December 18th 1942, Somewhere in Western France

"Hey Yank, I can't believe them Nazi's aint caught us yet. We have been on the run for Nine Days and I'll bet a sawbuck we are in France by now. I think we might make it to the coast."

Lt. McCullum smiled and said "I been telling you for two days that we were in France. I figure it will take us about 10 more days to make it to the coast. I just aint figured out how to cross that channel of yalls yet."

"It's a bloody long swim for a fact, maybe we can find a boat."

"Well to be honest with you I was thinking we should try and steal a plane. All we really need is a couple of Gestapo uniforms and a little luck."

"You're crazy, how are we gonna get Gestapo uniforms? I wont even ask about stealing a plane or how you think we can sneak through the German and British air defenses."

"Eddie just leave the details to me, I promise you we are gonna be drinking in an English Pub on New Years Eve."

Lt. Howcott frowned and muttered. "or Dead!"

--------------------Somewhere in the North Atlantic

"Bullen get your shaggy butt down here. I wanna take some more of your money" yelled Stan Mierzejewski. "I tell you what if it wasn't for Big Bobby's bad domino playing I'd think this ocean cruise was a total waste of time."

Big Bobby limped over to Corporal Mierzejewski's bed and said "I Sware to god Stan if you don't shut up and stop being so durn cheerful I'm gonna beat you to death with my crutches."

Stan laughed and said "Sit down Bobby, I need you to do me a favor and I really don't want none of those grabby orderlies to know about it. Big Bobby we been friends for long time aint we?"

"You Know it Stan, even if you did nail my cleats to the floor before the Bears game."

"Bobby, I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't painted my helmet before the Giants game, but forget that. Well you see the thing is they aint sending me home. They are sending me to some fancy hospital in Washington DC. Those sawbones over in England couldn't fix all the little holes that shell put in me."

Big Bobby frowned and asked "Does Jan know about this? Stan are you gonna be ok or is this just a warm up for the cedar box dance? You are just too durn fat for me to carry, even if you are in a pine box with handles."

"That's the thing Bobby, Jan don't know nothing yet. You see Jan don't read and write in English very good and I can write at all in English never could."

"My Lord Stan, you can't read and write. Why didn't you ever learn?"

"Bobby you know I was raised on a farm. I worked from sunup to sundown every day unit I was 15 years old. Then I run away and got a job. At first I didn't have the time, later it just didn't seem important. Now to be honest I'm just too embarrassed to tell anyone I can't read or write in English."

Bobby got a confused look on his face and asked "What do you mean in English? Can you read and write in some other language?"

"Yea, I can. My Momma was German and My Daddy was Polish. Both of them came through Ellis Island. Momma taught me to read and write in both Polish and German. Now My Janny she can read and write in German but not English. You see what I'm getting at?"

"No, Stan I don't. I can hardly handle English. I don't know any of those other languages."

"Bobby I cant ask any of these thieving orderlies to write me a letter in German. They would have my torn up butt in front of a review board faster than a slick politician can steal a dollar."

"Stan you are probably right about that but I still don't understand how I can help you. I don't know German or Polish, I can barely handle American. Now if you want me to write you a letter in Texican, I can do that. I even know a little Spanish but that's about all."

"Bobby I just need you to write down what I say, I know you cant spell the words right. Just spell them the way they sound, Jan will figure it out."

"Ok Stan, I can do that but the censors will still see the letter and report it."

"Bobby, that's the other half of the favor. I don't want you to mail it till you get back to Texas. Now Bobby don't say no, please don't. I need to let Jan know what's going on and how bad I was hurt but I don't want those dang Army spies given her a hard time just because she cant read American."

----------------Nomocotton, Texas

"Cindy Jean is our world ever gonna get back to normal? We had been at war with the Germans for over a year. It seems like our little town has been at war with Tolly and his white sheeted bullies for almost as long." Asked Susan Margison as she poured another cup of coffee.

"That new Sheriff, you think he be able to stop Tolly?" asked Ling Pau

Adeline Traywick smiled and said "Ling Pau, you don't much about Sheriff Grayeagle do you?"

Ling Pau shook her heard to indicate she did not and Cindy Jean asked "Addie did he really charge up San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt?"

