Hard Justice

by Mike McNeff

  Jasper smiled and followed her. “You forgive me every time, Mother.”

  Rain Water lifted the blanket covering Wind Runner. “Did he die like a warrior?”

  “Yes, but we let our hatred for Moore cloud our judgment. Wind Runner took a chance and it cost him his life.”

  Rain Water shook her head. “Hate always hurts the one who hates,” she said almost absentmindedly. “We must prepare his body.”

  The bottom of the deep orange sun was shaved off by the horizon when the clan sent Wind Runner to the spirits. Moon On The Water and Claw Of The Eagle each held one of Butterfly Wing’s arms for support. When the ceremony was done the clan returned to their lodges. Jasper and Harry sat around the campfire.

  “You’re lookin’ stronger,” Jasper noted.

  “I am stronger. As much as I’d like to stay I don’t think I should use up too much of the clan’s kindness. I might need it again.”

  “Where do you think you’ll go?”

  “I thought I’d stick to my original plan and leave the territory. I think I’ve been branded by ridin’ with Moore. Work will be hard to come by around here.”

  Gale came out of Black Feather’s lodge and sat between the men. “The children are asleep. Sean’s pretty tuckered out.”

  “He did well in this crazy mess, watchin’ everything while I was gone.”

  Gale looked into the fire. “Mother has named me.”

  Jasper smiled. “Who are you?”

  “Swirling Wind.”

  Jasper laughed. “That’s a fine name for you. Harry was tellin’ me he’s headin’ out of the territory.”

  Gale squeezed Jasper’s hand.

  “Harry, Gale and I been talkin’. We now have two ranches to run and with me being sheriff, we’re goin’ to need help. If you’re a mind to we’d appreciate it if you’d join up with us.”

  Harry sat quiet for a minute. Then he took off his hat and ran his sleeve across his eyes. “Damn smoke is gettin’ in my eyes.” He said nothing for a moment more then he looked at them with level eyes. “Folks, I’d be plumb proud to work for you.”

  “We were thinking about a partnership,” Gale offered. “You run Pa’s ranch and we’ll split the profits sixty/forty.”

  “Well, ma’am, forty percent is mighty generous of you!”

  “No, Harry, you’d be doin’ most of the work. You’d get the sixty percent.”

  Harry’s lips quivered and he made no attempt to hide the tears streaming down his face. He wiped them away and regained himself. “Ain’t no one ever put stock in me before, not that I earned any. I’m forever indebted to you.”

  Gale touched his hand. “True partners are never indebted to each other, Harry.”

  The next morning, Jasper, Gale, the children and Harry were getting ready to leave. Jasper was on Coal and Gale, the younger children and Harry were in the wagon with Harry’s horse tied to the buckboard. Sean was on his horse. They noticed the clan gathered around Butterfly Wing.

  Rain Water walked over to Jasper.

  “What’s going on, Mother?”

  “Butterfly Wing is leaving. No warrior will have her now. We told her she doesn’t have to go, but she won’t listen.”

  “Where’s she goin’?”

  “She does not know.”

  Harry climbed off the wagon. “Can I talk to her?”

  Rain Water looked at Harry for a long uncomfortable moment, then nodded.

  Harry walked up to Butterfly Wing and took off his hat. “Ma’am, Jasper ‘n Gale have offered me a chance for a new life workin’ their father’s ranch. Well, I’m not too good at workin’ by myself and I’d be appreciative if’n you’d come and help me out. I’ll give you half my share.”

  She stared at him. “I am a ruined woman and brought bad spirits upon Wind Runner,” she said as plainly as if she were discussing the weather.

  “Sounds like we’re two peas in a pod, ma’am, ‘cause I ain’t no prize bull my own self.”

  Butterfly Wing looked at the ground. “I could not do my woman duty with Wind Runner.” She looked up at Harry. “I could not sleep with him.”

  Harry grinned. “Hell, ma’am, you wouldn’t want to sleep with me anyway. I snore somthin’ awful.” His face turned soft as he held out his hand. “Come with me. We’ll take it one day at a time and see what happens. If nothin’ else, we’ll just be in business together.”

