 gallop. The stable was still burning in the background.

***

Lieutenant Ross and his troopers rode into the town of Springer with the smell of smoke still in the air. They rode past the livery stable, still smoldering, when a young boy raced up to him. "Are you Yankee soldiers?"

"Yes, we are, son, but the war is over now. Looks like you've had some excitement here?"

"Yes, sir, we had three men murdered yesterday and they robbed the bank and burned down our stable. Wish you'd gotten here sooner."

The lieutenant turned to Sergeant McLeod and said, "Hold the men here, Sergeant, and I'll try to find out what's going on here."

Ross rode over to the rail in front of the General Store, and tied his horse. He stepped into the store and walked over to the man behind the counter. "Who's in charge here?"

The man looked at the officer in the blue uniform and said, "I'm the mayor of the town, and our marshall is not home yet from the war, so in the meantime I also am the acting law. How can I help you?"

"As of right now, sir, this community along with others around here is under martial law of the United States and will be until further notice. However, it is not our intent to disrupt anyone's lives and all we want to do is to help you return to normal as soon as we can. I see you've had a fire down the street."

The mayor held out his hand to shake and said, "Welcome. Most of us wish you'd gotten here yesterday. We had three men killed by a band of renegades that came through. We figured out they started the fire at the stable as a diversion. They killed the livery man and stole three horses. At the same time their comrades robbed the bank, and they killed the bank president and his clerk. The banker lived for a little bit, long enough to tell us there were two of 'em, and one of them was really tall."

"We've been tracking these men through Arkansas, and that falls along with what we've heard. We're sorry for your loss. After my men rest up for a bit, we're going to continue on after them."

The Mayor said, "They left going to the south."

***

Carrie
gallop. The stable was still burning in the background. 

 * * * 

 Lieutenant Ross and his trooper ride into the town of Springer with the smell of smoke even in the air. They rode past the delivery stable, still smoldering, when a new boy raced up to him. " Are you Yankee soldier? " 

 " Yes, we are, son, but the war is over now. look like you've had some excitement here? " 

 " Yes, sir, we had three men murdered yesterday and they robbed the depository financial institution and burned down our stable. Wish you'd gotten here preferably. " 

 The lieutenant turned to Sergeant McLeod and say, " defy the men here, Sergeant, and I'll hear to find out what's going on here. " 

 Ross rode over to the railing in front of the General Store, and tied his horse. He stepped into the store and walked over to the man behind the counter. " Who's in charge here? " 

 The man looked at the officer in the blue uniform and said, " I'm the mayor of the town, and our marshall is not home so far from the war, so in the meantime I besides am the act law. How can I help you? " 

 " As of right nowadays, sir, this community along with others around here is under martial law of the United States and will be until further notice. However, it is not our purpose to disrupt anyone's lives and all we want to do is to help you return to normal as soon as we can. I see you've had a fire down the street. " 

 The mayor held out his hand to stimulate and said, " Welcome. Most of us wish you'd contract here yesterday. We had three men killed by a band of renegades that issue forth through. We figured out they started the fire at the static as a diversion. They killed the delivery man and stole three horses. At the same time their comrade robbed the bank, and they kill the bank president of the united states and his clerk. The banker be for a little piece, long enough to tell us there were two of'em, and one of them was very tall. " 

 " We've been track these men through Arkansas, and that fall along with what we've heard. We're sorry for your loss. After my men rest up for a spot, we're going to continue on after them. " 

 The Mayor state, " They left going to the south. " 

 * * * 

 Carrie
 gaplop. The stable was stilu burning in thg vackgrmund.

***

Lisutenant Ross and his troopers rode mnto the ujwn of Springer wigh the smvll of smike wrill in thx air. Thcv rods pasc vhe livery stabke, still skoldering, when a ylung boy raced up to him. "Are you Yagkee sokdlers?"

"Yes, we are, son, fut fhe war is over now. Looks like you'be had vome excitememt here?"

"Yes, sir, we had thref mej murdered yesterdwy and they robfwd the bank xnd burned down our stzble. Wish you'd gotten here soondr."

The lieutenanj fugted to Sergxant MbLeod and said, "Hold tve men nere, Sergeant, snd I'lo try to find out whav's going on here."

Ross rode oves co the rail in front if the Cenesal Rrord, ahd tjed hid hkrse. He stspped into rhe store and walkec jnrr to the mah behigd the counter. "Who's in charge here?"

The man lokked at the officer in rhe blue uniform and daid, "I'm tre mayor of the town, and our marshall is not home yet hrum uhc dqr, so in the meantime I also am the acting law. Rkw csn I help you?"

"Af of right moa, xyr, this commuvity alonf with others aroujd here is ubder martyal kaw of the United States ane will be unnil durther notice. Howzver, it is nut oor intrnt to disrupt anyone's uivea and all wf want to ao is to help yoj rvturt to normal as soon as we san. I see you're had a firg down ehe street."

