A Man for Temperance (Wagon Wheel) (10 page)

“Thank you, sir. My man will be back to buy trading goods.”

“Be glad to serve him, Miss Peabody.”

As Temperance led the small group out of the store, she was aware of Causey’s voice, and his words followed her: “A woman that’s taking a bunch of kids all the way back East will never make it, not over that trail with one wagon. Women ain’t got no sense anyhow.”

Temperance had to struggle with her anger.
He’s out getting drunk somewhere right now. Wait until he gets back. He’ll be
drunk, but I’m going to tell him a thing or two!

* * *

BRENNAN ENTERED THE SALOON, and one look around told him little had changed. He had been here before, and he walked to the bar and said, “Hello, Clint.”

Clint Clausen was a rotund man, tall and full-bodied. “I forget your name, but I remember your face.”

“Thaddeus Brennan.”

“Oh, I remember. You created quite a ruckus the last time you was here. Two or three years, ain’t it?”

“About three, I guess. Thomas still own the place?”

“Nah, he sold out. Belongs to that fellow over there in the fancy vest. His name is Vince Blackmon.”

Brennan glanced at the group playing poker. There were only three in the game—one with a fancy vest, a big, burly man across from him, and another nondescript man, apparently a mule skinner. “Not much action is there, Clint?”

“Not much. Watch out for Blackmon though. He can be a handful.”

“I don’t reckon I’d be too scared of a man who wears a vest like that.”

“Don’t let it fool you, Brennan. He’s dangerous as a snake, and that big one across from him, that’s Alec Carnes. He kicked a fellow to death in a fight here last month. He’s tough.”

“How about buying me a drink?”

Brennan turned to see one of the two saloon girls he had already noticed. She was a tall brunette with toughness in her face but still with traces of beauty.

“What’s your name, honey?”

“Leona. What’s yours?”

“Just call me Thaddeus.”

Leona laughed. “Fancy name. Where’d it come from?”

“Why, it’s out of the Bible.”

Leona suddenly laughed harshly. “Probably the only thing you got out of the Bible.”

“What are you talking about? I’m studying to become a preacher.”

“I’ll bet! Well, how about that drink?”

“Tell you what, Leona, you go ahead and have one. Fill ’er up, Clint. Let me go over and play a few hands of poker. Then maybe I’ll own the whole saloon and you and me can celebrate.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Leona said. She downed her drink and Brennan drank with her. He winked at her, turned, and walked across the room. The floor was littered with cigar butts, shavings, and leftover bits of sandwiches. A lemon yellow dog lay by the wall, watching him narrowly.

“I got some money I need to lose if you fellows would let me sit in with you.”

Carnes looked up and said, “We don’t need no bums in here.”

“Be sociable, Alec,” Blackmon said. His soft look was belied by the glitter of his gray eyes. He was dealing the cards, and his hands looked strong but supple. “What’s your name, partner?”

“Thaddeus Brennan.”

“Well, sit down, Thaddeus. You just get in?”

“Yep.”

“Headed for the post?”

“No, going the other way, all the way, back to Missouri.”

“Is that right? Most folks are trying to get to that free land.”

Brennan grinned at the gambler. “I hate to sit in here because I’m going to lose every dime I got.”

The other poker players stared at Brennan, and he shrugged his shoulders expressively. “I’m the most unlucky card player in the world. I can’t quit until I’ve lost every penny.”

Carnes laughed. “Well, let’s get started. I’d like to have some of that easy money.”

“It’s like taking candy from a baby,” Brennan said. “I’ve only got fifty dollars, but I’ll leave here with none of it, I suppose. Just my rotten luck.”

“Why do you play,” the smaller man said, “if you know you’re going to lose?”

“Why, it’s a sickness, partner. I just can’t help it. I don’t sleep good if I’ve got any money. Have to go out and find a game to lose it in.”

Vince Blackmon found this amusing. He began to deal the cards, and five minutes later Brennan was staring down at the pot. He turned his hand over and said, “Well, I’ll be dipped in gravy! Look at that. I got three of a kind. It beats you fellows.”

Alec stared at him. “What about all this bad luck you’re complaining about?”

