Denver outlaws shirt. Denver Outlaws Lacrosse Jersey: A Comprehensive Guide to Sports Apparel and Fan Gear

What is the significance of the Denver Outlaws lacrosse jersey. How does it relate to high school apparel and college fan gear. Why are sports jerseys important for team identity and fan support.

The Denver Outlaws: A Major League Lacrosse Powerhouse

The Denver Outlaws have established themselves as a formidable force in Major League Lacrosse (MLL). Founded in 2006, the team quickly rose to prominence, capturing the attention of lacrosse enthusiasts across Colorado and beyond. Their success on the field has translated into a strong fan base, with team merchandise, particularly jerseys, becoming highly sought after.

Why have the Denver Outlaws gained such popularity? Their consistent performance in the MLL has been a significant factor. The team has made it to the playoffs numerous times and clinched several championship titles. This on-field success has created a devoted following, with fans eager to show their support through team apparel.

The Significance of Sports Jerseys in Fan Culture

Sports jerseys hold a special place in fan culture, serving as a tangible connection between supporters and their favorite teams. In the case of the Denver Outlaws, the jersey represents more than just a piece of clothing; it’s a symbol of team pride and community identity.

How do sports jerseys impact fan engagement? Wearing a team’s jersey allows fans to feel a sense of belonging and camaraderie with fellow supporters. It’s a visual representation of their loyalty and passion for the sport. For the Denver Outlaws, their distinctive jersey design, featuring the team’s colors and logo, has become an iconic symbol of lacrosse in Colorado.

The Anatomy of a Denver Outlaws Jersey

• Team colors: Navy blue, orange, and white
• Logo placement: Prominently featured on the chest
• Player number: Displayed on both front and back
• Material: High-quality, breathable fabric for player comfort
• Authentic details: Matching the on-field uniforms worn by players

High School Apparel: Fostering School Spirit and Unity

The concept of team jerseys extends beyond professional sports to high school athletics. Many high schools across the United States have adopted the practice of creating custom jerseys for their sports teams, including lacrosse.

How does high school apparel contribute to school spirit? Custom jerseys help create a sense of identity and pride among students, athletes, and the broader school community. They serve as a visual representation of the school’s values and athletic achievements, fostering a sense of unity and belonging.

The Impact of High School Sports Apparel

1. Boosts team morale and confidence
2. Encourages student engagement and support
3. Creates a professional appearance for athletes
4. Generates revenue for school athletic programs
5. Builds lasting memories and traditions

College Fan Gear: Celebrating Alma Mater Pride

As students transition from high school to college, their allegiance often shifts to their new alma mater. College fan gear, including jerseys and other apparel, plays a crucial role in fostering school spirit and creating a sense of community on campus.

Why is college fan gear so popular? For many students and alumni, their college years represent a significant period of personal growth and memorable experiences. Wearing college fan gear allows them to express their connection to their alma mater and the friendships formed during their time on campus.

Popular Types of College Fan Gear

• Sports jerseys (football, basketball, lacrosse, etc.)
• Hoodies and sweatshirts
• T-shirts with college logos or mascots
• Hats and caps
• Accessories (scarves, lanyards, phone cases)

The Evolution of Sports Jersey Design and Technology

Sports jerseys have come a long way since their inception. Modern jerseys, like those worn by the Denver Outlaws, incorporate advanced materials and design techniques to enhance player performance and comfort.

How have sports jerseys evolved over time? Early jerseys were often made of heavy, non-breathable materials that could hinder an athlete’s performance. Today’s jerseys utilize lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics that help regulate body temperature and improve mobility.

Key Advancements in Jersey Technology

1. Moisture-wicking materials
2. Streamlined, aerodynamic designs
3. Improved durability and color retention
4. Customizable fit options
5. Integration of smart fabrics and wearable technology

The Collectible Value of Sports Jerseys

For many fans, sports jerseys are more than just apparel; they’re collectible items with potential monetary value. Jerseys worn by famous players or during significant games can become highly sought-after memorabilia.

