"Mystery of the Hollow Tree"
Garren's First Job
by C D Myers
Copyright 2006
ISBN 978-0-9786771-0-7
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
I want to begin by thanking you for your interest in my work. This is my first short story printed in paper form, and you will be reading the second edition of that work. This booklet was the first attempt at writing for more than my simple pleasure.
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Let me simply say, as a way to begin, that this story is an introduction to one of the characters in the much longer, and more complex, "Dawn Trilogy" - a full-length pocket size trilogy of the Old West.
The main character in this story is the US Marshal named, Garren Rader. Garren is a major character, though not the main one, in the "Dawn Trilogy". This story arose out of a desire to introduce Garren to my readers. Garren becomes a very good friend to, and works closely with, Ross Peters, the main character of the trilogy.
One of my desires has been to write historical novels about the Wyo/Nebraska area, so there is also a lot of historical information in the stories I have written. For that reason, the other characters and place (Arcadia, Valley County, Nebraska) are historically accurate - though the names have been changed. The main event in this short story actually occurred and my decision to write about it was based on the curious account I was given about a murder that happened around this time, and in this location. The hollow tree, the circumstances, and so forth are based upon the actual events surrounding that crime.
Another interesting part of this story, and the whole "Dawn Trilogy" set is that many of the characters are based on friends and acquaintances from places we have lived and people we have met. Garren's name is based upon a high school student I had the opportunity of knowing (he asked to be included in the books), as are many of the other characters, especially in the Dawn Trilogy.
The loss of the infant son, whose actual name was Charley, is the first recorded death in the town of Arcadia. His grave marker can still be found there as well. His older sister's grave (her name is Sadie in the novel), is right to the south of his, and is another story entirely.
Various other items of historical significance are included in this fictitious account in the hopes of sharing the lives of those original settlers who gave so much to open up the area to those of us who came after them. Things such as the trip of the original family, the struggle with grasshoppers in those early years, and the stress of a severe lack of water on many occasions, are all historically accurate.
I hope and pray that you enjoy the story you are about to read, and will come back for more.
---CD Myers
Other books by CD Myers
"Country Life Discipleship ministries" materials
"Transforming Followers Into Disciplers Through the Small Group"
"Intrigue at Colossae - a novel commentary on Colossians"
"Country Life Discipleship - Teacher's Curriculum"
"Country Life Discipleship - Participant's Workbook"
"South Pole Vendetta" - technothriller --- coming this fall from Tate Publishing
The Dawn Trilogy
"A Step Ahead of the Dawn" - available at HYPERLINK "https://amazon.com"amazon.com
"Chasing the Dawn" - rough draft completed
"Dawn Catcher" - in development
The Judgment Series
"Vagabond Prince - Valiant Warrior" - the story of Jephthah --- available at HYPERLINK "https://amazon.com"amazon.com
"For Such a Time" - the story of Deborah
Other minor writing:
"Cristobal Colin Sails for India" - contest winner at HYPERLINK "https://writing.com"writing.com
"Mending Broken Bow" - published at HYPERLINK "https://ridersnreapers.com"ridersnreapers.com
"The Lone Tree Train Robbery" - available online