The Gallows Pole

by M. Shaunessy

  She then remembered what Jacob told her and said between sobs, “No, we have to get to the train station.”

  Chapter 14

  Justice Is Served

  The trek through the rugged mountain that surrounded the town was harsh. They had to leave the horses behind and continue on foot. There were no paths to follow, but Jacob had a lot of confidence in his new friend. They hiked through shrubbery and trees for about thirty minutes. Bowing Eagle then pointed a building in the clearing about a few yards away from where they were. Jacob smiled as Bowing Eagle told him that he would position himself on the roof.

  “Ok, just be careful that no one sees you,” Jacob warned him.

  “Don’t worry,” He replied, “I am like mountain lion, silent but deadly.”

  The two went to work. Jacob made his way down the steep rocky hill and crept towards the back end of the courthouse. He saw that there were no doors, but he knew there was one on the side. He had to be careful. He edged his way to the corner of the building and stopped. Jacob peeked around and saw that it was clear. No one was around. The door he was talking about was about fifteen feet away.

  Jacob continued slowly to make his way towards it. He passed a window and took a quick look inside. Good, the light was out, he continued. Once he got to the white painted oak door, he tried to turn the copper knob. It did not move much and he cursed knowing someone locked it.

  Jacob looked to the window and wondered. He studied the window for a moment and smiled, as he knew that this type of window did not have a lock on it. He moved back to the window, placed his hands on the frame, and gently lifted the pane. It moved upwards, he was a bit con-cerned when it made a grinding noise. He hoped no one heard it. The opening of the window was large enough to climb through. He lifted his leg and vaulted over slowly. It was dark, but once inside Jacob knew he was in the hallway.

  As the sun disappeared over the horizon, dusk fell over Clayton. The lamp boy started to light the street lamps in his stilts. As he started to light one of the lamps, he was startled as he heard a horse purr close by as if it was next to him. It was. He turned to see six Indians on horseback. He was as terrified as he knew they were here to ransack the town. He stumbled back, lost his balance and fell to the ground. He wanted to scream for help, but he was frightened. He tried to scurry like a crab, could not even get away.

  Lighting Bear looked to the lad, and then looked about. He was searching for someone. Then one of the town gunmen, Luke, approached him.

  “Hey, what are you doin here chief?” he asked, “You know you are not suppose to be here. Now get lost before me an’ my boys make ya.”

  Lightning Bear looked to him unpleased then said, “I am looking for a foreigner who just arrived.”

  “The only foreigner I see you.” Luke said as he raised his Winchester rifle to him, “Now git!”

  Lightning Bear eyed him, but he told his men to back off and return to a safe place outside of town.

  “One day you will thank us,” said the Jicarilla warrior as he trotted his horse away from the town.

  Luke chuckled slyly then shot his rifle in the air. Lightning Bear’s horse panicked as he tried to restrain him. The rifleman and his brothers laughed heartily. Lightning Bear was now annoyed and wondered why he was even there in the first place. He knew he was not welcomed as he galloped his horse away from them.

  “That’s right chief, you get back to your pow wow,” Luke said as he laughed lightly.

  The sheriff heard the gun shot and flew out of the hotel to find the three gunmen laughing. Barns knew that something was up as he walked over.

  “What the hell happened?” he asked.

  Luke replied, “Don’t worry sheriff. We had to get rid of some riff raff that didn’t belong here, mostly injins.”

  Barns looked down the street and saw The Jicarilla Indians riding towards the out skirts of town. He wondered why they were here in the first place. It seemed odd at first.

  “What did they want?” Barns asked.

  Luke replied, “They were looking for a foreigner, but I told them to git. The last thing we need is more trouble. Right sheriff?”

  “Right,” said Barns in agreement, “I’m gonna check on Bret. If you see another foreigner, you come get me.”

  “Yes sir,” replied Luke.

  As Lightning Bear passed the last building on the edge of town, another man on horseback trots by. They both immediately recognized each other and stopped their horses.

