“It was too valuable to leave behind.”
One of the settlers now thrust his head in at the door and informed:
“Polcher’s hoss is gone. The mulatter says he come an’ got a pile of money from a hiding-place under the bar. He’s lit out jest as ye thought.”
Others now came up, and from the doorway Sevier addressed them, saying:
“My friends, it’s all over. Polcher’s gone, showing that he killed Thatch. There’s nothing more you can do except to choose a guard to keep the trash out of the tavern. The men on guard are to find and keep for me all papers in the tavern. The rest of you go home to your families. Stetson, you stay here for a bit.”
After the men had departed, Sevier thrust the scalp through a crack in the floor and poked it with the point of his knife until it entirely disappeared. Then to Stetson he directed:
“Send a messenger to Kate, telling her from me that I sha’n’t be home until I come. She’ll understand. Send other messengers in my name warning the border to be ready to ride to me wherever I may be. See that Thatch is decently buried. If young Jackson turns up, tell him he’d better wait here till I get back. He was mixed up in a way he never dreamed of. I sent him to Polcher’s. Can’t tell you now; no time. But he acted under my orders. They jumped him; I wasn’t there, and he took to cover. Tell the boys he’s thoroughly innocent. I couldn’t tell them tonight without showing Polcher I knew his game. I had to let him have rope; now he’s got enough to swing on.”
“You’re going away, John?”
“I start inside of ten minutes, as soon as I can get my horse. If alive I’ll be back when the delegates arrive to settle our new form of government. If I’m not back, you will ask Judge David Campbell to take the lead. Now go, and don’t forget the messenger to Kate.”
“You’re sure—quite sure you can’t take me along, John?” begged Stetson.