Trego, p.9
Trego, page 9
We heard the first of the wagons coming down the hill. We went outside and stood by the door watching them. Most of the mud had dried enough so as not to bother the wagons. But there was still some mud holes.
They seen us standing there, but they all made sure not to make eye contact with us. What were we? Lepers? We were fine, when they needed us, but now they thought they didn’t, little did they know what was coming upon them.
Jake was setting in between us, turning his head and following each wagon as it passed. It was lunch time, we weren’t hungry, since we had a late breakfast, but we thought we’d go to the saloon, just the same.
It was crowded, every eye turned as we came in. We went to the bar, they made room for us. Bayard came over. “What’ll be?” He asked congenially. “Just coffee, and maybe a couple of those ‘bear sign’ you have back there.” We said. “And Oh yeah, don’t forget to bring one of them for Jake.” He nodded.
We turned our backs to the bar, resting our elbows on it; we surveyed the crowd. No one would make eye contact with us. Maybe they thought if they didn’t look as us, we would go away.
They say the only thing constant is change. Which is true, I guess. But one thing that doesn’t change all that much is human nature. People, as a general rule, get what they deserve. But of course there are always exceptions to every rule. Some people become victims through no fault of their own. It was them I was concerned about.
The helpless, the downtrodden, the masses thrown about and skinned by the shysters of the world. Of course one cannot save the world, it takes a higher power than what we possessed.
But we did posses some power; we have the power to think positive thoughts, even though others might have negative ones. This was what I was trying to keep in mind; instead of just throwing up my hands and walking away.
Speaking of shysters, two of them just walked in: Evan Blythe and Sam Benbow. You remember, I had a wanted poster on Sam. Did I want to arrest him now? The saloon was full of those innocent bystanders. Common sense told me to wait.
There was that old adage: Give a person enough rope and they would hang themselves. Perhaps I should give him a little more slack; he might just get tangled up in the extra coils. Yeah, and there was another saying: Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. How does that apply?
If I tried to arrest him now and some bystander got hurt; that would be damned if I do. Now on the flip side; if I didn’t and he committed some other mayhem, then they would say; you knew he was wanted how come you didn’t put him in jail?
The two of them looked around for an empty table. Two miners got up and gave them their seats. The two miners came over to the bar, with lowered eyes. There was an open space beside us. Their ears were getting red from embarrassment.
Bayard brought us our coffee and doughnuts. I gave Jake his, he was setting in-between Brie and I. Brie and I sipped our coffee and dunked our ‘bear sign’. Brie said, in a whisper, “Don’t you have a poster on him?” Indicating with a tilt of her head: Sam Benbow.
“Yep, I do.” I said.
“Well, aren’t you going to arrest him?”
“I’m not done with my coffee. But, but hell yeah, I guess I am.” I guess all of my procrastinating was to no avail. I sat my coffee cup on the bar. I walked toward their table. They raised their eyes and watched me as I came. I walked right up to them, their eyes got big with surprise. Before Sam could react, I pulled my right hand gun and clipped him up beside his head, he went out like a flickering wick in a blizzard.
I kept my gun loosely pointed at Evan. I addressed the crowd. “This man is wanted for murder and other crimes. I have a wanted poster on him at the Jail. Is there anyone here who would like to dispute this?”
Now I probably shouldn’t have said that last, it was just like pouring salt on a wound. Evan started to bluster, I gave him a look, he shut up.
“Good, then if you two miners would pick him up, you can follow me to jail.” I had indicated two miners who were seated closest. They did as I requested. Brie was still at the bar, sipping her coffee. She waved me on, indicating that she would stay there till I got back. Most times a man would not leave a woman alone in this environment. But I was sure no harm would come to her. To begin with she could take care of herself. Also, whoever wanted to harm her had to be deranged to even consider it.
