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<blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3343594" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter 227, “The Prince and the Pauper” , Saturday, April 1st, 1882, 7:30 P.M.</strong></p><p></p><p>The men finish the task of moving the books. The man steps back into the wagon, now sitting on top of one of the book boxes rather than on the bench. The driver hands him back the shotgun, which he continues to hold pointing in Kate's direction. </p><p></p><p>Mr. Twain has just finished reading the passage where both the Prince and the Pauper describe their lives to one another, each being envious of what they hear. He continues: </p><p></p><p><em>"Oh, prithee, say no more, 'tis glorious! If that I could but clothe me in raiment like to thine, and strip my feet, and revel in the mud once, just once, with none to rebuke me or forbid, meseemeth I could forego the crown! And if that I could clothe me once, sweet sir, as thou art clad--just once-- Oho, would'st like it? Then so shall it be. Doff thy rags, and don these splendours, lad! It is a brief happiness, but will be not less keen for that. We will have it while we may, and change again before any come to molest."</em></p><p></p><p>The driver commands his horses onward and the wagon begins to move south and away from Kate. The man in the back continues to hold his shotgun in Kate's direction. They pass before Jake and the other men by the corral fence. Mark Twain continues to read: </p><p></p><p><em>"A few minutes later the little Prince of Wales was garlanded with Tom's fluttering odds and ends, and the little Prince of Pauperdom was tricked out in the gaudy plumage of royalty. The two went and stood side by side before a great mirror, and lo, a miracle: there did not seem to have been any change made! They stared at each other, then at the glass, then at each other again. At last the puzzled princeling said--"What dost thou make of this?"</em></p><p></p><p>Kate stood very carefully still, not wanting to give the man any reason to fire at her. She watched the men by the corral even as he kept her eyes on the shotgun. Both Jake and Ruby continue to watch from their spots. The wagon continues southward, soon passing from Ruby and Chester's field of vision. Jake and Kate continue to watch it as it passes by Weller's Blacksmithing and the County Claims Office. Mr. Twain's readings continue: </p><p></p><p><em>"Ah, good your worship, require me not to answer. It is not meet that one of my degree should utter the thing. Then will _I_ utter it. Thou hast the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice and manner, the same form and stature, the same face and countenance that I bear. Fared we forth naked, there is none could say which was you, and which the Prince of Wales.“</em></p><p></p><p>The wagon passes by the Marshall's Office and the Great Western Boarding House and across the intersection of South. Both the driver and rider notice Nanuet and Louise as they pass by. Nanuet also stays where he is, watching the wagon like a hawk. "No, no, no," Kate muttered as the men in the wagon appeared to notice her friends. "Keep going, keep going...." he wagon proceeds south, passing the El Parador, Rixton's Furniture and then Brown's Ice House. It continues along the south road and out of town. After Ruby can no longer see the wagon, she keeps her eyes on Murdock. "You a fan of Twain?" she asks. "Woman, can't you shut your yap?" the man exclaims. "How rude!" Ruby exclaims. She steps back so she is standing a bit behind him, and she takes in his height and build.</p><p></p><p>Back on the stage Mr. Twain then closes the book in dramatic fashion. He looks up and says, "That is the premise of the book. Two men of vastly different worlds who resemble each other completely and then find themselves living each other's lives. I hope that you all find it within yourselves to purchase a copy at the earliest opportunity." He glances at his pocket watch and says, "I see that I still have an allotment of ten minutes to further prattle on. Let me repeat how it is indeed an honor to be here among you." </p><p></p><p>Those back on Fremont street now see the wagon take the left hand turn around the hill 300 feet south of town and out of their field of vision. "Let's go home, Grant," Kate said quietly. "We can go around the block to get turned around." She led the cart farther down Main Street and past the Papago Cash Store. Katherine was soon almost to the intersection of Fremont and Sierra. </p><p></p><p>On stage Mark Twain says, "While I plan to stick around until the festival ends, and perhaps bore you with some more recitation, I hear that I missed a full slate of afternoon entertainment. I am most sorry to hear that I arrived to late to participate in the marksmanship competition. My dear friend Samuel