“Oh, I always win a little at first, but it never lasts. I’ll probably lose the whole thing on the next hand.”

But on the next hand Brennan, to his apparent surprise, won again, and the cash in front of him was beginning to look like something. He stared at it with awe. “Why, I can’t believe it! I never had no luck like this in all my life. But it can’t last.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Vince said dryly. He looked at Alec Carnes and said, “I think you was right in the first place. We shouldn’t have let this fellow in the game.”

“Leave him in, Vince. I’ll take him,” Alec glowered. He had been drinking heavily and he had the air of a troublemaker. “Deal the cards.”

An hour later, Brennan had won most of the money. The cash had come mostly from Alec Carnes, who had gotten angrier by the moment. Brennan had lost occasionally, but
always small pots, and had won the big ones. Vince had pulled out, for the most part, making only token bets, and the other shorter man had dropped out entirely. The game had become a contest between Alec Carnes and Thaddeus Brennan.

“Well, I just can’t believe it, Leona.” The saloon woman had stationed herself beside Brennan and pushed against him from time to time to remind him of her presence. “All my life I’ve lost at cards, and I just wander into this here saloon and I win. Why, it’s a miracle!”

“You’re doing fine, honey,” Leona said. She ran her hand through his coarse, black hair and said, “You better quit while you’re ahead.”

“No, I’m not quitting until I lose the whole thing. What do you say, Alec. One more hand. All we got.”

“Deal the cards, Vince. I’m going to trim this sucker.”

The cards went around, and the pot went up until finally everything Alec had was in the middle. It was his turn. “I’ll call and raise. I ain’t got the money for it, but I’ll give you an IOU.”

“My Uncle Seedy told me never to take IOUs from strangers, but I’ll take that ring,” Brennan said, waving toward the diamond on Alec’s left hand.

Carnes cursed. “It’s worth more than this whole stinkin’ saloon.” He turned to the saloon woman standing beside him, a short overstuffed blonde with tired eyes. “Give me that box I brought you.”

“You can’t gamble that. You gave it to me.”

“You heard me. Give me the box. You’ll have it back in about three minutes.”

The woman glared at Carnes but moved across the room. She was soon back with a large box. “You better not lose these, Alec, they’re mine.”

“Shut up!”

“What’s in your box, friend?”

“How about this?” Carnes pulled the top off the box and, reaching in, held up a lacy nightgown. “Pure as silk,” he said. “All the way from Paris. Got all kinds of fancy underwear along with this gown. Cost me a bundle.”

“Brennan doesn’t look like a man who needs ladies’ underwear,” Vince said mildly.

“Well, you’re wrong about that, Vince. This kind of thing always comes in handy, don’t it, Leona?”

“The way to a woman’s heart,” Leona grinned.

The bet was made, and at once Carnes turned his hand over. “Full house,” he said. He laughed raucously and reached out to draw in the winnings.

“Well, what do you know about this,” Brennan said. “Never had this happen to me in my whole life. Look at it.”

“A straight flush!” Leona breathed. “Don’t see that too often.”

“You cheated!” Carnes yelled. His hand went to his gun, but before it half cleared the holster, the .45 at Brennan’s side had magically appeared in his hands and was pointed directly between the big man’s eyes. “Now, don’t be that way, Alec!” Brennan said sharply. “Here I’ve had bad luck all my life. You wouldn’t regret me winning a few hands here.”

Carnes was breathing heavily. Everyone in the room saw that the gun in Brennan’s hand was rock steady. With a curse Carnes got to his feet, driving his chair backward with a crash. He lurched out of the saloon, cursing, and Brennan looked at Vince. “You don’t think Alec’s going to be my friend?”

“I don’t think so, Brennan.”

“Well, that’s sad. I purely hate to lose friends.” Brennan gathered the money, crammed it into his pockets, and picked
up the box of lingerie. He picked up the drink on the table, downed it, and then said, “Leona, I’ve got to go meet my boss, but I’ll be back later.”

“I’ll be waiting for you, big man.”

As soon as Brennan was gone, Leona turned to face Vince. “What do you think of him, Vince?”

