Finish the Western II, or Return to Anderson's Gulch

Cafe Society
101

Baker, I’m glad you sent Charley and Sally home with the baby. I was going to do that too! Jeff, thanks for the surprise there about Zeke…that came out of left field! Wonderful!

…a daguerrotype of Gus Anderson and a teenaged boy. The boy looked somewhat angry, and yet a little pleased.

Bill flipped the picture over, and there, in spidery handwritting, was, “Me and my grandson, Zeke Clayton, July 7, 1869.”

Sheriff smiled at Bill. “I think we should go read the will now, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Bill said. “It’s getting late.” The men and Martha walked back into the study, and Bill sat behind the desk. He broke the seal on the package Hank had retrieved from the mine and cleared his throat.

“Folks, usually at the reading of a will, only the named beneficiaries are present. However, due to the unusual circumstances, I am going to waive that tradition.” He waited for the murmurs to die down, and began.

"I, Augustus Clarence Anderson, being of sound mind and body, do attest that this document is my final will and testament, making null and void all such similar documents made prior to this date. It is my desire that my estate be distributed in the following manner.

"To my brothers William David Anderson and Paul Addison Anderson, I do bequeath my share of the Triple A Ranch, to be divided equally between them.

"To the Charging Bear family, I do bequeath 15 acres of land adjacent to their ranch.

“To Jesse and Belle Parker, I do bequeath the contents of my stable, including the carriage and my six horses owned wholly by me.”

“To my nephew, Samuel Henry Anderson, I leave my gun collection.”

“To my grandson, Ezekiel Walter Clayton, whose grandmother was a source of great joy and comfort to me, I leave…”

102

“No no no no!” Jim shouted. “That will is a fake!” He pulled a document out of his pocket. “This is the real one!”

Bill shook his head. “I think we already established that you stole that one from me when you knocked me upside the head. I told you that already.”

“And we should go on your say-so?” Jim asked. Lucy, Sam, and Paul began muttering together. “I can prove this is the real one!”

Sorry for the doublepost, but I wanted to get the multiple will angle in.

103

ivylass, Ilike the names! Wait til you see what I come up with for the baby.

104

Bill said, “I don’t think you can prove a thing, one way or the other. However, Gus can.”

“But he’s not here!”

“His words are.” Bill pulled a note from the package. It was in Gus’s handwriting and dated September 15, 1883. He read aloud, “If you are reading this, I must be no longer of this world. I have taken steps to ensure that everyone I leave behind gets what they deserve. There is but one true will. When it is held up to a flame, our family brand will be visible.”

105

I forgot that there are two packages. The note was in along with the daguerrotype.

106

Martha had provided Jesse with a decent bedjacket for Belle. It was far too large but it was warm and provided her with decent covering until her own clothes were completely dry.

Mose hung back this time as Belle sat up in bed and Dr. McCaulley gave her a quick once-over exam. He checked her finger tips, toes, ears and the like for signs of frostbite, and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized she seemed to have come to no permanent harm.

“You’ll want to be careful of your skin for a while. Try not to get too cold or dry, and if you have any handcream, use it” advised the doctor. “Let Jesse do most of the outside work around your place until it gets a little warmer. You need your rest. If you feel sick again, especially in the morning, drink a little water so that if anything is going to come up it won’t hurt so much.”

Belle laughed at McCaulley’s nausea advice. “I think that has to be all over doctor. I don’t know what was making me feel ill like that but surely there can’t be anything left in me now!”

With a start the doctor realized that Belle still didn’t know she was expecting a child. Well, after all, she wasn’t very far along at all. He turned to Jesse “Do you want to do the honors, or shall I?” Belle wondered what he meant.

Jesse looked over at Mose. “Seeing as how I might not have either one of them if it wasn’t for Mose here, I think I’ll defer to him. Please, Mr. Doubletree,” he said formally.

A thoroughly mystified Belle looked to Mose, as he stepped forward. “Ma’am, Sally was telling me how you gave her new brother a present of a fine blue blanket. Did you ever think you might want to keep it for your own use?”

Belle blinked. “It’s too small for our bed at home sir, that’s one reason why I thought it would be just right for a cradle or swaddling for the…baby! Are you telling me I’m going to have a baby?”

The three men in the room suddenly erupted in laughter at the squeaky tone of Belle’s last few words.

107

Hank quickly lit the candle that Mr. Santini took from the shelf.

