Chapter 9: The Promotion

That Saturday morning, JJ got up before dawn and got into his Bible. He prayed for the strength to go on and the wisdom to do the job that seemed to be before him. Before starting his day, he chose the Bible verse he would meditate on that day.

When he got to the Marshal's office, Mayor Frank Robinson swore him in as U. S. Marshal Joe Staples Jr. The City Council was present, including Terry Hornsby.

After he had sworn in JJ, Mayor Robinson said, "JJ, we will raise your salary up to one hundred dollars a month. Find yourself a deputy, and he'll get sixty, like you got. Now that we have that problem solved, we're going to have a trial today. The jail is to slam full. There's twenty-one men in there, and it's only designed for ten. We will try the Hill Gang and find out which one of them robbed Terry Hornsby, and maybe the one who killed your daddy a few years ago. It seems we have some new evidence on that case. Then, we'll try Jim Johnson. JJ, you need to send a messenger out to get Barney Williams to come in as soon as possible."

"Mayor, I would like to take a chance and use Albert Reynolds as my deputy. If I hadn't had his help I wouldn't have gotten all those rustlers. After talking to him, I think he was caught between a rock and a hard place. He told me that he thought his days were numbered, and he didn't know what to do. They had told him that if he said anything or tried to escape, they would kill him.

If you would pardon him, I think he will make a good deputy, and besides he said he will testify against Jim Johnson and all the men connected with James and his rustling," explained JJ.

"JJ, go get him out and let me talk to him. I'll talk to the City Council, but it's their decision," replied Mayor Robinson.

"Come on up front," said JJ to Albert, as he opened his cell door.

"Man! Oh man! I thought you had forgotten about me," said Albert.

Stopping before going through the door to the front where everybody was, JJ whispered to Albert so no one heard him, "Now Albert, I'm sticking out my neck for you because I've prayed about this and I think that you are a decent and trustworthy man. Answer all the questions and you could be my Deputy at sixty dollars a month, all expenses paid."

"Wow! I have never made that much in my entire life! Man! I'm not going to let you down, JJ!" whispered Albert excitedly, with his eyes bulging. After talking to Albert, all the members of the City Council agreed with JJ and unanimously voted to make him JJ's deputy.

After Albert was sworn in, JJ sent him out to get Barney. Meanwhile, the Hill Gang trial got underway. By the time they started talking to the gang members about how long they were going to spend in jail, all of them started pointing fingers, and pretty soon they knew which one of the twins killed JJ's daddy and which one robbed Mr. Hornsby. It seemed that they had bragged about it to the gang in order to keep it together.

Sunday morning JJ got up at the crack of dawn to get into his Bible and to pray for a great day at church. He found a verse to mediate on during the day. He was glad to see Ruth for he had not seen her since Wednesday and that had seemed like an eternity. Sunday night's message sure hit home with JJ. It was about leadership.

The following week, Johnny Hill was hung for the murder of JJ's daddy, and the other gang was taken away to prison. Jim was hung for Robert's murder. James and six of his men were hung for rustling and eight of his men were sentenced to ten years for aiding and abetting. JJ put Albert in the extra room at the jail that night, so he could help Sam watch it, since he had no place to stay.