“I want to begin by thanking you.”Grinter asked for a private meeting with Max.Setting aside the question of whether he supported slavery or not.He wanted to thank Max for taking his daughter’s revenge in his stead.Then—who knew when he’d prepared it—he held out a $100 bounty. It wasn’t from the town; it was a bounty Grinter had personally posted.“You’re quick.”“With things like this, the quicker the better, isn’t it.”Chairman of a prosperous town. Was that why he became a murderer’s target?“But your wife is an Indian.”“She’s of Delaware and English blood.”His wife’s name was Annie; her Indian name was Windigamen.The reason Max took an interest in his wife was that—unlike Chairman Charles or Holliday—Grinter was someone who had settled in this town long ago.Moses Grinter.He wasn’t a founder of the town; he was a peculiar man who had wedged himself into a town where the Delaware lived.A man who married an Indian is now an ardent defender of slavery.It wasn’t impossible, but something felt off.“When you first came, there can’t have been many white people in town.”“At the time it hadn’t been long since it changed from French to American territory.”In 1803, when Napoleon’s finances were exhausted by successive wars, he sold the Louisiana Territory—which included Kansas—for $15 million.It was such an enormous expanse—rivaling the existing United States—that thereafter the federal government designated the Kansas region as territory where Indians could reside.At that time, ten thousand Indian immigrants from twenty-four tribes poured into Kansas, and the Delaware were among them.Fort Leavenworth and, to the south, Fort Scott played roles mediating and settling disputes among such tribes.“At first, you could count the whites in this town on one hand. Then, one by one, men crossed over from Missouri until it became what it is now.”“Back then, slavery wouldn’t have been the issue.”Grinter answered by giving a slight nod.The slavery conflict triggered by the Kansas–Nebraska Act.Why had Grinter become a defender of slavery?As time passed, he would have watched the Delaware be pushed out by other white men.And those white men were, to a man, slavery advocates from Missouri.Perhaps, to maintain influence in their midst and protect his family, he went along with them.It was only a conjecture, but a fairly plausible one.A victim’s father, chairman of the Delaware town.If that were all, I wouldn’t have found him interesting.Max was interested in the business he ran. Having settled long ago, Grinter was conducting a respectable enterprise under federal support.“By the way, there will be no more blocking of logistics bound for Lawrence.”“That alone won’t be enough, will it?”“Compensation, as you demanded, is out of the question. The townspeople won’t accept it, and I haven’t the slightest intention of it either. You didn’t say it because you actually thought it was possible, did you?”Unexpectedly, Max nodded obediently.“Frankly, compensation is outside a sheriff’s authority. Chairman Charles won’t want it either. Instead—”A glint rose in Grinter’s eyes as he looked at Max. Didn’t this young Oriental speak like a seasoned politician?“Extend your Kansas River ferry service to Lawrence.”“Lawrence?”Grinter’s eyes widened, and Max nodded and continued.“You operate ferries along the Kansas River and run a trading post, don’t you?”“That’s true, but most of what comes is from the north and east, from Missouri.”Grinter Place would exist in the future as well—a trading post.Right now it was early days, but before long some 160 items would be traded, and the ferry would carry passengers and freight.Of course, Max didn’t know that much.But the possibility wasn’t hard to imagine.At present the ferry was merely for passengers moving between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott to the south; it didn’t run to Lawrence.The thin population to the west hadn’t penciled out. However—“Along the Kansas River—to Lawrence, to Lecompton, to Topeka—more people will flow in. More towns will spring up.”“Hm…”“You’ve just shouted for compensation from the townspeople; as chairman, offer a small return instead. Then there’ll be no backlash, will there.”“So you said that absurd thing in the first place in order to aim at this?”Max smiled as he spoke.“This decision will help you as well. Whether one favors or opposes slavery—what has that to do with business.”“From how things are going, you must know. Kansas will become a slave state. There’s no reason to take a contrary road.”“That’s because you’re surrounded by slavery advocates. Sounds heard up close are always louder.”Max leaned forward.