Colt himself made gave me gift of 'Old Betsey' here and I'd hoped to get a chance to try her out." Twain reaches into his jacket pocket and removes a shiny new Colt Peacemaker. </p><p></p><p>Jake's eyes are immediately drawn to a moving firearm being brandished about. He stares intently at the stage. Ruby catches Jake staring at the stage, but only briefly. She quickly sees Twain moving his gun around but instead she puts her eyes back on Murdock. Jake tries to catch Ruby's attention. He rubs his little finger of his left hand near the base and then looks back and forth twice from Ruby to the stage. Ruby moves her eyes to the stage, where she looks intently for someone who could be Johnny Ringo. </p><p></p><p>Kate stopped for a moment and listened intently to the voice of Mr. Twain, trying to disregard the accent. Kate immediately began turning the cart, trying to see if any of her friends were looking at her just now. There was a small spell she could do without being seen, they only needed to be able to see her to hear her.</p><p></p><p>Jake starts to walk north across Main heading toward the Smith house on the northwest corner of that intersection. When his right hand is shielded so that nobody to his west can see it he makes a "come here" gesture to Chester, who is seventy-five feet further down the street. Chester notes the signal. He stops leaning against the porch rail and lights a cigarette. He begins walking slowly toward Jake. He looks past Jake at the stage, trying to make it seem like he's going there.</p><p></p><p>Jake stops briefly at the Smith house and them casually begins to cross Fremont towards the Comique. He gestures for Chet to hurry up. The two are beside each other by mid-street. </p><p>Jake softly mutters, "Looks like Ringo won't win the costume contest. His Mark Twain impersonation is good but not flawless." Chester exclaims, "Twain? Are you sure? I mean, how can you tell. have you seen him speak before? We can't take a chance, so let's head for the stage." Jake replies, "The eyes Chet, always watch the eyes. You and Ruby need to get off the street while he has that gun out with your names on the first two bullets." They start to walk up onto the Comique's porch in Ruby's direction.</p><p></p><p>Nanuet and Minerva wait until the wagon is out of sight. Then they head towards Main Street to meet up with their friends. They see Kate who nods towards them. Nanuet keep walking until he sees the main intersection, and Ruby. Ruby is still standing behind Murdock and she nods to Nanuet, hoping he gets the idea to keep an eye on him. Then Ruby says, "Since I'm not wanted here I'm going to get a closer look." She start making her way towards the stage, keeping her eyes moving to find out who Jake was talking about. Ruby is already off the porch and starting to get through the crowd to the stage. She is still trying to figure out who Jake was giving her the signal for. </p><p></p><p>When Nanuet's gaze met hers Kate rapidly made a few small gestures with her fingers hidden in the folds of her skirt. She then whispered so softly even Grant couldn't hear, "Twain is Ringo in disguise." Despite how softly she spoke, Nanuet can hear her clearly. Nanuet gets Kate's message and looks to the stage in disbelief. He starts hurrying towards the intersection at Main, watching the guy Ruby pointed out to him, ready to follow if he moves.</p><p></p><p>Kate and Grant passed the others on the way back to the El Parador, Kate all the while wishing she still had her dispel scroll. "Grant, go inside and tell the men there that Twain is Ringo in disguise," she whispered. "Tell them which way the wagon went. They shouldn't have left quite yet." Then Kate left Grant to move towards the Great Western where Louise was still standing a moment earlier, now seeing that she is gone.</p><p></p><p>Murdock follows Ruby through the crowd keeping right behind her. She notices him behind her as she nears the porch to the Lucky Lady, and that Jake and Chester have also picked up their pace. Chester nudges Jake, "Who is that guy following Ruby? The one with the blond hair? He could be a cowboy." Ruby quickly ducks inside the Lucky Lady and says to Jeff as she passes him, "Some guy is following me!" </p><p></p><p>Murdock bypasses the Lucky Lady once Ruby heads inside and turns north onto Allen Street. Jeff stands and the door to prevent anyone from entering after Ruby. Jake tells Chet "Go after him, I'll get Ruby." Jake hurries into the Lucky Lady, Jeff letting him pass. Ruby runs through the Saloon, out the side door, back up the alley and into the crowd. She is gone before Jake gets inside. He yells over to Niles "Where did Ruby go?" Outside, she has gone past around a dozen people in the crowd when she sees Murdock a short distance ahead of her and moving in her direction.