Posted October 27, 2020 | Barnabas Pike, Brendan, Clara

Clara stood there waiting to hear if he had anything else he wished to add to that sorry and unwanted apology of the cowpoke's. Before he could though, the deputy stepped up. Oh lordy, he had been eavesdropping!

"Excuse me, Clara, was it Brendan? I'll need to get some clarification on this shootin' affair. That'd be a strong accusation, attempted murder. First I need to know who fired the shot. And boy, you might just tell me who you ride for an' why you didn't know you was on Redmond range."

Clara got it confirmed then, he had heard the whole thing. Oh dear, she had not counted on that at all.

Brendan gulped. "Well...uh...I ride for the Evergreen ranch. And like I told Miss Redmond here, I didn't know I was on the Redmond range 'cause I was learnin' the property lines. And two of the hands told me the Redmonds was squatting on Evergreen land."

"We have indeed been told more than once by Evergreen people that we are squatters despite the fact we paid for that property and have a paper to prove it," Clara now jumped in.

"But as far as the shot being fired, it was definitely not Brendan here. He was standing right near me when the shot happened. He was as surprised as I was. I had just told him to leave and indeed he was about to do just that."

Pronto wanted to grin, but there had been a shot fired at, or near enough to Clara for her to be accusing Brenden of it. Granted, he believed she was just angry, and with every right to be.

"As for who fired it, I have my ideas but it really does not matter because there is no way to prove anything. I did not see who fired it, neither did Brendan. And I think you well know the man who fired it is not about to admit to such a thing. So best leave it lie then," she asserted.

"Please," she added solemnly.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. The accusation has been made, even though you recanted it, someone fired a shot you believe was meant for you.” He looked to Brenden. “I’ll need to talk with the Marshal about the next step.” He was already convinced that Clara had cleared him after she made the accusation.

An Evergreen rider, there was a salty lot up there, and plenty to go around it it came to that. Pronto Pike had no reason to doubt that it probably would come to that if Speed decided to take a ride up that way.

“Looks to me like som’body was foolin’ about, and you were the fall guy. I need names of the riders you were with.”

Posted October 28, 2020 | Brendan Connolly

Brendan's heart was racing now. He was grateful to Clara for sticking up for him - maybe there was a chance she would dance with him? - but Deputy Pike wouldn't let the matter drop, threatening to talk to the Marshall.

"Looks to me like som’body was foolin’ about, and you were the fall guy. I need names of the riders you were with."

This was even worse than he could have imagined. He didn't want to be a snitch. Even if he disliked Greer, he kind of had a soft spot for Billy for some reason. And if he gave Pike the names he wanted, Billy would be in trouble. Maybe he'd get off since he had thrown off Greer's aim and kept him from hitting Clara, but it was just as likely Greer would deny that and make it look like Billy was in on everything, even shooting Clara. And if Billy and Greer - especially Greer - came out of this neither of them would feel very kindly towards him for putting the heat on them. There were lots of ways to make a cowpoke miserable, and he didn't want any part of that.

There was a long silence as he thought about his options. Suddenly he had an idea that would give the deputy what he wanted but would also keep him from being labeled a snitch...hopefully.

"Miss Redmond c'n give you the names. She knows who was there, she just didn't see who shot at her. And I didn't neither."

He glanced at Clara with a kind of half-smirking, half-pleading look.

Posted October 29, 2020 | Emeline Pike

Arabella's questions tumbled out so quickly that Emeline had no chance to really respond or answer, and it was all she could do to remember all the points!

"I'm glad that Mr. Flandry is going to dance with you, I think that's very kind of him. And I warrant he is honored to step in for your father. As for Mr. Pike, he's a good gentleman, and I believe he knows that he doesn't need to feel jealous, so, yes, I'd dance with anyone who asks."

She entered the cafe, leading the way through the restaurant to the kitchen. "Now, if a man was bothering me or getting fresh, then I'm certain Mr. Pike would step in. Of course, that would only be if I didn't take care of it myself!"

Smiling, she handed a pitcher of cream to Arabella, then took one for herself. "Is there anyone else you are planning to dance with?" she asked, wondering if perhaps the girl had her sights set on Brendan, or maybe one of the soldiers? And she wondered how a potential dacne partner would respond?

Posted October 29, 2020 | Jonah Danforth | Present: Matilda Devereau

"Thank you. We don't water down any of the good stuff, Doctor, that's why it's the good stuff and costs more. Some of the cheap swill for drunken cowboys, well I best not say one way or the other, " which was pretty much an admission they did right there.

"Chances are good that those cowboys are so accustomed to poor quality 'swill' that they'd find full-potency, quality drink unpalatable," Jonah suggested, actually finding the notion brilliant.

"Oh we have had our share of fights but my co-owner, bartender, and bouncer, Ralph Flandry, usually stops them pretty fast. I am glad we ain't had anybody shot or killed in the place - so far," she smiled.

