Hanging Judge by Elmer Kelton

Author:Elmer Kelton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2012-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

It was another full day before Sam Dark arrived. With him came the tall Negro George Grider and the lanky, hard-eyed Rice Pegler. Justin was glad to see Sam and George. He wondered why Dark had brought Pegler along, feeling about the man as he did. Probably he had had to; orders from Marshal Yoes, or perhaps even from the judge. Rice Pegler knew his business.

Dark had heard the story from Blue Wing but he listened to it again from Justin. His expression became more grave as the event was recounted. A deep bitterness came into his eyes and a sadness as profound as if it had been his own family. “Where’s the girl at now?”

“They taken her away from here. Hid her out among some of Charley Wing’s kin. Oates’ bunch can’t find her.”

Pegler noted Dark’s emotion. “I don’t see why you need to take it so personal. It’s just another job. Anyway these are nothin’ but Indians.”

Justin said tightly, “They’re people.”

Pegler chewed a cud of tobacco then spat a brown stream at one of Charley’s chickens. “You get along real good with these folks, Moffitt. Never would’ve suspicioned there was any Indian blood in you.”

“There ain’t.”

Justin couldn’t tell if Pegler meant malice or not. Probably he didn’t; his words probably simply reflected his lifelong attitude toward people different from himself. He said, “Careful, then, or there might be Indian blood in your kids.”

Dark said impatiently, “You got any idea whichaway Matthew went?”

“North. That’s what Charley’s people tell me. They tracked Quarternight and his bunch a long ways. When Matthew left here they already had the trail started for him.”

“They still with him?”

Justin shook his head. “He sent them back; told them it was his place to take care of it.”

Dark worried aloud. “If he catches up to Quarternight and he’s by himself it’s apt to be the last mistake he ever makes. Reckon you could talk some of Charley’s people into ridin’ along and showin’ us? The more trackin’ we can save the farther ahead we’ll be.”

Blue Wing put in, “I’ll go with you. And I’ll get one of my cousins who helped mark the way for Matthew.”

Justin said, “Thanks, Blue. That’ll sure help us.”

Dark frowned. “Us, Justin, but not you. You ain’t lookin’ none too good. You’ll stay here and rest.”

“I’ve rested enough these last two days to do me for a lifetime. I could ride with you now plumb to hell.”

“And that’s about where you’d end up. You stay.”

Angry, Justin squared his shouders. “Them was good people and they was friends of mine. I’m goin’. Even if I have to take this badge off and ride as a civilian, I’m goin’.”

Dark studied him a moment, surprised and weighing the possibilities of argument. “All right, but if you can’t make it we’ll just have to leave you where you fall.”

“Any fallin’ done it won’t be by me.”

They ate a quick meal prepared by the Wing women, then they started off in a long trot, led by Blue Wing and a cousin of Justin’s age named Alvin James.

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