</p><p></p><p>"Oh, damn," Kate muttered, looking around the street for any sign of her. "She must have gone inside, she can't have just disappeared." It must have been Sonoma. Mr. Gonzales would never have let Ginnie out here. Sonoma knows how to care for herself. Kate walked slowly toward the crowd to observe what "Twain" was doing. Twain had been rambling on some more about his earlier novels, still with his gun in hand but using it more as a pointer than a weapon. His eyes keep darting to the left as a number of people hurry along Main between Fremont and Allen Streets. </p><p></p><p>Just then a bright light, like a fireworks display but without the corresponding explosion, is shot off a quarter mile away to the southeast. Several dozen people notice it, including Twain. He says, "Well, you've listened to me long enough." He puts his gun back into his suit pocket, picks up his book, and steps back from the podium. Now what was that about?" Kate muttered. She seemed to be developing a very bad habit of talking to herself. She kept her eye on Twain and tried to move forward through the crowd.</p><p></p><p>"Damn it!" Ruby swears. "Where is Nanuet?" A couple of people look at her like she is crazy talking to herself. She continues to push forward hoping to lose him in the crowd. Ruby sees the light and quickly guesses it's a sign that the Cowboys have the books. She tries to watch for who starts moving as she continues her way forward. Murdock turns back and sees Chester following him. He stops moving towards Ruby and instead heads over in the direction of the Lucky Lady's side door. Just then Jake opens up the side door.</p><p></p><p>Once Ruby sees that she lost Murdock, she keeps her eyes forward and moves towards the stage more quickly. With Murdock trapped between him and Jake, Chester asks the man, "Evening, where are you heading? You wouldn't be following a pretty redhead, hmm?" He gestures to the outhouse behind the Lucky Lady and says, "I just need to use that buddy." My mistake." Chester gestures toward the outhouse. "Go right on ahead." Murdock enters the outhouse. </p><p></p><p>Burton Lumley moves to the Podium and announces that the costume ball will begin in fifteen minutes and for everybody to go get costumes. He also adds "And if you haven't found one to wear yet I've been asked to point out that Cook's General Store, Kelly's Dry Goods and Tailor, and Lacey's General Store all have a variety of masks for sale and will be open for the next half hour." The crowds begin to disperse. Twain and his welcoming committee all leave the stage together and start to head north onto Front Street. </p><p></p><p>Ruby is now on Main between Allen and Front Streets, in front of Peacock's Saloon while Kate is around eighty feet further back from her in the middle of the dance floor on Main Street. Ruby stays where she is, with the crowds dispersing around her. She had no idea who Ringo was hiding out as. She kept watch but in the end decided to head back to the Lucky Lady. Jake runs into Ruby in front of the Gay Lady. "Where did Twain go?" he asks quickly. "That way," Ruby points, "He's over there. Why? What is going on? Where did you see you-know-who?" "Twain is Ringo," Jake replies. "What? No. No way. How do you know?" She says glancing down the street towards the group. "The eyes," is all Jake says. </p><p></p><p>Kate watched Twain and his entourage until she was sure he was staying. He had said he was staying for the rest of the festival, and Kate doubted very much whether the real Twain had ever gotten the invitation. She didn't want to let him out of sight, but it was doubtful he'd get away from the welcome wagon. Once she was satisfied she went over towards the Lucky Lady, reaching the Gay Lady just as Ruby and Jake have connected.</p><p></p><p>Jake hurries off in that direction. "Wait, I'm going with you!" Ruby hurries off, keeping next to Jake. "We can't, you know, not when he's like this. We'll be hung before they figure out he isn't who we say he is. And there was a guy chasing me, he had a special belt buckle." Kate reaches them saying, "You know then. Good, I wanted to..." Kate was still talking as Jake was moving. She made a few quick strides to keep up with him. "What are you going to do?"</p><p></p><p>"Ruby do you have your scroll?" Kate whispered. "They'd believe it if he looked like himself again." Jake says, "We could tell Helen Barker. She's crazy enough to shoot him no matter who he looks like." Ruby replies, "Good point. But that would mean having to find her." Ruby shook her head and looked at Kate, "Where did you come from? Never mind, yes I have my scroll." Ruby pulls the piece of parchment out of bodice. They continue towards the group. </p><p>"What are we going to do?" Kate says, "I don't know what he intends to do in a room full of people either Ruby."