Chapter 4

Wesley was there, when we reached the clinic. He was just finishing work on Helga.

“How is she?” I asked.

“I closed the cut and have applied ointment where I could. She will be sore for a while, but she is basically okay,” Wesley stated.

I thanked him and went to talk to Helga. I found Rebeca with her, and both were crying.

“Helga, I’m so sorry! I never dreamed that anything like this would happen. I was only concerned about Rebeca. I thought they might come looking for her, but not you or anyone else,” I told her.

“Marshal, you couldn’t have known. I didn’t even know she was here. I could tell them nothing. I would not have even if I had known. It will be okay,” Helga assured me.

We took Helga home. Rebeca stayed to care for her. After they went inside, I spoke with the four farmers.

“I owe you a lot. I really appreciate what you did. If there is ever anything that I can do for you just ask. I will do all I can to help.” They stood there looking embarrassed and saying it was all right. Then the one who appeared to be the leader spoke up.

“Marshall, my friend George is in love with a slave girl named Anetta. He has tried to buy her from the mayor, but he refuses to sell her. If there is any way you could talk to the mayor, we would really appreciate it. We all have girls except George, and he will settle for no one else.”

While he was talking, Rebeca had come back outside to say something.

“Do you know a girl named Anetta?” I asked her.

“Oh yes, my Master,” she replied, “she works in the mayor’s store. She can read and write, and even do numbers. She is a very nice girl.”

“I am beginning to see why the mayor doesn’t want to lose her,” I said. “However, I believe, I can make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Then turning to Rebeca, I asked,

“Rebeca, can you read or do numbers?” She hung her head, as she replied,

“I can read a little, my Master, but I cannot do numbers.”

“Well then,” I replied, “I shall have to get you a tutor when we get to the Capital. A Marshal’s wife should be able to read well and do numbers.” It was a big decision, but I had finally made it. It took Rebeca a minute to comprehend what I had just said. Then she jumped into my arms squealing.

“Oh thank you, my Robert! I’m so happy.” The four farmers were all smiling.

Unfortunately, there were still things that needed doing. I asked two of the farmers to stay here with Helga and Rebeca, assuring them there would be something to eat. The other two I took with me. We returned to the guardhouse.

When we arrived at the guardhouse, the Commander of the Town Guard was there, and he seemed more than a little upset.

“Marshal, you have two of my men locked up,” he stated. “Why?”

“That is correct, Commander. They assaulted mid-wife Helga, and my future wife, at Helga’s house. They were stopped by these two young men and a couple of their friends. Helga and Rebeca are all right now. I’m here to question the pair about who put them up to it.” The Commander seemed a bit more subdued on hearing this.

We went into the cell area. The pair were in different cells with an empty cell between them. I had picked up my whip on the way back.

The Commander and I went into the first cell. The Commander told the man there,

“What ever you have done, you need to confess.” Then I stepped forward.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way, fellow. The easy way is you tell me everything now. The hard way is I suspend you from the ceiling beam, and use the whip. I haven’t ever worn my arm out, but if I should, there are two stout farmers outside who could take over for me. What is your answer?”

“You have nothing on me,” the prisoner said. “I’m innocent.”

“I have mid-wife Helga, Rebeca, and four young men that will testify that you and that other fellow assaulted Helga and Rebeca. When I find out who put you up to it, you and they will be good for a couple of years on the labor gangs. The Royal Judge is here right now and will hear your case tomorrow.”

“The chief magistrate will hear our case,” he protested.

“I don’t believe the chief magistrate will be hearing any cases ever again, fellow,” I told him.

“But ... but he promised!” he started in fear.

“He promised what?” I demanded.

“He promised to take care of us,” he replied in desperation.

“The chief magistrate won’t even be able to take care of himself after today,” I told him.

He spilled the whole story after that. It seems that the chief magistrate thought that if he had Rebeca, he could bargain his way out of the trouble he was in. The second prisoner confirmed the story. The Guard Commander immediately fired both of them.

By the time we returned to the court room, it was just about all over but the sentencing. William filled me in on the details later. First the town apothecary had testified that the beans we had provided were the poorest quality available, definitely substandard. We had obtained them from the town warehouse, and had handed them over to the apothecary there in the warehouse.

The town accountant testified that the chief magistrate had submitted a bill for the purchase of 400 pounds of premium quality black beans. It had been paid, as he was the authorized purchasing agent. It had been a particularly large purchase as there was a rumor of a shortage. The price had consequently gone up quite a bit. Albert and several other owners had testified that because the beans were advertised as premium, and the price so high, they had cut the amount administered to the minimum, and some times below that.

Doctor Webber testified that he had checked all of the town’s slave girls and had found only one other to be pregnant. It would require another two months to be sure whether any others were. Also it was necessary to dramatically increase the dosage due to the poor quality of the bean. It was evident that the chief magistrate had bought poor quality beans, and charged the town for premium quality beans. Rebeca’s pregnancy was the result.

Lastly, I testified about the kidnapping plot with the two guardsmen. At this the courtroom was abuzz with talk. The chief magistrate jumped up in the defendants box.

“The mayor is my partner and thought the whole thing up,” he shouted in desperation. The mayor pulled out a knife and tried to stab the chief magistrate. My two farmers, George and the leader, Kenneth, were nearby and managed to stop the mayor before he could kill the magistrate. We tied the mayor up securely while Doctor Webber attended to the magistrate.

The court room was the scene of pandemonium. Everyone was talking. William gaveled for quiet. When he got it, he pronounced the trial over for the day. Tomorrow there would be sentencing, and the hearing for the two ex-guardsmen. Doctor Webber took the magistrate off to the clinic under guard. The mayor was taken to the guardhouse. George and Kenneth were heroes for the second time that day.