As Unusual as the Day is Long

As Unusual as the Day is Long
A tawdry set of affairs have ended kingdoms past
Because the men among them spoke words they couldn't match

Madison Longfellow did not arrive alone when he rode in to Riverton.  An entire fleet of cars, three preceding his own and two following, arrived with him.  The lights in the county hall building were on inside and out.  As soon as his car stopped he exited the car, followed by two other men who rode in the car with him, going straight away to the front doors.  When the two cars behind him, in his parade of automobiles, had parked several other men followed him into the building.  The local towns people of Riverton who were still in town stopped to pay attention to the spectacle around the city hall building.  When the first three cars of Mr. Longfellow's cavalcade of compatriots found parking places the men inside those vehicles also made their way inside the city council building.  Local businesses such as the soda shop, the grocery market, the town diner and the restaurant, that were still open after dark started filling with customers; most of them men, believed to be working for Gaston LaFeu, who were from out of town.  The local owners such as the Voiles and the Packmiers began growing concerned about the sudden rush of visitors inside their stores.  Mr. Voiles went to the back of the soda shop to call Mayor Samuels only to find out that the mayor was indeed at the city hall building and was also informed that he, the mayor, was expecting Mr. Longfellow and associates to arrive.  The news didn't help settle Mr. Voiles nerves much, neither did it help calm his wife's, but they held their own going about their duties to serve customers while they waited for word to arrive as to what was transpiring across the road from their establishment.
Mr. Longfellow introduced himself to two armed guards, Leland Pritchett and Donald Crabtree, who had been placed on duty inside the building by the city council.  Pritchett was the one who told Mr. Gershwin, who was working late for the meeting, to let Mr. Samuels and the others know that Mr. Longfellow had arrived.  Mr. Gershwin left his desk, turning to his right, to go to the mayor's office then returned only a few minutes later to tell Mr. Longfellow that Mayor Samuels would see him but only him and one of his companions.  Mr. Longfellow was hesitant at first but accepted the conditions he was offered.  Before he made his way to the mayors office he ordered the rest of his cohorts to remain in the lobby.  There were a few grumbles among them at first about not being invited along but nothing absurd or unruly.  Mr. Gershwin waited until Mr. Longfellow had finished his instructions to his companions then when Mr. Longfellow gave his okay to Mr. Gershwin he lead him and one of his aids down the short hall to where Mr. Samuels office was.  Mr. Gershwin paused at the door, before knocking, to ask Mr. Longfellow what his affilliate's name was.  Mr. Longfellow introduced Mr. Gershwin to Mr. Clifton Grover.  Mr. Gershwin then proceeded inside the room, alone, for a brief moment then returned and offered the two men in the hall into Mr. Samuels office.  When they entered the room Mr. Gershwin made the introductions.  "Mr. Longfellow, Mr. Grover this is Mr. Samuels, the mayor of Riverton, Mr. Langston our county's commerce magistrate, Mr. Thomas Martin, Mr. Steven Martin, Mr. Ernest Alderman, all on our board of directors and Mr. John Woods our county's legal advisor." 
Mr. Longfellow wasted no time greeting them all with a very business like handshake as did Mr. Grover.  He was also the first one to speak, "well, I hope this matter is of the importance you insisted it is for me to have to make a six hour drive to your little town.  What seems to be the problem gentlemen?"
Mr. Samuels didn't waste time with pleasantries, "Gaston LaFeu."
Mr. Longfellow looked at Mr. Samuels undetered by his statement.  "Mr. LaFeu does not work for me gentlemen.  I'm afraid you're wasting your time."
"That wasn't what you claimed yesterday, sir, as you were introducing your self  through the Riverton county water ways."  Mr. Longfellow tilted his head back looking down his nose toward mayor Samuels.  Mr. Samuels didn't alter his attention to the matter for one minute.  "As a matter of exact fact you introduced yourself to our citizens after your firearms display here saying that you were Madison Longfellow and that the barges that were in our water ways, and the men on those barges worked for you and your father."  Mr. Samuels picked up a large stack of papers from the desk he was standing behind and offered them to Mr. Longfellow who was standing in the middle of the room with his companion, Mr. Grover.  "Mr. Gaston LaFeu was seated on the first boat of those supplies, which you claimed were your's and your father's, armed with a rifle.  So were the other men who were in Mr. LaFeu's company.  Are you telling me now sir, that those were not your boats, and that Mr. LaFeu should be the one standing where you are now?" 
Madison Longfellow took a deep breath, glanced toward Mr. Grover then said, "alright, Mr. LaFeu does work with me, as a sub contractor, but I have no authority over his business."
"Again," Mr. Samuels moved from behind his desk slightly, "that wasn't your previous statement, Mr. Longfellow."  Mr. Samuels took from his desk the signed agreement he and the others had signed according to the original agreement presented to them by Gaston LaFeu.  "This is our copy of the agreement we all signed, including yourself and your lawyers, which in no wise states that you were to perform the duties you and your company of men carried out yesterday or have performed today.  And might I add, that you specifically identified yourself as the man responsible for the actions that were occuring on the river to our citizens yesterday, claiming that you were the only person who was solely responsible for the damages that might occur to the properties of our citizens homes, if any property damages were made.  So, not with standing any of your previous statements, I thought it only pertinent to call you here to let you know that Mr. LaFeu and his crewman, or rather I should say, your crewman, have violated the property rights of our local and state laws by neither adhering to the original agreement that were made when we agreed to allow you the use of our road ways, not our water ways, and now you're hired hands have trespassed on the properties of our citizens on horseback; destroying their yards, their gardens, and their tree orchards along the banks of the river and our county road ways."  Mr. Longfellow's face stayed the exact same but his head's posture lowered.  Mr. Samuels waited for him to speak, as did every one else who was present in the room, but he said nothing.  So Mr. Samuels continued with what he wanted to say.  "Now, I'm sure you can see why we wanted you present with us this evening.  We have a man in our presence, Mr. LaFeu, who works for you or is contracted to you, as you have just stated, and he is for all intents and purposes violating both the written and verbal agreements that were agreed upon by you and those of us present here this evening." 
"How much do you want" Mr. Longfellow snobbishly asked. 
Mr. Samuels stared him in the eyes for a brief second then looked around the room at his constituents who were all steadfastly watching Mr. Longfellow.  He boldly answered, "we want you to stop your operations tonight.  Exactly where they're at, finished or not, until we can survey the complaints that've already been filed with our office today.  If you refuse, then we will form road blocks to stop the trucks ourselves, and will be forced to serve you and your contracted workers with restraining orders to prevent any further damage to our county roads, and our citizens properties."
"Those are mighty big words for such a small town mayor" said Madison Longfellow rather calmly. 
"Small town or not, they are lawful and we are perfectly capable of carrying those orders out.  Now, what I have been told by my county tax payers is that you yourself claimed that you didn't want any trouble.  You were only a business man, operating his business, passing through.  If that is truly what you are, and what you're doing, then I see no reason that you would be in objection to any of our requests this evening.  Do you?"
