Read Online Longarm and the Great Divide by Tabor Evans - Free Book Online

four hundred pounds or more. Ashford was not going anywhere, at least not for the time being.
    Leaving Ashford sitting on the floor beside the stove, Longarm returned to George Griner. “Clear the place out, George. Everyone out. Including the dead man there. Then I want you t’ fetch your boss an’ all the other bigwigs. Them an’ me are gonna have us a talk.”

Chapter 26
    Longarm stood glaring at the civic leaders—such as they were—of Valmere, Wyoming Territory. His look reflected pure disgust. Hands on hips, he declared, “I cannot believe you fuckers have been so wrapped up in your fight with the folks across the street that you neglected even the most basic needs o’ this here town. An’ before you get all hot an’ bothered, I’m gonna have this same talk with the people over in Nebraska.
    â€œWhat I am gonna do right now is assess each an’ every one of you ten dollars. It’ll be used for civic improvement, by the way. I’m not gonna take any of it. My salary is paid by the fed’ral government, so don’t get to thinking any o’ that shit. But there are things that have t’ be bought.
    â€œNow where is the nearest telegraph office? Somebody speak up. Anybody.”
    â€œLusk or Torrington, one of them,” Otis Reed piped up.
    â€œFine. Thank you. Who has a fast horse and a couple days to spend helping out.” He waited. After a moment he said, “Don’t everybody speak up at once here.”
    No one did.
    Longarm waited another minute or so, then said, “Hettie, you have a handyman at your place, I assume.”
    The plump little black madam nodded. “I do.”
    â€œI want to borrow him for a couple days then.”
    The woman nodded again. “His name is Benjamin. He’s a good man.”
    Longarm pulled a sheet of paper from his coat pocket. “Give this to Benjamin. He can use my horse. Oh, and give him this dollar. He’s to go t’ town an’ send this wire off. The address is wrote down there.”
    â€œWhat are . . . ?”
    â€œIt’s an order for certain materials. Meantime, Jamison, you have a heavy wagon, don’t you?”
    The owner of the mercantile nodded.
    â€œI want you t’ send a work crew over to Hat Creek. There’s timber there. Sure as hell ain’t none around here, so go where they can find it. I want logs, something stout an’ straight that can be shaped into puncheons for flooring. Each one has t’ cut to at least ten feet. Longer would be even better. Make sure you send someone with some sense. An’ some tools. An’ some grub for ’bout a week.”
    â€œHow’s come we have to supply everything, Marshal? What about those bastards over there?” Jacob Potts gestured angrily toward the Stonecipher side of the twin towns.
    â€œBelieve me, they are gonna contribute their full share, an’ they are gonna pay their assessments, too. You both are, so get used t’ that idea. On this deal, you are working together.”
    â€œWhat are we working together
for
?” a voice in the back called. Longarm could not see who asked the question.
    â€œWhat we are doing,” Longarm said, “is building a jail. An’ by the way, I’ve seen a lot o’ odd pieces o’ lumber laying around behind your store buildings. You might ‘s well know, I’m confiscating all of it. That’s what we’ll use for the walls an’ whatnot.”
    â€œYou can’t have a jail without a cell,” the same voice said.
    â€œThat’s what’s in the telegram I just gave to Hettie to send. It’s an order for a prefabricated jail cell. Outfit over in Omaha sells them. Also metal roofing. Shit like that. Should be pretty much everything we need. I assume you have nails an’ hammers an’ like that over to the general store, but I’m sending off for the major