The Saga of Henry Plummer Book 1 by Sven Skaar (PH 3-1) (1959) (97 pages)

44 baby was well and that its foster mother would bring it to his house about midnight for Lucinda to see. ; ' He explained that the mecting had to be after dark so Vedder and the sheriff, who were hunting both for her and the baby would not know. They wanted to take the baby away from her. Would she come? Yes yes. Without fail. She would. be careful that no one saw her. She would come in the back way, through the kitchen. Next, Plumer ‘instructed Pat Doolin to go to John Vedder around midnight to tell him that if he wanted to see his wife and baby, he should go to Plumer’s house on Spring street. It would be his last chance” for Lucinda iwas planning to leave town with the baby in the early morning hours. One Last Link . Now only one thing remained. The vital link that would stamp the murder of Vedder an act of self-defense as far as Plumer was concerned. He walked leisurely to the corner of Broad and Pine and stood watching the hardware store in the middle of the block above Commercial street. When he was sure that the clerk: was! ‘alone in’ the storé, Plumer: walked! ‘quickly into it. — Sah ret “Good afternoon, Jim,” he said affably. “‘See you've got the stove goin’: feels good. You know how to draw customers alright.” The. clerk beamed nis pleasure at the city marshal’s attention. “Get's pretty chilly -these days 'soon’s the sun’s off the front. ‘What can I do for you, marshal?” “{ want a six-shooter.”. ° “An Allen pepperbox or one of them fine, new Colts?”” , “Don’t matter much as long as it'll shoot. I don’t want to sperid too much for it.” . ‘STow’s this one then?” “Fine.” = Ec “Ammunition?’ : “No need. Just load: it. That's it. Now take down the serial number and write: bought by John} Vedder after it.” The clerk looked up, puzzled, . . a “Go ahead, write it — the date itoo.”’ : “T can't do that, sir’ Puts on Clamps “Do as I say if you know what's good for you,’”’ said Plum: er, “And remember if: you're called to. testify in court about this. gun, you swear that John ‘Vedder bought it this morning, understand?” . eat “I; I couldn’t do that, marshal, isir. My good name —”. Your: name’s ‘mud, you little till-dipper. I know how you get the money you gamble away with Bill Mayfield. You still owe him $600.00, don’t you?’’ Plumer did not wait for the answer. ‘You eith. er swear that John Vedder bought the gun or I take you to jail right now. I won't even give you a chance to go home and tell jyour wife. Now what is it, yes jor no?” The white faced clerk barely nodded. “I knew you’d use your head, Jim. And, say; when the court hearing’s over I want you to leave this camp. Understand?” “Yes sir.” “Don’t take a notion and leave tonight for I’ll find you wherever you go and‘ I'll drag you back by your ears.” Plumer pocketed the revolver ‘and strode out the door. The trap was set. He felt the strange exhileration that had always flooded him when he had finally lined the sights of his hunting gun to the vital spot on a piece of game. He might as well drop in on the; county jail and shoot the breeze! with the jailer before going home to await the arrival of Lucinda. Plutner Carries Through Plot To Kill Vedder . In the 1850s, Nevada City’s Spring Street was an early-to-bed early-to-rise street. Here lived bakers, painters, carpenters; molders and iron-mongers; wheel and millwrights; wagonmakers, ‘ohus and teamsters; blackamiths and brewers.

44 baby was well and that its foster mother would bring it to his house about midnight for Lucinda to see. ; ' He explained that the mecting had to be after dark so Vedder and the sheriff, who were hunting both for her and the baby would not know. They wanted to take the baby away from her. Would she come? Yes yes. Without fail. She would. be careful that no one saw her. She would come in the back way, through the kitchen. Next, Plumer ‘instructed Pat Doolin to go to John Vedder around midnight to tell him that if he wanted to see his wife and baby, he should go to Plumer’s house on Spring street. It would be his last chance” for Lucinda iwas planning to leave town with the baby in the early morning hours. One Last Link . Now only one thing remained. The vital link that would stamp the murder of Vedder an act of self-defense as far as Plumer was concerned. He walked leisurely to the corner of Broad and Pine and stood watching the hardware store in the middle of the block above Commercial street. When he was sure that the clerk: was! ‘alone in’ the storé, Plumer: walked! ‘quickly into it. — Sah ret “Good afternoon, Jim,” he said affably. “‘See you've got the stove goin’: feels good. You know how to draw customers alright.” The. clerk beamed nis pleasure at the city marshal’s attention. “Get's pretty chilly -these days 'soon’s the sun’s off the front. ‘What can I do for you, marshal?” “{ want a six-shooter.”. ° “An Allen pepperbox or one of them fine, new Colts?”” , “Don’t matter much as long as it'll shoot. I don’t want to sperid too much for it.” . ‘STow’s this one then?” “Fine.” = Ec “Ammunition?’ : “No need. Just load: it. That's it. Now take down the serial number and write: bought by John} Vedder after it.” The clerk looked up, puzzled,

. . a “Go ahead, write it — the date itoo.”’ : “T can't do that, sir’ Puts on Clamps “Do as I say if you know what's good for you,’”’ said Plum: er, “And remember if: you're called to. testify in court about this. gun, you swear that John ‘Vedder bought it this morning, understand?” . eat “I; I couldn’t do that, marshal, isir. My good name —”. Your: name’s ‘mud, you little till-dipper. I know how you get the money you gamble away with Bill Mayfield. You still owe him $600.00, don’t you?’’ Plumer did not wait for the answer. ‘You eith. er swear that John Vedder bought the gun or I take you to jail right now. I won't even give you a chance to go home and tell jyour wife. Now what is it, yes jor no?” The white faced clerk barely nodded. “I knew you’d use your head, Jim. And, say; when the court hearing’s over I want you to leave this camp. Understand?” “Yes sir.” “Don’t take a notion and leave tonight for I’ll find you wherever you go and‘ I'll drag you back by your ears.” Plumer pocketed the revolver ‘and strode out the door. The trap was set. He felt the strange exhileration that had always flooded him when he had finally lined the sights of his hunting gun to the vital spot on a piece of game. He might as well drop in on the; county jail and shoot the breeze! with the jailer before going home to await the arrival of Lucinda. Plutner Carries Through Plot To Kill Vedder . In the 1850s, Nevada City’s Spring Street was an early-to-bed early-to-rise street. Here lived bakers, painters, carpenters; molders and iron-mongers; wheel and millwrights; wagonmakers, ‘ohus and teamsters; blackamiths and brewers.