The Gallows Pole

by M. Shaunessy

  “Barkeep,” Jacob said as Carl turned to him, “Next round is on me.”

  The big hand on the grandfather struck nine as the charms rang, but no one heard it as the saloon was at full swing. A western ragtime tune was playing from the upright piano and around fifty people were having a good time. A few were dancing, but mostly was sitting drinking their al-cohol. There were also a couple of poker games going on in the corners.

  Jane and Jacob were dancing together as the music followed their steps. At a nearby table, Gabe sat watching them. He was happy that Jacob found a beautiful woman like Jane, but he started to sulk a bit in self-pity. Maybe it was a bit of jealousy he had for his brother. Gabe was not as shy as people may think. He did have his share of girlfriends in the past, but neither of them really stuck to him as Jane did to Jacob. He wondered if he would really find true love one day.

  As the music ended, the couple laughed in enjoyment as Jane thanked her lover for the dance and returned to the table where Gabe was clapping for them.

  “Wooo! That was the best footwork I ever seen Jake,” Gabe said surly, “You too should enter the national dance competition or something.”

  Jane chucked at that remark and replied, “Why thank you Gabe.”

  Jacob smiled at his brother and asked, “How many drinks did you have tonight brother?”

  “Not enough,” Gabe replied downing the rest of his beer.

  “Well I think you just capped the limit little bro,” Jacob said.

  “Capped the limit?!” Gabe exclaimed, “You gotta be kiddin’ me!”

  “Sorry bro. We got a budget that’s limited,” Jacob explained, “And the last thing we need is you draining it with beers.”

  Gabe frowned and said, “You know what? You, are no fun at all.”

  Jacob chuckled and said, “Hey, do you want to stay here broke or do you want to see your surprise?”

  Gabe thought for a moment, sighed knowing that his big brother was right and replied, “You’re right. I guess I was just having a bit more fun than allowed.”

  “That’s right,” Jacob said, “Why doing you head on up stairs and lay down a bit. You look a bit tipsy.”

  “But it’s only,” Gabe paused as he looked at the clock and said, “Nine o’clock. You know I don’t get to bed until, at least twelve. Let’s party!”

  Jane and Jacob laughed as Jacob said, “All right I’ll give you one more hour, but no more drinks, deal?”

  “Deal,” Gabe said feeling a bit defeated.

  Time strolled to a quarter till ten. The trio was talking up a storm as they were reminiscing past birthdays that they had and embarrassing scenes that happened, when a beautiful local brunet in a red dress stopped by their table.

  “Hi ya’ll,” she said smiling. She looked to Gabe and said to him, “You know, I was wondering, are ya lawman? Cause I love lawmen.” She cooed.

  Jacob smiled to his brother a Gabe looked at the young woman’s blue eyes and grinned.

  “Sorry miss…” Jacob started.

  The brunet turned to Jacob and said, “Miss Betsy.”

  “Well, sorry Miss Betsy, Gabe is not lawman.”

  Gabe turned to him and retorted, “How do you know? I could be a lawman.” He turned to Betsy and said to her, “Actually I work with the government with a top secret defense program. Very hush, hush.”

  “Militant man huh?” Betsy wondered as she grinned slyly.

  “No,” Jacob interrupted, “He does work for the government though, in the patent office as a matter of fact.”

  “Really?” Betsy said looking a bit disappointed.

  Gabe looked down disappointedly, nodded and said, “Yeah, I suppose I am.”

  Betsy frowned then looked about and said, “Jordon! How are ya!” She waved to a young man in the corner of the bar and moved over to him.

  Gabe then glanced to his brother, slapped him on the shoulder, and said angrily, “Thanks a lot bro!”

  “Hey, I was only trying to protect you,” Jacob retorted.

  “From what, a beautiful girl who likes me?” Gabe said defensively, “I am not ten anymore Jake. You don’t have to protect me. I’m a grown man and I can take care of myself.”

  He then got up and started to swag away from them when Jacob asked, “Where you goin?”

  Gabe turned to his brother and said, “I’m gonna go up to my room, grab my coat and take a stroll outside. Can I do that? Do I have your permission?”

