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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3643192" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter One-hundred-seventy-seven, “A Friendly Game of Poker”, Thursday, June 15th, 8:00 P.M.At the Shaw house, Emily had swept up all the broken glass from when the dynamite shed exploded. Not too many windows broke in their new house, but enough that there was a good breeze coming in that she found rather nice. She put on the new, lavender dress Uncle Emery had bought her, feeling like a grown-up. At fifteen, she almost was truth be told. She just didn't always like that truth. But Uncle Emery didn't seem in any hurry for her to be a grown-up and she was going to take advantage of that. She brushed her hair and tied it back, then ran down the stairs to find out where they would be eating tonight.Emery Shaw leads his niece over to the Silver Dollar Restaurant where they have a reservation. They arrive and are seated. They are soon joined by Humphrey, Ellen and Patricia Shaw. Emery asks "How was your trip into town? I'm sorry that you came all this way for a debate that was cancelled." Humphrey says, "That's okay, a nice meal with our father and favorite cousin is always a good thing. We can come back again to hear you debate on Sunday." Ellen says, "Actually, if it alright with you Father I would like to stay in town for the weekend. Would you have room at your house for me?" Patricia interjects "Hey! That's not fair! I was going to ask about staying over in town." Ellen says, "Well I asked first."Emily choked back a laugh. They were exactly like she and Eliza were back home. "There's lots of room in the house, although we're down a few windows. It would be awful nice to have another girl around." Emery laughs and says, "Yes, there is room for both of you. In fact, I will sleep on the couch downstairs and the two of you can have my bed." Patricia says, "Oh no father, that wouldn't be fair to you. Keep your room, I'll take the couch, Ellen can share with Emily." Ellen says, "Oh no dear Tricia, I insist that you take the bed, the couch will suit me just fine."Emily looked back and forth between her cousins. How was it that Uncle couldn't see these girls both had some reason to stay in town beside his company? She would far prefer Ellen share with her, she liked her better than Tricia. But she'd also rather Ellen got to do whatever she was trying to. "I'm used to sharing a bed, and mine here is so big you could have fit all five of us kids in it. I don't mind sharing, Tricia." Emery Shaw says, "Then it's settled."Haywood Smith brings them the menus. Tonight's choices are a roast leg of lamb with potatoes and green beans, a marinated beef steak with brown rice and butternut squash, and the house special of homemade beef stew served in a bread bowl. Emily ordered the lamb dinner, still not used to eating like this. "We're reading Shakespeare in school since there is a play tomorrow," she said when Humphrey asked her about it. "It's not so hard to understand when you say it instead of just reading it to yourself. Were you going to go to the play, Uncle? Emery smiles and says, "Yes, and it appears that I will be taking three young ladies with me."Emily grinned at her cousins. "Tomorrow night? I've never been to a play, thank you, Uncle!" She ate a few bites of the good, hot dinner. "Mrs. Kale left school again today, and just after that all sorts of interesting things happened in town. Are you sure she just has ranch business?"At the Lucky Lady, Al Brower comes over and says "Thanks for doing this Jake, we all appreciate it. Van Horne said that Promise City residents will be charged $ 175 less to enter the tournament since there are no transportation or lodging costs for us. Since we're each tossing in $ 500 tonight I guess that the $ 175 will be your fee for the evening. Probably not what you're used to earning for a high-stakes game so thanks for doing this.” Jake replies, "My pleasure Al. I am glad one of you will make it to the tournament. I expect it will be memorable."Kate managed to catch hold of Ginnie as the girl flew around the room, bussing the tables and collecting tips. She had Maria bring out dinner and watched to make sure Ginnie ate plenty of it before letting her go back to her self-appointed job. As Jake's players continued to arrive Stanley Barker left he piano. Kate was already yawning, and much as she'd have liked to see the results of Jake's game, she knew she wasn't going to make it much longer. With a reminder to Ginnie to come home early