Читать книгу Trego - J. D. Oliver - Страница 6

Chapter Two

It wasn’t too long after I got back to the jail, before the food arrived. I paid the boy, and gave him a dollar tip. He was overjoyed.

I slipped the plates under each of their cell doors. They ate without saying a word. I heard them talking after they finished. Couldn’t understand what they were saying though.

I went in to get the plates. “Alright, we talked it over, if you’ll let us go, we’ll get our mounts and light a shuck out of here. Even though we have a months wages coming.”

“You’ve got money coming? That’s not fair, tell you what, where does that Evan Blythe live, I’ll go collect your wages, plus your horses. I take it the horses are at the livery. Do you owe the livery or anybody else?”

“He lives back on the hill, the biggest house, you can’t miss it. He’ll have some guns hanging around, he calls them his body guards. Yes, we owe the livery, plus a tab at the bar, that’s all.”

“Alright, that had better be all. Jake, you watch these two, if they try to get out, kill them.” Jake looked at them and growled, they backed away from the cell door.

It wasn’t too hard to get to Evan, after all I had been taught by the best. I had changed out of my boots and put on my knee high moccasins. They were waterproof, so the snow wouldn’t bother me any.

I was standing behind his chair, just waiting till he knew I was there. He started to reach in his desk drawer, I pushed it closed with my foot. He didn’t argue one little bit about paying those two boys their wages. I even took a little bit more to pay for the food they ate.

Before I left, I sat down on the edge of his desk, “Evan, you’ve been a bad boy, and unless you change your ways, Santa is not going to stop by your house. In fact you might not even have a house for him to stop in. Do you get my drift... he must of, because he passed out.

I went by the livery, Henry was just feeding the stock. I paid him what those boys owed. Then taking their horses and tack, I led them to the Jail. Those two fell over themselves getting out of the door, they didn’t even use the stirrups when they mounted up.

“Well Jake, there’s no use for us to stay in this old jail, how would you like to go to Brie’s place?” He thought that was just about right…so did I.

I rolled up my bedroll with all my stuff inside and we trudged through the snow, when I opened the kitchen door, Brie stood up from the table and ran toward me.

She came up for air, “I thought you were going to stay at the jail?”

“Well it so happens those boys had a pressing engagement, somewhere far away. They drew their wages and lit out. So, where should I put this bedroll, do you have a corner that Jake and I can sleep in?”

“Well Jake can sleep by the kitchen stove, you can put your stuff in the bedroom upstairs at the far end.” I picked up my roll and went upstairs, I opened the bedroom door and went in. I stopped, looking around, it was a woman’s bedroom. I started to back out, Brie was behind me.

“What’s the matter?” She said.

“Well, you must of made a mistake, this room looks like someone already has it.”

“No mistake, it’s my bedroom. Of course if you don’t want to share it with me….”

Now that was a silly statement, “Of course I do, but what will people say, we’re not married yet?”

“Trego, I’ve been a widow for five years, do you think I’m going to let a little piece of paper stand in our way. We both know we’re going to be married as fast as we can. I’ve been weak in the knees from the first time I laid eyes on you….

The only problem that I had with it, was getting that blasted corset off of her…

The snow had stopped, and the moon was shining bright through the frosted pains of the bedroom window. Brie was sleeping soundly on my left arm. Her hair was across her face, I brushed it back. She had a few freckles across the bridge of her cute nose. I leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. Her eyes opened and she stretched a little.

“Hmm, that was nice. What time is it?” She said.

“I think it must be after midnight. The snow stopped and the moons bright.”

“Yes, it is bright. Uh, I have to pee, I’ll be right back.” Brie crawled out of our warm bed. Her nipples hardened as the cold air engulfed her. She bent over and pulled the chamber pot from under the bed, she squatted over it. Then stood up and walked to the window. “Oh, come see, it’s beautiful. The moon is so bright and with the snow it’s just like daylight.”

I got out of bed and went and stood behind her, holding her tight I looked out. She was right it was a pretty sight. But nothing like the view I got when I glanced down over her superb form.

“Ooo, I’m getting cold, let’s go back to bed.” Brie said, I agreed.

“I’ll be right with you, it’s my turn to go.” I said, as I bent and picked up the chamber pot, I didn’t think I would ever stop going. Brie giggled, as she lay there watching me in the moonlight.

“You don’t know how often that I’ve dreamed of you, just like that in the moonlight.” She said.

“Dreamed of me? It couldn’t of been very much, we’ve only met yesterday.”

“Oh, I’ve dreamt of you for years. The only thing different, you didn’t have the beard. You did have the mustache tho. But your thing wasn’t as big in my dream, I’m glad I was wrong on that.” She said, reaching for me.

The next time we woke up the moon had gone down, and it was just the starlight that pushed back the shadows in the room. This time it was her waking me up. We were cuddled down in the feather bed. We lay there awhile talking:

“Tre`, you know we really don’t know too much about each other. You never really said, where you came from. Or anything about your family or even how old you are?”