In the days leading up to this evenings events, Mr. Samuels had learned this about Mr. Longfellow.  Madison Longfellow was a well seasoned negotiator.  Neither him nor his family's reputations would testify otherwise.  However, given the opportunity, he was also one of the most clever users of men's trust and intergrities as well.  "What I am understanding Mr. Samuels is that you are disgruntled by our need to change our methods of transporting our goods as it was stated.  However, I am bound by my word to others as much as I am you.  I'm not a god, I can't control the weather.  But what I can do is make decisions based on information and calculations that I have been given by others with whom I do do business.  Now, I know there were some changes made without your approval here however, you must understand that a man of my repute and size of operations have to make changes from time to time that require immediate alternative actions rather than the ones agreed upon due to unforeseen circumstance.  You can understand that can't you?"
"What I understand is that every since you walked into this room you have repeatedly told me every single thing contrary to the truth of this matter, Mr. Longfellow.  First about Mr. LaFeu, and now," before Mr. Samuels could finish his statement there was an unexpected knock on the door.  Mr. Samuels looked at the door then back to Mr. Longfellow.  "Excuse me" he pardoned his self for a moment.  "Yes?  You may enter."  He said.  Mr. Gershwin opened the door slowly then stuck his head and shoulders inside.  "I am sorry to interupt sir, but there is someone here who would like to speak with you and the others if you would allow it."
Mr. Samuels looked around the room at the limited amount of space available then at his fellow councilmen wondering who would want to be in their meeting.  "I'm not sure we have the room Mr. Gershwin.  Ask them to wait until we're finished here."  Mr. Gershwin then stepped inside the room where Mr. Longfellow, Mr. Grover, Mr. Samuels and the others were at.  He straightened his shoulders squarely then smiled.  "Forgive me for disagreeing Mr. Samuels but I do think you should allow these two gentlemen to join you.  I'm sure there would be enough room, and if not, then Mr. Grover can join the others in the lobby" he said boldly.  Mr. Samuels looked at Mr. Gershwin then said, "alright, send them in."  Mr. Gershwin moved quickly back to the door then turned and said, "yes sir, thank you sir."  When he opened the door again he stepped through it but left it open.  Randal Lavern was the first one to enter the room next.  He was holding his over coat and hat in his hand.  Madison Longfellow looked at him for only a quick moment then dropped his gaze toward his shoes. 
Mr. Lavern stood there not offering to speak until Mr. Samuels welcomed him in first.  "Mr. Lavern, good evening.  I understand that there is someone else with, dear god."  Mr. Samuels showed every true sign of a surprised man.  He stopped speaking and stared at the person who entered the door behind Mr. Lavern.  When the other men of Riverton saw him enter they all stood to their feet.  Mr. Lavern went on to say, "Mr. Longfellow, Mr. Grover, I would like to introduce you both to Mr. Percival Lochlan."  Mayor Samuels wasted no time going to greet him.  "Percival, it's so very good to see you."  Mr. Lochlan extended his hand at first then changed his mind and greeted Mr. Samuels with an encouraging hug.  Mr. Alderman, Mr. Woods, the Martins, and Josten Langston all gathered around him nudging Madison Longfellow and Mr. Grover out of their ways.  First they greeted Mr. Lochlan then like wise greeted Randal Lavern.  Mr. Gershwin stood in the door way smiling brightly.  "Well done, Mr. Gershwin and thank you" Mr. Samuels shook his hand.  "My pleasure" returned Mr. Gershwin.  "I'll be at my desk, sir" then he turned to leave. By the time every one was finished greeting the two new arrivals they were all gathered in front of the opened door.  Mr. Grover and Mr. Longfellow were now standing directly in front of the desk inside the room while the men of Riverton stood near the door way.  Randal Lavern took the first steps toward Mr. Longfellow but didn't acknowledge him by name; only looked at him.  Madison did the same.  Josten Langston spoke up, "well now, as you were saying Mr. Longfellow; business men have to make changes according to, what was it again?"
Mr. Longfellow stood silently examining the gathered crowd wondering what was so important about Percival Lochlan; knowing Randal Lavern was a man he had rather not encounter at all.  "I was saying" he cleared his throat, "more or less, that it will take more than tonight to stop the operations I have planned for this week.  But, I will do what I can this evening to make sure your roads aren't damaged any further."  Mr. Samuels still wasn't happy with his answer and stepped forward next to Mr. Lavern to say so.  "And what I told you is also true.  We have what we need right now to put a halt to any and all traffic in and around Riverton and it's outlying areas.  This wasn't an invitation for you to decide whether you would comply to our request or not.  It was a command that you comply.  As you stand right there, right now, our personnel are moving into their positions to make sure no more damage is done to our roads and property this evening.  I am giving you the opportunity to explain to them why.  Whether you do, or whether our people do is totally up to you.  But we will not tolerate any more of this kind of activity during the evening; nor will it be allowed again until we can properly inspect the affected areas.  You are more than welcome to accompany us when we go to do so tomorrow.  You should meet us here before ten A.M if you plan on doing so.  That is the time the state highway inspectors gave us and it is the one we are all going to go.  You and your colleagues should know that you're not the only ones in this state with that kind of allied prowess.  If you have nothing else to say on your behalf then this meeting is adjourned and you are welcome to leave." 
Mr. Longfellow stepped confidently forward.  "I will make a few phone calls tonight to stop as many of my members as I can.  But I can't promise you that I won't miss a few that are already on their way.  Ten A.M. you say?  I'll be here.  Don't start without me."  He nodded his head forward to oblige the gentlemen in the room then made his way toward the door.  Randal Lavern stood exactly where he was never offering to move out of his way.  Madison Longfellow curled his nose at him then stepped to the side of him to pass through to the door.  Mr. Grover followed in his footsteps.  When he approached Percival Lochlan he stopped in front of him to inspect him thoroughly.  Percival's dark chocolate eyes stared back at him without blinking.  "Lochlan, was it?"  Madison asked. 
Mr. Lochlan wasn't intimidated by Madison's presence in the least.  "Percival Lochlan, father of Penelope Lochlan if you must know."
His answer caught Madison Longfellow's attention.  "Indeed" Mr. Longfellow decisively responded.  Then without speaking again to Percival or any of the others' who were there he exited the room, followed by Mr. Grover.  Percival didn't like his response so he followed him through the door and watched the two of them as they went up the short hallway towards the front of the building.  Mr. Samuels watched Mr. Lochlan closely then asked him, "what's wrong Percival?" 
"That short man there, the one with Longfellow, I've saw him in Bridge Port; recently.  Not under good circumstances, I might add."
"What brings you here this evening?"  Earl asked.
"This" Percival held up a telegram paper in his hand.  "It arrived at the library yesterday; early in the evening.  It's from Penelope."
"Ah good, I told her to contact you."  Mr. Samuels began to talk but Percival interrupted him.  "It's not that she contacted me; it's the message itself.  I knew about Mr. LaFeu and the other's and the happenings of their mischief here every since you first sent me word.  However, there's something my daughter isn't saying to any one that's bothering her.  She sent for me, personally.  Now, that fellow with Longfellow, Clifton Grover, as recent as two weeks ago in Bridge Port showed up at Bridge Port's recorder of deeds office trying to file some outdated land deeds; one of which is my daughter's land.  When the clerk there noticed, he sent word to everyone who needed to know that Mr. Grover's transactions were illegal.  So did Mr. Grover.  You do know that I work in the library there, yes?"