  After a moment she took a tentative step toward Harry. He took her hand in his and they walked to the wagon together.

  Rain Water looked at Jasper. “The Circle is unbroken.”

  He held out his hand and she took it in both of hers.

  “You are no longer Fire Hawk. Your new name is Iron Star.”

  He nodded. “Thank you, Mother.”

  “May the spirits guide and protect on your journey home.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  IT WAS MID-SUMMER when Amos and Doris Scoville watched with warm hearts as Willis assisted Beth up into the buckboard seat. Willis was nearly fully recovered, but Beth still had a ways to go.

  Willis had become Beth’s therapist. His gentle soul and loving heart was leading her out of her darkness into the clean light of a new life. The hours he spent talking with her, walking with her in the woods and meadows in back of the Scoville’s home, helped her get stronger. His calm determination to see her through her physical and emotional wounds was the best medicine she could ever have.

  Beth settled in the seat and Willis patted her hand. He turned to Amos and Doris. “Well folks, I think we’re ready to go.”

  Doris took Beth by the hand. “Don’t overdo things, dear. Take your time. Now that your husband is a man of importance he can afford to hire help. Isn’t that right, Judge Harwick?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Beth.”

  Doris hugged Willis. “I know you will and she’ll take good care of you.”

  Willis turned and took Amos’ hand in a warm handshake. “Thank you for everything, Amos.”

  “No need to thank me. I was just doing what I’m supposed to do.”

  “Leading an insurrection isn’t something you learned in medical school.”

  “Standing beside men like Stan Barstow and Jasper Lee…and you, made it easy.”

  Willis looked away for a moment. “Jasper Lee. My first and only client. I owe that man much.”

  “To me he just seems to be always looking,” Amos said, “…always wary of something.”

  “He is a complicated man, but I don’t think he’s afraid of anything. I never detected fear during the time I represented him, just a natural curiosity and innate cunning that took in everything going on around him.”

  “Well, it’s certainly a good thing to have him wearing a badge. He is well suited for the position.”

  “Unlike somebody else we know,” Willis said lowering his voice.

  “What are you talking about, Willis? You’ll make a fine judge.”

  “I’m not worried about being a judge…husband and rancher on the other hand…”

  Amos put his arm around Willis’ shoulders. “Both those jobs require a good heart, a good soul and a willingness to work hard. You have all the qualifications, Willis. You have nothing to fear.”

  Willis looked at Amos and smiled. “Thank you, Amos. You’re a true friend.”

  They shook hands again and Willis climbed into the buckboard. Willis snapped the reins and the horse started down the road.

  Doris took Amos’ hand. “Is Willis nervous about Beth?”

  “More nervous about himself. It’s pretty obvious he’s never been with a woman and given Beth’s condition…”

  “Amos, what is the most important thing in the world?”

  He looked into his wife’s eyes. “You know I believe the most important thing in the world is love.”

  Doris nodded. “Yes. Beth told me she loves Willis more than she loved Orrin. They will be fine and eventually what Willis needs to know, Beth will teach him.”
>
  “Well, then Willis is one lucky man!”

  Doris stepped back and looked at her husband with a cocked head for a moment, then locked her arm onto his. “Well, Dr. Scoville, why don’t we step inside and I’ll teach you a thing or two.”

  Amos’ face broke out in a boyish grin. “I do believe I’m one lucky man!”

  It took ten months and three trials to finish all the cases against Cornell Norris and his co-conspirators. One trial was for federal corruption charges and two of the trials were before Judge Abramson acting as Kent County judge on charges of murder, attempted murder, grand larceny, kidnapping, and conspiracy for the crimes committed against Coy Jeffers, Rich Delton, Jasper Lee, and Willis Harwick. No murder charges were brought in the Norton case because according to Carlos’ testimony, the men shot in self-defense. In the end, Norris, Rance Iverson and Morey Lock, along with the men who tried to kill Willis were sentenced to hang. All the others received long prison sentences, including the men on the jury in Jasper’s fake trial. In exchange for life in prison, the prosecutor testified on behalf of the Territory.

