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Episode Six concluded with:
The questioning continued for a while, but it
was hopeless and Bret Carson knew it. The marshall’s voice was deep and angry
when he and Dehner stepped back into the office. “I used to think Tully was a
harmless drunk. Harmless! He’ll allow an entire town to be ravaged and its
people killed because…because… I don’t know the because!”
Dehner nodded his head in sympathy. He then
stepped out of the office and did a quick survey of the town. People remained
scattered about on the boardwalk, their eyes focused on the hill to the east.
They appeared scared and the detective didn’t blame them. As Dehner looked at
the Indians on the hill, they looked as if they hadn’t moved at all since he
originally spotted them. They looked stoic and patient, waiting for the moment
when they would destroy the town and everyone in it.
Dehner stepped back into the Marshall’s office
wondering what he could do to prevent a massacre, or if he could do anything at
all.
Episode Seven
***
The evening service at the Hardin
Methodist Church was getting off to a solemn start. Despite the fine
accompaniment on the piano, the singing of Amazing Grace was limp. The mind of
the congregation was on the threat of killers, not the power of the Almighty.
When the singing concluded, Reverend
Nate spoke from beside the pulpit. “All of you know what happened in this
church this morning and the challenge that faces us as a town. Tonight’s
service will be devoted entirely to worship through singing and prayer. To
start our time of prayer--”
A middle-aged man stood up and began
to speak loudly. “Reverent, I got something to say!”
Rance Dehner was sitting with Bret
Carson in a front pew. Looking backward, the detective recognized the man who
had interrupted the service. It was Henry Willford, the barber and one of the
men who had tried to abduct Deputy Rip Gowdy.
Willford looked pale and his hands
were shaking but his voice boomed with anger. “A lot of us have been talkin’
together, Reverent!”
Reverend Nate smiled in an almost
mischievous manner. “That’s good, Henry. I always encourage fellowship in the
congregation. What was the result of this conversation you had with ‘a lot of
us’?”
The pastor’s humor was lost on Henry,
whose voice remained angry. “Reverent, we think you should go talk to Akando.”
“And what should I say to him?”
“Beg Akando to give us more time!
Tell him that this town is at the mercy of a fool lawman. But we’ll get that
drunkard away from the marshall and turn him over. You’re one of his people!
Akando will listen to you, you can even talk injun, so get out to that hill--”
“Sit down, Henry. You have spoken
your piece.”
“That savage might listen to you, Reverent--”
“Sit down, Henry!”
Henry Willford sat down. Reverend
Nate’s eyes flashed anger. He took a deep breath before speaking. “A house
divided against itself cannot stand. Those words were spoken by Jesus and
echoed by Abraham Lincoln. We must never surrender to evil. We must stand
firmly behind Marshall Carson against this band of killers. And that’s what
they are, vicious killers.”
A large boned woman stood up and
yelled in a shrill voice. “But they’re injuns! And you’re an injun. They’ll
listen to you. This town has been good to you, Reverend Nate. It’s high time
you repaid us!”
A loud explosion filled the small
church. A rash of startled cries was followed by a shout of, “That was the
piano!”
Angie Brighton stood up at the piano
whose keys she had just pounded. She shot an intimidating look at the woman
with the shrill voice, who immediately sat down. Angie then glared at the rest
of the congregation. “It’s bad enough you are all behaving like despicable
cowards! But you expect our pastor to crawl like a worm too. Reverend Nate owes
us nothing but to proclaim the truth. And he just did tell you the truth as he
spoke the truth to Akando this morning. It is the truth that will set us free,
not a lot of sniveling nonsense.”
A quiet fell over the church.
Reverend Nate looked at the pianist. His smile was one of gratitude.
He turned back to the congregation.
“I think we’re ready to pray now.”
Monday: Episode Eight of Ultimatum
