Dark Shadow Read online

  This one is for my friend...

  The Big Guy

  Fred D. Thebes

  Table of Contents

  Books by Roy Chandler

  Forward

  Introduction

  Chapter 1 1886

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19 The Letter

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29 1888

  The Final Word

  About Roy Chandler

  Books by Roy Chandler

  By Publication Date

  All About a Foot Soldier, 1965

  History of Early Perry County Guns and Gunsmiths (With Donald L. Mitchell), 1969

  A History of Perry County Railroads, 1970

  Alaskan Hunter: a book about big game hunting, 1972

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes and Barrel Marks, 1972

  Tales of Perry County, 1973

  Arrowmaker, 1974

  Hunting in Perry County, 1974

  Antiques of Perry County, 1976

  The Black Rifle, 1976

  Homes, Barns and Outbuildings of Perry County, 1978

  Shatto, 1979

  The Perry County Flavor, 1980

  Arms Makers of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1981

  The Didactor, 1981

  Fort Robinson: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1750-63, 1981

  Friend Seeker: A novel of Perry County PA, 1982

  Gunsmiths of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1982

  Perry County in Pen & Ink, 1983

  Shatto's Way: A novel of Perry County, Pa, 1984

  Chip Shatto: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1863-6, 1984

  Pennsylvania Gunmakers (a collection), 1984

  Firefighters of Perry County, 1985

  The Warrior, A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania 1721-1764, 1985

  Perry County Sketchbook (And Katherine R. Chandler), 1986

  A 30-foot, $6,000 Cruising Catamaran, 1987

  The Gun of Joseph Smith (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1987

  The Perry Countian, 1987

  Hawk's Feather - An Adventure Story, 1988

  Ted's Story, 1988

  Alcatraz: The Hardest Years 1934-1938 (With Erville F. Chandler), 1989

  Cronies, 1989

  Song of Blue Moccasin, 1989

  Chugger's Hunt, 1990

  The Sweet Taste, 1990

  Tiff's Game: A work of fiction, 1991

  Tuck Morgan, Plainsman (Vol. 2) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1991

  Death From Afar I (And Norman A. Chandler), 1992

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes All New Volume 2, 1992

  Behold the Long Rifle, 1993

  Death From Afar II: Marine Corps Sniping (And Norman A. Chandler), 1993

  Old Dog, 1993

  Tim Murphy, Rifleman: A novel of Perry County, Pa. 1754-1840, 1993

  Choose the Right Gun, 1994

  Death From Afar Vol. III: The Black Book (And Norman A. Chandler), 1994

  The Kentucky Pistol, 1994

  Ramsey: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, 1994

  Gray's Talent, 1995

  Hunting Alaska, 1995

  Last Black Book, 1995

  Dark Shadow (The Red book series), 1996

  Death From Afar IV (And Norman A. Chandler, 1996

  Morgan's Park (Vol. 3) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1997

  White Feather: Carlos Hathcock USMC scout sniper (And Norman A. Chandler), 1997

  Death From Afar V (And Norman A. Chandler), 1998

  Ironhawk: A frontier novel of Perry County Pennsylvania 1759-1765, 1999

  Sniper One, 2000

  One Shot Brotherhood (And Norman A. Chandler), 2001

  Shooter Galloway, 2004

  The Hunter's Alaska, 2005

  The Boss's Boy, 2007

  Pardners, 2009

  Hawk's Revenge, 2010

  Perry County, Pennsylvania series

  History of Early Perry County Guns and Gunsmiths, 1969

  A History of Perry County Railroads, 1970

  Tales of Perry County, 1973

  A History of Hunting in Perry County, 1974

  Arrowmaker, 1974

  Antiques of Perry County, 1976

  The Black Rifle, 1976

  Homes, Barns and Outbuildings of Perry County,1978

  Shatto, 1979

  The Perry County Flavor, 1980

  The Didactor, 1981

  Fort Robinson: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1750-63, 1981

  Friend Seeker: A novel of Perry County PA, 1982

  Perry County in Pen & Ink, 1983

  Shatto's Way: A novel of Perry County, Pa, 1984

  Chip Shatto: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1863-65, 1984

  Firefighters of Perry County, 1982

  Perry County Sketchbook, 1986

  The Warrior, A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, 1995

  The Perry Countian, 1987

  Hawk's Feather - An Adventure Story, 1988

  Ted's Story, 1988

  Cronies, 1989

  Song of Blue Moccasin, 1989

  The Sweet Taste, 1990

  Tiff's Game: A work of fiction, 1991

  Old Dog, 1993

  Tim Murphy, Rifleman: A novel of Perry County, Pa, 1754-1840, 1993

  Ramsey: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, 1994

  Last Black Book, 1995

  Gun of Joseph Smith series (Juvenile)

  Gun of Joseph Smith, The (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1987

  Tuck Morgan, Plainsman (Vol. 2) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1991