"Yes of course" Mr. Samuels answered.
Mr. Lochlan referred to the telegram in his hand.  "Penelope sent this to the library; not to my home." 
Josten Langston moved to close the door and the rest of the men in the room shifted their stances accordingly.  Percival had gathered all of the men's attention to him with his information. 
"Mr. Grover sent men to the library to check for family records at the library."
"Are you sure about that" Ernest Alderman asked.
"As sure as I am anything.  My colleague there, Fritz Lindstrom, he collected their names when they asked for the records.  He also noticed them copying several of the pages down on notebooks of their own to take with them."
"That's not unusual; many people do that."  Earl Samuels said.
"True, however, one of the men who takes our evening reading class over heard a few of those fellows later mention my name.  He told me after one of the reading classes I taught.  He said the men were trying to locate land owners in Bridge Port, Pembrook, Riverton, Hovington, and Rock Flatts.  Several of the families who owned those lands had suddenly decided to relocate their entire families and sell their properties to a Mr. Gaston LaFeu.  Mr. Grover was the notorary of the land sales that were previously filed between Mr. LaFeu and Mr. Longfellow.  Mr. Longfellow is back tracking his business dealings with Mr. LaFeu for a very specific reason."
"LaFeu stole the deeds didn't he" Mr. Woods asked.
"I can't say by what means he obtained them yet because there is an investigation underway by other members from different law enforcement agencies being done as well.  One of them began as a murder investigation, the other two are due to missing persons reports.  Both of the missing people were, are, young women who worked for Mr. LaFeu; so was the young lady whom they found beaten and dumped in the river between Pembrook and Rock Flatts."
"Pembrook you say" Mr. Samuels quickly asked.
"Yes," Percival answered solemnly.
"One of those missing young women wouldn't happen to have been a Matilda Dayhuff now would it?"  Earl asked.
"No, why" Mr. Lochlan enquired.
"Because your daughter had an unexpected visitor show up on her doorstep a week or so ago by that name.  A friend of Ms. Rossi's, I believe, from Pembrook.   Penelope and Isabella were both concerned about the situation as it was told to me.  Or at least, Penelope was."
Percival looked at the other's standing in the room.  "Mr. Longfellow seemed like an agreeable fellow.  Do you suppose he'll keep his word about this evening or not?"
"Whether he does or he don't, we will" Earl restated.  "Horace and Thurgood both called earlier.  Their roads and yards are marred to muck.  Reports from here to Hovington keep coming in about the property damage.  It'll be months in repairing it. We called for back up earlier, there are road blocks already in place to stop the trucks from running through there."
"And the river?"  Mr. Lochlan asked.
"The river hasn't been used since earlier today.  The Grouse brothers dropped a few white pine trees across the way to dam it up.  Upset the outfit trying to go through there too.  Had to send every able man and boy out side to keep an eye on the fellows going through there on horse back."
"Horse back" Percival asked.
"Yes, that's how the yards and river banks are being tore up.  Confounded things are all over the place out there."
"Penelope?"  Mr. Lochlan turned intentionally stern.  "You do have," Mr. Samuels stopped him before he could finish his question.  "Of course, Percival.  Thurgood left Oliver in the barn early yesterday morning.  Every one else started filling in and around the area as soon as they could.  I know of at least sixty men between your barn and Thurgoods place.  I'm sure she's fine." 
"I'd rather see that for myself."  Percival nearly demanded.
"Alright, but you'll have to go through the long way.  Every thing else is almost impossible to get through unless you're on horse." 
Percival faked a quick smile.  "I'll go the long way then.  Is the fork pass still usable?"
"It is, had it checked myself last night."  Mr. Alderman answered. 
"I'll go with you" Randal Lavern spoke up.  "I'd like to see how my sister is fairing too.  She never was one for being inside too long."
"Good, I could use the company" Percival accepted his proposal.
"Well then, that's settled.  But before the two of you go, let's hear the rest of what you've learned from Bridge Port, shall we?  I'd most like to know more about how a man like Madison Longfellow became so entangled with a man like Gaston LaFeu," said Josten Langston.
While Percival Lochlan was giving his friends all the information he himself had gathered through the various channels of Bridge Port, Madison Longfellow had gathered his convoy outside the city council building to put them to work.  He wanted every man of them to find a local phone to send word back to his supply depots to stop shipping the ordered materials at once.  He was very clear to cover the halt of shipping with a weather cover rather than the court restraining orders that had been filed in Hovington and Riverton.  Mr. Longfellow also sent two of his own personal bests to make sure that they found Gaston LaFeu.  He wanted to speak to him, personally, that night without any excuse to why he couldn't attend.  "I don't care if you have to hog tie him and drag him to me by his elbows I want him found tonight" was his exact order when he gave it.  He then dismissed his men to do their jobs for the evening and took up lodging for his extended stay at the Martin brother's bed and breakfast.  Mrs. Deborah Martin wasn't willing to oblige Mr. Longfellow's request, at first, saying that she thought the rooms available were already rented.  Mr. Longfellow offered to pay double the going price for the room then, in a more grandiose offering, proposed renting out the entire house for his own personal use at double each rooms rate for an entire week.  Mrs. Martin honestly stated that she must first confer with her husband before she could accept to make such an arrangement.  Mr. Longfellow was insulted by her lack of commitment to his offer but did wait there in the living room for her husband, Mr. Steven Martin, to return from his meeting at the council building to bid the terms of his stay. When Mr. Martin did bargin with Mr. Longfellow he accepted the price offered to him for the house but told Mr. Longfellow that his wife, Mrs. Deborah Martin, would not stay on as the attendant there while Mr. Longfellow and his men were there.  He would have to provide his own house staff in order to obtain the house for the duration of the week.  Mr. Longfellow reluctantly, yet casually accepted the conditions.  Mr. Martin went straight away to send word to Mr. Thatcher to keep a record of all telephone usages made to and from the house.
Riverton itself was a busy place the rest of the evening.  The resturant, the diner, the soda shoppe, and the grocery store were all opened later than usual because of all the new people in town.  Gaston LaFeu's men were posted in their usual places, Riverton's men were they themselves in position to keep an eye on their town, and now Madison Longfellow's men were taking positions of their own to keep an eye on the goings on in the area.  Even all of that didn't cover the truck drivers who were being turned around at points outside the small town where the roads had been blocked due to their deteriorating conditions. 
