Chip Shatto (Perry County Series)

by Roy F. Chandler

  There was game in the woods, but not as much as might be expected because of Tad Shuler's hunting. Shuler's shot filled musket kept birds and animals thinned out, but Tad Shuler came with the land and Mark Long had made that clear first thing.

  As soon as they had begun talking, Mark Long stated plainly that any agreement reached included allowing Tad to live out his years undisturbed.

  Tad was as old as the hills he roamed. As far as anyone could remember he had always been there. Some claimed he was related to the gun-making Shulers but Tad had nothing to say on the subject.

  Only a squatter, Shuler had no legal claim and, in fact, made none. He had outlived three wives, including a bride brought home late in his declining years. All but the last of his children had already passed on and he lived now with the daughter of his later years of whom he was exceedingly fond.

  Shuler's cabin crouched in a nook of Turkey Ridge where it was protected from cold north winds but could absorb the low winter sun through its southern exposure. During summer heat the great trees surrounding the cabin gave it shade and the slope of the hill encouraged breezes as the woods and fields heated or cooled.

  Chip had met Shuler during his first examination of the farm. Distant at first, the old man had perked up when Chip told his name. It came out that Tad had known the first Rob Shatto and had stories to tell of the old frontiersman, so Chip settled in to enjoy a new and different friend.

  Tad Shuler didn't have a lot of use for the valley people, considering them a bunch that labored in harness until they died. He liked the old times when men roamed, hunted, and did about as they wished. He adjusted his needs to that kind of life and was content.

  In Chip Shatto and Carter Roth he found kindred spirits. They had traveled as they willed and kept a lot of moss from gathering on their moccasins. That they were buying land and settling down bothered him not at all. He rubbed his nose knowingly, his surprisingly soft eyes twinkling and said, "Don't matter how much ground you put your sign on, you'll be the same inside. You're not root sinkers, either one of you.

  May be you'll live in one spot just like I do—but you won't be slave to the place and for that matter, you won't never be a real part o' this here valley crowd.

  "Now you just make up your minds to that. No matter how long you're here or how loud you pray in church they'll smell the difference in you. Wrappin' a wolf in sheepskins don't fool many sheep, an' without even knowin' why, they'll keep you at a distance. Both you boys've got your eyes in the front of your head and they don't, though some don't know it."

  For Carter, the reference to eyes needed explaining and Chip did it later on. "Hunting animals have their eyes in front so they see better forward. Take wolves, foxes, bears, panthers, any you can think of.

  "Things that get hunted, like rabbits, have eyes on the sides of their heads. Deer, cows even, they all do. So, Tad figures we're sort of predators and most others line up as fair game for us. How does that suit you?"

  Carter chewed on it a minute. "Well, if we've got to be one or the other, I'm grateful we're among the hunters. I'd hate being thought of as one of the flock that hard people pick on." Chip agreed with that reasoning.

  ++++

  Tad Shuler had another prophetic announcement that made his listeners stiffen and get a bit uncomfortable.

  He laid it out during the eye placing conversation and it was itself a memorable commentary.

  "It's plain to see that both you boys are hungry to live in these parts, which makes good sense. Why down around the county seat a man can't walk in the woods without crossin' fresh tracks or stumblin' over people out picnicking. Anyway, seein' you'll be neighbors, it's almost certain one o'you will be marryin' up with my Tinker gal."

  He was getting undivided attention from the boys, if not the daughter who continued her chores, so he went on."Your kind of men can't do with these fancy women that want button shoes an' city hats just to leave the cabin. Oh, you think that's what you want, but down in your guts—where it counts—your kind need women that work beside you an' don't act out a lot of nonsense.

  "Now my Tinker here is that kind o'gal. Only reason she ain't been took off long before is that there ain't been no real men come around."

  His attention shifted, "Which reminds me, what's that ring doin' in your ear, boy?"

  Glad to change the subject, Carter answered: "Well, this ring was made from my Mother's favorite bracelet. Figured I'd lose it if I didn't keep it close so I been wearing it many a year." He ignored his companion's groan.

