Chapter 35

I didn't like that idea one damned bit, but I could see it was best even if I didn't like it. We hadn't told the other girls we might be gone all night, and I sure as hell didn't want them coming to look for us.

I went down to the livery stable with Jerrilyn to talk to John Johnston and made arrangements for Jerrilyn's horse to be put up for the night. It was only a dime for a night and it included brushing it down and feeding it.

It was a little trouble since the smallest thing I had was a double eagle, but I cured it by paying in advance. It had the benefit of reducing the price since he gave a discount for a week or more. I paid him a double eagle and told him to let me know when I owed more. He promised he would take the best of care of the mount and I told him I'd be back with more the next day.

Jerrilyn and I went back to the store and I went upstairs with her. Nancy Jones already had her bed made up again and she told Jerrilyn she could sleep with her until we bought some furniture.

"In fact you bought some tonight. We had six beds for sale when I had to move out and we can put up some of them tomorrow. Come to think of it, if you have eight wives you're gonna need a lot of the merchandise just to set up housekeeping," she said.

"We've got a lot of what we need with our other stuff," I said, before I could stop myself.

"Where is it now?" she asked.

"Do you know where there's a big cave about five miles south of town?"

"I hope to shout I do. It's what Carl borrowed the money to buy. He owns it, or did before he died - five hundred acres right around the cave. He claimed it would make a wonderful place for storage. I kept asking him what he was going to store there, but he never did get around to telling me."

"Well we've got most of our things stored there now and you can count on us paying for the storage tomorrow."

"You don't have to worry about it. You can use it for free as long as you need to. We haven't done a thing with it. At least Carl got it paid for first. But do you think that banker would take it against what Carl owed? He wouldn't give me twenty dollars for it."

"Well, I'll give you five thousand for it just like it is. We can settle on it tomorrow, or anytime you want to."

"I don't care one whit about that place. Do with it just like you want to. I always loved this store and Carl and me were making a good living here. There'll be a rush in here tomorrow too, because it's been closed so long. Several people have come out to my house asking me how they could buy something out of the store. I just know they'll be here warting us to death if we open up in the morning."

I kissed Jerrilyn goodbye and told her we'd be back in the morning then I went down to my horse and mounted up. I was back at the cave within an hour and had one hell of a tale to tell my women.

They tried to get a panic started when I showed up without Jerrilyn, but I finally settled them down and gave them the details. They weren't really impressed with my new job, especially since I didn't even know what it paid. At least they'd been bored all afternoon and had spent the time scrounging up firewood and they had plenty to fix me a big supper.

They were a little excited about moving into town so suddenly and they had us in bed early. Early to bed and even earlier to rise was their motto and we were up and eating breakfast before sunrise the next morning.

They got a little impatient with me over wanting to take eight mules into town too, but I caught them, and haltered them ready to go. I also caught up mounts for all of them and we were still heading toward town before the sun was fully up. I took us directly to the livery stable and John Johnston was surprised to see all the mounts and mules I wanted him to take care of.

"I need a couple of wagons John. Do you know where I can buy some?" I asked him.

"Sure do. I can find you two good ones for twenty-five dollars each," he said.

"Sold. Can you get 'em here and hitched up by noon?"

"I can hitch 'em up now since I was the owner," he said.

"I won't need 'em before noon or just after lunch. Can you have them ready by then?"

"Shore, they'll be ready anytime after noon."

I left it to him and led the girls over to the store. Nancy had been right, since there were already six people shopping. I left the girls in care of Jerrilyn to get the lowdown and I headed over to my office to see about giving my jailer some relief.

Ben had a big pot of coffee made when I got to the jail and he offered me a cup, which I accepted at once.

"I didn't find out what your schedule was last night, Ben, and I'm sorry for it. I haven't kept you too late at work have I?" I asked.

"Naw. I live in the bed in the back. It's kind of like a cell, but there's no bars on my door," he said, and then laughed.

"What about eats. Do I need to get here early to let you go get breakfast?"

"Nope to that too. The cafe brings over my meals when they bring the ones for the prisoners. When we ain't got no prisoners they just bring mine. The town pays the freight on it."

