had only been found guilty of being an accessory, so he was sentenced to life. The people of Bisbee and Tombstone didnât like that.
But what was done, was done.
Or was it?
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Some days later Dodge had to ride out of town to negotiate the return of two six-guns belonging to J. B. Hume. Hume had used the guns in thwarting a stagecoach robbery. Since Clint was the only one who knew that Dodge was also a Wells Fargo man he was asked to go with Dodge, and agreed. So they were out of town for several days.
As they returned to Tombstone they realized immediately that something had happened. Even from a mile and a half away they could see that something was going on.
When they reached town most of the crowd has dispersed, and they saw something hanging from a telegraph pole. By the time they reached it, they could see that it was the body of John Heath. The coroner, Pat Holland, had taken charge and was having the body taken down.
âWhat happened here, Pat?â Dodge asked.
âLynch mob,â Holland said.
âWho was at the head of it?â
âJohn Shaunessy.â
âNo.â
âWhoâs Shaunessy?â Clint asked.
âForeman of the Grand Central Mineâand I thought, a good friend of mine.â Dodge looked at Holland. âYou sure?â
âI seen him,â the man said.
âWhere was Sheriff Ward?â
âWard made it real easy for them, Fred,â Holland said. âThe people here and in Bisbee was upset about Heath gettinâ off with life. Ward practically gave them the keys to the cell.â
Dodge sat back in his saddle.
âThis is what he was planninâ,â he said to Clint. âFigures by lettinâ the townspeople have Heath, he wrapped up the next election.â
âAnd maybe he did,â Holland said.
âNot if I have anythinâ to say about it,â Dodge said.
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As they rode into town they could hear the mob celebrating at Pony Brownâs Saloon. They left their horses at the livery and walked over to the saloon.
âYou donât have to come in with me if you donât wanna,â Dodge said.
âYou going to try to arrest them?â
âNaw,â Dodge said, âcanât arrest a whole mob. And if I take Shaunessy in, Ward would probably just let him go.â
âSo what are you going to do?â
âGive âem a piece of my mind, I guess.â
âIâll back you,â Clint said.
âOkay,â Dodge said, âletâs go.â
TWENTY-ONE
When Clint and Dodge entered Pony Brownâs, Clint followed his friend right to the bar. There was a table crowded with men who were laughing and pounding one another on the backs. Clint knew this had to be the celebrating mob.
âTwo beers,â Dodge said to the bartender.
âYou hear aboutââ the barman started, but Dodge cut him off.
âI heard, Ike,â Dodge said. âJust bring the two beers, huh?â
âSure, Fred.â
As Ike went off to get the beer, Dodge said to Clint, âIke Roberts. Heâs a constable.â
âGuess he didnât do anything to stop these fellows, either. That them?â
âYep,â Dodge said. âThatâs Shaunessy right in the middle of âem.â
âHow do you want to play it?â
âLet âem come to us.â
Clint nodded.
Roberts returned with the two beers and set them down in front of them.
âThanks, Ike.â
Suddenly, the men at the table quieted down, as if they noticed Dodge at the bar.
âHello, Fred,â Shaunessy said.
âHello, John,â Dodge said, and nothing else.
He and Clint sipped their beers. Eventually, the men at the table couldnât take the silence anymore.
âWell,â Shaunessy finally said, âyou boys saw the work. What do you think of it?â
Dodge turned to face the man.
âYeah, we saw the effects of your work, John.â
âWell?â
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