It was a quarter till nine that evening when Bryce Thatcher received word from Hovington that their smaller than Riverton town was being lambasted by Gaston LaFeu's men.  The stories being told over the phones were that the river barge supplies stopped arriving first causing Mr. LaFeu's temperment to exceed it's legal right to be in public, so the town sheriff's ask him to leave or face the consequences.  Mr. LaFeu had disappeared from the town's city limits but not from the telephone and graph offices who were consistently keeping an eye on every reported phone call of his where abouts that came through.  Mayor Schnof had sequestered the local concil of Hovington inside a safe area of their city building and was keeping a close tab on the reports as they were being reported; then sending them to Riverton to maintain control of their lines hoping Mr. LaFeu and associates would leave the lines in tact.    Mr. Thatcher was using a seperate set of telephone lines in the basement of his business to keep up with all the activity being reported.  Bryce was tending the regular office upstairs.  He promptly and purposely closed the building at seven o'clock to keep out any of LaFeu's men that would try to use their business as an outreach.  AriThorton approached the door fifteen minutes after Bryce had locked the doors.  Bryce was still arranging postal mail for the next day's delivery.  When Bryce saw who was there he approached the door but didn't bother to unlock it.  Ari held up two gold coins to bribe his way in through the door.  Bryce smiled but left the door locked stating loudly as to be heard by Mr. Thorton outside, "sorry old chap.  Have a date with my intended tonight.  She never likes it when I'm late."  Ari wasn't amused by his answer.  "Only need a minute" he persisted, "need to send word to my wife about pay day."  Bryce shook his head no then pulled down the shade covering the window.  "Bryce!"  Ari raised his voice slightly louder.  "That woman won't mind if you're five minutes late."  Bryce turned away from the door and went back to sorting his mail.  He listened to see if he could hear Ari's foot steps on the porch outside.  He could.  But apparently Ari was hesitant about leaving.  Bryce moved from where he was working to the small side office.  He used a peep hole to see where Ari was.  Unfortunately Ari was standing less than two feet from the front door eyeing across the road toward the council building behind the diner.  A small bell tinkled outside the door where Bryce was standing.  He covered the peep hole then went to see what the tinkling was about.  He picked up the receiver to a telephone that was wired only to the basement.  His father George was on the other side of the line.  "Word from Hovington to Horace Whittenburg's, Gaston LaFeu's on his way into town" said old Thatcher underneath the floor where Bryce was standing.  "Should we share that information with Mr. Longfellow" Bryce asked.  "After I ring the mayor" answered Mr. Thatcher.  "Figured he'd like to be the one to give the good news."
"Ari's on the porch" Bryce reported.
"Well get finish up there and get yourself down here.  You're mother sent supper in a few minutes ago.  Allan's here now."
"Yes, sir" Bryce answered then returned the receiver back to the phone box.  He went back to look for Ari once again but this time he wasn't on the porch.  Bryce turned off the lights in the room then made his way to the stair well at the back of the office.  The basement looked the same as it had since it was built; concrete block stacked to the ceiling made up the walls, while the floor to the post and telegraph office was supported by six by six hickory posts standing from floor to ceiling firmly supporting the floor above.  Several old counter tops from the office were placed along the walls.  Stacks of boxes containing old office supplies were neatly piled in corners.  Old mail bags that hadn't been used in years were hung on the hickory posts giving the basement an unused abandoned look.  Bryce walked past all of the clutter to the side wall and tugged an old picture, of the original building when it was first built, down the wall fifteen inches to lift a safety lock on the cement block beside it.  When the picture went as far down as it could go Bryce put his hand against the wall then gave it a good push.  The wall opened like a small door into a smaller room where his father and brother were keeping an ear in on the telephone lines. 
"Ah, you made it, good.  Take this will you?"  Mr. Thatcher stood up from his chair handing Bryce an over sized set of head phones that he had been wearing to listen to the phone lines.  "You're mother sent fried chicken for supper."  He walked over to a tall carrying basket to look inside.  "Let's see here, corn, green beans, fresh rolls; oh bless her, she sent my house slippers too."
Allan leaned over to whisper to Bryce, "great, every thing will tastes like dad's house shoes."
Mr. Thatcher must have over heard what was said because he responded to Allan saying, "she wrapped them in a bag, you nit wit.  And who said you got any of this, huh?  This is for me and your brother.  Now get out of that chair, I need it."
Allan quickly responded to the command of his father.  Mr. Thatcher scooted the chair away from where it was, nearer to the table where the basket was sitting, then began empting out the edibles that were in it.  Allan moved an old crate from the corner of the room then went back to the switch board to keep up with the outside events.      
Bryce chuckled then asked his father, "did you send word to the mayor yet?"
"I did indeed" Thatcher answered.
And indeed he had.  As soon as he did mayor Samuels made the announcement to the men still gathered in his office then called the bed and breakfast to report Gaston LaFeu's where abouts and intentions.  Steven Martin was the one who answered the phone there first.  The mayor told Steven what was happening then asked to speak to Mr. Longfellow.  After Steven had said good bye he instructed his wife that they were leaving and so promptly did so.  Mr. Longfellow was on the phone long enough to find out which road Gaston was supposedly traveling on then hung up.  He gave the men with him directions as to what he wanted done.  Then the lot of them left the rented boarding house, including Mr. Longfellow, going on their way to intercept Mr. LaFeu.  They drove one mile outside of the city lights and there made a road block of their own.  As Longfellow waited for Gaston's approaching car word came by another of his consorts that LaFeu was already in town.  Apparently he had traveled by horse through a back pass rather than by car into Riverton.  When Mr. Longfellow found out he sent every car except his own back into town to the hotel where Gaston LaFeu had apparently been seen.  By the time Longfellow arrived his muscle men were already inside seated in the small living room area of the hotel.  Mr. Longfellow greeted the hotel's attendant placing a hundred dollar bill on the counter then told him to make himself scarce and lock the front door.  Mr. Smedley, the hotel owner, didn't make much fuss about Mr. Longfellow's request, only ask him to keep the noise down due to his other guest, then did exactly as he was told; excusing himself to the room behind the counter to keep watch through the peep hole in the wall lamp.  Mr. Longfellow positioned himself in the foyer at the foot of the stairs then told Mr. Grover which room number to call Mr. LaFeu at.  He was very specific when he told Grover what to do and told him to make sure Mr. LaFeu understood to follow his order completely.  He was to meet Mr. Longfellow in the lobby immediately.  He had ten minutes to comply to his request.  He was to bring no more than two people with him when he came.  Mr. Grover waited until Mr. Longfellow finished speaking then picked up the phone to call Gaston's room.  Gaston wasn't happy to hear that Mr. Longfellow was there.  As a matter of fact he made the statement that if Mr. Longfellow wanted to see him, then he would have to be the one who came upstairs.  Mr. Grover told LaFeu not to be a fool and to make his presence known or this would be the last time he ever spoke to Mr. Longfellow again outside of a prison wall.  After that, Clifton Grover hung up the phone without waiting for a response.  His last words on the phone was simply, "you have ten minutes, starting now."  After the phone was placed back on the table a few of the men standing in the living room went to the side of Mr. Longfellow forming a human barrier around and between Mr. Longfellow and the stairs.  Mr. Grover seated himself in a chair near the table where the telephone sat.  It didn't take the entire ten minutes for Gaston LaFeu to appear.  When he did Edison Saville was with him, Elmer Reese was also.  Mr. Longfellow recognized LaFeu and Saville, but had no idea who Elmer was.  Gaston, as you can imagine, wasn't in a good mood and said as much as soon as he started to descend the stairs.  "Now why would a man such as yourself be tracking down me, Madison?" 
