Looking at her actions, it seems like she has some purpose, or she wants to become something.
“teacher?”
“Yes, Sheriff.”
“People’s psychology is all similar.”
“The sheriff and I may have different opinions, right?”
“That’s why it’s the most difficult to deal with someone who is alone.”
“….?”
When Peach is troubled while touching her chin.
Holiday came over and put his arm around Max’s shoulder.
“Our Sheriff Max. You must have had a hard time dealing with the Border Ruffians. Should I eat something?”
“Potatoes are optional.”
“Can we do this with just potatoes?”
Holiday grinned and headed to the sheriff’s office with Max. Every townspeople they passed along the way gave them a thumbs up and smiled at Max.
*
“Actually, I was worried when Congressman Lane said he was going to Leavenworth.”
“Holiday said, muttering the meat.
“But honestly, I was surprised that they blocked it with a militia that hadn’t even been formed for a month.”
“They were lucky. They probably didn’t think about actually shooting. The Border Rufians were probably thinking about last year’s election.”
The confidence that they could easily win the election by threatening with guns and knives. They only thought that much because they had experienced it once.
“The problem is in another village.”
Holiday’s expression hardened at Max’s words.
If Lawrence Town is like this, what about other towns?
“Congressman Lane went to Leavenworth, so it’ll be okay there, right?”
“Well, anyway, it’s only two constituencies.”
“This is a big deal···.”
“The results will come out in a few days.”
On election day, Lawrence was his usual self.
They exercised their beliefs through voting, without any outside interference.
But in other villages the situation was dire.
Leavenworth.
“Congressman Lane, what about the people of Arizona who elected you, are you here?”
James Henry Lane is surrounded by armed men. He glares at the Ruffians like a ferocious beast, then reaches for his holster.
“Oh, man. You don’t care about the safety of the townspeople. We’re here to protect our constituents, not to fight.”
“Voters? Shameless bastards.”
“You too. What’s the difference between you and us, taking up arms and helping the abolitionists?”
Leavenworth is the largest city in Kansas.
Lawrence’s ship was overrun by Border Rufians.
The people were so terrified that they gave up voting, and their votes were cast by Border Rufians.
Rain and his men could not take any action until the voting was over.
I could only watch the townspeople leave the polling station with their heads bowed.
As those sights took in more and more, the anger in Rain’s heart grew.
Helplessness in the face of violence that tramples on beliefs.
Rain begins to reproach himself for being complacent and completely changes his course of action.
It was deeply ingrained in my mind that violence must be met with violence.
*
George Brown, editor of the Herald of Freedom.
While staying in Lecompton, where the governor was, he dug up information and went to the sheriff’s office before even making a newspaper.
A swear word came out of his mouth, exhausted from fatigue.
“Fuck, this is just too much, really.”
“Have you got the results?”
Holiday, who had been sitting, suddenly got up from his seat. Max was reading an outdated newspaper without any reaction.
“There are only 3 seats out of 39.”
“……?”
“Potowatomi and Lawrence. Only three people were elected from here!”
Holiday asked, blinking.
“It looks like Leavenworth lost too.”
James Henry Lane has not been seen since Election Day, with rumors circulating that he has returned to Arizona.
“I heard that there were twice as many votes counted as there were eligible voters. This is clearly fraudulent voting. We had it last year, how can we have it again?”
“shit.”
The free states have not changed, but the slave states have changed because of more elaborate actions.
The slave owners gathered the Border Ruffians and set up camp around the village the day before.
On the day of the election, the strategy was to have the assault team occupy the polling station and then all of them would enter the polling station at once.
The Border Ruffians who advanced towards Lawrence Village are also part of the assault force.
If they had succeeded, hundreds of unarmed pro-slavery activists would have taken over the town polling place.
George Brown and Holiday hung their heads in bewilderment.
I expected that I would lose, but I never imagined that I would be defeated like this.
All my hard work went down the drain.
The shock was considerable.
“Lawrence even created a militia to protect the mark, but what were the other places doing?”
I didn’t say this expecting an answer.
An excited Holiday was spitting out his anger.
Max drummed his fingers on the table, thinking.
‘It was supposed to be two seats.’
One more seat was added.
The distortion of history created by Max and the Militia.
Of course, this alone won’t change the big picture.
“If the election was rigged, wouldn’t you demand a re-election?”
“Well, will they accept it? If something like that happens, there will be chaos in the slave state.”
George Brown shook his head.
“What about the free state? Do you think they will accept this election?”
“Of course I wouldn’t stay still···.”
“If the governor has been harassed by slave owners, he will be harassed by free states. It will not end this way.”
Holiday let out a long sigh at Max’s words.
“Well, whatever. Those Missouri guys must be partying right now.”
*
“Come on, let’s all celebrate together on a day like today.”
Jackson County, Missouri.
David Rice Acheson, who led the Border Rufian movement, raised a glass.
He was once a Missouri senator and also founded the town of Atchison, Kansas.
The people gathered here were pro-slavery advocates representing Missouri, celebrating their victory and discussing the future.
After the party, Acheson gathered in a small conference room to talk with key figures, all of whom were deep-rooted pro-slavery figures.
“We won 36 of the 39 seats, so it’s a landslide victory. The Kansas Constitution will be drafted without difficulty as a slave state.”
Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow, former Attorney General of Missouri. He is the commander of the Border Ruffians, and Acheson uses this to get his way.
“But it’s a bit of a shame.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about losing three seats.”
As Acheson spoke with a stern expression,
A shadow fell over Benjamin’s face as well.
Even if Potowatomi was like that, Lawrence was the problem.
The greatest fraud of all time, where a real cannon was startled by a fake cannon and fled. It was an incident that brought shame to the Border Rufians, as they fled without even entering the village, leaving behind 7 casualties.