  The man in the white straw hat called to the Jicarilla warrior, “Lightning Bear. What brings you out here from the village? To Pillage?”

  Lightning Bear eyed him and replied emotionlessly, “Shameful Fox. That is what we call you now. We are not here to pillage. We came for El Cato. Why you here?”

  “I live here now,” the Fox replied, “They may not accept me as one of them, but they allow me to live here. I came for the hanging of a murderer who killed my daughter.”

  Lightning Bear frowned, not knowing one of his daughters was murdered. He remembered them as babies back in the village when things between their cousins were calm and content.

  “I am…Sorry, Shameful Fox” said Lightning Bear, “I did not know.”

  “There is a lot you not know,” said Fox, “And my name is not Shameful Fox, it is John Fox. I must go now, the hanging will begin soon.”

  John Fox continued his horse on into town as Lightning Bear waited for El Cato to show.

  Meanwhile Jacob made his way to Judge Marshal’s Office door. He jiggled the handle, but it did not budge. He cursed under his breath and wondered how he would get in. He thought of breaking the stained glass that was on the door, but feared that someone could hear it. He looked around the dim hall. His eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness as he tried to think. Then looked back to the door, took out the knife Bowing Eagle gave him and thought what if he can jimmy the lock with the knife? He looked at the dagger briefly then stuck it between the frame and door where the keyhole was located. He wiggled the knife up and down, and then with the other hand he turned the knob. He heard a click and the door opened. Jacob smiled to himself until he also heard a gunshot from outside. Frightfully, he quickly entered, and closed the door. He placed his back to the wall on the right, gripped the knife, and waited for a minute or two. He had thought someone saw him and panicked, but after a couple of minutes of waiting for someone to discover him, he sighed in relief and looked about. He sheathed the knife back in between his belt, this time it was on his hip.

  The office was darker than the hall. He saw an oil lamp on the desk and wonder if he should light it. It could attract someone if they saw the light from the judge’s room, but he had to chance it. It was almost impossible to search the room in this condition. He took out a match, turned the knob on the lamp, and lit the wick. He turned down the intensity just enough to see in the dark, but also enough so no one would notice. He did not think anyone would be looking at the back end of the courthouse, just the streets outside.

  Jacob then began his search.

  He was looking for a safe of some kind. The room was well organized and did not have a spot for one. No, that would be too easy. He sighed once more as he thought. He looked at the senator’s portrait that hung over the far wall. Perhaps there is a secret vault behind it. He went over, lifted it away from the wall, just enough to see that it was empty, no safe.

  Jacob carefully repositioned it back on the wall. He glanced once more and studied the desk. He cocked his head and saw there were no drawers. Hold on, he thought. He did not think of it before, but he had seen this desk in his travels. He sat down on the leather balloon-back swivel chair then it came to him. Yes, he had seen this, in the White House. It was in the Chester A. Arthur’s office a couple of years ago when he visited the White House. On the other hand, it may look like it. It was good reproduction of the president’s desk except that this one was smaller and had no visible drawers. He thought as he remembered what his old college told him about it
. He said there were many secret panels inside the desk as the civil war was going on; the president had to hide sensitive documents from intruders and spies.

  He opened a panel on the left side to reveal a couple of drawers. He sifted through them only to find blank papers and forms. He checked the left panel and saw only inkwells, pencils and re-placement quills. He frowned, but did not want to quit. Jacob stared at the mahogany desk and began to feel the engravings. Perhaps there was a secret button. Suddenly as he passed a smooth bump, he heard a click at the right end of the desk. He got up and moved over to where the sound emitted. The top panel was slightly a jar.

  Bingo, he thought.

  He pulled the hidden drawer and inside was a rolled parchment. He took it out and examined it. There was red ribbon wrapped around it to keep it from unraveling. Jacob slid the ribbon off, unrolled the paper and looked at it. It was hard to read in the dim light. He looked to the window where the moonlight finally made its way in. He rather figured he could read it better with the light of the moon and the lamp.

