that, everyone is looking at you. Including me. You know when you’re as beautiful as you are, you shouldn’t go around exciting everyone’s passion.”
“Really? I do that? Oh look, even that saloon girl is licking her lips.” Brie said, while bouncing up and down. I laid my hand on her arm, she calmed down.
“My, you are going stir crazy, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry sweetheart. Come on, let’s go home.” She grabbed my hand, “I know what we can do….” And did she ever.
It was a warm night, the moon was full, Brie stood at the window, that was half open, enjoying the warm Chinook breeze on her naked body. “Come see how pretty it is. The birds are singing, isn’t it nice?”
I got out of bed and put my arms around her, she cuddled her backside up against me. Then laid her head back against my shoulder. “Why can’t we be like this all of the time?” She said.
“What do you mean, the weather?” I asked.
“No, naked, no clothes. Have humans always had to wear clothes?”
“No, they haven’t. Don’t you remember the Bible account of Adam and Eve?”
“No, my Dad didn’t like religion.” Brie said, as I kissed her neck. As to her question about clothes, I said:
“Well, man and woman were created au-natural, just like how we’re standing here.”
“Why did they start wearing clothes?”
“Because they disobeyed God and got kicked out of the Garden of Eden. I tell you what, in the morning I’ll read you the whole account. So you will understand. You know, I’m like your Dad, I don’t like religion either, but I love the Bible and what it tells us. The problem is most of the religions of the world don’t follow what the Bible says. That’s why I hate organized religion. In that, I guess your Dad and I are on common ground.”
“I think you have a lot more in common than that, you both love me.”
“Yep, your right on that point, I do love you.” I said as I picked her up and carried her back to bed.”
She was sleeping soundly with her head on my left arm. There were a few strands of hair laying over her eyes and across her perfect nose. I brushed them away. She had a few freckles on her nose. I leaned forward and kissed her nose, lightly. She stirred a bit, but didn’t wake up. This was a common occurrence, me kissing her freckled nose.
It was starting to come on dawn. I scooted out from under her and went to look at the sunrise. It was the kind of sunrise that only Montana can conjure up. I stood there watching it’s changing patterns. But perfect moments only last so long.
There was a horse and rider coming into town. He was still to far away to tell who it was. But I didn’t need to see, to know. I knew. I watched him all of the way, as he rode down the muddy street. He stopped in front of the Saloon.
Bayard was an early riser. He was sweeping the boardwalk in front of the saloon. The rider dismounted and asked Bayard something. I could see that Bayard motioned toward the open door. Probably telling him, that yes he was open.
I heard Brie stir, “Honey, what are you doing?”
“Just watching the sunrise, come see.” She threw the covers back, used the pot, then came and stood beside me. “Oh, yes it is pretty. Look, there is already a horse at the saloon.”
His horse was standing there, hipshot, with his head hanging low. I hated a person who would feed his own belly before taking care of his horse.
“Whose horse is that?” Brie asked.
“The rider just went in the saloon.” I said.
“Yes, I know he probably did, but didn’t you see who he was?”
“Yes I did.”
“Well?”
I pulled her close and kissed her. “Oh no you don’t, I asked you a question.” Brie said, grabbing me and twisting just a little bit.
“Alright, alright, I know who it was. His name is Sam Benbow, he’s a hired gun.”
“What’s he doing here?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I think Evan hired him.”
“You say he’s a hired gun, is he any good?”
“Yep, he is. I just got a flyer on him in the last batch of mail. And I have seen him before, yes he can shoot. The wanted poster said there is a thousand dollar bounty on him.”
“Oh good, then you can arrest him and put him in jail.”
“Honey, you just don’t arrest someone like that, you have to kill them to get their guns.”
“Well, you just be careful, come on I’ll make you some breakfast.” She said, as she gave me one last little twitch, just to remind me.
“Sure, sweetheart, you go ahead, I have the stock to feed, I’ll be back by the time breakfast is ready.” I said as we were both getting dressed. I went out and did feed the horses and milk cow. Caitie was already milking when I got there.
“Where are you going?” She asked me as I checked my guns before going out the barn door. Then she added, “I seen that gunfighter ride in at dawn, is that where?”
“Did you recognize him?” I asked.
“Not personally, but I know the type. You be careful.”
“I always am, Caitie, I always am.” I said as I went out the door. As I closed it behind me, my fingers ran across the bullet holes that the Blythe kid put there. I purposely hadn’t fixed them, they were a good reminder.
I went to the saloon, I was going to go in, when I stopped and untied his horse from the hitching pole. I led him over to the livery and paid Henry to grain him and currycomb him.
“Whose horse is it?” Henry asked.
“Sam Benbow’s, he’s over at the saloon feeding his face, he left his horse tied up. I figured I would just do him a favor.”
“Sam Benbow, huh? The same one that’s a gunfighter?”
“Yep, the same one.”
“What’s he doing here?” Henry asked.
“Well, I just don’t rightly know, I figured I’d just mosey on over there and ask him.”
“What do you want on your tombstone?” Henry asked.
“What makes you think it will be my tombstone?”
“I seen him in action once, he’s pretty fast.” Henry said, as he worked at currycombing his horse.
“I tell you what, the race doesn’t always go to the swift.
But