It didn’t take me long to bed Sam down in a cell. The miners laid his unconscious body on the bunk and then left. I went through his pockets. The usual stuff; match’s, a sack of Bull Durham, loose change, a pocket knife. In his boot was a hide out and a sharp throwing knife. In his wallet he had three hundred dollars. Also a letter addressed to him; which I didn’t read. I put everything in the middle desk drawer, I locked it.
Brie and Jake were on their second donut. I still hadn’t finished eating mine. And my coffee was cold. Bayard warmed it up for me.
“So did everything go alright?” Brie asked me.
“Yeah, I took everything out of his pocket’s and boots and locked them in the desk. His gun I put in the gun closet. I suppose we’d better have Bayard put together some food for him, he didn’t have a chance to eat.”
When we got ready to leave, Bayard had the food ready for Sam. He was awake when we got there. He was setting up with his head in his hands. “You didn’t have to hit me, I would of come peaceable if you would of asked.” He said.
“Is that right? Now how I was supposed to know that? I suppose you would have just thrown your hands up and said, ‘I give up!’ huh?”
“Well, not exactly, but I wouldn’t have fought you.” Sam said.
“And just why wouldn’t you have?” Brie asked him.
“Because I’ve been meaning to talk to you anyway. But you’re always so busy and I didn’t want anyone to see me talking to you. I see that you’ve cleaned me out. Did you find a letter addressed to me?”
“Yeah, I did, why?”
“It’s a letter from the U.S, Marshal of the Montana Territory. If you will read it, you’ll not only see that I have been pardoned, but I am a Deputy U.S. Marshal.”
“Oh, how come I didn’t find any badge?”
“Because you overlooked my hat.” Sam said, taking off his hat, he reached under the lining in the crown and dug out a badge, he tossed it to me.”
Brie caught it in mid-air. She looked at it, then tossed it to me. She said, “Give me the key, I’ll get that letter.” She did so. “Yep, he’s right.”
“Well then, how come you didn’t tell me right off? And how come you were trying to dry gulch me that first day?”
“Well, you have somewhat of a ‘rep’ of being on the shady side of the law yourself. But I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt. I wish you’d of did the same for me.”
“I did. I could of just plugged you. What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Evan Blythe, he was hiring someone to kill you. My boss got wind of it, so he had me sign up for the job. Not to kill you, but get the goods on Blythe. The U.S. Marshals office has been investigating him for some time.”
“Well, it looks like I threw some manure in the cooking pot, didn’t I.” I said.
“Not really, it might have helped some. If I know Blythe he’ll have his lawyer over here anytime, looking to bail me out. All you have to do is go along with it, the bail I mean.” Sam said.
Yeah, I suppose, but won’t they think it fishy, usually there is not any bail on capital crimes, like murder. That’s what the wanted poster says about you.” Brie said.
I looked at my wife, I guess her education did her some good. “Yeah, but they think we’re just some dim witted local law. We’ll let them post his bail.” I had no sooner finished speaking then in walked Blythe’s lawyer.
He cleared his throat, “My name is Harvey Dipper, I am this man’s lawyer, I wish to pay his bail, how much is it?”
“Well now, that just depends, how much money do you have on you.”
“I am prepared to go as high as five hundred dollars.”
“That’s too bad, cause his bail is one thousand dollars. Why don’t you go back to Evan Blythe and get the rest of the money, then come back. Sam hasn’t had his lunch yet, and it’s getting cold.”
He harrumphed and stormed out. I unlocked the cell door. Brie got Sam’s stuff out of the desk drawer and gave it back to him as he was eating his lunch. She balanced his boot knife in her hand, then tossed it by his head, it vibrated in the wall behind him. Then she twirled his hide out in her hand, tossed it in the air and caught it on one finger then tossed it back to him.
“Impressive, remind me to never get cross ways with you.” He said as he stood up, putting his hat on, he winched. “Damn Trego, you could of gone a little easier.”
“Yeah, I could of. But at the time I didn’t know you were on our side. What are they investigating Blythe about?” I asked.
