Welcome Readers!
Decided to give y’all a sneak peek into our newest release, “The Frontier Avenger #2 - Troubled Return”. Please continue to read for the full, first chapter! Enjoy! 🤓 📚
Chapter One
Treasure of Old
Chicot County, Arkansas
June1864
“Your family seriously had a chest of ancient, golden Roman coins?” the doctor asked incredulously and propped his feet atop the crude wooden stool in his tent.
“As serious as the fact that my ribs are screaming at me, Bruce.” James Leland chuckled and then clutched his right side. He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes.
The doctor dropped his feet onto the ground and then quickly went to where his friend lay on a cot. “I’m sorry. You should be sleeping, James.”
“Couldn’t sleep if I tried, Bruce.” James frowned as another wave of pain shot through his side. “Talking actually helps keep my mind off...” James gasped and then continued. “... of the pain.”
“It’s too soon to give you more pain powders....I don’t think it would be wise to-”
“Bruce, no...ah, I’ll be fine...just keep talking...” James groaned again and closed his eyes. “Come on, Doc...”
“Oh alrighty, let’s see…where were we?”
“Doc, quit feeling so guilty...”
“Well you wouldn’t be layin’ there shot if ya hadn’t jumped in front of that Yankee’s pistol to save my neck!”
“Well now we’re both still breathin’, Doc.”
Bruce shook his head. “And I’m forever in your debt, my friend.”
James opened his eyes and turned to Bruce. “You owe me nothing, friend.”
Bruce shook his head. “That dirty…and while I was trying to doctor him up too. Can’t believe you didn’t mind bringin’ in the wounded whether they was a Yank or Confederate.”
James chuckled and then groaned in regret. “They may call us rebels but that doesn’t mean we have to act like savages.”
“You’re a good man, James.”
“Just did what anyone else woulda done.”
“Hardly,” Bruce scoffed. “Anyhow, so about this treasure of your family’s…what else did that chest hold?” Bruce took a seat back down on the rickety chair the general had allowed him to have in his tent.
“Several golden urns with ornate carvings,” James attempted a deep breath and cringed. “One had a beautiful eagle head with its two handles made to look like the wings of the eagle.”
“Shoo-doggy! To think your great-great-great whoever just found this chest while tilling his farmland in Britain!” Bruce propped his feet back up onto the wooden stool.
James nodded. “Yes, it was obviously left there when the Brits were hiding their belongings after Rome left the land with no protection.”
“Where’s this treasure now?” Bruce asked, rubbing a hand through his beard.
“It was brought over to America, but don’t rightly know where its final resting place is. Have a map though.”
“Do you realize how much that would help the Confederacy if you were to find it?” Bruce’s eyes were wide.
James raised an eyebrow at his friend. “I’ve thought of that too, but just ain’t really sure where to start lookin’.”
Bruce nodded. “The map doesn’t make much sense then?”
James shook his head. “It do but it don’t. Seein’ as my front line days are gonna be over for some time. I’ll have to try an’ figure it out when I get home.” James sighed. “That’s two Lelands down for the count.”
“I’m sure that boy of yours is safe and sound at home with his wife and your grandson by now, James. No need to worry. I’m sure Carter’s wound is healin’ up right nicely.” The doctor gave his friend a reassuring smile.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re right, Doc.” James smiled. “Can’t wait to see that grandson of mine…Wayne reminds me of myself at his age.” James rubbed his chin. “Wonder what he’ll be when he grows up?”
“I’m sure he’ll be a right fine man like his father and grandfather.” Bruce patted James’ shoulder.
“Personally hope he turns out better’n me…” James’ voice trailed off. “Could ya grab my saddle bags off my horse?”
“Sure thing. I’ll see if’n I can track down the young lad who bedded your horse down for the night. He should’ve brought those bags in hours ago.” Bruce frowned and scratched his head.
