to cart your sorry ass off to jail." Travis cursed and fought the belt that was binding him. "Woman, You are going to be real sorry, when I get loose." Irene pointed Travis's pistol at him and said, "I hope you do. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than blowing your head off."

CHAPTER 28: A RETURN TRIP TO THE DOCTOR

After the doctor Doskocil had examined Jolene, he told her and her father, " The broken ribs and bruises are going to be painful for the next week or so. You are a very fortunate young lady. The way he was hitting you in the stomach, he could easily ruptured your spleen." John with a concerned look on his face, asked, "Can you give anything for the pain?" The Dr. Doskocil replied, "I am going to prescribe a pain killer that contains codeine. When the pain becomes less severe, switch to aspirin. A half of a shot glass of whiskey at bed time will help her sleep. Jolene, don't try to do too much. The more you move around. the more it will hurt. The more rest you get, the faster you will heal." Jolene looked at a mirror hanging on the wall and saw her black eye, which was nearly swollen shut. "What can you do for my eye?" "When you get home, have your mother help you cover your eye with a piece of raw beef steak, advised the doctor."

After they got home, Jolene took the codeine. Her mother tried to get her to eat some chicken soup, that Maria, the cook had fixed just for her. Charlie, Maria, Sissy and her mother hovered over her while she tried to eat. In a crabby voice, she said, "Everyone, please give me room to eat! Maria, get me a nice piece of raw beef steak for my eye." After Maria brought the beef steak, she went to her room to rest. She looked at her blackened eye in the mirror that hung over her dresser. "Daddy is right. I shouldn't go back to school with a black eye. I never would be able to explain it to my sorority sisters." A few moments later after she fumbled with the beef stead, she called out, "Mother, before you and Sissy go visit Aunt Margret, I need you to help me with this beef steak."
CHAPTER 29: BILLY JOE GOES TO JAIL

Billy Joe found the sheriff in his office getting ready for his day. "Sheriff come quick. Irene and me have captured Travis. Quick come arrest him before he gets away from her." The sheriff said, "Billy Joe, be calm. Tell me where they are at." Billy Joe replied, "They are in my apartment above the filling station." The sheriff stuck his head of the office and shouted, "Jeff, go get the car and bring it out front." As Jeff passed the sheriff standing in the door of his office, he asked, "What's going on sheriff?" "Travis is at the filling station. We are on our way to arrest him." Billy Joe started for the door. The sheriff demanded, "Where do you think you are going?" "I am going with you," Billy Joe replied. The sheriff in firm voice said, "No, you are not. You just stay here in my office. I don't need you to get in the way. When I get back I will want a full report on what happened from you and Mrs. Brown."

The first thing the sheriff noticed, when they pulled up at the filling station was that door to the apartment was open. The sheriff quickly moved the car to the other side of the building. Then they went around the building to stand beneath stairs so that anyone hiding in the apartment could not shoot at them. "Mrs. Brown this is the sheriff. Are you OK? Is Travis with you?" There was no answer. "Cover me," the sheriff said, as started up the stairs. It was long climb up the old wooden stairs to the second floor apartment for the sheriff. He reached the top of the stairs and kicked the door completely open and went in. There was no one in the apartment. After he checked the bathroom to insure that it was empty he called to Jeff. "Jeff come up here quick." Jeff entered the apartment. With a puzzled look on his face, he asked, "Where is Travis and Irene?" The sheriff replied, "It looks like they flew the coop. Billy Joe is going to have to do some explaining to do."

"Billy Joe, there was no one in your apartment. Tell me what is going on before I throw you in a cell for filing a false report." Billy Joe turned very pale. "Sheriff, I told you the truth. He must have gotten lose and took the pistol away from Irene. Please go after them before he kills her." The sheriff replied, "It doesn't look like there was a struggle in the room. I think that ditzy little blond made up with Travis. Travis, Irene and Oscar are headed for new territory. Travis got drunk and hurt John's daughter. So, I am going to put him in jail for that." "That can't be right! Oscar took the car and money left before I came to get you. Travis was tied up with his belt. He must of got loose somehow and forced Irene to go with him," Billy Joe shouted." The sheriff looking doubtful asked, "If what you say is true, where did they get a car?" Billy Joe answered, "I don't have the slightest idea." The sheriff then asked, "Billy Joe, what money are you talking about?" Billy Joe answered, "Travis made Irene go to the bank and check out ten thousand dollars, so he would have money for his getaway." The sheriff almost choked with laughter. "Where would the likes of Travis Brown get ten thousand dollars? Boy, I am tired of your lies. Did they pay you to come here with this BS tale? Jeff lock him up. We need to get going before they cross the county line."
CHAPTER 30: OSCAR IS ARRESTED

Even though Irene did not come with him, Oscar thought this was his lucky day, until he heard the siren on the sheriff's car. "Irene lied to me," He angrily thought, as he pulled his car over to the side of the road". "Oscar, don't you give me any trouble, boy. Get out of that car and put your hands up," The sheriff shouted as he pointed his revolver at Oscar's head. When he was handcuffed and put in the sheriff's car, the sheriff began to question him. "Oscar where are Travis and Irene? Where did you hide them?" Oscar replied, "I didn't hide them anywhere. The last time I saw them ,they were at the filling station." "Oscar, if you know what is good for you, you won't lie to me. I went to the gas station and they weren't there." "Sheriff, so help me, that is the truth. When I left, Billy Joe had Travis hog tied." The sheriff in a disgusted voice said to Jeff, "He not going to say anything. Take him to jail, but don't put him in a cell, where he can't talk to Billy Joe. "I'll follow you back to town in the Hudson."

The sheriff got into the Hudson. He glanced into the back seat of the car and saw the bank bag. "What do we have here?" He thought to himself. He opened the bag and counted the money. "Ten thousand dollars! Just like Billy Joe said. Where did Travis get that kind of money? As strange as it seems, I think Billy Joe is telling the truth."

When the sheriff got back to the station he called John Haley. "John, we got a mighty big problem to solve. Travis came into town this morning and it appears, that he kidnapped his wife." John replied, "Damn it to hell! I asked those two kids to stay here at the ranch for their own protection. Is Billy Joe OK?" The sheriff answered, "I got Billy Joe locked up here at the jail, but I am about to cut him loose. I think Travis is holding his wife somewhere here in town. Come on in to the office and I will fill you in on the details."

When John had hung up the phone, Charlie asked, "Dad, what's happening?" John answered, "Travis has managed to get back into town and has kidnapped Irene. I am going into town to help the sheriff find them." Charlie said, "I am going too." John replied, "No you're not. You are staying in the house and guard your sister."

CHAPTER 31: BILLY JOE FINDS IRENE

After the sheriff released Billy Joe, Billy Joe got on his motorcycle and drove back to the gas station. He went up to his apartment and sat down at the table to think. "Irene didn't run off with Travis. I don't believe that for a minute."

At that moment, a customer wanting to buy gas pulled into the service station. As Billy Joe serviced the customer car, the customer asked, "Billy Joe, do you know what is going on?" Billy Joe replied, "It's something to do with Travis Brown and his wife. The sheriff is looking for them." The customer said, "He won't have far to look. I saw them walking along the road that goes out to Rocking H." After the customer left, Billy Joe closed the station. He took the old revolver that the station owner kept under the cash register. Then he slowly drove out to the Rocking W looking for Travis and Irene. As he drove along, he prayed that he would find them before anything else bad happened to Irene.

When he did not find them along the road he drove on to the ranch. He was met at the door by Jolene, who said, "Come into the house. There is someone that wants to see you." Setting there in the living room on the couch, with her injured leg propped up on an ataman was Irene, looking very tired and frightened. Her face lit up with smile, when she saw Billy Joe. "I am so happy you are here safe. Travis is still on the loose." A tear ran down Billy Joe's face. "I was so worried. I really was afraid of what Travis might have done to you." Charlie came into the room with a holstered pistol on his belt. He walked over and shook Billy Joe's hand. "I sure am glad you are here.. It will be easier to guard the house, if there are two of us."