Madison Longfellow wasn't amused with Gaston's sneering question.  He waited to talk until Gaston and the others reached the bottom of the steps.  "I see you had no trouble getting yourself to Riverton from Hovington" Longfellow said first.  "Are the roads passable between here and there?" 
Gaston snarled.  "Don't play coy with me.  You know as well as I do that these idiots around here caused enough trouble to stop what we were doing."
"We?"  Longfellow's temper was growing more by the minute.  "We had nothing to do with this.  You were the one in charge, as you so demanded and you" Madison stepped forward between his men who had been standing in front of him.  "You are the one who started this operation without my approval.  We, no no.  You are the idiot, Gaston.  What in the hell were you thinking?  You knew those roads weren't in the right condition!"  Gaston raised his eyebrows and smirked. 
"I was thinking that I have been doing these kind of things longer than you've been old enough to go piss by yourself, Madison.  I was also thinking that I was the one who was in charge of the transportation of all those trucks full of construction material, as you said I was.  Now you're here with an itch under your hat because it's gonna cost you some money, right?  Ain't this all this is?"
Longfellow stepped two steps closer to LaFeu.  He could smell the strong stench of whisky reeking around him.  "You're drunk" Longfellow claimed before he said, "and no, no that's not all this is.  This is an order of stay signed, properly signed, by the state roads commission stating that those trucks don't move another inch on the ground they're on until the state police and the road commission arrive to inspect every square mile between Riverton and Hovington.  This order also says that any man who dares to over ride this order will go straight to prison to await the outcome of the states investigation; including but not limited to a national review investigation because my cousin is the damn governor of this state!  Now," he leaned into Gaston's face breathing hard, "I was also served a summons today by the city of Bridge Port for attempting to file falsified property deeds to two of the major realitor companies, as properties owned, there due to you falsifying deeds in order to swindle me out of my own money and undermind my reputation as a legitimate business man."
Gaston faked a smile. "Your reputation; yes let's not forget your precious reputation.  See that's your problem, right there.  You have to keep up this, this" Gaston looked Madison up and down, "what's the word I'm looking for Edison?"  He looked at his companion who wasn't nearly as fool headed as Gaston was acting about the situation.  "Facade, yes this facade that you are so much more respectable than I am because you're family has been inbreeding for more than a century here in this country.  Yes, that's it and that" Gaston stepped toward Madison the final step until their noses were touching, "that's what I don't have to worry about; my reputation.  His liquored breath repulsed Madison who stepped back and looked at LaFeu with disgust.  "My reputation is not the problem, Mr. LaFeu, you are.  In the past week you have made it your sole objective to make a damn fool out of me by going up every river between Tazwell and Hovington firing off hundreds of rounds of ammuntion, blasting a cannon like you're some kind of military general taking over the state.  Compile that with the facts that I have been served four, and now this" he held the affidavit signed by the Riverton county office, "which makes five state affidavit's declaring me as the person responsible for the likes of murder, extortion, kidnapping, falsifying legal documents and now destruction of public and private properties.  All because you have been systematically lying to me, while I might add, you have been embezzeling thousands of dollars from my trucking services for freight that you claim I ordered delievered when I did not.  Now here's something for you" Longfellow stepped aside and the two men standing to his right stepped in front of Gaston LaFeu, one holding a gun, the other holding a pair of handcuffs.  "These men are privately hired bounty hunters who are going to take you into their custody and retain you under lock and key until I decide they can let you leave.  If you don't like that I really don't give a damn.  I am not some spoiled little" before he could finish Gaston tackled the man with the gun to the floor.  As he struggled with him Saville pulled a gun of his own and pointed it directly at Madison Longfellow.  Reese, who had been standing quietly, still one step above Edison Saville, whistled loudly.  When he did Phillip Hanes, Ari Thorton, and at least twelve others came from their positions at the top of the stairs down the stair case, armed with pistols and rifles alike,  faster than Longfellow and his men could respond.  Saville fired one shot into the floor of the hotel lobby bringing all the commotion to a stop.  Gaston who was still on top of the unnamed bounty hunter threw several punches at the man he had pinned to the floor until the man dropped the gun in his hand.  After the struggle between them subsided Gaston stood to his feet, stumbled backwards then fell on his side near the stairs panting.  Edison moved quickly to gather his boss up off the floor.  Thorton moved to help Edison while Reese stood point directing his weapon directly at Longfellow.  "You'll have to do better than a privateer club if you want me" Gaston gasped for air as he spoke.  Edison and Thorton turned around quickly moving Gaston back up the stairs out of sight.  "Let's get out of here" Gaston ordered still trying to regain his composure.  Thorton opened the service door to the hotel and the three of them made their way down the stairs to the first floor and out the back door.  "Get the horses; Thorton you get your car and head to that old barn next to the mill.  We'll meet you there."
Edison tried to change Gaston's mind.  "You go with Thorton, I'll bring the horses."
"No" LaFeu said.  He had regained his posture and was starting to feel the affects of his fight in his hands.  "They'll be looking for any car that moves tonight.  Thorton can make it through if he's just going to Hovington.  Do what I said" LaFeu commanded.  "If you get stopped at one of those damn check points tell them you were sent by Madison Longfellow to help stop the mess in Hovington.  Go now!"  LaFeu ordered then made his way up into the saddle on the horse.  Edison didn't argue this time.  He took the reigns of the mare he had rode in and mounted up to ride out with Gaston.  "What about those Riverton boys sitting up there?  You know they're watching their land."
"To hell with them.  I'm not worried about their land.  Now let's get."  Gaston turned his horse around, spurring it into a gallop. 
Inside the hotel Madison Longfellow stood looking at the armed men on the stairs threatening him.  A new wave of courage flooded his mind, "now boys, think about what you're doing there.  Pointing all those guns at me while that boss of yours tries to plan his own escape ain't going to get you no where fast.  What do you think he'll do when he's caught, huh?  Finger all of you as the people responsible for all his doings.  Blame you, take every thing you have, sit and read the newspapers about your trials some where while you sit rotting in a jail cell.  Think about it.  Think about it real good.  Then think about it some more.  If he's going to throw me under the train he will you."
His words found a place in a couple of the fellows thinking because they lowered their rifles.  "We're already in trouble if he is."  One of them said.  Phillip Hanes looked around the room to notice that Longfellow's men were now just as armed as him and the rest of them were. 
"But that can be changed" said Mr. Longfellow.  "You can all put down those fire arms of yours and talk to me about what's really going on here or we can all spend the next twenty minutes or so blowing holes in each other. In which case, Gaston LaFeu gets away to go on with his life while we all suffer the consequences he created without he himself having to deal with any of us.  Now, he ain't here to tell you what to do, so what ever choice you make here will determine what happens to you individually.  Think about it.  I'm sure you'd all rather live to spend part of that money he's been paying you than you would to have to pay some doctor to pull a bullet out of you; if you live through it."
"We didn't know he was doing all of that" another man on the stairs said. 
"Shut up" Phillip Hanes ordered.
Longfellow looked Phillip square in the eyes.  "Do yourself a favor mister, don't be as stupid as Gaston LaFeu is.  That man don't give a damn about what happens to you or any one else as long as he gets away."
