South of the River Gila
by
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Chapter Six – Big Ed
Today, Tom Hurley was no longer restricted to the Papago campsite. He appreciated his independence, and was very anxious to revisit Quijotoa. He expected the journey to be physically incapacitating and exhausting, because he was compelled to tread slowly and softly on the badly worn soles of his almost completely dilapidated boots that now were too thin for a lengthy hike. He knew that his shifting feet soon would become blistered.
He also was aware that without his pistol, he would be unable to adequately defend or protect himself, if any unexpected danger occurred. These thought were depressing and he harbored the uneasy feelings of helplessness, but he tried to muster all of his courage and determination for the long trudge through the hills.
Around midday, he began to suffer a heat-induced delirium, and the waist high shrubs soon appeared to be as tall as trees, and each little rock looked like a gigantic boulder. The intense heat had sapped his energy, and every step he took seemed to be upgrade. Each gasping breath of warm air became less satisfying and added to his discomfort, but he persistently forged ahead toward his ultimate destination. He only occasionally stopped to rest his sore feet and to sip some warm water from his jug.
When the evening twilight arrived, Tom stopped to construct a resting-place. He strung his ropes from the limbs of two small trees, then he placed some pliable fir branches across the ropes as additional supports. Next, he stretched the two blankets that Hissawicki had woven for him, and laid them across the ropes in a hammock-like fashion, to provide some comfort and support for his tired body.
When he opened the blankets to their full extent, he suddenly realized exactly what his dear, mother by adoption, Hissawicki, had done. She had woven into the colorful design of one of the blankets, all of the details that he had recorded on his deteriorated, secret, brown paper map, including the directional markings and the other previously scribbled symbols.
She had copied these indicators exactly as they originally appeared on the brown paper that she had removed from his shirt pocket, during his unconsciousness, after he was brought to her wickiup. Tom remembered that she had asked him what those medicine signs meant, referring to the symbols on his map, and he realized that later she had copied them in belief that their magic would help to accelerate his recovery.
This unexpected exposure of his most protected secret, immediately stunned him, but after considering the innocence of Hissawicki's duplication and her inability to interpret the unusual markings, he became less apprehensive and more appreciative of her obliging efforts.
Tom Hurley knew that this new map was larger and definitely more legible than the indistinguishable, faded, scribbled one on the tattered brown paper. After comparing the blanket's design to his original paper map, Tom finally decided to destroy the crumpled paper one that he had been faithfully protecting since its origin. He tightened the ropes to his improvised hammock to raise it high above the ground, hoping that its height would appease some of his previous fears of the crawling scorpions and other annoying night predators. He wished that he had an easy accessible pistol to completely alleviate his apprehensions, and he certainly preferred that the pistol would be his reliable bone-handled, Caldwell forty-four.
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About the Book
During the early 1800’s, young Tom Hurley lived with his parents in a well-fortified shack near an Indian hunting-trail, a short distance from the Indians’ encampment. Tom’s mother contracted a serious chest ailment, and died during Tom’s infancy. When his father died from a gangrenous thigh wound, fifteen-year-old Tom was left to provide for himself. He experienced many exciting and hindering incidences during his lifetime, and occasionally became the victim of unscrupulous intimidators or the pawn of unethical swindlers. He became involved in many controversies, and was shot by an unknown assailant during his sleep. A long time elapsed before he could discover his assailant’s identity, and reclaim his most valuable possession. He developed an insatiable desire for companionship and affection, but this desire was not readily fulfilled. He gradually became accustomed to his unsatisfying lifestyle, but he did not abandon his hopes for improving it. Tom’s many disappointments and hindrances, however, did not deprive him of his desire to achieve his goals. His unrewarding persistence to succeed, and his dependency on his faithful burro and a rebellious goat contributed to his dilemmas. He eventually attained his evaluation of worthiness, through the encouragement and care of an old Indian squaw.
About the Author
The author, Bennett Keim, was employed in various capacities with several organizations, but most of his spare time away from work was devoted to his favorite hobby, story writing. He has traveled extensively and has derived pleasure in providing exciting tales inspired by his association with the regional people, and his cogitation of the scenery of the various localities. Many of his thoughts have been preconditioned by his experiences during the 1930's Depression years, and by his army enlistment during World War II. That is why the somber scenes are equally convincing as the hilarity and facetiousness that he occasionally injects. His verbose physical descriptions of the book’s eccentric characters have the tendency to accentuate their psychological peculiarities while, at the same time, creating perceptible familiarities for the reader. His scenes are believable and captivating, even when their continuity is interrupted. Perhaps, that is why his books appeal to diligent readers of all ages.