Billy Joe went over and sat by Irene on the couch. "How did Travis get loose?" Billy Joe asked. Irene sadly replied, "I untied him." With a look of utter disbelief, he asked, "You untied him? Why on earth did you do something like that?" Irene replied, "I guess I am as stupid as Travis says I that I am. He begged me to let him set up. He said he couldn't get his breath. Then he started to cough and choke. I thought he was dying, so I undid the belt. That is, when he laughed, and grabbed me. He was so quick, that he had the gun before I knew what had happened. I am so sorry, that I let him trick me again." Then she started to cry on Billy Joe's shoulder. Billy Joe quietly said, "It's OK. You're not stupid. You are a very kind gentle person, that wants to take care of others." Jolene, who had just come in to the room in time to hear Irene's explanation exclaimed, "That man is the devil himself!"

Charlie looked a little puzzled. "How did you get from the filling station to where dad found you?" Irene replied, "He forced me to walk down the road. A car came by. It was Mr. Adams, the owner of the grocery store. He waved and Travis waved back." Billy Joe commented, "He was the one who told me, that he had seen you and Travis on the road. That's why I came this way looking for you." Irene continued her story, "Then Travis came up with the stupid idea, that I would help him steal the next car that came down the road. He hid in the ditch that runs along side of the road and made me stand on the side of the road to wave down the next car." A grim smile crossed Irene's face. "Boy, did Travis get one hell of a surprise. Deputy Haley was driving the next car. When he saw me, he immediately pulled over and got out of his car with his gun drawn. When Travis saw who it was, he took off across the pasture like a jack rabbit, with an old hound dog after him. Deputy Haley shouted at him to stop, but Travis just kept a running. Deputy Haley put away has gun and came over and asked me if I was hurt. I said that I wasn't, but why he didn't chase after Travis or shoot him. He didn't say a word other than to tell me to get into the car, so that he could take me to the ranch for my protection." Billy Joe looked at Jolene and asked, "Where is your dad now?" Jolene proudly answered, "Our daddy went into town to tell the sheriff that Irene was safe and help the sheriff round up Travis."

Jolene frowned as she asked, "Why was Travis forcing you to come out to our place? Surly he knew, that my daddy would catch him." Irene looked at her friends. "My husband is crazy. He wanted to kill you and me. He was going to murder you and make me watch. Then he was going to kill me. He said that you were the cause of all his problems." Jolene responded, "How could I be the cause of his problems?" Irene answered, "He said that by being my friend, you caused me to think too much of myself, that caused me not to respect him and to do as he asked." A shocked Jolene sat down in the overstuffed chair by the fireplace. When she had regained her composure, she asked, "Did you tell my daddy this?" Irene smiled. "No, I didn't. I didn't want to say anything, that would cause him to get into serious trouble."
CHAPTER 32: TRAVIS ALLUDES THE POSSEY

Out of breath, Travis hid in a cedar break. From there, he could watch Irene and John. When he saw John and Irene get into the car and drive back toward the Rocking H, he laughed. "I'll be a monkeys uncle! He is going to take Irene to his ranch. If I am right, he going to drop her off and go back into town to help the sheriff. After he drives by, I'll go up to the house and kill those bitches. Then I will steal his farm truck and chase down Oscar. Things are going to work out just fine."

However, John did not drive back into town, but parked on the gravel road at the place where he last saw Travis. It was not long until the sheriff and his deputy arrived with five posse members following behind in a second car. John got out and walked over to the sheriff's car. Pointing to the southwest, John said, "He went in that way. "If he keeps heading in that direction, he will end up on the Brazos. He can't get across the river, because the banks are too steep." Sheriff replied, "Men let's form a skirmish line and start for the river. Don't shoot him unless he shoots first. We want to bring him back alive, if we can."

"Damn! Haley didn't go back into town. Now what do I do?," Travis exclaimed. He noticed a large pecan tree growing near where he was hiding. "I'll climb that tree and hide in the branches. They will never think to look up. When they reach the river, I'll climb down, steal John's car, and go to the ranch and shoot those two no account women."

Travis sat very still in the upper branches of the pecan tree hoping that he would not be seen. As he had thought, the men looking for him did not look up in the tree. It was lucky thing that they didn't, because he would have shot the first man, who saw him in the tree, even if it meant that he would be shot too. Travis grew impatient for the lawmen to get out sight. They looked in every cedar break and brush pile between the road and the river.

Finally when the sheriff and his men were out of sight down by the river, Travis climbed down out of the pecan tree and hurried over to the cars. He got in John's car, started it and turned it around to drive to the Rocking H.

They searched along the river and found no one except some young boys fishing. The boys told the sheriff, that they had been on the river all morning and had not seen Travis Brown or anyone else. The sheriff took off his hat and wiped the sweat off his brow with his red and white bandana. "John, where is he? He couldn't have disappeared into thin air." John replied, "Somehow, he slipped by us. Let's get back to the cars. I wouldn't be a bit surprised, if he tries to steal one to use as a get a way car." The sheriff called to his posse, "He's slipped past us. Let's get back to the cars pronto."

CHAPTER 33: A GUN FIGHT AT THE RANCH

Jolene was looking out the living room window, when she saw her father's car pull up into the yard. Thinking that it was her father, she started to get up to unlock the front door. To her horror, it was not her father, but Travis Brown getting out of the car. "She shouted, "Travis is in our front yard!" She quickly picked up the .22 rifle, the only gun she could shoot because of her broken ribs. She went to the open window and took a shot at Travis. The tiny .22 bullet shattered on the roof of the car. One bullet fragment stuck Travis in the cheek. Travis cursed and ducked behind the car. At that moment, Billy Joe, Charlie and Irene came running into the room. "Charlie said, "Jolene, you and Irene go into your bedroom and shove the dresser against the door. Stay away from the windows." Billy Joe, go block the kitchen door. From the kitchen window you got a good view all the way to the barn. I'll make sure that he doesn't come through the front door. Maria, please call the sheriff's office and tell them, that Travis Brown is trying to force his way into our house."

Jolene holding her rifle said, to Maria, "As soon as you call the sheriff, go hide in Charlie's room. "Irene, quick, let's go to my room and block the door." Billy Joe hurried to the kitchen and pushed the table against the door. Then positioned himself by the window with the old revolver in his hand. Charlie once again checked to see if his pistol was loaded. Then he positioned himself by the front room window.

Travis called out to the people in the house, "Send out my wife and I won't hurt anyone." Charlie defiantly replied, "Travis, she is not coming out. You are the only one who is going to get hurt." With a snarl, Travis said, "I am coming in to get her." Travis fired his pistol from behind the driver's side door. The bullet went through the window and shattered the mirror, that hung behind the couch." Charlie emptied his revolver but all the bullets just punched holes in the car door, that Travis was using as a shield.

While Charlie was reloading his revolver, Travis got back in the car, and then drove the car into the front wall of the house. Upon impact, the front room wall collapsed allowing the front of the car to enter the living room. Charlie was buried by the material from the wall.

Billy Joe raced into living room. He aimed the old revolver at Travis as he was getting out of the car. However, the ancient old revolver missed fired. Travis gave out a demonic laugh. "Billy Joe, I am finally going to get to kill your ass." Then he shot Billy Joe with his government .45 automatic. The big .45 caliber bullet slimmed Billy Joe into the wall. He slid down to the floor without making a sound.

When Irene heard what Travis said and the pistol shot , she frantically tried to move the dresser that was blocking Jolene's bed room door. "Irene, don't go out there! He will shoot you too," Jolene said as she pushed Irene away from the door." In a panicked voice Irene cried out, " I've got to help him!" Jolene held her crying friend in her arms and waited for Travis to force the door.