__________
Officer Wesley Kelly hurriedly backed away from the doctor’s tent as several troops dressed in gray came muttering past him. He ducked his head and pulled his coat collar up around his neck and walked toward the approaching men. He minded his own business and pretended to have just been passing by. The information he had just overheard his fellow comrades discussing definitely bided looking into...Roman Treasure? Who would’ve thought? Somewhere here in the States! I’ve got to get my hands on that map!
Kelly quickly entered the stuffy tent he shared with twenty other soldiers and hurried over to his cot. Most of the men were either still out around the camp fires playing cards and cleaning their bloody sabers or snoring after the day’s battle. Kelly smiled, thankful for the extra space to breathe in for now. Kelly leaned over his secret K.G.C. comrade and whispered in the snoring man’s ear. “Psst...hey Sanders!”
Sanders’ snoring ceased and his green eyes popped open. Wesley jumped back.
“What is it Kelly?” Sanders muttered and closed his eyes once more.
Wesley nervously scanned the premises of the tent before leaning close to Sanders once more. “I need your help in acquiring a treasure!”
“Shut up and go to sleep!” Sanders rolled over on his side and pulled a small horse blanket up to his shoulders. “Nobody cares about no treasure!” Sanders suddenly opened his eyes and bolted upright. “Treasure! Did you say treasure?”
“Yes, you brainless creature! A treasure that’ll help me get even with Leland!”
Sanders rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “You mean one that could help the Confederacy’s cause, right Kelly?”
Wesley smiled wickedly. “Of course…then all of the men would flock to me as their hero instead of him. I like your thinking, Sanders.”
“Where is it?” Sanders combed his fingers through his bushy hair.
“Heard Leland say there was a map.”
“We need to get that map.”
Wesley nodded. “Indeed, Sanders, indeed.” Wesley smiled, his mind already swirling with a strategy to attain the treasure for himself...forget the Confederacy!
__________
“Tracked down those saddle bags for ya!” Bruce announced as he entered the tent carrying the worn leather pouches.
James opened his eyes and tentatively reached for the bags.
Bruce lifted James’ shirt and checked on the wound once more. “You don’t have that map in those bags do ya?”
“Course not! This Nevada kid isn’t stupid enough to traipse around in battle with it.” James chuckled dryly as he opened the bags.
The doctor laughed. “Everything still as ya left it in there?”
James nodded and pulled a wooden box from the one pouch. “These are my beauties in here.” James handed the box to the doctor.
“Open it,” James encouraged.
The doctor lifted the lid and to his surprise, saw a shiny silver pistol along with an empty inlay for another right next to it. “Woah, that’s a right nice sticker!”
“Where’d ya lay my holster?”
“Over here on my chair.” Bruce retrieved the holster and handed it to his friend.
James pulled the pistol out of the holster and held it next to the one from the box.
“Why, those are identical.”
James nodded. “This set of pistols was gifted to me by an old friend.”
Bruce reached for the weapons and James handed them over.
“Boy howdy, they sure is pretty! What’s the engraving on the butts of them for?”
James chuckled and winced. “Used to leave references to verses from the Good Book carved into things when my son was just a lad. Was sorta a game we’d play as he’d have to find the book in the Bible where the verse was found engraved on one item and then the reference numbers on a separate item.”
“But these guns don’t look that old,” Bruce stated and frowned curiously at his friend.
“Right, with these I engraved my initials on the one an’ on the other put reference numbers to a verse from the Bible to help remind me to let God have His own vengeance. The Book from which this verse is found is engraved elsewhere.”
Bruce looked expectantly at his friend.
James shook his head. “Uh-uh, not gettin’ it outta me.”
“You’re not even gonna tell yer friend?”
James shook his head. “That’d ruin the fun of havin’ a secret, wouldna it?”
The doctor laughed. “Well James, need to make a few rounds before callin’ it a night. Be back in a bit.”
“Alrighty, have a good night, Doc.” James returned the pistols to the box and holster as the doctor walked back out into the humid summer air.
