Storyteller / Shared NPC
As the four came together in the middle, or close to it, the four men each had their own ideas about what they ought to do, though all would agree that they needed to stay vigilant just in case any of the Lost Lake boys actually showed up at the wire.
"No blood trail on our side." Treach said. "Scouted around, but nothin'." Which actually was a good sign, meaning that there was nothing to implicate the evergreen, well unless a blood trail led them to the wire, which the men of both sides hated. Probably worse than they hated each other, if in fact the did. Mostly they were working cowboys first, so hat of another spread really wasn't foremost in their thoughts.
Dutch sort of gazed to where Carson would have come from and then back to his partners. "I'm gonna cross over, same way Carson came in. That opening in the wire, need ta leave be fer now." He turned his horse and rode the length of the wire to the opening and through. He walked his horse, looking to the ground for sign of Carson's passing, but there was nothing.
The others sat their horses to watch Dutch cross the open rocky ground leading to the trees, sparse at first but filling in where there was more soil and less rocks. One moment he was there where they could see him, then next he vanished into the treeline. That was where he found Carson's horses hoof prints with him riding over them it muddied them so they would be hard to read. But still no blood, so the tracks could be anyone's. he turned his mount and headed back. There was no trail leading to the Evergreen.
Elias paced in his parlor, no drink in his hand, as had been the case before. He had cleaned himself up with new plans for his place and for Lost Lake. Now, these plans had been mere pipe dreams not long ago, and the return of his son Case had little to do with hes want to move on the other ranch. That had been a part of him since Shade had killed his son, Cal, some fourteen years earlier.
The hate had burned bright within Elias, and he wanted revenge, but not just revenge in a simple act of killing Shade Thornton, far from it. He did want him dead, and that was first on the list, followed by the utter and complete destruction of his Blackbird Lodge and the eradication of the LL brand. If that entailed the killing of every human being on the ranch, that that was the price Thronton was going to pay.
Elias Steelgrave wanted far more than blood! And the time was drawing near for all of that to happen.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Meanwhile, Doc Gilcrest was tending to an awake Carson who was in some pain. A spoonful of Laundanum would help with that. And then a bowl of beef broth, help the man get his strength back.
"Well hell Doc, how bad is it?" Carson asked as the man checked his bandages. "Hurts like a sonofabitch!"
"Reckon so, Carson. But she went clean through. This here laudanum'll help with that pain. I'm gonna have to stitch up both sides o' thet bugger, she ain't draining, so thet's good." Gilcrest informed him. "Man was a piss-poor shot, hell, he damned near missed ya alta'gether!"
"Well I bedded him down, sure as I'm layin' here! Shoulda not rode an Evergreen branded horse, mighta got away with my story." Carson relayed. "Any trouble yet?"
"Nope, nothin', not a lick a trouble. Granger sent Deckered, Watts, Dutch an' Treach down't the wire to watch."
"How long am I gonna be laid up here?"
"Couple days, mebee. Depends. We need ta get some o' this broth in ya, then some Laudanum affore I get ta sewin' on ya. After thet, rest, food, plenty of water."
That was when Granger walked in. "So, how's he doin'?"
"Be up an' around in a couple days. No real damage just two holes I gotta close up." Gilgrest replied.
"Any trouble, Granger?" Carson wanted to know.
"Nothin', not a peep outta Lost Lake." Was the answer.
"I been thinkin' about that feller I killed. He wasn't huntin' strays, he was ridin' the high country, a look out. Now, if that's true, they might not even a found him yet, even if the horse goes back, it'll take some time."
"Could be, I got some men down there'll handle anything they got, if they come lookin' for it." Granger assured him. "You just get better!"
"I'm plannin' on it."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
They gathered together now that Dutch had returned from the Lost Lake side. "There ain't no trail, blood 'er otherwise. Carson did a good job of it. The gunman said. "Likely they don't even know they got a man missing yet, so there ain't a lot for us to do out here.
"I got a feelin' it'll be a while afore they come lookin' fer their man." Watts said. "Big place, not sure how many men they got on the place, but I reckon they got plenty enough."
