The sheriff told Faye
confidentially the route he intended to take, which is not at all the
one he is supposed to be going over, and threw out strong hints to the
effect that if he wanted to put an end to the man's vicious career
there would be no interference from him (the sheriff) or his posse. He
even told Faye of a lonesome spot where it could be accomplished
easily and safely!
This was a strange thing for a sheriff to do, even in this country of
desperadoes, and shows what a fiend he considers Oliver to be. He said
that the man was the leader of a gang of the lowest and boldest type
of villains, and that even now it would be safer to have him out of
the way. Sheriffs are afraid of these men, and do not like to be
obliged to arrest them.
The day of the trial, and as Faye was about to go to the court room, a
corporal came to the house and told him that he had just come from Las
Animas, where he had heard from a reliable source that many of
Oliver's friends were in the town, and that it was their intention to
kill Faye as he came in the court room. He even described the man who
was to do the dreadful work, and he told Faye that if he went over
without an escort he would certainly be killed.
This was simply maddening, and I begged Faye to ask for a guard, but
he would not, insisting that there was not the least danger, that even
a desperado would not dare shoot an army officer in Las Animas in a
public place, for he knew he would be hung the next moment.
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