“Alright, but you go first. How old are you?”

“I’m twenty five. I’ve been a widow for five years. He got killed in a mine accident. We were only married for a few months. My Father and Mother didn’t want me to marry. But they did give me a dowry, I bought this house with it.”

“Alright, where are your parents?”

“Chicago. He’s a meat packer, Dad is. Mom’s a housewife. I have two brothers and three sisters. I am the oldest.”

“How come, you just didn’t go home when your husband got killed?”

“I was going to. But then I started having those dreams about you. You certainly took your time getting here.” Brie said, then playfully hit me on my arm. Of course one thing led to another…

But when that was over, I asked. “You say that he was killed in a mine accident? I didn’t know the mine was in operation five years ago?”

“It wasn’t, he was prospecting on his own, he had sunk a shaft about twenty or thirty feet in. He said, the color looked promising. Anyway, it caved in and killed him.”

“What happened to his claim?”

“I don’t know. It was where the Wise River is now.”

“Did he ever officially file on his claim?”

“Yes, he went to Helena about a month before he had his accident.”

“How soon did they, whoever they were, move in on his claim?”

“That same week I believe, I went over there to get some of his things and they were already working it. Why what are you getting at?” Brie said, as she rolled over on top of me, looking into my eyes.

“Well, I don’t know too much about mining law, but it seems to me, if he had legally filed the claim, that it would belong to you upon his death. Did you ever see his body?”

“No,” Brie said, as she rolled back off of me. “They said, he was too badly broken up, it was a closed casket.”

“Then you really don’t know for sure, just what killed him. Or if he was even in that casket? Now think back, you were newly weds, did he act like a newly wed? I mean was he head over heels in love with you?”

Brie laid there, then she said, “Yes he was, we both were. I’m sure he is in that casket. But like you said, I didn’t see the body, so I don’t know really how he died.”

“Was any of that bunch that now runs the Wise River, among those that were working the mine right after your husband died?”

“Yes, a few them. And those two you ran out of town, they showed up two months later, they weren’t here before though.”

“Did you keep a copy of your marriage license? You didn’t throw it away, did you? I said, as I kissed her.

“No, I kept it. Along with other keepsakes. I even kept his clothes, I guess I’m too practical. Waste not, want not.”

There was a knock on our door. “Brie, are you alright. It’s past six.” It was Brona’s voice.

“Come on in Brona, we’re awake.” Brie called out.

Brona opened the door and took a step in, “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” She started to back out.

“Don’t be silly, it’s alright, Trego and I are to be married. Has the cook got breakfast about ready?”

“Yes, but she said that you’re usually down there by five. We thought you might be sick.”

“No, we’re fine. We’ll be down shortly, have Caitie milk the cow will you?”

“She’s already out there.” Brona said, as she closed the door behind her.

We both jumped out of bed and did a quick wash in the washbasin. Brie started to put her corset on. “Honey, why don’t you leave that thing off, you don’t need it. You’re perfect just like you are.” I said.

“But what should I wear, my dress’s won’t look right without a corset.”

“How about just some pants and a shirt?”

“You mean like a man wears?”

“Sure why not?”

“Well, the only clothes that might fit, belonged to my ex. Would you mind if I wore some of his?”

“No, of course not. I’m not jealous of a dead man.”

Brie went to an old wardrobe in the corner of the room. She took a pair of Levi’s sail cloth pants out, pulled them on. ‘Wow’, they fit every curve, like they were made for her. Then she put on a shirt, then pulled a sweater over it. Even the bulky sweater couldn’t hide her attributes. She turned around,

“Aren’t you going to get dressed?” Brie said, as she came toward me and hung a towel over my protruding member. She winked at me as she left the room.

It took me a few minutes. But I wasn’t too far behind her. They were just taking the food into the dinning room, I followed them in. When they all seen Brie, they gaped. A woman in man’s pants? How shameful! That was what the women were thinking, but the men sure weren’t. Then they seen me. I could see them sort of shrink. Was that fear I seen in their eyes?

“Uh, Brie, perhaps I should eat in the kitchen?” I said.

“No, you set right down there,” Brie was standing with her hands on her hips. “you people should be ashamed of yourselves. Trego not only put the run on two killers, he put another killer in the ground. You should be thanking him!”

They dropped their eyes, Henry’s wife spoke up, “Yes, he helped us, he gave us money and also got Henry a job, he’s a saint.”

I said, “Well Mam, thank you, but I’m no saint. I put my pants on one leg at a time just as you all do.” That pacified them, to some extent, but they were still looking askance at me.

They had cancelled school due to the snow. It was a good thing, because a messenger came by to tell Brie about the town meeting and the only place big enough to hold all the people, was the school.