Travis heard Irene crying and went straight to Jolene's bedroom. He tried the door, but it was blocked. "If you two know what is good for you, you will open this damned door." Jolene shouted in defiance, "Travis, you go straight to hell!" Travis laughing said, "That no way for a spoiled rich girl to talk. We are going to have some fun, after I gut shoot that dumb whore, that I have for a wife. Irene did you hear what I just said? I am going to kill you just like I killed Billy Joe." He kicked the door open and pushed the dresser aside. Irene was clinging so tightly to Jolene, that Jolene could not aim her rifle. "Irene move away from Jolene unless you want to be splattered with your fancy friend's blood. Both young women were too terrified move. "Travis remarked, "Bitches, have it your way," as he pointed the pistol Jolene. Both women shut their eyes waiting for the bullet that would end Jolene's young life." The noise of a gunshot reverberated off the bedroom walls. Jolene and Irene both screamed. After a moment, Jolene surprised that she was still alive, opened her eyes and saw that Travis was lying dead on the floor and that John Halley was standing in the door way with a smoking revolver in his hand. Jolene untangled herself from Irene, who had fainted and ran to her father's arms." Irene quickly recovered from her faint. Fearing the worst, she jumped up and hurried into the living room looking for Billy Joe.

She found him lying on the floor where he had fallen. She knelt down on the floor and gently put his head in his lap. "Billy Joe, please don't die." He opened his eyes and whispered, "I'll be OK. Run before Travis hurts you." Irene gently stroked his hair. "Travis will never hurt anyone again. Mr. Haley just killed him." Billy Joe replied, "Good, we're safe now." Then he passed out from the loss of blood. A few seconds later John and Jolene entered the room. John told Jolene, "Take Irene into the kitchen, while I see where he is hit." Irene didn't want to leave Billy Joe's side, but with Jolene tugging on her arm and with a hard look from John, she got up and stood in the kitchen door. John quickly saw that the bullet had struck his upper right arm. "Jolene, quick go get one of my neck ties. Irene, there is a large wooden spoon in the left hand drawer of the kitchen cabinet. Girls, Hurry!" When he got the neck tie and long handled spoon he made a tourniquet for Billy Joe's arm.

At that moment the sheriff and his men entered the house. He saw John's car buried up its windshield in the living room, John applying first aid to Billy Joe and Irene standing in the kitchen door wringing her hands. He could hear Jolene on the phone telling Dr. Doskocil to hurry out to the ranch because Billy Joe had been shot. With Irene supporting Billy Joe's injured arm, the sheriff and John gently placed Billy Joe on Charlie's bed. Irene pulled up a chair and sat by the bed.

About then, Charlie called out from under the derbies in the living room, "Damn it, Would someone help me get out from under this stuff?" John and one of the deputies went over and pushed and pulled on the broken wall, until Charlie was able to crawl out. John put his arm around his son. "Charlie, why didn't you call out sooner? I didn't know what happened to you. I was afraid you had been killed." "Dad, you were so busy with Billy Joe, that I didn't want to be a bother. Did you arrest Travis?" As John wiped the blood from a cut on Charlie's forehead, he said "I killed him. I had no other choice" Seeing the pain in John's face, Charlie replied, "It's OK. You had to do, what you had to do."

A little later, the sheriff told John, " I am glad you got here so quickly, but how did you do it. "I ran up to the road and saw that my car was missing. I just knew he was going to the ranch house! I was quickly able to start Albert's car. I drove across the pasture to the house. I heard gun shots as I neared the back of the house. Before I could get the car stopped, I heard my car crash into the front of my house. I sure hope I can get the front of the house fixed before Karen get's back from visiting her sister." "John, just go on with your story. You can worry about fixing your house later." John continued, "I heard another shot as I tried to get into the back door. It was blocked, so I had to go around to the front. When I got in the house, I saw Billy Joe on the floor wounded. I heard Travis threatening the women. When I reached my daughter's bedroom, I saw Travis aiming his gun at Jolene. There was no other way to keep him from shooting her. So I shot him." The sheriff thought a moment, and said, "John, it sure sounds like, that you didn't have a choice in the matter."
CHAPTER 34: THE DOCTOR ARRIVES AT THE RANCH

Dr. Doskocil, who was also the county coroner hurried into the house. The first person he saw was Charlie. "Charlie, where is Billy Joe?" "In my room. Follow me." Charlie replied. Dr. Doskocil saw Irene setting by the bed. "Irene please move, so that I can examine Billy Joe's arm." The doctor examined Billy Joe's right arm and found that the bullet had pierced the muscle, but had not broken the bone. Irene said "Doctor, please save his arm!" At that moment, Billy Joe regained consciousness. He looked at his injured arm and groaned in pain. The Doctor replied, "Irene, he was lucky. The bullet went clean through his. upper arm. No bones or arteries were hit. He was wearing a short sleeve shirt, so no cloth or threads were pulled into the wound. Will you help me fix his arm?" As she held Billy Joe's good hand, Irene replied, "Just tell me what to do." Dr. Doxkocil injected Billy Joe with morphine. When the drug had taken effect, the wound was disinfected, stitched closed and bandaged.

The old doctor sadly looked at Irene. "I need to take a look at Travis now. I will call you just as soon as I take him to the funeral home. Where will you be staying?" Jolene, who was listening from the door, replied, "She is staying right here." When Irene tried to object, Jolene replied, "Don't argue. You're staying here." Billy Joe is staying too.," John said firmly.

Jolene brought in a silver tray that had two shot glasses and decanter filled with an amber liquid, and shut the door. Jolene filled both shot glasses with whisky from the container. Jolene made a face, when she drank her glass in one swallow. Irene did not drink from her glass, but just stared at Jolene in a tired way. Jolene making a face said, "I know this whisky tastes vile, but Dr. Doskocil said that we should each have a glass to calm our nerves." Billy Joe looked at the women, with a dreamy smile and said, "Since, I was shot, I should get a shot of whisky too." Irene responded, after she taken a small sip of her whisky, "Sorry, but you don't get any whisky until the morphine wears off. That's the doctor's orders." It was not long until Billy Joe drifted off into a troubled sleep.

Irene asked, "Have they left with Travis' body yet?" Jolene replied, "They were just leaving with it, when I came in here. Irene started to cry. "I know it sounds daffy, but at first I really loved that man. I don't know what I will do now" Jolene came over and let Irene cry on her shoulder. Jolene looked at Billy Joe sleeping in Charlie's bed. Jolene knowing that she would play cupid, softly answered, "Don't you worry now. Believe me. The three of us will work it all out."
PART 3

CHAPTER 35: THE SHERIFF INTERVIEWS IRENE

The next day the sheriff wanted to interview Irene, so Charlie drove her into town in the ranch truck. Before she got into the truck he apologized for driving her to town in a dirty old truck. "Irene, I sure hope you don't get your dress dirty in this old truck. I swept it out the best I could." Irene replied, "Don't worry about my dress. It can be washed. How is your head this morning.?" Charlie laughed, "It hurts a bit still. It a good thing the wall fell on my hard head. If the wall had landed on any other part of me, I would have been crippled for life."

"Mrs. Brown have a seat. I have a couple of questions I need answered. Oscar claims that you gave him the ten thousand dollars and your husband's car. Is that true?" Irene replied, " Yes sir, that is true." The sheriff with doubt on his face asked, "Why would you do something like that?" Irene replied, "He saved me from Travis. He wanted to go to California, so I thought that was that the least I could do. was to help him on his way. He won't hurt anyone or steal anything, so you can release him." The sheriff shook his head. "I can't do that." John Haley has accused him of the attempted kidnapping of his daughter. Irene, I know you are going through a very hard time, but I need to know where the ten thousand dollars came from." Stress caused Irene's injured leg to hurt, so she shifted the way she was setting before she answered. "Sheriff Jones, Travis would not let me be part of any of his business dealings. I don't know from where or how he got that much money. He probably inherited the money, the house and the cafe from his parents, who passed away in the Spanish flu epidemic, that was right after the war." The sheriff answered, "That will be easy enough to check. Their will is on file here at the courthouse," He continued, "That is all my questions. Do you have any questions?" "Irene thought a moment and then asked, "Do you know when Oscar's bail will be set? If it is not too high, I would like to post it." The sheriff smiled, "It will be set sometime today. I'll have one of the deputies drive you home." "Thank you sheriff, that won't be necessary. Charlie is waiting in front of the drug store to take me back to the ranch."