"Missin' a man that's out doin' his job over there, well, it may be he's on his own, rather than waitin' on a relief, in that case they wouldn't miss him for some time, less he was due in for supper." Deckered opined. "Then it'd be evenin' and they'd not send anyone out til mornin'."
"You gotta point there Deckerd. Yep, that might well be the case. Treach agreed. "I know the place is big, so he ain't the only one was out on patrol, meanin', he'd be due back come supper time. Speakin' of, a couple of us should ride in for supper, and tell Cookie to hold chow for the other two, then we'll make camp here, an' see what tomarra brings."
They all agreed with that, two could watch while two rode in for grub, then switch and finally make camp. If there was to be anyone looking for what happened it would be in the daylight. maybe everyone was a mite anxious about the possible start of a war. Maybe, nothing would come of it with no proof.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Okay, so a couple days. How long til I can ride?" Carson wanted to know. "I strated this, whatever it is, an' I oughtta be out there with them boys in case." he was adamant.
"The hell you say!" Granger stated. "Ride? maybe a month! You were shot clean through. That's a hole both ways. Gonna take some time healin' up''. The foreman shook his head, but understood, Carson wanted to be back to normal, but that was going to take some time. "I'll be back." And with that he walked out of the bunk house.
"He's right Carson. Gonna be a spell afore you're settin' a saddle." Gilcreat stated. "You bust yerself open, you could bleed out, an then whot good'd you be? None! Yessiree, none atall"
"Well I can't be layin' about of no use to the ranch! I need ta be out there helpin'."
"Danged if you ain't a stubborn cuss! Lemme tell straight, you go ta foolin' about, ridin' and sech, you'll fer shore open thet wound, an' then you'll by God bleed ta death. Now Dang it, you lemme feed ya some more'a this broth afore she's ice cold, an' quit chur bitchin'!" With that Gilcrest daid a spoon to his lip loaded with warm beef broth. "Couple more an then I'll stitch ya up right proper!"
Not that Carson liked it, but he took the broth and swallowed. Somewhere he knew that Doc Gilcrest was right, he just couldn't accept being laid up.
"Them boys, Dutch an them, they can handle this deal" He asked a bit more timidly.
"Shore thing, thought you'd know that about 'em." Gilcrest answered. "Here, last one, an' then I'll get ta sewin'."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
The ride from Kalispell to the Evergreen had been slow because the end result was not going to be pleasant. Both Ashworth and Latham did not want to face Elias with the news they carried, yet, it had to be done. And what would happen next only God knew that. The fact that Elias would be furious could not be denied, and what he might to in a fit of rage was anybodies guess. They had been thwarted by the absence of Judge Robertson, and by the death of Richard Orr, and the retirement of the Mayor, Scott, leaving three empty seats on the council. Only John Anderson remained and Interim Mayor Wentworth. They had no chance.
They came into the yard at a walk, up to the house where they stepped down and tied their horses to the hitch rail and walked up to the door with Latham knocking almost tentatively.
Elias opened the door and knew immediately that this was not going to be news he wanted to hear. "Come in." He said briskly, his temper already beginning to flare. "So just what the hell happened, Latham?"
"Elias, without Robertson in control of what was happening we had no chance. There was no way of forcing either one of us onto the council to replace him and Orr! No way that we could stop what was happening. Without Judge Robertson in control, we were sunk. I demanded that the two seats be filled, but to no avail. Wentworth may well have appointed Guyer or McVay or anyone other than us."
"Robertson should never have run!" Elias stated "He would make a mistake if he ever shows his face in Kalispell again. So what you are saying is the contract for the land is signed sealed and delivered? Is that it? The conniving little harlot has gotten her way after all, has she? Well, she'll rue this day, and so will some others that I've yet to deal with. If I didn't need you, I'd kill you both."
"We did what we could, it wasn't enough. I admit that, yes we failed, but there was no option open to us, Wentworth made sure of that." Ashworth added.
I need to get Carson Tyndall here, He may be able to do something. A good Helena attorney might be able to find something we have overlooked. When you get back to town, wire him, tell him it is urgent that he get here, do you understand?"
"Yes, consider it done." Latham assured Steelgrave.
"Now get out of my house before I change my mind and have you both buried out back!"
