Snake River Slaughter

colonel to show a little irritation at being told how to address his arrogant visitor.

“Yes, well, it isn’t what you can do for me, Marshal. It is what I, and my men, are going to do for you.”

“You are going to do something for me? I don’t recall asking for any outside support in running my town.”

“We don’t always have to be asked. Often when there is a clear and unaddressed violation of the law, we will respond for the good of the whole,” Sherman replied.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Marshal Sparks, it has come to the attention of Governor Neil that you have been—let us say, lax—in your enforcement of a very important territorial law. We have been sent here to Owyhee County to enforce that law.”

“I don’t know of any law I’m not enforcing. What law would that be?” Marshal Sparks asked, surprised by the announcement.

“What law it is, is no longer of your concern,” Sherman said. “As you have not worried about it before, there is no need for you to worry about it now. Like I said, we will take care of it for you. But you need not worry too much about it. The fact that we will be enforcing this law will not reflect adversely on you. Also, we will not interfere with your normal performance of duty. You just go on about your normal business and pay no mind to us.”

“I should at least know what law you are talking about.”

“How many rooms does the hotel have?”

“I beg your pardon?” Sparks asked, unable to follow the abrupt change of subject.

“The hotel, Marshal. How many rooms does it have? I must find quarters for my men. I shall require nine rooms, eight for my men, they can double up, and one for myself.”

“Oh, that won’t be possible. The hotel only has ten rooms and at least four of them are permanently occupied.”

“Thank you,” Sherman replied.

“Marshal, I got a question I want to ask you,” the man who had come in with Sherman said. He had been silent until this moment.

“What is the question?” Marshal Sparks replied.

“How come it is, that you didn’t do anything about the man who murdered Poke Terrell?”

“Who are you?” Marshal Sparks asked.

“Marshal, this Lieutenant Luke Scraggs. He is my second in command,” Sherman said.

“Why didn’t anyone do anything about the man who murdered Poke Terrell?” Scraggs asked a second time.

“Mr. Scraggs,” Marshal Sparks started.

“It’s Lieutenant Scraggs,” Scraggs replied.

“We did do something about it, Scraggs,” Marshal Sparks said, purposely omitting the use of the word lieutenant. “The judge conducted a hearing and determined that the shooting that took Terrell’s life was justifiable. Matt Jensen was cleared of any wrongdoing. Everyone who was in the saloon at the time testified that Poke Terrell drew first. In fact, Terrell killed a young woman, and if he had not been killed himself, I have no doubt but that he would have been indicted by the hearing, tried, found guilty, and hung. Does that answer your question?”

“I heard it was a whore he kilt,” Scraggs said.

“Like I said, he killed a young woman.”

“If you see this man, Matt Jensen, you might tell him that he is going to have to answer to me for killing my friend,” Scraggs said.

“You aren’t making a threat, are you, Scraggs?” Marshal Sparks asked.

“You must excuse Lieutenant Scraggs, Marshal,” Sherman said. “He and Poke Terrell were particularly good friends.”

“Yeah,” Marshal Sparks said. “I can see how he must be just all broken up inside, what with Terrell being such a nice fellow and all.”

“Marshal, I get the impression that you don’t much approve of us,” Sherman said.

“That’s pretty observant of you, Colonel Sherman.” Again, Marshal Sparks emphasized the word colonel.

“I must say, that’s rather disappointing. Don’t you have respect for your fellow lawmen?”

“For fellow lawmen? Yes, I respect other lawmen. But I don’t consider you and your group to be lawmen,” Marshal Sparks said. “You are in this for yourselves.”

“You don’t understand, Marshal. Unlike you, we do not have our salary paid by the federal, territorial, or local government. That means that every case we undertake must pay for itself,” Sherman said. “You call that self- serving, I call it practical. At any rate we are both doing the same thing, and that is enforcing the law. So, if we can’t respect each other while we are here, we can at least stay out of each other’s way.”

“As long as you don’t break any law while enforcing the law, you’ll have no problem with me,” Marshal Sparks said. “But break any of my laws, and I’ll be down on you like a duck on a June bug.”

“Break any of your laws, Marshal? Interesting. I would have thought they would be town or county laws.”

“Town and county laws are my laws,” Marshal Sparks said.