Even though there was three feet of snow on the level, the school was packed. Brie and I stood in the back. Evan Blythe and that kid I knocked silly the first night were seated in the front, along with those guys who were with that war wagon in the square, that I passed the first night I came here.

“Is that Evan Blythe’s son?” I whispered to Brie.

“Yes, he’s a total bully.”

“And those other three?”

“Gun hands, some of the same strip that you ran out of town yesterday.”

No one was getting up to handle the meeting, everyone was starting to fidget. “Who’s going to run the meeting?” I asked my soon to be wife.

“I don’t know, they are all scared of the Combine.”

“Alright, you stay here.” I said, as I worked my way to the front of the room. The room grew silent as I stood in the front.

I cleared my throat, “Who’s the school Marm here?”

A young woman in her early twenties stood up. “I am.” She said, with a slight tremor in her voice.

“Well Mam, do you know the Parliamentary Rules of Order?”

“Yes, we’ve studied them in class.”

“Good, then you come up here and conduct this meeting. I’ll be the Master-at-arms. No one that isn’t recognized by the Chairwoman, that’s the school Marm here. Will be allowed to speak. The purpose of this meeting, I take it, is to elect a city council and then a mayor, and then the city council and mayor to appoint a new town marshal. And let me say this unequivocally, anyone who tries to intimidate any one else, will be shot by me…” Then I turned and went and stood to the side.

That last part probably wasn’t any part of the rules of order, but it was necessary. The school Marm did a good job, except when it came time to vote. She started to have a show of hands. I stepped forward and said, “Perhaps we should have a secret ballot. Let’s pass out paper and everybody write down who they want, of the one’s who have been nominated, and then the Marm and I will tally them. Any objections?”

Evan Blythe’s son raised his hand. The chairwoman recognized him. “How come you get to count? You’re not even a citizen of this town.”

“Because that’s just the reason why, because I am new here and impartial. Now if you don’t know what impartial means, it’s simply that I don’t know any of you, so I don’t take sides.”

Paper was passed out, along with pencils. As they deliberated, I watched their faces. The Wise River combine, were whispering back and forth, Evan had been nominated for Mayor. Plus his son and been for a council member. There were seven openings for council. Evan Blythe had marked his ballot, then he stood up and stared around the room, trying to catch the eye of anybody who looked up. No one looked up. I said:

“Blythe sit down and keep your evil eye to yourself.” He glared at me, he started to bluster, “shut up also.” I said, loosening my right hand gun in its holster. I had counted the people here, there were one hundred and ten, not counting myself, I didn’t plan on voting.

All of the ballots were passed up front, we sat down and counted them, marking the results on a piece of paper. Then we counted the total votes, there were a hundred and twenty ballots. The school Marm and myself looked at each other. We compared the hand writing, the duplicates had all voted for Blythe or his son. We separated the ten. I took them and went and stood in front.

“Funny thing, there are a hundred and ten people present, not counting me. And we have a hundred and twenty ballots. These ten match the handwriting of ten who voted for Blythe and his son. Now I would say they are trying to cheat, wouldn’t you?”

The place erupted in yells and curses. “Now hold on, I am going to burn these ten false votes. And then we will announce the winners.”

I went over to the big pot bellied stove and tossed them inside. I gave the school Marm the high sign to announce the winners. It turned out that most of the shop owners were on the council and guess who was the mayor? No, it wasn’t Brie. It was Klaas Bleecker, the Blacksmith. Blythe and his son were shut out. They stood up, Blythe said, “This isn’t over!” Then they stomped out.

Brie came over and kissed me, “Well Howdy, I get to kiss a council member.” I said. “I certainly didn’t want it, but I guess I’ll serve, for awhile anyway.” She said.

Most of the people filed out into the snow. The new council members and the Mayor stayed. They came toward me, we’ve decided to offer you the job of Marshal.”

“Me, why you don’t know anything about me. Surely there is someone more qualified.”

Brie said, “You’re right, we don’t know much about you. I guess that’s what makes you the most qualified.”

“Well, I guess I could do it, till you find someone else.” We all left, Brie and I went by the Marshal’s Office and I picked up the badge. And all the keys. I locked the door.

As we walked back to her place, she said, “You know, I wasn’t kidding, we don’t know much about you. Last night we were supposed to talk and tell each other about our past. I told you, but somehow, you didn’t tell me anything.”

“I didn’t? I’m sorry. I’ll try and correct that. But it would just bore you.”

“Let me be the judge of that. For you see when you love someone, anything about them is not boring.”

“Alright, I tell you what, if you want you can shave this beard off of me, then you will be able to see the real me.”

“That’s a deal, I don’t like your beard anyway. But I’m going to leave your mustache. And are those buckskins you have on the only clothes you have?”

“I’m afraid so, I was thinking about buying some new clothes. Would you help me do that?”

“You bet I would. We can do that today.” Brie tried to skip, but the deep snow made that impossible.