  He took both over and read the parchment. It was an official government document, a grant to be precise. The grant read:

  U.S. Department of Commerce

  From The Office of Travel & Tourism Industries

  To Judge William Marshal,

  Thank you for interest of the tourism grant for $30,000. Unfortunately, we cannot process your request at this time. According to our records, you need a town population of one thousand or more to acquire this grant. We humble besiege you in your pursuit for better life in Clayton, New Mexico. We hope to serve you better in the future.

  Signed,

  Kevin Powers

  Chairman of the Board

  So that was it, Jacob thought. The judge needed more people to populate this town, but that did not understand the unnecessary hangings, unless…He then remembered all the people that day when they arrived. Of course, the hangings were the attraction.

  “Interestin’ readin’, isn’t it?” A voice spoke.

  Jacob’s heart leapt as he quickly turned his head to see Judge Marshall aiming his polished Smith and Wesson at him. Jacob instinctively raised his hands.

  The judge continued, “Ya know the last person who was lookin’ for that had a noose tied around her neck.”

  “Is this what you hung that poor girl for?” Jacob wondered, “You know what your doing is not lawful. Don’t you think the Mayor would get suspicious?”

  “Son, I am law! I’m the mayor, judge, and your executioner!” He said as he cocked the hammer on his gun, “I was hopin’ you be dead out there in the desert. I guess I got my hopes up too high.”

  “So, you’re gonna just shoot me huh? What, you don’t think I am worth hanging for your audience?” Jacob asked. “Or are you afraid I will blab out the truth to everyone?”

  The judge replied, “Maybe I’ll just shoot you in defense.”

  “Oh that’s real smart, killing an unarmed man,” Jacob retaliated.

  “I see you got a knife on ya.” Marshall then asked nodding his head to Bowing Eagle’s knife on Jacob’s hip, “Besides, who said anythin’ about killin’? I’ll just wound ya real bad. Then we’ll see how long ya last till I git you to the nearest doctor.”

  “Then you’ll just continue to hang people, for your grant huh?” Jacob wondered.

  The Judge replied, “Son, look around ya. This town would’ve been empty if it wasn’t for me. I had to figure a way to attract folks or it’ll end up like the other towns ‘round here, dry as an oasis…And ever since that Ketchem fellow was hung here, it brought crowds from surroundin’ towns and states. I kind figured if people would travel a hundred miles to see a hangin’, might as well make it tourist attraction. Now be a good boy and throw down your knife real slow and then put that paper back on my desk. I don’t like to see it cover in blood.”

  Jacob had to do something fast. He could use the knife, and throw it at him, but he would miss. Unlike Jane, he was not very good mastering blades, but Jake only had Bowing Eagle’s dagger. The problem was; Marshall got a more powerful weapon aimed right at his body, ready to shoot in an instance. Moreover, he can probably squeeze the trigger faster than he can access the knife. What he needed was a distraction. At that moment, they heard an explosion. It was not loud, but it was enough to get the judge’s attention.

  He turned his head towards where the sound emitted and said, “What in tarnation?!”

  This was it. Jacob swiftly drew his knife and immediately threw it at Marshal. His aim was way off, but it hit the gun out of Marshall’s hands and both weapons fell to the floor.

  The judge took notice of this, but before he could react, Jacob came rushing at him and threw a right hook at his face. Marshal flew backwards landing on the bookcase. He was fazed, but only for a second. He then retaliated as he punched in the stomach and then in the face. Jacob was never in a fist fight before and thought that Marshall was older than he was, he could be more frail and would had a chance to beat him, but he never though and old judge could hit that hard. To Jacob, it felt like a flying brick as he landed on the desk.

  Jacob however had more stamina in him and ran at him one more time, fist in hand. Unfortunately, Marshall was faster. He dodged his head to the left and punched Jacob in the stomach once more. Jacob then knew he had to stop his punches and pushed the judge back on the bookcase. They were lock in a struggle as Marshall tried to throw the young architect off him, but that proved to fail as they both tripped over the chairs and fell to the floor.