  The discussion turned to other things but Chip found himself studying Tinker Shuler with new eyes, which he supposed was exactly what old Tad had intended. He wondered if Carter was doing the same and tried to catch him at it, but failed. Then he got to wondering how Tinker felt, being talked about like that, and had a deal of a time catching up with the conversation.

  Alone in their own camp, Carter chuckled, "That old devil was trying to get us interested in his gal, Chip."

  "Of course he was. You interested?"

  "Not me. I'm plannin' on findin' me one of them big blond German gals that can pin a man two out of three falls. Uh, you interested?"

  "Nope! I've got a lot to do before thinkin' about hookin' with some woman." But he was lying just a little and he had to wonder if Carter was too.

  Tinker Shuler wasn't bothered a lick by the talk.

  She wasn't going anywhere while her Pap was still around and though he was failing more than others saw, he'd no doubt hang on awhile.

  People said she looked a lot like her mother, but Tad didn't think so. She was short, strong shouldered, and deep breasted. A man Chip's size could have put both hands around her waist—only she'd have clouted him good for it.

  In the winter, freckles appeared across her nose, but in the summer she tanned like an Indian and they didn't show. She could read some words and sang the assorted hymns and marching songs Tad had taught her. Her gardens grew their food and her light rifle brought in about as much meat as Tad's shooting did. She cooked, baked, cleaned, and sewed. Tad sold hides and pelts, sassafras root and ginseng, along with Tinker's herbs, for a little money. Mark Long and a few others saw that old clothing and odds and ends came their way. The Shulers got by, but though Tad was content, Tinker would have liked having things a little better.

  Of course she had taken a good look at the men hoping to buy Mark Long's farm. The one with the gold earring in his ear had winked at her right off but then kind of lost interest. Chip, the big one, didn't seem to notice her at all. Beyond nice little courtesies like picking off his hat or saying "Miss Tinker," he paid her no mind.

  She had stood close to him a number of times and guessed she could walk under his arm if he held it straight out. He was a big one alright.

  She saw the same streak of wildness in Chip Shatto that old Tad had remarked on and she liked the thought of it. It would be good to be married up with a man who roamed some and came home with interesting tales, instead of the sturdy drudges she saw around that thought a lively time was counting the coins they had hidden under a loose brick or behind an attic beam.

  One night she dreamed about Chip Shatto riding up on his handsome arrow branded horse and calling out for her to leap on behind him. She woke up all dithered and decided not to let her imaginings roam too far. Chip Shatto was a rich, educated man who was a good bunch of years older than she was and he wouldn't have any time for the daughter of an old woods rat like Tad Shuler.

  The facts were, they were lucky Mark Long was insisting that whoever bought him out would leave them alone. For all his independent airs, her Pap was getting too old to go traipsing off to a new place.

  So when old Tad brought out his conviction that one or the other of them would have to marry up with her she had already thought it out and she just paid no mind.

  Still, it did seem that Chip got to watching her sort of close—the rest of that evening at least.

  ++++

  It was Tad Shuler who
told Chip about the other buyer and cleared up the mystery of Mark Long's foot dragging.

  "Man comes up from Philadelphia, Chip. He's got people behind him that're interested in coal and he thinks that little seam down below here might open up into something big."

  "Hell, Tad, there are skimpy little coal ribbons like that all over the county. They never develop into anything."

  "Don't tell me about it. I ain't anxious to see a bunch of city people pickin' around up here, but you can bet your powder that Mark Long ain't tellin' 'em that the vein will likely peter out."

  "How about you tellin' him, Tad?"

  "Nope, that wouldn't be fair to Mark." He thought a moment then added, "Expect I could show them other farms around here that have coal showing, though that might just make 'em more sure the whole area is likely."

  Chip had a sudden thought and rolling it around in his head he started grinning. Old Tad saw it and asked suspiciously, "What's so blasted funny in that?"

  "Oh, it's not your idea, Tad. I just got one of my own that might be put to work." He looked archly at old Shuler, "Some might consider it a little underhanded, but it won't hurt anyone that's honest."