“He could have put Alec’s lights out. I never saw a man unlimber a gun faster. I think Alec better hide while this fellow’s in town.”

* * *

TEMPERANCE HAD BEEN WAITING impatiently for Brennan. Rena was watching her carefully. Moving closer, she said, “Don’t ever believe a word a drunk says.”

Temperance started to answer, but at that instant Brennan came riding in on Judas. He was carrying a big box under one arm, and his eyes were lively as he stepped out of the saddle. He also had a tow sackful of bottles. “Well, Rena, let’s go and get you and Bent some new boots.”

Temperance glared at Brennan. “Where’s the money I gave you? What’d you spend it on?”

“Why, here it is. I got the wheel paid for and I got Judas shod. I got me some new underwear, too, but I ain’t had time to put it on.”

“What’s in the box, Brennan?” Rose piped up.

“Why, it’s a present for the preacher lady. Merry Christmas.”

“It’s not Christmas, and you don’t give me presents.”

“Well, shucks, you hurt my feelings, Peabody. I thought you’re supposed to be full of graciousness or something like that.”

“See what it is, Temperance,” Rena said, moving closer.

“I don’t want to.”

“Well, here. You open it, Rena. What I bought, when the lady sees it, she’ll want it sure enough.”

Rena eagerly took the box and pulled the top off. She reached down and pulled out a sheer nightgown made of black silk. “Why, you can see right through it,” she said.

“Oh, that’s the way it is with ladies’ underwear. The thinner it is the more it costs. You want to try it on, Peabody?”

Temperance flushed crimson. She knew Brennan had done this just to aggravate her. Her voice was unsteady as she said, “You are an
awful
man!”

“You don’t like these things? I thought you’d look real nice in this one. It’ll look good on your
anatomy.
” Brennan laughed at her and said, “Let’s go shopping, Rena. And, boss lady, we’ve got to buy some trade goods. Maybe we’ll do that in the morning.”

* * *

BRENNAN HAD DISAPPEARED AND returned early in the morning, smelling of liquor and cheap perfume. Temperance did not speak a word to him. She got up and fixed breakfast, and Brennan said, “I picked out most of the trade goods yesterday. The storekeeper said he’d have it all ready for us.”

Temperance sat on the wagon seat, refusing to answer him. Rena sat beside her, holding Bess, and Rose and Billy also occupied the seat. Timmy was peacefully asleep in his pallet in the back. Brennan led Babe and the other oxen straight into town and stopped before the trading store. He helped Temperance down, something he had never done before. She glared at him but took his hand and stepped to the ground.

“Don’t guess you slept in that pretty nightgown, did you?”

“No, I didn’t and I never will!”

“Why, Peabody, you ought to appreciate the nice things of life.”

Temperance ignored this, went inside, and bought a few more things while Brennan loaded the wagon with the trading supplies. Finally he came inside and said, “I reckon we’re ready to go, Peabody.”

Temperance followed him outside, and as soon as he stepped on the boardwalk, she was aware of three men standing there. She didn’t know them. One was much larger than the others and had an ugly glint in his eye. “Well, this is your woman and kids, is it, Brennan?”

Brennan had stopped abruptly. “This is my boss,” he said easily. “Miss Peabody, let me introduce you to Alec Carnes. He’s financing our trip. His money bought all this nice stuff and all that pretty underwear. Them pretty things belonged to Alec’s lady friend, but he had an unlucky night.”

What happened next was so abrupt Temperance could not believe it. Carnes began to curse, and then with a move she had not anticipated, he reached forward and grabbed her by the arm. He pulled her close with his other arm and said the most vulgar, obscene thing she had ever heard from a man’s lips.

She started to struggle, but before she could move, she saw Brennan make one of the fastest moves she had ever seen in a human being. In what seemed one motion, he pulled the heavy revolver from his holster, raised it high, and in one sweeping motion brought the barrel down on Carnes’s head. The sound it made was like hitting a watermelon with a hammer! The big man simply dissolved, falling bonelessly to the board sidewalk.
Brennan, still with the gun in his hand, turned to say, “You fellows want a part of this?”