</p><p></p><p>Murdock has been inside the outhouse for a few minutes when a grizzled old prospector approaches the outhouse to use it. The man opens the outhouse door and Chester sees that nobody is inside. Chester says, "Sorry. Someone is... What in Hades?" He pushes past the startled prospector and feels around in the air of the outhouse. If he can't feel anyone invisible, he runs into the Lucky Lady to tell Jake or Ruby what happened. Niles says they aren't around. Nanuet has arrived and Chet tells him. Chester says, "I guess we'll wait here." He whispers to Nanuet, "The guy went into the outhouse and disappeared, like that." He snaps his fingers. "Must be sorcery.'</p><p></p><p>Ruby, Jake and Kate follow the crowds to Drover's Hotel and Saloon where Twain and his admirers have gone. They enter the Saloon. They see Elton Hubbard, Hamilton Fisk, Mitchell Berg and the Arch-Bishop sitting together at a table as the saloon is quickly filling up with patrons. Mr. Twain is nowhere in sight. Ruby asks the nearest person, "Where did Mr. Twain run off to? We're big fans." The man doesn't know. </p><p></p><p>Jake heads directly to the table and asks Berg. The Marshal replies, "He said he was tired and asked the Blakes if there was somewhere that he could take a quick catnap. They said he could use their bedroom out back."</p><p></p><p>Kate followed Jake over to the table and made eye contact with the Arch Bishop. "Your Excellency," she said quietly. She made a formal greeting she remembered from Boston that brought her close to his ear. She whispered, "Twain is Ringo in disguise." Jake whispers the same message to Berg. The Marshall locates Austin Blake and says that he needs to see Twain immediately. Predictably, there is nobody there and the room's backdoor is unlocked. </p><p></p><p>In a quick search of the area they soon find that the night employee Charlie Josephs at the adjacent Drover's Livery is asleep. Blake admonishes him for falling asleep on the job and Josephs has no explanation. A quick check of the animals inventory reveals that five of the horses and five saddles are missing. "He's gone," Ruby sighs. "It can't be that hard to track them down." Kate said to the Arch-Bishop. "We shouldn't just let him run off." Ruby leans in and whispers, "Don't forget about the other plan..."</p><p></p><p>Kate says, "I know, but if we could finish this tonight... Marshall Berg? I may have a way of knowing where he is going." Ruby states, "But we sent those others out there and they could be in danger if we try something now." The Arch-Bishop tells Berg, "Allow me a few minutes alone with these women." They step outside and he says, "Have some faith. Our chasing after them could not only be a trap but also put Costas, Demetrius and your centaur friend in danger. Better to wait than to rush without thinking and further compound our problems. For now we should just be thankful that this Priest of Ares has departed without harming the Festival."</p><p></p><p>"I should have acted sooner," Kate said, shaking her head. "But I was alone and by the time I found any others it was too late. I know, we prepared for this, I just... I feel as if I'd failed anyway. Tomorrow. That was the plan." Ruby replies, "It's ok Kate. He's gone for now. So I can stop worrying about being bullet number two for the moment. Although..." Ruby turns to the Arch Bishop, "He did threaten the person performing at midnight. So maybe be ready for that." </p><p></p><p>Ruby moods was already lightening. "Thanks your highness!" she says cheerfully. She takes Jake by the hand, "Let's go get ready for the ball. Come on Kate, you too." Kate says, "I don't really want to, but I promised Conrad. You go ahead Ruby, I have to go back to the El Parador anyway, not to the Lady." </p><p></p><p>It is now approximately 8:30 PM and the El Parador Band has been playing on the Main Stage for around fifteen minutes while the ball attendees are starting to arrive. "And I don't want to miss the ball. I'm going to go back and get ready." Ruby dragged Jake away, and Kate watched her go, wondering how she could be happy. Ringo had been right here, and they hadn't done anything. Once they were gone Kate turned back to the Arch Bishop. "Do you really think it will be alright?"</p><p></p><p>The Arch-Bishop replies, "I believe that Dionysus himself may be playing his hand in this. Have some faith child. The man was standing onstage with a loaded gun beside myself, the town's Marshall and its most prominent citizens. If disrupting the Festival was his goal he could have easily accomplished it and that may have been his primary goal. Instead, you and your friends deduced his deception and scared him away before any real harm was done. Consider that a victory for now and allow our three friends to carry out the task that we left for them."