It was almost noon, when Charlie and Irene returned to the ranch. To get away from the dust, that still contaminated the air in the house, the dining room table was moved under an oak tree in the back yard. Maria was busy bringing dinner from the kitchen to the table.

John and the young cowboy, Luke had attached ropes to the rear bumper of the car and were starting to drag it with their horses from the living room. Jolene was standing in the front yard admiring the way Luke looked on his horse. Luke saw her watching him and gave her a faint smile. Jolene returned his smile, which caused him to blush. When the car was in the yard, he ride back to the barn without saying a word. Jolene shrugged. "I sure hope he gets over his shyness. That is one good looking cowboy!"

On her return, Irene went into Charlie's room to check on Billy Joe. He asked, "What did the sheriff want? He asked a lot of questions yesterday." "He wanted to know where Travis got the ten thousand dollars. "I was wondering the same thing," Billy Joe remarked. "I told him that I really didn't know, but I thought he inherited it from his folks. I wonder how long it is before it is returned to me. I really need the money to pay for Travis's funeral." At that moment Maria brought in a bowl of chicken noodle soup on a tray for Billy Joe. Maria and Irene gently helped him set up in bed and then propped some pillows behind his back. Billy Joe, who was still very weak from his wound and morphine had difficulty handling his spoon with his left hand. Irene took the spoon, so she could feed Billy Joe. Billy Joe objected saying, "Irene, I am a grown man. I can feed myself." Laughing, she replied, "Men! Open your mouth before I dribble this soup on your little pointed head." He tasted the soup and said, "That sure tastes good. You can feed me any time you want." "Only until you are well enough to feed yourself." She replied.

Billy Joe had eaten about half the soup, when he said, "Irene that is enough. I am starting to feel sick." So, Irene put away the soup. Then she made him comfortable, and left him to rest, while she joined Jolene, Charlie, John for dinner under the tree in the back yard. As they set down to eat, Luke walked up and said, "Boss, I am going into town for the supplies, that you ordered the other day." Jolene asked, "Have you eaten yet?" "Not yet," Luke replied. Jolene patted the chair that was beside her and said, "We can't let you go into town hungry. Please set down and have some dinner." Luke looked at John for permission. John smiled. "Luke set down and have bite. I should have asked your earlier to eat dinner with us, but I am afraid my mind has been in the clouds." Luke sat down by Jolene, who passed him a bowl of mashed potatoes. Next he was passed some boiled okra with tomatoes. He passed on the bowl of okra and tomatoes without taking any. Jolene in mock alarm asked, "Don't you like boiled okra?" Luke replied, "Not really Miss Haley, they are sort of slick and slimy." Jolene smiled at him and said, "Neither do I, but, I think you will like these," she said, as she passed him the platter filled with the chicken fried beef steaks. As Luke forked a large steak on to his plate, he happily said, "Yes, Miss Haley, I sure do like them streaks." Jolene patted him on the shoulder. "Luke, you can call me Jolene. I would like that a lot better than being called Miss Haley. Oh, do you know my friend, Irene?" He looked at Irene trying to remember where he had seen her previously. "Irene you look awful familiar, but I can't place where I have seen you before." Irene said, "Probably in the Dixie Cafe. I work there." He replied, "Now I remember. That's the place where I saw you. You're Mrs. Brown, the cafe owner's wife! That was really something else, when he drove the boss's car through the front of the house." Seeing the stricken look on Irene's face, Jolene decided to change the direction of the conversation. As she quickly passed the platter with the corn on the cob, she asked, "Luke, your saddle is the prettiest one that I have ever seen. Where did you get it?" He replied, "Just before I came to work for your dad, I won the saddle in a bronco riding contest in Laredo." "Is that your home town?" Jolene asked. "No, I was born on a ranch in Wyoming." "It gets kind of cold up there in the winter," Charlie remarked. Luke smiled and said, "It sure does. The only thing between it and the North Pole is a half blown down barb wire fence."

When everyone had been served, the conversation almost died out because everyone, except Irene turned their attention to their food. She just of sort of picked at the food on her plate. John was the first to notice that Irene wasn't eating. "Irene, are you not feeling well?" Mr. Haley, I am sorry to waste the food, but I am just not hungry. I feel so tired." Jolene quickly said, "Go rest in my room." She replied, "Jolene, someone needs to take care of Billy Joe." "I can do that. So go rest now."

After Irene left the table to rest, Luke finished eating. "Boss, thanks for the grub. I will be going into town now." He got up from the table and tipped his Stetson hat." Jolene, it sure was nice talking to you." Jolene gave him her brightest smile. "We will have to talk again sometime." Charlie stood up and said, "Luke, I'll go into town with you to help load the truck." Jolene watched Luke walk all the way to the truck.
CHAPTER 36: THE DOCTOR CALLS AGAIN

An hour later, Dr. Doskocil drove up to the ranch house. John walked away from the men, who were starting to repair the front of the house. "John, I see you managed to get your car out of your living room." "Now, all I need to do is clean up the mess in the living room and board up the hole before Karen and Sissy get's back home." The doctor asked, "When do you think that they will get here?" "Any time now," John replied. Dr. Doskocil tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Then, I better let you get back to work."

The doctor asked Billy Joe, "Son, how are you feeling this afternoon?" Billy Joe answered, "My arm hurts. I feel sick and weak." Jolene, who was setting by Billy Joe's bed said, "He was complaining that he was hot, so I sponged off his face and put the wet wash cloth on his forehead. Was that OK?" As Dr. Doskocil was shaking down his thermometer, he replied, "Jolene, that was the right thing to do. "Billy Joe, open your mouth, so that I can put this thermometer under your tongue." As Billy Joe's temperature was being taken, the doctor checked his arm. After reading the thermometer, he said, "He is running a temperature, but the arm is not infected, so I don't see any complications. Jolene, I going to leave some aspirins for the fever , and a pain killer, that he should take every two hours. Jolene, do you have a thermometer?" "Yes we do." "Check his temperature every two hours, if he complains that he is feverish or if his temperature goes up, call me anytime day or night. I will call again tomorrow. Now I need to speak to Irene." Jolene replied, "She is resting, but I will go get her."

Jolene went to her bedroom to get Irene. "Irene wake up. The doctor needs to talk to you." Irene wiped the sleep from her eyes and asked in a frightened voice, "Has Billy Joe gotten worse?" Jolene answered, "No, he is doing fine." Irene got out of bed. "It is probably about Travis. Tell him I will be there in a minute." Irene found a hair brush on Jolene's dresser and made a few half hearted strokes at her hair. Too tired and discouraged to dress, she put on Jolene's house coat, took a deep breath and went to the kitchen to talk to Dr Doskocil

She found the doctor drinking a cup of coffee, that Maria had just poured for him. Maria asked, "Irene would you like a cup of coffee?" "Yes I would," Irene replied. After she got her cup of coffee, she went over and sat at the table with the doctor, who said, "Irene are you doing OK? Is your leg causing you any problems?" She answered, "I am doing OK. My leg is healing up nicely. I was able to remove most of the bandages." "That is good to hear, but you look under the weather. Try to eat and get as much rest as you can. Billy Joe is progressing well enough, that he doesn't need your constant attention, so you can get some rest. I want to tell you that I send Travis' body to the undertaker. You need to go to the funeral home and make arrangements." Irene put head on the table and started to cry. Dr. Doskocil blinked away a tear in his eye, patted Irene on the shoulder and went to his car.

Jolene heard her crying and came into the kitchen to comfort her. "Jolene, I don't know if I can handle all this. I was just told that Travis is at the funeral home and I should go there to arrange his funeral. The sheriff has all my money and I don't know when he will give it back." Jolene said, "I will go with you to the undertaker. Let me ask my daddy about loaning you the money to pay for the funeral."