"Well, I'm glad I didn't cause you to miss a meal. How are the prisoners?"

"Just like you left 'em. That Jake fella been griping a lot, but it don't bother me none since I don't really have to listen to him. I just shut the door to the back."

"I wonder when the judge will have a trial for the X sheriff and his gambler buddy?"

"Probably anytime you want him too. Want me to get him?"

"If you don't mind. I'd just as soon get 'em out of here."

"Ok, if you'll watch 'em while I'm gone I'll go see about it now," he said, and after I agreed he left.

"The judge was more of a judge looking man than I'd have thought. He was also more efficient than I figured. He came back with Ben and asked me what the charges were and I told him about the dustup and about hearing Jake dealing seconds.

"I've heard of that before. Ain't it when the card makes a little snicking noise as he pulls it out of the second place in the deck?"

"That's it exactly, and once you hear it done you'll never forget what it sounds like."

"And you heard the sound?"

"Yeh, I nearly laughed out loud over it. Damned if he didn't ask me what I thought was so funny."

"Well what's the old sheriff doing in there?"

"I think the mayor thought he was in on the cheating. He got shot by my wife when he was trying to pull his gun on me while I was protecting myself after Jake got so mad at me for telling what he was up to."

"Well, it ain't exactly an open and shut case, but we won't have no trouble finding twelve men who don't care much for card cheats. They damned sure won't feel like letting the X sheriff go when they find out he was in on the deal. Course we don't know he was for sure, but we'll have to let the jury decide at the trial. I spect Jake will be happy to testify after what he hears the other witnesses say. He ain't gonna want to hang by hisself," he said.

The judge said we could probably have the trial after the noon meal and he left to get it set up. One way or the other it was going to be swift justice. I left Ben watching over the prisoners and went next door to the store to tell Jerrilyn about the trial.

"We'll need to run out to the cave for a few minutes before noon then. I'm worried about you having to be in court and leaving Ben in there to watch the prisoners by himself. We'll get our shotguns and help him out. It would be a good time for someone to try breaking the others out."

I thought she was being a little over dramatic myself, but it wouldn't hurt to have the firepower. I walked down to the livery and told John Johnston the wagon trip was off for this afternoon, since I had to be at the trial. I did ask him to get four mules ready with packsaddles and to saddle up my mount and Jerrilyn's for us. I went back to the store then and Selene started cackling to Nancy about me coming back early to see if the food was ready.

I didn't give a shit, because it was ready and it was damned good. I sat down and ate and when Jerrilyn and I left to get the horses and mules Selene, Christine, and Jacky went over to the jail to entertain Ben and help him keep watch while we were gone.

It didn't take us long to gather up twelve of the Xtrema 2s and a case of buckshot and we were back in no time. The girls all took a shotgun each and stored the rest in the rack at the jail. They even loaded one up for Ben and he was impressed when he found out it would shoot eight times from just pulling the trigger. He went with me while I took Jake and the X sheriff over to the town hall for their trial.

"You know sheriff, it would save a lot of trouble if these two would try to make a break for it. I'd kinda like to try out this shotgun anyway," Ben said.

"I've seen 'em in action and you sure would have a mess on your hands. It'd probably cut the two of them in half."

The way things turned out it would have saved a lot of effort. The judge didn't have any trouble getting twelve men brave and true to sit for the jury. The town even had a district attorney and there was a lawyer for the defendants.

I was called up first to testify and the defense lawyer made on over the dealing of seconds and how I knew about it.

"Hell, I'm a professional gambler. I have to know the tricks of my trade the same way you need to know the law."

"So, you admit you're a gambler?" he asked.

"Yep, I'm proud of it. You ought to try and get an honest job yourself," I said, and in seconds the judge was banging his gavel and trying to make everyone stop laughing.

I thought we had a pretty weak case against the X sheriff, but the judge had known more about it than me. Jake sang like a bird and told all the details of his deal with the sheriff. He said it was the reason he stayed in town so long, because he was having to give the sheriff half his winnings.