</p><p></p><p>Kate nodded glumly. "Faith isn't my strongest suit, but you are right. It could have been much worse. Thank you. I should go, someone is waiting for me and I'm quite late." She walked alone back to the El Parador, certain that at least for the moment she was safe on her own. Before she went to her own room she went up to her teacher's and updated him on how things had gone.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 3343594, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter 227, “The Prince and the Pauper” , Saturday, April 1st, 1882, 7:30 P.M.[/B] The men finish the task of moving the books. The man steps back into the wagon, now sitting on top of one of the book boxes rather than on the bench. The driver hands him back the shotgun, which he continues to hold pointing in Kate's direction. Mr. Twain has just finished reading the passage where both the Prince and the Pauper describe their lives to one another, each being envious of what they hear. He continues: [I]"Oh, prithee, say no more, 'tis glorious! If that I could but clothe me in raiment like to thine, and strip my feet, and revel in the mud once, just once, with none to rebuke me or forbid, meseemeth I could forego the crown! And if that I could clothe me once, sweet sir, as thou art clad--just once-- Oho, would'st like it? Then so shall it be. Doff thy rags, and don these splendours, lad! It is a brief happiness, but will be not less keen for that. We will have it while we may, and change again before any come to molest."[/I] The driver commands his horses onward and the wagon begins to move south and away from Kate. The man in the back continues to hold his shotgun in Kate's direction. They pass before Jake and the other men by the corral fence. Mark Twain continues to read: [I]"A few minutes later the little Prince of Wales was garlanded with Tom's fluttering odds and ends, and the little Prince of Pauperdom was tricked out in the gaudy plumage of royalty. The two went and stood side by side before a great mirror, and lo, a miracle: there did not seem to have been any change made! They stared at each other, then at the glass, then at each other again. At last the puzzled princeling said--"What dost thou make of this?"[/I] Kate stood very carefully still, not wanting to give the man any reason to fire at her. She watched the men by the corral even as he kept her eyes on the shotgun. Both Jake and Ruby continue to watch from their spots. The wagon continues southward, soon passing from Ruby and Chester's field of vision. Jake and Kate continue to watch it as it passes by Weller's Blacksmithing and the County Claims Office. Mr. Twain's readings continue: [I]"Ah, good your worship, require me not to answer. It is not meet that one of my degree should utter the thing. Then will _I_ utter it. Thou hast the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice and manner, the same form and stature, the same face and countenance that I bear. Fared we forth naked, there is none could say which was you, and which the Prince of Wales.“[/I] The wagon passes by the Marshall's Office and the Great Western Boarding House and across the intersection of South. Both the driver and rider notice Nanuet and Louise as they pass by. Nanuet also stays where he is, watching the wagon like a hawk. "No, no, no," Kate muttered as the men in the wagon appeared to notice her friends. "Keep going, keep going...." he wagon proceeds south, passing the El Parador, Rixton's Furniture and then Brown's Ice House. It continues along the south road and out of town. After Ruby can no longer see the wagon, she keeps her eyes on Murdock. "You a fan of Twain?" she asks. "Woman, can't you shut your yap?" the man exclaims. "How rude!" Ruby exclaims. She steps back so she is standing a bit behind him, and she takes in his height and build. Back on the stage Mr. Twain then closes the book in dramatic fashion. He looks up and says, "That is the premise of the book. Two men of vastly different worlds who resemble each other completely and then find themselves living each other's lives. I hope that you all find it within yourselves to purchase a copy at the earliest opportunity." He glances at his pocket watch and says, "I see that I still have an allotment of ten minutes to further prattle on. Let me repeat how it is indeed an honor to be here among you." Those back on Fremont street now see the wagon take the left hand turn around the hill 300 feet south of town and out of their field of vision. "Let's go home, Grant," Kate said quietly. "We can go around the block to get turned around." She led the cart farther down Main Street and past the Papago Cash Store. Katherine was soon almost to the intersection of Fremont and Sierra. On stage Mark Twain says, "While I plan to stick around until the festival ends, and perhaps bore you with some more recitation, I hear that I missed a full slate of afternoon entertainment. I am most sorry to hear that I arrived to late to