"Clarke is a good man, I believe, for all his Southron roots." At this a fleeting smile tugs at his lips before he continues, "His belief that knowing the worst of what's out here will make people safer is sincere. I...

"I just think such knowledge is better filtered than raw. It's my job to collect the facts and send them back to my... my bosses who can decide what to publicize and when. I'll do what I must to keep the information as close as possible until that decision is made."

Then he smiles fully and warmly at his companion.

"I do appreciate you speaking up on my behalf, Miss... Coraline. Your good opinion does matter to me quite a bit."

As the ambling couple strolled down the street, they came upon a booth with a rather fierce looking old woman standing behind it. On the booth was written DODGE CITY TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.

Upon spotting Randolph and Coraline, she blocked their path and directed a challenging stare at the two of them. "Liquor is a thing o' the devil! We need to ban spirits of all kind in Dodge City, if you ask me. They lead to nothin' but sin. Can you get behind that?"

Randolph stops and listens to the lady's diatribe for a few minutes.

"You keep up the good fight against demon rum, ma'am. Many citizens in Dodge City applaud and appreciate your views. Please accept this contribution."

He reaches into his vest pocket for a silver dollar and presses it into her hand, then politely tips his hat and steer Coraline around the hectoring old biddy.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:40, Mon 11 Feb 2013.

Coraline snorted at Randolph's pandering.  "Honestly, I don't think you should encourage her, Mister Darling.  You and I both know that a bit of alcohol isn't a bad thing.  It is only people that drink in excess and can't handle it that cause trouble for everyone."

A dozen paces ahead of them, a murmur rose and the crowd began to part. When they did so and Coraline and Randolph could finally see what the fuss was all about, they saw a young black man sprawled across the road, lying among dozens of handbills scattered in the dirt. Another man stood above him, daring him to get up and fight.

“You damn near ran me over, and don't make me think you didn't see where you was goin'. C’mon, ya yella Yankee!” he taunted. “Or is talkin’ the only thing yer good for?”

Standing up quick as lightning, he socked the man taunting him in the face as hard as he could.

"Oh, now you're askin' for it, ----," he said, wiping the blood from his now busted lip. He pulled out a long, thin knife and glared at the man in front of him, and took a slow menacing step towards him, as the other man backed away.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:15, Wed 08 Jan 2020.

"Dammit," Randolph says without vehemence, "We're not even on duty yet." He releases Cora's arm and steps forward quickly.

"Stand down, you men!" he shouts in his harshest voice, "Put up that knife. I'm a deputy!" With his left hand he pulls back his lapel to display his star. He never takes his eyes off the man with the knife.

"Oh, you want some too, huh? I tell you what, I don't give a damn about that tin star. Any Yankees that wants a piece o' me can have one, though I think I might take a piece o' him first," he said, pointing his knife at Randolph. He began walking toward him.

As he continued, he began taunting the deputies. "What name you want me to have yer old lady there put on your tombst-"

Before he made it two steps, another man stepped in and cut him off, fingering his holster. "I think you heard the man tellin' you to stand down, Ralphie. You put that knife away, or I'll plant you in the dirt myself."

"C'mon, Jake, they was askin' for it. I know you don't like Yankees any better than I do. Earp gave this fucker a tin star, for God's sake!"

"He did at that, I suppose. But that don't mean shit to me right now. You're gonna do what I tell you to do, when I tell you to do it. Now, get the fuck outta here, or I'm gonna start gettin' ornery."

Ralphie put his knife away, and stalked off, passing Randolph and Coraline as he went. "This ain't the last you heard from me, Yankees," he said, staring daggers at one then the other, before he walked off.

Randolph watches the one called Ralphie stalk off through the crowd, then turns to the one called Jake: "I trust you'll keep your friend out of trouble these next few nights."

Jake looked over at Randolph for a moment and made eye contact, but didn't say anything. He had a few words for some of the people nearby, some of whom left with him and some of whom followed after Randolph.

"Thanks for savin' me back there, mista," said the young man, handing Randolph a handbill, and one to Coraline.

The handbills read in large lettering END THE DISPUTE. KANSAS IS A STATE DIVIDED AND MUST REJOIN THE UNION. AS KANSAS GOES, SO GOES THE UNION. REUNITE OUR STATE. REUNITE OUR NATION. It went on to describe the reasons why Kansans should push for total rejection of the Confederacy’s claim on the area. It was clearly written and well-worded.

"Well done, Mister Darling."  After seeing that knife brandished at him, Coraline's fan had automatically snapped from her hand as her heart started pounding.  She wasn't exactly certain how a bit of her brand of force would come across in a street full of crowded people, but she couldn't worry about that when people were in danger.

As she tucked her fan back inside her sleeve and took one of the waybills, she read it through and then glanced up to the young black man.  "Sir, I understand the need for these, and even agree with some of what it says, but I think it best if you hand them out some other time.  You see how volatile this place can be.  As many people have gone to war over patriotism than they have over religion, and this holiday will be no exception."

He looked at her, and then tucked his handbills into his jacket pocket, nodding with a shrug.

"You're probably right. Yesterday, I woulda said that if you weren't part of the solution, you were part of the problem. But it looks like things are heating up more than I expected. I had thought that the Fourth of July might be a good time to find a pro Union crowd, but I guess there's enough of everybody to go around here. I think that guy's one of the Wilderness Riders...and they're probably gonna look for trouble for any of us Union folks."

As they walked along through the thickening crowd, headed back to the Red Dog, Randolph spoke to the young Negro, as quietly as he could and still be heard, "Were you in Dodge City last Independence Day, Walter? What was it like?"

"No sir, last independence day I was still a soldier, and my unit was fighting in Missouri. I'm from Michigan originally," he said. "But my leg, I've got somethin' of a limp in it now, and it ain't much good for soldierin' though I can still serve the cause by spreadin' the message. Though as your lady friend here has kindly pointed out, I may have chosen the time and place poorly."

When they reach the Red Dog, Randolph hesitates. He would like to stand the ex-soldier to a drink, but he isn't sure about local feelings along those lines. He also is uncertain about the proprietor's leanings.

"Well, Walter," he says offering his hand and speaking a bit louder than usual, "I wish you and our Union well. Be careful these next few days though.

"If you have need of a deputy, my name is Randolph Darling."

Walter smiled proudly and shook Randolph's hand. "Thas very kind sir, very kind," he said. "Hope we meet again Mr. Darling." With a wave to both Randolph and Coraline, Walter tucked his handbills into his shirt and wandered off towards the southern side of town in search of a flophouse.

Coraline bid the negro farewell and then turned to Randolph.  "What do you make of these Wilderness fellows?  We should probably inform the others of the possible trouble.  My impression was that they are not going to let this little scuffle be the end of it."

Randolph entered the Red Dog, looking around to see if Morgan or the others had returned. He approached the bar and nodded to Hank McNary. "Two beers," he says placing a coin on the bar, "Where's a good place to get some decent food nearby?" He takes out his watch and checks the time.