  Two months after the trials, Stan Barstow, Claw Of The Eagle and Jasper Lee approached the cells holding Norris, Iverson and Lock, the last of the criminals to face the gallows.

  Iverson sat in the corner of his cell facing the wall, his head hung down on his chest.

  “He’s been sitting like that for days,” the sergeant of the guard said.

  “We’ll have to carry him then,” Stan said.

  Two soldiers came in with a stretcher, loaded Iverson on it and took him out.

  “C’mon let’s get this bullshit over with!” Morey Lock growled.

  Jasper clicked the same manacles on Lock’s wrists that the ex-sheriff had used over a year ago on him.

  Stan stepped up to Norris.

  “Let’s go.”

  Norris didn’t move.

  “This can go easy or it can go hard. Either way you’re goin’.”

  “Alright, Marshal…I choose…hard!” He lunged at Stan.

  Stan deflected a blow.

  Claw Of The Eagle was there before Norris could throw a second punch. They lifted Norris off his feet and slammed him to the ground face down. Claw Of The Eagle held him down while Stan manacled his hands and feet.

  “I won’t go!” Norris yelled. “I won’t go!”

  “What an idiot,” Lock said and stepped over Norris.

  Soldiers picked Norris up by the hands and feet and carried him out.

  Now and then the sun showed through gathering clouds. Three nooses swung in a strong breeze that carried the smell of coming rain. Iverson sat on the trap door, two soldiers waited behind him for the proceedings to begin. Lock stood tall as Jasper followed him up the gallows stairs. Norris sobbed and babbled something incoherent. Then he suddenly gathered his wits.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t save Bart, Sis.”

  “Don’t bother yourself, governor.” A man in the crowd yelled. “He weren’t worth savin’ anyhow.”

  People in the gathered onlookers started to laugh and taunt. Norris’ sister ran away.

  Jasper offered Lock a hood.

  Lock turned to him and shook his head. “It’s a good day to die. I admire you for turning this whole thing around, Jasper. You’re one tough son of a bitch.”

  “And I admire a man who has the sand to face his punishment.”

  “Appreciate that. By the way, I thought I’d do one good deed before I go to hell.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I heard Norris and his boys talking about the Norton shootin’. They were sayin’ how Carlos didn’t even pull his gun. Didn’t fire a shot. I thought some lawman oughta know Carlos is tellin’ the truth about that.”

  The two men nodded to each other.

  Nooses were slipped over bare heads. Knots tightened against necks. Moments later the hangman pulled the lever and ended the worst bout of crime since the cattle wars.

  Three men stopped their horses on the crest of a hill overlooking the territorial border to the north. Carlos McElroy sat in his saddle, his hands bound. Sweat dripped from his head even though the morning was cool. They had been riding for two hours and neither Marshal Barstow nor Sheriff Lee had said a word.

  Carlos played with his reins. “Marshal, can we just get this over with?” His voice cracked, embarrassing him even more.

  “Get what over with?” Marshal Barstow said.

  “Well, I figure you brought me out here to shoot me, which I appreciate because I don’t want to do the danglin’ jig in front of a bunch of ol’ ladies, but we might as well get on with it.” Carlos tried to moisten his dry mouth but he couldn’t get together enough spit to wet a postage stamp.

  “I didn’t bring you here to shoot you, Carlos.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “Nope.”

  Relief blew the tension out of Carlos’ body so fast he started shaking and almost fell off his horse. Sheriff Lee reached over and steadied him in his saddle.

  “W…w…why?”

  “First off you were true to your word and testified against all those men. I don’t believe we could’ve convicted all of them without you. Secondly, you didn’t whine or bug me for leniency. You took responsibility for your crimes and were willing to take whatever the judge was going to give you. But mainly, during our many conversations over this last year or so, you’ve told me you were sorry for what you did”

  Carlos hung his head. “I am truly sorry for my crimes, especially the Nortons.”

