“Sheriff! Come a running. The mill done been robbed.”

The repeated banging on the door and the noise of his less than literate Deputy woke William Allison. He had been Sheriff of this little town less than three months. His cantankerous excuse for a wife had convinced him that taking the job would be a stepping stone in the local political scene. So far it had only netted him few hours of sleep and less cash in his pocket than his failed density endeavor. Just last night he was riding through the hills searching for rustlers. The weekend spent breaking up a bar fights and the Thursday before, sitting in Judge Fishers court testifying. Now someone goes and robs the mill.

He reached for his pants at the end of the bed and hitched them up over his long handles. A chill shot through him and he glanced at his wife. She had rolled up in the quilt, still snoring. He reminded himself to be thankful for the little things. Like the fact that he hadn’t had children with her. As he strapped on his rig and tucked in his shirt, he daydreamed.

He is on a ship, leaving his betrothed. She is cussing and hurling things about as he waves to her through the porthole.

“Sheeeirf! Their gitting away.” His deputy yelled, interrupting his blissful thoughts.

This stirred the beast. “Gorramit William if you don’t get out there and shut that man up I’m going to kill the both of you.” She bellowed. “I don’t need his caterwauling waking me up.”

Allison banged on the door “Be right there Ollie.”

“Put me on some coffee. I think I overdid it with that mulberry wine last night”

She over did it most nights Allison thought. “You’ll have to make it yourself Cora. There’s been a robbery.”

He stepped out and the chill he had attributed to being next to less than loving wife, turned out to be snow. It was coming down, flakes as big as tufts on a cottonwood tree. He shivered and started back inside for something warmer than his denim jacket, but stopped short. Stay warm or face Cora…The hell with it a little cold might