Chapter 5

Spring brought a lot of changes to Salmon Falls. Willow was married with the large ceremony her mother wanted, and So was Wallace. He was beginning to doubt that Cassie was pregnant, and wasn’t very happy about being married.

Nola had very little to do with her mother, and after eloping with Brad, moved her belongings to the Broken Bow. The ranch was ceded to Nola as a wedding present from her father. Which in effect made Brad the owner too. Williams long range plans for both Brad and Wallace as partners in the Main Ranch of Salmon Falls, was still in the works.

Willow was still teaching school, with new books, donated by her father. Howard Barnett had run for sheriff in Salmon Falls and won the election. Dorothy had to be satisfied by the social standing Willow enjoyed because of it. In reality the ladies of the quilting bee, had more social standing than any organization in town. The one thing William liked about Howard becoming sheriff, was that he had to move into town. That took him and willow out of the main ranch all together.

The Broken Bow had plenty of help, now that William wasn’t doing the hiring. His decision to hold back from joining other ranchers in marketing culled cattle, wasn’t met with enthusiasm from his fellow ranchers. They would have to hire the extra help, that the MacKay’s provided when they were part of the drive. There were a few reasons for delaying a year before making another drive, and that was the animals would be older and healthier, more able to with stand the long trek to the Northern markets.

Brad still had cattle to brand and cut. There was always work to be done, even if it was mostly done on a horse. Another problem was starting to rear its ugly head, and that was homesteaders, moving into the Valley. The valley was owned by William, he’d bought the land and had sole title to it.

Salmon Falls top hand, Paul was given the task of driving the farmers out. They had taken to stringing wire of their own, and Paul was busy pulling it down. Paul and several other ranch hands, rode out inspecting the valley, and found a fresh fence line. Paul roped the corner post, and looped the rope around the saddle horn. With a nudge of the spurs, the horse moved back, pulling the post out of the ground, laying a whole section flat. It brought a lot of cheers from the other hands, and they whooped with laughter. Paul flipped his rope, freeing it from the post. He was about to say something else when he was struck hard in the chest and knocked out of the saddle. The Squatter that fired the shot, had a newer lever action rifle. He was able to scatter the cowboys. Some sought cover, while one of Paul’s riders fired several times with his cap and ball pistol. The Settler was dead, and Paul had to be helped back in the saddle. The ride into town was a race against blood loss. Which they barely won. The Doctor may have tipped the bottle a few times lately, but he went to work on Paul and had the bleeding stopped. It would take a long time to heal, but Paul was going to recover.

With his top hand laid up for an indefinite period, William sent for Brad and Wallace. The valley had to be cleared of squatters, and they were the only ones he could count on now. Their orders were to tell the squatters to move out. Give them three days, then burn the cabin and anything else standing on the property.

“It used to be Indians, now its squatters.” Wallace was talking to Brad and any others within ear shot. “It’s always going to be something.”

“I’d rather fight Indians.” Brad grumbled. He figured it was right what they were doing, but didn’t like having to punish people. William MacKay owned the valley. He held the deed, and it was his cattle they were stealing.

Brad didn’t like fighting women and children, especially those that had mistakenly came to the valley, thinking it was all government land. They were trying to make a go of it, just like everyone else. The problem was, they got to the valley several years too late. The other mistake, was they were in the wrong valley.

The squatters had come too far West. The land they might have held legal claim too was mostly forest. A great deal of clearing had to be done before a crop or even a decent garden could be planted. The farm they were approaching had new fencing posted across half a section. Brad wondered how the new arrivals could afford the bales of wire it took to fence the property. Someone with money was bleeding

The general feeling in the Town of Salmon Falls, was that the ranchers had to answer for their actions. Brad couldn’t be arrested for running off the Squatters, because it was Williams Land. Under private owner ship, not public or open range. But they could bring charges of murder against him, even if there was no proof.

The Posse rode up to the main house on the Broken Bow ranch. Howard Barnett, acting sheriff informed Brad as he stepped out on the porch, he was being arrested. The charge, murder. Sitting tall in the saddle, with eight men behind him, all well-armed with colt revolvers, Howard demanded that Brad drop his gun belt and ride into town with them.

“You don’t have any authority out here, Howard.” Brad scoffed. He wasn’t about to drop his gun belt, nor put down the lever action rifle he was holding on the posse. “I’m not going to ride in with you or anyone. Furthermore, I suggest you take your band of merry men, and get off the Broken Bow.”

“Can’t do that Brad. I have a warrant here for your arrest.” Howard pulled a folded paper out of his shirt. “Signed by Judge Headly. He’s the circuit court judge of the territory. This gives me the authority.”

“Let me see that.” Nola stepped out on the porch; she’d been standing just behind the open door. Now she moved into the open carrying a lever action rifle too. It was obvious that she was several months along in her pregnancy.

Howard swung down out of the saddle and stepped forward handing Nola the warrant. She opened it and spent a minute reading. While everyone else waited patiently for her to finish. Brad could tell from her expression; she didn’t like what was printed on the paper.

“This is a legal warrant.” She said to Brad. “You better go with them. We will be right behind you.” Nola handed the rifle to Marla who had come out to stand with her. Then to Marla she said to have Mathew ready the carriage for her.

Dusty brought a saddled horse around for Brad, and Asked him under his breath, If he wanted him to jump the party on the way to town. A couple men of the posse overheard Dusty, thought it was a funny comment and had a good laugh. Dusty was serious, but Brad told him no. He didn’t want his men getting involved, on the wrong side of the law. He did tell him to get word to Wallace. He needed to be at the Broken Bow, in case the law tried to confiscate something.

Nola rolled into town on the carriage, an hour after dark. The posse had got there an hour before and Brad was locked in a cell. Nola, pulled up to the doctor’s office and took a room there. She was due any time, and thought it best to be close to help if she went into labor. If she wasn’t birthing a baby in the morning, she would pay a visit to the circuit court Judge. She had a question to ask, and that was who was the witness against Brad.

The next morning, Brad was brought before the court, and heard the charges against him. Nola was there, and disrupted the proceedings by shouting out her question. “Who was the witness?”

Judge Richard Headly, pointed a finger at her, and said another outburst and she would be arrested, and put in a cell. He didn’t care how far her pregnancy was advanced. He demanded respect for the law. Howard stepped forward and handed the Judge some papers. After reading for a minute, the judge looked to Brad and asked how he pled to the charges of Murder.

“I’d like to know the names of the people I’m accused of killing.” Brad told him. “And the man that says I did it.”

“That will come later.” The judge snapped at him. “Right now, you are to enter a plea.”

“In that case, Judge Headly, I say I’m innocent. Now who says I’m not?”

“I’m placing you in Jail, awaiting trial. You have thirty days to prepare a defense, and I suggest you get a lawyer, Young man.”