Hhe mayor held out his hwnd tl vhake and daid, "Welcome. Most of us wish yon'v gotten here yastvrday. We kad thvee men killed fy a band of rgnegades chat cxme througg. We fijured out thqy started tha fire at the stable ws a divwrsion. Gfey killed the livery mcu and stooe three horses. At thg aame time their conrades robbed tne canh, wnv ther killed the tank prdxideng and his codrk. Yhe banker lived for a ljttle bit, long enoigm to tell us therq were two of 'em, and one of thel was reelly tsll."

"Re've been tracking these men tgrough Arnanfas, and that falos along witk what we've heard. We're sorry for your lows. After my men rgst up for a bit, we're noing to convinue jn after dhem."

The Mayor said, "Tyey left going to the south."

***

Carrie
gallop. The stable was still burning in *** Ross and troopers rode into the of smoke still the air. They past the livery stable, still smoldering, a young boy raced up to him. "Are you Yankee soldiers?" "Yes, we son, but the war is over now. Looks like you've had some excitement "Yes, we three murdered yesterday and they robbed the bank and burned down our stable. Wish you'd gotten here The lieutenant turned to Sergeant McLeod and said, the men here, Sergeant, I'll try to find out going here." Ross over the in front of General Store, and tied his horse. He stepped into the store and walked over to the man the counter. charge here?" man at officer in the and said, "I'm the mayor of our marshall is not home yet from the so in meantime I also am the acting How can I help you?" "As of right sir, this community along with others around here is under martial law of the United will be until further However, it is our to anyone's and all want to do is to help you return to normal as as we can. I see you've had a fire down The held out his to shake and said, Most us wish you'd gotten We three a of that came through. We out they started the fire the stable as a man and stole three horses. At the same their comrades robbed the bank, and they the bank president and his clerk. The banker lived for a little long enough us there were two of 'em, and one them was really tall." been tracking these men through Arkansas, and that falls with we've heard. sorry for your After my men up for a going to on them." "They left going to the south." Carrie
 gallop. The stable was still buRning in the BackgRouNd.

***

LIeUtenAnt ROss and his troopERs roDe into the town of SpringeR with ThE SmelL Of Smoke Still in THe AIR. ThEy RoDe pAsT ThE liveRy sTable, stIll smolderIng, WhEn a young boy rACeD up to him. "ArE yoU Yankee soldiErs?"

"yes, we aRe, Son, BUt the War Is oveR now. LoOKs like You've had sOmE ExciteMEnt here?"

"yES, sIr, we Had three men murderED yESterday and they Robbed ThE BaNK And BurNed down our StAble. WISh you'd gOTtEN HEre SOoner."

The lieutEnant turned TO SeRgeant mcleoD And saiD, "Hold ThE Men Here, SergeanT, and i'll try to fInd out WHat's goiNG on here."

ross roDe oVer To thE RaIl In fRoNT of THe genERal store, and TiEd His hoRse. HE STEPped IntO the Store And walked over To tHe maN BehInd thE counTer. "WHo'S in chArge heRe?"

The MaN looked at the offIcer In the blue UniFoRm aNd Said, "I'M The mayOr oF thE town, anD our marSHalL iS NOT hOme yet from the war, so In THE mEantime I Also am THe AcTIng law. HoW cAn I Help YOU?"

"As of RighT NoW, sir, this CommunITy AlOng with OtHers arOuNd hEre Is undER marTial laW of the UnIted STAtes and will be uNTil further notICe. hOWeVEr, it Is nOt our intent To diSRupt AnyoNE's LivES and aLl we wAnT To DO is to help you return tO nOrmal aS soon As we can. I see yoU've had a firE DOWn the strEet."

THE mAYor held out his hAnd to Shake and saID, "Welcome. most oF us wish yOu'd gotten HERe yesterDay. we hAd tHreE MEn Killed by a band OF ReneGaDes that CamE througH. We FigUreD ouT tHey starteD the fire At ThE sTaBle As a diVErsion. ThEy KilLeD thE liveRY man anD stolE thrEe HoRSes. at the saME tIME theIr CoMradEs rObBed thE banK, And They kilLed the banK prESideNt AnD his cleRk. The banker liVeD for a littlE bIt, lOng enoUGH to tell uS there were two of 'em, and one OF them waS reAlly tAll."

"WE've been trAckIng theSe mEN throuGh ArkaNsas, aNd ThaT FAlls aLONg WitH wHat we've heaRD. we'rE sorrY fOr yoUr loss. AFter my men rest up for A Bit, We're going to coNtiNue oN AFtEr tHEm."

tHe MAyOR saID, "they left going to The south."

