CHAPTER FIVE
Becky and Julia reported the incident to the Sheriff Burke, who was alarmed by this turn of events. “Stealing horses is one thing.” he said. “But attempted murder is something entirely different, even in a dime novel fashion.”
“What can you do about it?” Julia asked.
“Nothing. With no description, there’s nothing we can do. All I can recommend is to post guards.”
“Perhaps we can wire the Pinkertons in Chicago.” Becky suggested.
Burke looked uneasy with the suggestion, but said. “I you think you must.”
Becky and Julia proceeded to the Western Union office and sent the telegram. During the next several days, they tended to the needs of the ranch and the gold mine. As Burke had suggested, the posted the ranch hands and grooms as guards. There were various shifts, and so of their hands could get a full night’s sleep, Becky stood guard on a shift one night and Julia on the same shift the next night. One evening, when neither had anything to do after dinner, they talked things over. “Sure is taking that Pinkerton man long enough to get here.” Julia said. A telegraphed reply had arrived, but nothing else.
“They probably need somebody who is on another assignment.” Becky said.
“I’m curious about Mrs. Dalton.” Julia said. “After all, the saw mill belonged to her late husband.”
“We’ll be going into town tomorrow anyway, so talk to her then.”
The next day, while her cousin procured the week’s supplies, Julia called on Mrs. Dalton. “I hope I’m not intruding.” Julia said.
“Nonsense.” Mrs. Dalton said. “I just the water on for some tea.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Dalton.”
“Please, call me Emma. I understand your first name is Julia.”
“That’s correct.”
“I heard about what happened to you last week. Ghastly business.”
“I am curious about the fact your husband owned the saw mill.”
A good man, Ben was.” Emma said as she indicated an oil painting in the front parlor. It depicted a stern-featured dark haired man in the uniform of a cavalry Capitan. “That was done after he rode with Grierson through Mississippi in sixty-three. He made Colonel after going through Georgia the next year.”
A photograph of the couple sat on the mantle. As could be inferred by the photo, Ben Dalton was considerably older than his wife. Judging by the photo, about half of his hair had gone over to gray by the time it was taken.
“That was from the summer before Ben died.” Emma explained.
“I’m more interested in the saw mill.” Julia said.
“I had no interest in running the mill, so left Mr. Harring, the foreman, to run it as he saw fit.”
“Why did it close down?”
“After my husband, died, a few of the men drifted to other jobs. The mill wasn’t able to keep up with orders, orders were cancelled, until finally almost all the men quit.”
“How do you live?”
“The boarding house keeps me going, and Ben was able to leave me some money. We also raise some of our own vegetables several hens and the odd pig here or there. I’ve offers to sell the ill and I’m willing to give Mr. Harring half of the proceeds from the sale, but has expressed no interest.”
“Where does Mr. Harring live?”
“That little shack by the schoolhouse.”
Julia finished her tea and rode to the shack. Emma had not been error to describe the structure as a shack. When Julia knocked on the door and was admitted, she beheld a one-room dwelling with a bed, table with mismatched chairs, and a wood-burning stove. Harring himself was a tall, broad shouldered man with red hair and beard.
Julia introduced herself and said. “I understand you used to work at Dalton’s Mill.”
“That’s right.” Harring said. Julia detected liquor on his breath.
“Are you aware what happened to me last week?”
“Yes. Terrible thing. I had nothing to do with it.”
“Nobody’s accusing you of anything.”
Julia could see that this was getting her nowhere. Harring took a swig from a whiskey bottle, perhaps starting his bender for the day.
“Good day, Mister Harring.” Julia said as she got up to leave “Perhaps if you can sober up, I might find a position for you at my gold mine.”
That night, Julia and Tommy were standing guard over the stables. He had been the only one from the ranch to stand guard every night and exhaustion was starting to set in. “For Heaven’s sake, Tommy get some sleep.” Julia ordered. “Just get somebody to take over from you.”
Tommy went off to the main house. It seemed like an eternity to Julia who decided to walk back and forth among the stalls in the stables. At one end of the stable, she heard a commotion outside. As soon as she had stepped out the door, she was seized from behind and a hand clamped over her mouth.
As she was dragged into the stable, Julia saw three hooded figures approaching. One held a bandana fashioned into a gag. For less than a second, her mouth was free while the hand was removed and replaced by the gag. Julia had her wrists tied behind her and was made to sit down, where her ankles were bound as well.
“Julia?” Becky called from outside. “Where are you?”
Becky came into the stable, where she was grabbed from behind. She too was tied and gagged, then compelled to sit beside Julia.