It was nearly daylight when the Walt Shannon gang if that was what they could be called, slipped into the hideout, sure that they had not been followed from the burgh of Gorum. What a bizarre night that had been! The oddity they called a bank was the easiest heist yet! And, the most ridiculous. Wally Oldham checked what he was loading into the saddle bags, cash money, but bags of gold and silver coin as well. No bags filled with rocks and dirt, no, Wally was too shrew for that trick.
Paper and coin, their stock in trade. Dust and nuggets they would hold onto until they ran across an assayer to buy it. But if Case wanted it in trade for hard money, they had no problem with the exchange. it made little difference to Walt and his two compatriots, they had more than enough money with them that in actuality, they simply did not need any more. The challenge of the job was really what they were after.
So when they dumped the saddlebags on the table in the main room for all to see, seven thousand eighty-two dollars in cash was piled up not counting the bags of nuggets and dust. Each of the six bags of coins sat next to the bundled paper money. Walt smiled his thin dangerous smile, "There ya go boys. All yers. We're good for the time being. But I got a question, Case."
"And that is?" Case inquired.
"Now you said that the bank in town was off the list. Why's that?" Walt asked. Everyone looked at Case for his reply.
"My little sister has money in there, she's building a hospital, so we don't risk her funds til the hospital is standing and open for business." He said flatly, and there was no humor in his eyes. "You just leave it be, but I'll tell you what," He tossed one of the gold dust pouches to Shannon, "Send a man to town with this, case the place, see what your up against so when the time comes you'll know." He jerked a thumb at Dade Marley, "His brother's gang tried it in broad daylight, Dade here escaped, them that wasn' killed were hung. Something to think on, boys. But you sure done fine with this one!"
"You boys need to know, there's just a back window, no door, no other way out, 'cept the front door. Maybe one 'er two windas. Not a bank that's easy like some. But like the boss says, send in a man and let him bring back the news." Marley said with his usual smile. "They had us cold. Hung my brother killed the man watchin' the horses out front. Killed another, and the law killed my brother's horse he was tryin' ta get to. So, somethin' for ya ta think on."
"Sounds like a challenge to me, but I'll respect your wishes while the hospital's goin' up. Didn't see much of anything when we passed through." Walt said. "A hospital, now that there's a grand project, to be sure. So maybe we'll make a donation. Not this bag 'o dust, cash money of ours. Make it look good, say we hit it without goin' into detail." Then Shannon laughed. The very idea of it struck him as amusing. Them, putting money in a bank they didn't plan on stealing back.
"Gotta hand it to you boys, mighty generous, but then you've been more than generous with us." Case remarked. "Was I to show my face in Kalispell I might get myself killed from what Boone had to say. Had thoughts of running for County Sheriff, not sure how that would work out. But you boys do as you like."
"We got a bit of business north of here, but we'll be back in a couple of days, scout it out then, for future reference," Shannon promised.
"Well, now fellas," Case began as he had gathered all of the gang, "You might be aware that the elections are coming up here before long. Seems old Guyer'll find himself up for re-election, less of course he passes on Town Marshal and runs for County Sheriff. Now, seriously, we can't have a County Sheriff who's not friendly toward us, now can we." Which drew laughter from the men. "I know that ol' Boone here said I'm not the most well-liked man in Kalispell, but really, Guyer can only run for one office at a time, right? And who else have they got? Anyone? So, I believe I would certainly be the friendlies toward you scallywags." Again drawing laughter.
"Time to get started with my campaign of law and order, well not right off, it's still early yet, but we need to be thinking along those lines and give the good people of Kalispell plenty to think about, don't you agree?" He asked and the men responded loudly in agreement with him. "So, because we are all dedicated citizens, it is up to us to make sure that the voters are inspired by plenty of rustlin' and burned-out nesters!" Some actually cheered, and others laughed at what he was saying because they all knew that nothing inspires voters like unbridled crime.