“Various things, like stealing land from homesteaders. Might even be murder and rape.”
“Rape? Him?” Brie said.
“Yep, you don’t think any self respecting woman would sleep with him, do you?”
“Well, his wife did.” I said.
“Alright, that’s yet to be proven. But also money laundering.”
“Money laundering? What do you mean, he wash’s his money? That’s not illegal is it?” I said.
“That’s a new term, it simply means that he cleans up money, that’s gotten by illegal means. In this case from some of the big wigs in Chicago. Money from gambling and prostitution. He takes it, and makes it look like it comes from his mine.” That’s called laundering.” Sam said.
“Well do you mean to say that his mine isn’t producing silver and gold?” Brie asked.
“No, it’s producing alright, but just not in the amount he say’s it is. He’s in cahoots with some of Chicago’s biggest crime bosses. That’s what the U.S. Marshal’s office hopes to prove, and thereby indicting those crooks in Chicago.”
“Let’s get back to you. That paper says you are pardoned. Did you do all of those crimes?” Brie said.
“Nope, not all of them. It’s just a cover, those wanted poster’s; but that’s why I carry that letter of pardon, to show local law like your husband, so I don’t get plugged.”
“Well, what about that bank robbery that I seen you pull?” I said.
“Oh, that was real enough, but it was also staged, the money was returned to the bank and nobody was killed. I had to have a reputation or I couldn’t get in good with the bad guys. Shush, here comes Harvey.”
Harvey Dipper came in all important like. “I have your money Marshal.” He said, as he counted out the thousand. I picked it up off of the desk and putting it in my pocket, I said, “Well thank you Harvey, that will go in my hope chest.” I said. Thereby giving the impression that I was crooked and could be bought.
Brie handed Sam his gun and belt as he went out of the door. She turned to me, “We have to get that money to the mayor, before that little rat runs and tells the city council that you’re on the take.”
“Yeah, I know. I couldn’t help but tease him, come on, we’ll go there now.” We were setting in Klaas Bleecker’s office when Harvey ‘the rat’, came in.
Klaas said, “Can I help you Harvey? Do you need your horse shod?”
“Uh, yeah, would it be alright if I brought him by in the morning?” He said, looking at me. “I was just in the process of counting the money out to Klaas, would you like to count it also?” I said with a innocent smile. He just turned and left, Jake was just outside the door, he tripped Harvey, he fell face first in the mud.
“We were standing there laughing at him, when Klaas caught a glimpse of Brie’s badge. “Oh, I see you’ve hired yourself a Deputy.”
“Yeah, I forgot to tell you. You don’t have any objections do you?” I said.
“Of course not, I’ll clear it with the council at our next meeting, even though Brie is on the council. But there has been some grumbling about how you are filling up boot hill.”
“Well, tell them this; would they like it to be them, or the lawbreakers? Because we could just let the bad ones kill whoever they wanted to.” Brie said.
“No, I understand. But you know how the pious are, self-righteous to the end.”
“Oh, believe me, we know,” I said, “keep the lawbreakers in check, as long as it doesn’t get messy, or inconvenient for them.”
“But,” Klaas said, “what about this Sam Benbow, should you of let him out on bail? And what about setting a trail date for him? Shouldn’t we send for the circuit judge?
“There is more to his story than meets the eye. The only thing that’s important for you to know, is that he is not dangerous to any law abiding citizen. That’s all I can say, for now. Knowing more might endanger his life. In fact, keep what I just told you under your hat.” I said.
“Sure Trego, if that’s the way you want it.” Klaas said.
On our way back home, Brie said, “Do you think he’ll keep his mouth shut?”
“Yes. Sometimes you just have to trust people, there’s no way around it. I think Klaas is as honest as the day is long.”
“Yeah, as long as we don’t get a solar eclipse.” Brie said. We walked in silence the rest of the way home. I went in the barn and forked down some hay from the loft. Brie had went in the house, she came back out with the milk bucket.
