“Just the bath. I’m trying to quit,” B.W. said and pushed his empty glass toward Big Sally for a refill and Rance smiled.
Big Sally smiled and poured the whiskey. “Like a man with a sense of humor,” he said. “Hot baths are three dollars, in advance.”
“We’ll take it,” Rance said. “Pay him, B.W. Give him a ten-dollar gold piece and let him keep the change.” Tommy made a horrible face and shook his head no. B.W. tossed the gold piece on the bar.
“Think I’m goin’ to like you boys,” Big Sally said.
B.W. and Tommy looked at Rance then each other and shrugged.
“Have a seat and I’ll bring you a bottle while you wait on the water to heat. Café next door when you get hungry.”
Rance and B.W. nodded. B.W. picked up the money, they took their glasses with them and walked over to a table and sat down. “Kind of free with our money there, partner,” B.W. said.
“Setting up an information source,” Rance said. B.W. tilted his head slightly and started nudging the money bags with his foot. “Bullshit.”
Big Sally brought a bottle of whiskey and the sarsaparilla bottle over and sat them on the table. Two whores started over to the table and Big Sally waved them off.
“When we goin’ to see my pa?” Tommy said.
“Don’t know yet,” B.W. said. He picked up the whiskey bottle and poured himself another drink.
Tommy and Rance watched as B.W. poured the glass full.
“Might better slow down on the whiskey, B.W.,” Rance said.
B.W. nodded, drank the glass of whiskey and turned the glass upside down.
A dapper-looking man walked in dressed in a well-fitting cream-colored suit wearing a white Stetson, shiny black boots and stepped up to the bar.
Big Sally nodded to him. “The usual, Mister Travers?” The name got their attention. He didn’t look much different than he did in the picture.
“Give me a double, Sally,” he said. “Been a hard day dealin’ with all them damn Yankees tryin’ to tell me how to run my railroad.”
“Got some new brandy in, supposed to be the best,” Sally said.
Travers nodded and slid his glass toward Sally and he poured it full. “On the house, Mr. Travers, you spend enough with me to get a free drink once in a while.”
“That’s right neighborly of you,” Travers said, made a saluting motion to Sally with the glass and downed the brandy.
“Smooth,” he said. “Got to go, Maggie’s waitin.’” He turned away from the bar and saw Tommy. “You think it’s a good idea to let children in here, Sally?”
“Just passin’ through,” Big Sally said. “Came in for a bath, waitin’ for the water to heat. Be leavin’ after that.”
Travers walked over to their table. “Where you boys from?”
“A little of everywhere,” Rance said.
“Lookin’ for a job?”
“Nope, come to see you, just didn’t know it would be this soon,” Rance said.
“Me? Do I know you?”
“No, but you will,” B.W. said. “Best we talk in private, though.”
“You from the government?”
“No, more of a personal matter,” B.W. said.
“Like what?”
“Not now,” Rance said.
“Don’t play games with me, boy,” Travers said. “I don’t like it. If you got somethin’ stuck in your craw then spit it out.”
“We will at the right time,” Rance said.
“Stay away from me,” Travers said and stormed out of the saloon.
“Now look what you done,” Sally said. “You insulted my best customer and benefactor. Weren’t for him I wouldn’t have this place. He kept them damn Yankees from closing me down. He was just tryin’ to be friendly.”
“We’re not, let him be friendly with someone else,” B.W. said.
“What you got against Mr. Travers?” Big Sally said.
“I want to go now,” Tommy said, tears in his eyes.
“Think we’ll pass on the bath,” Rance said.
“You don’t get a refund.” Sally said.
“That’s okay, we’re leavin’ now,” Rance said.
They stood up. B.W. picked up the money bags and they walked outside.
“You think Travers figured out who Tommy is,” Rance said.
“Could be,” B.W. said.
“I don’t want you to go see him,” Tommy said. “I don’t want him to know.”
“We’ve come a long way for nothing if we don’t,” B.W. said.
“It was you two that was so all fired up,” Tommy said. “I told you before I don’t care about it. You just want to be big shots. Leave him alone.”
“I guess we weren’t listenin,’” Rance said. “The only thing we wanted was for you to have what was rightfully yours.”
“We both thought we were doin’ the right thing,” B.W. said. “Never thought you had any feelin’s for him after what he did.”
“I don’t. He can have his damn railroad. I’m goin’ to the livery stable.”
“Don’t you think you should eat?” Rance said.
“Not that hungry anymore,” he said and walked away.
They waited for Tommy to be out of earshot. “Looks like we got to do some thinkin’ about this. Guess it was quite a shock for him to see his pa like that for the first time,” Rance said.
“Yeah, we’re askin’ him to handle somethin’ most grown men couldn’t,” B.W. said.
“Was goin’ to get somethin’ to eat but I kinda lost my appetite.”
“Yeah me too. Even biscuits and whiskey don’t sound good right now.”
Rance made a face and shook his head. “Best we leave the boy alone for a while. What you goin’ to do with them saddle bags? You can’t keep waggin’ ‘em around.”
“I ain’t lettin’ this money out of my sight until we spend it or find a safe place for it.”
“Let’s go back to the livery and see what Tommy’s up to,” Rance said.
B.W. nodded and they headed for the livery stable.
About a hour later, a tall skinny man wearing a sheriff’s badge came in the livery carrying a double-barrel shotgun. Riley was sitting at a small table drinking coffee, Tommy chewing a peppermint stick, Rance drinking coffee and B.W. sipping whiskey with the money bags sitting beside his foot. The shotgun and the rifles were on the table.
“Why are you botherin’ Mister Travers?” the sheriff said.
“Personal business,” Rance said.
“I’m Sheriff Seaton