As Longfellow talked more and more of the men on the stairs began lowering their weapons.  Then a few of them placed them on the steps where they were standing showing they weren't interested in shooting any one or being shot at.  Longfellow stood as firm as a stone watching the affect his words were having.  "Those of you not interested in being LaFeu's fall guy come on down here with these fellows behind me.  Leave your guns there.  My men won't bother you."  After he spoke all but four of them made their way on down the stairs to the lobby, lining up next to each other near the wall.  Hanes, Reese, a guy named Jose Sanchez and another named Peter Whistler stood where they were, guns in hand, pointed at Longfellow.
A small crowd had gathered outside the hotel when the report of a gun shot was announced.  Mr. Smedley had called the sheriff's office to put a stop to what was going on inside his business.  Some of the crowd were local residents. Others were a few of LaFeu's hired watchmen who had heard the shot from outside.  The sheriff wasn't in town, he was operating one of the road blocks entering the county, so the mayor sent Pritchett and Crabtree over to act in an official capacity.  Josten Langston, and mayor Samuels were also among those outside waiting for the outcome of the events going on inside the locked doors of the hotel building.  One of Longfellow's men went to the door when he noticed the people outside looking in.  "Mr. Longfellow, the mayor of Riverton is outside here wanting in."
Longfellow kept his eye on LaFeu's men who were still aiming their weapons at him.  "Well let him in."  Longfellow replied,  "He might as well see this for his self so we don't have to explain it to him later."  Hanes turned and ran back up the steps, Reese started backing up the steps slowly never taking his eye off of the people standing below him in the lobby.  When Sanchez and Whistler saw Reese start moving back they followed his movements backing up the stairs along with him, keeping their guns aimed as they went.  Once they were all upstairs Hanes checked his room to see if Gaston had returned there.  He hadn't.  "He probably left" Reese told him.  "Yeah, probably" Hanes rationalized.  "That's a good idea, come on.  Get your stuff."  Reese was much calmer than Hanes was at the moment and disagreed with his idea.  "I ain't running out of here" Reese told him.  "As far as that fellow down stairs knows we only work for LaFeu.  That's all.  We ain't involved in any of that stuff he was talking about.  So why run?  Any body that disappears from this place tonight will have to get through all those road blocks; and you know as well as I do those roads were nothing but mud.  Besides, where would he go?  Huh?"
Hanes knew Reese was probably right.  He had no idea where LaFeu would run off to.  The only way in or out were the main roads but those roads would only take him back to Pembrook, Bridge Port, or Abingdon.  "So we just sit here and wait for Longfellow to do whatever he wants to us?" 
"My guess is Madison Longfellow doesn't want anything to do with us.  He may ask us a few questions about what our jobs were but other than that, what's he going to say?  Those boys down stairs will tell him all of that.  But if we take off he could think we know more than we do.  So I say, we go back to our rooms, have a drink and wait for Mr. LaFeu to contact us."
Sanchez was the one to question Reese about that.  "You think he'll come back here?"
"I think he will one way or the other.  If he don't show up himself he'll send somebody else to see who stayed and who left.  If you're wanting a job after this crummy mess here, you might want to hang around.  Hovington and Riverton aren't the only two places in the world LaFeu has businesses in." 
Downstairs Madison Longfellow was explaining the incident inside to mayor Samuels.  The mayor was intent on Longfellow leaving town.  But that wasn't happening, according to Madison, he was going to stay there until he made sure Gaston LaFeu was in the proper custody of those who could deal with that kind of man.  His family, his business and his life depended on it.  The mayor had Pritchett and Crabtree take the names and statements of all the men there who claimed to work for Gaston LaFeu.  Madison Longfellow made sure his men did the exact same wanting to make sure that he wasn't going to be swindled again because of this situation in Riverton.  While Longfellow and his associates mingled with LaFeu's men mayor Samuels went to find Smedley.  Mr. Smedley opened the office door immediately when the mayor identified himself.  He told the mayor the events he saw first hand through the wall hole, matching Longfellow's side of the story, then the mayor bid him goodnight and left.  Mr. Smedley went back to his counter in the lobby.  When Longfellow next spoke to Mr. Smedley he wanted to know how many rooms Gaston LaFeu had paid for there in the hotel.  "None of them" Smedley answered.  "All those fellows there came in by themselves.  Paid for the rooms by theirselves."
"Are you sure?"  Longfellow asked.
"Yes sir, most of them said they were just here to find work.  Or on their way to Hovington to work.  The hotel there is smaller than this one so they didn't have room for them.  Checked their story myself because I was getting quiet the crowd.  Mr. Winfield in Hovington said the same they did; his place was full.  Only kept a few rooms available for business folk passing through that he didn't rent to no one except over nighters."
Mr. Longfellow thanked him for the information then told him he would be in town at the Martin house until he could finish his business there.  He asked Mr. Smedley to keep an eye out for Gaston LaFeu for him and let him know if he heard or seen him around.  He offered Mr. Smedley another hundred dollar bill to procure his services but Mr. Smedley turned it down asking instead that Mr. Longfellow simply pay to have the floor fixed where the bullet hole was.  Mr. Longfellow agreed that he would, asked where he needed to contact to get the equipment, then said he would have the floor repaired first thing in the morning.  It was nearly daylight before the front lobby of the hotel was emptied.  Most of the men who were staying there returned to their rooms worried about their future finances and where Gaston LaFeu was.  They had paid for the rooms with money from their own pockets believing Mr. LaFeu would pay them later.  Now that this had happened none of them knew for sure what to do or what to expect next.  If he didn't show back up or if they couldn't go to work then their future in the Riverton, Hovington area had ended tonight. 
Hanes sat in his room staring at Thorton's bed wondering where he and LaFeu had went to.  As far as he could remember they had never discussed any where to hide if things went wrong.  Then again, there had never been any discussion at all about if, something went wrong.  His and Thorton's jobs had been easy.  Keep an eye on the local's, keep the telephone lines dated, report to Gaston when he said so, do exactly what Gaston said do.  The only good thing he could think to think of was no one down stairs knew Thorton's real name.  He and Hanes had been the first ones to take up places in Riverton for Gaston and Gaston made sure that those two kept their identities to themselves.  Rock Flatts was small enough and obscure enough that no one within a fifty mile radius knew the place ever existed unless they were passing through it.  Most of the families there were common farmers, like Hanes and Thorton's families, who grew what they ate and hunted for their meat.  When Gaston approached them with this venture he said it was only for a matter of months to secure his supply transports.  When Mr. Longfellow's men came to his bedroom door that evening he didn't answer.  Even when they pounded on the door loud enough to wake the entire top floor he stayed in his chair watching their feet underneath the door.  Part of him knew Haskel would get in touch with him.  The other part hoped Thorton lived long enough to get in touch with him.  Madison Longfellow's personality hadn't exactly matched the persona Gaston had cast him as.  In his version of describing Longfellow, Longfellow was nothing more than some over dressed, over publicized, sissified idiot who was long on mouth but not in action.  Gaston had called him an incompetent fool with more money than brains and more reputation than actual muscle.  Hanes decided he wasn't talking to anyone until he could talk to Thorton.  That included the people at the diner where he and Thorton had became regular patrons.
