Lagrange was a fine man. Pug doted on him. Of course he’d never admit that.”
“ So Pug doesn’t know that your grandmother’s protecting your Uncle William?”
“ I don’t even know it for certain, Beauty. But I don’t think it really matters if she is or isn’t. My Uncle Josiah’s still trying to find Uncle William and my grandmother can’t call him off.”
“ Texas Rangers don’t have jurisdiction in California.”
“ Uncle Josiah’s a U.S. Marshal now.”
“ He’s not really your uncle, is he?”
“ No. But when we were children, we weren’t permitted to call adults by their first names so all the close family friends were aunt and uncle. The Aunt Nancy that I talk about all the time is really just a family friend.”
Stuart, who had lost interest in the subject of Paul’s family, nodded. “Did you find out what happened to your grandfather’s horses?”
“ What do you mean?”
“ The warhorses your grandfather had with him in Mexico.”
“ Oh. Yeah. They shipped Beelzebub back to my great-great grandfather Livingston’s stables in Elizabeth. I’m not sure about the other two horses. I think one was killed in battle.”
“ I sure would love to ride Beelzebub some time.”
Paul chuckled. “He’d eat you alive.”
“ There’s no horse I can’t ride.”
“ Famous last words. Beelzebub only tolerates a few humans and they’re all Van Buskirks or Livingstons.”
“ Well anyway, I’m glad that your uncles sent him home. It’d be a shame for a bloodline that old and famous to die out.”
“ Beelzebub’s sired several colts already.”
“ Any of them have his nature?”
“ I don’t really know. We can go over to Elizabeth in the spring, and if you want one of his colts, I’ll give it to you.”
“ Really?”
“ Yes. Other than my grandfather, you’re the best horseman I’ve ever seen. You should have a warhorse worthy of your skill.”
“ Heavy horse is a tactic of the past. Light cavalry is the future.”
“ So you don’t want one of Beelzebub’s colts?”
“ I didn’t say that.”
“ You’re right, of course. Big, powerful horses like Beelzebub aren’t of much use in the modern American cavalry.”
“ Do you think they’ll let us join the cavalry after we graduate?”
“ I’m hoping to be an engineer, but you’re a natural for the cavalry, Beauty. The army would be foolish to place you anywhere else.”
Stuart studied his friend’s face for several seconds. “As a Texan, and knowing it would be the ruination of the Southern economy, would you really go to war to free the slaves, Pea?”
“ No.” Paul shook his head. “But, as you said a minute ago, I agree with Sam Houston and I might go to war to preserve the Union.”
May 8, 1850
Eureka, California
W ielding her cane menacingly, Marina Van Buskirk forced her way from the steamboat through the crowded seaside docks, and then waded in ankle-deep mud toward the cluster of shacks and tents. “Where’s the hospital?” she asked a man who was leading an overburdened mule.
The man stopped, looked her over, spit tobacco juice, and urged the mule forward again.
Marina held up a gold coin. “Hospital?”
He stopped again. “There ain’t none.” He grabbed for the coin.
Marina stepped back beyond his reach and closed the coin in her fist. “There was a gunfight here about a week ago between Lucky Billy Van and a U.S. Marshal. Did you hear about it?” She showed him the coin again.
“ Hear about it? I seen it with my own two eyes. The marshal got the drop on the outlaw but the polecat had him a little hide-out pistol up his sleeve.” He cackled. “Shot the marshal right in his family jewels.” He mimicked a pistol with his thumb and index finger. “Pow.” He dropped the mule’s reins and cupped his groin with both hands. “Guess that marshal’s gonna be singin’ in the ladies choir from now on. You should of seen it. It was like…”
“ Is the marshal still
“ So Pug doesn’t know that your grandmother’s protecting your Uncle William?”
“ I don’t even know it for certain, Beauty. But I don’t think it really matters if she is or isn’t. My Uncle Josiah’s still trying to find Uncle William and my grandmother can’t call him off.”
“ Texas Rangers don’t have jurisdiction in California.”
“ Uncle Josiah’s a U.S. Marshal now.”
“ He’s not really your uncle, is he?”
“ No. But when we were children, we weren’t permitted to call adults by their first names so all the close family friends were aunt and uncle. The Aunt Nancy that I talk about all the time is really just a family friend.”
Stuart, who had lost interest in the subject of Paul’s family, nodded. “Did you find out what happened to your grandfather’s horses?”
“ What do you mean?”
“ The warhorses your grandfather had with him in Mexico.”
“ Oh. Yeah. They shipped Beelzebub back to my great-great grandfather Livingston’s stables in Elizabeth. I’m not sure about the other two horses. I think one was killed in battle.”
“ I sure would love to ride Beelzebub some time.”
Paul chuckled. “He’d eat you alive.”
“ There’s no horse I can’t ride.”
“ Famous last words. Beelzebub only tolerates a few humans and they’re all Van Buskirks or Livingstons.”
“ Well anyway, I’m glad that your uncles sent him home. It’d be a shame for a bloodline that old and famous to die out.”
“ Beelzebub’s sired several colts already.”
“ Any of them have his nature?”
“ I don’t really know. We can go over to Elizabeth in the spring, and if you want one of his colts, I’ll give it to you.”
“ Really?”
“ Yes. Other than my grandfather, you’re the best horseman I’ve ever seen. You should have a warhorse worthy of your skill.”
“ Heavy horse is a tactic of the past. Light cavalry is the future.”
“ So you don’t want one of Beelzebub’s colts?”
“ I didn’t say that.”
“ You’re right, of course. Big, powerful horses like Beelzebub aren’t of much use in the modern American cavalry.”
“ Do you think they’ll let us join the cavalry after we graduate?”
“ I’m hoping to be an engineer, but you’re a natural for the cavalry, Beauty. The army would be foolish to place you anywhere else.”
Stuart studied his friend’s face for several seconds. “As a Texan, and knowing it would be the ruination of the Southern economy, would you really go to war to free the slaves, Pea?”
“ No.” Paul shook his head. “But, as you said a minute ago, I agree with Sam Houston and I might go to war to preserve the Union.”
May 8, 1850
Eureka, California
W ielding her cane menacingly, Marina Van Buskirk forced her way from the steamboat through the crowded seaside docks, and then waded in ankle-deep mud toward the cluster of shacks and tents. “Where’s the hospital?” she asked a man who was leading an overburdened mule.
The man stopped, looked her over, spit tobacco juice, and urged the mule forward again.
Marina held up a gold coin. “Hospital?”
He stopped again. “There ain’t none.” He grabbed for the coin.
Marina stepped back beyond his reach and closed the coin in her fist. “There was a gunfight here about a week ago between Lucky Billy Van and a U.S. Marshal. Did you hear about it?” She showed him the coin again.
“ Hear about it? I seen it with my own two eyes. The marshal got the drop on the outlaw but the polecat had him a little hide-out pistol up his sleeve.” He cackled. “Shot the marshal right in his family jewels.” He mimicked a pistol with his thumb and index finger. “Pow.” He dropped the mule’s reins and cupped his groin with both hands. “Guess that marshal’s gonna be singin’ in the ladies choir from now on. You should of seen it. It was like…”
“ Is the marshal still
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