is going to board his family.”
“Yeah, I might check it out on the morrow, but tonight I sort of feel like something different.” He looked at me, “Well be careful, some hard cases hang out there.”
I fed all the stock, forking hay from the overhead mow. I found the oat bin and gave Jim a bait. I took what clothes I had and put them in my room. I found a hand pump beside the sink in the small kitchen. I primed it from a pitcher of water that was setting there. I washed my face and combed by hair and beard. I rubbed a clean rag over my buckskins. I guess I should of brought more clothes with me. I took out my twin .44’s and shucked the shells and then cleaned both guns. I reloaded them with fresh shells. I spun them and stuffed them back in my holsters. The last thing I did, was build a fire in the Pot Belly Stove and then banked it, so the place would be warm when I got back.
Jake was setting there watching me, I said, “Hey old buddy, how would you like some store bought food?” He nodded. It was still snowing, I made sure my pistols were under my coat, hidden safely away.
We walked slowly toward the saloon. Taking our time and checking things out. We were in what was called the Beaverhead. I knew that Wise River was to the north. This town was starting into it’s boom phase, I knew when the ore played out, so would most of this town. Might be a few hangers on, due to the ranch’s around about. But it would be quite a ride while it lasted.
A few of the town’s dogs came running, barking. But as soon as they got close to Jake, they turned tail and ran. “Well Jake old boy, you must have bad breath, they sure didn’t like you.” He shook his head and ignored me.
This was the first storm of the season, they hadn’t closed the main doors that were behind the swinging doors. I bet they would pretty soon, as cold as it was getting. I pushed through the swinging doors letting them swing back, Jake ducked a little bit and came under them.
There was a piano playing over at one side, a woman was singing a rowdy ballad. A few of the locals were trying to sing it with her. I don’t know who sounded better, them or her. No one noticed us till we were about to the bar.
The bartender was looking at Jake, he started to say something, I held my hand up, he shut his mouth as soon as he looked into my eyes. He was an older man, perhaps at least fifty. His eyes belied the stern expression on his face, they were smiling.
“What will it be stranger?”
“Well, Jake and me are hungry, so we’ll have two plates of what ever you have.” I said with a smile.
“Pot Roast and Navy Beans, like we have every night, what’ll you have to drink?”
“I’ll take a pint and so will Jake.” I said.
“Your dog drinks beer?”
“Sure, doesn’t’ yours?”
“I suppose if I did have one, he would. I suppose he wants his in a bowl?”
“Yep, he sure does.” He turned around and drew me a beer from the spicket. Then did the same using a bowl for Jake. He sled both across the bar. I put Jake’s on the floor. He took one lap and then looked up, wanting his food. Jake was a sensible drinker, he always ate when he drank.
The bartender came back with two plates. I put Jakes on the floor. I hadn’t noticed but the piano had stopped, every one was staring at us. I looked around, then turned my back and went to eating.
I heard steps coming toward us, “Hey, you Bum, no animals are allowed in here.”
I didn’t turn around. “Hey, you old son-of-bitch, I’m talking to you.” I felt his hand on my arm as he swung me around, I simply followed through and came around and punched him in the throat. He staggered back choking for air. I stepped toward him and kicked him in the crotch. As he bent over I kneed him in the face. He was out cold when he hit the floor.
I looked up, every one was staring at me. “He called me old, I don’t like being called old.” Then I turned back to the bar and went to eating my beans and beef. Jake hadn’t even looked up.
The piano started back up, along with the clamor. The bartender said, “Do you know who that is?” Indicating the prone figure on the barroom floor.
“Nope, how could I, I’m a stranger, remember.” I said, as I looked around the room. Two big miners got up from their table and came and picked the fellow up, they looked at me, “If we were you, we’d head for the hills, his Dad ain’t going to like this.”
“How about you two, do you like it?” I said, as I swept my coat tails back to expose my .44’s.
“To tell you the truth, yep, we sort of do. It’s long overdue, it’s time he got what was coming to him. But like we said, his old man ain’t going to.” The oldest one said, then the youngest said, “We just work for the mine, we don’t like some of the things they do, but they pay us.” They each took an end and went out the back door.
No one bothered us anymore. But they weren’t friendly either. After we finished our meal. Jake sat down in front of the bar with his back to it, watching the goings on. I leaned back against the bar with a second beer in my hand doing the same.
There was a poker game going on, six players, with six chairs. Looked like they didn’t need a seventh, besides I had all of the money I needed. There were the regular saloon girls, hustling the drinks. One of them spotted me, all by my lonesome, she came over, “Buy me drink, please?” She whispered to me. I looked at her, she couldn’t of been over sixteen years old. “Please, this is my first night, I’m afraid they will fire me. And I need the money.”
I gave the bartender the high sign, he poured her the usual bar girl drink, cold tea. I smiled a lopsided smile at him and flipped him two bits. As she took the drink her hand was shaking. She had red hair and freckles. A little turned up nose, she was cute, but scared to death. “What’s your name?” I asked.
“Caitie Lafferty, my father got killed in the mine last week, he was all that I had.”
“You’re Irish then, I take it?” She nodded. “You say this is your first night, where are you sleeping?”
“Upstairs with Brona, she’s the one over by the piano. She’s sort of taken me under her wing. She’s Irish too.”
Brona seen me talking to Caitie, she worked her way over to us. She looked me up and down, “Don’t think you’re going to get anything from her, she’s just eye candy.” She said.
“Well now, what makes you think I want anything from her?”
“Don’t be coy, you’re all the same, the only brain you got is swinging between your legs.”
“That might be true, for most of the guys in here, but you don’t know me, Brona. But I know you.” I said, locking eyes with her. She dropped hers first.
A man dressed like a river boat gambler came up, “What’s the trouble here?” he said, with a superior attitude. I didn’t like him.
Brona glanced up at him, “No trouble, we were just talking.”
“Well get back to work, or you know what will happen to you!”
Brona started to turn away, “Wait,”
