Jacob's Gold

A Collection of Short Stories from the Old West

De: Mike Willoughby

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

You will enjoy meeting these colorful characters from the Old West, as you read these eight stories:

In “A Rancher’s Dream” Matt McPhearson must find a way to go on after his young wife and newborn child are killed in a tragic house fire. Deciding to go West, he eventually becomes foreman of a large ranch where he meets an old hand who believes he knows where a cache of lost gold was stashed by a group of miners, before they were massacred by Indians. They decide to strike out after the gold themselves, but must be prepared to contend with those very same Indians as well as some unscrupulous locals who would love some easy money

“Bad Blood” tells the story of two brothers who hate each other and always have; however, they do have one thing in common, they both love their father deeply. When their father dies, he leaves a dying wish which the two must fulfill, before receiving their inheritances. But the brothers must work together on a dangerous venture to fulfill his wish. Can they work together long enough to accomplish their mission? Or will they end up killing each other somewhere along the way?

“Jacob’s Gold” is the featured story of the book, and is a tale loosely based on the infamous story of the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine situated in the Superstition Mountains of central Arizona. In it, Jake sets out to find the lost gold mine, that many others before him have tried to find, and paid for with their lives. In addition to an utterly hostile environment, he must deal with Indians and outlaws who would step in at just the right time and claim the gold for themselves.

William had been advised not to set out for Carson City in “Magic Man” but did so anyway. As a result, he was promptly captured by the Comanches. Fortunately, he knows a good many magic tricks and also knows the Indians are a superstitious lot. After captured, he discovers a white woman who has also been captured as well. Will he be able to use his tricks to create a diversion so they can escape?

“Pecos Kid” had a split-second decision to make when the cocky deputy is killed by an unknown person, while walking the Kid to the jail. Unfortunately, he panics and decides to run for it, forgetting that wily old sheriff Bob Woodard would be hot on his trail. Would he try to shoot it out with the seasoned sheriff if and when the sheriff catches up with him?

In the touching story “Garret”, Will Garret befriends a woman and child who are in dire straits. He falls for the beautiful woman but knows he cannot stay with her. In his past, he had been involved in a number of killings, through no fault of his own, and was still being pursued. Now old man Pike and his men were out to get him. Eventually they do find him, but now they have found the woman as well.

Billy is in love. Unfortunate for him was the fact that she had three older brothers, who were not only over-protective, but hated Billy. Being thoroughly beaten up by the three, however, does not deter him and he sets out to find a way to even the score. Along the way he learns something of the mysterious past of his father, something that will help him secure the girl he loves, “Cindy Lou”.

“Ole Lem” was a prospector and farmer; and just managed make enough to get by. At one time, however, he had had a good deal of money, but had lost it in a bad investment. He alone knew where the gold-laden stream was located, high in the Pinal Mountains above Globe. However, he swore he would never return, as the first time he barely escaped with his scalp intact. But now the niece he had raised from childhood, the niece he dearly loved, had fallen on hard times. If only he had some of that gold . . .