CALL OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

This is a fast paced and fascinating novel with all the bells and whistles including adventure, legend, and love. It's an engrossing story with a hero and other magnificent and cunningly believable characters. A fresh and thrilling suspenseful novel you can't put down until you turn the last page.

About The Author

Gerald P. Maynard has written a wonderful manuscript indicative of a brilliant imagination even for a masterful storyteller. His insight into clear, descriptive and believable writing is excellent. This story is a breathtaking work of epic dimensions, and is destined to become an adventure novel classic.

e-BOOK

Maverick Publishing

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Call Of The

DOUBLE

EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

_{Adventure - Legend - Love}

e-Book 2003

www.mittymax.com

Copyright 2003

CALL OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright 2003

e-Book

Maverick Publishing

HOUSTON, TEXAS

CALL OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my little family with my deepest love and appreciation. My dear wife, Eloise, provided the encouragement I needed to keep on keeping on. My lovely daughter, Vicki Lynn, triggered my subconscious and imagination to come up with the characters and events of this story.

And to the men, women, boys, and girls who demonstrated real family values, which has made my life worth living, I am eternally grateful.

CALL OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

CONTENTS

Foreword

Chapter One Call of the Double Eagles

Chapter Two The Search

Chapter Three Julie

Chapter Four A Turn in the Road

Chapter Five In the Dark

Chapter Six Discovery

Chapter Seven Circumstances Beyond Control

Chapter Eight Summer Excitement

Chapter Nine Mystery Ranch

Chapter Ten The Old Journal

Chapter Eleven The Windmill

Chapter Twelve Preparing for Trouble

Chapter Thirteen Bittersweet

Chapter Fourteen The Lincoln

Chapter Fifteen Mid-Day Interlude

Chapter Sixteen The Eagle's Nest

Chapter Seventeen Thanksgiving

Chapter Eighteen Christmas is Coming

Chapter Nineteen Honesty is Best

Chapter Twenty Winter Splendor

Chapter Twenty-One Our First Christmas

Chapter Twenty-Two The Strange Mrs. Morrison

Chapter Twenty-Three Exercise in Frustration

Chapter Twenty-Four Reunion

Chapter Twenty-Five Back in Town

Chapter Twenty-Six On the Ranch

Chapter Twenty-Seven Trouble

Chapter Twenty-Eight Kicked from the Nest

Chapter Twenty-Nine San Antonio

Chapter Thirty Going Home

Chapter Thirty-One Major Adjustments

Chapter Thirty-Two Mixed Blessings

Chapter Thirty-Three Uncertain Days

CALL OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

FICTION

Any resemblance of the characters in this novel

to persons living or dead is coincidental.

CALL OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

PROLOGUE

The source of this story came from my subconscious, possibly triggered by my daughter's request for the value of some old coins. That night brought a vivid dream filled with people and action heretofore unknown by me. In this dream, I saw each character, observed their voices, their dress, and their personalities. I also played the hero in the drama and felt I belonged there.

At the end of the dream, I sat up in bed, pondered its meaning and vividness, then rushed to make a detailed outline before the many scenes drifted away. After a few days passed, it became apparent I had to write the story in detail, if not for someone else, then for myself. Guided by my subconscious in my dream I was pleased to know the hero acted in a respectable and honorable manner throughout the entire episode.

My heart's desire would be to support those in quest for quality family values and to encourage the premise that true love waits.

This drama is told in the simple language of the area, even child-like at times. The sequence of events may seem somewhat strange at times, but this is the way it all appeared in my vivid unforgettable dream.

CALL OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES

By

GERALD P. MAYNARD

FOREWORD

Patrick Henry Howard accepted responsibility for the death of his wife of only two months, but this event occurred three guilt ridden years ago. Bright lovable Julie entered Pat's life soon after this tragic event. To help fill the void in Pat's life he allowed Julie to become close friends. She admired the good qualities Pat portrayed and quickly fell in love with him. Pat wanted to love her but his feeling of a great prior loss prevented him from doing so.

A close friend of Pats called attention to some rare double eagles seen only by a few people since the early 1930's. Pat was the owner of a small mail order shop in Rockview located in the Southwest...a place where excitement of any kind very seldom made its appearance. Upon seeing these beautiful and rare double eagles, Pat went into emotional overdrive. A deep and profound mystery was closely associated with these beauties compelling Pat to launch an intense search for others of their kind.

