“Not good enough,” Denbigh said.
“What do you mean?”
“You will, no doubt, begin your draw as soon as you tell Mr. Tolliver to drop the glass. That gives you an advantage. I propose that you say nothing. Allow Mr. Tolliver to drop the glass in his own time. Then, once you see the glass leave his hand, you can draw and shoot. If you are successful, then I will believe that your skills are certainly adequate for the task.”
“I don’t know. Something like that might make me hurry the shot. I could wind up hitting your man, instead of the glass.”
“Oh, my!” Tolliver said.
Denbigh had brought his own dueling pistol out, loaded and capped. He now raised his pistol and pointed it at Meacham.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Tolliver,” Denbigh said. “If Mr. Meacham’s bullet so much as nicks you, I will kill him.”
“What?” Meacham said. “If I hit him, it won’t be my fault! You are the one who changed the rules on me.”
“Oh, it doesn’t matter whose fault it will be,” Denbigh said. “My declaration stands. If you so much as nick Mr. Tolliver with your bullet, I will kill you.”
“What kind of demonstration is that?” Meacham asked.
“Quite a good one, I would imagine,” Denbigh replied. “If you think about it, this very effectively duplicates the condition of a real encounter, because now, as in the case of an actual quarrel, your own life is in danger. You do have the choice now of backing out if you wish. But if you do back out, I must warn you now that any and all business arrangements we may have discussed will be considered null and void.”
“Null and void? What does that mean?”
“It means that our heretofore-agreed-upon contract pertaining to Matt Jensen is no more. No matter whether you fulfill the contract or not, I will pay you nothing.”
“And if I do the demonstration?”
“If you do it successfully, then our agreed-upon contract will still be in force, and, you will be the newest, and most highly compensated, employee of my fiefdom. So, which will it be, Mr. Meacham? Will you make the try, or not?”
“I’ll do it,” Meacham said.
“Good for you,” Denbigh replied. Aiming the pistol at the side of Meacham’s head, he cocked it, the hammer making a click as it came back and locked into place.
“Do you have to point that thing right at my head?” Meacham asked.
“Indeed I do.”
Meacham cleared his throat, then pulled his pistol from the holster to loosen it, before dropping it back. He held his hand, slightly cupped, just over the holster. He bent slightly at the knees, and just as slightly, leaned forward.
“I’m ready,” he said.
“Mr. Tolliver, you may drop the glass at anytime you wish.”
Tolliver gritted his teeth and closed his eyes.
“And don’t worry. You will not be struck by an errant shot for, should that occur, I will kill him.”
For a long moment, there was an eerie tableau vivant in the garden. In the stable, ahorse whickered; overhead, a crow called; and a freshening breeze created a whisper in the leaves of the aspen trees and caused the windmill blades to begin spinning.
Then, with a grimace, Tolliver dropped the glass. As quick as thought, Meacham drew and fired. The glass was shattered.
“Ahh!! I’m shot, I’m shot!” Tolliver shouted.
At Tolliver’s yell, Meacham looked toward Denbigh, and was relieved to see the Englishman smile and lower his pistol.
“You aren’t shot, Mr. Tolliver,” Denbigh said. “That’s merely shattered glass. Mr. Meacham was brilliant. I believe he has adequately proven his expertise to me.”
“Am I hired?” Meacham asked.
“Yes, indeed, Mr. Meacham. You are hired.”
Chapter Twenty-four
“John, Mr. Jensen, you might want to come see this,” Millie said.
Matt was in the back of the newspaper office with John, trying to learn the workings and mechanisms of the Washington Hand Press, the machine with which the
“What is it?” John asked, starting toward the front door.
“It’s Denbigh.”
At the south end of town, Matt saw five riders coming in, one rider in the lead, then four behind him riding two abreast. Behind the four riders was as elegant a coach as Matt had ever seen. It was pulled by four white horses, driven by a liveried driver. The coach itself was green, the wheels were yellow, and there was a large crest on the
