The Unknown
by Patricia Henry
Chapter Eleven
By the time the casket was uncovered, Muller was covered with sweat. Perspiration ran down the sheriff�s face like streams of water.
�All right, Sherman. Let�s load your friend in the buckboard and you can...�
�Open up the casket,� Slim ordered.
�What?� The lawman threw down his shovel. �You don�t need to...�
Jonesy moved close to Slim. �Boy, he�s right. In this heat, riding back to Laramie, flies will surely...�
Slim cut in, �Jess didn�t own much. A horse and a gun. And this.� He held up the pocket watch. �This is his. We gave it to him. And it belongs with him. Now open up the casket.�
�You ain�t making sense!� Muller snapped. �A good watch like that. He�d want you to keep...�
Slim�s eyes narrowed to slits. Anger radiated off of him like fire from a burning log.
Jonesy said quickly, �Best do as he says. Slim ain�t been one to argue with ever since Jess died.�
The sheriff used the shovel to pry the casket open. He then slowly lifted the top of the pine box.
�That�s not Jess!� Slim cried out. �That ain�t him, Jonesy!�
�I know, boy, I know!�
Staring at the body they had just dug up, the lawman looked puzzled. �He had the watch on him.�
�That�s ain�t Jess!� Slim repeated.
Jonesy asked, �You reckon one of the others buried...�
�If I have to dig up every one of them-� Slim threaten.
�No...uh...I can describe them,� Muller said quickly. �One is taller than you...�
�Ain�t Jess.�
Muller described the second man, �Another had a mustache.�
�Ain�t Jess.�
�Well the third one, blonde hair.�
Slim laughed. �It ain�t Jess! Jonesy, it ain�t Jess!�
�I knew that boy couldn�t have been killed. He�s like a cat. Has nine lives.�
Slim smiled, the first grin he had worn since he had heard the news. �We got to telegraph Andy.�
�Now wait a minute, Slim!� Jonesy said quickly. �We first got to find out where Jess is.�
�But Andy�s sick to heart about this and...�
�I know he is. I stayed up most of that night with him. And I don�t like that Andy�s suffering. But what if Jess wandered away and-well, I hate to say it but died in the woods or headed towards town and died close to the road. And just ain�t been found yet. We got to make sure. We don�t want to get Andy�s hopes up, then have them crash again. He couldn�t take it twice hearing that kind of news.�
The happy expression on Slim�s face crumbled. �So Jess could still be dead?�
�Maybe...maybe not. Ain�t like Jess not to stay close to the road, waiting for some help to come along. But it sure seems that someone should have seen him by now. �Course he could have gone looking for help,� Jonesy reasoned. �Maybe he�s holed up at some farm house. Got hurt and couldn�t go no further. Why knowing Jess, he could have gone after the robbers. Might be on their trail right now. We just got to check. And we got to hope.�
�How many farmhouses are around here?� Slim asked.
Muller took a handkerchief and wiped his face. The white cloth turned dirty with sweat and grime. �Enough to take a few days to search. And if you count the ones that are abandoned...�
�I do. I need you show us each one. Let�s get started.�
�Lose daylight in another two hours.�
�Listen sheriff-� Slim began, his face blotted with anger.
Jonesy interrupted, �Slim, he�s right. Let�s start in the morning.�
A frown formed on Slim�s face. �I hate to think of Jess out there, maybe hurt, needing help.�
�Well there could be another possibility of where your friend is,� Muller suggested.
�And what�s that?� Slim asked.
�Maybe he was part of the robbery.�
Slim�s face blacken with rage. �Jess wouldn�t...�
�He ever been jailed?�
Slim hesitated. �That was a long time ago.�
�So your friend has been in trouble with the law?�
�I told you that was a long time ago.�
�How long?�
�Look Jess has been working for me for five months and...�
�Five months!� Muller mocked. �That�s all the length of time you�ve known him. And before that?�
Slim frowned. �All right. He was in trouble once. But he served his time.�
�Maybe he got tired of working for the stage line and thought he�d strike out on his own,� Muller
suggested.
Slim grabbed Muller by the collar of his shirt.
�Slim!� Jonesy cried out. �Let him go!�
�Now you listen and you listen good,� Slim snarled, dragging the sheriff close to his face. �I ain�t never had a better friend than Jess Harper. I think of him like a brother. Jess wouldn�t rob the stage line. Mostly likely he got hurt trying to protect them passengers. And he probably went after the robbers. Now I�m going to find him with or without your help!� Slim pushed Muller so hard that the sheriff fell backwards.
Muller slowly stood. He wiped the dirt off his pants. �Sherman, I was mighty tolerable about digging up the grave, even if it did go against town law. But you take note, that I am the law, and. And you cross me again, I�ll jail you and throw away the key. And that ain�t going to do your friend Harper no good. You�ve been warned; you best heed what I say.�
Jonesy spoke quickly, �We�re just anxious to find Jess.�
�I want to find him too. I want him to explain how he survived when all them others died. As far as I�m concerned, your friend Harper is looking like the prime suspect in this robbery. How else can you explain why he ain�t lying here dead with them other passengers and the driver? Just know when I find Harper-and I will find him!-I�ll be ready to shoot if I need to. And if you try to stop me, then I won�t hesitate to turn my gun on you.�
�Well on thing we do agree on, Sheriff,� Slim answered back, �is we both want to find Jess alive, not dead.�
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