What factors contribute to a jersey’s collectible value? Several elements can influence the desirability and worth of a sports jersey in the collectibles market:

• Player popularity and legacy
• Historical significance of the game or season
• Rarity and condition of the jersey
• Authentication and provenance
• Team success and championships

The Role of Sports Jerseys in Community Engagement

Sports jerseys, like those of the Denver Outlaws, play a significant role in community engagement and charitable initiatives. Many teams and organizations use jersey sales or auctions to raise funds for important causes.

How do sports jerseys contribute to community support? Teams often partner with local charities or organize special events where custom jerseys are auctioned off to benefit specific causes. This not only raises funds but also increases awareness for important social issues.

Examples of Jersey-Related Charitable Initiatives

1. Game-worn jersey auctions for local charities
2. Limited edition jerseys supporting awareness campaigns
3. Youth sports programs receiving donated jerseys
4. Customized jerseys for fundraising events
5. Player-signed jerseys for silent auctions

The Future of Sports Apparel and Fan Engagement

As technology continues to advance, the future of sports apparel, including jerseys like those of the Denver Outlaws, looks promising. Innovations in materials, design, and interactive elements are likely to reshape how fans engage with their favorite teams and sports.

What can we expect from future sports jerseys? Several trends and technologies are poised to revolutionize the world of sports apparel:

• Smart fabrics with built-in biometric sensors
• Augmented reality features for enhanced fan experiences
• Sustainable and eco-friendly materials
• Customizable designs using digital printing technology
• Integration with mobile apps for exclusive content and interactions

The evolution of sports jerseys reflects the changing landscape of fan engagement and technology. From the Denver Outlaws’ lacrosse jerseys to high school apparel and college fan gear, these garments continue to play a crucial role in fostering team spirit, community pride, and a shared passion for sports.

As we look to the future, it’s clear that sports jerseys will remain an integral part of athletic culture, adapting to new technologies and consumer preferences while maintaining their core function as a symbol of team identity and fan loyalty. Whether on the field, in the stands, or as part of a prized collection, sports jerseys will continue to unite fans and athletes in their love for the game.

Denver Outlaws Lacrosse Official Uniform Jersey XL

Pricing & History

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This auction item was generously donated by Major League Lacrosse. Up for bid is a brand new Major League Lacrosse Denver Outlaws lacrosse uniform jersey with the number 1 front and back. This is an official jersey in size adult large. See our other auction for official Denver Outlaws lacrosse shorts. All proceeds from this auction go directly to the Coyote Lacrosse Booster Club, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Boulder County, Colorado which provides financial support to the Coyote Lacrosse team that includes student athletes from Monarch, Broomfield, Centaurus, Holy Family, Peak to Peak and Adams County District 12 High Schools. The Coyote Lacrosse Booster Club’s tax exempt ID number is 74-3251477. Winning bidder has the option of picking up the item in the Superior/Louisville area or in downtown Denver with no shipping fee. Shipping and handling cost listed includes USPS First Class mail. Any additional services desired (insurance, tracking number, etc) are at additional cost to purchaser. Sorry, no international sales without advance bidding approval. Payment by PayPal is required for all shipped items. Cash payment accepted for picked up items only. No checks or credit cards. Note: the title of this auction indicates the jersey is a size XL. The item description says Large. It is a Large . I am unable to change

the listing title because a bid has been placed. Sorry for any misunderstanding.
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The Amish Outlaws Straight Outta Lancaster…

If advanced tickets are available for a show, it will say “TICKETS” next to the listing with a link. If it says “NOTIFY ME” then it’s a cover at the door. PRIVATE EVENTS are not open to the public. We do our best to list accurate start and end times. Shows typically run for a two to two and a half hour window from the start time listed on our web site. Occasionally venues advertise longer show times which is beyond our control. Please always feel free to contact us directly to confirm any and all details. Thanks for understanding!

It is a little-known fact that most Amish practice a tradition similar to the Christian “Confirmation” and Jewish “Bar Mitzvah” called “Rumspringa” (literal translation: “running around”) in which Amish children at the age of 16 have an opportunity to live free of the strict Amish code of conduct before deciding if they want to come back and be baptized into the Amish church.

