by Steven Grey
‘That’s right. What do you think, sir? Do you think he’s guilty?’
Rowlands frowned. ‘A short while ago I’d’ve said no. But now I’m not so sure. In the same way I would also have said that while I don’t like or approve of sodbusters coming out here and fencing off the open range we never had much trouble with ’em in the past.’
‘But Marshal Jackson, as well as Steadman seems to think you’re having trouble now.’
‘Look, Mr Cobb, I don’t mind anyone taking the odd cow or two to help feed a starving family. That’s understandable. But we can’t put up with wholesale rustling. I know some of the farmers are having a hard time but so are we.’
‘So a lot of rustling is going on?’
‘Yeah, I’m afraid so. My ranch isn’t affected, well, my foreman tells me I have lost some cows but not enough to make a difference but others around here are suffering badly.’ Rowlands paused to pour more lemonade. ‘We ranchers have got to stick up for ourselves and support one another. That’s not unreasonable, is it?’
‘No. I expect the farmers feel the same.’
Rowlands’ eyes narrowed as if he didn’t like Cobb taking the opposite point of view.
‘Of course out here near to the border with Mexico we’ve always been plagued by rustlers and enjoyed little in the way of protection from the law. In fact, up until a few years ago Newberry didn’t have any law! It’s what we employed Steadman for in the first place. And I was in complete agreement when Steadman strung some of the bastards up. Even let my men help him.’
Cobb nodded. He knew that sort of thing often happened, even though he didn’t really approve. He would rather the law was upheld but that wasn’t always possible.
‘He did a good and necessary job for us. Cleared out most of the bastards, except for the foolhardy. But now the rustling is back and, as there are no reports of outlaws coming into the area, it must be the homesteaders who are responsible.’
‘What does Jackson have to say about the situation?’
‘Mostly that he’s town marshal and can’t help.’ Rowlands sighed. ‘That’s unfair, because of course, he’s right. Sometimes we get a visit from the county sheriff but not very often. Newberry is a long way away from anywhere. He don’t like to make the journey ’less he has to.’
‘And so you asked Steadman to handle the situation? To take the law into his own hands?’
The rancher frowned, perhaps thinking Cobb was criticising him again. Hands clenching together, he said, ‘It was his job to help us. He knew how far to go, or at least I thought he did.’
‘And did he capture any more rustlers?’
‘There was one family, the Pemberley brothers. Five of the silly bastards. Steadman caught ’em driving some cattle belonging to the Drakes down near the border heading for Mexico. He administered punishment.’
‘He hung ’em?’
‘No. They were beaten up. And told they would be hanged if they didn’t leave the area. They left. He handled it well. That’s why his other behaviour is surprising.’
‘What other behaviour?’ Cobb put his glass of lemonade on the tray.
‘Well, I, among others, felt he was becoming too violent. So much so I was thinking of proposing to the members of the Association that he be sacked.’ Rowlands’ voice died away.
‘But if he did no more than beat up the Pemberleys, who were known and admitted rustlers, what had he done to make you think he was becoming too violent?’ Cobb was puzzled, it didn’t make sense to him.
‘Well….’ Rowlands came to a halt, as if he was also puzzled. ‘I’m not exactly sure. There were stories….’ He paused. ‘Even so I’m surprised it came to murder.’
‘Was there any suspicion that Bannister was a rustler?’
‘Not as far as I know.’
‘What did you think of him? Did he have any enemies?’
‘He was a good farmer and with the land he had he really didn’t need to rustle. But he was a hot-head and a troublemaker. He wasn’t afraid of anyone and he and Steadman had already had one or two run-ins. I’d heard he annoyed several other people as well. And then, of course, there were the stories about him and Amy Mallory.’ Rowlands leant forward. ‘You want to talk to Fred Warren. He’s a homesteader. A decent guy. Hard-worker. He’ll be able to tell you more about Bannister. I know he didn’t like him much especially because a couple of his boys were influenced by the man’s rabble rousing.’
