Chapter 7

The Circuit Judge decided to hold the trial in Anderson, since that was where Basilio "Reverend" Zanetti's last crime took place. He was unrepentant and just rubbed the judge the wrong way. The judge tried to find some reason to moderate the sentence by asking, "Mr. Zanetti, Please tell the court why you masterminded these heinous kidnappings of children."

"I will not demean myself by explaining my actions to these peasants! They are not worthy to judge me!" Zanetti thought to himself, "They think that I will give up my plans for a crime empire just because I was apprehended this time. Once I am released from jail, I will resume my campaign to take over Texas just as my peers have done in Sicily."

This remark killed what little sympathy the judge might have had for Zanetti, "I hereby sentence you to 20 years to life in the Texas State Penitentiary. You may be paroled after 15 years, but I hope not."

Sean and Ezra left the court feeling pretty good over this successful outcome. Ezra did comment, "I can't he'p feelin' a little sorry fer Tubby, the way he died of stomach cancer just a week ago. That must've hurt like hell!"

Sean replied with, "Yeah, I have to agree with ya, Tubby must..." just as a rifle shot was heard from across the street and a cry of pain was heard from behind them. Pounding hoof beats racing out of town sounded as they turned to see who had been shot. It was the judge!

Sean shouted to the marshal, "Stan, Ezra an' me will chase the varmi't what did the shootin'. We heard him ride off that-a-way."

The two Rangers ran to their horses which were hitched to the rail in front of the saloon/courtroom. The pulled the cinches tight and jumped into the saddles. Sean tore off after the presumed shooter while Ezra tried to see if there was some peculiarity which would help in tracking their quarry. A witness showed Ezra where the shooter's horse had been hitched and Ezra examined the dirt to see if there was anything unusual about the horse's shoes that would make him easier to track. It only took him a moment to identify two characteristics which would mark the tracks for him, so he mounted and rode after Sean as fast as his horse could move.

The shooter had nearly a 10-minute lead over Sean, so there was little chance of catching him any time soon, but Sean had to try. They were much more likely to find the shooter by Ezra's tracking skills, but Sean couldn't take that chance.

Ezra found Sean waiting for him at a much-traveled trail. "I had to wait fer ya here, pardner. I don't have any idee which way he went once he joined this trail. Kin ya find any sign?"

Ezra dismounted and cast about for the specific tracks he had seen back at the hitching rail in Anderson. "He went that-a-way," Ezra said, pointing northeast. "He may be smart enough to make this a long, tough job, but his hoss's shoes are different enough fer me to find him, eventually."

He remounted and the two rangers rode off in the general direction of Austin. They had to ride slowly enough to be able to see any signs of a horse leaving the common trail. They moved along, each one watching for signs of a diverging trail on his side of the road. They had ridden about three miles when Sean said, "It looks to me like a hoss left the road here. Was this the one?"

"Yeah, that's the right shoes. Maybe we kin move a little faster, now."

They left the main road and picked up speed as they followed the only tracks on this section of trail. Ezra commented, "We may be lucky with this one. Look, this trail looks like it swings back toward Anderson."

"Yeah, don't that beat all? We may be ridin' in a big circle."

They rode for several miles without seeing any sign of their quarry turning off the trail or any other rider pulling in to use the same trail. It wasn't much later when they rode back into Anderson. It was just getting dark and they hurried to follow the tracks as best they could before it got too dark to see. Unfortunately, they lost the trail in the general confusion of tracks running all up and down the main street of Anderson. Giving up, they rode to the marshal's office to find out what they had missed in their rush to chase the shooter.

Marshal Stan Cronkite met them as they rode up to his office. "Any luck, boys?"

"Yeah, some. Ezra lost him as he rode back on this here main street."

"Ya mean the varmi't is here in Anderson?"

"Yeah, it sure looks that way. Ezra was able to follow him in a big circle that ended up back in Anderson. Tomorrow we'll visit the farriers to see if they recognize the shoes his hoss was wearin'. How's the judge?"

"The judge will pull through, accordin' to Doc Evans. He has a hole in his chest, up high and to the left. The bullet missed anythin' important, but the judge will be out of commission fer a while. I wonder why he was shot."

Ezra piped up with, "I 'spect we'll find that out when we cotch him."

The Rangers were very hungry, since they had missed lunch because of the chase. They went off to the restaurant in the hotel for supper and Stan went home to his wife's cooking.

The next morning, the two Rangers visited the farriers in Anderson and showed them a sketch of the peculiarities Ezra had noticed on the horseshoes they were interested in. The second farrier they visited said, "Yeah, I recognize that there shoe pattern. I put it on about two weeks ago. That there hoss belongs to Billy Sanders. He works fer the Rockin' R Bar ranch south of here 'bout six miles. He's around 'cuz I seen him in town, yesterday."

"Much obliged. We'll go visit Mr. Sanders right away."

The Rangers went back to the marshal's office and told him what they had learned. He volunteered to go with them to show them where to find the Rocking R Bar ranch. They left immediately and reached the ranch in question in a short time.

The three lawmen rode up to the main house and asked to see the foreman. A houseboy ran to fetch him and they met him in the front yard. Stan said, "Howdy, Spud, it's been a while. How're ya doin'?"

"I'm doin' right well, Stan. What kin I do fer y'all?"

"We're here to see Billy Sanders on official business, ifen ya don't mind. Kin ya tell us where to find him?"

"Yeah, Billy's over at the corral breakin' a new mustang. Come on, I'll walk y'all over."

They walked the short distance to the corral and waited until Billy dismounted from the horse he was breaking. "Hey, Billy! Come over here, ifen ya will. I got three men who want to talk to ya."

As soon as Billy heard that, he took off at a dead run toward the bunkhouse. The three lawmen chased after him and entered the bunkhouse only a few steps behind. Stan was in the lead and a bullet nicked his ear as he ran through the door. A very sensible Ezra dove to the floor, but Sean didn't hesitate, he drew his gun and put a bullet through Billy's chest.

Stan slapped his handkerchief to his ear and walked over to the dying Billy. "Why'ed ya shoot the judge, Billy?"

"Cuz he hung my brother last year!" Billy coughed out as he died.

Stan turned to the two Rangers, "I remember that there case. Jimmy Sanders stole some hosses from the Bar 79 ranch and killed a wrangler in the process. He was hanged last April."

The two Rangers nodded sagely, and the three went out to tell the story to a curious crowd.

Back in Laredo, the captain called Sean and Ezra into his office. "Boys, we got a little problem down in Smithton. A gang of bandits from Mexico crossed the river and are raidin' and murderin' too much to be tolerated. I need y'all to stop them."