  Jacob frowned not liking this as he saw his little brother walking towards the swinging doors. He did not like him going out, especially at night in a town he barely knew. However, Gabe was right, he was not a kid anymore. He could not protect him twenty-four hours a day. He looked to Jane as she shared his thoughts.

  “He’s a full grown adult now Jacob,” she said, “I think it time for him to leave your nest.”

  “You think I’m over protective of him?” Jacob asked her as she nodded, “Well, you don’t know him well enough Jane. Gabe gets in more trouble that I can count and I have to dig him out of some of them. He’s my brother and I love him like one. You understand right?”

  She nodded and said, “But if you love him, then you must let him leave his own life. I mean, I know you lead him ever since he started to walk, but it’s time to let go of his hand Jacob.”

  “You’re right Jane,” said Jacob, “I guess I have been protecting him for too long.”

  Gabe climbed the steps to the third floor and sluggishly strolled down the corridor to his room. Gabe saw his door open and he knew that he locked his door. He wondered if someone was trying to steal something from his room. He then heard some sobbing and knew it was not a thief. He crept slowly, opened the door and peeked inside. He saw the source of the sobbing as it was a young woman. Her jet-black hair was unraveled as she was sitting on Gabe’s bed looking at his knife that she gripped in her right hand. Gabe knew that she was not Caucasian. Her skin bared a light reddish shade. He then knew she had some Indian heritage. Her hazel eyes were overwhelmed with tears rolling down her face. Gabe noticed her outfit and knew that she works at the hotel, perhaps she was the house cleaner.

  She was speaking in tongues he did not understand.

  “Um, Miss? You ok?” Gabe said as he was trying not to alarm her, but it did not work.

  The house cleaner jerked her head up. She saw Gabe in the doorway, and replied sobbingly, “Stay away! Leave me alone!”

  “Look Ma’am, I’m not gonna hurt you,” Gabe said, “Just put down my knife and we can talk.”

  She cried some more and said, “No…I will do it.”

  She pointed the knife towards her abdominal section, preparing to commit suicide something that Gabe did not like or want to see.

  “N-n-now hold on there Miss,” Gabe said gesturing his hands to stop her. “There’s no need doin’ that.”

  “You have no idea what happened to my life,” she said trembling, “What this town did to me. What they took from me. This town’s evil!” Gabe took one-step closer. “I said stay away! I’ll will do it! I will!”

  Gabe did not know why this poor young woman was going to commit suicide, but he had to get his knife out of her hands before she stabs herself. Drunk as he was, Gabe did not want to alarm her or make any sudden movements, but did not want her to do the same. Gabe had to do this as quickly as lightning he thought. In one swift move, Gabe sprinted towards her. He tried to grab the knife, but instead grabbed her hands, but it was already too late. Gabe felt a warm liquid substance on his hands, then a fearful scream, from behind.

  Gabe looked down fearfully and saw blood spewing on his fingers, then turned around and saw Betsy in the doorway screaming. She dashed off screaming for the sheriff. This was not good, he thought as he saw the young house cleaner falling back on his bed, dead. Gabe finally took control of his knife as other people gathered around the doorway.

  The first thing he wanted to do is to run away. Yes, run away and find his brother. However, that proved to fail as the
Sheriff Barns arrived and blocked his way. He surveyed the scene. He looked at the body on Gabe’s bed, the knife and blood on his hands. He knew what happened and frowned at Gabe.

  Gabe gulped and the first thing he said that came to his mind was, “It’s not what you think. I-I didn’t kill her.”

  “Boy,” Barns started, “You are in a heap o’ trouble and I gotta ‘rrest ya.”

  Chapter 3

  Don’t Hold Your Breath

  The click of the lead handcuffs and the surrounding people around Gabe’s door was not what Jacob wanted to see when he and Jane walked on the wooden platform of the third floor. Both of them were confused and horrified as they saw Sheriff Barns escorting Gabe in handcuffs. The sheriff had called for his deputy earlier to help with the body of the young woman and block off the room. The young deputy was tall and strong as he carried her in bed wraps over his shoulder. Barns told him to bring her over to the mortician and contact her father.