“Alright, but I have to get my saddlebags, Jim is watching them for me.”

“Your horse is watching your saddlebags?”

“Yep, he’s better than a bank. If someone would try to take any of my tack, he would kick their heads off.”

We went to the barn, then into the small side door. The main door was snowed shut anyway. Jim nickered at me. I went over and hugged him. Then gave him some oats. My bags were hanging right beside him. Brie said, “here I will carry one of them.”

“I don’t think you can, here give it a try.” I handed her one of them. She dropped it. “What in the world do you have in there?”

“Filthy lucre. That’s all.” I said.

“Lucre? Oh, you mean money. How much do you have?”

“I don’t know for sure. More than I need, and that’s a fact.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I dug it up.”

“You mean, like from a gold mine?”

“Well, not exactly, but it was in the ground. I’ll tell you about later, it’s not that exciting, pretty mundane.”

I left one saddlebag with Jim, we took the other one. Brie was silent. I could almost see her gears go around. We put the saddlebag under her bed. Then we went down to the kitchen and she dug out her ex’s old shaving brush and soap mug, plus his straight razor and strop. I never owned one.

“Have you ever used that razor before?” I asked.

“Sure, who do you think shaves my legs? Take off that shirt.” I did as told….

My beard had never been shaved. I guess I really didn’t know what my own face looked like. She lathered up the soap in that mug to a froth. Then worked it into my beard with the brush. It tickled. I closed my eyes. If I was a praying man, I would of prayed for sure.

“You can open your eyes now, I’m done. Do you want to see yourself?”

I nodded. She held up a hand mirror. I looked then I looked at Brie. “Well, how do I look?” I asked.

“Why, you’re handsome, didn’t you know that?”

“No, I’ve never seen myself before. I mean without the beard. Are you sure I look alright?”

“Yes, do you want some toilet water, I have some.”

“Toilet water? I don’t understand, you mean water from the toilet?”

“No, silly, it’s a cologne. It smells nice. How can you not know what toilet water is, you’re so well read with a fabulous vocabulary?”

“I guess I never paid much attention. Or I didn’t understand what they were referring to. I’m not perfect you know?”

“Sweetheart, to me you are, don’t ever doubt that.” Brie said, then sat down in my lap and kissed me. Caitie and Brona came into the room.

“Who are you kissing now, won’t Trego get jealous?” Brona said.

Brie stood up and spread her arms and said, “Ta-da. It is Trego.”

“Wow! What an improvement.” Caitie said, I threw the washrag at her.

“Come on, get your shirt back on, lets go shopping.” Brie said. Then to the girls, “You two need anything?”

“We both could use some new night clothes. And underwear. Oh yeah, some long john’s, it’s getting colder.” Caitie said.

“Are all of the chores done?” Good, then why don’t you both come with us, you can pick out what you want yourselves.” I said.

Brie said, “Sure, come along.”

The Mercantile and Ladies Haberdashery were overjoyed when they seen how much we were buying. All three of the women were having fun picking out my clothes. Of course they wouldn’t let me pick their clothes.

Brie was still wearing her pants and sweater, under her topcoat. She got stares of course. The stores stock was surprisingly diverse. Brie had picked out a wool suit for me. I had never wore one before, a suit that is. It came complete with vest and two pairs of pants. Of course also a plethora of other stuff.

When it came to their clothes they had a large selection. Brie said, “I need to try clothes on. Where can I change at?” The clerk indicated a privacy screen in the back.

All three of the women took clothes back there. The screen was only about six feet wide and five feet tall. It was little bit comical. Every once in awhile, a naked butt would protrude from either end of the screen. The woman who ran the women’s clothes department put a run on all of the male clerks, she made them go into the mercantile part of the store. Of course I just stood there watching.

It took another hour for them to make all of their selections. I went to the cash register to pay. She rang it up, she gave a small gasp. “My goodness, I have never had a bill so large. It all comes to six hundred and thirty dollars.” She looked at me. I reached into my pocket and paid her in what was becoming known as Greenbacks. Then I gave her a double eagle as a tip. She slipped it into her apron pocket.

“Can you have all of this delivered to Mrs. Stevens house?” I asked.

“Of course, we would be glad to.”

It was around eleven in the morning. We still had time to get the noon day meal ready for Brie’s borders. As we were walking back through the deep snow, Brona said, “What are you rich, or something?”

“No, I don’t think so. I just have a lot of money. Having money doesn’t make you rich. You are only rich, when you are satisfied with what you have. And I won’t consider myself rich till Brie and I are married.” Brie snuggled closer to me.

We were just coming up to the Saloon, when the winter door’s banged open. Out staggered Blythe’s son, flanked by two of those hard cases of his father’s. They seen us and pulled up short. The kid said, “Well, if it isn’t the bum, without his beard, but he has his Cur Bitch’s with him.” The guy on his right, said, “Shut up Kid, I know this guy, just shut up and come on.”