  “Why?” Sheriff Lee said. “You didn’t shoot them.”

  “I’m sorry for what I didn’t do. I should have stopped it.”

  “You would’ve died there with them,” the marshal said.

  The men were quiet for a good while. The plains stretched out before them to a faint line of blue mountains in the long distance. They watched the wind play with the prairie grass that had turned its autumn gold.

  “One good thing about the West,” the marshal finally said, “is that a man can put enough miles between him and his past to start a new life with a different name… if he can keep from the outlaw side of things.” The marshal reached over and untied Carlos’ hands. Then he reached in his saddle bag and took out a gun belt and a sack. “Here’s your gun and some provisions.”

  “And here’s your rifle.” Sheriff Lee held out Carlos’ Winchester.

  “I told the judge I believe if given a chance at a new life you’d do well,” the marshal continued. “You’re getting that chance. Don’t prove me wrong.”

  Carlos put the rifle in the sheath on his saddle and strapped on his pistol belt. He held his hand out. “Thank you, Marshal. I never thought I’d get a second chance. I won’t waste it.” He turned to Sheriff Lee. “I’m glad to have met you, sir.”

  “Good luck.”

  Carlos started down the hill toward the prairie, then reined in and came back. “Would you boys take offense if I could get hired on as a lawman somewhere?”

  Stan shook his head. “Take whatever job suits you.”

  Carlos touched the rim of his hat and headed for those distant mountains.

  Stan and Jasper watched Carlos shrink in the distance.

  “Do you think I did the right thing, Jasper?”

  “I understand why you let him go, but I’m kinda mixed up inside about it.”

  “Well, he did over a year in jail on top of everything else. The judge was going to put him in prison for twenty years. He would’ve gone to the same prison as some of the people he testified against. Wouldn’t have lasted a month. I just didn’t think it was right. Besides, the only man he murdered was Rich Delton.”

  Jasper let out a long breath. “Thinking like that makes this star mighty heavy.”

  “It’s supposed to be heavy.” Stan touched the badge on his own chest. With a man like Jasper Lee on his side, it didn’t feel quite as heavy as it used to. “That piece of metal on your chest doesn’t make you better than anyone, it jus
t means you’ve accepted the serious responsibility that comes with it.”

  “Yeah, I know. My deputy is philosophical about the job. He tells me the same things you do. ”

  “I knew there was a reason I liked Sandy James.”

  They headed back towards the Ft. Hurley trail.

  “I gave my final report on the Tully Valley shootings to the judge,” Stan said.

  “What’d he say?”

  “Because these men committed such violent crimes you had good reason to believe they would continue to do so. The judge said you were justified in shooting them to prevent them from escaping and killing again. I did have a question about one of them, though.”

  “The young kid.”

  “Yes, the body was decomposing, but he did appear to be young. He had a bullet in the gut and one in the head.”

  “Moore put the one in his gut. I put the one in his head. He was still alive when I found him and hurtin’ bad. I told him the wound was goin’ to kill him and he asked me to finish him off.

  For a long while the only sound was the clop of hooves, the creak of saddle leather and the occasional song of a bird.

  “That was a tough thing to do, Jasper.”

  “The last look in that kid’s eyes still haunts me.”

  “Oh?”

  “I don’t believe he was a bad kid. Life just never gave him a chance…but I’d a shot him if Moore hadn’t.”

  “Those eyes,” Stan said after a while, “they’ll probably always haunt you, my friend.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  JASPER TOPPED THE HILL where the passed over members of the Lee family rested. A distant dark grey thunder storm crawled over the land, the wind animating the trees and grass to a spring dance flashing emerald and jade. Shafts of gold and orange from the setting sun found their way through gaps in the clouds casting Gale’s shadow long down the hill.

  Jasper pulled up next to his wife and dismounted. Coal and the mare nuzzled each other, passing whispered secrets.

  “Sean said I’d find you here.”