‘Yeah, Tom’s already mentioned him. I also want to speak to the two cowhands who claim they saw Steadman out near Bannister’s place the day he was shot.’
‘Ah yeah.’ Rowlands finished his drink of lemonade. ‘Lucan and Carter.’
‘What’s the matter?’ Cobb asked, because something was obviously wrong.
‘Let’s just say I would never employ men like that on my ranch. They were insolent and always bragging about the notches on their guns. And I’d never consider them the most reliable of witnesses.’
‘Jackson said much the same.’
‘Even so Tom’s lawyer couldn’t shake their claims.’
‘What about this Double D ranch where they worked? Who owns that?’
‘The Drake brothers. Allan and Reggie. In their twenties.’ Rowlands wrinkled his nose as if he didn’t approve of them any more than he approved of their men. ‘They bought the place four or five months ago. Claimed themselves a large spread. And they’re always boasting about turning it into the largest and richest ranch around Newberry. And then becoming the best ranchers. Want to build a house bigger than mine. As if it was all the easiest thing in the world! Talk about idiots! Still Allan works hard enough, although Reggie fancies himself a ladies’ man and spends as much time in town as he can.’
‘What about the rest of the men they employ?’
Rowlands shrugged. ‘As far as I know neither brother nor any of their men break the law, except for maybe getting thrown in jail for getting drunk on a Saturday night. Nor can I think of any reason why they should try to make trouble for Steadman.’
That was something Cobb intended to find out. ‘Perhaps the fact that Bannister’s homestead ran along part of the Drakes’ land had something to do with it.’
Rowlands frowned again. ‘Hmm, maybe, but the Drakes have got plenty of good land already.’
But, Cobb thought, they wanted more, and according to what he’d learned, Bannister’s land was even better.
‘Ah good, here’s my wife to tell me dinner is ready.’ Rowlands looked up at her with a smile. ‘Stay, won’t you? It’ll only take a moment to lay an extra place, won’t it dear?’
Mrs Rowlands nodded.
‘OK, thanks.’
CHAPTER NINE
Fred Warren came into the farmhouse after a busy morning digging over a field in which he hoped eventually to grow potatoes, which the citizens of Newberry were always eager to buy. The land was full of rocks and stumps of old trees and he had been at work since early light and had not yet cleared half of the field. His wife, Louisa, stood at the stove, getting the midday meal ready. She had spent most of her morning watering the vegetables that she grew near to the house to cook for the family.
It was hot weather and hot work. As he stepped into the kitchen, Warren took off his hat and wiped the sweat away from his face and neck with his bandanna.
‘Dinner’s nearly ready,’ Louisa said, turning to look at him. ‘Wash your hands and I’ll serve it up.’
‘Where’re the boys? I expected them to come out and help me. I could’ve done with their strength. The work could’ve been finished if they’d put in an appearance.’ He stared at Louisa, who refused to meet his eyes. He knew that look. ‘Where are they?’ he added harshly.
Louisa replied reluctantly, ‘I’m sorry, Fred, they’ve gone into Newberry.’
‘Oh for God’s sake!’ Warren thumped the table. ‘Couldn’t you have stopped them?’ Which he knew was unfair of him to expect.
Louisa was no better pleased than her husband at
their sons’ behaviour. But she tried not to show it because she knew Fred had a hot temper and tended to treat them as if they were still youngsters rather than grown men.
She sometimes feared he would drive them away. Feared that Peter, the eldest at twenty-one, would leave to begin his own farm rather than wait and take over this one, on which Fred had put in so much time and effort. David, at seventeen, didn’t want to become a farmer anyway, as he wasn’t fond of the early mornings and long days involved. She had far fewer worries about Martin, the middle boy, the one who took after his father.
He’d ridden away with the other two not because he wanted to go, he knew his father needed help and would rather have been working with him, but only because she’d asked him to keep an eye on his brothers, not let them do anything silly. Although once Peter, and especially David, got an idea in their heads she doubted whether Martin would be able to stop them acting on it.
‘What’ve they gone there for?’ Warren demanded. ‘It’s because of all this trouble, ain’t it?’