__________
Kelly walked out of the stuffy tent and caught sight of the camp doctor entering one of the tents set aside for the wounded. Kelly smirked greedily. That means ole Leland is all by his lonesome…best give him some company. Kelly puffed smoke into the air as he cautiously made his way to the doctor’s personal tent. He glanced over his shoulder for any potential followers and seeing none, entered the small tent. James Leland lay asleep on a cot. Snoring as always. Kelly smirked and approached Leland and took the saddle bags from off of the slumbering man’s chest. He rummaged through them and found nothing. Frowning, he scanned the room for any other possible hiding spot. He noticed a box overturned beneath Leland’s cot and reached for it. He stopped abruptly at the sound of the doctor’s voice. To his relief, the voice was still distant. Kelly took his chance and quickly picked up the box. Beneath it lay a shiny pistol. Kelly swallowed hard at the sound of the doctor’s voice growing closer and quickly snatched up the gun and box. He ran to the tent opening and sighed in relief at the sight of an officer talking with the doctor two tents down from him. Both had their backs turned. Kelly took his opportunity and casually walked out of the tent, tucking the box with the pistol beneath his uniform coat. He then ran towards the tent he slept in, but tripped over a soldier lying next to the fire and fell to the ground.
“Watch where yer goin’!” the officer grumbled and rolled over, attempting to return to sleep. Kelly’s heart dropped to his stomach as the doctor and officer turned his way, but then sighed with relief as they both resumed their conversation. Kelly rose to his feet and brusquely brushed the dust off of his pants and jacket. He then stealthily entered the tent and went over to his bed roll. He hid the box beneath his hay-filled pillow and lay down. He then let out a deep breath. That was stupid!
“Psst…Kelly!” Sanders called in a loud whisper from his cot.
“What Sanders?” Kelly growled in a low voice.
“You didn’t really go in search of that map did ya?”
“Shut up Sanders.”
Sanders laughed. “Kelly…don’t ever wanna hear ya call me a brainless creature again…even I know a man ain’t gonna carry an heirloom map around on a battlefield with ’im.”
__________
James awoke to the pattering of rain atop the tent. He winced as he sat up and sleepily looked around his surroundings. The flap was pulled aside and in walked the doctor.
“Good, you’re awake,” the doctor greeted and removed the dripping hat from his head. He then wiped wet bangs from his eyes. “We’re movin’ camp today. Gotta send you an’ some other wounded home. You up for travelin’?”
James nodded and managed to finally swing his legs off the side of the cot and plant his feet on the ground. “I’ll manage.”
“Good, leavin’ in five minutes.”
James nodded and stood to his feet.
“Somethin’ wrong, James?”
“Ah Bruce, just hate leavin’ all this mess for others to fight when I’m goin’ home.”
“You’ve done more than your share of duty, James.”
James shook his head but then smiled. “Can’t wait to see that grandson of mine again.”
“I’m sure he’s growin’ like a weed!” Bruce smiled. “How old is Wayne nowadays?”
“Just turned five this spring.” James looked around his cot and under the blankets.
“You missin’ something?” Bruce asked.
“Did ya move that box with my other pistol in it?”
“No, however did hang up your holster on my hat stand. Ya fell asleep with it on your lap last night.” Bruce chuckled.
James frowned. “Mind lookin’ beneath the cot for me an’ seein’ if it fell?”
Bruce bent down and searched under the cot. “Don’t see nothin’ under there.”
“Ya sure you didna take it?” “Sure as it’s rainin’ this morning.”
“Someone musta stolen it.” James’ brow furrowed as he tapped his nose.
“Wait, come to think of it, last night there was an officer who seemed to be stalking around here.” Bruce scratched his head.
“Who was it?”
“Didn’t notice, but he seemed to be nervous and in a hurry.”
Commotion outside of the tent reached James and the doctor’s ears. Bruce opened the tent flap and called to a nearby officer. “What’s the ruckus?”
“Seems Officers Kelly and Sanders didn’t show up for roll call this morning.” The young man in uniform responded.
Bruce looked back at James.
“Kelly…” James muttered.
The doctor nodded.