She sat down and proceeded to milk the cow, darned if she wasn’t faster than I was. She didn’t need my help, so I grabbed the manure fork and shoveled out some of the stalls. I was humming a little ditty about it going in one end and out the other, when I got to thinking about life. How it was much the same, sort of recyclable. Or more like a big circle, where it started was where it ended up.
I kicked at a horse apple, it went rolling down the alley and out the barn door and into the manure pile. Yep, that’s how we end up, right in a big pile of shit. I heard Brie’s voice behind me, “Is that all you have to do, is play with shit?”
“Isn’t that what we are doing all of the time anyway?” I said, as I took the full milk bucket from her. We walked arm in arm into the house. As we walked into the house, Caitie said, “I was looking for that bucket, glad to see some one else milk for once.” Brona took the milk bucket from me and took it into the separating room. Margaret asked, “We’re having Ham tonight, is that alright?”
“You’re running the show, its up to you.” Brie said, “we’ll eat what’s put on the table.”
In bed that night, we had a chance to talk about the days goings on. We both were reclining on the bed watching the flickering light from our coal oil lamp on the ceiling. Brie asked: “Did you believe him?”
“Who?”
“Sam Benbow. Oh I know, he had that paper work and a badge, but they can be faked.”
“Is there anything in this world that’s certain for sure? I mean what’s the truth one minute, can turn into a lie the next. The only way to know for sure how good the fruit on a tree is, is to let it get ripe. I do wish we had the Telegraph here; we could check and see.” I said, “but since we don’t, I guess we take him at face value. What he says certainly seems plausible, but then again lies usually do. Truth on the other hand, at times, sounds like a lie.” I said.
“In other words, you have no idea whether he’s on the up and up?” Brie said.
“Yep, I guess you’re right. Its like a I told you earlier, at times you just have to trust.” I looked at my wife, she was getting goose bumps all over. “I guess we had better get under the covers, you’re getting a chill.”
“Well then, I guess you had better warm me up.” She said as she rolled over on top of me……
Chapter Five
Another nice spring day was upon us. Brie was still sound asleep, as I stood at the window letting the warm breeze blow over me. Being that our house was on a small hill; I could see all of the downtown from our second story window.
The town was slowly waking up. I could see Bayard sweeping the board walk in front of the saloon. Most of the rest of the merchants were doing the same thing. Henry had just let the horses out of the stalls into the pasture behind the stables.
There were a few idlers in front of the Wise River mine office. That was a little unusual, most of the time if they had business there, they just went right in. Could Blythe be getting ready to send out a shipment of Gold and Silver?
I was still watching, when I seen Sam Benbow come out of the front door of the office. Blythe was with him. I could see that they were laughing; couldn’t hear though. But Blythe was slapping Sam on the back. Blythe probably thought that he was pretty smart the way he got Sam out of jail.
Brie stirred, then rolled over on her back, “Hey, you advertising your wares or something, standing in front of the window stark naked.” She said, “it won’t do you any good, I’ve already bought and paid for those family jewels.”
“That you have sweetheart, that you have. Come over here, there is something going on in front the Wise River Mine office.” Brie jumped out of bed and came and stood beside me. “What do you think they are doing?” She asked me.
“I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinking they might be ready to send a shipment out. They’re all packing rifles.” I said. We weren’t paying much attention to what was going on in our yard, that is till we heard a whistle.
“Hey, you two, do you always stand naked in that window?” We looked down; Brona was standing there looking at us. Brie said, “Sure, don’t you like the view?”
“Didn’t say that, in fact I do like it, do you want company?” Brona said. I stepped behind my wife. “Nope, I can handle this job all by myself.” Brie said.
“Well, if it ever gets where you can’t, just whistle, I’ll be there with bells on.” Brona said, then went on her way to the barn. Brie leaned her head back and kissed me, “I just bet she would too.” She said.
