Loaded Guns and Broken Fences [On Hold]

Chapter 12

Since he'd already shot one of them on their way out of the house, Robert had decided against pursuing the McGraths as they fled. Horace Birch had ceased firing as well as he watched the figures struggling to control the frightened horse of the man who had slumped almost immediately upon mounting his saddle.

Once they were out of sight, Rob whistled, signaling for his group to round up.

"Damn shame a man had ta lose his life," The Shield commented, though the tone in his voice didn't allude to much, if any, sympathy for the McGrath who was likely bleeding out as they spoke. "But maybe it'll teach them fools a lesson."

"One they won't soon forget, I'm sure," Horace replied, casting a sidelong glance at his friend.

He didn't like it.. shooting neighbors like this. To Horace, it felt no different than jabbing the belly of a beast that already had a sour disposition. This wasn't the war between them and the south, this wasn't the territories, this was Illinois...this was home...they had law here for a reason.

"Rob, the sheriff's commin'." Albert startled the both of them as he reached their side. After a moment of scanning the landscape in the direction of town, Robert spotted the soft flickering glow of lanterns.

"I think it's time we all got on outta here.." Horace said, but Rob hardly looked concerned.

"See that our boys are accounted for, I mean to talk to Atwell," the Shield family head claimed, rising from his position.

Euell Atwell and a handful of men on horseback pushed through the over grown trail and over to the group of Shields. Atwell was wearing a stern look, one that didn't suit his age and made him look older and more severe than he was.

He'd feared for a long while that this itch between the two families would turn into something deadly. So, when Mrs. Birch strode nervously into his office as he was locking up, fearing for her husband and her boys, he'd had a hunch that was exactly what had happened.

When he reached them, the sheriff wasted no time, stepping out of the saddle as soon as his gelding had stopped. This was a tricky situation for him, because while he had a good idea of what was going on, this land was Robert's, and he had every right to defend it.

"Evening, Rob," Atwell nodded towards the Shield family head with a polite but purposeful tone. "Heard a fair amount of gun fire on the way up, everything alright?" he inquired. The way Euell asked betrayed how much of the situation he was already mindful of, but he still intended to collect Rob's account regardless.

***

Meanwhile, Bran still waited outside on Joe's porch. He was joined by Henry and Joseph, but none of them saw fit to break the troubled silence with any words. Eventually they both disappeared back inside as soundless as they had come, and when Bran could no longer stand his own thoughts, he went to busy himself with getting the horses to the barn.

Chad's horse took more than a brush to clean, and as much as Bran didn't want to think about what might have happened to his uncle, it needed to be done. The flies had already set in on the drying blood and would become a problem if left until the next morning.

By the time he'd finished it was darker out, not enough that he couldn't find his way back to the cabin without a lantern, but enough that he couldn't make out anything passed the river that flowed between the main barn and the northern pastures.

The cabin that Bran, John, and Allen shared was on the far northeast end of the property. It was small, only three rooms and a stove, but it was far less crowded than the main house where Joe's family was; and tonight, for the first time in years, it would be just Bran and John given Allen's absence.