And that anger was directed at the leader, who retreated after just staring blankly through the telescope.
Finally, a few days ago, he was shot and killed by a Border Rufian.
“Who else besides him?”
“If it were someone else···.”
“I heard it happened because of some arrogant coolie, didn’t I?”
“Oh, you mean Sheriff Lawrence.”
“Sheriff?”
Acheson continued, snorting.
“The governor is out of control right now. If we pressure him in the free state, we don’t know what he’ll do next.”
“Surely we really have to go to a re-election?”
“I don’t know. I heard rumors that other places are trying to organize militias because of the stupid thing they did in Lawrence.”
“……”
“The wind caused by the incompetent Coolie should stop here. Shouldn’t it?”
Benjamin nodded as he met Acheson’s gaze. As he and his brother Robert went out, Acheson and the other man were left alone.
“Lawrence will soon be incorporated into Douglas County. Once it is formally incorporated as a city, a new sheriff will have to be elected.”
Acheson looked at a man.
“Samuel, I’m going to put you in charge of the place, so get ready.”
“yes.”
Short and dry answer.
Samuel Jefferson Johnson, a freckled man. Although young, he was a trusted gunfighter under David Rice.
*
Kelly Inn & Pub.
Since the voting was over, there hasn’t been a single trace of those Missourians.
There were still three men sitting at one table.
“So when are you going to attack?”
“Tomorrow night. I heard that the guys who got beat up by that Asian guy last time are going to join.”
“Are you sending those idiots again?”
“The leader is an idiot, what did they do wrong? Anyway···”
Men’s secret conversations. But since there were no other guests, it was loud enough to be heard if you paid attention.
Moreover, no one paid any attention to the bouncer sitting in the corner like a shadow.
Bouncer
Lawrence Sheriff’s Office.
Holiday speaks as if he is doing a favor.
“How about taking a break after a long time? Go to Leavenworth and take a break. Saturday and Sunday are holidays, right?”
“Does anyone know? It’s been over three months. Working like a dog without a single day off.”
“If anyone saw this, they’d think it was true. Anyway, that’s why I’m telling you to go on vacation.”
It’s not that I didn’t go to Leavenworth because I was worried.
It was because I never knew when something would happen so I had to vacate my seat.
But hearing the mood in Leavenworth on election day, it’s true that the James family is worried.
I wonder if anything happened and if the blacksmith shop is running smoothly.
“The village will run just fine without you. And I have prepared everything.”
“What preparations?”
“The militia took turns guarding the office.”
The first order of business has finally arrived.
It was peach.
“You haven’t gone yet?”
Judging by their expressions, they all seem sincere. Holiday said, patting Max on the back.
“I told you not to worry and to go. Chairman Charles personally took care of it for you. He said you worked hard this time.”
“Hmm.”
At Peach and Holiday’s winks, Max reluctantly got up from his seat.
Peach quickly sat down on the chair and placed the book she had brought on it.
Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’.
A work that is considered the prototype and founder of mystery novels featuring a private detective as the main character.
It was a book that Max had read in his previous life.
“Do you like this kind of thing?”
Peach blinks at Max’s question.
“Sheriff, do you know this book?”
“I know. Detective Auguste Dupin’s case solving is quite exciting.”
Peach clicked her tongue and looked at Max again.
Although he has a woman’s body, the character he likes the most and wants to be like is the novel’s protagonist and private detective, Auguste Dupin.
Peach felt a strange kinship with Max.
There is no need to hand over the job of sheriff.
After exchanging some stories, Max headed to Leavenworth.
I took two revolvers and a rifle with me in case something happened on the way.
By the way.
‘It’s a mystery novel.’
Max tilted his head, connecting Peach’s actions with the novel.
But as the horse picked up speed and galloped across the plains, thoughts of Peach blew away like the wind.
*
Black Smith.
The Blacksmith’s Shop in Leavenworth.
James, who had been standing blankly since the horse approached, checked Max’s face and waved happily.
The same goes for Martin, Brett, and Hollen, who were next to him.
“I’ve been waiting for you with bated breath, Max.”
James said with a bright smile.
“Hey, Sheriff Lawrence!”
“It’s been a while, Max.”
“How have you all been?”
Martin held out his hand without hesitation.
After exchanging greetings, we exchanged brief stories.
“It was no joke on election day. Border Rufians were threatening me with guns. Man, I thought I was going to die from fear.”
Everyone had an expression on their face that said they were tired of just thinking about it.
James, on the other hand, is quiet.
I had nothing to say because I didn’t go to the polls at all, as Max had advised.
Neutrality can sometimes seem like cowardice. James’s anxious face showed such worries.
“But what happened to the copper warhead?”
“Oh, that!”
Martin’s voice grew stronger.
“Fort Leavenworth has agreed to deliver 5,000 rounds a month. I love it!”
The new commander is Colonel George Cook.
Having seen the advantages of copper warheads, he said he was satisfied that they could be expanded to other fortresses.
“But there’s still no news.”
“Did you do anything else?”
“What? To whom?”
“no.”
The commander must have said that with the intention of accomplishing something, but he seems to lack the skills to do so.
The arms business is so big that it even has its own professional lobbyists. But there was no one in the forge to do that job.
“While I’m here, should I give you some bullets?”
When Max nodded, Martin filled the basket with them as if they were his own.
It was roughly five hundred feet.
On one side stood a military sword, a thin, long, heavy sword that would not be used in the future.
“What is this?”
“Someone found it on the Oregon Trail. They said it was for a dollar, so I bought it for 80 cents.”
Martin said he would make a copy of this and show it to Fort Leavenworth.
The sword of a field officer who died fighting Indians.