Neither man needed to be told again. They left in a rush, mounted up and galloped out of the yard.
"Who is this Tyndall?" Ashworth asked when they reached the trail to town and slowed their horses..
"A high powered attorney out of Helena. If anyone can turn this around, I believe it would be him."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Turn what around?" Ashworth asked. "I mean if this Tyndall is Elias' attorney, what power has he in town? I mean honestly, some high powered out of town attorney coming here to do what? Overturn what appears to be a legal decision by the Town Council?"
"Exactly. And you are correct, this appears to be a legal decision by the two remaining members of the Council." Latham countered. "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. Open spots that were not filled for whatever reason, and the Judge running out on it like a coward? Really? I have to say it all looks shaky, real shaky to me."
"Oh I agree, Cole. Yes, the whole thing looks shaky, but there is a problem, Robertson handles all of the legal matters brought to court in Kalispell and most of the county, butt he's no where to be found. Then there's the circuit Judge, Harland Bryant, would he have the power in this kind of case?"
"I can see this is going to end up a problem." Latham exhaled heavily, "First the town council would be the defendant, it would of course, be a civil matter, which could be a contract dispute, or perhaps a suit against the town, in this case the Town Council. But I would have to examine exactly what we would allege."
"Maybe Robertson comes back and tries the case in our favor." Ashworth responded/
"I can say there a couple things in our favor, Dutton Peabody in in Helena and, God knows where Harriet Mercer is. Sort of leaves Kalispell with no legal representation now doesn't it?" Latham bragged. "So, if Bryant will hear the case, or Robertson returns and opts to save his own bacon, well, I'd say we'll set back little Miss Steelgrave's plans indefinitely!!"
Elias started to pace, then dropped onto his settee. This was not going the way he had planned. He had thought he had control over Robertson, at least to the point he needn't worry about legal matters locally. But with the Town Council short handed due to a death, and then it dawned on him, who was the fifth member of the council? And Wentworth, how in God's name did he get himself appointed acting Mayor, and the head of the Council.
Tyndall might be able to rectify the aberration of a Council that had approved the contract. Then too, he would be viewed as an outsider, outsider, hardly! But it had been some time since he had made an appearance in Kalispell. No matter, he was the take charge type, and that was what was needed. Someone besides him to take charge of this mess and get it straightened out to his liking. He wanted to fault Latham, badly, but he had to admit that try as he might, Latham was outgunned at the meeting and most likely silenced by Wentworth who was suddenly the man in control.
Ashworth, he could be of use, yes, but in order for much of anything to happen, he had to get control in town before anything else went awry. Things like this could spiral out of control quickly if someone didn't do something, and even Tyndall was days away by coach, which may not be all that much help. Hopefully the man would go back to running his hotel now that he had messed everything up.
It was time for him to play this closer to the vest, perhaps not react as some might think he would, until, of course, he could manage to wrest control of Kalispell's governing body. Damned Robertson anyway, but he still could be of use.
A plan. He needed a plan to gain some control in Kalispell, thought if past history was an indication of his chances, they were bleak. Possibly worse than bleak, this was not like Whitefish had been. All that he had in town were Latham and Ashworth. Oh true, Robertson had kept thing under control up until he vanished. But did he really?
A man of his stature and age really did not vanish, far from it. He could be in Helena, or Missoula, or even Montana's Virginia City. But a man who liked his comforts could be found without a great deal of problems. Yes, given his nature, Elias wanted to kill the man for turning on him, but if he could bring him back into the fold, so to say, perhaps he could wrest control from Wentworth, then again, if Latham could win as Mayor and head of the Town Council.
A snowball's chance in hell was a good description of Cole Latham's chances, and Elias knew it. There had to be another way. He himself was as welcome as the plague in Kalispell, Case, not much better off. At least he might still have supporters in town. Not everyone loved Guyer.
That could be the answer, Guyer. If he was out of the picture then there was a chance, no matter how small, that Case could get the Marshal's job, and if he he did, he could have a say in who was appointed as County Sheriff. But killing Guyer would not be easy. He needed Robertson back in power first, then it would be possible to just have he and his deputies fired and Case appointed. No election, no problem!