participate in the marksmanship competition. My dear friend Samuel Colt himself made gave me gift of 'Old Betsey' here and I'd hoped to get a chance to try her out." Twain reaches into his jacket pocket and removes a shiny new Colt Peacemaker. Jake's eyes are immediately drawn to a moving firearm being brandished about. He stares intently at the stage. Ruby catches Jake staring at the stage, but only briefly. She quickly sees Twain moving his gun around but instead she puts her eyes back on Murdock. Jake tries to catch Ruby's attention. He rubs his little finger of his left hand near the base and then looks back and forth twice from Ruby to the stage. Ruby moves her eyes to the stage, where she looks intently for someone who could be Johnny Ringo. Kate stopped for a moment and listened intently to the voice of Mr. Twain, trying to disregard the accent. Kate immediately began turning the cart, trying to see if any of her friends were looking at her just now. There was a small spell she could do without being seen, they only needed to be able to see her to hear her. Jake starts to walk north across Main heading toward the Smith house on the northwest corner of that intersection. When his right hand is shielded so that nobody to his west can see it he makes a "come here" gesture to Chester, who is seventy-five feet further down the street. Chester notes the signal. He stops leaning against the porch rail and lights a cigarette. He begins walking slowly toward Jake. He looks past Jake at the stage, trying to make it seem like he's going there. Jake stops briefly at the Smith house and them casually begins to cross Fremont towards the Comique. He gestures for Chet to hurry up. The two are beside each other by mid-street. Jake softly mutters, "Looks like Ringo won't win the costume contest. His Mark Twain impersonation is good but not flawless." Chester exclaims, "Twain? Are you sure? I mean, how can you tell. have you seen him speak before? We can't take a chance, so let's head for the stage." Jake replies, "The eyes Chet, always watch the eyes. You and Ruby need to get off the street while he has that gun out with your names on the first two bullets." They start to walk up onto the Comique's porch in Ruby's direction. Nanuet and Minerva wait until the wagon is out of sight. Then they head towards Main Street to meet up with their friends. They see Kate who nods towards them. Nanuet keep walking until he sees the main intersection, and Ruby. Ruby is still standing behind Murdock and she nods to Nanuet, hoping he gets the idea to keep an eye on him. Then Ruby says, "Since I'm not wanted here I'm going to get a closer look." She start making her way towards the stage, keeping her eyes moving to find out who Jake was talking about. Ruby is already off the porch and starting to get through the crowd to the stage. She is still trying to figure out who Jake was giving her the signal for. When Nanuet's gaze met hers Kate rapidly made a few small gestures with her fingers hidden in the folds of her skirt. She then whispered so softly even Grant couldn't hear, "Twain is Ringo in disguise." Despite how softly she spoke, Nanuet can hear her clearly. Nanuet gets Kate's message and looks to the stage in disbelief. He starts hurrying towards the intersection at Main, watching the guy Ruby pointed out to him, ready to follow if he moves. Kate and Grant passed the others on the way back to the El Parador, Kate all the while wishing she still had her dispel scroll. "Grant, go inside and tell the men there that Twain is Ringo in disguise," she whispered. "Tell them which way the wagon went. They shouldn't have left quite yet." Then Kate left Grant to move towards the Great Western where Louise was still standing a moment earlier, now seeing that she is gone. Murdock follows Ruby through the crowd keeping right behind her. She notices him behind her as she nears the porch to the Lucky Lady, and that Jake and Chester have also picked up their pace. Chester nudges Jake, "Who is that guy following Ruby? The one with the blond hair? He could be a cowboy." Ruby quickly ducks inside the Lucky Lady and says to Jeff as she passes him, "Some guy is following me!" Murdock bypasses the Lucky Lady once Ruby heads inside and turns north onto Allen Street. Jeff stands and the door to prevent anyone from entering after Ruby. Jake tells Chet "Go after him, I'll get Ruby." Jake hurries into the Lucky Lady, Jeff letting him pass. Ruby runs through the Saloon, out the side door, back up the alley and into the crowd. She is gone before Jake gets inside. He yells over to Niles "Where did Ruby go?" Outside, she has gone past around a dozen people in the crowd when she sees Murdock a short distance ahead of her and moving in her direction. "Oh, damn," Kate muttered, looking around the street for any sign of her. "She must have gone inside, she can't