Jake by Cynthia Woolf Page A

man. Becky isn’t going anywhere but with me.” Jake climbed on behind Becky and they took off down the trail.
    Billy called after them, “You can’t do this. I tell ya she’s mine to do with as I see fit.”
    Becky and Jake galloped past the Anderson claim and on into Deadwood ten minutes later. They went directly Reverend Smith’s tent. The canvas structure was big. One of the biggest tents Jake had ever seen outside a circus. He lived there with his daughter and held his services in it during the winter.
    “Reverend, you have to help us. We want to get married,” said Jake.
    The Reverend smiled broadly. “Wonderful. When would you like the special day to be?”
    “Now.”
    “Now? But young man, there are no witnesses and you have no family here.”
    “How many witnesses do you need?”
    “Well, my daughter Eleanor can be one witness, so we would need one more.”
    “Wait here,” said Jake. He went out to the street, talked to a man walking by and they both came back into the tent.
    “Will this man do?” asked Jake.
    “Hello, Mr. Swearengen,” smiled Becky. “Would you mind being a witness to my marriage?”
    “Does Billy know about this?” asked Al Swearengen, owner of The Gem .
    “No sir. Billy sold me to some miner. If I get married he can’t sell me and he’ll have to give the miner back his money.”
    “Who was the miner?”
    “Edgar Winters.”
    Swearengen guffawed. “I’d be delighted to put both those men in their places, so I’d be happy to witness your marriage. Who is the lucky groom?”
    Becky had mentioned Al Swearengen to Jake before. He was supposed to be a complete reprobate but he was available and it seemed willing to help them.
    “Jake Anderson.”
    “Well, Jake, I’m going to witness this ceremony of yours and then I expect not to see Becky in my place again. She’s bad for business.”
    “You can count on it, sir.”
    “Very well then,” said Reverend Smith calmly. “Take your places. Jake and Mr. Swearengen on my left, Becky and Eleanor on my right.”
    Eleanor Smith, the Reverend’s daughter, walked solemnly toward them. She was tall and slender with brown hair. When she smiled, she was lovely.
    “Come, Becky, stand with me.” Eleanor took her by the hand and positioned her farthest from the Reverend.
    Al and Jake took their positions and the Reverend began. “Dearly beloved. We are gathered together to witness the marriage of this man, Jake Anderson to this woman, Becky Finnegan….”
    The next thing he knew, the Reverend was asking about a ring.
    “We don’t have a ring,” said Becky.
    “Yes, we do,” said Jake and he pulled a simple gold band out of his pocket.
    Becky shook her head, “No, Jake, that was for Eliz…”
    He took her hand and put the ring on it, “Now it’s for you.”
    “By the power vested in me by the Lord Almighty and the Dakota Territory, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
    Jake bent down and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.
    “Thank you, Reverend,” said Jake, handing the preacher a twenty dollar gold coin. He held his hand out, “Mr. Swearengen, thank you. I promise Becky will never be in your place again.”
    “Good. Now I can’t wait to see Billy’s face when he finds out what you did. Or what his face is going to look like when Edgar Winters gets done rearranging it for him.” Al laughed and walked out of the tent.
    “Miss Smith, thank you also for being our witness,” said Jake.
    “Not at all Mr. Anderson. I often witness the nuptials my father performs.” Jake thought she might break shaking his hand she was so stiff. She stood there like there was a pole down her back.
    Jake took Becky’s elbow and steered her out of the tent and back to where Buster waited, hobbled, because there was no hitching post.
    “Now we’re going to go get your things and move them to my tent. You’re never to go near your father after this. Understood?”
    “Yes. I don’t want to go anywhere near