Chapter 5

Riding into Bedford shortly after noon, Jase attracted a crowd as he rode down the dusty main street. The crowd of loafers, gawkers, and young boys were yelling for others to come and see as Jase halted in front of the Sheriff's office and dismounted.

As he was tying up the horses, the Sheriff stepped out and said, "My, my, young man, what have we here?"

Jase replied, "I got a gunny that tried to bushwhack me in my sleep in my camp last night. He didn't figure I was wise to him. His mistake."

"Why was he gunnin' for you?" asked the sheriff.

Jase replied, "I made two enemies recently and I figure one or both of them hired this gunny to come after me. Don't know why else he would be, I just mustered out of the army at Appomattox."

"Well," said the Sheriff, "let's take a look at him." The Sheriff opened the blanket covering the dead man's head with a "Whooeee! You don't know who you got here?"

"Not the foggiest idea," replied Jase.

"That scar," said the Sheriff, "and if the end of the left pinky finger is missing, means you've brought in 'Dead Eye' Sam Pickens!"

"Who is he?" asked Jase.

"Just about the most wanted man in these parts," answered the Sheriff. " He's a hired gun from 'that other Virginia' that stayed with the Union and who hires out over a large area. He's wanted so bad that there's a $1000 bounty on his head. Didn't figure there was anybody fast enough to get him. How'd you do it?"

Jase explained the circumstances as the boys in the crowd ran off hooting and hollering that Dead Eye Pickens was just brought in ... dead.

"Help me cut him loose and cart him into my office. I'll send for the undertaker and fill out a form for you to take to the bank there across the street to pick up your reward. I don't keep that kind of cash layin' around the office."

Jase took the note from the Sheriff and his saddle bags into the bank to retrieve his reward money.

After Jase was ushered into the manager's office, the manager asked, "What can I do for you, young man?"

Jase presented the note from the Sheriff. "Well I declare," said the manager, A. J ... Dithers, "Ain't that something!"

"I'd like that in cash coin, if you please," said Jase, "Times being what they are, I don't trust bank notes."

"Certainly," said Dithers as he called a cashier in and instructed him to bring in $1,000 in hundred dollar gold pieces.

Jase put this money in the money belt with his other money and strapped the belt on under his shirt. Shaking hands with the banker, Jase said, "Thank you, Mr. Dithers, it has been a pleasure."

"Good luck, young man," replied Mr. Dithers.

Walking out of the bank, Jase spotted a general store down the block and walked there to see about some new clothes. There, Jase outfitted himself with two pair of denim pants and one pair of cords. Several work day shirts, one dress shirt, a vest, three full length and long sleeved union suits, new boots, three bandannas, socks, a new pair of gloves, and a Stetson, completed his new clothing. The clerk tied the clothes into two bundles that went into Jase's saddle bags.

Coffee, flour, tinned peaches, salt, sugar, and a few other non perishable food items along with a washcloth and towel, and a bar of lye soap, completed his purchases.

Jase then walked back to the hitch rail and untied the horses, mounted the buckskin and, leading the chestnut, slowly rode out of town to the stares and cheers of the same crowd that cheered him into town.

Jase thought, I had better put some distance between me and this town. An awful lot of people know that I'm now carrying at least the thousand dollar reward money.