I had gone into town to the hardware store to get some fencing wire and some staples.  Mr. Manse and his son Eli were there.  I asked Mr. Manse how he was.  "Busy!" Said Manse.  I then asked Eli the same question.  Mr. Manse answered for him, "Lazy!"  As usual Mr. Manse was in a hurry.  Eli spotted a rifle he wanted.  He asked his Pa is he would buy him a rifle he was looking at.  "NO, you don't earn what you eat!"  They then left to pull the wagon around back so he could load it with fencing.  I asked Josh, the owner of the store, if he thought Mr. Manse was the unfriendliness man in North Fork.  "Uh huh, and the stingiest."  I couldn't help but feel sorry for Eli.  It was hard to see a man act like that towards his son.  Josh reminded me that Eli was Manse's Stepson, but I still felt sorry for Eli. I told Josh I needed five or six rolls of fencing wire and some staples.  He told me I was in luck, Manse just bought a wagon full of fencing, but he had enough for me. He told me he would set it out front.  I told him I'd be back in about a half hour.      

I thought I'd go have a cup of coffee at the cafe.  Bessie, the waitress introduced me to her husband, Farley.  I was pleased to meet him. I asked her when this had happened.  She told me about 10 years ago.  I was surprised.  I asked Farley why we hadn't seen him around here before.  Bessie told me he had just got in on the morning stage, that he's been in a sanitarium.  She came out here to find a place for them when he got out, when he was well.  Now he was looking for work.  "Well I heard John Hamilton, over at the bank was looking for....."  "No, no, I don't think so. I think I'd like to find some work out of doors," said Farley.  "Well, I could use a hand myself out at my place stringing wire, plowing and planting.  It wouldn't pay very much, but it would give you time to think of what you wanted to do."  "I don't want charity Mr. McCain."  The work I had it mind definitely wasn't charity. I told him he could start right away by helping me load some wire on my wagon.  He kissed Bessie good bye.  I told her we'd take good care of him.

We were loading the wagon when Micah approached us.  "Got yourself a new hand, huh, Lucas."  "That's Farley Steel, Micah."  "Did you say Steel?"  Asked Micah.  I told Micah that Farley was Bessie's husband.  I also told Micah about him just getting in this morning and that he had been in a sanitarium for three years. Micah knew better.  He was an officer at the territorial prison where Farley served eight years for manslaughter.  Farley told me it was all a lie.  His name was Weaver.  Bessie's took back her maiden name after he went to prison.  She thought it would make things easier when he got out.  He was told that he killed a man while he was drunk.  He didn't remember a thing about it.  I told him the job was still his if he still wanted it.  He told me he did....."Thank you Mr. McCain." 

      While we we're eating dinner, Mark was full of questions for Farley.  He couldn't figure out why he never came to see Bessie before.  I told Mark that it's not polite to pry into Farley's private life.  Farley told Mark someday he would tell him all about it someday.  I told Mark to go out and get Farley's bunk ready, we had a hard days work ahead of us tomorrow.  Farley thanked me for covering for him. "I never lie to Mark, but the truth may be a little hard for him to understand. You'll know when it's the right time to tell him."       

We ran short of wire so I sent Farley into town to pick up a couple more rolls of wire at the hardware store.  He was hesitant.  I told him it was about time he started acting like a free man, so he agreed to go on into town.

Josh, the owner of the hardware store told Farley that he had sold me the last of the wire. Farley asked him if there was anymore in town that he might know of.  He told Farley he wouldn't be getting anymore in for a couple of weeks or so.  Eli was there looking at that $300 rifle again.  Josh asked him if he knew if his Pa was going to be using it all right away.  He didn't know.  He was to concerned with the rifle.  Josh told Farley that maybe if he stopped out at the Manse place; he might just loan me some of that wire until the next shipment comes in.  Farley thought it was worth a try and was gonna head out for Manse's place right after he stopped to see Bessie and have a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. 

