An Outlaw's Redemption

Chapter Eight

October 1854

A tall, thin, dangly man stepped to the podium that day. The rain and wind had long passed, and the weather had turned into a peaceful, calm afternoon at the Illinois State Fair. Weston took another bite of his candy apple and listened as the man began to speak. He was introduced as Abraham Lincoln. Weston hadn't the faintest idea of who he was, but everyone seemed to be eager to hear his rebuff of the Kansas-Nebraska Act that Stephen Douglas had spoken of the day prior. The man seemed to be nervous, like he was unaccustomed to giving speeches. Glancing down at his papers once more, he laid them in the seat and cleared his throat.

There was something about the way the man spoke...he didn't have an eloquent voice that commanded attention or a stern voice that would stir fear within one's soul or command an army, but there was still something incredibly drawing about him. Perhaps it was with the good-humored sense he interjected or the down-to-earth persona he displayed, but whatever it was, he had twenty-two-year -old Weston's attention.

"Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right, and partly with him when he goes wrong," Abraham said in his speech.

Weston wasn't sure why, but that part of the speech was the most impactful to him. He seemed to understand that point, though the way it was intended was not meant for Weston's benefit. Still, he wished the man well with whatever he set out to do. A few whispers trickled through the crowd and into Weston's ears about the Presidency.

But could a self-taught lawyer really become the President of the United States?

Weston wasn't sure, but the man did seem to be passionate about his opinion. Tossing the remaining portion of his apple into the trash bin nearby, he headed to the judging stands. Cody and the others were somewhere nearby, though throughout the crowd it was difficult to see them. Jimmy told Weston to simply enjoy the fair and not get into trouble today...but he'd paid twenty-five cents to enter for the "fun" plus the ten cents for the apple. That left him with only five cents remaining and with the prices of this place, he knew he wouldn't be able to buy a meal.

Cody had a great idea though, to hold up the ticket counter when the guard went on brake. There were thousands of people here, and it would be easy to disappear into the crowd again.

Besides, would it really be stealing if he used the very same money to buy a meal? They'd be getting their money back.

Still, his gut told him it was wrong...just like it did every time he stole. But he had little choice he reminded himself. Weston watched closely as the guard checked his pocket watch and disappeared into the crowd. Dipping into the shadows, Weston removed his vest and turned it inside out before returning it to his shoulders. The move caused the black leather on the outside to now be hidden within and the soft tan backing to be visible. It was a smart move he thought. This way if he was spotted, they would be looking for a fellow with a tan vest, not a black leather one like the one he wore. He took his bandana out of his pocket and tied it around his face and withdrew his gun. Waiting till the ticket counter was empty of customers, he opened the door and aimed his gun at the lady. She screamed, and he placed his hand over her mouth.

"Shh, lady. I'm not going to hurt you. Give me the money box."

She did as he asked with a shaky hand, and he withdrew a handful of bills. Tipping his hat to her, he backed out the door, "Thank you kindly."

As he left, she screamed at the top of her lungs that she'd been robbed. He ducked into the shadows, he holstered his gun, reversed his vest, and tucked his bandana back into his pocket again. He glanced at the bills in his hand and removed his hat, sticking them inside, he put it back on and entered the frantic crowd. A strong hand grabbed his arm and he glanced over to see Cody giving him a nod to follow. Within a few minutes of fighting the crowd, they were in the shadows again.