FEMININE VENDETTA

About the Book

Late in the l870’s in the West Texas town of Webone, four Bar M Ranch ladies and restaurateurs, MARIA, HEIDI, KATY, and DODIE meet the BARNETT men and accept a challenge to a ‘battle of the sexes’ rodeo. Maria exhibits exceptional horsemanship and is invited to participate in another rodeo in Ft. Worth. Maria and her three friends embark for the rodeo. Their train ride turns into disaster when robbers cause a train wreck which apparently kills Maria’s friends. Under the false assumption her friends are dead, Maria suffers temporary amnesia. She initiates a vendetta and follows the train robbers through Arkansas and into the heart of Missouri. Heidi, Dodie and Katy try to catch Maria but are captured by the Tilleson gang. Maria encounters an old friend, ROSALETTA, and regains her memory. She discovers her friends are not dead but held captive by the Tilleson gang. She joins forces with Texas Ranger JUAN CARLOS, his wife and undercover agent Rosaletta, their Indian friend BEULAH, and his Ranger partner WILL, to rescue her friends and capture STINGER who is a murderous Texas renegade. Juan Carlos kills TILLESON SENIOR, severely injures TILLESON JUNIOR, and captures Stinger. Maria, Juan Carlos and their friends escape the renegade’s camp with Stinger as a captive, evade a federal posse, travel down through Missouri, and Arkansas being pursued by a renegade posse led by Tilleson Junior pretending to be persistent bounty hunters, and two misinformed Arkansas lawmen. They gain the sanctity of their old friend Federal Marshall JACOBS in Dallas then the Rangers take Stinger for trial in Austin where he is tried, convicted of murder, and robbery. He is then sentenced to hang. Maria and her friends return to Webone to learn of the impending weddings of two of their widowed fathers. They also learn the Tilleson gang has critically wounded Juan Carlos and Will, killed two police guards, freed Stinger, and has aided in his escape. Stinger swears to kill his Ranger adversaries and the four Bar M ladies. Stinger, Tilleson Junior, and his gang attack and terrorize the Webone restaurant owners. Beulah exercises her own vendetta by killing and scalping Tilleson Junior. Stinger shoots Katy from ambush, inflicts a minor wound, then runs. Beulah and Katy’s Arkansas friend, CALEB, trail and capture Stinger. The now recovered Juan Carlos and Will return Stinger to death row in the State Penitentiary. Maria and her friends get two of their fathers married and afterwards, a very confused preacher is compelled to say ‘words’ to marry the two Indians, Beulah and CHARLIE TWO SHOES.

About the Author

Milton Pavlakes was born and raised in Texas. He moved to St. Louis where he met his wife and co-author, Bertha. He retired from Federal Service and now enjoys writing fiction about the post civil War era and strong-minded, capable women. Bertha Pavlakes was born and raised in Arkansas. She later moved to Missouri and retired from St. Louis County Probate Court. Mrs. Pavlakes enjoys reading, writing, cooking, and various types of crafts. We have two married daughters, four grandchildren, and three dogs