“Nope, not on your life, I can take him.”

“Listen Kid,” said the guy on his left, I also know him, his name is Trego. You’re not going to drag us into this.” Then he clipped the Kid on the chin, he went out like a candle in a blizzard. The Guy on the right caught him. They both took an end and packed him off toward the Wise River Mine Office.

Brie looked at me, “You have a lot to tell me, just who are you?”

“What you see is what you get, isn’t that enough?” Brie looked into my eyes, then leaning forward, she said, “Yes, it is.” Then kissed me.

After lunch, I thought it would be proper for me to make a showing, after all I was the town Marshal. I kept my knee high moccasins’ on. They were so well treated with bear grease, no moisture could penetrate.

I built a fire in the pot bellied stove in the jail. It didn’t take long to thaw out the bucket of water. There was a bar of lye soap in a saucer. I wet a rag and rubbed it on the bar of soap, then I used it to polish the badge. I wanted it nice and bright.

I had left Jake with Brie. I didn’t need him catching a stray shot. I remember a story of a gun fight in the bar at Bannack, somewhere around 6l or 62, I disremember the exact date. Anyway the point being, the only one who got shot was a dog asleep under a table. Most miners were very bad shots.

I pinned the badge on my vest. There was a little trick that my Dad had taught me. Do you remember the chain mail armor, from the days of yore? I thought you might. Anyway, my Dad had some. He said it was good to keep knives out of your hide. So I thought why not bullets? So I took about a foot of it or so and folded it down to about six inches square. I had this under my shirt, pinned behind that star. I figured if I shinned it up right smart, why they just couldn’t help but shoot at it.

One thing the shop owners were pretty good about, was that they had shoveled off the board walk that lined main street in front of their stores and such. The street was not so lucky, the snow had sort of become a muddy mush.

I double checked my .44’s. I made it a point to go in every store or shop and introduce myself. At the Barber shop, I stepped in, the Barber had his back to me, there was no one else in the room. He turned at the sound of the cow bell above the door. His eyes were as gray as his hair. He stared at me, like he knew me.

The funny thing about it, he looked pretty familiar to me also. My mind went back to this spring when I closed the lid on Dad’s casket. We stood there staring at each other. He said, “Come in son, you need a hair cut.”

“Who the hell are you?” I asked.

“My name is Lambert Crane, and if I’m not mistaken you’re the son of Howard Shelby. And I think that would make you my nephew. I’ve heard a lot about you Trego. Some good, some not so good.”

“Now just hold on there. You say Dad and you were brothers, how come he never mentioned you? Or come to think of it, any of his family? Heck, you don’t even have the same name.”

“Well now son, that’s not my fault, your father took his mother’s maiden name of Shelby. You see we were half brothers, we had the same father. Your mother was a Blackfoot, her name was Shelby Tall Elk. She was the one who named you Trego. I suppose your Dad told you all this, right?”

I stood there transfixed. I shook myself, “No, he didn’t. Not one word.” I plopped down in the chair.

“Where is your Dad? Is he doing well?”

“Well, Yes, he’s feeling no pain. I buried him this spring. So what about my Mother, where is she?”

“Your Dad didn’t tell you? Well I guess he didn’t. Your mother was killed by some high binders. Your Dad went on a rampage, he killed all of them, some twenty in all. Then he took you and disappeared. I heard tales about you from time to time. I seen you the first day you got here, figured you’d get around to coming in here sooner or later.”

I sat down and he gave me a hair cut. Brie would be surprised, I think she liked my long hair. But at times it sure got in the way. I felt the back of my head, it felt naked. “Wow! That’s going to freeze, you don’t have a scarf that I can borrow, do you?”

“Yes I do, my wife knit’s them, along with sweaters and stuff, she sells them.”

He proffered me one, I wrapped it around, that felt better. “How much do I owe you.”

“Nothing, you’re kin.”

“No way, I pay my way.” I tossed him a double eagle. He caught it. He looked at it, like he knew that too.

“Ah, you still have a lot of them, I take it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but yeah, I have enough. What are you getting at?”

“Nothing, just a comment. You have change coming, hold on.” He gave me eighteen silver dollars back. “a dollar for the haircut, one for the scarf.”

I took the money, held it for a second, “I tell you what, why don’t you just keep this and put it on my account, that way all that weight won’t weigh me down.”

“Yeah, I can see why you don’t want extra weight, with those twin .44’s you’re packing.” He smiled wryly at me. “That sure is a shiny badge you have. Is it supposed to be a target?”

“How did you know?”

“I remember the days of yore myself. Your Dad and I used to play with that chain mail all of the time. Watch your back son.”

“I plan on it, Uncle, I plan on it. By the way, don’t tell anybody we’re related.” Then I went out on the boardwalk, the wind caught the tails of the bright red scarf and waved them in fate’s eye.