“Look far. See which way the times are flowing.”He had said his piece.Max brushed off his trousers and stood.You’d better judge this right.The reason a businessman like Grinter left behind only a trading post as his legacy was that he had stood with slavery advocates.In contrast, if he now joined hands with Lawrence, his “color” would fade, and in the future—when Kansas became a free state—he could fully continue his business. ****“You’re back.”When Grinter returned home, two Black women greeted him. Mother and daughter—slaves he had kept for a long time.On an ordinary day he wouldn’t have spared them a glance, but today he looked at them in silence.Their eyelids were red, as if they had been crying just now.Their master stared at them, unusually long today.When their eyes met, the older woman hurried to speak.“I was just cleaning the young miss’s room.”Even tears required an explanation. Even if they were tears for the master’s daughter.“I see.”Grinter nodded evenly. Then he walked toward his daughter’s room.The slaves, startled, followed after him.“Th—the room isn’t quite straightened yet.”“We’ll clean it right away.”“Leave it. See to other things.”“...Understood.”Clack.When he opened the door, as the slaves had said, belongings lay scattered in disorder.But that wasn’t what had startled them.It was what sat on top of the stack of books.They were afraid Grinter would see it.Uncle Tom’s CabinIt was a book that should never be in the house of a slavery advocate.Grinter sank into the chair his daughter used.Then he reached out and stroked the book.It felt as if he could feel his daughter’s touch—hers, which he would never hold again.Steadying the emotion that welled up, Grinter soon opened the book.The moment he learned that the murderers who killed his daughter were slavery advocates, his conviction had begun to tremble beyond control. ****Back in Lawrence, Max went with Holliday to see Chairman Charles.George Brown came along.While George Brown was explaining what had happened in Delaware (settlement), at the mention that Max had demanded compensation, Holliday’s and Charles’s eyes widened.“Wow. You’ve got guts to say that in a place crawling with slavery advocates.”“I can’t believe you made it back alive.”“This is how I put my life on the line for the job.”At Max’s “Please appreciate it,” everyone burst out laughing. On the other hand, if Max—who was solving Lawrence’s hard problems—were to die, it would truly be a ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ major problem.Chairman Charles patted Max’s shoulder.“Let’s not wager your life every time. There’s so much we still have to do.”Come to think of it, Max had gone and done a thing no one had told him to do.Knowing the future.In one sense, it was like being cursed with endless work.“By the way, will Grinter really extend his ferry service here? I’ve heard he’s a slavery advocate to the bone.”“I made the proposal. We’ll see.”Max answered Holliday.In the meeting room, Max alone was positive.Considering what the Delaware town had done so far, it was understandable to be negative.Only, Max didn’t believe Grinter was a die-hard slavery advocate.When the talk of Delaware ended, the subject shifted to the current territorial governor of Kansas, Andrew Reeder.Dissatisfied, Holliday raised his voice.“If the governor were competent, this Delaware matter would have been resolved. The revote is right in front of us; I have no idea what he’s thinking, leaving his post in a time like this.”“He’s hiding out, that’s all. No one—slave or free—welcomes a revote. And the result is obvious.”As George Brown said, the governor was absent, and the result was obvious.The Kansas Territory’s legislature had thirty-nine members.From the last election, thirty-six slavery advocates and three abolitionists had been elected.And on May 22—the date approaching—revotes would be held in eleven districts suspected of fraud.“In the end, even if we win them all, the legislature will still be dominated by slavery advocates.”“It’s only a matter of time before Kansas sinks into a slave state.”“Ugh. Topeka…”At Max’s words, Holliday and Charles let out a low groan.It would only get worse with time.At this rate, the territorial capital of Kansas would surely be Lecompton, not Topeka.Max sat with arms crossed, looking with faint contempt at the two men clutching their heads.They didn’t yet know they would soon make an enormous decision.That the Kansas Territory would have two capitals.That they would be the very men to cause an unprecedented situation. ****On the way back to the office after the meeting.Holliday was fretting that the Topeka project, into which he’d poured his entire fortune, might go up in smoke.Maybe that was why his dark circles drooped all the way down to his lips.“Relax your face. Why the death mask.”“Aren’t you the investor? How can you look so calm.”“I’m rotting inside.”“You don’t look it at all. Oh—right.”Holliday seemed to remember something.“Miss Fitch—this week is her last at the school, you know that, right?”“!?”Max stopped in his tracks.“She originally came on a three-month contract. Miss Elle will arrive soon.”“I see. Then what will she do?”“I heard she’s leaving for somewhere else.”