and not walk alone, Kate went home. She let herself in the kitchen door and peeked in the parlor to see if Janet was there.Janet Fly is in the sitting room with her spinning wheel feeding in the wool roving and getting a spool of wool yarn as the output. While she is working on that she is simultaneously reading the Promise City Mirror which is laid out on the floor beside the wheel. She sees Kate enter and says "Hello Katherine, what an exciting day in Promise City".Kate notices that the paper on the floor is the 2nd edition for the day, with the headline "Wyatt Earp Captured after Murdering Liberty Party Candidates". Further down the page are two other headlines "Bob Skull Arrested" and "Sam Slade Does it Again!" Kate comments “"I haven't seen this edition yet, I saw the earlier. Sam Slade does it again? That seems a little unfair. He did build a brick shed and move it to the edge of town. I'm not sure what more the poor man could do." Kate sat down on the floor next to the paper so she could read as well.She looks at Janet and says, "I hope you've been comfortable. I'm sorry I haven't been here to make sure of it myself.” Janet replies, "Oh, don't be silly Kate. I more-or-less invited myself to stay here, I hardly expected you to put your life on hold to wait on me. I'm just glad for some time away from Roger. I...I'm almost certain that I believe him, that he didn't do anything at that brothel except play the piano, but there is still a smidge of doubt about that.""Brothel? I was under the impression it was a saloon?" Kate shook her head. "That's no matter. One thing I've learned working at the Lucky Lady; most people just come in because they want a place to socialize and pass a few hours. And I know the allure of a piano," she smiled. "Your husband is a friendly, sociable man. I can very easily believe he only sought a piano play and people to talk to. I cannot imagine he sought more. But you are in a position to know him far beyond mine."Kate continued to chat with Janet for a while, then pulled out her copy of Shakespeare's works and made sure she really did remember the lines. Her memory seemed to be good, and she hoped she wouldn't have to use it. It wasn't long before she began to doze off in the chair, so she excused herself and went to bed.When they are all ready, Jake starts up the game for them. As he falls into the pattern of the game, his various discomforts are temporarily forgotten. "Now, have you all come to agreement on the rules of this winner take all game?" Neil Cassidy soon arrives. They are then joined by the final player, who rather than Emery Shaw turns out to instead be his daughter Ellen. Cassidy says, "It would make sense to mirror whatever rules you will be using this weekend for the actual tournament, since the idea is that the best of us will be the one playing in that game." Jake nods and begins to deal. "Luck to all." He explains the rules as he deals.The game runs for two straight hours until Henry Weller is broke, at which point Jake calls a break. Jake commiserates with Weller for a few minutes before heading back to refresh his drink. He avoids speaking with any of the others alone, not wishing anyone to wonder if he is giving advise. He tarries about at the table, ready when the others are. "If you are going to be ready for the tournament, you need to be ready for a marathon poker session." Helen glances at Zack and says, "The way tonight has been going we may have one now."Helen Barker is having a particularly good night to this point and has a commanding lead. Zack Morand is also doing well, the only other player still ahead of where he started. Ellen Shaw is just a little below where she started, but her main advantage is the other players and dealer being unfamiliar with her so that advantage is declining as the game goes on. Both Al Brower and Neil Cassidy are doing rather poorly to this point, with Al down to his last $ 150 and Neil down to his last $ 100.They resume play and continue until Ellen Shaw is eliminated an hour later. Everybody else at the table has one a hand or two in the meanwhile and Neil, Helen and Zack are all about where they at the last break. The big winner for this past hour was Al Brower, who is now almost to where Zack was. Jake proposes another break but Helen suggests they continue, as breaks in the tournament will be at the two-to-three hour marks rather than one. They actually play for another ninety minutes at which point Neil is eliminated. Helen now more of a lead over Zack Morand but he is still holding his own. Al Brower is now a very distant