asked.
“There’ll be a lot of talk about it. You’ll be under probation, and that means you’ll have to report to somebody that the judge appoints once a week or something like that. But you won’t go to jail.”
“That sounds good to me. Thank you so much, both of you.”
The three went outside, and Jenny took her seat next to her father. She did not have time to explain what had happened, for the judge came back at once. He had evidently had a meeting with the district attorney, for he said, “The district attorney has recommended that all charges be dropped except resisting arrest. Will the defendant rise.”
Noah got to his feet, towering over Luke, and the judge said, “I sentence you to six months’ probation. You will report to Chief of Police Thomas Matson. You understand, Noah?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Case dismissed!” the judge said and banged his gavel on the table.
Before Jenny could move, a bulky man wearing a white shirt and a rather frayed black tie came to her. “I’m Raymond Dent, editor of The Record. ”
“I’m glad to know you, Mr. Dent.”
Dent nodded with admiration. “You did fine and so did Luke Dixon. It gives me hope that there could be somethin’ better than what we’ve got in the way of law around here.” He cocked his head to one side and said, “You mean what you said about being a better sheriff than Max Conroy?”
“I was angry.”
“I think you could beat him in the election.”
Jenny stared at the editor and then laughed. “Why, that couldn’t be! I’m a woman. Didn’t you notice?”
Raymond Dent chewed his lower lip, and his eyelids narrowed as he studied her. “You know how many women vote in this county? You’d get every one of those votes and lots of the men too.”
“Well, I would like to see Max Conroy and his goons out of office.”
“Be careful, Jenny,” Lewis said, winking at her. “Mr. Dent here is a persuasive man. I’ve read his editorials. I’m glad to know you, sir. I’m Lewis Winslow.”
“I’m real happy to meet you, Mr. Winslow. I know your record. We’re glad to have you in the community.” He stared at Jenny and said, “I never thought I’d recommend a woman to run, but I’d be willin’ to vote for you myself, Miss Jenny, if you’d do it.”
Luke Dixon had come up to listen to the conversation, Noah looming behind him, and he said now, “You know, Jenny, it could work. The Lord knows this county needs more honest law.”
“I don’t know anything about legal things, Luke.”
“I do. I could teach you.”
Jenny laughed. It was a joke to her. “All right. I’ll be the sheriff, and you can be the power behind the throne.”
Raymond Dent stared at her, nodded, and said, “Good to meet you both.”
Jenny said, “That’s the silliest thing I ever heard of. No one would vote for a woman Yankee for sheriff of this county!”
****
Jenny stared at the paper in disbelief. “I can’t believe this!” she cried. Luke Dixon had brought her a fresh copy of The Record, and the lead story said blatantly, “A New Candidate For Sheriff.” She shook her head as she read the story, which stated that she would be a candidate for the office of sheriff in the coming election.
“This is crazy!”
“I don’t think it is,” Luke said. “Sit down. I want to talk to you.”
The conversation that followed was long and sometimes heated. Jenny had thought at first it was just a joke, but the editor of The Record did not think so. He had gone to great lengths to explain how experience was not as important as honesty, and how he was violently opposed to Max Conroy. He pointed out that one good man had started to run but had been forced out by threats of physical violence.
Finally Jenny said, “I won’t do it, and that’s all there is to it. It’s silly.”
Luke stared at her and said, “I think it’s the only chance this county’s got. I know you don’t know anything about being a sheriff, but you could
“There’ll be a lot of talk about it. You’ll be under probation, and that means you’ll have to report to somebody that the judge appoints once a week or something like that. But you won’t go to jail.”
“That sounds good to me. Thank you so much, both of you.”
The three went outside, and Jenny took her seat next to her father. She did not have time to explain what had happened, for the judge came back at once. He had evidently had a meeting with the district attorney, for he said, “The district attorney has recommended that all charges be dropped except resisting arrest. Will the defendant rise.”
Noah got to his feet, towering over Luke, and the judge said, “I sentence you to six months’ probation. You will report to Chief of Police Thomas Matson. You understand, Noah?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Case dismissed!” the judge said and banged his gavel on the table.
Before Jenny could move, a bulky man wearing a white shirt and a rather frayed black tie came to her. “I’m Raymond Dent, editor of The Record. ”
“I’m glad to know you, Mr. Dent.”
Dent nodded with admiration. “You did fine and so did Luke Dixon. It gives me hope that there could be somethin’ better than what we’ve got in the way of law around here.” He cocked his head to one side and said, “You mean what you said about being a better sheriff than Max Conroy?”
“I was angry.”
“I think you could beat him in the election.”
Jenny stared at the editor and then laughed. “Why, that couldn’t be! I’m a woman. Didn’t you notice?”
Raymond Dent chewed his lower lip, and his eyelids narrowed as he studied her. “You know how many women vote in this county? You’d get every one of those votes and lots of the men too.”
“Well, I would like to see Max Conroy and his goons out of office.”
“Be careful, Jenny,” Lewis said, winking at her. “Mr. Dent here is a persuasive man. I’ve read his editorials. I’m glad to know you, sir. I’m Lewis Winslow.”
“I’m real happy to meet you, Mr. Winslow. I know your record. We’re glad to have you in the community.” He stared at Jenny and said, “I never thought I’d recommend a woman to run, but I’d be willin’ to vote for you myself, Miss Jenny, if you’d do it.”
Luke Dixon had come up to listen to the conversation, Noah looming behind him, and he said now, “You know, Jenny, it could work. The Lord knows this county needs more honest law.”
“I don’t know anything about legal things, Luke.”
“I do. I could teach you.”
Jenny laughed. It was a joke to her. “All right. I’ll be the sheriff, and you can be the power behind the throne.”
Raymond Dent stared at her, nodded, and said, “Good to meet you both.”
Jenny said, “That’s the silliest thing I ever heard of. No one would vote for a woman Yankee for sheriff of this county!”
****
Jenny stared at the paper in disbelief. “I can’t believe this!” she cried. Luke Dixon had brought her a fresh copy of The Record, and the lead story said blatantly, “A New Candidate For Sheriff.” She shook her head as she read the story, which stated that she would be a candidate for the office of sheriff in the coming election.
“This is crazy!”
“I don’t think it is,” Luke said. “Sit down. I want to talk to you.”
The conversation that followed was long and sometimes heated. Jenny had thought at first it was just a joke, but the editor of The Record did not think so. He had gone to great lengths to explain how experience was not as important as honesty, and how he was violently opposed to Max Conroy. He pointed out that one good man had started to run but had been forced out by threats of physical violence.
Finally Jenny said, “I won’t do it, and that’s all there is to it. It’s silly.”
Luke stared at her and said, “I think it’s the only chance this county’s got. I know you don’t know anything about being a sheriff, but you could
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