Louisa nodded and sighed. ‘They’re still angry. Not only over Bannister’s shooting but over the way the farmers are still being molested. They and some of the other younger ones are meeting up to discuss the situation. Oh, Fred, I did try to stop them but they wouldn’t listen to me.’
‘I’ll have their hides,’ Warren said, clenching his hands into fists. ‘Not only because they’re acting stupidly but worse they’ve caused you upset.’
Louisa went up to him and put her arms round him. ‘Fred, don’t. It won’t do any good. Please. I’m just so worried they’ll get into trouble.’
Or worse, with the way all three of them were wearing guns.
‘Don’t fret, Louisa,’ Warren comforted her. ‘Worrying won’t do any good.’
‘I know but I can’t help it.’ With a heavy heart, she turned back to the stove to begin serving up the stew.
Warren sat down at the table and put his head in his hands. ‘I really believed that this nonsense would be forgotten once Bannister was dead,’ he mumbled.
It was early afternoon when Neil rode into Newberry. He was glad he was on his own because he’d woken up late, sharing the bed of the pretty whore, and even now he was still suffering the last effects of a hangover. He would never have heard the last about either from Cobb.
Cobb was one of those annoying people who seemed able to drink as much as he liked and never have a hangover, but then he was also one of those even more annoying, sensible, people who never drank any more than he could handle. Even worse he was always up bright and early and eager for action.
Not knowing where Cobb was now, Neil decided to stable his horse and then visit the marshal. He knew one of the first things Cobb was going to do was find the jailhouse, to introduce himself to the lawman and to talk to Steadman.
Not that Neil was happy about going into a jailhouse all by himself. Supposing he didn’t come out again? And when he saw the almost completed gallows in the yard he gulped nervously and quickly looked away. He was aware that if it hadn’t been for Cobb taking him on he could by now have ended up dangling from the end of a rope, either as a result of a judge and jury finding him guilty of robbery or, more probably, at the hands of a lynch mob.
Inside, Marshal Jackson sat at his desk while Bob Sparks was dealing out a pack of cards for a game of solitaire.
‘Oh yeah, Cobb said to expect you,’ Jackson said. ‘He’s got you a room of your own at Mrs Penrose’s boarding house.’
Neil was as glad as Cobb that they weren’t sharing a room. Although he denied it Cobb snored.
‘Is he around town at the moment?’
‘No. He rode out early this morning.’
‘D’you know where he’s gone?’
‘One of the first people he meant to call on was Mr Rowlands at The Flying R.’
It was a relief that Cobb wasn’t around to learn what time Neil had reached Newberry but it was even more of a relief that he hadn’t gone to the Double D by himself, and without a warning. Neil wondered whether to say anything about the ranch and the Drake brothers to Jackson but decided not to in case Cobb didn’t want the marshal to know everything that was happening.
‘OK, I’ll go down to the boarding-house and wait for him there,’ Neil said, thinking he could also find somewhere to have something to eat.
Just as he reached the door, it opened and Amy Mallory came in. Jackson introduced them.
‘Pleased to meet you, Neil,’ she said, in her forthright way.
‘Have you come to see Steadman?’ Jackson asked, reaching into his desk drawer for the keys.
‘Yes.’ Amy smiled, but she couldn’t hide the misery in her eyes. ‘Neil, when you see him perhaps you’d tell Mr Cobb that Greg and I’ve been asking around town over who might have started rumours about me and Bannister.’
Jackson glanced at Sparks and both men tried not to grin. How on earth had Amy managed to get her brother to ask anyone anything!
‘Everyone seems to have heard them but no one knows, or at least won’t admit, to knowing who started them. Or why. Mrs Penrose is one of those who spread the word.’ Amy reddened, from embarrassment at having to speak about such personal matters and anger at being linked to Ralph Bannister.
‘She surely is a gossip,’ Jackson agreed. ‘And eager to believe the worst of people.’
‘The trouble is she passes on so many tales she never remembers who told her them in the first place. But tell Mr Cobb we’ll keep asking.’
