Ain't No Way
Jerry Milam
Copyright © 2020 Jerry Milam
All rights reserved
First Edition
Fulton Books, Inc.
Meadville, PA
Published by Fulton Books 2020
ISBN 978-1-64654-163-8 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-64654-164-5 (digital)
Printed in the United States of America
Table of Contents
Chapter Three: Stagecoach or No Stagecoach
Chapter Four: Just A-wantin’ to Breathe
Chapter Five: Let’s Go that Way
Chapter Six: California, Here We Come
Chapter Seven: The Crossing’s up Ahead
Chapter Eleven: Barney’s Trip to the Outpost
Chapter Thirteen: Who Is the US Marshal?
Chapter Fourteen: One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians
Chapter Fifteen: New Times for New and Old Friends
Chapter Sixteen: Down the Hill
Chapter Seventeen: Naming Do-What
Chapter Eighteen: More Questions, More Answers
Chapter Nineteen: Berry Pickin’
Chapter Twenty: Bernie Takes a Bath, Barney Takes a Walk
Chapter Twenty-One: Barney Finds Bernie
Chapter Twenty-Two: Explaining the Incidents
Chapter Twenty-Three: The Plan
Chapter Twenty-Four: One More for the Road West
Chapter Twenty-Five: To the River
Chapter Twenty-Six: A Shot of Water
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The US Marshal
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Barney Wakes Up
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Final Departure
Preface
John Duvale, a recent widower, got on a stagecoach in St. Louis to return to his home in Green River, Wyoming. The people he met on the stage were talking of a trip to California. The more they talked, the more he was persuaded to go along. It became a snowball effect. Two brothers, who were on the same stage, also decided to go along.
As the story begins, they were making camp in the woods. They had exchanged their stagecoach for two covered wagons. They were going out on their own to California. With little knowledge of the lay of the land, and the added responsibility of two women along, the journey was not going to be a walk in the park. Along with some unexpected friends, a few complications arose. Would everything work out for the best?
Maybe, maybe not.
From the Author
At the age of forty-one, I decided to write this book. I am not a professional writer. I am one of many, along with everyone else I know, who work very hard every day to make a living for myself and my family. My wife also works very hard to supplement our income, but although it is not a prize-winning effort, I am very proud of this book. I feel that if by some chance this book makes one person feel some kind of emotion, then it was worth the many hours that I have put into it. If at some time during the reading of this book you should crack a smile or get watery eyed, then I say thank you.
In closing, I wish to tell you to do your best every day to put a smile on someone’s face.
Sincerely,
Jerry Milam
Chapter One
The Shot
A shot rang out and echoed down the canyon. John Duvale, the leader of the calico group, tilted his head to where his right ear went into the wind. At the same time, he raised his right hand to hush the murmur of
