What is happening to this town? Damn that outlaw for bringing this evil into our midst. I am afraid the worst is yet to come. I went to the jail today to talk to Snake and almost walked into a town revolt! Dan Bullard, I man that I really do not know, was poking the hornet's nest with a stick. Seems he and some of his friends, are blaming Snake for the deaths of those two boys! Lord knows Snake has his faults, but he can't be blamed for this. It's Holmes, why can't they see that?
I approached the jail house and Snake stepped out on the porch to meet me. "I'm sorry Prissy," he said lighting a cigarette, " but I can't let you see him yet. He's still recovering."
"Tell me the truth Snake. He could not have been mixed up in this mess. There has got to be some misunderstanding!" I pleaded
"I wish I could tell you different gal,"he replied with a sorrowful look,"but it looks bad. He was there, he fired on us along with the rest of the gang. I won't know the rest until he wakes up and I can talk to him. But Doc Thomas has got the slugs out of him and patched him up real good. If he don't get infected, he should be fine."
"Was it you that shot him Snake?" I asked. He paused and looked at the porch floor for a heartbeat.
"I reckon I don't rightly know Prissy. There was a lot going on. I am not exactly sure who shot who." He was lying. I could tell. He never could lie well. And as I was about to call him on it I heard noises approaching from behind me. Snake looked over my shoulder to the street and his face suddenly grew hard and cold. "Go on now Prissy" he whispered, "get from here. Might be trouble." I turned and saw a group of angry looking men headed directly towards us. "Go!" Snake repeated in a hard voice that left no room for discussion. I stepped away without realizing I was even doing it.
"Marshal!" said the man in front of the group. I recognized him has Dan Bullard. He owns that no good whiskey house that Johnny has been hanging around. "We come to talk to ya!" I stepped off the end of the porch and stood behind a nearby wagon.
"Well, you found me Bullard." said Snake as he spread his feet and dropped his hands down near to his pistols."Read your letter in the paper this morning. Reckon you got your hackles raised up."
"You're damn right we do!" Said Bullard in a loud voice. "We don't rightly like the way you are operating things around here. Them boys didn't need to die!"
"Now you are right about that." Snakes voice was a calm as a small pond on a windless day. "Innocent people get hurt sometimes. Sometimes they even get killed. I don't like it no more than you do friend. But that's the way things are. If I could take things back, I reckon I would, but I can't. And there we are."
"Fancy talk Marshal." Said Bullard looking around at his friends for support. "But it don't change the fact that Hugh's boy is in the ground!" A few of the men patted Mr. Darling's back to comfort him.
"Mr. Darling, I am right sorry for your loss, but your son was a grown man. And a brave one at that."
"You don't know nothing about it Marshal!" shouted Bullard "We want you out of this town! Right now. You can leave on your own, or we can make you. What's it gonna be Snake???" He said the last word in a mocking, foolish manner. I backed behind the wagon a little more.
Snake stood silent for a moment, letting the weight of the situation settle in. "Friend," he said in a calm cool voice," that sounded a little like a threat to me. Are you sure you want to play things this way?"
"There are 9 of us here Marshal, and just one of you. I reckon that means we can play things any damn way we want to." I realized then for the first time that Bullard was drunk. In fact it looked like most of them were.
"Dan," spoke up one of them, " I didn't sign on for no gun play."
"Shut up Dukes! Ain't gonna be no gun fight. I don't care how good he's supposed to be, aint no one man will go up against nine at once. Ain't nobody that good!"
"You sure about that friend?" said Snake. "You willing to risk everything on that? I'll tell you what Bullard, I know you are upset, and maybe even a little bit drunk right now. I am gonna let you walk away from this and not hold it against you. But only if you go now. You see, you keep standing there in front of my office running your mouth like a fool, I might decide to get offended. And sir, I'm from Texas, we don't take kindly to someone offending us. We tend to take it personal. And then people tend to get hurt."
"Let's go Dan." said Dukes, the banker "This isn't the way to handle things." Some of the others voiced their agreement to leaving.
"Alright Marshal." Said Bullard "But this isn't over. Know that we are watching you. We won't stand for no more innocents getting hurt on account of you! Let's go men." Then he turned away and the others followed. All except Hugh Darling. He stood there looking at Snake.
"He was a brave boy Marshal, wasn't he?" he said in a voice near to breaking.
"Yes sir, he was. No question about it."
"You gonna get the son of a bitch who killed him?"
"Yes sir. You have my word on it." replied Snake.
"You kill him Marshal. You kill the bastard." Then he turned and slowly walked away.
As I started to come from behind the wagon, I saw another figure step from the shadows on the other side of the jail. Snake wheeled and reached for his pistol as he stepped into the light. "Damn it boy. That's an easy way to get killed!" I could see him relax as I recognized young Shots.
"Nicely played Marshal." said the young man with a sly grin on his face. "Thought for sure I was gonna have to put a bullet in one or two of those fellas to help you out."
"When I need your help youngin, I will ask for it." Snake laughed "But I appreciate it anyways."
"Anytime Marshal." He said as he pulled a flask from his hip and took a drink. "Don't kid yourself into thinking Bullard won't come back. Best watch your back." He offered Snake a pull.
"Son," said Snake as he took a swallow from the flask, "you don't live long in this business any other way. Now come on inside and help me finish off this bottle." With that they went back into the jail.
And I walked home without any more answers than I had this morning.
Poor Johnny.
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