  He worked it out a moment longer. "You any idea when that Philadelphia man'll be comin' by?"

  "Reckon it'll be soon. He's as hot to buy as you are and I figure Mark's playing the two of you against one another."

  Chip appeared to change the subject. "You ever hear of gold around here, Tad?"

  The old man snorted, "There's fool's gold turned over once in a while and some quartz rock that glitters like gold. Did hear of a find over along Tuscarora years ago, but nothin' came of it. Just a story, most likely."

  "You know where the coal's been dug a little over on Cocolamus Crick?"

  "Surely. Don't amount to nothin' though."

  "Could you get that city man over to look at it, sort of casual like, next time he appears?"

  "'Course I could. He's always stompin' up here expectin' to pry secrets out o'me. Why, by the time we got over there he'd think it was his own discovery." He spat noisily, "Reckon I ought to know why I'm botherin though. He ain't my favorite kind an' the less I see of him the better I like it."

  "Well, I'm goin' to fix that spot up a mite so it'll interest him more than he'll want to admit. In fact, if he starts talkin' about gold on the way back you could maybe tell him some real inspirin' stories about gold bein' seen around Perry County."

  "Hell, Chip, the man ain't a fool! Anything he finds he'll have assayed an' know it ain't for real."

  "You get him there, Tad, and I'll take care of the rest."

  For his scheme Chip needed old Rob's help and as soon as he and Carter had unsaddled he went for it.

  "Pap, when Ted and I were kids you used to show us a bag of gold dust you brought back. You still got it?"

  "Surely, Chip, I guess there's a double handful but it isn't worth much. What on earth do you want it for?"

  "I figure to salt a mine, Pap."

  "Oh, for God's sake, Chip!"

  "It'll work, Pap. It's a one-time shot. Way I'm setting it up, he'll have to buy quick, but if he doesn't we won't be out much."

  "WE won't be out much? Seems as though MY dust will be gone. What will YOU be out?"

  "Just a figure of speech, Pap. Where's the dust?"

  He used an old muzzle-loading shotgun without much powder behind a good charge of the fine dust.

  Carter was highly skeptical. "You sure they find gold in coal mines, Chip?"

  "Not that I ever heard, but supposing you came across this place and the glitter proved to be gold. What would you do?"

  "Cheap as it is, I'd buy it quick 'cause I'd figure the locals were too dumb to know what they'd seen. Guess I'd be thinking rich and be scared to death someone smart like me might find it."

  "That's how I see it." He aimed back into the shallow tunnel and fired both barrels. When the smoke cleared they held a torch and, sure enough, the walls glittered with the dull sheen of dust gold.

  The Philadelphia man bit—and old Tad fed him line. He quickly disappeared, galloping off into a chill October day, and the next they heard he'd bought the Cocolamus property.

  Tad chortled over it, while Mark Long wondered what had happened and took Chip Shatto's offer. He sold almost four hundred acres, carried the cash payment to the bank, and rented a room just off the Millerstown square.

  For a week there was furious digging along the creek, then it died down and seemed forgotten. Gold was never mentioned, and in the spring that land was again for sale.

  ++++

  Chip badgered, "All right Roth. The time's come for you to quit weaseling around. I've more land than I want so I'll sell you half for just what I paid for it."

  "Sure, you keep the good stuff and I get what's left. Tell you what, you divide it and I'll get first pick."

  "Nope, I'm taking the eastern piece. You get the west."

  "Now that seems mighty strange. You're keeping more woods than fields, while you're selling me more farming land than trees. Now why would you do that, Shatto?"

  "It's because I'm a generous man, Roth. You want it or not?"

  "Don't get all riled now, Chip. I'll take it.

  "Happens I've got just about enough money to cover the cost."

  "Horse droppings, Roth. That belt you're wearing weighs a ton. Don't try swimming with that money belt on, you'd sink like a stone."

  "Really now, Chip, how come you don't want more planting ground"

  "Well, I could tell you a big story, I suppose, but the truth is, Carter, that I don't want to bother with it.

  I figure on raising good crops and some animals, but I've got a bit put aside that'll see me through—assuming I'm careful and don't waste it of course, so I won't be depending on farming to make a living."

