As we headed off toward town, I tried to think of what might have happened. We soon had to slow to an easy lope as the light was failing. We didn't want the horses to be injured by stumbling in the near dark. That would make it just that much longer getting there.
The arrival of dusk took me by surprise. Where had the day gone? I knew the girls had let me sleep late to start with. Then I became so absorbed in what I was doing, I guess I never noticed the passage of time. I only vaguely remembered stopping to eat. I realized it must have been well after supper when the kid showed up.
Instead of ruminating on how time flies when you're busy, I had other concerns. As we rode, I put the questions to the messenger boy.
"Who was shot? What happened? How did they get shot?" I demanded.
"The judge -- but it's not bad -- just a crease!"
"Do you know who shot him, or why?"
"A bunch of miners got all drunked up and was tryin' to break out the Baxter brothers. The claimed they had been put in jail for nothing. There was a big argument. Suddenly there was a shot and the judge was hit in the right arm."
As the boy finished his tale, we came to the edge of town. In the distance we could see torches around the courthouse steps. We rode closer. In the half light of dusk and flickering torchlight I was able to make out about 20 miners. They were shouting abuse at a man standing on the courthouse stairs holding a shotgun. Seeing the nature of the mob, who as yet seemed unaware of our arrival, I spoke to the boy.
"Thanks for coming to get us, Son, but you should maybe stay back now. It could get real ugly. Besides, I might need a messenger again, and you wouldn't do me any good if you was in the thick of things gettin' hurt."
The boy hesitated, then as he reined in his mount he called out. "You're welcome Marshal! If you need me again, just holler for Jimmy!"
Grandpa and I rode on until we came to the mob. Without a second thought, I spurred my horse into the surging mass of men, forcing them to part like the Red Sea to allow us passage. I didn't need to look behind to know that Grandpa was with me. We forced our horses to the front of the crowd. The sudden appearance of mounted men in their midst startled the crowd. There was a brief lull in the racket. I vaulted off my horse and onto the courthouse steps.
I spun to face them and roared, "Just what the
hell
is going on here!"
"They got our pals, the Baxter brothers, locked up in there for no reason, and we want them out!" claimed the largest and dirtiest of the miners.
"It was me that arrested your so-called pals and locked them up for robbery and murder! They're the ones that have been robbing and killing and making it look like Indians did it!" I declared.
"What makes you think it was them and not some dirty stinking Indian?" He responded.
I was really did not feel like explaining the how and the why of the Baxters' crimes. And I certainly resented explaining myself to a mob of drunks, especially this bigoted fat slob. However, for the sake of justice and law and order, I persevered.
"That's really quite simple when you know what to look for, or know what you're looking at when you see it." I explained as if to a slow child. The sarcasm was obviously lost on him, but I continued with my more-or-less patient exposition.
"First, they used Crow arrows instead of Sioux. Crow arrows are marked with black and blue bands. Sioux arrows are marked with red and yellow bands. Because the Crow and Sioux are enemies, the Crow would not be found around these parts, as the Sioux would immediately attack them.
"Secondly, the bodies were found robbed of all their gold and other valuables, stuff Indians would not take. They don't have any use for money or gold. Indians would've wanted their horses and guns. They were even dumb enough to leave boot tracks instead of moccasin tracks!
"Thirdly, when I arrested them, and told them why, the oldest brother tried to draw on me -- I had to kill the dumbass. He didn't declare his innocence or demand why they had been accused. He just started to draw. If he was innocent, why did he do that?
"Finally, after I arrested the other two, we searched their rooms. We found the evidence we needed -- a small bow with about a dozen Crow arrows, several pokes of gold, money and other valuables that can be traced to the dead miners.
"With all that evidence, I'm sure that your so-called pals are the ones what have been doing all this robbing and killing around here. I was sure enough then that I locked them up, and still am, and they're gonna stay locked up until their trial. Didn't it seem even a little strange to any of you that they seemed to have all this money for their drinking and partying, yet they hardly ever went out to their claim, let alone work it?"
I hated having to justify my actions to these jackasses. The more I told them, the more angry and bitter I got. Because of that, I ended my tale more like a rant than a reasoned, detailed description of events and evidence.
However, what I said must have gotten through a little, because the shouting to free the Baxters died down as the miners stopped to consider my words for a few minutes. However, the mob was not to be denied their entertainment. If they couldn't free their friends, then they were going to have an old fashioned lynching! How fickle the mob mentality! The rabble started hollering a different tune.
The big guy that had been doing most of the talking started it by shouting, "We need to string them up! We can't let someone get away with killing and robbing us!"
With his words, the crowd of miners' voices rose in anger and they surged toward the front steps of the courthouse again. I quickly pulled my cross-draw revolver and fired two shots into the ground in front of them.
"There is NOT going to be a lynching here tonight! Those men are locked up and will
stay
locked up! No matter what we think of them, they are going to get a fair trial! Any man that tries to take them from the law will either be shot or be arrested and stand trial himself!"
The big miner who was the spokesman for the crowd cried, "What law? We are the law around these parts! Only other law around here is a circuit judge that comes around every couple weeks! I say we hang them!"
I pinned on my badge so they could all see it, then I roared, "
I'm
the law around here! I'm the new deputy US marshal! And this is my area to cover!
