Free The Last Ride of German Freddie by Walter Jon Williams Page A

to press charges.
    It is wonderful! Deputy Marshal Earp, the sole voice of the law in this part of Arizona, has been made ridiculous on his first employment! How his pride must have withered at the joke that fortune played on him! How he must have cursed the foolish lieutenant and his fate!
    He has left town, I understand, returned to Prescott. His brothers remain, however, stalking the streets in their dread black uniforms, infecting the town with their stolid presence. It is like an invasion of Luthers.
    We must not cease to laugh at them! We must be gay! Laughter has driven Virgil from our midst, and it will drive the others, too. Our laughter will lodge burning in their hearts like bullets of flaming lead. There is nothing that will drive them from our midst as surely as our own joy at their shortcomings.
    They are afraid. And we will  know  they are afraid. And this knowledge will turn our laughter into a weapon.

    *

    Ike Clanton was passed out on the table. The game went on regardless, as Ike had already lost his money. It was late evening in the Occidental Saloon, and the game might well go on till dawn.
    “It's getting to be hard being a Cowboy,” said John Ringo. “What with having to pay  taxes  now.” He removed cards from his hand, tossed them onto the table. “Two cards,” he said.
    Brocius gave him his cards. “If we pay taxes,” he said, “we can vote. And if we vote, we can have our own sheriff. And if we have our own sheriff, we'll make back those taxes and then some. Dealer folds.” He tossed his cards onto the table.
    Freddie adjusted his spectacles and looked at his hand, jacks and treys. He tossed his odd nine onto the table. “One card,” he said. “I believe it was a mistake.”
    Brocius gave Freddie a lazy-lidded glance as he dealt Freddie another trey. “You think John Behan won't behave once we elect him?”
    “I think it is unwise to give someone power over you.”
    “Hell yes, it was unwise,” agreed Ringo. “Behan's promised Wyatt Earp the chief deputy's job. Fifty dollars.” Silver clanged on the tabletop. Ike Clanton, drowsing, gave an uncertain snort.
    “That's just to get the votes of the Earps and their friends,” Brocius said. He winked at Freddie. “You don't think he's going to keep his promises, do you?”
    “What makes you think he will keep his promises to  you ?”   Freddie asked. He raised another fifty.
    “It will pay him to cooperate with us,” Brocius said.
    Ringo bared his yellow fangs in a grin. “Have you seen Behan's girl? Sadie?”
    “Are you going to call or fold?” Freddie asked.
    “I'm thinking.” Staring at his cards.
    “I thought Behan's girl was called Josie,” said Brocius.
    “She seems to go by a number of names,” Ringo said. “But you can see her for yourself, tonight at Shieffelin Hall. She's Helen of Troy in  Doctor Faustus.”
    “Are you going to call or fold?” Freddie asked.
    “Helen, whose beauty summoned Greece to arms,” Ringo quoted, “and drew a thousand ships to Tenedos.”
    “I would rather be a king,” Freddie said, “and ride in triumph through Persepolis. Are you going to fold or call?”
    “I'm going to bump,” Ringo said, and threw out a hundred-dollar-bill, just as Freddie knew he would if Freddie only kept on nagging.
    “Raise another hundred,” Freddie said. Ringo cursed and called. Freddie showed his hand and raked the money toward him.
    “Fortune's a right whore,” Ringo said, from somewhere else out of his eccentric education.
    “You should not have compromised with the authorities,” Freddie said as he stacked his coin. “Once you were the free rulers of this land. Now you are taxpayers and politicians. Why do you bring this upon yourselves?”
    Curly Bill Brocius scowled. “I'm on top of things, Freddie. Behan will do what he's told.”
    Freddie looked at him. “But will the Earps?”
    “We got two hundred riders, Freddie,” Brocius said. “I ain't afraid of no Earps.”
    “We