Further down the road toward Hovington Gaston, Edison and Thorton had all reached the grist mill area before sun rise.  Thorton hid his car in the abandoned barn three hundred yards away from where the grist mill stood.  Edison and LaFeu did the same with the horses they had rode there.  Inside the three of them sat around the car discussing what to do next.  "Since I have to stay out of sight, you're going to have be my eyes and ears" he told Edison.  "Did you introduce yourself to anyone in Riverton?"
"No, I was with you remember" Edison answered rather concerned now for his own well being.  Gaston eye bawled him smuggly saying  "you ain't going soft on me are you?"  Edison was use to Gaston's snide remarks after ten years of loyalty to his doings.  "I'm wondering what your next move is" Edison said, but he knew Gaston would disappear for a while leaving Edison to act in his stead.  "I'm going to stay here for a day or two.  Those trucks blocking the roads are going to be looking for me.  You're going to go to Hovington and pretend you don't know anything about me or where I'm at then you're going to find out which way I can sneak back in there."  Gaston looked at Thorton.  "You're going to be around here for a while.  I need some help keeping an eye around here.  That friend of yours, what's his name?"
"Hanes, sir."  Thorton answered.
"He won't go blabby will he?"
"No, sir.  He ain't that type."
Gaston looked at Thorton for a few seconds then back to Edison.  "Before you leave Hovington make sure a few of the others know where we're at.  Have them give you a head start then make their way back down here.  We're  going to need something to eat.  So send us something through the same way we came in.  Who's up at the hotel that you can trust?" 
Edison thought for a minute, "Clive."
"Then send Clive back here tonight.  He knows how to get through here don't he?"
"I don't think so, but Mallard does.  He's been up and down this river a hundred times in the past month."
"Alright, then send Mallard.  Clive can come with him.  Just tell them to stay out of sight.  How many of them trucks got through today?"
"I'm not sure."  Edison was more concerned about Longfellow at the moment than the trucks.  "When they started bogging down and stalling in the mud ruts things got slow.  They we're going to try to get them out but if they couldn't they we're going to sled the shipments the rest of the way in.  Now, what are you going to do about Longfellow?"
"You underestimate me Edison.  You think I'd do all this without figuring in Longfellow would figure a few things out first?"  Lafeu arched his back to stretch out the ache he was feeling from the horse ride.  Edison lit a cigarette then stared at his shoes.  Longfellow continued talking after Edison and Thorton stayed quiet.  "Do you think I wouldn't think about Longfellow and all his high society connections before I'd do business with a man like that?  Huh?  Do you?  I'm telling you Edison, we're going to sit right here until Longfellow learns a thing or two then me and you are going back to Hovington to make sure all those supplies made it to where they're suppose to be."
"You brought some body else in didn't you?"  Edison asked.
"You damn right I did," LaFeu walked away from the car where he had been standing to look outside.  The grist mill in the distance was dark, showing no signs of light or activity.  From where he was standing he couldn't see anything but the silhouette of the back wall.  The water wheel was hidden by the building on the other side.  Gaston figured there would at least be a night guardsman somewhere.  Yet, there was no light to be seen anywhere.   "I figured Longfellow would get his feathers ruffled before now.  That's why I needed someone else you, or no one else, knew anything about.  Don't worry though, he knows who you are.  I made sure he knew all the guys I used that were important enough not to bother.  He's concentrating on Longfellow.  You, on the other hand, need to be concentrating on right here.  So do what I told you.  Get yourself over to Hovington, find Clive and Mallard, and get them back here with some food."
"Alright" Edison answered.  "What if someone comes through here looking for you though?  That car ain't going no where fast on these roads right now."
"I have a horse.  I know what I'm doing.  Now, get yourself to Hovington.  Stay there until you see Mallard again.  And if anyone asks, I had to make a little trip to Pembrook on a business matter.  Or better yet, Abingdon.  That way if Longfellow has his outfit covering here, he'll have to start looking every where between here and there too.  Now go on.  I'm hungry." 
Edison looked at Thorton who was quietly standing near the car listening to what LaFeu had been saying.  "You smoke?"  He asked Thorton.  "When I have tobacco" Thorton answered.  Edison tossed him a pack of rolled cigarettes.  "I'll send some with the food."  Thorton caught the tin box with the cigarettes in it and said, "thanks."  Without speaking again Edison made his way toward the horses, crawled up on the saddle, then told Thorton to open the door.  Thorton went to the large sliding door, opening it only enough for Edison to make it clear through with ease.  Then he slid the door shut again.   When he turned back toward the car he saw Gaston walking toward him.   "I'm going to lay down for some sleep" he said to Thorton.   "You're going to keep an eye and an ear open for anything moving around this barn.  If you hear anything, anything at all, wake me up."
"Yes, sir" Thorton replied. 
"What's wrong Thorton?  You look kind of pale."
"I was just worried about Hanes.  There was a lot fellows pointing guns at each other when we left."
Gaston walked to the rear passenger door and opened it.  "Well, he could have came along with us if he wanted.  But he didn't."
"Yeah, I know.  It's just he's got that wife and three kids and" Thorton's nerves were showing his concern for his friend.
"And he chose to stay in that hotel while people were pointing guns at him."  Gaston crawled into the back seat of the car.  "He should have thought quick enough to get him self out of there.  Now shut up.  I'm tired.  Get somewhere you can see what's going on out there and keep yourself awake.  It'll probably be a few hours before Clive and Mallard get back here.  Any body else shows up; by car, on horse, or foot, you wake me.  But that's the only reason you wake me, you hear?"
"Yes, sir" Thorton watched as Gaston stretched out in the back seat of his car to lay down.  Then took a cigarette out of the tin Edison had gave him.  He fumbled around in his pocket for some matches then went to the car and pushed the knob to turn the headlights off.  Once the barn went dark, he gave his eyes time to adjust to the light then made his way back to the door he had let Edison slip out through.  He pulled an old horseshoe crate close to the door then sat down to keep watch.  For a minute he could smell rain approaching through the wind blowing in through the walls of the barn.  What he didn't know, nor did Gaston or Edison, was that less than ten yards away from where the car was parked a fellow by the name of Jon Alderman and another guy by the name of Simon Grouse were sitting in the loft of that old barn listening to every single word they said.  Jon waited until Edison had left and was completely out of sight, and for Thorton and Gaston to settle down, before he sent his arrows through the night breeze to deliver the messages needed to be known to the others who were positioned in various places around the barn.  Before Edison ever reached the Lochlan barn every man outside knew he was going through the old logging trials on his way to Hovington.  When he arrived he found the small quaint town much quiter than Riverton, looking nearly abandoned, which to be honest was it's normal appearance at night.  The people who lived there were average working families who were busy from sun up until sunset but home with their families, working on their farms and homesteads in the evening.  The hotel where he had been staying looked exactly the same as it always did when he entered his room through the window of his bedroom.  He made a quick change of clothes then went out his room door to the front lobby.  There were three men seated in the small lobby across from the clerks desk. None of them looked familiar to him.  He looked for the clerk only to find the counter unattended at the time.  As he made his way towards the desk a voice called out from behind him, "Edison, hey wait" the voice implored.  When Edison looked to see where the voice came from he saw Clive stepping inside the room from the front door toward him.  "Where have you been" Clive said as soon as he was standing face to face with him.