  "Now ain't that something? You've been ragging me for months about the few coins I've been able to put aside and come to find out you're rolling in it. How come, Shatto? You rob a bank or something?"

  So Chip told him. "You've heard how Pap went west when he was young, just like Ted and I did? Well, Pap and his partner hit it rich on Indian gold from the Uintahs. Coming home they ran onto some Sioux and old Bogard got killed and his gold scattered where he fell, Ted and I hunted down that spot and salvaged most of Bogard's load. Ted's set up in ranching, and I'm sort of his partner. So, most of the money's tied up in stock, land, and buildings in north Texas, but I brought home enough to make sure I don't run short before the war's over and things get back to normal."

  "So, while I'm spending my years lookin' at the south end of a north bound plow horse, you'll be sittin' on your porch watching me sweat." Carter shook his head in disgust. "It don't seem fair that a smelly old mountain cast out like you gets it easy while an honest, hardworking seaman like myself gets nothing worth having."

  Chip grinned deliciously, "Seems fair enough to me, Carter. You get to live next to me and learn from my collected life experiences. This way you won't end up swinging from a yardarm as a pirate or maybe a slaver. "

  Roth wasn't completely licked and he dug for a stinger. "Well, I doubt you'll have much time for me. You've been mooning over Tinker ever since her Pap set you up for it. You're already panting around that cabin like an old coonhound. Wonder when she'll decide to reel you in like a hooked carp or a big fat old sucker."

  Chip flushed angrily, "Now listen, Roth, don't you...." Carter was already walking away and Chip had to trot after him to get in even an unsatisfactory retort.

  ++++

  Chapter 13

  Chip talked a lot about the land he had bought and the house and barn he would put up on it—maybe in the spring.

  The war also claimed attention but Chip's hunger to become a part of it had fled with his exposure to its realities. He had seen a south virtually empty of healthy men and compared it to the North's barely tapped resources, it seemed impossible that the fighting could continue much longer and certainly the outcome was not in doubt. Unless
he was called, Lieutenant Shatto intended to stay home.

  Another name began to appear in Chip's conversations. Increasingly often he said, "Tinker mentioned ... Tinker did...." He always stopped by to visit with Tad and it seemed he no more got home from Pfoutz Valley than he was riding back for another visit.

  Old Rob got them to take horses that needed work and that gave Doug Fleming a reason to ride along. When that happened, Carter usually threatened to stay home because it meant riding like crazy men just to make some mangy old horse tougher. Carter claimed the constant riding was worse than when Chip was running from that Starling fellow, and that would get Chip to raving about how he hadn't been running, just protecting Carter's animal from getting shot out from under him.

  When Chip was telling about how Tinker Shuler couldn't ride and he had to put her up behind him to take her into Millerstown shopping, Amy began to take notice. Her questions were gentle and placed so as not to seem prying, but they quickly gave her a clearer picture of the Shulers and, in particular, Tinker's situation.

  There was an unexpected Indian summer in November and Chip decided on spending another few days walking his farm and thinking about what he would do in the spring. Carter was willing to go along, provided they checked into a hotel. Chip might like sleeping out on cold ground, but he wasn't that thick skinned—or that dumb.

  To Chip's surprise, both his mother and father chose to come along. Neither had seen the ground and old Rob figured he'd have a better understanding of Chip's descriptions if he studied what was being talked about.

  Amy had additional interests but chose not to discuss them. To his disgust, Doug Fleming was delegated to remain at home with Widow Oakes.

  The Shattos mounted and Carter climbed aboard. They trotted down the valley of the Little Buffalo, through Newport and up the Juniata. They rode swiftly because they had horses that could stand it and the Shattos rode effortlessly because they had been born to it. Carter Roth preferred to walk or gallop his horse so he didn't bounce as much. He clung grimly to the Shattos' pace, mostly wondering aloud why on earth he was jolting his innards on a stilt-legged monster instead of standing on his own quarterdeck feeling the lift of ocean swells while a steady breeze pushed him onward.