Sodbuster, Part I

A sheriff I was in a small town, seen fifty years, and earned no renown, when Black Ken and his gang did come down to Mick Callahan’s big saloon. He saw I was the only law here, saw in my eyes a cold, quaking fear, said, “Boys, relax, and be of good cheer, take a lady up to her room. “I think this town will work our just fine, always wanted a place to call mine, this lawman seems to have a good mind, it not, then we’ll just make his dead.” He had four men, and all were gun-hands, I was alone, no posse would stand, there was no power her in this land to challenge what Black Ken had said. So I just slunk bank, raised no challenge, no others rose to bring back balance, the west was no place for the gallant, and power spoke with a loud voice. Ken set his stake in the saloon dim, and Callahan dared not challenge him, to draw on Ken meant a future grim, Mick felt he had no other choice. A day went by, and a routine was made, in the saloon they usually stayed, for ‘protection’ they made the girls pay, ten percent tax on every John. They next day they went out to the shops, into their cup gold dollars were dropped, a ‘small fee’ so you ‘do not get shot’ from bandits ‘out there doing wrong.’ A week went by, and someone came by, a sodbuster, supplies he did buy, in the dry-goods store none met his eye, “What’s got all of you down?”said he. Just them one of Black Ken’s men arrived, said, “Come on Hopkins, you know it’s time,” when Hopkins paid, Sodbuster said, “Why? Who is he to claim your money?” The thug squared up, and said, “Who is this? Some two-bit farmer giving me sh-t? Be nice and you’ll live to regret it.” Hopkins and his wife just ducked down. Sodbuster just stared with a blank face, picked up his supplies, walked from the place, the thug thought it an awful disgrace, jeers and taunts then flew from his mouth. But Sodbuster just walked to his horse, tied up the packs, and cantered off north, I feared we’d not see him anymore, a wise man would flee such a scene. But word came down, he stayed on his farm, I feared for the man, felt great alarm, knowing soon enough he’d come to harm, Black Ken was nothing if not mean... CONCLUDES IN PART II.