"Here we are close to the end of July, with maybe two months or more to go, not really sure when the elections are, maybe in the middle of the month, so I'll be moseyin' on into town and register my intention to run here pretty soon, there's no real rush, I mean, I can announce my candidacy at any time, but you know, Guyer just might want to debate me on certain topics. So we can do that, right?" He smiled at the response. "So boys, best we get out there and do those things that will help get me elected! Right?" And again they cheered for him. Life would be good with him behind a badge again.
Wednesday, August 2, 1876
With all the revelry about Case running for County Sheriff, there were those that doubted his chances at winning, let alone being allowed to run for either lawman position in the first place. It was a fact that although he may be suspected of the rustling, there was no proof of that. He was suspected perhaps of many things, but without substantiated proof, there was nothing the law could do about it.
Boone sided up to Case, "Boss if they don't shoot you on sight, they might just lynch you and be done with it. The mood in town where you're concerned is not good. There was real anger, too."
Toole stepped over to him, "Won't work Case, bad as you want it too, it just ain't gonna pan out like you want." He said. "The Steelgrave name ain't real pop'lar in Kal'spell. Like he says, you ride in, you might not ride out."
That gave Case pause. "I knew I might not be real popular with them folks, but, I thought I might just pull it off."
"Not likely boss." Dyer stated. "Rumbles I've heard, best you stay shut of that town, but maybe up Columbia Falls, one of them burghs up that way, that is if you're lookin' for a town to run."
It was just about then that Knox came through the door like Satan's angels were hot on his trail,
"Speed Guyer's shot!"
Wednesday, August 2, 1876
The room fell silent. Not in sympathy for Guyer, but in shock that he had been shot. "Yeah, somebody bushwacked him! Ain't sure if he's dead or alive, but from what I saw an' heard, he was hit hard. Maybe it was yer Pa what ordered it." Knox added.
"Maybe, I know he'd thought about it more than once." Case surmised, "Then again, maybe not. This sounds real good, but I'm thinking, maybe not. What else was goin' on?"
"Well I seen that woman what was a deputy, and Cantrell from the Lost Lake, he was there, an' some other gent I never saw before. Had a kid with him. Leastways, I thought it was his."
"I'll say this Case, you best ferget runnin' fer anything in that town, cept maybe runnin' away. Ain't no Steelgrave, 'cept maybe yer sister welcome there now. You an' yer Pa, number one to take the blame. They will hang either of you on sight!" Toole stated flatly.
"Maybe you're right. But who shot him? Now that's the question. who had the brass to do it, and for what reason, not that I'd need one, but I reckon someone else would." Case questioned, and that troubled him some. Who was far more important than why, was he a threat to either him or his father? Or had he done what he had set out to do, for whatever reason he may have had.
"And you're right. Was I to go traipsing into town, they'd stretch my neck for the fun of it. Them two Marshals, were they there?"
"Couldn't say, didn't see 'em." Knox replied.
"Hmmm, them two like to roam the countryside, they do. Well, that means there's still law to be dealt with." Case observed.
Wednesday, August 2, 1876
"I'd surely like to know who done this!" Case said. The atmosphere in the room had cooled. Now all of them realized Case's chances of wearing any badge in Flathead County were out the window. In fact, it would be almost certain that there would be a posse, and on the list, Case Steelgrave. If Guyer died it would be worse, but he would hang even if they could not prove he had anything to do with it.
Case needed to think, this was not good and shaping up to be really a lot worse than he thought. What if Guyer had already died, that would not be uncommon. Given the limited experience that most frontier doctors had, he walked outside, he needed a plan, and an alibi would be useless. Who would believe Case Steelgrave? No one in Kalispell that was for sure. Their confrontation some time back would be all the proof anyone would need. And what of Pike? Pike would come killing, he was sure of that. And he would be at the top of the list, but where was the errant deputy anyway?
Too many questions that needed answers. Answers, questions, accusations. Maybe he would ride for the Evergreen and see if they knew anything. or if they had a hand in it? That was a choice to be sure, but a risk as well. Getting from the hideout to the ranch would be the trick, but at the moment it was the only choice that made sense.
Without a word, he mounted his horse tied at the hitch rail and took out for the Evergreen.
Continued in 'The Evergreen Ranch' Topic.