Surprisingly, virtually all of the youths return.

But sometimes they don’t.

Four out of the original six members of The Amish Outlaws were born and raised in Lancaster, PA and had a strict Amish upbringing. No electricity from land lines, no alcohol, no musical instruments, but their spirits were too wild for the Amish lifestyle. Once they trampled in the Devil’s Playground, there was no turning back.

In the years since Rumspringa, the members of the Amish Outlaws have become very well acclimated to the pleasures and vices of the modern world…  music, most of all.

Thus, with a bold lust for life and a fire for music and performance that can only come from 16 years of repression, The Amish Outlaws were unleashed upon the world.

Favorite food: Foie Gras or SPAM.

BROTHER HEZEKIAH X

Lead Vocals

Favorite food: Anything that used to be alive.

BROTHER AMOS DEF

Keyboard/Vocals

Favorite food: A 4 by 4 from In & Out

BROTHER BIG DADDY ABEL

Lead Vocals

Favorite food: Hamburgers
Endorsed by: GHS Strings

BROTHER EAZY EZEKIEL

Bass

Favorite food: Ceviche

BROTHER SNOOP JOB

Guitar/Vocals

Favorite food: Lobster poached in butter

BROTHER JAKOB THE PIPELAYER

Drums

We are regularly asked a lot of questions by people, not just about the weather or the time, but about ourselves. We decided to answer some of them here for the curious folk out there.

1) Are you really Amish?

Well, this all depends on who you ask. Brothers Job, Abel and Jakob are not now and never were Amish (though we do consider them to be “honorary Amish”). The other three Brothers (“from a different mother,” as the saying goes) were raised Amish, however were not baptized as adults in the Amish faith. We are still “Amish,” however, the same way that if an individual raised Catholic or Jewish that is not practicing is still Catholic or Jewish.

2) Is this a joke?

No. This is a joke:

An Amish lady is trotting down the road in her horse and buggy when she is pulled over by a police man. The officer says, “Ma’am, I’m not going to ticket you, but I do have to issue a warning. You have a broken reflector on your buggy.”

She replies, “Oh, I’ll let my husband know as soon as I get home.”

“That’s fine,” the officer replies. “Another thing, ma’am. I don’t like the way that one rein loops across the horse’s back and around his testicles. I consider that animal abuse. That’s cruelty to animals. Have your husband take care of that right away.”

Later that day, the lady is home telling her husband about her encounter with the cop.

“Well, dear, what exactly did he say?”

“He said the reflector is broken.”

“I can fix that in two minutes. Anything else?”

“I’m not sure, something about the emergency brake.”

3) Do you still see your family?

Yes, we do. It is a popular misconception that the Amish shun individuals that decide not to be baptized. That is not true. If an Amish person decides not to be baptized, his or her decision is accepted (though not usually approved of), and the family and community still accept that individual. If you are baptized and then leave the faith or get baptized into another faith, then you will most likely be shunned, but even then, it is a last resort. The Amish believe in forgiveness and will always try to bring an individual back to the faith before shunning him or her. They will also always welcome you back, even after being shunned, as long as you make a confession and apology.

4) What does your family think about what you are doing now?

Speaking for myself (Ezekiel), they are happy for me, because they know I have found something (playing music) that makes me happy and allows me to bring happiness to others. While they are not thrilled that I decided not to be baptized and would rather I was living back in the Amish community, they respect my decision and have never tried to dissuade me from doing what I love to do.

5) Can you drink?

Obviously, yes. If we couldn’t, we would either be dead from dehydration or have to walk around with IVs providing us with the necessary fluids to survive.

6) Can you drive cars?

Yes, we can, though, Brother Hezekiah has a little more trouble with it than most folks. If we were still practicing Amish, we would not be allowed to. HOWEVER, even practicing Amish people can ride in cars and buses but are forbidden to own one. The Amish can ride tractors on the farm though they must have metal tires instead of rubber to prevent them from being used for traveling long distances.

