Friday the 11th of May dawned cloudy, cold and with a slight drizzle, on and off.. Time had rushed past both the Town Marshal and his Deputy for a host of reasons most unrelated to the other. Pike and the Rockin' P Ranch had its issues, as well as some husbandly duties whether they actually required his attention or not. There was the roundup, bringing in the cattle that had strayed all over the range, and then there would be the calving, in addition to the mares delivering foals to expand the remuda.

All eyes had been on the Morgan Horses for the possible birth of a foal.

Marshal Guiyer had been out and about to the outlaying ranches where there were reports of missing horses, wolves attacking the stock, and reports of rustlers striking. That took up a lot of time and ate up a lot of miles tracking cattle, horses, and wolves. Nothing easy as wolves were notorious for being difficult to track down, and rustlers, well they left little to no sign after a mile in likely the wrong direction!

But on this, yet another cold and miserable Friday found both men looking at the final draft Guyer had written of the ordinance they planned to get to the Mayor. Each nursing a cup of coffee as they looked it over, wanting it to be simple, to the point, and complete.

"Looks just fine, Speed. I think we walk it upstairs to see the man about it and let him take it from there." Pike said, happy with what they had.

"Good, let's get it up there. He should be in." Speed agreed. It was just up on the second floor, no need to even go outside.

So up they went and indeed, Mayor Wentworth was seated behind his desk.

"Good morning Matt, Pike and I have been working on an ordnance proposal that would make carrying a gun illegal within town limits."Speed said after they took seats.

"The idea is, no guns, much less chance for gun trouble, thought we'd get it to you before the next time the council meets in May." Barnabas said, even though he was not fond of the name, it was his after all, and Pronto was a name bestowed up[on him by his brothers, Samual and Silas when they were just boys because of his terrible temper.

"We are well aware that it will not be popular, the idea of turning in their guns to our office, but then again, most of the towns folks are tired of the shootings and the celebratory firing of guns, those bullets have to come down somewhere!" Speed explained, "So far we've been lucky no ones been wounded or killed by that foolishness."

@JulieS

Speed looked at Pike an nodded his head, "Go on." He directed

"Um, well Mayor, we were talking about this and one thing led to another and, well we sortta came up with this simple ordinance abot folks leaving their guns with us while they're in town." Pike explained, but did not answer the the question, but went on to say,

"This here ordinance'll draw a lotta flack from folks, we expect that, an' trouble from a few, an' we know who they'll be." He sort of adjusted his stance slightly and then laid the written proposal on the Mayor's desk. This is yet, simple to the point. We'll be patrolling regularly to the places most of those that would try to hold on to their irons." He paused,

"The plan is to build a fence just outside of town, both ends, with pegs." He looked to Speed who spoke up;

"From the fund we have from collected fines we want to hire some help manning them. Each will have pegs to hang the guns, to stack long guns against. Now, in inclement weather, they bring here to our office, out of the weather. Like Pike said, Matt, we'll be patrolling and, on the lookout for anyone who decides to hold onto their guns." He pointed to the paper.

Ordinance: "To Provide against Carrying of Deadly Weapons"

1. It is hereby declared unlawful to carry in the hand, or upon the person, or otherwise any deadly weapon within the limits of the town of Kalispell, without first obtaining a permit in writing from either the Town Marshal or the presiding Judge.

2: This prohibition does not extend to persons immediately leaving or entering the city, who, with good faith, and within reasonable time are proceeding to deposit, or take from the place of deposit such deadly weapon.

3: All firearms of every description, as well as bowie knives and dirks, are included within the prohibition of this ordinance.

Both men looked on as the Mayor picked up the paper.

@JulieS

"Yes, we have our fund from fines collected for various infractions, and we are thinking we can use that fund for extra help, we have also considered that since Kalispell pays Young Charlie, and Pike here fifteen and Twenty-five dollars a week respectively. Then there's the fee system, arrests are two dollars, serving papers a dollar, so we'll need four men, and out of taxes collected, our salaries and thiers, which I figure to be ten to twelve dollars a week. I'm paid two hundred a month that's three hundred sixty dollars a month, which is less than the taxes collected, so there's room to spare." Speed explained.

"The way I look at it, Matt, I'll turn down the wage as I don't need the money, which can be used elsewhere." Pike offered and wasn't that the truth! "'sides there's talk of a fire engine and that will need a firehouse, horses, and likely a Captain? He'll need to be paid. Best start lookin' at taxes on businesses here in town. Which ain't a whole lot to start with. I mean the the Stardust pays what? Two, two and a half dollars a month, and that's the top of the scale. But we'll need those men to impose this law."

@JulieS

Speed looked at Barnabas and back to Matt, "Hadn't given much thought to that, I wonder if letting it out now would be wise. I mean when looking at this ordnance, maybe we start a problem that we don't need to let there out too soon. but, then again, folks have a right to know what is being presented before the town Council."

"That's the rub, folks do got the right to know but then again, it could cause some real problems, problems we don't need," Pike added, "besides, we think we covered it pretty well, but maybe there's more work that needs doin' on it, work that'll take time before it can be let out there. Like real close to the meetin'." Then he smiled, a knowing smile. "Understand I realize this ain't the wat it should be done, but maybe startin' some real trouble'll make it worth doing it this way." Although you could tell that he was not sure which way to go.

"Yes sir, Pikes got a point, maybe a bit of subterfuge would be forgiven in this endeavor. If not, I guess we'll all be out of jobs." Speed broached, and it could easily go just that way for them if the reaction to the ordnance was strong enough to call for their terminations. "Can't tell folks they can't defend themselves, not that that's what this means, not at all."