T h e JB O O K o fD A N IE L By W . C. Stevens
FANCY FRANK continued him by saying, “I ’m Leonard Eilers. Just on my way north.” “Glad to meet you. My name is Curley,” he answered, somewhat relieved, and then added, “You sure came at the right time to get in on what may be a fight, if you’re interested.” Saying that, he looked me all over to see if I had a gun. Seeing none, he remarked, “A man without a shooting iron is quite a curiosity around these parts, and let me warn you, he usually doesn’t last long.” “Is that so?” I came back with a smile and then con tinued, “Maybe I ’ll be an excep tion.” “Well, you may have been up until the time you came here but most men depend on a six- shooter to keep them alive. I ’d sure like to know what you depend on,” he said sort of puzzled. “That’s easy. It’s God and the Bible,” I said. “What?” he exclaimed. “What kind of a cowboy are you anyway?” “A Christian cowboy,” I said. And he stared at me like I suddenly had become a ghost. Then he slowly drawled, “Well, I ’ll be,” and I interrupted him, “Tell me, what’s all the trouble about?” “Aw, it’s mostly Fancy Frank who’s the cause of it all. You’ll know him when you see him be cause he dresses real fancy. Any way, until he came here a few years ago things were quite peace ful. Oh, now and then there’d be a little flare up but mostly folks got along good.” “Who is this man Fancy Frank?” I stopped him with my question. “Well, from what I ’ve heard, it’s a long story. He comes from some royalty line back in the Old Coun try. Came over here with some money and has run gambling joints in just about every place of any size west of New Orleans. Finally he landed here at White Horse and ever since then this place hasn’t been the same and I don’t reckon it will be until he leaves, which ain’t very likely. You see, in addi tion to his place of business he has become quite a landowner. He started buying out every rancher that would sell, and now there are some who will not sell and so he’s giving them trouble. Cattle has
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been stolen and some ranches have even been burned out. They’re sure Fancy Frank is back of it all and it seems like things have come to a head today. The whole country is on the prod. Something’s going to happen before the night’s over; somebody’s liable to get killed.” T he conclusion to Curley’s story made me feel very much con cerned and I began Ipraying in my heart and mind, asking God to give me wisdom as to what to do to help stop bloodshed and trag edy. It really was a very serious time. I knew that an outbreak wouldn’t solve anything and that a fight would only make things worse. I ’d seen it happen too many times and I certainly didn’t want it to happen in White Horse. So many homes were involved and so many children needed not only their mothers but their fathers too. Fancy Frank was too powerful and had too much at stake and would stop at nothing. Although the sheriff knew the ranchers were in the right trying to stop Fancy Frank, he was against any shooting but he was helpless to stop them. I asked Curley where the sheriff’s office was and I headed that way. An idea was buzzing in my head. I was pretty sure that if I could persuade the sheriff and then if he and I could persuade the ranchers to do what I had in mind, the prob lem would be solved peacefully. I ’d seen it done before so I knew from experience, and there was no reason that I could think of why it wouldn’t work in White Horse. W hen I walked into the sheriff’s office, I was pleased to find a man I had met back trail a couple of years ago and whom I ’d helped out of some personal trouble. Soon as I stepped through the door he exclaimed, “Leonard Eilers, am I ever glad to see you! What a time to show up.” He got right up from behind his desk and rushed over to grab my hand and gave it a real friendly shake. “Steve, that goes for me too,” I said. Then I added, “And now I ’m more confident than ever that what THE KING'S BUSINESS
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