7) Is your beard real?

8) Can I have your hat?

No. We like our hats and need them to cover our heads. We have lost a handful of hats (well, actually more than a handful as a handful of hats would be just one hat) by letting people at shows wear them. Then we are hatless, which is not a good thing, as none of us have good hair. One time, Brother Ezekiel had his hat stolen at a show in New York. He was asked by a young lady in the audience if she could wear the hat, and he obliged, making her promise to return it. She didn’t. The passing of the hat was even captured on camera, shown in this image. If anyone knows where my hat is, I would love to get it back as it had been my hat for over two years, and I miss my hat. I have since obtained a new hat, but it doesn’t fit as well and tends to fall off of my enormous head.

Outlaw read online by Patricia Potter (Page 8)

— Well, Newton started it when he sent for that Indian traitor.

– Both of them go to hell. It was a pretty nice little town. Now I won’t let Carrie drive into town.

One of the men turned around and saw Lobo. The others noticed the change in his expression, and one by one they turned and stared at the stranger, lowering their eyes to his waist. When they saw that there was no revolver at the belt, there was a general sigh of relief. Hostile views became friendly, or at least neutral.

The shop owner approached him.

— How can I help, mister?

— I need a doctor.

— He left to take birth, — said the owner, — and it is not known when he will return.

Lobo did not pay attention to the glances cast at him.

– Maybe then you have some kind of ointment for burns?

Six pairs of eyes stared at his hands.

– Hey, aren’t you the guy who helped Willow Taylor, huh? one asked.

The news spread quickly in Newton. They knew all about the fire, all the details, and Dr. Barclay was sick and tired of building a barn next Saturday.

Damn, Lobo thought, regretting that he had come into town.

“I burned myself on the coffee pot,” he lied. “So what about the ointment?” Also gloves and a shirt.

Interest in him faded immediately. This stranger, apart from his cold stare, looked like any wandering cowboy looking for work. He didn’t even have a revolver.

The purchase did not take long. Lobo carefully counted out the coins, like a man who doesn’t have many. He picked up his purchases and, after taking a few steps, stopped and turned around.

— I heard you mentioned Canton. March Canton?

One of the men looked at him with renewed interest.

– Do you know him? he asked cautiously.

– Heard. What is he doing here?

– Killed a man on Saturday evening. I heard he came to deal with another shooter, Lobo. Do you know him?

– They told me.

– Well, let him try with might and main. I didn’t see anyone like this Canton. The voice was full of admiration mixed with fear. “That would certainly be something to look at. For these two.

— Stopped in the city, mister? another asked. Lobo shrugged vaguely.

— Where is Canton now?

– Must be Gar Morrow’s.

Lobo nodded and left.

— Not too talkative, right? He heard an excited voice behind him.

— I wonder why he should find out about Canton? You don’t think…

— Well, no. And he doesn’t carry a revolver. Also, I heard Lobo is half Indian. There is definitely no Indian blood in this.

Mounting his horse, Lobo curled his lips into a half-grin. And rumors have a good side. But what the hell is Canton doing here?

He always had in mind the possibility that someday they might meet. This thought never bothered him much.

Until now. For some stupid reason, he was now worried. And didn’t know why.

* * *

There was an excited buzz in the classroom. Eton is completely out of the loop. He dipped his pigtails into an inkwell and fired gumballs at Robert.

Tension was also felt throughout the town. After the shooting on Saturday, everyone was waiting to see what would happen next. Judging eyes, curious and pensive eyes all followed Willow, who seemed to be the center of the storm.

After school, while the twins were washing off the boards, she went to see Sullivan, but he wasn’t there. She stood in front of the office, for some reason with a sense of loss. She definitely needed someone to talk to. She hoped that her stranger would show up the previous day and waited for him. But only Sullivan arrived with a cart harness and Willow’s horses. In addition, he went to look for Brady and Jupiter, but they both disappeared somewhere.

Since morning, Willow has been filled with a premonition of something. As she helped Estella prepare breakfast, her hands trembled, and she watched with unusual attention as Sally Sue fed her little brood of chickens. She did not smile, as usual, noticing the special attention paid to the spoiled and ungrateful Brunnhilde.