  Jacob rushed over to stop Barns and inquired, “What the hell’s goin on?”

  Sheriff Barns frowned and replied, “Sorry to do this to ya’ll, but your brother here is under ar-rest, for murder.”

  “Jake, I didn’t do it,” Gabe protested, “I didn’t kill her!”

  “Murder?!” Jacob retorted, “Sheriff, release him, Gabe didn’t kill anyone.”

  The sheriff looked at him and asked, “Were you there? Did you see what happened?”

  Jacob frowned and replied, “No.”

  “Then you were not a witness then,” the sheriff said as he pushed Gabe forward.

  Jacob intervened once more, “Sheriff, I know my brother. He isn’t a murderer.”

  “Why do you tell that to the judge?” Barns said, “Now if you ‘scuse me, I gotta do my duties.”

  Gabe face was purely innocent to his brother and Jacob’s girlfriend, but to the others who here standing the hallway was guilt. The sheriff pushed Gabe down the steps, trying not to let him fall as Gabe resisted lightly. Jane and Jacob followed them to the lobby and outside in to the night.

  Barns guided them to a red brick building down the dirt street as other locals looked on. Jacob noticed a sign above the wooden door that read:

  Sheriff’s Office

  They all entered the jailhouse and walked into a small room where Jacob and Jane saw two desks in the middle, a few wanted posted on the wall, and another door on the far side. This door however was made of iron and was lead to the jail cells. Barns escorted Gabe through the other door as Jacob followed. The sheriff then guided Gabe into a medium sized cell. The iron bars on the cell made sure no one would escape. Gabe found two small twin-sized beds inside, one for each cell. The sheriff closed and locked the iron bar door. Jacob frowned and looked to Barns.

  “Why don’t you get the judge, so we can straighten this out?” Jacob said.

  “Gotta wait ‘till tomorrow,” He replied as returned to the office.

  “Wait until tomorrow?” Jacob cried, “Why not now?”

  “Well, for one thing the court house hours are nine to three; and another is, I don’t want to wake him up at this hour,” he answered, “Now before y’all head back to the hotel for the night and get some sleep, I’ll need some information.”

  Jacob frowned and turned to his brother and said, “Don’t worry Gabe, we’ll get you out of this mess, I promise.”

  Gabe nodded and said, “Jake, I didn’t mean to do it. I was trying to save her.”

  “We’ll talk tomorrow. Try to get some sleep ok?” Jacob told him as Gabe nodded.

  Jacob smiled to him and hugged him through the bars.

  Jane then kissed Gabe on the cheek and said, “G’night Gabe.”

  Gabe smiled a bit and replied, “Thanks Jane.”

  Jane smiled back, giving him comfort. The couple followed the sheriff back in to his office as he sat down behind his desk. He opened a drawer and took out a few printed forms. He then started to write down some information.

  “Gabe’s full name?” Barns asked Jacob.

  Jacob and Jane sat down and he replied, “Gabriel Jones.”

  “His address?”

  “23 Adams Street, St. Louis Minnesota.”

  “Profession?”

  “He works for the local patent office as an assistant.”

  “And you’re his brother, Jacob right?” Barns asked as he nodded. He looked to Jane and asked “You have any relationship to Gabe?”

  She shook her head and said, “No, just a friend.”

  “And your name?”

  “Jane Pager,” she said.

  Jacob said, “Say, what you do think his bail going to be?”

  Barns looked up to him and replied, “Well, that’s up to the judge, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. Unless you’re a good lawyer, your brother, well, I’m sorry.”

  The couple frowned sadly not believing what was going on. Jacob knew something was up. Whomever that girl he killed, he knew that Gabe did not murder her, but he had to wait until the morning to see what the judge had to say. Once Barns was finished with them, he escorted the out of his office as his deputy walked in.

  They walked slowly on to the street as they headed back to the hotel. They did not say a word for a couple of minutes. Jacob looked at the empty gallows down the street. He remembered the body the two men dragged on to a cart from the gallows earlier that day and was worried that Gabe would be on them for what happened earlier.