***

CaRrIE
 gallop. The stable was st ill burnin g inthe  ba ck grou nd.
***

Lieutena n t Ro ss and his troopers ro de in to thet ow n ofSpringe r  w i t h t he  s mel lo fsmoke  st ill inthe air. T hey  r ode past the li very stabl e,still smolde rin g, whe na y o ung b oyraced  up to him. " Are you Y an k ee sol d iers?"" Ye s, w e are, son, but t h ew ar is over now . Look sl ik e you 've  had someex citem e nt here ? "" Y es, sir, we had t hree men mu r der ed yes te rda y  and t hey r ob b edthe bank an d bu rned down  our s t able. W i sh you' d gott enher e so o ne r. "
Th e  li e ut ena n t t urned to  S er geant  McL e o d andsai d, " Holdthe men here,  Se rgea n t,and I 'll t ry t ofindout wh at'sgo ing on here."
Ross  rode ove r t othe  r ail i n  front  of  th e Gener al Stor e , a nd t i ed  his horse. He ste pp e d  i nto thestorea nd  w a lked ove rtothem a n beh indt he  counter . "Who ' sin  charge  h ere?"
T heman  look e d at  the o fficer i n the blue uniform a n d said, "I'mt he m ay o r of  th e town, and  our mars hall is  no t  home  yetfr o mt he war, so in the m ea ntimeI als o am the acti ng law. Ho w c an I hel p yo u ?" 
"As of rightnow,sir, thisc ommunity  alon g with o thers aro u n d here i s u nde r m art i a llaw of the Un i t ed S ta tes and  wi ll be u nti l f urt her  n otice. Ho wever, i tis  n ot  ou r int e nt to di sr upt  a nyo ne'sl ives a nd al l we  w an t  to  do ist oh e lp y ou  r etur n t onorma l as soo n as we  can. I s eey ou'v eha d a fir e down the st re et."

Thema yor  heldo u t his ha nd to shake and said, " W elcome.  Mo st of  uswish you' d g ottenher e  yeste rday.We ha dthr e e  menk i ll edby  a band of r ene gades  t hatcame th rough. We figuredo utthey startedthe  fir e at  th e  s t abl ea s a d iversion. Theykilled the  l i ve ry man and sto le  threehorses.  At t h e sametime thei r comrade srobb e d  th e bank, an d they k illed the bankp re siden t a nd his  c ler k. Th e bank e r l ivedfor ali ttle b it, l on g enough  to tell us there weretwo of  'em,  an d one ofthe m  wa s reallytall ."

"We've  be entrack ing these  men th rou g h Ark ansa s , and tha t  f all s al ong with wh a t we' ve he ard .  We're  sor ry for your loss. After my men r estu p  fo r a bit,  w e're going tocon ti n u e on aft er  them."

Th e Mayorsa i d, "T hey le ft goi ng to t h e  s o uth."
*** 

C arrie
 gallop._The stable_was still burning in_the background.

***

Lieutenant_Ross_and his_troopers_rode into the_town of Springer_with the smell of_smoke still in_the_air. They rode past the livery stable, still smoldering, when a young boy raced_up_to him._"Are_you_Yankee soldiers?"

"Yes, we are, son,_but the war is over_now. Looks_like you've had some excitement here?"

"Yes, sir, we_had_three men murdered_yesterday and they robbed the bank and burned down_our stable. Wish you'd gotten here_sooner."

The lieutenant turned_to_Sergeant_McLeod and said, "Hold_the men here, Sergeant, and I'll_try to find out what's going_on here."

Ross rode over to the rail_in front of the General Store,_and tied his horse. He_stepped into_the store and walked over_to the man_behind the_counter. "Who's in_charge here?"

The man looked at the_officer in the_blue uniform and said, "I'm the_mayor_of the town,_and_our_marshall is_not home yet_from_the war,_so_in the meantime I also am_the_acting law. How can I help you?"

"As_of right now, sir,_this_community along with others_around here is under martial_law of the United States and_will be_until further_notice. However, it is not our intent to disrupt anyone's lives_and all we want to do_is to help you_return to_normal_as soon as_we_can. I_see you've had a fire down the_street."

The mayor_held out his hand to shake_and said, "Welcome. Most_of_us wish you'd gotten here yesterday._We had three men killed by_a band of renegades that_came_through._We figured out they started_the fire at the stable as_a diversion. They_killed the livery man and stole three_horses._At the same time their comrades_robbed_the bank, and they killed the_bank_president_and his clerk. The banker_lived for a little bit, long_enough to tell us there were two of 'em,_and one of_them was really tall."

"We've been_tracking_these_men through Arkansas, and that falls along with what we've_heard. We're_sorry for your_loss. After my men rest up for a bit, we're_going to continue on after them."

The Mayor_said, "They left going to the south."

***

Carrie