Chapter Fifteen:

Celebration

The Masked Man and Tonto

Miles away Tom Gillis boarded the stage bound for Kievers Creek.   Dust followed the loaded coach as Tom opened his portfolio.  He glanced over the papers and closed the case, satisfied with the contents.   Occupying himself with the passing scenery, he gazed out the window, visualizing  railroad tracks running east to west.  A small herd of buffalo in the distance rumbled along.

A smallish man sat in the corner of the coach.  Holding a pad of paper he wrote as he looked up with a blank look in his eyes.

Tom looked over at the man.

“What brings you out this way?”  he asked.

He looked up, and put his pen down.

“Adventure.  Stories.  Real people.  Not the city type of struggles, real struggles.  Man against nature, man against outlaw.  Stories.”  he replied.

Tom looked around, the scenery flew past the stagecoach window

“I know what you mean.  The railroad brings me here.  My name is Tom Gillis, and yours is?”

“Paul Newman, writer.  Pleased to meet you.”

At the Kievers Creek Full Gospel Church (doubling as the Town hall)  pastor Pat Buttram  walked around the hall.  Gaily decorated banners filled the walls, and the front stage was filled with bright flowers and  musical instruments the Sons of the Pioneers had left there earlier in the day.  The ladies auxiliary was busy preparing a pot luck, and  the Sons of the Pioneers munched a light snack between practicing.

Pat looked at the wide array of good before him.  He reached out to sample one of the cakes.

“Pat, put that back.”  Doc Mix warned.  “Caught you Pastor Pat.  Remember your diet.  No sweets, and lots of exercise.”

“Ahh Doc, just one.  I’ve been doing my exercise like you told me”  Pat implored.

Doc Mix walked over to the pudgy pastor.

“Now Pat, I told you  it’ll be hard in the beginning, and easier later.”

Pat looked down longingly at the smorgasbord of sweets.

“That’s easy for you to say.  You’re not the one being stared down by these home made goodies.  Could I have one now, and a couple later?”  he asked,.

Doc eyed the pastor up.

“Do what you want today, for tomorrow, back on the diet!”

Pastor Buttram smiled and quickly gobbled an apple square.

“Thanks Doc.  Thanks, this is my last day of treats.  I promise.”

Doc Mix grinned and turned back to putting up the last banner.

“For this week”   he said under his breath.  “Pastor, keeping you on a diet is more work than keeping  the whole town healthy.”

Pat smiled and laughed.

“I take that as a compliment Doc.  Now, let me help you finish putting up the banner.  Now I need the exercise.  Besides, people will start coming in about half an hour.”

The sun carried on its trek,  lighting up the sky with florescent glory.  Blue turned to orange, and orange to red.  Soon, before long, the stars would light the heavens, and the moon would again rise to cast its eerie light upon the earth beneath.

As the sun began its final arc to the horizon, the people filtered in.  The hall filled up quickly as word spread like wildfire that the outlaw gang was captured!  Freedom was again present in Kievers Creek and area, it was time to celebrate.  From as far away as Laramie, people came, to say thanks.

Beaming faces filled the crowd, smiling families overflowed the dance floor, children zoomed in and out, and squirted between legs.  Young adults talked amongst themselves, and the adults, those who had their dreams stilled,  now felt their passion for the future renewed.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto mingled uneasily with the crowd.  Grateful ranchers  offered  their thanks and in one case, a daughter in marriage.  The Ranger politely refused.  Soon they found Gene Autry in conversation with with Reverend Buttram, apple pie in hand.

Pat finished the last bite of pie.

“Thanks Gene, and thanks Lone Ranger and Tonto.  If it weren’t for your help, shucks, you know what I’m saying.  Thanks Tonto” he said shaking Tonto’s hand enthusiastically.  “ Thanks Ranger.”

“You’re welcome Reverend Buttram.  We did what anyone else would have done in the same circumstance”  the Ranger replied.

At the end of the hall, the Sons of the Pioneers stepped on stage.    Nearby sheriff Roy and Dale stood beside them.   Bob Nolan put his hands up in the air.

“Ladies and gentlemen”  he started to say.   “The town council has asked me to welcome Roy Rogers officially, even though it’s a little late. “

Cheering came from the crowd.

“We’d also like to officially nominate him as Sheriff, if he’d accept it”  he continued.

Roy stepped up to the front.  He spoke.

“I accept your nomination for the job of sheriff of Kievers Creek!”   he exclaimed.

The people of Kievers Creek cheered again.  They laughed,  yelled, and hollered their appreciation.

Gabby yelled.

“All those in favor of Roy being sheriff, say aye!”   he said.

Every hand in the hall went up.

Bob Nolan turned to Roy.  He offered his hand to him.  They shook.

“Welcome, Sheriff Roy Rogers, to Kievers Creek!  Yee Ha!”

“Speech” Gabby yelled.

The crowd chanted.

“Speech!  Speech!  Speech!”

Dale pushed Roy closer to the edge.  She whispered to him.