Little did Pat suspect this mystery would take him to a remote and deserted ranch where he would very suddenly wake up in a new world. The unfolding events would cause Pat to lose his eyesight and almost lose his life while both would hang by a thread for a long time. While blind, someone who could not speak and whom Pat could not see insists on rescuing him. One frustration after another drags Pat and this new benefactor deeper into interesting but deadly situations. Many new discoveries made while on this remote ranch brought emotional stimuli intense enough to cause Pat to lose his deep seated guilt that had held him in it's grips for the past three years. In so doing Pat learned to love again, more intense than he could have ever dreamed, and with someone he never thought existed.

CHAPTER ONE

A sudden brightness appeared in the evening sky near Rockview, as Mother and I drove home from Uvalde. The news told that Locklear, an inventor, working on his ranch triggered an intense explosion. Since only a small part of a person's completely charred body was found it was assumed his young daughter was also vaporized in the terribly devastating explosion. This event still holds a compelling fascination even though it occurred thirteen years ago when I was fifteen.

I stood on the front porch drinking my second cup and wondered if anything as exciting, but far less deadly, will ever occur again in the whole county. Nothing exciting has happened since that tragedy unless it was the time Buster Mahan's dog bit the tail off widow Curry's cat. That was no small event.

J. T. Brown quickly brushed past me and laid them down with not so much as a howdy. With gems like these one didn't really have to say howdy. Eight shiny twenty-dollar gold coins were laid out in a row.

"J. T., old buddy, the date on each coin is 1921, the magic year for twenty-dollar gold coins minted in the United States. These perfect or near perfect coins are known as double eagles. Never, outside the Smithsonian, have my eyes fell on the likes of these."

The corners of J.T.'s mouth curled up on each end as excitement permeated the shop. My questions were endless with only a steady gaze emitted from my banker friend.

"This is not the first time you have dropped some old money on me. Nothing, I mean nothing, of material nature excites me so," I said as I fondled each of these treasures.

"Are they any good? If so, how good?"

"You must be kidding me! Each of these coins is worth a small fortune. Eight small fortunes add up to one large fortune. This, of course, is only the monetary value. No telling the enormous value museums and historical institutions will place on them. Very few people have ever seen what we are presently feasting our eyes upon."

"You see, J. T., a lot of history is associated with this particular coin. Would you like a briefing?"

"Sure. I need to know more than I presently know."

"Numerous reasons exist why gold coins are scarce and quite valuable. Time was when it was worth more to melt down these coins for gold metal than to keep the coins to use for regular money. You need to realize, J. T., up to the time gold was discovered in California, in 1848, the metal was mucho scarce in the United States. There were few of these gold coins minted, they circulated little, and collectors latched on to them, but most were melted down, actually, some never left the mint."

"Another reason why gold coins are scarce is because the president took gold out of circulation in 1933. Gold coins could not be used for legal tender anymore in the United States. Presidential order of 1933 allowed coin collectors to continue collecting, however."

"This coin was designed by Augustus Saint Gaudens and was considered one of the most beautiful coins ever minted in the United States. The first of these coins minted in 1907 had Roman numerals. In 1908, just above the sun, the meaningful words, 'In God We Trust' appeared, and remained so until 1933. In the year 1921, there were only 528,500 of these beauties made."

"Well, Pat, how exactly does one go about placing a value on coins like these?"

"If a coin has been handled a lot and some of the original markings, such as the date, has been worn down, the value is less. Coins circulated with little wear and few scratches are much more desirable. Uncirculated coins are the most desirable of course."

You were certainly wise in wrapping each coin in a soft cloth to prevent their being scratched."

"Can you give me a ballpark estimate as to their value?"

"Checking my gold book I figure each of these coins are worth about $8,000.00 to $10,000 each. Two of them could be worth as much as $4,000.00 more. You see right here in the pricing book is what it says about them. These eight coins valued at $160.00 in 1921, have escalated to the unbelievable sum of about $80,000.00 today."

"Wow! I knew they were worth a good bit more than face value. Since I had never had any gold coins come to the bank, I had no idea they have this kind of price tag. That's why I told her, I mean I told the depositor, that proper credit would be made after I appraised their true value."

"I am dying to know how you got your hands on these gems and from whom."

