Chapter 9
Of course Secretary Stanton did, as did the Secretaries of War who followed him. There always were assignments waiting for them.
Their most recent mission was to Cuba, where the battleship USS Maine had been blown up in Havana harbor.
Gabe did his job. Owen and Phin amused themselves. They were adults now, over fifty, although thanks to Gabe’s blood, they didn’t appear more than the twenty Owen had originally claimed to be.
Maybe that was why Colonel Roosevelt permitted them to ride along when his Rough Riders made that charge up San Juan Hill.
Over two hundred of the men died, and among them were Owen and Phin. Owen had a smile on his lips—he had died cradling Phin in his arms.
And once again, Gabe had to return to Braddockville to bury his black swan and the man his black