“Now, I shall prove the will from the mine is the only true will!” Bill said. He carefully held the will over the flame, until the AAA appeared as a brownish tint on the will.

“Your will, sir,” he said, holding out his hand for the will Jim stole from him. He held the will over the flame and his jaw dropped.

Another AAA brand appeared in the second will.

108

“Ha!” shouted Paul, “I knew there was something fishy going on. What did you and that tight-fisted brother of mine try to cook up, Tidd? And I’ll bet Poole was in on it too! One half of Gus’s share, I’m going to get more than that, see if I don’t.”

Sam joined his father’s chorus. “Gun collection? That’s all I get? I’m a gentleman(here there were several snorts ) I expect more than that.” A touch of whine tinged his voice. “I was his favorite nephew after all.”

Will lashed out at Sam. “Favorite nephew my horses’ hind end! What a lie! He knew about your gambling and your “other” activities. The only reason he gave you that stake back when was to get you out of here, and you know it.”

The gathering to hear the will was devolving into chaos. Bill Tidd looked back and forth from one will to the other, at a loss as to how to proceed. The yelling between the Andersons, and Connell too, was escalating and it looked as if the whole matter would soon get physical.

“All right people!” shouted Sheriff Wilson “This isn’t going anywhere now, so here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to gather everything in those packages, pictures, wills and all and take them back into town. I imagine there’s going to have to be some kind of hearing on which will is valid, Judge Cotton can help arrange that. You, Connell, and you “Miss” Johnson, will be provided lodging in the jail, until you are arrainged on assault and kidnapping and theft charges, and whatever else. Paul and Sam, I don’t know quite what to do with you. I don’t have room in the jail for you all, since I can’t double up in the cells anymore, Johnson will have to have the back one to herself, since she’s a …umm… lady” But I figure you aren’t going to run, being as you both seem greedy as hell, and Sam has that bum shoulder now. But I would strongly suggest you move out of this house for the time being…"

“You can’t make me do that” huffed Paul, “this is my house as much as it’s anyones.”

"Didn’t say you had to, said the sheriff, “but unless you want to triple up at the jail, if I were you I’d explore lodging options in town. Zeke, until this is sorted out I’d keep away from the AAA for a while too, and that goes for Jake here.” The latter two didn’t argue.

It took longer that expected to pack up prisoners and gear for the trip back to Anderson’s Gulch, but finally a cavalcade of horses and wagons moved out. Will and Martha stayed behind, to oversee the house and ranch activites. Jesse and Belle rode with the others but turned off at their own property, after asking that a message be left for the Charging Bears as their place was passed. They needed to look after there own place after being gone, but were eager to share their good news with their friends.

As Sheriff Wilson rode along, he thought one more time that he was getting too old for all this.

109

Sheriff sent a telegram off to Judge Cotton, who agreed to hear the probate case at the end of the next week. During that time Belle mended rapidly, and began browsing through fabric at Hasting’s Merchantile to make baby clothes. Jesse spent a lot of time with Bill Tidd, who helped him clarify some sticky legal concepts he was having difficulty with.

Sally eagerly began school, and promptly developed a crush on Mr. Santini. The baby was doing well, and Charlie looked forward to the naming ceremony, which Caroline immediately agreed to. After what Mose had done for her, her fear of Oglala traditions and ceremonies seemed rather silly.

Connell and Fred Johnson shared a cell, with Lucy alone in the other cell. To Sheriff’s chagrin, Sam and Paul visited them daily, and he feared they were up to more mischief.

Jake stayed at the Silverlode, but he ate lunch daily with his brother Will at Bertha’s. Will at first apologized that he was left out of the will, but Jake reminded him the will had not been validated yet, and in any case, he was quite happy in Pennsylvania.

Judge Cotton rode into town, ate dinner with Sheriff and Bill Tidd, and prepared the Tumbleweed Saloon for the probate case, to be followed by the mayhem charges against Fred Johnon and the kidnapping charges against Lucille Johnson. The cases against Paul Anderson and James Connell would be heard later.

It was a bright and brisk morning, and the Tumbleweed was packed. Belle sat in the pews borrowed from the church, proud that her Jesse had been asked to help Bill Tidd in his presentation of the case.

The judge rapped his gavel, and a hush fell over the courtroom/saloon.

