Free Sins of the Father by Robert J. Thomas Page B

That old cuss is too mean to know when to quit. He might wait a while but he will definitely start more trouble with Thornton. He might wait a day or two but you can be sure he will eventually do something stupid.”
    “I figured as much. I’ve seen a whole lot of Rance Maddens in my days and they are all just about the same.”
    Tex broke into the conversation. “I just hope it’s me who gets to plug his sorry ass when it comes time for it. I’d like nothing better than to screw that mean bastard into the ground, and that’s the only way to bury that man, he’s so damn crooked.”
    Reedy laughed at that. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard it put quite that way before, but you do have a point, that’s for sure. You know what, Sheriff?” Reedy said as he turned his attention back to Steele. “Maybe I should go out and meet this Thornton fellow and give him the same warning as I did Madden. It might help if he finds out that a U.S. marshal is in town.”
    Steele thought about it for a minute. “It sure can’t hurt. Why don’t you take Buck out with you and your deputies?”
    “Me and my two deputies here can handle it. After all, we’re just going out to talk and you told me that Thornton is the more reasonable of the two.”
    “Yeah, but I like the idea of showing more force. Four badges are better than three. I’ll keep Tex here with me. I don’t think Madden will try anything tonight. He’s probably back at his ranch plotting with his hired guns, and I figure that will take him a day or so to actually do something.”
    “You’re probably right. I’ll take Buck along with me, but he has to understand that he must follow my orders when he’s with me,” he said, as he looked at Buck.
    “I understand, Marshal. I have no problem with following the orders of a U.S. marshal,” said Buck, before Steele could even reply.
    “Well, let’s saddle up and take a little ride out to the Thornton ranch,” said Reedy, as he and everyone else stood up.
    Reedy, Torrey Abel, Hal Banks and Buck Hern all walked out and over to the livery. It wasn’t more than five minutes before they rode out of town heading for the Thornton ranch. Steele and Tex took a stroll around town, checking for any signs of trouble. Finding none, they decided to go and have an early supper and sample some more of Pattie Nate’s fine cooking.
CHAPTER 9

“T
    HAT WAS ONE MIGHTY FINE meal,” remarked Sheriff Steele, as he patted his stomach as if he was testing a watermelon for
ripeness.
“Yep,” added Tex, “it was good and tasty, and
that bean and ham soup was the best, and that’s a
fact.”
Pattie Nate was collecting the plates from the
table. “You two sure ate enough. You’d think you
both believed this was your last meal or something,”
said Pattie. “You two want some more hot coffee?” “Yeah, that sounds good,” answered Steele. “Me
and Tex here are going to sit a spell and then go
make a round after dark.”
Pattie went and fetched a fresh pot of coffee and
brought it out and left it on the table with some fresh
cream and sugar. “Where is your friend, Mr. Reedy?”
asked Pattie, as she sat down with them for a minute. “Reedy took his two deputies and Buck out to the Thornton ranch to give the same warning to him as he did to Madden.”
“Thornton ain’t your problem. That no good Rance Madden is your problem,” replied Pattie. “To a certain degree, I suppose that’s true, but Thornton has hired his share of hired guns.”
“He was forced to by Madden. Thornton never caused any trouble the last ten years he’s been here. It wasn’t until Madden bought the old Mason spread and started all the trouble over water.”
“I agree, but we have to try to treat them both as fair as we can. That’s the law and I’m sworn to uphold it.”
“Well, I think you should just go out and arrest Madden and keep him in jail until he rots,” said Pattie sternly, as she got up from the table and went back into the kitchen