Everything looked serene, but something ominous was approaching.

All day at school she had the feeling that, as Sullivan had said, the devil knows what was about to break out. Or maybe it was just an acute disappointment that the stranger didn’t show up. She almost called for disaster, as he only seemed to spring from nothing at such moments.

The tension and foreboding that gripped the town resulted in almost a third of her students not showing up at the school, which had grown to nearly forty students—and when she first arrived there were fifteen. It was very difficult to get that many.

In the early months, she wondered out loud why there were so many more boys than girls in the school, until Betty McIntyre informed her that most farmers and ranchers did not feel the need to teach girls anything more than what their mothers could teach them.

For the next eight weeks, Willow spent her rented horse riding from ranch to ranch, persuading parents to send their daughters to school.

That’s how she met Jake.

One Saturday morning she was passing by his house, and he was giving Jupiter water. She was hot and tired, and everything ached from the long ride.

When she explained what she needed, he looked at her curiously and invited her into the house. He has no children, he said, but he often thought …

He faltered, but Willow saw the look of shame and impatience in his eyes and knew what he meant. She’s been through this before. It was quite common that many adults could not read and write. Schools were few and far between, and many families simply did not see the need for teaching.

Jake was grouchy and even rude, but she knew he was just probing her. When he invited her to call again, she realized that she had passed the test. After several visits, he finally confessed what he needed, and several evenings a week she taught him to read and write.

It’s for his wife, he said. She often read the Bible to him, the only book he had. She didn’t care that he couldn’t read, but now he needed the comfort of the Book of Good. It would bring him closer to her, and now that he felt the nearness of old age and death, he felt the need for it.

Willow remembered how she puffed out with pride when he first read the whole sentence. It was worth the time spent on it. But then he seemed to get better, and more and more often he told her about his two friends, Alex and Gare, who now hated each other. He was afraid to die, afraid of what might happen between them, but still he wanted to connect with his wife.

But, he sometimes muttered, Willow could have prevented that, somehow she could have bridged the gap, which he couldn’t. He knew it.

Willow wasn’t convinced. And yet, when he was already dying, she could no more refuse him his last desire than she could refuse to teach him. Like Jake, she felt that there must be a way to keep the peace in the valley.

Now, after the dance, she wasn’t so sure. Some of her confidence vanished the next day when everything went wrong, when her stranger didn’t show up, when Brady and Jupiter didn’t come back, when it didn’t rain again and the vegetable garden thinned out even more.

Nothing improved on Monday, when the town seemed about to explode.

She was no longer sure.

As she rode home with the twins, she looked around the hills in the hopeless hope of seeing the one she now believed was their salvation. He must be around somewhere. She was afraid to think that he had suffered more than it seemed then, or that he had left. She now felt a new void in herself and knew that only he could fill it. So she scanned each hill, squinting her eyes against the glare of the sun.

But she didn’t see him. And she was so alone.

* * *

As before, Lobo heard the approach of the horses long before they showed up.

He returned from the city and took care of his hands, then fastened his belt with a holster. He forced himself not to linger on the road, not to look out for her. He was not a teenager in love, and it was time for him to stop acting like a fool.

He practiced drawing his revolver, knowing how important it was to keep his hands numb. He ignored the pain and was proud that his hands were as fast as ever.

Canton was here! The stakes were rising.

The last time he saw Canton was a few months ago in Denver, which his professional colleague also chose as his base. Unlike Lobo, Canton cared about the impression he made. He always dressed in black and diligently shined a revolver, the notches on the handle of which only a blind man could miss.

Although Canton did not seek skirmishes, he did not try to avoid them either. His presence was always tangible and foreshadowed trouble, being called to a quarrel, Canton always tried to finish what someone else started. “That keeps the reputation going,” he told Lobo, “and the deadlier the reputation, the bigger the payoff. ”

The danger was also greater. But Canton didn’t seem to care. He was a man who enjoyed walking on the edge and didn’t care if it meant death.

