said, "I'm all ears, Billy. Go on."
"As I was trying to say, you and Tubbs are gonna ride into Durango and have a look-see around. We want to know what Marshal Slater has been up to.
You and Tubbs might even have to take him out. Think you can handle a big job like that?"
Something inside Artemis must have busted loose. He was sure of it. His head felt twice as big as normal, and the pressure of keeping a wild whoop of joy inside himself had his eyes bulging. But he had to keep that elation inside at all costs. If he didn't know another thing, he knew that much. Why, if Billy were to witness another of his frivolous fits of the giggles, he'd kick his butt down the mountain for sure, and take the job away to boot. To make certain that didn't happen, Artemis pinched his own upper arm, and twisted the tender flesh until the urge to celebrate subsided. "I can handle the job just fine, Billy. When are we supposed to leave?"
From behind him, Tubbs supplied the answer. "Now, if your brother's done talking to you."
Artemis pinched himself again as he said, "Then I guess I'd best get to packing my saddlebags."
"Not so fast." Billy stepped up beside him. "Since I ain't riding along with you, I only got this one chance to make sure you understand what I expect, so listen up."
"I'm a-listening." Boy, was he listening. His ears had to be sticking up as big as a jackrabbit's, maybe even a mule's.
"This here's a dangerous job, one that affects the lot of us. You got to keep that thick head of yours on business and that big mouth of yours shut, understand?"
A secret mission? Artemis couldn't dim his luminous grin a second longer. "I understand, Billy, I do."
"Wipe that stupid grin off your face, boy. You know what'll happen if you don't keep a serious face about you and your mind on business, don't you?"
Artemis saw the vicious look in his brother's eyes, the one he always dreaded because something awful usually went along with it. All the elation and excitement in his body turned to stone. "I know what you mean, Billy. I swear, this time, I do."
Tubbs nudged Artemis in the back with his elbow, but kept his cold gaze on Billy as he said, "I'll make sure he understands from here on out. See you in a few days. Let's go, kid."
After they'd walked several yards beyond the lookout point, Tubbs turned to Artemis and spoke low so only he could hear. "Say—you know that big sorrel I found a few weeks back?"
Artemis brightened a little at the mention of the horse. "Yeah."
"He seems to have taken a shine to you. How'd you like to ride him into Durango?"
"Me?" He whipped his head around, his eyes almost back to their full radiance. "You mean ride him like he was my own?"
"Just like you bought and paid for him."
Artemis grinned and scratched his head right near the cowlick. "Could I name him Big Red? That's what I been calling him when no one's around."
"Big Red sounds just fine, kid. Just fine."
* * *
Back at The Clipper, a "theater" gambling hall on Durango's saloon block, Cain propped his elbows against the pitted bar counter and continued to observe the assortment of female entertainers amongst the poker and faro tables. A perky blonde with bosom enough for two women caught his eye almost immediately, but then he noticed the single pink feather poking up through her frothy pile of platinum curls. The adornment reminded him of Indians. And that reminded him of Princess Tanacoa.
Shortly thereafter, every woman he glanced at seemed to feature some characteristic he could liken to one of Mariah's, which in turn made her an unsuitable choice as his companion for the evening. Hell, he could probably search all night and never find a woman in town he'd consider suitable.
Why had he even bothered to come here? he wondered as he drained his beer mug. He should have taken the twenty dollars and spent it on a new hat—one that didn't make him look like a preacher without a flock. It would sure as hell be wasted if he were to spend it on
"As I was trying to say, you and Tubbs are gonna ride into Durango and have a look-see around. We want to know what Marshal Slater has been up to.
You and Tubbs might even have to take him out. Think you can handle a big job like that?"
Something inside Artemis must have busted loose. He was sure of it. His head felt twice as big as normal, and the pressure of keeping a wild whoop of joy inside himself had his eyes bulging. But he had to keep that elation inside at all costs. If he didn't know another thing, he knew that much. Why, if Billy were to witness another of his frivolous fits of the giggles, he'd kick his butt down the mountain for sure, and take the job away to boot. To make certain that didn't happen, Artemis pinched his own upper arm, and twisted the tender flesh until the urge to celebrate subsided. "I can handle the job just fine, Billy. When are we supposed to leave?"
From behind him, Tubbs supplied the answer. "Now, if your brother's done talking to you."
Artemis pinched himself again as he said, "Then I guess I'd best get to packing my saddlebags."
"Not so fast." Billy stepped up beside him. "Since I ain't riding along with you, I only got this one chance to make sure you understand what I expect, so listen up."
"I'm a-listening." Boy, was he listening. His ears had to be sticking up as big as a jackrabbit's, maybe even a mule's.
"This here's a dangerous job, one that affects the lot of us. You got to keep that thick head of yours on business and that big mouth of yours shut, understand?"
A secret mission? Artemis couldn't dim his luminous grin a second longer. "I understand, Billy, I do."
"Wipe that stupid grin off your face, boy. You know what'll happen if you don't keep a serious face about you and your mind on business, don't you?"
Artemis saw the vicious look in his brother's eyes, the one he always dreaded because something awful usually went along with it. All the elation and excitement in his body turned to stone. "I know what you mean, Billy. I swear, this time, I do."
Tubbs nudged Artemis in the back with his elbow, but kept his cold gaze on Billy as he said, "I'll make sure he understands from here on out. See you in a few days. Let's go, kid."
After they'd walked several yards beyond the lookout point, Tubbs turned to Artemis and spoke low so only he could hear. "Say—you know that big sorrel I found a few weeks back?"
Artemis brightened a little at the mention of the horse. "Yeah."
"He seems to have taken a shine to you. How'd you like to ride him into Durango?"
"Me?" He whipped his head around, his eyes almost back to their full radiance. "You mean ride him like he was my own?"
"Just like you bought and paid for him."
Artemis grinned and scratched his head right near the cowlick. "Could I name him Big Red? That's what I been calling him when no one's around."
"Big Red sounds just fine, kid. Just fine."
* * *
Back at The Clipper, a "theater" gambling hall on Durango's saloon block, Cain propped his elbows against the pitted bar counter and continued to observe the assortment of female entertainers amongst the poker and faro tables. A perky blonde with bosom enough for two women caught his eye almost immediately, but then he noticed the single pink feather poking up through her frothy pile of platinum curls. The adornment reminded him of Indians. And that reminded him of Princess Tanacoa.
Shortly thereafter, every woman he glanced at seemed to feature some characteristic he could liken to one of Mariah's, which in turn made her an unsuitable choice as his companion for the evening. Hell, he could probably search all night and never find a woman in town he'd consider suitable.
Why had he even bothered to come here? he wondered as he drained his beer mug. He should have taken the twenty dollars and spent it on a new hat—one that didn't make him look like a preacher without a flock. It would sure as hell be wasted if he were to spend it on
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