I had more enemies in this town, then friends, or at least that was what I thought. Maybe I was just starting to get paranoid. But I doubted it.

I knew I was half Blackfoot, and that’s why I had a dark complexion compared to Dad’s. So that was why I also had his volatile nature. Over twenty, huh!

As I walked toward the saloon, I was thinking, just what brought me to this town. I don’t remember setting any particular direction. I just sort of let the reins lay on Jim’s neck, he brought me here, him and Jake. As I remembered, Jake was always out in front. Maybe it was Jake who was the guiding force?

I made a mistake that I couldn’t afford to make; thinking. That is being absorbed in thought and not paying attention to the ambient. The first shot slammed into the post that I was just passing, the next one went wide also. It was Junior, the Blythe kid. He had just staggered out of the saloon door, he held the gun in both hands pointing it at me.

I raised my left hand gun and shot him in the leg, I hoped it hadn’t hit an artery. Those same two that had baby sat him last time busted through the door. They had guns in their hands. “Drop them, or I won’t just shoot you in the leg, I’ll give you a new nickname, Cyclops.”

“Huh?” They said, as they complied and dropped their guns. “Don’t shoot, we know how you can shoot, we seen you shoot three guys over at Fort Benton. They were friends of ours.”

“Well, you didn’t keep good company then and you’re not now. Pick that little bastard up and get him to the Doctor, you tell Blythe the next time I’ll plant his little offal.”

As they passed me, they said, “what’s Cyclops and what’s offal?”

“There’s a library down the street, ask the librarian, she’ll tell you.” Then I picked up all three guns from the boardwalk and went into the saloon. They were all gathered by the door, they backed up quickly as I came in.

I walked to the bar and turned around and said, “The drinks are on me, belly up boys, cause this is the last time I’m buying.”

They did as told, I drank a beer, and then I took the three guns back to the jail and locked them in a drawer. I stoked the fire and sat down to think. It wasn’t two minutes later till Jake and Brie came through the door. They both tried to get in my lap at the same time.

“We heard about the shooting, did you get hurt?”

“Nope, not a scratch.”

“Owwee, you got a hair cut.” Brie said as she stood up and stepped back to get a better view. “and where did you get that scarf?

“The Barber’s wife makes them, I paid a buck for it. Do you want one?”

“No, I have enough. You know she is an Indian, don’t you?”

“No I didn’t. Does it make a difference?”

“Goodness no. I just mentioned it. They say she’s a Blackfoot, I believe her maiden name was Tall Elk, or something like that.” I looked at Brie, “How old is she?”

“Around the same age as Lambert is, I think. She’s real nice, I like her.” Brie said, cocking her head and looking at me, she added, “you know you look a little like her, the way you smile and all.”

“I guess that’s a compliment.”

“It is, I told you I like her, but I love you. I didn’t notice the resemblance before, not with your beard and all.”

“How about the rest of the community, do they like her?”

“Well, not at first, you know being Indian and all. A few made disparaging remarks, but Lambert set them straight, he’s good fighter and he shoots straight. You know, your eyes, their green, verging on hazel, but at times they seem gray, just like Lamberts.”

“Well, pretty soon you’ll have me looking like everyone in this town. You know sometimes my color vision isn’t that good, everyone looks the same to me.” I said.

“Do they really?”

“Yes, I don’t judge people by their outward appearance. I do however put them in categories. And then I let their actions speak for their character.”

Jake was lying behind the stove, watching us talk. Brie got up and was walking around the jail looking at things. She picked up a pair of wrist manacles from a peg.

“Do you know how to use these?”

“I suppose, they are pretty self explanatory, uh, be careful, I wouldn’t lock them on yourself, I don’t know where the key is.”

“My goodness, then there not much good are they, I mean without the key?” She said as she hung them back on the peg. I watched her moving about, like the innocent she was. She had pants on, the same ones she put on this morning. I know why all the self righteous people didn’t like women to wear pants, I could feel myself swelling every time she bent over. That brought to mind,

“When do you want to get married?” I asked her.

“Now! Is that too quick?” She said, as she came over and straddled my lap, kissing me.”

“No, that’s not too quick, do you know where this so called preacher lives?”

“Yes, I know he’s home, I just passed his house.”

“Come on then, lets the three of us go over there. Jake can be our witness.”

He was a little cantankerous at first. He was spouting something about me not being a member of his faith. I looked him in the eyes and shifted my right hand gun around just a mite. He blanched and said, “Well, I guess I can make an exception. Who’s going to be your witness?”

“My friend Jake, he’s right outside the door.”

“Well, bring him in then, we’ll get started.”

I brought Jake in, he said, the preacher I mean, not Jake. “He can’t be your witness, he’s an animal.”

“I don’t see anywhere in the Bible where a dog can’t be a witness.”

“He can’t write his name, that’s one reason.”

