Читать книгу Settling The Score - George McLane Wood - Страница 45

Chapter Eight

Jeff had met Ed after he had come west after the war the same time as Murphy. Ed was living in an old Army one-man tent at the edge of Jasper, the town a few miles west of Jeff’s cow ranch, and he noticed Ed limping around at times when he made the trip to town. He guessed Ed was older and he had a bad leg left over from the war. An Army surgeon had fixed it up after some Yankee had put a minié ball through the calf of his right leg and it’d left Ed with a limp. He’d offer to watch after Jeff’s horse, guard his wagon, or help him load supplies whenever Jeff came to town in his wagon. One day Ed was hungry and asked Jeff if he would spare fifty cents to buy some breakfast.

Jeff flipped the man one dollar, which Ed caught in the air. “Man, it’s almost one o’clock now,” said Jeff.

“I know, sir, but you see, breakfast is cheaper than dinner or supper. I just reckoned I’d better have me a breakfast instead of the other,” replied Ed.

“When did you eat last, my friend?” asked Jeff.

“Oh, a couple of days ago,” said Ed.

“Come on, I’ll buy us some dinner.”

“Uh, you want your money back?”

“Keep it for me.” After dinner, Jeff asked, “You want a steady job?”

“Doing what?”

“Working for me and doing what I say.”

“Does that job include room and board?”

Jeff laughed and told Ed, “Yeah, the job includes room and board.”

“Mister, you just hired yourself a hand—for life, if you want him. Right now, I’d even work for found,” Ed said, as he jumped up onto the wagon seat beside Jeff.

“That’s what I had in mind,” replied Jeff.

“Whoa, what’s that you say?” asked Ed.

“Relax, I’m just teasing you,” replied Jeff, chuckling at Ed.

“I’ll drive ’em, boss. Where are we off to?” Ed asked, slapping the reins on the backs of the wagon’s two red mules.

“Head ’em east, my friend,” Jeff told him as he settled back in the seat of his Dodge Brothers spring wagon. “I’ll tell when it’s time to stop.”