Lobo had a different take on this. He never tried to draw attention to himself, but simply did the job. He usually dressed simply, like any other cowboy, because he was not at all attracted to run into a quarrel every time he came to a new place. He was engaged in business and did not consider it necessary to provide his rather rare skill for free.

He did not stop the spread of legends, because they were good for him. When a person is frightened, his hands tremble, fear was an ally in his business.

Since he was an Apache warrior, everyone seemed to think that he should have dark hair and skin, and he did not try to dispel this misconception. Even if people saw him in action, the legends surrounding him remained. He grew taller, darker, more violent. Only when the victim met him face to face and saw light turquoise eyes as cold as death, did she understand who and what she was dealing with. Some in such cases simply fled and then always remained silent. Others who did not run were dead.

Such an existence was extremely empty and lonely, but that was enough for him. Since he never knew any personal affection, he did not really believe in its existence, at least for him. He did not need anyone and did not want anyone – a philosophy that helped him survive. Since he did not believe in tender feelings, they could not embarrass him, he could not miss them. His only goal was freedom – only it gave him satisfaction. Professionalism gave him this freedom, and in addition, which was highly desirable, he was left to himself.

His thoughts were interrupted by the very cautious approach of two riders.

“Mr. Newton wants to see you,” said one. Lobo looked at them coldly.

– I’ll drop by.

“He said just now,” another said nervously.

“I said I’d come,” Lobo frowned, his hand on the revolver, which he put back in its holster. The two looked at each other silently and decided that they valued their lives more than their jobs.

Yes sir, Mr Lobo.

In this forced display of politeness, Lobo raised an eyebrow and his lips curled in derision. He turned his back to them, as if to signify the end of the audience, and listened to the receding clatter of hooves. Let Newton sweat a little. He did not like this guy who fought against women and children, and yet something irresistible kept him from leaving. This boy, Chad, and little Sally Sue, and the woman’s blue eyes kept popping up in front of him. There must be a way for them to leave the ranch on their own, without violence, but judging by how determined the woman was to stay and how Newton was ready for anything, this seemed impossible.

* * *

Only in the evening did he condescend to arrive at Newton’s ranch.

New gloves were on his hands, the sleeve of his shirt concealed swollen red blisters on his forearm. The revolver was drawn to his hip, and his eyes glowed menacingly, as if a fire were burning in their depths.

Newton immediately noticed the change. He had feared the man before, when his eyes were freezing cold, but now they seemed to be the eyes of the devil. But, he tried to tell himself, Lobo was his devil. Lobo noted his fright with a calm sneer. He could see from his face that Newton was annoyed by his refusal to come at the first call.

“By this time I was counting on the result,” Newton said.

“I told you that I would do the work my way,” Lobo replied. – If you want me to leave…

– Will you be able to fulfill it?

— Yes, but in the way I see fit.

– May I ask how? Newton said sarcastically.

— No.

Newton turned purple with rage, but did not dare to protest. Now that Gar Morrow had Canton, Newton needed Lobo more than ever. He was already wondering if he had started something that he would not be able to finish.

“I’m hiring more people,” he blurted out. Lobo shrugged nonchalantly.

– Morrow hired Canton.

– I heard.

– I want you to kill him.

Lobo clenched his jaw.

– That’s not what I was hired for.

– Get another ten thousand. He insulted my daughter…

— Is that enough to kill a man?

— Maybe you are afraid? Newton asked, immediately regretting his words.

“I don’t like you, Newton,” Lobo said after a long, threatening silence. “I’m not sure I want to kill someone for you. I agreed to do one job, and I will do it, but no more. Not for someone like you.

Lobo turned and walked out, leaving Newton trembling with fear and rage.

Chapter 7

Chad looked at the afternoon sun, then at what he had done, and winced.

If Brady did find Jupiter, such a fence would never hold the bull now that the coals from the burning barn had almost burned through the top row of poles.

He fiddled with them all day, trying to replace them with scraps of boards from the fence, which he dragged here, tied to a horse. But he was not able to strengthen them well without someone else’s help, and Estella turned out to be worse than useless.

