wasn’t with the posse—you know he wasn’t.”
“Men!” Dr. Ealy’s voice held a note of command, Everyone turned to look at him. “Your friend and mine, Alexander McSween has told us time and again he intends to deal with Mr. Dolan and his supporters by legal means. We must respect his wishes and not add to the violence that’s already occurred. Defense, yes, but not attack.”
For an instant Tessa thought the sandy-haired man would defy the minister, but finally he shrugged and turned away. Calvin gently urged Tessa toward the front door of the store and she realized she was still carrying Susan’s gowns.
“I heard Mr. Halloran offer to take you out of Lincoln,” he said as they went inside.
“I’ve no intention of going anywhere with him. Ever.”
“Of course not. But his point is sound enough. You shouldn’t be in the midst of this violence. As you know, I have friends in Santa Fe. They would welcome--”
“I’m not leaving. The McSween’s offered me help and friendship when I need it desperately. I certainly won’t desert Alex and Susie.”
“You know Susie’s in St Louis.”
“All the more reason to stay here. If I leave, Elizabeth Shield will be the lone woman in the McSween house. Besides I’m not sure Ezra would leave Lincoln under any circumstances. He’s growing up, Calvin, but he’s not yet a man. He needs me. I’d never leave him behind.”
A week later Alex came to Tessa about exactly the same matter. “Dick Brewer brought me unsettling news last night, he told her. “The Regulators have gotten themselves into trouble-and me with them, I’m afraid. It would be prudent for me to stay with John Chisum at his Roswell ranch for a while. You and your brothers must come with me.”
“But what about the Shield’s?”
“They prefer to stay here. You must not, I feel responsible for you and I believe you’ll be safer at Chisum’s. Susie plans to join me there and I know she’ll be much happier if you’re with us at Chisum’s.”
Tessa didn’t argue further, but hurried to tell the boys to pack.
“Billy and some of the other Regulators did for Morton and Baker,” Ezra said. “That’s why we’re leaving town”
“You mean they killed two men?”
“Three. Someone named McCloskey, too. I never heard of him. But Morton and Baker were in that posse. They sure as hell needed killing.”
“Ezra!”
“Well, they did. Don’t you want to see John avenged?”
“All these killings can’t be right.”
“You just don’t understand. Sheriff Brady’s the law and he’s on Dolan’s side. Billy knew if they brought Morton and Baker into town like Brewer wanted to, Brady wouldn’t so much as lock them up. So he and the others handed out a little gunpowder justice, that’s all.”
“I don’t like it.” Tess put her hand on Ezra’s arm and looked into his eyes. It seemed strange to be gazing up at this boy she’d raised from the time he was going on eight. “You must promise me to stay away from Billy Bonney,” she said,
Ezra jerked away. “He’s my friend!”
“I don’t want you to ride with a man who sets himself up as judge and executioner. Billy has a wild streak--he’s dangerous. Stay away from him.”
Ezra looked steadily back at her. “Billy’s my friend,” he repeated.
The trip to Roswell and their stay at Chisum’s ranch was uneventful. Ezra, restless and eager to be where there was more going on, was delighted when, near the end of March, Billy and Fred Waite rode in to see McSween.
Ezra knew that Alex, Susie, Chisum and three of their friends from the East planned to head back to Lincoln in a day or two because Alex wanted to be in town for the April first court session. Tessa and Jules would be in their party and, with armed Chisum men as outriders, they’d be well protected. He wouldn’t be needed.
When Billy and Waite rode out the day after they’d visited Alex, heading for Lincoln,
Ezra left a note for Tessa and rode with them.
“Men!” Dr. Ealy’s voice held a note of command, Everyone turned to look at him. “Your friend and mine, Alexander McSween has told us time and again he intends to deal with Mr. Dolan and his supporters by legal means. We must respect his wishes and not add to the violence that’s already occurred. Defense, yes, but not attack.”
For an instant Tessa thought the sandy-haired man would defy the minister, but finally he shrugged and turned away. Calvin gently urged Tessa toward the front door of the store and she realized she was still carrying Susan’s gowns.
“I heard Mr. Halloran offer to take you out of Lincoln,” he said as they went inside.
“I’ve no intention of going anywhere with him. Ever.”
“Of course not. But his point is sound enough. You shouldn’t be in the midst of this violence. As you know, I have friends in Santa Fe. They would welcome--”
“I’m not leaving. The McSween’s offered me help and friendship when I need it desperately. I certainly won’t desert Alex and Susie.”
“You know Susie’s in St Louis.”
“All the more reason to stay here. If I leave, Elizabeth Shield will be the lone woman in the McSween house. Besides I’m not sure Ezra would leave Lincoln under any circumstances. He’s growing up, Calvin, but he’s not yet a man. He needs me. I’d never leave him behind.”
A week later Alex came to Tessa about exactly the same matter. “Dick Brewer brought me unsettling news last night, he told her. “The Regulators have gotten themselves into trouble-and me with them, I’m afraid. It would be prudent for me to stay with John Chisum at his Roswell ranch for a while. You and your brothers must come with me.”
“But what about the Shield’s?”
“They prefer to stay here. You must not, I feel responsible for you and I believe you’ll be safer at Chisum’s. Susie plans to join me there and I know she’ll be much happier if you’re with us at Chisum’s.”
Tessa didn’t argue further, but hurried to tell the boys to pack.
“Billy and some of the other Regulators did for Morton and Baker,” Ezra said. “That’s why we’re leaving town”
“You mean they killed two men?”
“Three. Someone named McCloskey, too. I never heard of him. But Morton and Baker were in that posse. They sure as hell needed killing.”
“Ezra!”
“Well, they did. Don’t you want to see John avenged?”
“All these killings can’t be right.”
“You just don’t understand. Sheriff Brady’s the law and he’s on Dolan’s side. Billy knew if they brought Morton and Baker into town like Brewer wanted to, Brady wouldn’t so much as lock them up. So he and the others handed out a little gunpowder justice, that’s all.”
“I don’t like it.” Tess put her hand on Ezra’s arm and looked into his eyes. It seemed strange to be gazing up at this boy she’d raised from the time he was going on eight. “You must promise me to stay away from Billy Bonney,” she said,
Ezra jerked away. “He’s my friend!”
“I don’t want you to ride with a man who sets himself up as judge and executioner. Billy has a wild streak--he’s dangerous. Stay away from him.”
Ezra looked steadily back at her. “Billy’s my friend,” he repeated.
The trip to Roswell and their stay at Chisum’s ranch was uneventful. Ezra, restless and eager to be where there was more going on, was delighted when, near the end of March, Billy and Fred Waite rode in to see McSween.
Ezra knew that Alex, Susie, Chisum and three of their friends from the East planned to head back to Lincoln in a day or two because Alex wanted to be in town for the April first court session. Tessa and Jules would be in their party and, with armed Chisum men as outriders, they’d be well protected. He wouldn’t be needed.
When Billy and Waite rode out the day after they’d visited Alex, heading for Lincoln,
Ezra left a note for Tessa and rode with them.
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