“Order, please, folks. The probate case of the estate of Augustus Clarence Anderson will now be heard.”

Bill stood. “William Lee Tidd, representing the estate of Augustus Clarence Anderson, yer honor.” Judge Cotton nodded, then his eyes widened in surprise as Sam Anderson strolled in, dressed to the nines, rather flashily.

“Samuel Henry Anderson, representing James Marcus Connell, yer honor.”

“Mr. Connell’s case is not due to be heard at this time, young man,” the Judge said sternly.

“No, yer honor. I represent him as a claimant against the Anderson estate.”

110

The sound of dropping jaws was almost audible throughout the court. Belle wondered how Bill Tidd and her Jesse were going to handle this surprise, and wished she had some way of telling Caroline about what was going on. Caroline had wanted to attend, but the baby was still to young to travel, even though the weather had gotten a little warmer and much of the snow was melting.

Judge Cotton was mightily annoyed at such a manuever. “If you had such important information for this court, it should have been made available to the other legal representatives at well” he grated.

Sam continued in an oily tone “Your honor, I have only learned this information in the last eighteen hours. There was not time. but of course I can let the papers I have be reviewed .”

Judge Cotton decided he’d better let this weasel shoot his bolt, so in his best courtroom voice he asked “Are you claiming that Mr. Connell is a beneficiary of Augustus Anderson?”

“No, your honor, simply that Mr. Connell’s brother, who was so brutally shot down(here the crowd muttered in an angry tone) had had private business dealings with my uncle, and, as Mr. Jim Connell is his brother’s heir, he should recieve the benefit of those dealings.” Here Sam smiled in angelic fashion. “I have all the documentation necessary here,” and he stepped up and handed some papers to the judge.

Cotton looked them over. At a quick glance they seemed to deal with mineral rights on the Anderson estate, something Sutton Connell had indeed always been interested in. Privately he wondered how dry the ink was, and who the rather excellent forger was as well.

“Mr. Anderson, I will not rule at this time on this matter. That will be seperate, when it it determined which of the presented wills is valid and should have such claims against it. For now we will continue with the agenda as planned.”

Sam’s smile slipped a little but he nodded in agreement. “Yes sir. I also wish to state that my father, Paul Anderson, will dispute any claim by Ezekiel Clayton, the so-called grandson of Augustus Anderson.”

Now the crown really began to stir. Everyone liked Zeke, and while they had no idea why Gus hadn’t openly claimed him, and had no desire to see Will Anderson lose anything(Paul was another matter), they didn’t want him to lose anything due to him.

Slim McLeod, who’d been sleeping late after a long night of poker, slipped into one of the few empty seats, at Belle’s side. “What have I missed?” he whispered, and Belle whispered back the particulars. Hmm, so Smilin’ Sam has been doing paperwork again? he thought. I’d better have a word with Jesse at the first court break. In the meantime Judge Cotton began the examination of the documents that had been uncovered at the Anderson residence, and the will Hank had pulled from the Excelsior mine, as well as what had been stolen from Bill Tidd.

111

“As you can see, Judge,” Bill said. “Gus himself told us how we could identify the real will, using a flame to reveal the Triple A brand. This showed up on the will Hank pulled from the mine, but the other will also has the brand. This will was stolen from me by Jim Connell.”

“Why did you steal this will, Mr. Connell?”

Jim stood up. “I knew that not everyone in this town cared for my brother,” at this point, a “You got that right!” rang out from the crowd, at which the Judge banged his gavel. “And I was worried Gus’s true wishes would not be carried out. I wanted the will to be kept safe.”

“But Mr. Tidd does not have a stake in this matter. What would it serve him to destroy what you claim to be the real will?”

“If I may, yer honor,” Sam Anderson interjected. “My client was worried that Mr. Tidd would be bushwacked by nefarious others. He was trying to keep the will safe.”

Judge Cotton rolled his eyes at this. “I will compare the two wills to see if anything shows that one may be a fake. We will take a short recess.” He banged the gavel and stepped off the dais to the Tumbleweed’s back room.

Slim made his way through the crowd to Jesse and tapped him on the shoulder. “I think I can help you,” he said.

112

“How so?”

“I believe Sam has built himself a house of cards founded on forged documents. All we have to do is knock down that card and all the others follow.”

“The judge will want proof of this.”

“And proof you shall get but it will take a while. We’ll need to let Bill in on this, maybe he can get Judge Cotton to delay long enough to bring in a couple of people from St. Louis.”

