CHAPTER 24 COLLECT THE REWARD

IT WAS CLOSE TO 6 AM IN MORNING. YOU SEE A COMPANY OF CALVARY ON THE ROAD TO LAWRENCE KANSAS. THEY WERE IN COLUM OF TWO FOLLOW BY CHEROKEE BILL AND SAM PULLING THE TRAVIS. MAJOR RICHARDSON WAS IN THE LEAD OF THE CALVERY.BEHIND HIM WAS A CAPTAIN AND TWO LUTENTS.

LT#1 WHY WE DOING THIS? YOU KNOW THEY ANT GOING TO PAY THAT REWARD TO A INDIAN.

LT#2 THAT INDIAN IS SPECIAL TO THE MAJOR, I HEAR HE SAVE THE MAJOR LIFE MORE THAN ONCE/

CAPTAIN YOU TO BE QUIET, OR I WILL SEND YOU BACK TO REAR. TO ESCORT THE INDIAN.

LT1&2 IN UNISON ""SORRY SIR""

THEY ON OUT SKIRTS OF LAWRENCE KANSAS MAJOR RICHARDSON RAISE HIS HAND , AND A HALT WAS GIVEN. MAJOR RICHARDSON ADDRESS THE OFFICERS.

MAJOR LT I WANT YOU TAKE THE FIRST 4 TWOS CUT OFF NORTH ROAD, NOBODY IN OR OUT.

LT#1 RIDE BACK FIRST 4 OF TWO COME WITH ME. 8 MEN RIDE OFF LEAD BY LT#1

MAJOR LT, I WANT TAKE NEXT SET 4 OF TWOS CUT OFF THE WEST ROAD SAME ORDERS.

LT#2 RIDE BACK """"NEXT 4 SET OF TWO COME WITH ME""" THEY RIDE OFF TO THE WEST.

MAJOR RICHARDSON SERGEANT MAJOR OLDER TROOPER RIDE FORTH. ARM FULL STRIPS WITH A STAR IN CENTER "" YES SIR""

MAJOR TAKE NEXT 4 SET OF TWOS CUT OFF EAST ROAD, SERGEANT MAJOR YES SIR. RIDE BACK, NEXT 4 SET OF TWOS FOLLOW ME, HE DRAW HIS SABER AND RIDE OFF FOLLOW BY 8.

MAJOR RICHARDSON CAPTAIN YOU GOT THE REST CUT OFF SOUTH ROAD AND SEND REINFORMENT TO WHERE YOU HEAR GUN FIRE.

CAPTAIN YES SIR

MAJOR RICHARDSON RIDES BACK TO CHEROKEE BILL AND TURNS HIS HORSE AROUND WHERE HE BESIDE BILL.

MAJOR RICHARDSON READY BILL, TO PLAY POKER,

BILL HUUUMM LOVE LIAR POKER.

MAJOR OK BILL LET GO IN, THEY RODE PASS THE CAPTAIN AS THEY HEAD TO THE TOWN.

CAPTAIN GOOD LUCK SIR.

THEY RODE DOWN MAIN STREET FOR ALL TO SEE LEADING SAM AND THE TRAVIS WITH DEAD STINKING BODY ON IT, HEAR MEN POKING EACH OTHER AND MURMURING THAT'S GRAY RIDER HORSE. IS THAT GRAY RIDER?? SOME MEN WAS HAPPY, BUT SOME TOOK HAT OFF AND LOOK DOWN. THEY PULL UP TO RED LEGS HEAD QUARTERS AND DIS MOUNT, BILL GOES IN FOLLOW BY CAPTAIN RICHARDSON. sergeant setting at the desk.

SERGEANT WHAT CAN I DO FOR YA.

CHEROKEE BILL I COME GET MONEY.

SERGEANT MONEY FOR WHAT?

CHEROKEE BILL FOR GRAY RIDER, JACK JOHNSON. HE DEAD. HE OUT THERE.

SERGEANT WE DO NOT PAY INDIANS ,THAT REWARD.

CHEROKEE BILL ME WANT MONEY. HE DEAD, I GOT, pointing out side.

SERGEANT I CAN NOT GIVE MONEY, GOT BE A OFFICER TO DO THAT.

CHEROKEE BILL GET HIM I GOT GRAY RIDER WANT MONEY.

SERGEANT GETS UP GOES TO DOOR AND KNOCKS, AND THERE A COME IN,SARGEANT GOES IN SIDE. SOON A CAPTAIN OF RED LEGS COME OUT SIDE.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS YOU GOT GRAY RIDER OUT THERE?

CHEROKEE BILL COME SEE. YOU PAY.

THEY GO OUT SIDE ,AND BILL PULL BACK BLANKET COVERING BODY, EVERY BODY EXCEPT BILL AND MAJOR GAGS, THEY USE TO IT. ON BODY WAS JACK SAW OFF SHOT GUN HIS SHARPS RIFLE WITH J J CARVE IN STOCK.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS MAJOR WHAT'S YOUR INTEREST IN THIS.

MAJOR RICHARDSON I AM HERE AS A WITNESS THAT'S JACK JOHNSON AND HERE MY SIGN STATEMENT TO THAT FACT ""SIR"" REALLY IM HERE ON ANOTHER MATER,IT CAN WEIGHT UNTIL THIS IS DONE.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS IT IS DONE, WE PAY NO REWARD TO INDIANS, I WILL GIVE HIM A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY AND OUR THINKS.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS NOW MAJOR WHAT BRING YOU HERE?

