A number of people stopped to watch Mark and Luke drive into town. Nobody said anything but Luke felt uneasy under the watchfulness. He had intended to give Mark some pennies and send him over to Hattie while he talked with Micah but now he changed his mind. "Come on, son. We'll stop in to see Micah and then we'll both go over to Hattie's."
Mark made to protest but some of the townsfolk were gathering at the buckboard and he caught Luke's tension. "All right, Pa." He got down.
His father followed and Nils the blacksmith came up and grabbed his arm. "You still got those gypsies out at your place?"
Luke looked down at the hand on his arm and Nils took it away. The big man looked around at the crowd, then stared Nils in the eye. "Who I have at my place is my business." His voice was loud enough to be heard by everyone on the street and there was an angry murmur, but no further challenge as Luke and Mark went into Micah's office.
The marshal eyed them dourly. "Nice of you to drop in and let everybody know you still have gypsies."
"You make them sound like fleas." Luke pushed his hat back on his head. "What's the matter with everybody? An old man with a broken leg and a woman. They haven't done any harm."
"Not yet!" Micah shook his head. "Lucas boy, I was deputy in a town once where some gypsies passed through. While they were telling fortunes, the bank got robbed and a little girl disappeared."
"The gypsies did that?"
"Nobody could prove it! I had to let them ride out of town. A lot of good people lost their life savings and a young couple lost their only child. How are you going to feel if something happens to Mark?"
Luke handed some coins to Mark. "Go over to Hattie's."
"Pa, you gave me fifty cents!"
"Never mind that! Just go!"
The boy looked from his father to Micah. They were glaring at each other and the boy gulped. "All right, Pa." He started for the door, his head down.
"Mark." Luke went over to his son and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be over in a little while. Wait for me?"
The boy perked up. "Sure, Pa." He held out the fifty cents.
Luke tapped Mark's hat. "No, you keep it, son. Go on now." He watched the boy go into Hattie's store, then whipped around. "Micah, if you weren't my best friend…"
"You'd do what?" The marshal came around the desk and stood toe to toe with the big man.
"I don't know." Luke's shoulders slumped. "Mark told me there were some hard feelings about Anyata and Yule but I didn't think it was this bad." His voice went up a notch. "And I didn't expect you to be on the town's side over two people who haven't broken the law!"
The marshal looked ashamed of himself. "Maybe I'm holding a grudge because of the last time. Don't you think I know a lawman has no right to feel this way?"
"Micah, you have a right to feel any way you want." Luke went over to the coffee pot and poured two cups, then brought one over to his friend. "You know that. You also know you have to uphold the law no matter how you feel.
"Don't start one of your homilies, Lucas boy." Micah sipped his coffee. "I've been keeping the town quiet. Nobody's gone out to your place, have they?"
"No."
"And nobody's bothered Mark. More I cannot do. There's nothing illegal about hating gypsies."
Luke sighed. "I know." He swallowed his coffee and poured another cup. "Too bad there isn't a law against hating."
"Well, there is. Love your neighbor as yourself. Trouble is, there's no way to enforce the Bible." Micah finished his coffee. "All a man can do is change his own heart. Maybe I should ride out for a friendly visit."
"And get spit on? The hate's not all on one side."
The two men fell silent for a long moment, then Luke said briskly, "I came to town for supplies. How about you come over to Hattie's with me and then we have lunch with Mark?"
"Are you buying?" Micah smiled.
Luke smiled back. "What if I said it was your turn?"
The marshal set his hat on his head. "I'd say I'll get Mark two desserts just to see the look on your face."