Jesse looked at Slim quizzically. “Just what do you have in mind?”

“I think they’re called ‘character witnesses’. One is a US Marshal, name of Bonfield. The other is Ian McLeod.”

“McLeod?”

“My father, the shyster.”

113

Jesse shrugged his shoulders. “Anything’s worth a try” he said “Let’s see what we can do.”

The two men joined Judge Cotton, Bill Tidd, and Sam Anderson, in the room where the judge was looking at the paperwork. Sam had an insufferably smug look on his face.

“Excuse me, sir” began Jesse “and forgive me for interrupting like this, but I need to speak to Mr. Tidd.” The latter gentleman stepped aside and Jesse introduced him to Slim, who in a hurried fashion explained what he knew, and why a delay might be necessary. A gleam came into Tidd’s eyes. He wanted the satisfaction of a successful procedure here, as protection for his deceased client and friend Gus Anderson. But he was concerned what Slim had detailed to him might not be enough for a delay.

“Your honor” he ventured “I wish to ask for a delay in these proceedings, based on information given to me by Mr. McLeod here.”

“What information might that be?”

“We have reason to believe that some of this “recently discovered paperwork” may not be…accurate.”

Sam began to huff and puff. “Sir, are you impugning my honor with your claims? You can see the dates, the seals, and everything on the papers of Mr. Sutton Connell. What is there to dispute?” he finished in a sneering voice.

Judge Cotton sighed,“unless you gentlemen can come up with a little more than these unfounded allegations, or unless Mr. Anderson here agrees, I am afraid, much to my regret, that I must refuse a delay in these probate proceedings. Do you have anything else at all to offer, or to say?”

“Judge?”

“Yes, Mr. McLeod?”

“May I speak to Mr. Anderson privately for a moment?”

“Your honor, anything this person has to say to me he can say right in front of you all” flung back Sam.

“Alright then, Smilin’ Sam, if it’s fine with you. Just wanted to ask a couple of questions. You’re a gambler, like me, right?”

“I have, on occasion, made my living in games of chance, with other gentlemen of quality.”

Slim gave a little snort. “You’ve gambled in San Francisco, am I correct?” “Yes. Is there some point to this?”

“Well, last year in March I was in San Francisco myself. I was living high on the hog, having been lucky in my own wagering. I’d just been to dinner at the Palace Hotel, having wined and dined a lady friend. We were walking arm in arm from the hotel, and I saw you leaving the hotel by a back service entrance. It was you, wasn’t it? We have met before you know, I thought I recognized you, although it had been a while.”

Sam’s voice was wary now. “It might have been”

“You had a flower, a lily it looked like. Care to comment on who you had been seeing?”

Sam turned to the judge. “Your honor, I agree to a delay in this probate procedure.”

The others were puzzled but pleased. Slim, Jesse, and Bill Tidd, left to send telegrams to the marshal and Slim’s father, asking them to come to Anderson’s Gulch with all speed.

Some folks in the waiting crowd were disappointed that they wouldn’t get the show they had hoped for, but most figured things would get even better later on.

114

It seemed impossible, but the next day the Tumbleweed was even more crowded. Mr. Santini had even brought his students over to watch the proceedings. The older children, like Sally and her friend the Hastings boy, kept an eye on the younger children.

A hush fell as the Judge walked in, and he didn’t even need to bang his gavel.

“Mr. Tidd,” the Judge began. “Are your witnesses here?”

“Yes, yer honor. I would like to call David Bonfield, US Marshal, to testify.”

115

Early that morning, Ian and Slim entered the Tumbleweed through the storeroom entrance. They surprised Hank, who was looking over some of the new fixtures he had ordered. “You!” he exlaimed upon seeing Ian.

Slim raised a finger to his lips. “Not now, Hank. There will be plenty of time to settle old scores once this is over.”

“Besides,” said Ian, “I’m not like that anymore. I work for US Marshal’s office as an expert in shady dealings.”

Hank shot Ian a suspicious look. “Well, I can’t leave him in here alone. Nobody allowed in here without an employee.”

Slim looked at Ian who replied, "Go, son. I can look after myself.’
After Tidd called the Marshal, Jesse expressed concern to Slim about his father. “Are you sure he’ll be trustworthy up there?”