  Morgan's Park (Vol. 3) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1997

  Antique Guns

  History of Early Perry County Guns and Gunsmiths (With Donald L. Mitchell), 1969

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes and Barrel Marks, 1972

  Arms Makers of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1981

  Gunsmiths of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1982

  Pennsylvania Gunmakers (a collection), 1984

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes All New Volume 2, 1992

  Behold the Long Rifle, 1993

  The Kentucky Pistol, 1994

  Hunting

  Alaskan Hunter: a book about big game hunting, 1972

  Choose the Right Gun, 1994

  Hunting Alaska, 1995

  The Hunter's Alaska, 2005

  Sniper Series

  Death From Afar I (And Norman A. Chandler), 1992

  Death From Afar II: Marine Corps Sniping (And Norman A. Chandler), 1993

  Death From Afar Vol. III: The Black Book (And Norman A. Chandler), 1994

  Death From Afar IV (And Norman A. Chandler), 1996

  White Feather: Carlos Hathcock USMC scout sniper (And Norman A. Chandler), 1997

  Death From Afar V (And Norman A. Chandler), 1998

  Sniper One (Iron Brigade series), 2000

  One Shot Brotherhood (And Norman A. Chandler)

  Children’s Books

  All About a Foot Soldier, 1965

  E-Book Edition: 2012

  Katherine R. Chandler, Publisher

  St. Mary's City, MD

  Hardback Edition: 1996

  Iron Brigad
e Armory, Publisher

  Jacksonville, NC

  Title of this volume: Dark Shadow

  Copyright © 1996 Katherine R. Chandler

  This is a work of fiction. The characters in this book and the situations depicted are the author’s creations. They do not and did not exist or happen.

  Foreword

  The western hero needs little introduction to anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the frontier. His story has been told often and in many different settings. Josh Logan, the subject of this book, takes us on an extraordinarily fascinating and suspenseful adventure into the deepest and darkest parts of the old west. Dark Shadow is an impressive and first-class work of western fiction.

  However, there is more to Roy Chandler's tales and heroes than just a good story. One of the truly rare pleasures that come from reading any of Roy's books is identifying with the hero. Most books of fiction state that all of the characters are the creation of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to anyone living or dead is simply coincidental. As I read a good Chandler book, I often wonder if this is true.

  The character-building qualities of the hero are what elevate a Chandler book above all the rest. According to Woodrow Wilson, "There is no question what the Roll of Honor in America is.

  The Roll of Honor consists of the names of men who have squared their conduct by ideals of duty." Josh Logan becomes real for the reader and leads us on a monumental adventure through the real-life exploits of an honorable hero. Josh Logan is fiercely individualistic, brave, high-principled, and self-disciplined. A creation of the author's imagination? I wonder.

  History has recorded many great men of honor. A good Chandler book helps us realize that these men walk among us and are often just like a Dark Shadow until called upon to do their duty. It has been my pleasure to know such men of action and bravery. Sergeant "Rusty" Watson of the Prince George's County Police, Prince George's County, Maryland is such a man. Roy Chandler creates such heroes in his books and is himself such a man in real life. Any section from one of his novels, even if it purports to be fictional, will be an introduction to the real man.

  I am honored to have been asked to write this foreword and am deeply grateful to Roy Chandler for the tedious work that goes into the research and writing of his books. Do yourself favor and read this book slowly. The end comes much too quickly.

  Michael F. Maloney

  Professor of Psychology

  Introduction

  Dark Shadow is my fiftieth published book. I record that total with some astonishment. I had never planned to be a prolific author, but... well, somehow the books continue to appear. Now that I am into my “Golden Years” I wonder how long I will continue writing and hope to be equally amazed by my durability, but...who can tell.

  At least thirty of my books have involved Perry County, Pennsylvania. I continue the inclusion by making the protagonist in Dark Shadow a Perry County man. Strangers to my writing may wonder at the mention of the Pennsylvania County, and I wish to explain.

  I have been associated with Perry County for almost sixty years. I came to Perry as a youth to attend Carson Long Military Academy, and in later years I returned to the school as a teacher. My spirit has resided in Perry's rolling hills and twisty valleys ever since.

  For me, the Perry attraction has been its frontier era. Settlers fought Indians in Perry County, and the establishment of Robinson's Fort in our central valley in 1754 is a classic example of those early struggles. Most of my Perry writings have been about those violent but inspirational times.

  Although change is now biting into old Perry, the earliest of family names are still found on the farms and in the villages. The Scotch-Irish, English, and German settlers put down roots and their descendants are unlikely to ever abandon the land between Kittatinny and Tuscarora Mountains. Those hardy frontiersmen and women of the seventeen and eighteen hundreds were independent in opinion and spirit. Sometimes, they could be prickly to deal with and were often suspicious of outsiders' intentions. Most of their attributes were passed on to their children and eventually to the newer generations.

