#25 Louis Bingam – Farmer

Louis walked into town with the sunrise, but he was dragged out to the undertakers at sunset.

Nobody knew what had gotten in to him. Louis was a good old boy. Worked hard all day and then came to the saloon to celebrate. Always free with a joke and a laugh, and not too cheap to buy round for his friends. Everybody liked him.

But then the Marshal came to town and set up shop. The Sheriff got real put off about it, but the governor was trying for statehood and sent a message to play nice with the Federal boys. So he just smiled as the black-coated man walked into the jail and took over the place.

For most of us, we didn’t even notice the man, except as one more face around the bar during the evening. But Louis couldn’t stop staring at him. From the first night the Marshal walked in, Louis was riveted, couldn’t take his eyes off the man.

A couple of the other folks and I thought it was a bit odd, man starin’ at another man like that, but Louis just laughed it off. Said he’d never seen a Marshal before. But that wasn’t right. He wasn’t staring like a cat, all curious. No, Louis was lookin’ at that man like a coyote watches a calf separated from the herd. Hungry and mean like.

That day we was all surprised to see Louis walk into town just as the sun came up. He was a farmer through and through. Never skipped a day of work, not even when he had a broken leg. He kept hoppin’ around trying to do everything himself, drove the man he hired just about plum-crazy. So what was a man with a work ethic like that doing taking a day off to go to town?

It was only when I saw the gun that I figured something was really wrong with the man. I called out after him, but he just turned and looked at me with cold hard eyes. These weren’t the same eyes I’d seen over many a glass of beer over the months. No these were the eyes of a killer. He’d ‘ve shot me as much as looked at me.

But he didn’t do either, just turned around and kept on walking. Walked straight up to the Marshal’s office and opened the door. Then there were three shots.

By the time I got to the door it was over. Louis was spread out on the floor and the Marshal had a gun in his hand a bullet in his chest. The doctor tried to cut it out, but Louis had been too good. The Marshal died that night.

They were buried on the same day. I can’t help but think that maybe Louis had a bit more of a smile on him than what the undertaker gave him.

Category: 2011