Making the Rounds
The mayor and his new sheriff turned up the only side street in Holliday. Samuelson paused at the front door of the first house on the left.
“In a minute we’ll be into local howdy-do’s, but the smart thing for the new sheriff to do is meet the owner of XBARX. He’s the largest employer in the area, and his men are likely tenants for your jail. I’ll come by in few days after you get settled, and we’ll ride out; make the introductions.” He smiled sheepishly. “Good politics.”
With that, the mayor opened the front door of Ma Blanchard’s boarding house, and the smell of Texas cooking said, “home”.
Three days later, Samuelson returned to Ma’s breakfast table. “Brought you a side of venison, Ma. It showed up at the back of the store—guess Howard must have brought it in from XBARX.”
“ ’Bout time you balanced the ledger, what with all them free meals you been taken since Leitha left.” Ma moved into the kitchen.
Skillman and Doc Madden were the only two at the table. Doc poured out the history of Holiday while the mayor woofed down breakfast. The town was, basically, a quiet place with peaceful people. But, a few years back, the region was hit by the worst drought folks around could remember. Ranchers bought up distressed farms at foreclosure prices. It strained the harmony of Holiday life… And now, this stealing thing.
The way Doc saw it: “Nothing worse than a little thievery to break down the neighborly trust that was just re-emerging. Everyone starts looking at his neighbor differently, and, the loss of trust leads to tension. Someone stole my shirt off Ma’s wash line last week, and I’m eying every white shirt coming through town.”
By nine o’clock, Samuelson, with Skillman at his side, approached the gateway to XBARX ranch. A weathered, white-haired man in his sixty’s stood on the porch of the large rambling frame house watching the riders approach. When in earshot, he called out, “Welcome to XBARX, mayor. That your new tenderfoot in tow?”
The mayor introduced Ted. Banister shook hands, looking Skillman up and down. “My god, you’re young.”
Ted hoped he wasn’t blushing. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Banister.”
The visit didn’t take long. Over coffee, they received a vote of confidence for the new sheriff, a pledge of support for the mayor, and a promise to caution cowboys about in-town manners. The visitors were back in the saddles in little more than an hour.
They had ridden about a half mile when the mayor broke the silence. “You know they’re going to test you, don’t you?”
Ted looked blank.
“Those cowboys are more than likely going to try something just to see how much the kid sheriff can take. You need to be ready for it, if you catch my drift.”
With the certain knowledge that farming was not what his life was to be, Ted Skillman, fresh from one of the last cattle drives north, takes the job of sheriff in the small town of Holliday Creek, Texas. And there was the Mayor's daughter that might have played a small part in his decision...
ReplyDelete