"In my room, asleep.  I had too much to drink earlier" was Edison answer.
"Too much to drink?"
"Yeah" Edison knew better than to tell Clive more than he wanted him to know.  "Had a long day yesterday, Gaston was mad at me.  So I grabbed a bottle of that sour mash they sell around here and went to bed."
Clive didn't really believe his story but knew to leave well enough alone.  "We only got about half of those trucks through to West Grove.  Then every where we went somebody was there with a piece of paper telling us all to go home or go to jail.  What happened?"
Edison wasn't going to tell Clive anything in the lobby.  "I don't know, have you seen Gaston?  He was the one who said he was going to take care of this."  Clive shook his head no.  "Alright, well, find Mallard, then you and him go to my room.  I'll be there in a minute.  I was going to see if the clerk would make me something to eat."  Clive stood there for a minute knowing there was more to the story than Edison was going to say then agreed to do what Edison told him.  Before he left he told Edison, "I have some eats in my room if the clerk don't have what you want."  Edison patted him on the shoulder, "I'll keep that in mind.  Find Mallard."  Clive said, "alright, boss" then left the lobby going down the hall toward his room.
Edison rang the bell on the front desk then waited to see if he would get a response.  It took the clerk only a minute to appear from another room whose door was directly behind the counter.  When Edison ask him to prepare him a meal the clerk told him the kitchen was closed.  Edison offered the clerk a few extra dollars for anything he had in his cupboards.  The clerk thought for a moment then left Edison standing at the counter to go see what he could offer him.  He returned a few minutes later with a small bag containing some bread, a few slices of ham, and a small wedge of cheese.  Edison took what the clerk brought him then went straight back to his own room.  Clive was standing at his room door with it slightly opened.  When Edison approached Clive's door Edison told him to bring Mallard with him to his room.  Clive had already woke Mallard who was standing behind him.  The two of them followed Edison the rest of the way down the hall.  Once they we're inside Edison told them only what he wanted them to do: find any food they could find in their rooms, along with any bottle of whiskey they had on hand, then take the horses in the back hotel stable to the old logging trial.  Mallard was the man Edison wanted in charge since he was the one most familiar with the area.  "You do remember where the grist mill is, right?"  Mallard not only remembered it but reported he himself was wary of the mill.  He didn't like the area when he was first sent to scout the place out.  When Edison asked him why, he reported seeing a few people exit the building one day while he was there.  He saw them walking out, but not walking in.  Edison thought about LaFeu and Haskel being inside the barn in the dark.  He rubbed the beard stubble on his chin then told Mallard to take along an extra firearms with him.  He gave him a pouch of tobacco and some rolling papers then told him, "some one will be in there with you in the morning.  The name's Haskel, make sure he gets that."  After he finished giving them his instructions he sent them on their way closing and locking the door to his room behind him. 
He sat down on the end of his bed staring at the curtains covering the window.  His body was tired, his muscles were aching and his mind was still cluttered with all of the days happenings.  In all of his ten years of working for Gaston LaFeu today was the most extreme venture he had ever encountered.  Not only was Gaston trying to operate his business filled to his hat brim with whiskey but he wasn't telling Edison much of anything.  Over the years Edison had always known every move Gaston had planned and more likely than not, Edison was always the one involved making the plans.  But this time Gaston was excluding Edison from more details than he was telling him.  Years of past scenarios went through his mind as he sat there trying to make sense out of Gaston's actions today.  Part of him wanted to believe he had just had too much to drink and wasn't thinking clearly.  The other part remembered how he had watched Gaston manipulate and swindle every man they knew or had met in their past history together.  Edison had been against bringing Madison Longfellow into the plot to incorporate Hovington.  Too many people knew the Longfellow's histories of success against corporate raiders and their abilities to permantely remove anyone who tried.  Gaston had denied that that was what he was doing but the longer their scheme had progressed the more Edison had learned for himself, without Gaston navigating his opinions, that Gaston LaFeu had been manipulating him as well.  He also knew that Gaston would jump him in a heart beat if he comfronted him with those concerns.  Now he knew that those things that had made him uncomfortable in the first place were the very things Gaston was revealing to him now.  In Edison's younger years Gaston had used Edison himself as the unknown man in the field who came in behind everyone else to tie up the loose ends.  Tonight he learned Gaston had someone else, which probably included a broader group than just one or two, moving around behind him doing the very thing he himself use to do.  Then he considered Gaston himself; always a loose canon, leaving himself room to manuever but cutting off anyone else who would attempt such an approach with him.  Edison realised that years ago by watching his operations as they went.  His methods were like his own personal bible; find the worst thing he could find to humiliate someone, if he found nothing, create something.  Along the way find the most proficient way to use what he knew, or more to the point, what he could use to ruin their reputations then exploit them in every way possible and finally send in his own small militia to finish decimating his opponent.  Then Edison remembered when he himself was smart enough to consider what Gaston could and would do to him one day.  He didn't consider it a lack of devotion to his employer.  He considered it a pro active step toward protecting himself from a man who drank way to much liquor and made too many enemies because he was always changing his mind on them later.  Over the years he had watched Gaston's alcohol intake increase to a ridiculous level while his ability to successfully overpower his target had decreased.  Edison knew that Gaston's family themselves had found his unsavory behaviors a threat to their enterprises livelihoods and had taken their own measures to secure their own futures without him.  Edison also knew how Gaston could make his brother Arnold's wife succumb to his wants by wielding an elicit affair between Hannah and himself, from years ago, over her head.  However, Hannah's influence with her husband only extended so far.  Whenever Gaston tried to pressure her into manupilating her husband she obstinately refused him by wielding her own brand of intimidation; citing Gaston with the disappearances of two maids she had sent to him.  Knowing Arnold's connections with the Longfellow's had strengthened over the years while Gaston's had plummeted had given Mrs. Hannah a necessary defense she needed to help relinquish Gaston's upper hand over her marriage but not enough to keep him from attempting to harm her and her children.  Knowing that only made Mrs. Hannah rely more on her husband's influence.
Edison heard a door next to his own open, then the light in the room flickered.  He eased up off the bed then went to the wall as quiet as possible to listen.  If Gaston had someone else snooping around behind him, that someone could be right next door.  As much as Edison wanted to sleep he knew that getting a good nights rest was going to be more of a future event than an immediate one.  He heard the sound of foot steps then dresser drawers opening in the room next to his own and knew someone was planning on staying awhile.  He gave the chair next to the table in his own room a quick glance then waited for the movements next door to increase again, then he moved swiftly to move the chair closer to the wall, as quietly as possible.  He wanted to turn off the light but decided to leave it on.  He had some decisions he needed to make that evening and being alert was the only right way to do that.  Edison reached to the table to find his cigarettes then settled into his chair as comfortably as he could sit.  All he could do now was keep him and his crew occupied and watchful.  Knowing he was probably being followed only made him realize that whatever he did, whatever he planned, was something best kept to himself. 

By Strength of Mind and Lantern's Light