“The deputy US marshal wouldn't be Frank Haynes, would it?”

“Yes. That's him.”

“Well, where's the profit for Frank? Frank don't wipe his ass unless he sees it profit him. How's this business lining Haynes's pockets? What the hell is he fishing for now?”

“He's the marshal. It's his job to enforce federal law here. And the draft is law.”

“Well, he's got a problem, Sheriff. You tell him something for me. It will be a kindness, and I understand how you are always looking to do a kindness. Tell him the boys won't be coming into town. And tell him he doesn't want to come up Rattlesnake Canyon. That's a kindness. I would appreciate you passing that on to him.”

“Don't make trouble where there doesn't need to be trouble, Power.”

Jeff raised his hands, palms up, shoulder-high. “I ain't got trouble, Sheriff. But those of you who do got trouble don't want to be handing it off to me. I don't need it, and I won't take it.”

“Get the boys to register. Let's stop this foolishness right here. Get the boys to register and be done with it.” McBride turned and walked out of the store. He listened. It stayed quiet in the store for several seconds, and then the laughter broke out. Nervous laughter, like when men don't know how to react to something, so they just laugh.

McBride was stung by the dismissiveness of Power's answer. And the laughter was directed more at him than it was just nondirected laughter. It was true that Power often gave a smart answer, one that almost everyone in the room could appreciate. McBride wasn't interested in smart answers. He was interested in justice, law, and truth, and Power had little use for those. He could let go a lot where the Powers were concerned. They were rough customers, but they weren't great troublemakers, no matter how often trouble found them. But this was just wrong. Everyone owed support to the war. No one should be exempt. Men were called on, periodically, to give themselves over to the higher power, and this was one of those times. He had no use for men who shirked their duty.

An hour later, he was restored. Trying to control the Powers was like trying to control the wind. There was little use trying to enforce laws when the Powers were involved. It was better to just leave them where they were, far away, deep in the Galiuros. You didn't reach into a rattlesnake den to explain to the snakes that they needn't strike at everything that passed their way. No. You just gave them a wide berth. And he was content to do just that.