third but still in the game.Jake uses the break to visit the outhouse and get another drink. It could well be a long night, and he needed some rest to be in top shape. He moved about to avoid his muscles from stiffening up. I doubt many other of the tournament players where blown up the day before it began. He pushes that thought away and returns to the table.Jake's game goes another forty-five minutes until Al Brower becomes broke. The showdown between Helen and Zack goes another two hours until the very determined Helen Barker becomes the winner. Zack Morand congratulates her and says that she earned it. It is late so Stanley only plays one song before the happy couple depart. A tired and sore Silver Jake Cook calls it a night.Chester arrives at the office before 6:00 AM. Stifling a yawn, he meets with Berg and the other deputies. "Are we ready to take these guys to the see the judge?" Berg says, "Yep. We'll take them over in a group to speed up the trials. Also it'll make them easier to guard."Kate woke ridiculously early in the morning. Despite rolling over and pulling the covers tighter, sleep would not return, so she got up and dressed, then carefully plaited her hair and pinned it up. She knew she should go down to the school this morning, but there was also the trial going on, and somehow she had to see for herself what happened to Wyatt Earp. She left a quick note for Meghan and Mollie and went over to the Town Hall.When Kate arrives at the Territorial Office Building every seat is already taken, although Cole Rixton and Judge Lacey both offter to give up their seats to her. None of the prisoners are present yet. Kevin Tomlinson calls the Court to order and Judge Isby enters, attired in his dark robes. Judge Isby cautions all present to refrain from interruptions or they could be held in contempt of court.The first two prisoners are brought in, Bob Skull and Evan Adair, accompanied by the two Sheriff's Deputies. Attorney Hamilton Fisk is walking beside Adair. Isby states, "Mr. Skull, we had you before me not that long ago. You are charged with the murder of Mr. Derek Avery, how do you plead?" He speaks for himself and says, "Not guilty, Rixton framed me."Judge Isby says, "At that time we recessed the court to wait for the High Priest to arrive before holding the trial. At that point the evidence of Mr. Avery's death clearly pointed to you. You decided to use that time to mount an escape, a clear indication of your guilt, as an innocent man would have had no reason to flee. Your attorney implied that Mr. Rixton might have been responsible for killing Mr. Avery rather than you. We had the Priest confirm Mr. Rixton was not at all responsible. Based upon the overwhelming evidence against you I find you guilty of murder and sentence you to hang before sunset today."Kate blinked. "Well, that was... fast," she said under her breath. "But well deserved." She looked up at Cole Rixton and nodded her satisfaction. The Judge states "Deputy Sheriff Leslie, since Mr. Skull has already demonstrated an ability to escape from the Town Jail I will impose upon you to continue to hold him in your jail instead. Please return him there." Leslie departs with Skull.Judge Isby states, "Mr. Adair, you are charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive from justice, namely Mr. Skull. How do you plead?" Hamilton Fisk stands and says, "My client pleads Not Guilty Your Honor." Fisk then goes into a long and well rehearsed speech about how Mr. Adair was completely unaware that Mr. Skull had returned to town and had no contact with him. The Judge asks both Marshall Berg and Deputy Sheriff Nagle if there is any solid evidence to prove that Adair had indeed helped Skull. Unfortunately they have none.Judge Isby says, "I therefore must take you at your word Mr. Adair, however under the circumstances, I feel obligated to still pass sentence. Mr. Adiar, you are hereby given a suspended sentenced of one month in prison for associating with a known criminal. If you are caught in the company of any known criminals during the next month you will be incarcerated." He pounds the gavel. Adair asks Fisk about appealing. Fisk replies, "Don't be stupid, you were given no prison time. That could get reversed upon appeal." Adair leaves.Fisk remains, moving to the back of the room and standing near the corner alongside Prosper Deacon McCoy. Kate sighed softly. Adair seemed to slip in and out of trouble with equal ease. At least he would have to watch his step for the next month.</blockquote>

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