Jackson opened the door to the cells. ‘Take as long as you like.’
‘Thank you.’
‘She’s a nice young woman,’ Jackson said, once she was out of earshot.
Sparks nodded in agreement.
‘I don’t know what she’ll do once Steadman is hanged. Shame. Pity he couldn’t’ve given up his line of work and joined her and her brother in the livery business. I know they offered.’
‘Some people like excitement and danger in their lives,’ Neil said, thinking of Cobb.
CHAPTER TEN
‘Hey, barkeep, three more beers!’ Peter Warren banged on the counter.
‘Don’t you think you’ve had enough?’ Ed Chadwin glanced over at the group of six young farmers gathered together at a table under the windows.
They’d met up a few hours earlier and been drinking steadily ever since. Their voices had been getting ever louder and now they sounded angry and drunk, a bad combination as far as Chadwin was concerned. He wasn’t all that fond of farmers anyway; they didn’t spend as much money in his saloon as the ranchers and their men.
‘Give me the beers.’
Chadwin shrugged. He’d tried to warn them. It wasn’t going to be him who woke up with a thick head and churning stomach. And he’d noticed that they were all carrying guns. He didn’t want damage done in his saloon but neither did he want the young fools turning their anger on him.
Peter carried the drinks back to where his brothers, Martin and David, sat with the three others. Except for Martin, they were all in agreement. They wanted to do something about the ranchers, right this very minute, but none of them knew quite what, now that Ralph Bannister was dead and no longer there to lead them.
‘We’re on our own,’ Peter said. ‘The others are like Pa, with Ralph dead they don’t wanna know. They’re running scared, hoping the problem will go away whereas we know it damn well won’t.’
‘We must act now.’
Thinking about Bannister and the way he’d been shot down, David said, ‘First off we oughta do something to make that killer, Steadman, pay.’
‘He’s in jail, he’s goin’ to be hanged at the end of the week.’ That was Martin. ‘What is worse than that? He’ll pay all right.’
He wished he hadn’t come into town. Their father had expected them all to help him clear the field, and that’s where he longed to be now, but his mother had asked him to accompany his brothers so he’d agreed. Not that he held out much hope that any of them would list
en to him. He was the odd one out and always had been.
‘Hell, Martin, talk is the damn Bellington’s man who arrived yesterday is gonna get him off,’ Peter said, banging his fist hard on the table causing it to wobble. ‘We can’t let that happen.’ He drank half of his beer down in one gulp and coughed violently. When he’d recovered he went on, ‘We’ll be made laughing stocks and the ranchers will think they can get away with goddamn anything they like. Steadman must be punished for what he did. Not just to Ralph but for all the wrongs he’s done to us. And if the law won’t do it then we’ll have to do it for ourselves.’
‘Yeah, that’s right. We’ll hang the bastard for sure.’ David rose in his seat as if wanting to go and string up Steadman there and then. He swayed a bit on his feet and his voice was slurred.
‘Don’t be stupid.’ Martin pulled his brother back down. ‘That’s lynch talk.’
His worst fears were coming true. He only hoped he could stop them doing something stupid, like marching over to the jail and trying to break Steadman out. Marshal Jackson was a reasonable man but he’d never stand for that!
‘Too goddamn right.’
‘I think you’ve both had too much to drink and we oughta go home.’ He ignored the others’ jeers.
‘What the hell’s the matter with you?’ Peter asked. ‘The ranchers lynch the farmers and no one does anything to stop ’em. Steadman killed Ralph in cold blood.’ He shivered. ‘You didn’t see Ralph’s body. I did.’
‘Marshal Jackson did arrest Steadman.’
Martin need not have spoken as Peter went on, voice rising with anger. ‘Only because he had to. Martin, the ranchers take our land from us. Cheat us every way they can. Like Ralph said we can’t let the bastards get away with it. They do and we’ll end up losing everything. And you know how hard Pa has worked to provide for us all. What will he and Ma do if they’re kicked off the farm?’
‘It won’t come to that.’