Tale of Two Scouts Expansion Needed (218 Words)

Once around the time of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, two
U.S. Army Cavalry scouts, one white and the other Indian entered a
saloon for a drink. Shortly afterward, a guy walked into the
saloon and asked, "Any of you own that gray horse out there?" The white scout replied, "Yes, why do
you ask?" The guy replied, "Your horse looks like he's about ready to
pass out."

The scouts ran outside and the gray horse was indeed in dire
straits. The white scout got his horse some water and the gray horse looked a bit better. Then the white scout had an inspired idea.

The white scout said to his Indian companion, "Run around my horse
and try to create enough wind current to give him some relief."

Since he was naturally subservient to the authority of the white
man, the Indian scout had little difficulty acceding to this request. While he did this, the
white scout, smug in his arrogant feelings of superiority over the red man, went back
into the saloon and returned to his drink

A little bit later, a cowboy walked into the saloon and asked out
loud, "Who owns that gray horse? The white scout answered, "I do. Anything wrong with him?"

The cowboy answered, "You left your injun running."

Dumb Bunny Trackers (Rewrite as Set in 19th Century Hot Springs) 230 Words

Once upon a time, there was a dumb blonde named Jackie. 
One day, while she was hiking through the woods, she came across 
some tracks. As she stood there, she came to the conclusion that
they were deer tracks.

As Jackie was looking at the tracks, another dumb blonde named
Trixielala came up. She looked at the tracks and decided that they were
moose tracks. She told Jackie that and they started arguing about what 
kind of animal made those tracks.

While they were talking, there was a sound of a train whistle off
in the distance.

Soon, another dumb blonde named Priscilla entered the conversation.
After looking the tracks over, she decided that they were elk tracks. 
When she spoke her thoughts out loud, the conversation grew all the more
heated.

While they were talking, there was a sound of a train whistle that
sounded closer than the previous sound. However, the dumb blondes paid it no
heed so engrossed were they in their squabbling.

Soon, another dumb blonde named Pixie joined the conversation. 
Upon looking at the tracks, she decided that they were caribou tracks.
This served to increase the level of acrimony in their ongoing debate 
about what just what kind of tracks they were.

Just then, a freight train came over the hill and ran over the dumb 
blonde quartet, thus forever ending their petty bickering.

Failed Stagecoach Robbery Story.(390 Words)

     As my stagecoach thundered on the Arizona plains on its way to Tucson where I was to join my betrothed, there was a cry of horror from the driver.  "Injuns!"  Such was the level of fear in his voice that I could clearly make it out from all the din raised by thunder of the stagecoach wheels and the hammer of hooves.

     Out of curiosity, I moved the curtain and opened the window and stuck my head out of it to see what was going on.  It was all a blur although I could make out the war whoops of the redskin pursuers.

     "Hey lady!" shouted minister who was in the stagecoach with me.  "Are you trying to get yourself killed?  Is your life really so boring that you are willing  to risk your life just for a momentary thrill? If so, then Satan's going to have an easy time tempting you into a life of sinfulness."

     "Apaches!"  The stagecoach driver was growing ever more anxious on that hot summer day.  I pulled my had back into the stagecoach and closed the window, while pulling the curtain back.  My curiosity was already satisfied.  No need to get into a hassle with the other passengers too.

     All of a sudden, there was the sounds of shots being fired by the pursuers.  These were answered by the loud boom of the man who was riding shotgun with the stagecoach driver.  The roar was deafening to my precious civilian ears that had never been exposed to the sounds of combat and mayhem before.

     There were so many shots fired, that I lost count.  Then again, due to my lack of familiarity with combat, some of the sounds that I thought were shots might not have been shots after all.  There was a sharp sound as a bullet struck a window.  Truly I was scared half out of my wits.

     There was then the most horrific shriek combined with a loud thud as the stagecoach shook.  The stagecoach lurched as it ran over someone or something.  It thundered forward without slowing down even one notch.

     I shrank back into my seat out of fear and terror for my life.  The other passengers exhibited various shades of fear and apprehension.  However, since I was from the civilized East, I was the most terrified of all.

Count Michael Karnopp Story ideas

Mike Ashley, ed., The Mammoth Book of Roaring Twenties Whodunnits

Mike Ashley, ed., The Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunnits

Have the stories set during 1890's Vienna and 1880's Washington, D.C.,

1890's Vienna Theater scene:  http://depts.washington.edu/vienna/theater/actors/

1890's Classical Antiquities Museums in Vienna:  http://www.theviennasecession.com/vienna-secession/

Jon L. Breen Books to Read

Hair of the Sleuthound

What About Murder?

Novel Verdicts