"Good, no one wants to clean those blood stains off the floor!" One advantage of the clients being tipsy was that it could impair their aim, as well as their judgement. A vast majority of shoot-outs in saloons resulted in little or no damage, except maybe later, to egos!

"Certainly, I wouldn't mind a glass of punch. Should you have need of spirits though the tent outside is selling beer and stronger stuff. I can get you a drink for free, I have pull with the ownership," she grinned.

"Ah, quite the advantage." Jonah grinned. "Perhaps later, but this early in the evening, I want to have my wits about me, such as they are." He headed for the table where the punch was. "So, do you have the whole evening free, or will you have to take a shift at the spirits tent? I do admire that you have found a way to profit off the evening, and I hope that I get to enjoy myself and not make my own profit...I prefer to dance!"

Posted October 29, 2020 | Arabella Mudd with Emeline

"I'm glad that Mr. Flandry is going to dance with you, I think that's very kind of him. And I warrant he is honored to step in for your father. As for Mr. Pike, he's a good gentleman, and I believe he knows that he doesn't need to feel jealous, so, yes, I'd dance with anyone who asks."

Arabella nodded, but secretly decided that jealousy was rarely based on any kind of logical analysis of a situation.

She entered the cafe, leading the way through the restaurant to the kitchen. "Now, if a man was bothering me or getting fresh, then I'm certain Mr. Pike would step in. Of course, that would only be if I didn't take care of it myself!

“Oh, I can imagine that!” beamed Arabella excitedly, “I reckon Mr Pike’d step up to that ornery beast who was getting’ all ‘handsy’ with you and he’d take off his badge and say ‘I ain’t here as depidy, you snake, I’m gonna settle this man to man!’ and then he’d knock that other feller’s block off!”

She gave a satisfied nod to this picture in her head.

Smiling, she handed a pitcher of cream to Arabella, then took one for herself. "Is there anyone else you are planning to dance with?" she asked, wondering if perhaps the girl had her sights set on Brendan, or maybe one of the soldiers? And she wondered how a potential dance partner would respond?

“Oh, I ain’t difficult to get along with; I’ll dance with anyone who’ll have me.” the fifteen year old shrugged “I reckon there’s only one feller I won’t try and dance with, and he’s…” she trailed off, and her usually cheerful face fell a little and, probably for the first time ever, she looked at Emeline with a serious air about her.

“Mrs Blakesley, can you remember the first time you ever fell in love? I mean really, deeply, painfully fell in love?” she asked, pensively,

Posted October 29, 2020 | Barnabas Pike

Pronto looked from one to the other, he knew what was happening, but what he needed to do was assure the two of them that no names would be given at the time of the inquiry , and of course, there was her father that would have to be involved.

“I understand, Brenden, I do. Man don’t want to be though of as a snitch, ‘er worse. I need to know who I’m talkin’ to in this matter, and since the two of you are the ones present, you’re the ones what know the others names.” He explained, as if they were not aware of that fact. “I know that bunch out there, an they’re salty as lot’s wife. So you’ve got a right to be concerned. With most of them hands it ain’t about ridin’ fer the brand, they’ll pull their freight the minute it gets too hot for ‘um.” He smiled. “Names? We ain't gonna do nuthin' tonight unless they show up huntin' trouble.”

Posted October 29, 2020 | Clara Redmond-Lutz | Present: Pronto, Brendan

The deputy was now pressing for names. Clara looked to the cowpoke.

"Miss Redmond c'n give you the names. She knows who was there, she just didn't see who shot at her. And I didn't neither."

He glanced at Clara with a kind of half-smirking, half-pleading look.

Clara was stunned, he was putting it on her? Pike now spoke again.

“I understand, Brendan, I do. Man don’t want to be thought of as a snitch, ‘er worse. I need to know who I’m talkin’ to in this matter, and since the two of you are the ones present, you’re the ones what know the others names.” He explained, "I know that bunch out there, an they’re salty as lot’s wife. So you’ve got a right to be concerned. With most of them hands it ain’t about ridin’ fer the brand, they’ll pull their freight the minute it gets too hot for ‘um.” Names? We ain't gonna do nuthin' tonight unless they show up huntin' trouble.”

First Clara glared at Brendan, "That is simply foolishness. I never saw anybody but you that day. So I do not really know who was up on that ridgeline. You rode there with them, you said so yourself."

Then she addressed Pronto, "I shall not be badgered into falsely accusing anyone. And I know a little about the law too, Mr. Pike, I read some of Miss Mercer's law volumes whilst I was working at the Lost Lake ranch.

You can make no case against anyone if no one is pressing charges. I state here and now I am not willing to press charges so even if you arrest somebody, there can be no court case."

"As for telling my father, he already knows what happened," Clara asserted.