Chapter 8

"I'll have to say I'm in your debt again. I'd really never thought of that but it sounds like sage advice now that you mention it. I'm assuming that you're the Mr Jefferson that Silas told me about before he had to leave for Dallas."

"Guilty as charged, Mr Mayor, I'm Bill Jefferson," I said, admitting it.

"George Clonnigon, Mr Jefferson. I'm happy to meet you."

"I'm happy to meet you too, Mr Clonnigon and I'll bet you are just the person I need to ask about something. I would like to buy a small place around here, preferably one with a house and a barn already on it. Do you happen to know if there's such a place for sale nearby?" I asked.

"There is such a place but it isn't small. It belonged to Charles Christopher, but he died two years ago and his wife moved back east to be with her family there.

"The property includes three hundred acres, a three story house, two large barns and several other outbuildings. It is a fairly expensive proposition though. I think it's well worth the asking price, especially since the deed is all in order, but it is expensive," he said.

"Is there someone nearby that can let me see the place, or do I have to write the widow for permission?"

"Mrs Christopher left me in charge of the property and I hereby give you permission to examine it to your own satisfaction. If you come by my house I'll get you the keys," he said.

"I'd like to go see it tomorrow if that will be acceptable. I think I'd better stay around today to finish this sorry business," I said, waving a hand toward my prisoner.

"I understand completely. If you have time later today you can come by or anytime really, at your convenience," he said.

"That's kind of you sir."

"I believe I'll be going then, as soon as I pay my respects to the soon to be departed," he said, and damned if he didn't walk over and kick fat boy right in the balls.

A few others were walking up then and I asked the first one to watch the prisoner and make sure no one kicked him in the head. He agreed to.

Back in the store, I checked on Mary. She was sitting at the table toward the back but she seemed in better spirits when I walked in.

"I heard the gunshot and I hoped it was you firing but I was afraid to go outside," she said, smiling now.

"I only wounded him, and I'm leaving him alive for a while so others in town can have a chance to administer some punishment. I'll finish him before dark. I think you need to go out there with me and check on the two girls in his wagon and their mother. They told me that he'd beaten her when he killed their father and she might need some help.

"I'd like for you to put them up in the bunk house for the time being until I can help them get settled somewhere," I said.

Mary agreed right away. One thing I liked about her was that most of the time she didn't ask a bunch of useless questions. When we got outside Mary took a look at fatass lying on the ground and then headed for the wagon.

Frank showed back up, and when he stopped he said he'd told most everyone he could think of. He also said he'd let the gravedigger know we needed one today.

"That was good thinking Frank, I hadn't gotten that far," I said.

"Johnny was glad to get the work, we don't really have that many deaths around here, and I'm sure he's even gladder that it's for someone he didn't know and like," Frank said.

"I can see where that would be better."

Mary was coming back from the wagon now and the twins were right on her tail. She stopped beside me.

"Mrs Clancy says she can walk, Bill, but I think it would be better if you could get a couple of men to carry her inside. I don't think she has any broken bones but her ribs are badly bruised and one or two of them may be cracked," she said.

"Coming right up then. Can you get a couple of bed sheets so I can make a litter?"

"We already have one. Silas made it that time we needed to bring in Mr Christopher, when his horse fell with him. I was coming for it. The twins and I will take it to the wagon and get her in it and then we'll need some men to carry her."

"Just call me when you're ready."

She agreed and was off.

"Frank, do you know anything about the Christopher place? The Mayor tells me it's for sale."

"Yes. It's a big place and it's the finest house I've ever seen. It has two big barns, a smithy, a big smokehouse and some other buildings. It even has a windmill with a big tank and the water is piped into the house. Why do you ask?"

"I'm going to look at it tomorrow. I've come to like Lancaster already and I might buy it," I said.

"You'd have plenty of room to rattle around in that big house. I've never seen anything else like it. It took over four hundred wagon loads of lumber just to put it up, and no telling how many of brick for the foundation," he said.

"Sounds like my kind of place."

Mary came to get me then and Frank came with me to help. When we slid the litter out of the wagon I saw Mrs Clancy for the first time. The twins looked remarkably like her and I'll swear she didn't look like she was thirty yet.

She did have some remarkable bruises but they were fading now. She was awake and alert but I could tell she was still in some pain.

"This is him, Mama, this is the man that shot Jake and is going to make him leave us alone," one of the twins told her.

"I don't know how to thank you, sir. You've saved the lives of my daughters and me," she said.

"No need for thanks, Mrs Clancy. I'm happy to have helped. My name is Bill Jefferson and if there's anything I can do for you, just let me know. I know you must have had a terrible time, and I'll do my best to help you all I can," I said, and I raised my estimation of fatass a little. He had excellent taste.

With Mary leading the way and the twins taking care of the doors we had Mrs Clancy in one of the bunkhouse beds in a few minutes. Frank took off to see to his wagon and team and he said he'd take care of Mrs Clancy's too. I warned him that I'd put my horses in his stalls but he said both mule teams could get by in his pen.

Leaving Mary and the twins to get Mrs Clancy settled in, I went back out to the store. I checked around the merchandise and found a few bottles of laudanum, and took one back to the bunkhouse along with a small spoon I found in the kitchen.

After knocking at the door and then being told to come in I crossed to the bed they had Mrs Clancy in.

"A few doses of this will go a long way to easing your pain, Mrs Clancy. The only problem is that it can become addictive. It will help you get well, but you will have to be firm with yourself and stop taking it after you are well," I said.

"I've seen others use it before and I knew that it could get to be a problem. I'll take it and count on you to remind me if I use too much. Is that fair?" she asked.

"It is, but you might not think it's so fair when I make you stop. Still, since you've asked me to, I will make sure it doesn't become a problem for you," I said, making it a promise.

Leaving them alone again, I went back out to the front of the store. After half an hour or so I was bored, but things perked up when the door opened and a woman walked in. I introduced myself to her.

"You must be the gentleman I've come to asks Mary about. She sent word that a Mr Jefferson wanted to see me about some shirts and trousers. I'm Marjorie Carlson," she said.

"I am the guilty party Mrs Carlson. I would like a few shirts and some trousers. I would have come to your place if not for the unpleasantness with that fellow who is now lying in the street," I said.