With eight hundred head of cattle to drive north, Ben McCullough is relying on the help of his ex-sergeant, Hap. But nature's worst elements are nothing compared to the threat that awaits them-a gang of outlaws determined to rustle the herd...
A GREAT STORY- A MUST READ!!!!, October 21, 2003
By Lester E Williams "Les" (Lincoln, Nebraska United States) - See all my reviews
Like many a rancher in Texas with a small spread after the Civil War, Ben McCullough wanted a larger ranch. In order to fufill his dreams, Ben needed more cattle, a market for his cattle and a way to get his heard to the market. From a Mexican, McCullough was able to buy additional cattle for his heard. With the town of Abilene, Ben had a destination for his heard. All that remained was to hire a crew. Finding enough men to trail cattle north was proving to be a difficult task. Even Ben's old troopers from his army command were tied down with family. So Ben started out with Hap, his ex-sergent. Then his first hire was sixteen year old Mark Fulton, one of widow Jenny Fulton's boys. So with Mark, ex-slave Digger Jones, Mexican Miguel Costa an a cowboy in his early twenties Chip Fields, McCullough had his drovers...all young and eager. Ben proposes to Jenny before the drive north giving him even more incentive to successfully complete the drive. Ben also has a problem. One night in town he was confronted by a drunk cowboy Harold Coulter. McCullough being a big man, just threw Coulter aside and continued on his way. Now the whole Coulter clan are after Ben. Will Ben and his young drovers complete their drive while Ben is looking over his shoilder for Coulters? Will Ben return to marry Jenny? THE ABILENE TRAIL is A GREAT STORY. Much is learned by the reader about what needs to be done prior to a trail drive beginning and Dusty does an EXCELLENT JOB on THE ABILENE TRAIL as he throws in a surprising ending.
By Lester E Williams "Les" (Lincoln, Nebraska United States) - See all my reviews
Like many a rancher in Texas with a small spread after the Civil War, Ben McCullough wanted a larger ranch. In order to fufill his dreams, Ben needed more cattle, a market for his cattle and a way to get his heard to the market. From a Mexican, McCullough was able to buy additional cattle for his heard. With the town of Abilene, Ben had a destination for his heard. All that remained was to hire a crew. Finding enough men to trail cattle north was proving to be a difficult task. Even Ben's old troopers from his army command were tied down with family. So Ben started out with Hap, his ex-sergent. Then his first hire was sixteen year old Mark Fulton, one of widow Jenny Fulton's boys. So with Mark, ex-slave Digger Jones, Mexican Miguel Costa an a cowboy in his early twenties Chip Fields, McCullough had his drovers...all young and eager. Ben proposes to Jenny before the drive north giving him even more incentive to successfully complete the drive. Ben also has a problem. One night in town he was confronted by a drunk cowboy Harold Coulter. McCullough being a big man, just threw Coulter aside and continued on his way. Now the whole Coulter clan are after Ben. Will Ben and his young drovers complete their drive while Ben is looking over his shoilder for Coulters? Will Ben return to marry Jenny? THE ABILENE TRAIL is A GREAT STORY. Much is learned by the reader about what needs to be done prior to a trail drive beginning and Dusty does an EXCELLENT JOB on THE ABILENE TRAIL as he throws in a surprising ending.