  For the last few turnings Perry County has been recognized as a place to visit to discover how it was in an earlier time. Among Perry Countians, a man's word is still taken as a bond, and families are often closer than in most other places. Life does move slower in the Endless Hills, and that is good.

  Of course change is accelerating. Crime has quadrupled while the population has only doubled. As an interested observer I note with some satisfaction that most of the villains caught and convicted bear non-Perry names. It is newcomers causing the troubles not the raised-on-the-land citizenry.

  All of the children born in the county did not remain at home. If they had, our populace would be jammed shoulder to shoulder. During earlier times, most of those who departed the county moved west into newly opened lands, just as their original forebears immigrated from Atlantic ports or more eastern settlements into the hills and valleys of Perry County. For more than two hundred years the Perry County genes have been transported across our nation.

  In Dark Shadow, I write about one of those displaced Perry Countians. Josh Logan has Perry roots, and the weapon he carries is Billy Sweger gunsmithed. You do not recognize the name Sweger? A Perry Countian would know that William Sweger made guns on Limestone Ridge above Elliotsburg for all of his lengthy life.

  Sweger and Logan are names that go back to the county's earliest times. Logans were among the first frontiersmen in our nation and some died fighting hostiles in Perry County. The Swegers came as farmers and craftsmen. To this day the county is full of their descendants.

  Perry County men have always been hunters. Traditionally, Perry men collect guns, they hunt, and they shoot. There are houses in the county without guns, but they are extremely few. The homes with one hundred or more rifles, pistols, and shotguns packed into racks and arranged in closets more than make up for the few unarmed. The Second Amendment to our Constitution is alive and flourishing in Perry County, and when deer season is on the schools close for two days, businesses operate with skeleton crews, and the only acceptable subjects are guns and hunting.

  This gun talk is important to understanding Perry County men--who are the kind of men I write about. The back cover of this book records frontiersman Rob Shatto's advice "Do not mess with a Perry Countian." In Dark Shadow, bad men mess with Perry Countian Josh Logan. If you know "Chandler Books" you will recognize their actions as a bad mistake.

  In a "Chandler Book" there are things of which you can be certain, and the books are fit for anyone because of them. There is no sex or seriously bad language. Personal honor and integrity are always emphasized. There is fighting and violence, but as integral parts of the story. Men and women do what they should. Heroes are a bit larger than life, and, the good guys win as surely as the bad guys go down.

  If this kind of plotting is too simple or the outcome too determined, then "Chandler Books" are not for you, and, for that matter, you are not the kind of person I wish to have reading my books.

  My gravestone in Bloomfield cemetery describes this writer as an author, educator, soldier, and patriot. I like to believe I possess those attributes. I try to write books about those kinds of men, and I would be pleased to be any of my heroes.

  I write the kind of books I like to read and the formula has proven satisfying to' my readership as is demonstrated by the continuing interest in collecting "Chandler Books."

  I record without embarrassment that I enjoy reading my own works. I am told that many of my readers do the same and reread my books many times. I hope and expect that Dark Shadow will be similarly popular and that generations will repeatedly dig out the novel to live again with Josh Logan and Billy Sweger. To tell the truth, I enjoy that expectation more than I do probable monetary returns.

  Rocky Chandler

  Author Educator Soldier Patriot

  PS. I also note with pride that I am

  a Life Member of The N
ational Rifle Association of America

  and have been since 1955.

  1

  1886

  They had been slow coming down from the north mountains, down to the heat hammered plain with the distant village the only visible landmark.

  Both horse and rider were past their primes, and the burdened pack mule had gray around its muzzle—an old rider with old animals—but each rawhide-tough with riding miles still waiting.

  Josh Logan remained tall although his once muscular body had leaned and corded, and his frame had narrowed with an old man's bony shoulder points. A thousand bitter suns had burned Logan's skin to a Comanche bronze, and his long face had become creased and crevassed like a sun-dried prune.

  The hunter's battered cavalry hat shaded weathered features and hid the hazel eyes that remained youthfully sharp and clear, eyes that could still spot game beyond most men's seeing—eyes that could turn merciless and deadly.

  Although no one in their settlement had actually seen the rough side of Josh Logan, everybody knew about him. They knew that their skilled hunter had once stalked men as he now did the animals he brought for their tables. They knew that Logan had once fought Apache and had killed more than his share.

  To special friends, Erni Logan had shown her husband's commendations, but the real Josh Logan fighting stories had come from others, passersby mostly, who wished to shake the old scout's hand or to renew a long past but cherished acquaintance.

  No Josh Logan friends from those fighting days appeared because there were none. During those years the scout had allowed only a few hard riders to become close, and all of those had died back then, killed by Apache in the southern mountains. Before he married Erni, Josh Logan had put those violent times behind. He did not speak of them, and if the subject of Indian fighting was raised, Josh turned away.