pretty much the same: offered to send you every man heâs got once they get back from their drive two weeks from now.â
âTwo weeks!â shouted a voice from the crowded street. âHell, theyâll be no need even looking for them in two weeks!â
âAll right, men,â said Abner Webb. âI know weneed more horses and guns.â His eyes swept across the crowd and saw that many of the men were now wearing old pistols they had scraped up from their homes or barns. âBut before you all go flying off theââ
âWhat we
need
is somebody who can
take charge
,â Miles Michaels, the blacksmith, interrupted. âAll weâve seen Abner Webb do is
take advantage
!â
Deputy Abner Webb rubbed his temples as if suffering from a headache. Then he looked out from the boardwalk at the angry faces. âAll right, weâve only got five horses. Anybody got any idea how weâre going to get by with
five
horses? Any of you want to join a
walking
posse?â
âThat polecat has horses!â shouted Ned Trent with a nasal twang, his nose swollen to twice its normal size. âMake him give them up!â
âYou donât learn easily, do you, Trent?â said Will Summers, stepping to the edge of the boardwalk as Abner Webb grabbed his arm and held him back.
Trent touched a wet rag to his broken nose as he shied back a step. âIn an emergency situation, I say the town can confiscate a manâs horses for its own use.â
âWatch me break your nose again,â Summers said. But Abner Webb held him back as he replied to the crowd.
âMen, weâre not confiscating anybodyâs horses.â He turned to Summers. âWill, how much will you take for those six horses?â
âIt doesnât matter how much Iâll take,â said Summers. âNone of you have any money. The Peltrys cleaned everybody out.â
âDamn it! I plumb forgot.â Abner Webb let out a breath of exasperation. âAll right, Will. Can you hold the townâs marker until we can round up enough money to pay you?â
âNope.â Will Summers shook his head. âIâm strictly cash only, all sales final.â
Abner Webb stepped in close and said to Will Summers under his breath, âFor God sakes, Will! These men are ready to tar and feather you. Canât you bend a little? Iâm trying to save your hide!â
âBy taking my horses and giving me a marker? No thanks,â said Summers, keeping his own voice low between the two of them. âBut donât worry, Deputy. Iâve got an idea thatâll work out for both of us.â
âWhat kind of idea?â Webb asked warily.
âCome on,â said Summers. âLetâs go to the sheriffâs office, where we can talk in private.â He turned to the townsmen and said, âGentlemen, if youâll excuse us for just a few minutes, I believe we can work this out to everybodyâs benefit.â He looked back and forth from one face to the next. âMeanwhile, decide among yourselves which ten of you are going to ride posse with us.â The townsmen looked at one another, then began to nod and comment among themselves.
âThere now, Deputy,â Summers said to Abner Webb. âThatâll keep them busy for a while.â He offered a thin smile. âLong enough for us to work everything out.â
Chapter 4
In the sheriffâs office, under Will Summersâ urging, Deputy Abner Webb went to a wooden file cabinet standing in a corner and took out a folder full of wanted posters. When he handed the folder to Summers, the two stood looking down as Summers took out the posters and spread them across the worn wooden desk. âThere, first one out of the pile,â said Summers, his finger pinning a rough, bearded face to the desk. Gilbert Metts, five hundred dollar rewardâ¦participation in bank robbery in the State of