"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Ezra made his way along the boardwalk, the sounds of the battle royal fading somewhat behind him. All he had wanted was to mooch a drink or two, and yes the fight had allowed him to 'rescue' a number of abandoned drinks, though the beer had been bitter, he bing a whiskey drinker.
He stopped and looked around to ascertain just where he was and perhaps where he was headed. He was in front of the Andersen's Mercantile, and that was not his destination. He turned, unsteadily and yes there was a light on in the Municipal Building where the Mashal's office was located, so he stepped off of the boardwalk and fell flat on his face. misjudging the distance to the street.
With a monumental effort, he managed to get back on his feet and plowed forward with a pair of unsteady steps, and then his gate evened out somewhat, and in a matter of minutes he was at the Marshal's office, wavering somewhat he pushed the main stores and then opened the door to Guyer's office.
Speed came out of the cell block to find the town inebriate standing there "Ezra?"
"Terrible fight across the street."
Speed looked out his window to see that the Stardust no longer had one. "Damn!" He exclaimed, "Come on Ezra, County lock up, can't have you back there with Miss Wigall," He took Ezra by the arm and led out out and to the County Sheriff's office and put him in the cell block "Sleep her off Ezra. He said as Ezra sat down, then slowly slumped over on his side mumbling something about being her friend. He would leave the cell door unlocked as Ezra would sleep it off and be gone when Speed returned in the morning. But now he needed to get across and quell this near riot.
That's when he heard the gunshot!
The fight was only getting worse, seemed everyone was pushing and punching. Furniture was was being broken. Hell, one hurled chair even got as far as bouncing on the bar and then crashing into the bottles on the wall behind. That was followed by a man being hurled thru the wide front glass window.
His boss could take no more of this vandalism that was costing the saloon (and him) money. Fortner pulled his pistol, raised it and fired off one round upward, not aimed at anybody - yet!
He raised his arm and fired the weapon toward the ceiling, aiming where a ceiling joist met the wall. That way, his bullet wouldn't bore through the second story floor and into an employee or customer.
The explosion was impressive and slowed the action enough for Fortner to address the mob.
"Enough! I don't give a good God Damn if you wring each other's neck, but take it outside. What the Hell's the matter with you fellas? This is a warning so take it as such. My aim might not be so good with the next shot."
Fortner squared himself, feet solidly planted, shoulders back... a look of absolute balance, the gun smoking in his hand.
Ralph knew he had to back his employer now and, surprisingly, he clambered right over the bar then landed next to Fortner and leveled the shotgun in the general direction of the crowd. If anybody wanted to take this all to the next level and draw on the saloon owner, Ralph was prepared to fire and NOT upward either. The shotgun was not loaded with scattershot but two heavy slugs which would drop a man most likely permanently.
"Think carefully, boys!" Ralph warned sternly.
***
Caroline had sidestepped in front of the piano when a man was pushed that direction, he still fell then but not against the piano but right on top of her as she went to the floor. It was worth it though, that piano was crucial to her act. Any serious damage and it might be at least days if not weeks before it could be repaired or replaced.
"Will you get offa me!" she snarled. 
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Tully sighed, seeing all the bad things that will happen once it was found out what he and the other hands had done under the guise of fetching the weekly supplies. He straightened and moved over, bending to help Markham to his feet also. He indicated another hand laying motionless on the floor for Markham to help up, then he looked around, figuring up the amount of damage the two groups had done. He hated to do it, but he also knew he needed to ask a favor of the marshal. Tully walked over and stood behind Speed until he turned to regard the larger man.
"Marshal, I know I have no right to ask, but we have a wagon full of supplies we were picking up for Lost Lake. We were going to take turns guarding it overnight once we got done here and then head back for the ranch in the morning. Can we do something about keeping an eye on the supplies so they don't get stolen? They belong to the ranch and not us..."
The pistol shot seemed to quell, if only momentarily, the donnybrook which had erupted at Fortner's emporium.
He turned to Ralph who'd backed him up with a shotgun.
"Thanks Ralph. It's good to know I can count on you." He swept his arm in front of him. "Just look at the mess we've got on our hands. I doubt we'll be able to recoup any damages. I guess it's just a part of running a business in a Western town like this." And he should know. This wasn't the first saloon he'd owned or managed in his time. He knew that every town's got a saloon and every saloon has a few men who think they're tough as nickle steaks.
He eyes drifted upward, and there, on at the railing at the top of the stairs was Hiram Priest, smothering a grin. That old codger, thought Fortner.
"Anyway, Ralph," he continued. "I'm wondering. Would you like to have a share in the ownership of this place?"
Fortner had a plan.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"I know who you boys are, Shade's men." Speed began, "I'll need to hold one of you, get the rest out of here, and out of town. Either Shade or Cantrell can come deal with Fortner on the damages, how's that sound?" He asked the big man. "Now, these others? You know 'em? Looks to me like Evergreen men, so they'll be going to jail maybe send one out there if one can ride."
The scene was ugly, the damages, horrendous, and there were injuries a plenty, he moved toward the front window where the young man was struggling to his feet. "Who you ride for?" he asked
"Can you ride? Because if you can, you need to hightail it out there and tell whoever I'm holding the rest of your friends til half the damages are paid." Speed told Jansen.