“Shoot half of the men in this town can’t write their names, they have to just make their mark. Jake can make his mark, just as good as they can.” Brie was almost choking, trying to keep from laughing. I shifted my left hand gun around, the Preacher said, “well alright then, what are your full names?

He balked again, when I said Trego, with no other name. He really pitched a fit. I gave in, I gave him the name of Shelby. Brie gave her name, Brie Colleen Stevens. He made short work of the ceremony, which I was glad of.

When it came time to sign the wedding certificate, we did. I took some ink and put on Jake’s paw and had him press it on the paper right next to his name of Jake Shelby. The preacher was the last one to sign, Ichabod Plower. He sure looked like his name. He cleared his throat, “This has to be sent to the court house at Dillon, so they can register it, then they will send it back. That’ll be ten dollars.”

I took out a double eagle, “keep the change, buy your wife something nice with it.”

That made him smile, one way to get on the good side of a preacher was to give them money. The three of us left his den and went out to the clear clean mountain air. It had started to snow again.

Brie said, “You really don’t like Preacher’s do you?”

“What gave you that impression?”

“Just your general demeanor, sometimes the expression on your face was one of complete disdain.”

“I’m sorry Honey, they do seem to rub me the wrong way. But why do they always say ‘blessed be the name of God’, but never use his name? They use the same King James version, and it’s right there at a lot of places, one of them being Psalms 83:18.”

“It is? I guess I’m just as dumb as them. What is it?”

“It is Jehovah. But you know even the Crow Indians use a name for him, they call him Akbaatatdia. And the Cheyenne say Ma’heo’o. Why can’t these stupid pulpit pounders use his name, not just his title?

“Wow! I’m sorry I got you started, I won’t mention it again.”

“No, I’m the one who is sorry. This is the happiest day of my life and I go off on a tangent. Please forgive me sweetheart?”

“Sure I do. What do you want to do, it’s almost supper time?” Brie said, snuggling close to me.

“First I’m going to walk you home, then I’m going to bank the fire at the jail, then take a quick turn around town, is that alright?”

“Sure, it’s not like we can go anywhere on a honeymoon. This snow is just going to get deeper.”

“What better honeymoon could we have then to snuggle deep into your featherbed on a snowy night?” I said.

“Hmm, you’re right, I can hardly wait. Don’t take too long, we’ll eat in the kitchen, by ourselves…” She said as she closed the kitchen door.

Jake followed along behind me. I turned and went toward the barn, I wanted to check Jim. The barn was a medium size one, big for what it was used. That was the milk cow, my horse and in one corner the chicken roost. The temperature felt like it was in the high thirties or low forties. Alright if it didn’t get below zero outside.

The secret about having a warm barn, was having the proper animal to space ratio. This barn needed a few more. In the old country, my Dad told me, they built the family living quarters above the animal barn, that way not only the barn stayed warm, but also the humans.

I fed Jim and the milk cow. Then tossed the chickens some feed. Caitie came in to milk the cow. “Hey, it’s getting a little cold in here.” She said.

“Yeah, I noticed that. I’ll try and remedy that.”

“How? Are you going to sleep out here? Brie wouldn’t like that.” Caitie said, with a smirk on her face.

“No, I’m not going to sleep out here. I noticed a few people in town with just lean-to’s for their horses. I’ll offer them free space for them, that’ll raise the temp in here.”

“I know of some, Old Lady McBeth has a couple of mares, I don’t think she even has enough feed for them, heck she might even give them to you. Her place is two house’s west of Evan Blythe’s place.”

“Fine, I’ll check. Jake, you stay with Caitie, help her with the milking.” He looked at me. He didn’t want to stay, but I didn’t want a stray shot killing him, when they were aiming at me.

I made my rounds. Everything looked pretty quite. This snow was probably making everyone hunt the back side of their stoves. The towns’ many dogs were evidently snug somewhere also.

As I passed Blythe’s house, their shutters were closed tight. At the McBeth house, I seen smoke coming from her chimney. At least she had heat. There were two horses backed into a small lean-to, trying to stay dry. There was a very small stack of hay close by. Not enough to last for the next few days. I went over to them.

They came over to me. Looked to be five or six year olds. They nuzzled my hand. I tossed them a little hay. They went after it, like this was the first hay they had today. I went to the door. I knocked. I heard a ‘come in’, I called out, “Miss McBeth, it’s the Marshal, I need to talk to you.”

“Well come in then, if you want to talk.” She called out. I opened the door and went in. She must have been in her sixty’s, still spry enough.

“Mam, I was just looking at your horses, you don’t seem to have very much hay for them, did you feed them today?”

“My goodness, I forgot, I’m sorry I’ll do that right now.” She said, reaching for a wrap.

“That’s alright, I tossed them some hay. Do you ride them much?”

“Heaven’s no, they belonged to my late husband. I don’t know what I’m going to do when that hay runs out.”

“I may have a solution for you. But let me ask you this, would you be willing to sell them?”