Jolene went into the living room, where her father was finishing nailing a tarp over the hole in the wall. "Daddy, Irene needs a loan to bury Travis. She is flat broke, until the sheriff returns her money." John replied, "I'll call the undertaker and tell him, that I will take responsibly for the cost of the funeral. That old buzzard can wait to be paid, until Irene's money is returned. You go with her and make sure that he doesn't take advantage of her. Travis doesn't deserve a bronze casket, which the undertaker will try to sell her. A simple wood casket is good enough. From what I understand, Travis has some nice suits. He can be buried in one of those. If the undertaker gives you any problems call me." Jolene hugged her father as tightly as her broken ribs would permit. "Thank you daddy. I love you." John smiled, "I love you too. You better get ready to go to town now. Don't forget to powder your shiner."

Jolene went back in the house and told Irene, that her father would loan her the money to pay for the funeral. Irene replied, "I don't know how I am ever going to repay your family for what they are doing for me." Jolene answered, "That what friends do for each other." We better get dressed to go into town and get this over with." "How are we going to get to town? We're to bunged up to walk or ride horseback," Irene questioned. John replied to her question, "The door on my car is all shot up, but she still runs. Ladies take it. Irene, I'll call the sheriff and have him release your car to you. You can drive it back to the ranch. We'll have plenty of use for it in the next few days." Irene looked at the floor and said, "Travis didn't let me learn how to drive a car." John blew out his breath in frustration. "Charlie and Luke are at the feed store. Stop by there and tell them to wait for you. Charlie and Irene can drive the Hudson back here and Jolene can drive my car.. Luke can follow Jolene in the truck in case my car breaks down. I don't trust my poor old Ford with all the bullet holes in her." Irene suggested, "We could take Billy Joe's motorcycle. He let me drive it once, when we were in high school." John turned pale and said, "Girls, Please just take my car!"
CHAPTER 37: MAKING FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Jolene was not the best diver in the world. About half way to town, Jolene, almost drove the car in the ditch. Irene exclaimed, "I thought that you said that you knew how to drive." Jolene smiled as she backed the car to get back on the road. "I do, but I don't get much practice. When I am home, Charlie or my daddy drives, when I am at school, my date drives." Irene grumped, "They need to let you get a lot more practice!"

The women saw Charlie and Luke loading the truck in front of the feed store. They parked the car behind the truck and Charlie came over to find out what was happening. Jolene explained the situation. So Charlie and Luke agreed to meet them at the courthouse. Jolene safely pulled around the truck and started to drive to Irene's house that was few blocks away. "Why are we going to my house?" Irene asked. Jolene answered, "Remember, my daddy said for us to get a suit for Travis. You also may want to bring along what you plan to wear to the funeral." "I am not sure what to wear," Irene said. " Jolene asked, "Do you have a black dress and a black chapel cap.?" "Yes I do. I still have the dress I wore to my brother's funeral."

Once in the house, Irene asked, "I just can't get Travis' clothes together. Would you do it for me, while I get my black dress and the other things that I might need?" While Irene was getting her stuff together, Jolene went into the closet to get Travis a suit for his burial. She found a black suit that was almost new. She put that on the bed along with a dress white shirt. Then in a chest of drawers she found a tie. "I wonder if we need to take some socks and underwear? Better to be safe than sorry," She thought, as she put them with the other clothes that they were taking to the undertaker.

The undertaker met them at the door of the funeral home. "Come in ladies. Mrs. Brown, I am so sorry for your lose. Irene quietly replied, "Thank you Sir. "Miss Haley, I received your father's telephone call. Mrs. Brown, you have a full line of credit. Let us start with making a selection of your husband's casket. If you will follow me to our display room, you can see what is available.

As John predicted, the first casket he showed them was a heavy ornate bronze casket. "In this casket your husband can be at rest in style." Irene responded, "Mr. Smith, I think I would like a wood casket for my husband." Smith led them down the row of caskets to a plain wooden casket, that was hardly more than a pine box. Jolene remarked, "That one will never do! Irene, look at the one, that second to the right." Irene and Jolene walked over to casket, that Jolene had pointed out. Its wooden exterior was finely finished and the interior was lined with light blue silk." Irene looked at the undertaker. "This one is the one I want." Mr. Jones replied, "Very well, Let me show you our fine selection burial suits." Jolene smiled and said, "That won't be necessary. Irene would like Travis buried in his favorite suite." Then she handed the undertaker the package that contained the Travis's clothes. The undertaker said, "Mrs. Brown, I can have Travis ready for viewing tomorrow evening. Irene responded, "I don't want a wake for Travis, but I would like to view the body when it is ready. I would like a private graveside service the day after tomorrow. Can you arrange that for me?" "Yes, that can be arranged." Would ten in the morning be convenient time for you?" "Yes, that would be fine," Irene answered.

Jolene asked as they got into the car, "Do you want to talk to Father Murphy about a burial Mass for Travis?" "No, Travis' folks were Baptists, but Travis really didn't believe in much of anything. Let's go by Reverend Baylor's house and see if he will help with the funeral." They drove to the house were the Reverend and his wife lived. They were met at the front door by Reverend's wife. The reverend's wife recognized the two young women and invited them in. "Irene, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Is there anything I can do?" "Yes, may I speak to Reverend Baylor please?" answered Irene. "Ladies have a seat. I'll get him. He is working on a sermon for next Sunday."

Reverend Baylor walked into the room. "How may I help you?" Irene answered, "My husband was killed yesterday. Would you conduct his service for me. It will be ten in the morning the day after tomorrow." A frowning Reverend remarked, "Travis' folks belonged to my congregation, but Travis has not attended church since he was a young man. I don't mean to be hurtful, but I don't think my flock would approve of me being part of his funeral. As you are aware, he was a backslider, who participated in many sinful things." Jolene's green eyes flashed in anger. "Reverend, I believe that burying the dead is one of the corporal virtues." "Young lady, I don't remember you as being a member of my church." "I'm not. I am Catholic. If you don't want to conduct a service for my friend's husband, Father Riley will do it." Not wanting the priest to get credit for doing a good deed, the Reverend quickly replied, "It's no use in getting Father Murphy involved. I'll conduct the service."
CHAPTER 38: IRENE' MONEY IS RETURNED

After they left the Baptist preacher's house to meet with Luke and Charlie, they drove to the feed store. About a half a block from the feed store, there was a loud pop under the hood, followed by gusher of water shooting out in all directions. Jolene managed to pull her father's car to the curb just across the feed store. Charlie and Luke got out the truck and came over to the car to help. When the engine was stopped and the water quit gushing, Charlie opened the hood and saw that a radiator hose, that had been nicked by a bullet had finally burst. Charlie looked at Jolene and said, "I can buy a new radiator hose at the feed store. When everything cools down under the hood, I can put it on." Charlie went into the feed store. "Josh, I need a radiator hose to fix my father's Ford." "Don't have any in stock. It will have to be ordered from Waco." "Just how long will that take?" Charlie asked. "Should be here by tomorrow afternoon sometime. You know them delivery drivers like to take their time." Charlie sighed, "Go ahead and order it and give the ranch a call when it comes in. Oh, by the way, can we leave the car parked where it's at?" Josh smiled. "I don't mind, if the sheriff don't mind." Charlie replied, "Thanks a lot! Your such a friend!" In a mild huff, he left the store to join the others.

Irene and Charlie walked to the courthouse, where they met the sheriff in his office. Irene went into the sheriff's office. "Sheriff, I come to pick up my car." The sheriff smiled and handed her the key. "Your story about the ten thousand dollars checks out. The money was left to Travis by his folks. " The banker, Rubenstein showed me the check, that Travis made out to you. So, the money is yours. I would suggest that you take it directly to the bank and deposit it." Irene asked, "What about Oscar? I promised him." The sheriff interrupted her, "Irene, Oscar is going to prison for a long time. Don't worry about him. Take your money and your car and get out of here before you say something, that will cause both of us problems." He handed her the money bag and opened his office door for her to leave.

