When the man hit the floor his gun went off, and that’s when it all went to chaos. Standing next to me, a man drew and fired at Charlie. Then there was a shot from the other side of the room. I swung the barrel of the Greener at the man next to me catching him flush in the face breaking his nose and probably his cheek and he fell to the floor joining his friend. I heard another shot, then glancing over to Charlie who I saw had his gun out and was pointing it toward the crowd. I decided to get everyone’s attention so I cut loose with one barrel into the ceiling. The twenty-gauge had the effect I wanted and the room quieted down.
Three men were down. I watched Charlie walk over to the man across the room that had shot at him. Charlie kicked the gun out of his hand then nudged him with his boot. A groan came from the man. Looking at the man standing near, Charlie barked, “He have a name?”
The man backed up a step. Charlie turned his attention to him. “I asked you a question,” then he looked at others nearby. “What’s his name?”
“Uh, Philby, I think,” the man replied then looked to others for confirmation which gathered a few nods.
“Mister, since you know so much,” Charlie said to the man who answered, “get down and check him out.”
In the meantime I looked at the men gathered near me and started pointing with the Greener. “Carry these men down to the jail,” I ordered.
One man not far away started to complain, “Ah, I’m not gonna…” When I gave him a thump with the Greener on the head, not hard enough for him to join the two on the floor, but enough to get his attention.
“You were sayin’?”
He grumbled something but reached down to pick up a leg of one of the unconscious men. “If we aren’t there by the time you men get there, just dump them in front of the jail,” I stated, then went to join Charlie. “You all right?” I asked.
He checked himself, then nodded. “Bullet missed.”
“He’s hurt bad,” said the man checking out Philby.
“Then you better get that bleeding stopped,” suggested Charlie. “Use this,” he said, tossing him a towel he picked up from a nearby table.
There became a slow murmuring and discussion among the crowd in the room. Charlie went back to the bar grabbing a chair along the way. I decided to walk along with him, but I continued on back and around the bar. Charlie stood up on the chair and hollered, “This establishment is closed for the night. Everybody out!”
“Say, you can’t do…” came the voice of the bartender until I poked him on the ear with the Greener.
“Can’t do what?” I inquired, then I suggested, “Why don’t you go have a seat at that table.” I pointed with the shotgun at the table next to Charlie.
There was a lot of grumbling, but the crowd filed out, many of them grabbing bottles that were left laying on tables. The men lying on the floor had been removed including the one that Charlie shot. I went and stood by the bartender who was now seated at the table.
“You the owner?” I asked in a normal tone now that the room was empty.
“Yes, and you’re causing me to lose a lot of money. You have no right to close my establishment!”
I could tell that Charlie was in no mood for any discussion much less any griping. He got in the man’s face. “I have every right! I’m Sheriff Gold, and if you don’t shut up I’ll close this place permanently.”
Keeping the Greener between the bartender and myself I sat down in a chair next to him. “Do you know those men?”
He shook his head, “Only by face, not by name. They come in here frequently.”
“Any reason they’d pick out the Sheriff to kill?” I continued to question.
After a slight shrug of the shoulders, he suggested, “I believe they just don’t care for lawmen.”
“What about you?”
Again came the shrug. “I have nothing against them,” he said, pausing before continuing with disgust, “except when they close down my place of business.”
Charlie grabbed him by the shirt, “Remember what I said about closing this place down permanently!” He straightened up, looked over at me, then spoke to the bartender again. “Close up, lock the doors. You can open up tomorrow at noon unless I come by to tell you otherwise. Miles, you ready?”
I followed the Sheriff out the doors where before we entered the street we checked the area carefully. Not seeing anyone we continued on to the jail and our occupants. They were lumped there in front of the door and it took a few minutes for us to get them inside and into cells. We put two in one cell, then put the wounded man in one by himself. I checked his wound, noticing that the bleeding had stopped. He needed a doctor as the bullet was in the leg and needed to come out. Charlie said that he’d go get the vet, Davenport, who was acting as town doctor.
When he left I went over to the desk and sat down behind it. I started shaking my head as I looked up praying, “Lord, there is sure plenty of evil in this ol’ world. Thank you for keepin’ Charlie and me safe tonight.” Then I heaved a big sigh and waited.