In the end, Chad decided to haul the boards up with rope and tie them up before nailing them to the posts. He really wanted to finish everything by the time Willow got home. Now that Brady was gone, he wanted to prove he was a man.

Chad didn’t want to leave the ranch. It was the only home he knew, and Willow was the only family he had.

He will protect her without sparing his life.

Chad knew what was happening, although Willow, trying to protect him and others, did not say anything about it. But word spread quickly, and yesterday the twins returned home, almost bursting with excitement, with the news of the mercenaries gathered in Newton. It didn’t take much ingenuity to guess everything. He overheard Dr. Sullivan’s conversation with Willow and heard enough to understand how much Alex Newton wanted the ranch. After spending several years in the saloon, he knew that Newton usually got what he wanted.

Well, he won’t see this ranch. As long as Chad is here.

He was sweating under the hot July sun. In a week, the school will close for several months for the holidays while students help harvest or drive cattle to Denver. Willow will be gardening like last year, if anything else survives. The corn had shrunk completely, the beans were dying.

Chad looked at the fireball in the sky and wiped his forehead on his sleeve. He could use some help, that’s for sure. He again, like the last few days, remembered the tall stranger. He wished he were here. Chad just couldn’t believe he’d gone like that. He was… an omen. Like in Willow’s books.

Chad has never bowed to anyone before. His father was a drunk, as was Brady, and although Brady never hit him, his dad’s favorite pastime was hitting Chad. Chad hated him, hated his tattered clothes, hated the one-room cabin that was always dirty. He hated the saloon where his father made him work instead of sending him to school like other kids. They pushed him, spat on him, slapped him, laughed at him. Then his father died, and the sheriff wanted to send him to an orphanage.

Chad heard about these places and decided he’d better run away from home. He was just about to do it when Willow caught him in her kitchen, gathering food for the journey. He thought that she would be at school, but she finished school early to take her sick child home.

Instead of getting angry or dragging him to the sheriff, she sat him down at the table and fed him hot. She did not scold him, otherwise he would have pushed her away and ran away. She began to ask where he was going to go and how he thought to live on without education.

– I can be a cowboy. They don’t need to read books.

— And how do they know if they are being paid right or if they are being deceived, or if all their cattle are still there?

Chad thought about it. Finally he said:

– I’m too big to go to school. And I’m not going to any shelter.

Willow, whom he then called Miss Willow, was looking at him intently. He was ten years old and small and thin for his age.

“I bet you can learn better than any of them,” she said defiantly.

“I’m not going to school,” he insisted.

— If I teach you here, separately, will you try … will you try to overtake them all?

He accepted the challenge. He will show all these snobs who called him stupid and laughed at the way he was dressed and mocked his father. So he moved in with Miss Willow, and she let him know that he deserved love and affection. He studied very diligently and just as diligently worked in the stable where she arranged him. He loved horses and other animals, although he never had his own. The only time he brought home a kitten, which his father killed, and he never again dared to show interest in animals.

Shortly after Miss Willow took him in, she also took in Sally Sue, then the twins. Her small house was packed to capacity. Then she inherited the ranch and they moved there.

But a lot has changed since then. The fire, which for them was a disaster. The garden that Willow had counted on so much was dying, and old man Newton called bandits here to take the ranch away from them.

Chad tried to put one of the planks up and it started to fall. He grabbed it, stumbled, and a heavy beam fell on his arm. Blood spattered in all directions. He yelled in surprise, and Estella and Sally Sue came running to the scream. Seeing so much blood, both froze. Sally Sue roared, and Estella rushed to Chad.

Chad jumped up and down in pain, holding his hand with his other hand. The blood continued to flow, and the pain cut through him like a sharpened blade. He fell to his knees with the feeling that he was being burned with a red-hot iron.

Everything will be all right, boy.

The sounded voice was deep, confident. A large hand rested on his shoulder. He did not hear the sound of hooves and wondered how this man got here. Oddly enough, the pain subsided a little, as if the power of a stranger was being transferred to him.