Charlie met Irene at the main door of the court house. When they got into the car, Irene said, "Charlie, drop me off at the bank. I need to open an account and deposit the money." Charlie replied, "OK. I'll tell Jose and Jolene they can go back to the ranch. Then I will park in front of the bank and wait for you."
CHAPTER 39: LUKE LOOKS AFTER JOLENE

Soon after Irene and Charlie walked to the court house, Jolene's ribs started to hurt and the stress of the last few days finally caught up with her. She shut her eyes and learned her head back against the truck seat. Luke noticed her pale face, "Jolene, y'all all of a sudden look sickly. Why don't we go over to the Dixie Café for some coffee and maybe a piece of pie?" "Jolene gave him a weak smile, "Luke, I would like a cup of coffee, but not the pie. If you want a piece of pie order it. Don't mind me." Luke started the truck and drove them to the cafe.

When they arrived, there were very few customers, just a couple men, who worked for the railroad. Maud, the new waitress, asked, "We heard about your pa shooting Travis plum dead. "Is that true?" Jolene answered, "Yes, it's true. If he hadn't shot Travis, Travis would have killed Irene and me." Maud gasped, "Oh my Lord! Is Irene OK?" "She is fine considering her current circumstances, " Jolene replied. The old cook came from the kitchen to ask, "When is the funeral? We would like to go out of respect for Mrs. Brown." "I know that Irene would like you to attend. The grave side service will be day after tomorrow at ten o'clock." Luke seeing how tired Jolene was, decided to stop the questioning. "Jolene an't feeling so good. Could ya'll bring us some coffee and me a piece of your apple pie?" Maud, said, "It's coming right up," as she went to get the coffee and pie."

Once in the kitchen, Maud sarcastically remarked, "As Miss Haley so rudely said, 'Considering the current circumstances, Irene is OK.' I wonder if Irene will use this as an excuse not to pay us." The old cook gave Maud very hard look. "Mrs. Brown has all ways done right by us. You'll get your pay." Maud made an ugly face and said, "She is going to close the cafe and run off to California with Billy Joe. You mark my words."
CHAPTER 40: IRENE CAN'T OPEN HER OWN BANK ACCOUNT

Irene took the money into the bank where she was met by Freddy Carpenter at cashier's window. "Irene, I sorry to hear about Travis getting killed. Would you let me take you to dinner at a nice restaurant in Waco?" Irene more shocked than angry replied, "No, I won't go to dinner with you. My husband isn't even buried yet! Will you help me to open account in my name? I need to make a deposit." The miffed bank teller remarked "I'll get Mr. Rubenstein to help you."

Mr. Rubenstein asked, "Mrs. Brown is there anything I can do to help you in your time of troubles?" Irene answered, "Yes, there is something you can do. The sheriff returned my money and I would like to open a checking account." Mr. Rubenstein frowning, replied, "I can't open a checking account for a lady, unless her husband signs for her." Irene in a shocked voice asked, "I am a widow. What can I do? My husband is dead. He can't sign any papers." "Then you will need to get a male relative to sign the papers." All my male relatives in this country are in California!" Mr. Rubenstein patted Irene's hand. "Not to worry. I will help you fill out the proper form. Then I will mail it and a self address envelope to your father. He can sign and have it notarized. When I get the signed form back, we will open your account." Irene replied, "Very well, do what you need to do. My father doesn't read English, so please write the cover letter in Czech."

After she and the banker filled out the proper forms for her father to sign, she met Charlie at the front of the bank. Charlie seeing Irene bring the money back to the car, said, "I thought you were going to deposit your money." "I can't until Mr. Rubenstein gets permission from my father. Charlie replied, "That an't right. You are full grown woman. Why would you need your dad's permission to open a bank account?" Irene sighed, "I am a woman. Charlie, it's a man's world. Let's not talk about it. Just go by the telegraph office. I need to send my folks a telegram saying that Travis is dead, but that I am OK, and that they will be getting a letter from my banker, so that I can open my own bank account." Charlie remarked, "They will want to know all about what happened." She replied, "Tonight, I will write them a letter telling them all about it."

After they had finished at the telegraph office, when they drove past the Dixie Cafe, they saw the Rocking H truck. Irene asked, "Didn't you tell them they could go back to the ranch?" Charlie answered, "I didn't see them, so I thought they went home." "Charlie, park the car. I'll go in and tell them, that we are finished in town and that you and I are going back to the ranch." Charlie jokingly said, "Tell them not to just sit there all afternoon talking, drinking coffee and looking into each other's eyes. We need those supplies back at the ranch."

Maud and the old cook, came over to Irene, when she limped through the cafe doors. "Irene are you OK? We are worried to death about you." "I am doing the best I can. I will be gone for awhile, so I am depending on ya'll to keep the cafe going. Cook, you know what things to buy to keep the kitchen running. So, order what you need. Tell my suppliers to send me the invoices and I will pay them as quickly as possible. Don't worry about me. Just keep the cafe open."

She went over to the booth where Jolene and Jolene were setting. "The bank wouldn't open me an account until they get my father's permission. Charlie and I are going back to the ranch. See ya'll there." She turned and left the cafe. In the kitchen, Maud said, "See, I was right. She going to run off with that Billy Joe."
CHAPTER 41: IRENE CARES FOR BILLY JOE

Back at the ranch, Irene had to once again explain why she had not deposited the money. John remarked, "What! Another burr is getting under our saddles? Where around here is a safe place to put all that money?" Karen patted her husband on the arm and remarked, "She can l put it with her stuff in Jolene's room. It will be safe enough there." With that question answered, Irene went into Charlie's bedroom to check on Billy Joe.

Billy Joe was tired, hurting and getting very tired of Sissy's questions and chatter, so he was more than glad, when Irene came into his room. Irene smiled at Sissy. "Thank you for looking after Billy Joe, but I think it is time for you to go do your home work." Sissy made a face. "Algebra is so boring! I would much rather talk to Billy Joe." Billy Joe replied, "Kid, please go do your home work." When an angry Sissy with her nose stuck up in the air swished from the room, Irene chuckled, "Billy Joe, I think Sissy has a crush on you." Billy Joe replied, "Wouldn't that just be just peachy keen. You wouldn't be jealous would you?" "Do you want me to be jealous of a high school girl? I can be real jealous, if you want me to be," Irene teased. Billy Joe laughed, but that caused him to winch in pain. As she place her hand on his forehead to check his temperature she asked, "How are you feeling?" "Tired and weak," he replied. "I'll get Maria to make you some beef stew. While she is doing that, I will get you some coffee."

Irene brought two cups of coffee on a silver tray into Billy Joe's sick room. She helped Billy Joe set up in the bed and helped him with his coffee. She was very pleased to see that Billy Joe had regained enough strength to hold his cup without spilling it. When he had finished his coffee, he asked, "When is the funeral?" She replied, as she sipped her coffee, "It will be the day after tomorrow." Billy Joe frowned. "I am sorry, that I won't be able to be there to support you. Irene, I am so sorry." "All you need to think of getting well for me." "In that case, I'll try real hard," he replied.

CHAPTER 42: LUKE'S AND JOLENE'S CONVERSATION

On the ride home, Luke asked Jolene, "What's it like going to college?" Jolene answered, "Sometimes it can be fun. You know with parties and dances, but most of the time it's hard work." Luke looked a little puzzled. "Hard work? I thought you sat in class and listened to the teacher talk about stuff." "That's true, but you have to read books and write papers about what the professor is teaching. He gives tests and if you don't do well, you have to take the course again." "That does sounds like it is harder work than ranch work. When you get all that book learning, what are you going to do with it?" Luke asked. She answered, "I am going to teach English in high school. "Luke, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?" "I really don' know yet. I think I would like to join the Army Air Force. Maybe, I would like to fly an airplane. I just had another idea. I might like to be a motorcycle cop. Do you think Bill Joe would teach me to ride his motorcycle?" Jolene replied, "I think he would, but it will be a long time before he can ride again." Luke answered, "I can wait. I like working for your father. He is a good boss. Besides, I like talking to you." Jolene smiled. "Luke, I like talking to you too." A moment later, Luke stopped in front of the ranch house. Jolene got out to be greeted by her worried mother and her younger sister Sissy. Luke drove the truck to the barn , so that it could be unloaded.
CHAPTER 43: IRENE'S LETTER

After Jolene told her mother and Sissy her version of all that had happen she went to her room to rest. There she found Irene finishing a letter to her parents.

