Chapter 1

Eddy had never been in a saloon, before, but he had been advised to check here, because the bartender was the most likely to know where the jobs were. Fortunately, he looked older than his 16 years, so he didn't attract too much attention when he first leaned on the bar. The bartender walked up and asked, "What'll it be, son?"

"Please, may I have a root beer and some information?"

"One root beer coming up. OK, what do you want to know?"

"I just came in on that wagon train and I need a job. I was told that you would probably know better than anyone else where I could find something. I'm a hard worker and I'll take most anything, long as it's honest work."

Just as Eddy was saying that, a big man, well over 6 feet tall and weighing in at 250 pounds or more, came up and grabbed him by the shoulder. He pulled Eddy away from the bar and growled, "Sonny boy, make way for a man. You're taking up my place at the bar."

Eddy staggered back and nearly fell. He regained his balance and hit the man as hard as he could right in the gut, just below the rib cage. The tough wasn't expecting any resistance to his bullying, so he was not prepared for the blow. The man gasped for breath and bent over, holding his belly with his arms as he tried to breath. Eddy grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head a little farther down and slammed the bully in the nose with his knee. He released the bully's hair and the man fell to the floor. Eddy grabbed the man by his feet and dragged him out the door onto the street where he left the bully still trying to catch his breath.

Eddy walked back into the saloon and the bartender saluted him with applause. "That's the first time I ever saw anybody take out Big Jake! Son, I know just the job for you! The marshal is looking for a deputy and the pay is pretty good. You go see him and tell him that Jim Hanson sent you. He should check with me if he has any doubts."

"Thank you, sir. How much for the root beer?"

"That's on the house! The show you just put on was worth every penny, and then some."

Eddy thanked the bartender and drank his root beer. He left for the marshal's office as soon as he finished.

Eddy walked into the town jail and asked, "Sir, are you the marshal?"

"Yeah, son, I am. What can I do for you?"

"Jim Hanson said I should see you about the deputy marshal job. He said that you should talk to him if you had any doubts."

"He did, huh? How old are you, son?"

"I'll be 17 next month. I'm married and I've got a kid due in a few months. I was a guard for Mr. Jasper Samuelson's wagon train that just came in."

"You know Andrew Jones?"

"Yes, sir. He was my boss on the train. I hired on to replace a guard what was killed by some Bushwhackers back in Missouri. He offered me a permanent job, but I told him that I couldn't leave my wife and kid."

"You're awful young, but you got so many good references that you're hired. Hold up you right hand and repeat after me, "I, state your name, do solemnly swear to uphold the laws of the State of California and the City of Sacramento and to obey the commands of my rightful superiors, so help me God."

Eddy swore and the marshal handed him a badge. "Glad to have you Deputy Johnson." He held out his hand and said, "My name's Michael O'Malley. You can call me Mike, but I'd appreciate you calling me Marshal O'Malley when we're on official business."

"Sure thing, Mike. My friends all call me Eddy. I don't have a gun; do I need one?"

Mike laughed and said, "You sure as hell do need a gun! The city will lend you one. What do you prefer?"

"Well, I'm used to a shotgun. Do you have one of those?"

"I've got just the thing for you. It's a sawed off 10-gauge double barrel. What do you think?"

"Yes, sir, that sounds good. Where is it?"

"Right behind you in the gun rack. Here's the key. Pull it out, and the ammunition is in the cabinet just below. The same key fits both locks.

"You forgot to ask how much you get paid. The pay is $75 a month, payable on the last day of the month. The pay is so high because Sacramento is an expensive place to live. We'll pro rate you for this month, starting today. Take the rest of the day to get set up and come back here at 7:00 PM. As the new man, you'll work the night shift. I'll make the first round with you to show you the ropes. I'll tell you what else you need to know, then. Go on and I'll see you tonight."

Eddy went back to where they had parked the wagon and looked for Martha, his wife. "Well, I got a job. The pay sounds good, $75 a month, but I hear that prices are high in Sacramento. I'm a deputy marshal, now, so don't go breaking any laws."

"Oh, Eddy, I'm so proud of you! Ma and I have been talking to some people and I think that we found a house big enough for all of us. It's kind of expensive, $7 a month, but I think we can afford it with you making so much money. Can we go look at it, now?"

"Sure. Where is it?"

"It's a block that way. Ma and I were just going to see it when you came back."

"OK. Let's leave the boys here to keep an eye on our things and the three of us can go take a look. We'll need to hurry a bit, because I have to work tonight, starting at 7:00 o'clock. I'll get a sandwich somewhere, so don't worry about me for supper, tonight."

"Ma, come on. Eddy is here and he wants to see the house."

"OK, I'm ready."

Eddy told the boys to watch things until they got back. The three of them walked to the house and Martha unlocked the door. The went in and Mary, Martha's mother, sniffed derisively. "This place sure needs airing out, and it's so dusty you can't hardly see the floor!"

"Oh, Mother, give it a chance! Let's look at the whole house before you find too much wrong with it."

The house had three bedrooms, a sitting room, and a large kitchen. The outhouse was outside the back door. There was room for a garden and the kitchen had all the modern conveniences: a full-sized stove and a water pump with a sink. There were several cabinets and a pantry. Martha was satisfied and Mary agreed that "the place is tolerable." They decided to take the house, so they went back by way of the landlord to pay the first month's rent.

Jeb and Josh, Martha's brothers, drove the wagon to the house while Eddy, Martha, and Mary strolled back to it. The wagon was put in the back yard and the oxen were allowed to graze where the garden would be. The males started unloading the wagon into a shed on the property while the women started cleaning the house. Eddy breathed a sigh of relief when it was time for him to report to the marshal.

Eddy showed up at the jail at 7:00 PM on the dot, and the marshal was pleased to see him. "Your shift runs from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. You make two rounds through the business district, one when you first come in and another about midnight. Change that midnight time around a bit so that crooks can't know exactly when you might come by. You can sleep on that cot when you are in the office. There's an alarm clock that you can use to wake you for your rounds. Let's go and I'll show you the route I take, though it's good to change that around some to confuse the thieves.

"Turn the knob and shake the door of every shop you pass to make sure that it's actually locked. Those are the people what pay your wages, so you want to take good care of them. If you ever need help, just fire your shotgun; you'll be surrounded by people before you know it.

"If you meet any drunks wandering the streets, put them in a cell for the night, but if you find any sleeping it off in the back alleys, just leave them alone. Common sense goes a long way on this job.

"Now, see how I work this door. If it ain't locked, it going to come open. And if it ain't locked, expect trouble!" They went down the street checking doors. The marshal did the first few and then had Eddy do the rest.

They stopped in at the saloon where Eddy had his adventure with Big Jake and Mike said, "Howdy, Jim. As you can see, I took Eddy on at your suggestion. Tell me what it was that made you so all fired sure that he would make a good deputy?"

"Well, when I saw how easy it was for him to take out Big Jake Smithson, I figured that he was the man for you."

"I'll be damned! Big Jake? What'd Eddy do?"

"He poked Big Jake in the belly and kneed him in the nose when he bent over. Slickest thing I ever saw! Then he dragged big Jake out and dumped him in the street. I figured you could use somebody like that!" Jim laughed and winked at Eddy.