"Like hell!" Bo Harker roared, only to get the barrel of Speed's Colt across the bridge of his nose, "Get some help with these hombres to the jail, Tully?"
Fortner had been backed up in his confrontation with the brawlers by Ralph and his shotgun. This place was their living and neither wanted the place wrecked. In that they thought alike.
Fortner turned to Ralph.
"Thanks Ralph. It's good to know I can count on you."
"I work for you don't I," Ralph replied and lowered his weapon once the marshal entered into it and took charge. The danger was passed now but there still remained the whole issue of damages. The marshal realized that also and was working on it.
Fortner continued, "Just look at the mess we've got on our hands. I doubt we'll be able to recoup any damages. I guess it's just a part of running a business in a Western town like this."
Speed had other ideas though, he announced his intention to see to it that both sides in this brawl were going to foot the bills too. And Ralph believed him, the marshal was good at his job.
"Anyway, Ralph," Fortner continued. "I'm wondering. Would you like to have a share in the ownership of this place?"
Ralph was taken aback by both the suddenness of the offer and the timing being they were standing right there in a crowd, granted a rather thinning crowd as Speed started giving orders.
"What? Now? You don't think it could wait for a more private time?" Ralph answered.
Caroline heard the talk too as she brushed off her nice red dress from her earlier fall. She thanked Speed for helping her up again.What the devil was Fortner up to now, with Ralph?
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"I know who you boys are, Shade's men." Speed began, "I'll need to hold one of you, get the rest out of here, and out of town. Either Shade or Cantrell can come deal with Fortner on the damages, how's that sound?" He asked the big man. "Now, these others? You know 'em? Looks to me like Evergreen men, so they'll be going to jail maybe send one out there if one can ride."
Tully nodded. "Much obliged, Marshal..." He looked around his battered crew. "Markham...You took that chair, so you probably don't need a wagon ride or saddle time. You can sleep it off in the jail."
Markham nodded. He didn't even argue the idea of being locked up seeing as the alternative was a punishing ride back to Lost Lake. He turned and began trudging off toward the jail. Tully then turned back to the rest.
"Alright, you skunks. The Marshal did us a favor. Go gather all the gear and horses and wait for me by the wagon. We'll all ride back together and I'll explain somebody what happened here...You boys have an hour to gather everything and be ready to ride..." The assembled hands began to mutter but Tully cut all of that off with a bark.
"ENOUGH! We have done enough here...let's be grateful this is all we have to do to leave town..."
"Like hell!" Bo Harker roared, only to get the barrel of Speed's Colt across the bridge of his nose, "Get some help with these hombres to the jail, Tully?"
Tully was already wearing a huge smile as Harker got silenced. "Be happy to..." He reached out and grasped Harker by the back of his shirt collar and one other Evergreen hand who was unsteady on his feet. He tugged both over to stand by the door, ready to follow the Marshal when he headed for the jail.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
It seemed to Speed that releasing all but one of the Lost Lake riders was a safe bet, Cantrel would be in for Tully, it was the Evergreen men he would be taking to jail since there had been no mention of any others that either Fortner or Flandry thought needed a night in the cooler.
The idea of Steelgraves forman having to ride in and make payment for damages his men had put a smile on Speed's face, not to mention an upcoming trial date that would be sure to follow, but then Fortner would have to file a complaint for that to happen.
"Mister Fortner, you'll need to file a complaint across the street for this to go beyond your being paid for the damages to this place, and the fines I'll be collecting. Just so's you know." He said as he watched Tully taking out Harker and another of the Evergreen riders. "Sorry about the place, you figure up the damage, or you can let the judge, Adam Townsend settle it, it makes no difference to me."
It was about this time, that the foreman of Lost Lake showed up. He was at his parents' house having dinner when the youngest hand, Rusty had shown up. Rusty had been on his way into the Stardust when the fight broke out and he immediately high-tailed it over to the Wentworth residence to get his boss.
When Rusty had explained what was going on, Mike made his excuses to his family and headed as fast as he could to the saloon. By the time he got there, the fight was over and he could see Speed Guyer talking to the owner.
As he walked up to the group, he assessed the damage and slowly shook his head. Shade and Cantrell weren't going to like this. It also looked like he would have to give another lecture on avoiding the Evergreen bunch when in town.
When he reached the group, he took a deep breath before speaking, "Good evening, gentlemen."
@Wayfarer @Flip
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"Wentworth, I've sent you men on home as I'm sure either Shade or Cantrell will be in to settle up with Fortner here on Lost Lake's share of the damages. I felt they would be low risk, now the others involved in this fracas, they'll be held til Stellgrave or his man shows up to cover their half. Might well avert a trial on the matter, unless, of course, Fortner here wants to press it." Speed said in greeting to Mike Wentworth, glad the Day Forman was in town this would expedite payment from that end of this affair.
Having disarmed the Evergreen hands as well as anyone remaining that looked to be trouble he smiled, "I'll be taking these three across the street for the night, in hopes that Steelgrave will send a man to deal with this and take them back tt the Evergreen."
@Wayfarer @JulieS