Joan Margison said "My Momma told me he scouted for Black Jack Pershing when he was chasing that bandit Poncho Villa."

"When I was growing up one of my best friends was his daughter Maria and I got to know them pretty good." Began Adaline Traywick. "Old Laredo was born about 1870 or thereabouts up in Oklahoma on one of the Indian Reservations. He once told me he became an Army scout because he had heard the food was good. Yes he did charge up San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt and he did scout for Black Jack Pershing when he was chasing Poncho Villa. I know he went to France during the Great War but he got kicked out of the Army for hitting an officer."

Ling Pau asked "Who he hit?"

Addie shook her head "I'm not sure it was a long time ago but it was a Lt. Potton or Patton or something like that."

Cindy Jean asked "Did he really strip down old Abner and tie him on a mule and send him into town Nekid as a jaybird?"

Adeline look at Joan. Both ladies cracked up laughing. Joan finally blurted out "Lets just say we all know what Becky May saw in him." Both Adeline and Joan were blushing furiously.

Susan asked "if He was born in 1870 he has to be at least 72 years old. Can he handle the job?"

Joan smiled "Susan girl that man is as mean and tough as they come. I love my man but if he was in a fight with Laredo, I would bet on Laredo."

Dec 30th, 1942, somewhere in France

"Lester I don't think we are gonna make it to London by New Years day."

"Shut up Howcott, we are gonna make it just not as fast as we planned. You just rest. As soon as you are able we will get to the coast."

DEC 31st 1942 ---- Japanese forces begin the evacuation of Guadalcanal. The battle for Guadalcanal is over after five bloody months at a cost of 1500 American lives. The American Marines would not detect the Secret gradual withdrawal of Japanese forces until Feb of 1943.

JAN 15th, 1943 British 8th Army begins to drive on Tripoli.

-------------Somewhere in North Africa

"Fire, Fire keep firing that machine gun. Them Germans are gonna break through" Shouted Cpl. Stevenson as he ran past the foxhole containing Pvt. Tommy Joe Lunsford.

Tommy continued to fire his 50mm machine gun as the Germans swarmed towards him. Tommy kept firing as Cpl. Stevenson tried to rally the rest of the unit. Tommy prayed that his wife Margie would be ok. He knew his parents and Wyatt would do their best to help her.

Cpl. Stevenson fell as the tanks crossed into the American camp, bullets raking his position and ending the American rally. The last thoughts through his head were of how much he would miss watching the Cubs play.

The Machine gun jammed and Tommy was trying desperately to unjam it. He never saw the grenade land behind him. The exploding grenade shredded his legs and silenced his gun.

The advancing German army never even noticed the young Texican slowly bleeding to death as they passed his position.

------------------Jan 30th 1943, German Troops break through US and French lines in North Africa.

---------------Somewhere in North Africa

"Hiram pull back, pull back" Screamed Cowboy Zahn as he ran past him.

-----------------Nomocotton, Texas slightly after midnight Feb 1st 1943.

"He shore has done a nice job fixin up the store aint he." Said Tolly to his four accomplices while standing in front of the rebuilt German John's.

"Ok yall start dousing it with the kerosene while we unload the cross" Snarled Tolly

Suddenly an arrow came slicing through the air and pined one of the Klansmen's hands to the cross. A voice boomed out of the dark "Tolly the store is closed. My name is Laredo Grayeagle and I am the Sheriff here in Nomocotton now. I aint killed an idiot in years, please give me a reason too."

"Shoot him" yelled Tolly

A second arrow came screaming out of the dark and struck another Klansmen in the leg. A third arrow came in from behind the Klansmen and struck the truck.

Laredo yelled out "Did I mention I have a deputy? Or was it two?"

Tolly yelled "In the trucks, let's get out of here."

The front door of German John's flew open and Ben Abrahamson stepped out holding a shotgun and said "Not this time Tolly, drop your weapons, hands in the air."

"Tolly right now the only charge I got on you is trespassing, but if you don't surrender I can add resisting arrest. That is if any of yall survive the arrest!" yelled Laredo stepping into the light from on top of the Store.

As Tolly looked around he saw five men step out of the shadows, Four of them armed with shotguns. Tolly slowly raised his hands and surrendered.