Where Trails Cross

About the Book

Where Trails Cross is a tale of conflict and courage on two trails. When Eck Bertholdt decides to leave the old, worn out Missouri farm and start anew in California, he takes his wife and three small children out on the Platte River Road, popularly known as the Oregon Trail. They face elemental conflicts of dangerous river crossings, fierce sand storms, searing heat, snow and bitter cold, and they frantically flee prairie fire. Add human conflict of treachery, rivalry, small pox, and an Indian attack, and you have the devil's mix Eck and Birdie must confront. Eck is resourceful, of deep character, but uneducated, and never feels he is quite good enough.

Along with the hardship and difficulties were good people helping each other, having good times, and a wagon master who knew what he was doing.

While Eck and Birdie are working their way west, a young Crow Indian warrior, Runs at Dawn, is having big troubles on his own trail. Born Sioux, at eight winters he saw his family and village massacred from ambush by mountain men. To his dying uncle he vowed he would avenge them so their spirits would be at peace. He was captured by Crows who adopted him. He grows to manhood as a Crow. But since the Crows are at peace with Whites, if he kills whites, he dishonors his Crow family. If he does not, he dishonors his Sioux family. Another internal conflict is his assumption that he is a coward because in battle and when charged by a bear, though he acquits himself courageously, he is afraid.

Eventually Eck and Runs at Dawn meet alone and face to face. Both are good and honorable men with proper and honorable goals that are in conflict.

About the Author

Milt Cunningham grew up in the Big Horn country of Wyoming where his family had a part in its exciting, often bloody history. His grandfather, a gunsmith, was the one Buffalo Bill Cody brought his guns to for repair for his Wild West Show. Cunningham's mother could remember the last Indian attack, and an aunt who lived near by was shot at by Indians. An uncle was an early cowpuncher in the area.

Cunningham was a ranch hand through the Big Horn country of Wyoming and into Montana. He also logged with horses on the Big Horn Mountains.

He is a freelancer and for fifteen years was a regular newspaper columnist. He was also a language arts teacher, and wrote for Dr. Koop's website for over a year.

He is a long time and continual participant in professional critique groups. For several years he was with Lyon Literary Services, Elizabeth Lyon.

He has had a number of short stories published, and has been published in two anthologies.

In an adult short story contest conducted by Writers Digest Magazine Cunningham won fourth place in a field of 9,000. In a poetry contest for the same publisher he won honorable mention, placing 95th in a field of 13,000. The anthology, Scent of Cedars, published both these pieces.

He has sold articles to magazines with nationwide circulation, among them, Better Homes and Gardens.

Cunningham's wife, an ex-college teacher in language arts, is an artist and poet and his best and severest critic.

He is at home in Springfield, Oregon with his wife, Kathleen, and a Collie-Shepherd named, Coby.