have just disappeared." It must have been Sonoma. Mr. Gonzales would never have let Ginnie out here. Sonoma knows how to care for herself. Kate walked slowly toward the crowd to observe what "Twain" was doing. Twain had been rambling on some more about his earlier novels, still with his gun in hand but using it more as a pointer than a weapon. His eyes keep darting to the left as a number of people hurry along Main between Fremont and Allen Streets. Just then a bright light, like a fireworks display but without the corresponding explosion, is shot off a quarter mile away to the southeast. Several dozen people notice it, including Twain. He says, "Well, you've listened to me long enough." He puts his gun back into his suit pocket, picks up his book, and steps back from the podium. Now what was that about?" Kate muttered. She seemed to be developing a very bad habit of talking to herself. She kept her eye on Twain and tried to move forward through the crowd. "Damn it!" Ruby swears. "Where is Nanuet?" A couple of people look at her like she is crazy talking to herself. She continues to push forward hoping to lose him in the crowd. Ruby sees the light and quickly guesses it's a sign that the Cowboys have the books. She tries to watch for who starts moving as she continues her way forward. Murdock turns back and sees Chester following him. He stops moving towards Ruby and instead heads over in the direction of the Lucky Lady's side door. Just then Jake opens up the side door. Once Ruby sees that she lost Murdock, she keeps her eyes forward and moves towards the stage more quickly. With Murdock trapped between him and Jake, Chester asks the man, "Evening, where are you heading? You wouldn't be following a pretty redhead, hmm?" He gestures to the outhouse behind the Lucky Lady and says, "I just need to use that buddy." My mistake." Chester gestures toward the outhouse. "Go right on ahead." Murdock enters the outhouse. Burton Lumley moves to the Podium and announces that the costume ball will begin in fifteen minutes and for everybody to go get costumes. He also adds "And if you haven't found one to wear yet I've been asked to point out that Cook's General Store, Kelly's Dry Goods and Tailor, and Lacey's General Store all have a variety of masks for sale and will be open for the next half hour." The crowds begin to disperse. Twain and his welcoming committee all leave the stage together and start to head north onto Front Street. Ruby is now on Main between Allen and Front Streets, in front of Peacock's Saloon while Kate is around eighty feet further back from her in the middle of the dance floor on Main Street. Ruby stays where she is, with the crowds dispersing around her. She had no idea who Ringo was hiding out as. She kept watch but in the end decided to head back to the Lucky Lady. Jake runs into Ruby in front of the Gay Lady. "Where did Twain go?" he asks quickly. "That way," Ruby points, "He's over there. Why? What is going on? Where did you see you-know-who?" "Twain is Ringo," Jake replies. "What? No. No way. How do you know?" She says glancing down the street towards the group. "The eyes," is all Jake says. Kate watched Twain and his entourage until she was sure he was staying. He had said he was staying for the rest of the festival, and Kate doubted very much whether the real Twain had ever gotten the invitation. She didn't want to let him out of sight, but it was doubtful he'd get away from the welcome wagon. Once she was satisfied she went over towards the Lucky Lady, reaching the Gay Lady just as Ruby and Jake have connected. Jake hurries off in that direction. "Wait, I'm going with you!" Ruby hurries off, keeping next to Jake. "We can't, you know, not when he's like this. We'll be hung before they figure out he isn't who we say he is. And there was a guy chasing me, he had a special belt buckle." Kate reaches them saying, "You know then. Good, I wanted to..." Kate was still talking as Jake was moving. She made a few quick strides to keep up with him. "What are you going to do?" "Ruby do you have your scroll?" Kate whispered. "They'd believe it if he looked like himself again." Jake says, "We could tell Helen Barker. She's crazy enough to shoot him no matter who he looks like." Ruby replies, "Good point. But that would mean having to find her." Ruby shook her head and looked at Kate, "Where did you come from? Never mind, yes I have my scroll." Ruby pulls the piece of parchment out of bodice. They continue towards the group. "What are we going to do?" Kate says, "I don't know what he intends to do in a room full of people either Ruby." Murdock has been inside the outhouse for a few minutes when a grizzled old prospector approaches the outhouse to use it. The man opens the outhouse door and Chester sees that nobody is inside. Chester says, "Sorry. Someone is... What in Hades?" He pushes past the