“Well, thanks for your support.  It’s been a busy couple of days.  Haven’t really  settled in yet.  I’ve been shot at more times than I’ve eaten here”  he stated.

The crowd laughed.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto waited in the back of the hall.    Tom Gillis, and  Paul Newman walked into the back door.

“Where can I find the Sheriff Bill Stockton?” he asked briefcase in hand.

Tonto pointed to the front of the hall.

“Him there, beside woman.”

Tom Gillis took a step ahead, then turned back.

“Do you own land around here?”  he asked.  “I’m with the railroad.”

“No sir, we don’t.  But the good people of Kievers Creek do.  And they’re ready for you.”  the Ranger said.

Tom Gillis looked at the pair of men.

“Do you ride a silver stallion?”  he asked.

“Yes, I do.”  the Ranger replied.

Tom held out his hand, and smiled.

“Then I guess you’re the Lone Ranger and Tonto, aren’t you?”  he said.

The Lone Ranger nodded.

“Yes, we are.”   he admitted.

“I’m mighty proud to meet you.  I’ve heard stories about you I found hard to believe.  Someday,    you’ll be a legend.  Excuse me Lone Ranger,  I’ve got some papers to deliver to the Sheriff.”

Paul Newman stopped beside the Lone ranger and Tonto.  He held out his hand.

“I’m Paul Newman, pleased to meet you two.  I’ve also heard many stories about you.  Would you mind if I wrote them. “

The Ranger and Tonto shook the writers hand.

“Mr Newman.  It’s a free country.  If the stories inspire men to do what’s right, please do so.”  he replied.

“Remember Mr Newman, we are a people with dignity”   Tonto added.

“Yes, I will Tonto.  Thanks thanks a lot”  he said excitedly.

Tom Gillis walked to the front, the people parted before him.

“Sheriff Bill Stockton?”  Tom asked.

“No, Sheriff Roy Rogers”  he replied smiling.

Tom Gillis looked confused.

“I’ll explain  it to you later.  Now, how can we help you?”  he asked.

“My name is Tom Gillis, and I represent the railroad”  he said matter of  factly.   “I have been charged to buy land for the coming railway.  By this time next year, the sound of train whistles will be a common sound in Kievers Creek.”

The crowd milled around Mr Gillis and yelled excitedly.  In a few minutes, they calmed down.

“Tomorrow, we’ll talk.  It seems that you’re celebrating.  And I think I’ll join you.”

Pat Buttram spoke up.

“You’re welcome to, as folks will be real happy to talk to you.  By the way,  do you like home baking?” Pat said.

Roy started to speak again.

“As a final thanks.  We’d like to ask the Lone Ranger and Tonto up to the front and thank them properly.  Can you come to the front men?”  Roy asked.

Gabby answered.

“They’re gone.  Left a couple of ….”

“Hi Yo Silver Away!”  the Ranger shouted.

Gene smiled.

“God bless’em  both.”  Pat Buttram said.

In the distance, the Lone Ranger and Tonto paused for a moment.  They both turned back and listened to the townspeople joining together in song.  A thoughtful moment passed between them.  Reining Silver and Scout around, they galloped off into the annals of the early western United States.

The Lone Ranger rides again!

Postlude:  Peace, then What?

When I was young

“Wow, that was some adventure Tom”  Eddie said breathless.

“I guess Gene, Roy, the Lone Ranger and Tonto could work together” Bill added.

And it was a grand adventure.   We,  in our alter egos, had triumphed over villainy and made the streets safe for women and children.  Life could go on again in Kievers Creek.  The Lone Ranger and Tonto rode off into the Western United States to take on the League of the Black Arrow, Roy Rogers got Dale, again.  Gene Autry stayed on as head of the Cattlemen’s Association.  The railroad successfully transformed another town.

My mother yelled out the back door.

“Gordon!  Supper!”

I jumped up with excitement.

“All right, guys.  I got to choose supper tonight.  Bye guys.  Don’t forget to close the door when you leave”  I said as I left the fort and ran in for supper.

Ed, Bill and Tom waited for a few minutes.  Their suppers were later.  Bill looked at Tom.

“Scissors, Stones, Paper”  Bill said.

They agreed.

The three boys played.  Bill lost.

“See you later Tonto, Gene”  he said as he left the fort.

Ed picked a number between zero and ten.

“Five”  Tom guessed.

Ed laughed.

“No, eight!  I win.  Your turn to leave.”

Tom left the fort.

“See you Gene.”

“Adios amigo”  Eddie replied.

He crawled out the door, and closed it.

The fort was empty now.  The pictures of their heroes yelled out.

“Thanks.  Adios.   Hi Yo Silver Away.   Until we meet again.”

Eddie closed the door of the fort, his spurs jangled.  He turned towards home, and ran.

Inside the fort, the pages of the comic books began to turn.  They stopped, and…

DEFINITELY NOT THE END!

Thanks for reading folks….if you want this whole story in print form, let me know at [email protected]!

Click here to read more of Tim’s stories, along with the rest of this book.