Dear Mama and Papa,

You have received my telegram by now. I will tell you what happened. Travis started to drink heavily. When he was drunk, he was really mean. In a fit of temper, he shoved me out of his moving car. I was very lucky that I wasn't killed. Billy Joe and Irene saw it happen and helped me.

When Travis learned that I wasn't killed, he decided to kill Billy Joe, Jolene and me, so that we wouldn't get him arrested by the sheriff. He shot Billy Joe, hurting his arm badly. He would have shot Jolene and me, if Mr. Haley had not killed him.

It was a big mistake, when I married him. Things would have been better, if I would have gone to California with y'all. However, that is water under the bridge.

Travis' funeral is the day after tomorrow. After he is buried, I will try to run the cafe. I think I can do it.

I am going to help nurse Billy Joe back to health. That is the least I can do for him. He such a good man. I should never dropped him for Travis.

Don't worry about me. I will be fine. I have a house, business, a little money and my dear friends.

Love, Irene.

As Irene sealed her letter, she noticed that Jolene looked pale and was holding her ribs. "Jolene you don't look so good. Are your ribs being a bother?" Jolene answered, "They are really hurting. I think I need to lie down for awhile." Irene answered, "You do that. I'll get you a codeine pill." Jolene shook her head. "If I take one of those pills, I won't wake up until in the morning." "Jolene take the pill. It will do you a world of good to have a good night's sleep."

When Irene returned with the pill and a glass of water, Jolene was in bed. She gave Jolene the pain pill and left the room to set with Billy Joe.

Billy Joe asked, "Did you get the letter to your folks written?" "Yes, I did," she replied. I will mail it tomorrow, when I go into town to check on Travis." She showed Bill Joe a copy of the novel, Gone with the Wind. "I found this book in Jolene's room." She said, "It is real good. Would you like for me to read to you for awhile?" He replied, "That would be nice." So she read to him until he fell asleep. She read a little more, but her eyes became so heavy with sleep, she fell asleep in the rocking chair, that was beside Billy Joe's bed. She didn't awake until Karen called her for supper.
CHAPTER 44: THE FUNERAL

On the day of the funeral, the sky was gray as a lead ingot. A cold wind blew out of the north, that kicked up the dust from the gravel road, that bisected the small country cemetery. The small procession of vehicles parked on the side of the gravel lane behind the preacher's' old model T Ford. In the first car was John, Sissy, and Karen Haley. In the second car held Charlie, Irene and Jolene.

When they all got out of their cars, they walked up to the grave where the staff from the Dixie Cafe were waiting with their backs to the wind. After they were all seated by the funeral director on chairs placed in front of the grave, the minister came forward to say the Lord's Prayer. After the prayer, the minister looked at Irene and said, "Irene, I know the times are very difficult for you. Have faith. God will help you through these difficult times. Travis is resting in the arms of the Lord. All his problems and temptations are no longer a problem for him. I know his sins are washed away with the blood of the lamb, because I baptized him when he was just a child. Know he rests in peace." The minister's wife came forward. "Now let us sing the old hymn, Amazing Grace." As they were singing, Jolene looked at the people by the grave, she noticed that all the eyes were dry, except for Irene's, whose eyes sent tears running down her cheeks. When Jolene saw friend crying, she put her arm around Irene's shoulders and then she started to weep with and for her friend."

When the song was finished, Travis was lowered in his casket to his final resting place. The Haley's and Irene went back to the ranch. The staff of the Dixie Cafe went back to work.
CHAPTER 45: IRENE RETURNS TO WORK

The following day, Irene started to worry about what was happening at the cafe. So, she asked Jolene to drive her into town. When she got to the cafe, she found that supplies for the kitchen had not be delivered. The distributer told the old cook that nothing would be delivered, until he had talked to Irene. Irene immediately telephoned the distributer, who told her that everything would be on a cash bases, now that Travis had died, but she would have to pay the hundred and twenty five dollars, that Travis owed his company before he would make another delivery. Irene trying to stay calm said, "Please bring my kitchen supplies this morning. I will pay you what Travis owed you and for the groceries, that you bring this morning." In a skeptical voice, distributer asked, "Where are you going to get the money?" Irene angrily responded, "it is none of your damn business where I get the money. You will be paid every penny in cash, when you bring my stuff."

Irene went over to the where Jolene was drinking a cup of coffee. "Girl, I hate to ask you this, but we need to drive back to the ranch. "That damn distributer won't deliver the things I need to keep the cafe open unless I pay him in cash."

They went back to the ranch and Irene got her money. Then they drove immediately back to the Dixie Cafe. "Jolene, you don't have to wait for me. Go do what you need to do. I will probably be here to closing time. I'll need a ride back to the ranch at about seven."

Jolene left the Dixie Cafe and went over to the post office to see if there was any mail for the Rocking H. As she was entering the post office, she met Luke, who had just collected the mail for the ranch. Luke smiled at her, "Jolene, it's nice to see you. What are you doing here?" Jolene replied, "I was going to get the mail, but I see that you already beat me to it." "It was no need for you to drive into town. I come into town every day to check on the mail." Jolene smiled, "Sorry, I wasn't trying to take your work away from you. I drove Irene into town, so she could get things working at the cafe."

A thought went through Jolene's mind, "I might just have the a chance to flirt with this cowboy." Jolene purred, "I promised to pick her up at seven when they close. I don't like driving after dark. Would you terribly mind driving me into town, when it is time to pick her up." Luke replied, "I don't mind at all. "Luke, that so sweet of you! We can leave a little early, so I can buy you some coffee and a piece of pie."

Jolene started out the post office door. "See you at six cowboy." As Luke walked back to the ranch truck, he thought he was one lucky cowboy. "What a day! A really pretty girl wants to buy me a cup of coffee and a piece of pie."

CHAPTER 46: SISSY STEALS LUKE

Jolene made the mistake of mentioning to Sissy, that Luke was driving her into town to pick up Irene after work. Sissy thought, "If I ask if I can to go too, Jolene will tell me to stay at home. I won't ask. Before she knows what is happening, I'll get him to take me to town."

When Luke pulled up in front of the house driving the Hudson, Sissy was waiting on the front porch. She opened the front passenger door and got in." Where is your sister?" Luke asked. "Oh, she is not feeling good, so she asked me to go in her place. We better get going or I won't have time to treat you to a cup of coffee and a piece of pie." Luke shrugged, put the car in gear and started for town.

Karen came into the kitchen where Jolene was setting and asked, "Didn't you plan to go into town with Luke to get Irene?" "Yes, I did," Karen sighed, "I just saw Luke and Sissy drive out the main gate. Your little sister just tricked him into taking her town." Jolene's green eyes flashed. "If Sissy wants that dumb cowboy she is welcome to him."
CHAPTER 47: THE MARRIAGE PREPOSAL

Things looked better the following week. The paper work to allow Irene to open her bank account arrived. John was almost as relieved to get all that cash out his house, as he was to see the carpenters arrive to repair the front of the house.

After she received the call from the bank, saying that they had received the papers signed by her father, Charlie drove her in her car to the bank to deposit her money. Irene was so happy to be able to open an account, that she didn't mind that Freddy Carpenter was the one that helped her.

When they left the bank, Charlie asked, "Irene, do you want to learn to drive your car?" "Yep, I sure do. A business woman has to be able to get around all by herself." Charlie replied, "Your first lesson will began when we get back to the ranch." "I ready to start now." Charlie said, "I'll drive until we get out of town." Irene, who had been watching Charlie and Luke operate a car, so it did not take long for her to learn driving fundamentals. After several laps around the back pasture, Charlie decided that she could solo. Both were so proud, that she made her solo lap without clashing the gears.