“!”“Good grief, don’t jump like that. I guess she didn’t tell you. I thought you two were close.”Could she be heading to Illinois, where the Pinkerton office was?Well, if that’s her choice, so be it.He’d dragged her around teaching detective work, only to do Pinkerton a favor.Suddenly annoyed, Max drew his gun.“Hey! You scared me!”“I’m going to get some shooting practice in.”“Now? Without dinner?”“...I’ll eat first.”Shoving Fitch to the corner of his mind, Max went back to the office with Holliday. ****A few days passed, and in that time Max saw Fitch a couple of times.Saw was all—no conversation.She avoided Max on purpose.On the last day Fitch taught the children.Chairman Charles came looking for Max.“You—what trick did you pull?”“In a good sense, I hope?”“Read this.”Chairman Charles handed over the mail.Sender: Moses Grinter.Addressees: Chairman Charles and the sheriff. And its contents—“[...... Grinter Place has decided to operate a ferry once a week to and from Lawrence. The ferry will include freight and passengers, and the number of scheduled runs will be determined each quarter according to circumstances. To discuss details, we would appreciate it if a representative of the town would visit Grinter Place. If the sheriff accompanies you, nothing could please me more. We await your reply.]”Charles beamed and patted Max’s shoulder.“Our sheriff has scored a proper one.”Diversifying a distribution network that had depended only on Leavenworth.Its new beginning was Grinter Place.Chairman Charles convened the town council and held a session.And—rather than Vice-Chairman Pugh—it was Chairman Charles himself who delivered the news.They had resolved the Delaware town issue and, on top of that, secured a regular line for Lawrence.Someone chuckled and said:“Sheriff Max. Isn’t this when you stand up and say a few words?”Smiling eyes around the committee turned to Max. He stood, glanced around, and said:“Thank you.”“...That’s it?”“If I start bragging, there’s no end.”“Huh?”Laughter broke out in the chamber, and everyone gave Max their thanks with applause.And while others were applauding, one person alone was staring at the ceiling.It was Fitch, who would soon be leaving town.When the session ended, a few people crowded in and hugged Max. After the greetings, as he was heading back to the office, Fitch caught up.“From when the murderers showed up to today’s result—it was just breathtaking. Everything flowed like water, just the way you planned.”“If the current dries up, we’re in trouble. By the way, what’s this—you’re actually talking to me.”“It’s the last day.”Max stopped and looked at Fitch.But soon he started walking again.“Say it.”“I have one favor.”“I’m not going to grant it, but I’ll listen.”“...What nonsense. Anyway.”Fitch took Max’s arm.“Make me a deputy sheriff.”“!”Max’s eyes rippled wide.Since coming West, it was the biggest twist he hadn’t foreseen.“I won’t drag you down. Just make me one.”“In a small town, people won’t like having a deputy sheriff.”There was the budget, too.Fitch shook her head at Max’s words.In her eyes burned a firm resolve that wouldn’t even balk at working for passion alone.“At the current mood, whatever you do, the townspeople will all say okay!”“No way.”“I’m serious! As sheriff, you can just decide!”“Are you angry right now?”“As if. Would I dare?”Fitch raised both palms and waved them.Seeing this, Max nodded at last.“That ‘okay’—you’re saying yes?”“I’m thinking about it. I’ll talk with Chairman Charles tomorrow and tell you.”“Okay.”“Then see you tomorrow.”When Max turned his back, Fitch bit her lip hard, then suddenly lifted one corner of her mouth. ****The next day.When Max woke, someone was prowling around the office.To be precise, Fitch was cleaning.“Awake, Sheriff?”The last of Max’s sleep fled; his eyes rolled as he scanned Fitch up and down.First off, her outfit was completely different.She had tied her long hair back and wore trousers instead of a skirt. And there was something pinned to her vest.“What is that.”“I made it out of paper. A deputy sheriff’s badge!”“...”Max tilted his head this way and that and rose from the cot.“I’ll go see Chairman Charles. Clean the office spotless.”“Yes, sir!”Stepping out of the office, Max let out a brief laugh.I didn’t even consider a deputy sheriff.Not bad, in its way.It would widen his room to maneuver, and Fitch could think on her feet.Max was walking along the street with a silly grin when—Someone was galloping toward town at speed.Before he knew it, Fitch had come up beside Max.She was armed with a rifle.“Let’s go, Sheriff!”And a short while later—Hiiiii!The horse skidded to a stop in a spray of dust.The man doffed his hat and slapped the dust away as he spoke.“Been well, Sheriff Max?”James Henry Lane, having finished his term as an Indiana representative.He had finally returned to Lawrence.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.