startled prospector and feels around in the air of the outhouse. If he can't feel anyone invisible, he runs into the Lucky Lady to tell Jake or Ruby what happened. Niles says they aren't around. Nanuet has arrived and Chet tells him. Chester says, "I guess we'll wait here." He whispers to Nanuet, "The guy went into the outhouse and disappeared, like that." He snaps his fingers. "Must be sorcery.' Ruby, Jake and Kate follow the crowds to Drover's Hotel and Saloon where Twain and his admirers have gone. They enter the Saloon. They see Elton Hubbard, Hamilton Fisk, Mitchell Berg and the Arch-Bishop sitting together at a table as the saloon is quickly filling up with patrons. Mr. Twain is nowhere in sight. Ruby asks the nearest person, "Where did Mr. Twain run off to? We're big fans." The man doesn't know. Jake heads directly to the table and asks Berg. The Marshal replies, "He said he was tired and asked the Blakes if there was somewhere that he could take a quick catnap. They said he could use their bedroom out back." Kate followed Jake over to the table and made eye contact with the Arch Bishop. "Your Excellency," she said quietly. She made a formal greeting she remembered from Boston that brought her close to his ear. She whispered, "Twain is Ringo in disguise." Jake whispers the same message to Berg. The Marshall locates Austin Blake and says that he needs to see Twain immediately. Predictably, there is nobody there and the room's backdoor is unlocked. In a quick search of the area they soon find that the night employee Charlie Josephs at the adjacent Drover's Livery is asleep. Blake admonishes him for falling asleep on the job and Josephs has no explanation. A quick check of the animals inventory reveals that five of the horses and five saddles are missing. "He's gone," Ruby sighs. "It can't be that hard to track them down." Kate said to the Arch-Bishop. "We shouldn't just let him run off." Ruby leans in and whispers, "Don't forget about the other plan..." Kate says, "I know, but if we could finish this tonight... Marshall Berg? I may have a way of knowing where he is going." Ruby states, "But we sent those others out there and they could be in danger if we try something now." The Arch-Bishop tells Berg, "Allow me a few minutes alone with these women." They step outside and he says, "Have some faith. Our chasing after them could not only be a trap but also put Costas, Demetrius and your centaur friend in danger. Better to wait than to rush without thinking and further compound our problems. For now we should just be thankful that this Priest of Ares has departed without harming the Festival." "I should have acted sooner," Kate said, shaking her head. "But I was alone and by the time I found any others it was too late. I know, we prepared for this, I just... I feel as if I'd failed anyway. Tomorrow. That was the plan." Ruby replies, "It's ok Kate. He's gone for now. So I can stop worrying about being bullet number two for the moment. Although..." Ruby turns to the Arch Bishop, "He did threaten the person performing at midnight. So maybe be ready for that." Ruby moods was already lightening. "Thanks your highness!" she says cheerfully. She takes Jake by the hand, "Let's go get ready for the ball. Come on Kate, you too." Kate says, "I don't really want to, but I promised Conrad. You go ahead Ruby, I have to go back to the El Parador anyway, not to the Lady." It is now approximately 8:30 PM and the El Parador Band has been playing on the Main Stage for around fifteen minutes while the ball attendees are starting to arrive. "And I don't want to miss the ball. I'm going to go back and get ready." Ruby dragged Jake away, and Kate watched her go, wondering how she could be happy. Ringo had been right here, and they hadn't done anything. Once they were gone Kate turned back to the Arch Bishop. "Do you really think it will be alright?" The Arch-Bishop replies, "I believe that Dionysus himself may be playing his hand in this. Have some faith child. The man was standing onstage with a loaded gun beside myself, the town's Marshall and its most prominent citizens. If disrupting the Festival was his goal he could have easily accomplished it and that may have been his primary goal. Instead, you and your friends deduced his deception and scared him away before any real harm was done. Consider that a victory for now and allow our three friends to carry out the task that we left for them." Kate nodded glumly. "Faith isn't my strongest suit, but you are right. It could have been much worse. Thank you. I should go, someone is waiting for me and I'm quite late." She walked alone back to the El Parador, certain that at least for the moment she was safe on her own. Before she went to her own room she went up to her teacher's and updated him on how things had gone. [/QUOTE]
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