  “Don’t worry love,” Jane said as she followed his gaze, “He won’t end up there.”

  “I’m not too sure of that Jane,” Jacob replied.

  They returned to their hotel room. Jane, in her nightgown, was getting into the bed as Jacob sat on the bed unbuttoning his shirt. He still could not believe that his brother was in jail. He wondered what could have happened in Gabe’s room. Jane looked at him and sensed that Jacob was troubled.

  “Jake?” she said as Jacob turned his head to her, “I’m sure the judge will understand that this was a misunderstanding.”

  Jacob nodded in understanding, “Let’s hope so. I just didn’t want this to happen.”

  “I know love. Just try to get some sleep.”

  He finished undressing himself and joined her. He kissed her gently on the lips and they both snuggled as they fell asleep.

  Chapter 4

  The Hanging Judge

  A sound of a rooster’s morning call from a nearby farm was faint when the sun’s light crept into Jane and Jacob’s room. Jane’s eyes slowly opened as her pupils tried to adjust to the bright morning light. She sat up, stretched her arms, and looked to Jacob. Her eyes then glanced over to the pocket watch that Jacob left on the bed stand last night, and saw that it was eight-thirty. She knew that they had to get up, get dressed, and rush over to the courthouse to meet the judge. She nudged Jacob’s shoulder as he grunted.

  “Jacob love,” she said softly, “It’s time to get up.”

  Jacob’s eyes opened as his pupils glanced to Jane. He smiled to her as she kissed him. He then glanced over to the table where his watch was and saw that they need to get ready in half an hour.

  Sara just started to serve Jane and Jacob their breakfast of sausage and omelets. She knew what happened last night and gave them their condolences.

  Jacob looked up to her as Jane started to eat and wondered, “Condolences? My brother did not kill her Ms. Eklund. It’s just a misunderstanding.”

  “A misunderstanding?” She quoted curiously, “Honey, your brother is as good as hung.”

  Jane looked to her after taking a sip of coffee and asked, “How do you know that?”

  Sara looked at Jane and replied, “You don’t know the judge like we do.”

  Carl waltzed over with a glass of orange juice and added, “Judge Marshall is also called the ‘hangin’ judge’. Ever since ’77, he’s been hanging peeps like there were no tomorrow.”

  “Now Carl!” Sara interrupted. She did not like his interoperation of Judge Marshall.

  “What? It’s
the truth,” he shot back. “Anyways I’d be careful what you say around him and choose your words wisely. ‘Cause the last time someone blew their top to him, well, was he didn’t last long to finish his sentence.”

  Jacob and Jane sighed and wondered what the judge will say. Just then, a man in white straw hat passed the swinging doors, saw the couple having their breakfast with his baggy eyes and strolled over. Carl and Sara Immediately recognized him as Jane turned her head to see his red-dish moody face.

  “Now John don’t do anything that you might regret,” Sara warned him as John raised his hand to shush her.

  Jacob turned to him as well.

  “I want to let you know, that your bother killed my daughter,” He said with a faint accent they could not recognized, “May the gods have mercy on your brother’s soul as well as yours.”

  He then turned and walked back out. Jacob noticed that he had tied his long black hair in a braid and wondered about it. It was somewhat queer he thought. The couple was curious to know who he was and what he meant by his little speech.

  “Who was that?” Jane asked.

  Carl replied, “That was John Fox, a former Injin. His daughter, Silvia, used to work here.”

  Sara frowned, remembering that and said sadly, “She was the best maid we ever had.”

  “So sad,” Carl added, “Her sister was hung the day you arrived.”

  Jane and Jacob never knew what lives was effected when Gabe supposedly killed Silvia. They frowned now feeling guilty.

  The chimes in the grandfather clock started to bong nine times as Jacob and Jane just finished eating their breakfast in the saloon. They gave their thanks to Carl and Sara as they hurried out of the hotel.

  “Don’t forget what I said!” Carl shouted as they strode out the door.