We went into town to get a new pair of boots for Mark and to get some supplies. A letter came addressed to me. Mark rushed over to get the letter.  He mentioned about the pretty writin' and ask if he could open it? He said that it was not a letter, it was something torn from the newspaper. " 'Bout a hangman getting shot - Judgment?????"  As soon as I heard that, I took the article from Mark and began reading it. I was disturbed by this and thought it best to head for home.

I was at home unloading the wagon when I saw a rider approaching the ranch.  I expected trouble, so I kept my rifle handy, just in case. It was Micah.  "Are you expecting friendly company, Lucasboy?"  He asked.   I was relieved to see it was Micah. He came to ask me a few questions.  First he gave me a letter and then came the questions.  "Is that the story on the murder of Judge Martin Harlow?" He asked.  He told me that the Judge was killed by an unknown rider.  "Nobody's been prying Lucasboy." Micah told me he had received a notice from the sheriff at Claypool, just in case this unknown rider was coming this way. I asked him if he knew what he looked like.  Micah didn't know, he thought I could tell him. I told hold him that I couldn't identify him.  He said that Henry Denton had told him that I had gotten the same kind of letter before.  "Just like this," I said.  "First the man who hang thee from Burton, now the man who sentence thee from Burton and the man who caught thee from Burton"   I was the man who caught his son.  I showed the letter to Micah. It read -

"The day of Judgment approaches and I am the judge"

 "Judge Zephaniah Burton, Ephraim's father. Ephraim was his son and was hanging around Claypool while Mark and I were living there. Wild, loud mouth kid, about twenty or so.  Nobody paid any attention to him except when he was drunk.  Then he was wild and excitable. The day he exploded ― it's been over a year ago, but it seems like only yesterday. Sunday morning when Mark and I were leaving church, Ephraim exploded, drunk, as an ole' hoot owl, leading his horse and cussin'. When one of the deacons of the church approached him to quiet him down, he killed him and wounded 2 little girls. He got on his horse and rode out of town, but he wasn't hard to track as drunk as he was. I was in the posse who went after him. We caught him on a ledge in a box canyon. The only way to get at him was with my rifle. The sheriff didn't want him dead; he wanted to take him back to hang.  I wounded him in the leg.  We took him back to be tried, convicted and hung.  The hanging had to wait until he was all healed.  Mark and I left before that.  We came here and settled. After it was all over Judge Harlow and I had both gotten letters saying how his boy could do no wrong and he would sit in judgment of the men who judged his son. At the time we thought it wasn't anything but threats!   The letters came from Kentucky.  We found out there was a circuit judge name Zephaniah Burton, a harsh unyielding man.  A regular hanging judge who just lost an election there.  Nobody knew where he had gone.  We questioned Ephraim, but he claimed he had no father, said he never knew who he was.  I guess he was denying the man."  Micah asked if I remembered where in Kentucky they came from.  I told him Freemansboro.  Micah and I both wanted to get a look at this man.  Especially me, I didn't want to have to pick this rifle up every time a stranger rode by.  "Yes Micah, it would be a real welcome to know what the man looks like who wants to kill me."

I was outside heating up the forge.  "If you haven't got those coals hot enough by the time I get back from school Pa, I'll show you how to do it," said Mark.  I told him to show himself the multiplication tables.  "But if you wouldn't pack the coals so tight you'd get a better draft," said Mark. Mark knew by the look I gave him that he better get himself off to school.  As soon as Mark left for school, I got my rifle and I kept it handy. But before I knew it, I was caught off guard.  This man had a gun to my head. He was here to pass judgment on me and heard that I had a son. This is his judgment:.

"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a son for a son."

He told me that his son could not have been guilty of no evil.  That all his life he was a judge of evil.  He told me he raised him in a stern righteous mold.  That he raised him and would have punished him harshly. But he had strayed from the path of righteousness.  Those who have persecuted him must suffer as he has suffered waiting endless hours for his son to hang.  That all his life he has been a judge of evil and he shall be my judge and jury. He told me I had 'Eight Hours to Die."  When I tried reaching for my rifle, he knocked me out.  When I came to I was tied to a wagon wheel. We heard someone riding in.  It was one of Mark's classmates.  Mark had asked him to stop by and let me know that he wouldn't be home until way after dark.  The teacher caught him pitching spit balls.  So he had to cut a whole cord of kindling.  That's a big heap of wood, said the boy.  He asked Zephaniah if he would tell me.  Then he rode off.

"Joy on your face, well judgmental will soon be mine," he said.  He told me he was going after my boy and bring him back to the ranch. I needed to get free, but how?  I saw the hot coals were still burning from earlier.  I took my foot and knocked over the coals and force the wheel that I was tied to, to turn so I could get the ropes against the hot coals. I struggled; I finally managed to get free.  I rushed to find Mark and this evil man.

In the meantime Judge Zephaniah Burton went to Mark's school and told him that I had been hurt, serious, but not fatal, a badly broken ankle.  He told Mark and his teacher that he found me on the road, my wagon hit a rut and turned over.  He told them that I tried to jump free but my foot got caught.  Mark pauses to say a quick silent prayer and Zephaniah saw this and ask Mark if he was a God fearin' boy.  "Of Course sir," said Mark.  He left Mark thinking that he was taking him to me.  As they were rushing to get back to the ranch, suddenly the Judge's horse stumbles in a hole and threw him. He had hit his head in the fall and thought Mark was Ephraim, his son. "Call me Pa, never deny me" he said to Mark.  Mark realizing that he was hurt and unaware of what was going on, did as he wished. Mark dragged him under the tree to get him out of the hot sun and wet his handkerchief to place on Zephaniah's head. Mark asked him how he was and told him he was kinda of out of his head for awhile. The judge asked for a drink. As Mark was getting him a drink I rode up and saw the Judge aiming his gun at Mark. Before I can get to him he shoots!  I jumped off my horse and rush over to the judge.  With my hands around his throat,  I yelled....."You stinkin' bad devil, I'll kill you with my bare hands!  I'll see you in fire and brimstone for the evil scum you are!"  About that time I heard Mark yell "Pa."  I was so relieved to see him that I grabbed him and hugged him.  He ran into my arms, happy to see me but puzzled.  He told me that there was a rattler there and that the judge had saved him. "He said your ankle was broke.  You said my Pa's ankle was broke," said Mark.  "I don't know if I should kill you or thank you?  Why did you save him?"  "I have saved him for the merciful Lord God Jehovah, who has permitted me some atonement for the evil I have wronged.  For He is the true judge of all things and I am but His....."  He then took a deep breath and fell to the ground.  He was dead.

piddlin' stuff.....In this episode Mark was saved by Judge Zephaniah Burton from getting bit by a rattler.  In 'The Hawk' he was again saved from being bitten by a rattler by Walt Hake.

The Brother-in-law

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updated 1/18/08