“Who would buy them? It’s winter, they’d just have to feed them through the winter.”

“Well, I might be in the market, how much do you want for them?”

She looked at me, “Well I don’t want to be greedy, but I don’t have much money, would you be able to pay a hundred?”

“Sure, no problem,” I said, as I reached into my pocket and gave her two hundred dollars in greenbacks.

“Oh, that’s too much, I meant a hundred for both of them.” She said, as she started to hand be back one of the bills.

“No Mam, you keep it, It’ll help you through the winter. If you need any help, just get word to me, or my wife, Brie Stevens, but now it’s Shelby, we, her and I got married just today.”

“Yes, the word is already making it’s rounds, this is a small town. They say you’re a gunman, Mr. Trego. Is that right?”

“Well, I guess you could say that, but it’s not Mr. Trego, it’s just Trego. I don’t use my last name much, in fact this is the first time I’ve used it, now it belongs to my wife, Mrs. Shelby.”

“Thank you, Trego. I don’t think you’re as bad as they say. I think you’re an Angel. By the way, there are halters hanging on the back porch for the mares, don’t forget them.”

“Yes, I’ll get them. Perhaps you can visit Mrs. Shelby, when you bring the bill of sale for the horses. I’ll tell her to expect you.”

I went out the back door, picking up the two halters and lead ropes on my way out. The mares had already ate the hay that I tossed them. They seen I had the halters, they came right to me.

When I turned them in the barn, Jim came over. They touched noses. I was glad neither of the mares were in heat. I hung the halters in the small tack room. Then I went up the ladder to the haymow. I was glad it was full, Brie had thought ahead. I forked down hay to all of the stock. As I went back down, I thought to myself, that I would have to shovel the manure on the morrow.

I was feeling right proud of myself. Now I knew better than that, pride goes before a fall, they say. Which it almost was, as I went out of the barn I turned my back to the snow storm to close the barn doors. Splinters flew right beside my head, I dropped to the snow and rolled, dragging my right hand gun from under my coat, bullets were kicking up snow all around me.

I saw the person who was shooting at me. I had counted the rounds, five of them. I rolled up on my elbows, steadied my gun and put one right through his head. Brie came busting out of the house, screaming; “Trego, Trego are you alright.” I was still laying there, just checking to see if he was alone, he was. I was just starting to get up, when she was on me.

I stood up, with difficulty, cause Brie was attached to me. We went over to the body, I rolled him over with my foot. Damn, it was that Blythe kid. How in the hell had he even gotten out of bed. I had put a round in his leg, not over twenty four hours ago. I guess hate is a powerful motivator.

The whole town heard the shooting, the first one there was that old Doc Hoeffer. He stopped, looking down, he didn’t even bend down. I said, “Aren’t you going to see if he’s dead or not?”

“No, don’t you ever shoot them anywhere except in the head?”

“Yes, I shot this snot nose in the leg just yesterday.”

He just grunted, a crowd was gathering. Including his Dad and those two babysitter’s. Evan dropped on his knees beside his son. He looked up at me, hate shinning like he was summoning it up all the way from hell. That is if there was a hell.

I said, “It was your own fault, why didn’t you keep a better eye on him, you knew he wasn’t right in the head.” One of the so called babysitters said, “We’re sorry Boss, but you’re the one who had us check the payroll at the mine.”

“Don’t you riff-raff sass me, pick him up. Take him to the Doc’s house.”

Doc Hoeffer cleared his throat, “No you don’t, there’s nothing I can do for him. Take him to your place or the ice house.”

Doc had started to turn away, “Just a minute Doc. Would you check his gun, there should be one round left?” I said.

Doc picked it up from the cold snow, he pushed the cylinder sideways. “Yep, one live round.”

“You see why I shot him in the head, he could of got lucky with that last one, I couldn’t take a chance.”

“I don’t reckon you take many chances, do you?” Doc said.

“Oh I don’t know, I think I took the biggest chance of my life when I rode into this town.”

“Well they say, fools rush in where Angels fear to tread. I guess you can take your pick on which one you are.” Doc said, as he turned away and trudged through the snow, with his shoulders hunched, like the tired old man he was.

I thought of what he said, as I kicked fresh snow over the kid’s blood. The crowd had dispersed by the time I looked up. Brie was standing by the barn door looking at me. As I turned she rushed into my arms again.

She whispered in my ear, “I think you’re an Angel, sent here for me.”

“I’m sorry Honey, I didn’t want this to happen on your wedding day.” I said, kissing her ear.

“Don’t be sorry, if you hadn’t of got him first, my wedding day would have been a whole lot worse. I seen you bought two more horses?”

“Yeah, Mrs. McBeth sold them to me. She wanted a hundred for the pair, but I gave her two hundred. She’s supposed to bring the bill of sale over.”

“She’s a nice woman, I know she needed the money. Come on and wash up, the cook has our supper ready.”