MAJOR RICHARDSON I AM HERE ABOUT THE MURDER OF RUTH DAWN JOHNSON, BY THE KANSAS RED LEGS AND RAPE OF HER AND THE ASSAULT ON ONE SERGEANT JACK JOHNSON OF 1ST CALVERY.THIS TOWN NOW UNDER MARSHAL LAW FOR MILITARY COURT OF INQUEST. IN THIS MATER.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS YOU CAN NOT DO THIS. ONLY COMMANDER OF FORT RILEY CAN DO THIS.

MAJOR RICHARDSON HERE A LETTER FROM CORONIAL ROBERSON STATING I AM POST COMMANDER IN TWO DAYS "SIR" I AM PREPARED TO LOCK THIS TOWN DOWN UNTIL I TAKE COMMAND ,OR DO YOU WANT TO TALK NOW.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS LETS TALK,, THAT MAN WAS OUT THE ARMY, I AM SORRY WHAT MY MEN DID, BUT I WAS HERE NOT THERE.

MAJOR RICHARDSON "SIR" JACK JOHNSON TOOK HIS LEAVE TIME BEFORE HIS DISCHARGE TOOK PLACE. THAT LEAVE TIME HAD NOT COME TO PASS, HE WAS STILL A CALVARY TROOPER,, THAT CHILD ,SHE WAS 15 ,WAS A CALVARY DEPENDANT. THIS IS A MILITARY MATTER THEN. MUCH LESS THE ASSAULT ON ONE SERGEANT JACK JOHNSON.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS I WAS NOT THERE SIR, TOOK NO PART IN IT.

MAJOR RICHARDSON YOU KNEW IT HAPPEN AND TOOK NO ACTION. OFFICER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEN UNDER HIM ,THIS MAKES YOU A ACOMPLIST TO THE CRIME. I HAVE HERE A DYING MAN STATEMENT WITNESS BY TWO MEN SAY SO.PRIVET SIMS, REMEMBER HIM, YOU TOLD KEEP MOUTH SHUT.

YOU SEE TO IT THAT HE GET KILL IN SOME WAY.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS O HIM HE DEAD?

MAJOR RICHARDSON YES, RATTLE SNAKE BITE,, HE TALK PLENTY BEFORE HE PASS THOW,MADE HIS SINS KNOWN ,AND TOLD ALL, HERE A LIST OF NAMES HE SAID WAS THERE. Major pull out folded piece of paper.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS TURN RED, HIS HANDS INCH TOWARD HIS GUN. HE HEAR A CLICK CLICK.

CHEROKEE BILL I GOT A PEPPER BOX ON YOU, PULL THAT GUN YOU DEAD.

MAJOR RICHARDSON I GOT 50 TROOPERS JUST OUT SIDE TOWN WITH ORDER GO TO THE SHOOTING. NOW CAPTAIN WE CAN FORGET THIS MESS JACK DEAD. PAY BILL THE REWARD. OR IT ALL COMES OUT. ENOUGH BLOOD BEEN SHAD.

CAPTAIN RED LEGS PAY HIM SERGEANT. GET THEM OUT THIS DAM TOWN.

SERGEANT COME IN GET THE MONEY SIR ,ILL GIVE IT TO YOU NOT INDIAN.

MAJOR RICHARDSON WHO CARES I WILL JUST GIVE IT TO BILL.

THE SERGEANT OPEN THE SAFE PULL OUT TWO BAGS ON GOLD COIN SET THEM ON TABLE. THE CAPTAIN GOES IN OFFICE.

CHEROKEE BILL WHAT YOU DO WITH GRAY HORSE? MY HORSE GOING LAME.

SERGEANT WE SEND HIM TO GLUE FACTORY ON OTHER SIDE TOWN, UNLESS I CAN BE PERSUADED TO DO OTHER WISE.

CHEROKEE BILL "HOW MUCH PERSUADING YOU NEED? TAPPING A BAG GOLD COIN

SERGEANT THE HORSE WORTH 100 DOLLARS, ITS GRAY RIDER HORSE, BUT 250 GOLD COIN I CAN BE PERSUADED TO SELL IT.

CHEROKEE BILL HUUUUN 350 FOR HORSE. HE COUNT OUT 70 5 DOLLAR GOLD PIECES.

NOW GIVE ME BILL OF SALE. I DO WANT BE HUNG.

SERGEANT PUT MONEY IN HIS DESK ,AND WRITE OUT BILL OF SALE. AND GIVE IT TO BILL.

MAJOR RICHARDSON I THINK THAT JUST ABOUT DO IT.

THEY WALK OUT SIDE BILL PULL HIS KNIFE CUT THE TIES THAT ATTACH THE TRAVIS TO HORSE LET IT FALL TO GROWN, LOOKS AT MAJOR RICHARDSON AND SAYS.

CHEROKEE BILL THAT SERGEANT IS CORRUPT ENOUGH TO BE PRESIDENT.

MAJOR ROBINSON THAT HOLE DAM BUNCH IS PILL OF CRAP

CHEROKEE BILL I NEVER HEAR PRIVET SIMS GIVE YOU THE NAMES OF THE MEN .

MAJOR RICHARDSON HE DID NOT SAY ANY THING BUT WHAT YOU HEARD,, THE PAPER WAS BLANK.

CHEROKEE BILL REMIND ME NEVER PLAY POKER WITH YOU,SPECILY LIAR POKER.

MAJOR RICHARDSON AND JACK WAS NOT ON LEVE,,WE HAD NO GROWNS FOR ACTION.

THE TWO MEN RODE OFF JUST HE HAW AS THEY RODE, MAJOR RICHARDSON ""WE SPLIT THE MONEY TONIGHT."" THE TELEGRAPH LINES WAS A HUMMING GRAY RIDER WAS DEAD ,, KILL HIM SELF THAN SURRENDER, FLASH ACROSS THE COUNTRY SIDE.