Scarlet showed up in Ella's waiting room later that day. "New Marshal is coming Monday. He's not going to be staying at the Starr or at the Ace. We probably need to set up the house that Scott used to live in, if we're not sending him on the next stage out of town." asked Scarlet.
"He could board with me, like Jimmy and Lily do," replied Ella.
"Doubt that you would want him," said Scarlet, handing Ella the telegram.
After reading it, Ella laughed, "Oh, Marshal Hayes has been a naughty boy."
"Why do you say that?"
"Probably all he was supposed to send was that first line. But Marshal Hayes has met us, didn't agree with the decision to send Phillips, and doesn't like the man at all. So he thought we should be warned. I'm sure Bella has a cousin who can be his cook and housekeeper."
Monday, March 12, 1877
Isaiah Phillips stepped off the stage and into Purgatory, cursing his sister again for having married a Texas lawman instead of someone with Influence back in Civilization. None of his other sisters had done even that much for him. The men waiting stepped forward and one of them introduced himself, "I'm John Ross. I'd like you to meet some of my deputies, Frederick King, Dr. William McDowell, James Washington. The rest are waiting at the Marshal's office. James and Eddie will bring your luggage."
Phillips took his carpetbag, saying in a harsh New York accent, "I'll carry this", and left the Washingtons to bring his trunk.
At the office, Tensleep introduced, "Here are the rest of my deputies. Scarlet King, Patience McDowell, Lily Jefferson. Doctors Alan and Ella Coatsworth support the posse. Mrs. Coatsworth has gotten the marshal's house ready for you. I'll leave you all to get acquainted."
After Tensleep left the room, Phillips put down his carpetbag and announced, "Girls, it's past time for you to stop pretending to be deputy marshals. I suggest that you go back to taking care of your husbands," he looked at Lily, "or playing with dolls."
Only the warning they had received in the telegram kept Fritz from denouncing the man as an imposter.
Dr. Bill was the first to react, "I'll have you know, sir, that the only person in this room who MIGHT be able to outride and outshoot my wife is Scarlet King. If you have no respect for outstanding women, I have no respect for you." He took Patches by the hand and they left the office.
Scarlet eyed Phillips and his carpet bag. She had tried to forget the bad opinion she had of him before he arrived, but that had been nothing compared to what it was after the man opened his mouth.
"I suggest Houston send me a real marshal instead of some damn yankee carpetbagger wearin' a badge and that you go back to whatever hole they found you in," growled Scarlet with an icy look.
"Marshal Luther Thompson sent me here, and here I serve until I get a recall notice from him." Phillips looked at the men in the room, "Two deputies is a little short-handed." Looking at Eddie, he said, How old are you, son?"
"I'm 16, sir."
"A little young, but you can learn in the job. Do you want to be a Deputy Marshal?"
"Not yet, sir. I'm still learning how to be a medic for the posse from the Coatsworths."
Phillips hadn't heard of any other marshals who worried about having a medic in the posse. Sounded like the kind of thing a marshal who was soft enough to hire women would do.