  They both looked into each other’s eyes, but only Jacob saw fire in the judge’s eyes. Jacob, with his back on the rug, glanced over and saw the knife in arms reach, but how to get it?

  The judge then repositioned his arms as he tried to strangle Jacob. Jacob then reached out his right arm to the knife, his fingertips, barely touching the handle.

  Just then, they both heard something crashing through the window. They both looked in curiosity as the sound turned to hissing. It was not a snake…No; it was something much more deadly. They then both realized it was a stick of dynamite ready to explode. Marshal looked quickly on the floor where Jacob’s hand was reaching, grabbed the knife, got up and sprinted towards the door. Jacob did the same. He barely crossed the threshold when the TNT exploded. The shock from it threw him on the floor a few feet away. Marshall fell too as he slammed against a pillar where one of the bust was on. The bust fell and hit Marshal’s head.

  Jacob recovered from the fall and saw Judge Marshall on the floor, out cold. He also noticed a bust of Sophocles next to the judge’s head now dripping with blood. He saw and inscription below the head and it read ‘There is a point in which justice does injury’

  “Got that right,” Jacob said to himself as he coughed.

  Smoke began to fill the hall as the judge’s office was in flames. He had to get out of there. He looked to Marshall and thought heought to leave him here to burn in hell, but he was not going to sink to his level. He knelt down and checked for a pulse. He was alive. He coughed some more as he picked him up.

  He knew that someone had locked the side door, but then front door was not. He hurriedly walked down the hallway. The smoke was not as thick as before which was a good thing. He saw the double doors as he turned the corner. It was also the good thing that the judge was light, so carrying him was not as hard as he thought.

  Jacob made his way to the doors, he could not reach the knob with his hands as they were busy holding the judge. The smoke began to fill the hall again as he coughed. He then just kicked the door, but it did not open. The smoke was starting to get thicker as he coughed more. He had to open the door. He kicked one more, this time harder than before. The door did not budge. Time was running out as now it was getting harder to breathe as was next to impossible to see he had to try once more. With his right leg, he kicked the door so hard it finally flew open. He was free from the smoke and quickly fled to the crisp fresh air.

  Chapter 15

 
; Cowboys, Indians, and Banditos

  Bowing Eagle climbed the side of the courthouse wall, grabbing windows ledges and brick grout. As an expert in the wilderness, he had excellent climbing skills to climb mountains and huge rock formations that were out in the desert.

  Once he reached the top, glanced about and saw another figure with a long rifle in hand about twenty feet away. It seemed that he was observing the streets of Clayton. Bowing Eagle had to disarm him. Problem was he only had a bow and quiver full of arrows. He frowned knowing that he had to use hand-to-hand combat with a very armed gunman. He then quietly climbed over the top ledge and his foot was now on the roof of the courthouse. Like a cat, he said he was, slinked silently over to the shadowy man. In one swift snake-like move, Bowing Eagle placed his right hand over his mouth as his left disable the gunman’s arm. They both struggled for a moment until Bowing Eagle twisted his head so fast it snapped. The gunman fell on the roof as Bowing Eagle frowned at him. Not what he wanted to do, but he had no choice.

  He walked over the front of courthouse where the gunman was, crouched, and prepared his weapon. He looked about and saw in the distance, on the other side of town, near the general store a man in a white had on his horse. He wondered if that was Lightning Bear’s uncle. He continued to crouch and examined the scene.

  John Fox trotted past the general store, glanced over in the alleyway between the store and the jailhouse, and saw some one behind it. It looked suspicious to him. He looked over to where Luke and his brother were just talking amongst themselves. John Fox wondered if he should tell them, he then remembered that Luke never like him. He decided to check it out for himself. He dismounted, grabbed his rifle and headed into the alleyway.

  Just as he got to the end, he hears a deafening sound. It was an explosion. Someone was breaking the prisoners out of jail he thought. He got to his feet and ran out with his gun pointed at the assailant. El Cato just rescued his little brother from the jailhouse, and mounted their horses when he noticed John Fox.