By the third week, Billy Joe's arm had improved enough, that he could be moved back to town. However, he had no place to go because he lost his job at the filling station. Irene came back from work one evening and found Billy Joe depressed. Irene asked, "Billy Joe, what's wrong?" He answered, "I lost my job today. The owner said that he couldn't keep the station closed any longer, so he hired someone else to run it. I am a cripple, whose has no job and no place to live. I can't be a burden for the Haley's for much longer." Irene came over and took his good hand gently into hers. "Billy Joe, as soon as you are strong enough, we will move back to town to live in my house. When your arm heals, I will need you to help me at the cafe." "Irene, I love you and want to be with you for the rest of my life, but people will talk," Irene smiled. "They won't, if we are married." Billy Joe asked, "Will you marry me." Irene softly replied, "I most certainly will marry you" She bent over and kissed him on the lips.

EPILOG

Irene and Billy Joe were married as soon as Billy Joe got his strength back. However, he never gained use of his right arm. He did what he could around the cafe. After Nancy, their daughter was born, he became a stay at home father, who earned a little extra cash by working on the cars and motorcycles that their friends brought him to repair.

When the war started, Billy Joe was deferred from the draft because of his arm. He was unhappy, that he was unable to serve his country, but Irene was relieved that he did not have to go to war. She had lost him once. She could not stand the thought of losing him again.

In the early nineteen fifties, they sold the Dixie Cafe, moved to Waco and opened the Texas Speedway.

A.J. was stationed on a aircraft carrier that was at sea on a training mission when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He survived the fighting in the Pacific. When it came time for his discharge at the end of the war, he decided to stay in the navy. He retired after twenty years of service to his country. He never married. When asked why he never married, he would quote Jolene, "I have a girl in every port."

Jolene went back to college the following year. She earned a Masters Degree in English and a teaching certificate.

Just before her graduation, she met an Army Air Force officer, Tom Baker, who was stationed at Waco Army Air Field, a pilot training base, that was located north of Waco. They fell in love and were married.

Jolene and Tom were lucky that he was the maintenance officer for the training planes used at the base. The army needed his skills to maintain the training planes, so, he spent the duration of the war in Waco.

When the war was over she, Tom, and their twins, Robert and Lydia moved back to Comanche Springs were she taught English and he owned and operated a small private airport, that he built on the Rocking H.

Sissy and Luke began their romance on the night, that she tricked Luke into taking her to town. That spring, after Sissy graduated from high school they were married. In less than a month after their wedding, Sissy was pregnant with the first of their six children

Luke continued to work for John Haley until the war started. He joined the Marines and fought in the Pacific. When he was discharged from the Marines, he found a job with the railroad. He, Sissy and the children moved to Houston.

Charlie worked with his father on the ranch until he joined the army at the start of World War II

He was trained as a military policeman. His unit took part in the Normandy Invasion by directing the thousands of trucks, tanks and other vehicles to the front line. He discovered that he liked police work.

After the war, he came back to Comanche Springs and became a deputy sheriff. A few years, he was elected county sheriff, an elected position that he held for more than thirty years. Like A.J., he never married.

George and Gertrude set up housekeeping in Waco. Their first home was apartment near downtown.

George continued to sell Fuller Brushes, while Gertrude found a job as a receptionist at the Cotton Sellers Association. Both were satisfied with their jobs. However, George became unhappy selling Fuller Brushes in rural Texas, when Margret Ann, their daughter was born. He wanted to spend more time with his young family. So, when he heard of an opening for a manager at the home office in Hartford Connecticut, he applied for the job and got it.

When the war started, the company put domestic products aside and started making brushes to clean guns. George became involved in this war time production, so he was exempted from the draft, so that he could continue his work in the war effort.

Gertrude stayed busy taking care of Margret Ann and working with the Red Cross. She liked the Red Cross so much, that she continued to work with them after the war.

When the war ended, George was worried that he would lose his job, because of the end of war time production. The company still needed experienced managers, so George did not lose his job. He stayed with the company until he retired in 1960.

Oscar was almost lynched, when word got out that he and Travis had tried to kidnap Jolene. The only thing that saved Oscar from the mob was, John Haley confronted the lynch mob and told them that he wanted justice done through the courts, not by a lynch mob. Out of respect for John, the lynch mob disbanded and its members went home.

At his trial, Irene tried to intervene for Oscar's sake, but all her efforts only spread the cruel roomers, that she had cheated on Travis with Oscar.

The jury sentenced Oscar to fifteen years in prison at the state prison in Huntsville.

Oscar was a model prisoner. He was liked by most of the inmates and he gave no trouble to guards and prison officials.

When the war started. he was paroled on the condition that he would join the army. This he willing did.

After he died bravely fighting for his country, his body was laid to rest with honor in a military cemetery in France.

Freddy decided that his career in banking would go no further than being a teller, unless he was better educated. He was able to get a loan from the bank. With that money, he went to the university in Waco to study accounting.

At the university he encountered Jolene. He soon made a pest of himself. Jolene out of desperation introduced him to Buffy, one of her sorority sisters, who was almost as obnoxious as Freddy. They got along beautifully, because George learned that Buffy's father was a wealthy oil man. When Buffy said, "Frog." Freddy jumped. It did not take long before they became engaged. Freddy and Buffy were married on Saturday December 6, 1941 in Dallas at Buffy's father's estate. The next day, they learned about the attack on Pearl Harbor. So in less than a month, Freddy was in training to be a naval officer. When he returned from the navy, he worked until retirement in his father-in-law's business as an accountant.

The End

About Rod Wright

Rod Wright's mother was of Czech descent. Her family came from what is now the Czech Republic and helped settle what then was a wilderness. His mother's family history helps to inspire his stories Wright is a retired radiation control inspector for the Texas Radiation Control Program. Rod is a graduate of Baylor University with a degree in biology. He and his wife live in Central Texas.

During the Vietnam War, I was an Air Force Staff Sergeant stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. I served as a Military Public Specialist, and was a member of the base Broken Arrow response team. While working for the Texas Bureau of Radiation, I was a member of the Texas radiation emergency response team for the two nuclear power plants in Texas.

Thanks, Rod Wright

Other Titles by Rod Wright

Thank you for reading my story. If you enjoyed it, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer? You also might wish to read my other novels. Broken Arrow is a story about a military Public Health Specialist waiting with his team members by an icy runway for a crippled B-52 bomber loaded with nuclear weapons to try to land. A Texas Frontier Love Story: When Texas Ranger John Haley rides up to the Duke's house hunting for an outlaw, he notices Katharina. Before they can get acquainted, John leaves to apprehend the outlaw. Katharina and Sheba, her maid are carried off the Comanche war chief Great Eagle. John's next assignment is to save the women and to kill Great Eagle. The Texas Ranger and the Duke's Daughter is a condensed version of A Frontier Love Story. "It was Just a Dream Wasn't?" takes place in the early 1980's. Janet tries to rent the old family mansion as a bed and breakfast, but the past comes back to trouble her. "Flashflood" is about how Rita Kay, Janet's college age daughter who is held prisoner by an elderly woman, after she is washed up on the banks of the Brazos River after a flash flood. It's Never too Late to Fall in Love. After they move to Comanche Springs, Rick and Lydia fall in love. Bernard, mayor and banker wants the Rocking H Ranch and Janet Baker, Lydia's sister-in-Law. Can Rick and Lydia save Janet and the ranch from Bernard's grasp. In The Texas Ranger and the War Lord. Texas 2044 A.D. A young female Texas Ranger, Joanne Haley and her male cousin, a war lord work together to save Texas and the U.S. from a nuclear disaster. Six Points in Time: The six short stores are about the misadventures of some young people during the last one hundred and fifty years.

Connect with Rod Wright

Web Site: www.rodwriter.com

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