“Absolutely. I’ve never known him to lie to anyone in authority. Certainly not under oath. Besides, we need him and his years of experience.”

“A shyster with respect for the law. Most unusual.”

“Indeed.”

116

“Your honor” began Marshal Bonfield “I realize this is not a criminal trial, but a hearing to determine the true wishes, that is, the true will of Augustus Anderson. But the documentation produced that makes a claim against the estate, in the interests of Mr. Sutton Connell, now deceased, will have a bearing on the terms of the will itself. It is to that I wish to address myself.”

“Go on Marshal”

“In this state, as in other states and territories, if it can be shown that an estate has had false claims made against it, of any sort, then said claimants, if also a beneficiary of that estate, have their inheritance rights rendered null and void, with their share falling to the other beneficiaries, as the law determines. Is that not so?”

“Generally speaking, it is” said Judge Cotton “But what makes a US marshal interested in what is essentially a matter for state or local jurisdiction?”

“Your honor, I’ve made forgery cases a specialty. The crooks who produce altered or forged documents often cross state lines. That makes if my affair. And after examination of the papers produced by Mr. Samuel Anderson here I believe I can show that they are faked. If you will take a look at these, which are from other cases I have pursued” and here Bonfield pulled a sheaf of papers from a carrying case “you may observe the many similarites, in print, style, and so on, to those Mr. Anderson has given you.”

Judge Cotton began a careful examination of the papers, as the room broke out in a loud buzz of excited conversation. Fraud, scandal, family infighting! And in a prominent family too!

The judge cleared his throat, and all eyes turned back to him. “Upon comparing all these works I have noted several things. Certain printed letters, particularly capital D’s, W’s, and the smaller case z’s, show identical defects. The edges of the signature block borders exhibit the same tiny crimp in the upper left hand corner. The signature of Gus Anderson is slanted in the opposite direction in the new papers, compared to his signature in the wills.” Based on these evidences, I will rule these documents as false."

Sam slumped in his chair. He’d been so sure that this time, with Jim Connell’s help, he’d produced a masterwork. Why him? he thought, in a self pitying manner. If only Uncle Gus hadn’t been so tight-fisted to his own flesh and blood.

Marshal Bonfield stepped up to him. “Hello Sam. It’s been a while, but I finally caught up to you. You shouldn’t have tried to pull something like this where I had connections.”

“Connections?” Sam asked weakly

“Meet my colleague, Ian McLeod.” Slim’s father, who’d left the backroon, stepped up. “It takes a con-man to catch a con-man.”

“I think you’re under arrest for fraud” said Sheriff Wison, as he also stepped forward. As he led Sam away to he wondered where he was going to put him. It seemed Anderson’s Gulch was going to need a bigger jail. And a new sheriff, he thought again, for the third or fourth time.

The judge banged his gavel down. “Following a recess, this probate hearing will reconvene in one hour, to determine which of the two wills produced for the estate of Augustus Anderson is the true will.”

The crowd was noisier than ever, as some left their places to stretch their legs, greet friends, and discuss loudly what other surprises might be in store.

117

After the court reconvened, the judge made his decision.

“It is the ruling of this court that the will retrieved from the mine by Henry Poole and opened at the Anderson Ranch in the presence of several witnesses, including the lawyer for the estate, is the true will of Augustus Anderson.”

Sam sat dejectedly. Now he didn’t even have the gun collection, which the more he thought about, was actually quite valuable.

To everyone’s surprise, Lucy began slapping at Sam. “You idiot! You can’t do anything right!” Laughing, Sheriff easily pulled Lucy off Sam and told her to hush.

"Mr. Tidd will contact all the beneficiaries of the true will and formally advise them of the bequests. Now, we will continue to the criminal matters before this court.

“Frederick Anderson, you are accused of mayhem, in that you did attack the lawful Sheriff of this town in your establishment, causing a brawl to break out, and threatening the life of Belle Parker. Lucille Johnon, you are accused of kidnapping Belle Parker and the Charging Bear baby.” The judge peered over the top of his glasses. “Does the child have a name yet?”

Mose called out from the back of the courtroom. “In due time, yer honor.”

“Very well. How do you wish to plead?”

“Yer honor!” Lucy stood up. “If you will set me free on the kidnapping charges, I can prove my brother was involved in the fake will plot!”

“You stupid bitch!” Fred cried, to gasps from the ladies in the courtroom. Sally’s jaw dropped as she quickly covered the ears of the nearest child. “You don’t know nothing!”