"I'll tell you the first time I'm in position to do so. Don't say one word about any of this to anybody or we could very well find ourselves in our own special gold rush," J. T. promised.

"You are the only soul in this whole town I feel completely safe in trusting this deal with."

"J. T., old pal, are there any more at home like these?"

"Don't know. Maybe."

"I have already asked nine times exactly how you came by these old goldies so it's plain to see your lips are closed as tight as Aunt Sadie's Sunday girdle."

Grinning, he returned, "I didn't realize they are that tight."

"A bed of red ants got all over me when I was a boy, and I was mighty uncomfortable for a while. This waiting brings on just about the same reaction as those red ants did long ago."

"Yes, yes, Pat. Just take an aspirin and go to bed. Anyway, I'll work this situation out as fast as possible. Just be sure you keep your hat on this one. People could get hurt real bad and I want nothing to do with that. You and I have had to play it close before and now is the time we are going to play that game again. Speaking of tight, you stay tight until I see you," J. T. said as he shot out the front door.

Since J. T. broke the news, what little there was of it, my life has changed dramatically. My imagination is running overtime and I have plenty of time to think. It couldn't possibly be those twelve to fifteen cups of coffee a day have anything to do with my getting only two hours sleep at night. I am behind on my order processing for coins and stamps. Something, or someone, has to make a change, and I think that someone might be me. For anyone who might wish to stick their nose in my business they would find I work about one day a week. My ads are in several prominent Sunday newspapers and a couple of tabloids. Usually orders start arriving on Monday, and by Thursday, the bulk of them are ready to be worked. I mail them on Friday. The post office sacks my mail so that permits my going away for a few days now and then.

All of my business is from out of town, and even sometimes an order floats in from Canada, England etc.

This entire county has about 10,000 head of cattle, about 65,000 sheep, and about 100,000 goats to go with 2,200 people. There's no telling how many rattlesnakes, scorpions, and horned toads are here. Every limestone rock has either a scorpion or a rattlesnake under it. Folks who grow up here develop a sixth sense in knowing what to watch out for, where to watch, and how to get around in the rocks and brush. The snakes don't always stay in the rocks. They sometimes move in the house with you. Then you have the option of figuring out who is going to leave.

Even young children develop an attitude about things that bite and sting so they learn early how to usually avoid these potentially dangerous critters. Best bet is to stay out of the rocks because the rocks belong to the rattlesnakes. I've often wondered how goats graze and nibble on the small brush among rocks and never seem to get snake bitten or, if they do, they never complain. Natural phenomena are powerful and wonderful.

Wild things seem to get along tolerating each other very well. Mankind seems to be the least tolerant and has the most trouble getting along with each other. Come to think of it, people don't seem to get along with the wild things very well either.

Folks in this part of the country have to be self -sufficient. Ranches here are from 5,000 acres to 20,000 acres each. Some are smaller. Most often the ranch house cannot be seen from the country road. Closest neighbors may be miles away. Everyone knows everyone else, but some have deep secrets never known to anyone else. Knowledge is a wonderful commodity but I have found true wisdom is far superior. Right now I detect the need for a great deal of wisdom.

It's been seven long, lonely years since a drunk driver stole my Louise from me. We had been married only two months. I hardly knew her for who she really was. If only, oh if only, I had remembered to pick up that list of groceries, then Louise would not have felt she had to go back and pick them up.

I feel guilty as sin and don't think for a second this record hasn't been played and replayed a million times. It seems as if it was only thirty minutes ago when Deputy Sheriff Nowlin knocked at our front door and told me the tragic news. My Louise had been taken away, never to return. My guilt and my memory have kept me from considering another marriage. I cannot bring myself to consider taking on another similar responsibility where the life of another person is placed in my hands. I had that responsibility once and I failed miserably. Well, so much for the sad song, but it is my song and I will have to sing it.

A robin sat just outside my bedroom window a little after daybreak one cold rainy morning. I was curled up in my bed, warm as toast in the twilight zone of being half-awake. At first, the noise from her song irritated me until I began to listen to her song. She sang her heart out. One wouldn't think she had anything to sing about with the kind of conditions at hand. Only God knew I needed that song. She had been given a song and no matter what the conditions were, she sang it. Maybe God gives each of us a song and no matter what the circumstances, we need to sing our song. Maybe we need to sing our song, not necessarily for ourselves, but for someone else. Well, who knows? Only God I suppose.

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