Eli headed home.  His Pa wanted to know where he was.  He said he was in town.  Manse asked him about the $25 missing from his cash box. He told him he spent it.  "Your a thief. Your a low sneakin' thief. Not only are you too lazy to work, your a thief who steals from those who does,"  said Manse.  "You wouldn't talk to me like that if Ma was still livin'."  "Your Ma made a ninny out of you and you'll always be a ninny."  "You shouldn't talk to me like that," said Eli.  "I'm thru talkin' to you anyway. Get out!"  They just kept arguing.  Manse hit Eli and knocked him to the ground.  "Mama's boy!"  Eli picked up a pipe that was lying on the ground and hit Manse with it and killed him.  "Pa, Pa, I didn't mean, I didn't mean it Pa, I didn't mean it" cried Eli.

Eli heard Farley approaching.  He got on his horse and rode off.  He watched from the bushes as Farley found his father's body.  Farley was scared, he was sure he would be accused of the murder.  He rushed to tell me what had happened and to ask for my help.

We went into Micah's.  Micah questioned Farley.  Farley insisted he had nothing to do with the murder.  Micah then questioned Josh from the hardware store.  He told Micah that Farley left about 10 minutes before Eli.  Bessie told Micah that Farley stopped by to see her before he headed to the Manse Ranch.  He had a cup of coffee and a piece of pie.  Josh remembered there was a wagon in front of the store when Eli left, but he couldn't say whose it was.  He was just glad to get rid of Eli.  He told us that Eli had been pestering him all morning about a rifle.  He was glad when he finally came back in the afternoon and bought it. He paid $300, cash for the rifle.  I asked Josh if he knew where Eli was.  Josh said that Eli was in the saloon a few minutes ago; so I went over to talk to him. 

I walked into the saloon and went up to Eli.  I told him I was sorry about his Pa.  I admired his rifle.  He told me he paid $300 for the rifle.  He bought it with the money his Ma left him.  "Too bad your Pa was robbed. John Hamilton told me there was four or five thousand dollars hidden in the house. Your father would have been better off if he trusted the bank. Well, I gotta be gettin' home Eli, again, my sympathy."  I set the bait, now all I had to do was wait. 

I went to Eli's house and waited for him.  I was sure he'd be here before too long looking for the rest of the money.  I was right.  In no time he came riding in to his father's ranch to look for the money.  He rushed into the house and started going through everything looking for the money.  "You won't find it Eli."  "Find what, oh you mean the money.  I guess that other fella got it alright."  "You know there was no other fella Eli. And there wasn't any four or five thousand dollars either. You better come into town with me."  He didn't want to.  I cocked my rifle; but he headed out the door.  He ran to his horse and got his rifle and aimed it at me.  "Hold it McCain. You think your smart tricking me like that!  Well you ain't gonna live to tell anyone."  "Eli, you're over playing your hand. That gun isn't loaded."  He checked the rifle.  He then threw it at me and ran.  I took off after him and managed to trip him.  He picked up a pice of wood and attacked me with it.  I fought him off, using my rifle to block his blows.  I knocked the wood out of his hands and slapped him across the face.  He fell to the ground and started crying.  "I didn't mean to kill Pa.  I didn't mean to kill him." 

I took Eli in and Micah released Farley.  "Well here he is Bessie," said Micah.  "I'm not gonna try and thank you Mr. McCain," said Bessie.  "Don't.  I'm just glad it turned out the way it did.  I told Farley to stay in town with Bessie tonight.  The work could wait a day or so."  Farley thanked me and Bessie thanked me with a kiss on the cheek. 
"Pa, why do you think Eli killed Mr. Manse?"  "Well it's hard to say son.  Probably because he never really grew up. It's not easy for a boy to grow up without love."  "I guess Eli would be the last person in the world to do what he did," said Micah.  "Even a coyote will fight back when he's cornered," I said.