“I know enough!” she screamed. “Yer honor?”

The judge nodded. “You may speak, and we will take what you say under consideration.”

118

ivylass, one question, did Sam get brought back to the court, after being arrested, charged, or whatever? Because I’d had him being taken away.

119

In spite of the “scandalous” language most of the watching crown thought that this was the best show they’d seen in a long time. All the laughing and noise made Judge Cotton bang his gavel again. “Order, order! I will have order in this court, or spectators will be dismissed!” The crown subsided, not wishing to miss whatever might come next, but not before some anonymous wag called out

“Hey judge! What decided you on the wills?”

“Like I said, it was deemed that the will held by Henry Poole, given to him by Gus Anderson, and with it’s seal broken in the presence of witnesses, was the true will. There were also major differences in the bequests.” Damned if he was going to explain to whoever it was the additional reason upon which he had based his decision! He continued on.

“To get back to the business of what is now a criminal court, was there pertinent information you wished to give us, Miss Johnson?” The judge listened to a jumbled tale full of spite, in which Fred had forced Lucille to come to the Gulch with him, at the instigation of Jim Connell. It seemed that latter worthy had wanted advance eyes and ears in place, for his “claims” scheme. Lucille even hinted slyly that Fred and Jim may have been complicit in the death of Gus Anderson. And of COURSE she had been forced to act as she had, for fear of her awful brother!

The judge figured most of her sorry story was claptrap, but how to could he know? At that point Charley Charging Bear entered the court, looking for Sally. Charley hadn’t been able to attend the hearing/court due to work on his place and another matter, but other eager observers informed him of how the woman who had threatened his child was attempting to go free. His presence gave the judge an idea, and he called out

“Mr, Charging Bear, would you step forward please?” Charley approached and Lucille looked at him nervously, in response to his glare at her.

“Miss, if you will repeat under oath the exact same story you have told me here, I will set you free on your own recognizance,* in the presence of this gentleman here*. Not that I doubt the truth of what you told me, you understand. But if you would prefer to take the oath, and tell me anything different than what you have already stated, you will be held in custody in the town jail, as before.”

Lucille looked over at Charley and the look in his eyes. In a shaky tone she said “Your honor, I, uh, in my haste, may have made some mistakes.” And after taking the oath she told a rather less melodramatic tale. Fred was still involved, but only as a sort of spy for Jim, and for Paul Anderson.

“Is that all?” asked the judge, and when Lucy answered yes he continued “The final charges to be made in this matter are against James Marcus Connell. He stands accused of assault, attempted theft, conspiracy to defraud, and attempted murder. He will be formally told of the extent of these charges, not being present” Jim had acted so hostile earlier in the day it had been deemed safer to leave him in the jail. “This court is adjourned for the day, to allow time for the accused to prepare a defense. Should they seek counsel I should be informed. Court will reconvene in two days, on Thursday, to consider these related matters. Court adjourned!” And down went the gavel again.

Through the press of the crowd leaving Charley made his way over to Sally. She was free herself now, as Mr. Santini had dismissed his students, figuring after all this he’d never get them to settle down again that day. “Sally! I saw the Reverend Gray, like your mother wanted. The baptism is set for this Sunday, during church.” Charley wasn’t really religious, but Caroline was a little more so. In deference to her wishes, and since she’d agreed to the naming ceremony as well, he’d had no problem giving her what she wanted. Mose came up behind Charley, and Charley told him about the baptism, then said “Caroline wants you there, Mose.” Mose blinked in surprise, but agreed to come.

120

Baker, from what I got from your thread, there wasn’t enough room in the jail for Sam and Paul, so they weren’t technically under arrest. I apologize if I misunderstood your intent.

The Tumbleweed was packed again as court reconvened again on Thursday. The weather was turning nasty again, and it seemed Anderson’s Gulch was in store for another blizzard. Bertha had the wonderful idea of setting up a refreshment stand outside the Tumbleweed, and she and Tommy did a brisk business with hot fresh coffee and tasty apple turnovers.

The schoolchildren were in the audience again, this time with slates and chalk. Mr. Santini had hinted to the older children that there might be a test over the proceedings.

Judge Cotton banged his gavel and everyone fell silent. “We will now begin the case against James Anderson. Sheriff Wilson, please come up to the stand.”