“It is absolutely necessary if I am to make a success of the bank,” Williams said.
“I’m sure you will be able to make your case satisfactorily,” Bess replied.
The board, which was made up of investors and businessmen from Denver, had gathered at the bank for the meeting and they greeted Vernon Bess when he arrived.
“Gentlemen of the board, it is my pleasure to introduce Mr. Trent Williams. As you know, Mr. Williams is president of the Bank of Salcedo. I have done research on that bank and find that it is one of the most successful and fiscally sound banks in all of Wyoming. I believe him to be just the man we are looking for.”
Williams acknowledged the introduction, then spoke to the board for a few minutes about his plans for the bank. Then he asked if there were any questions.
“Mr. Williams, why do you insist on buying fifty-one percent of our bank?” one of the board members asked.
“If I am going to make this bank successful, I must have total freedom of operation,” Williams explained. “With fifty-one percent, I will not have to be bound by any restrictions placed on me by the board.”
“So, what you are saying is that you want to make us irrelevant.”
“Well, I wouldn’t put it quite that way,” Williams replied. “I will, of course, be open to any suggestions the board might have.”
“I don’t know if I can go along with that. After all, I have a lot of money invested in this bank. What if you are wrong and the bank fails?”
“I will have a lot more money invested than you,” Williams said. “That means I have even more incentive than you to make the bank succeed.”
“Elmer, think about it,” Bess said to the hesitant board member. “He’s not going to invest fifty thousand dollars, then let the bank fail.”
“I agree,” one of the other board members said. “If Mr. Williams needs freedom of action to save the bank, I say let’s give it to him. God knows we haven’t been doing very well ourselves. And this way, we’ll be able to recoup some of our money while still maintaining an investment. If he succeeds in making the bank successful, we will congratulate ourselves for having made such a sound decision.”
“All right,” said Elmer. “I just wanted to ask the question, that’s all. How soon can we expect the fifty thousand dollars?” he asked Williams.
“I will have to return to Salcedo and put my affairs in order there,” Williams said. “It would not be fair to my employers to leave without giving adequate notice.”
“An honorable thing for you to do,” Bess said. “All the more reason I believe we should accept the proposal. I now call for a vote.”
The board voted to accept the proposal, with even Elmer voting “aye.” Williams accepted the congratulations of the board, then left the bank to walk down to the hotel. Before getting a room at the hotel, he stopped at the Western Union Office to send a telegram.
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Chapter Three
Smoke had been home for two weeks when he was awakened one morning by the aroma of breakfast cooking. When he got dressed and went into the kitchen, he saw that Sally was preparing a veritable feast: eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy, and fresh-baked bear claws. Pearlie and Cal were already in the dining room, drinking coffee and looking on hungrily.
“You boys are up early,” Smoke said, speaking to his two longtime and most loyal hands.
“How could I sleep with Pealie’s stomach growlin’ so?” Cal asked.
“Oh? Was your stomach growling, Pearlie?” Smoke teased.
“How could it not be?” Pearlie replied. “There I was, sleepin’ out there in the bunkhouse all peaceful like, when all of a sudden I started smellin’ the most wonderful smells. You doggone right my stomach started growlin’.”
“So, me’n Pearlie come in here and seen Miz Sally just cookin’ away,” Cal said.
“So, Miz Sally, ain’t it about ready?” Pearlie asked. “All them smells got me so hungry I can’t hardly stand it.”
Sally sighed. “Pearlie, I swear, your grammar is so atrocious that it makes me cringe.”
“Well, yes’m, I mean bein’ as you was a schoolmarm ’n all a’fore you and Smoke married up, well, I reckon it’d be only natural that you wouldn’t think I talk all that good,” Pearlie said.
Sally put her hands over her ears. “Ahhh!” she said. “Smoke, shoot him! Shoot him right now before he says another word!”
“No, ma’am!” Pearlie said. “Leastwise, not till I’ve et some of this here breakfast.”
Sally laughed, and shook her head. “You are incorrigible,” she said.
“Yes’m, I reckon I am,” Pearlie said. “I’m hungry too.”
“Go sit at the table, all of you. I’ll bring it to you.”
After the huge breakfast, when Smoke finished his coffee, Sally jumped up from the table and refilled his cup.
“You’re being awfully nice, Sally,” Smoke said.
“Can’t I be nice to my husband if I feel like it?” Sally replied with a sweet smile.
“You’ll get no argument from me,” Smoke said, returning the smile.
