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Story Hour
"Revenge, Renewal and the Promise of a New Year" (Boot Hill/D&D)
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<blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 1829497" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-two, “Jake’s Big Hand”, January 6th, 1882:</strong></p><p></p><p>The poker game had continued and Ned Walters had dropped out, commenting that he needed the rest of his money for the remainder of the weekend. Jake estimated that Walters had lost close to $200, rather evenly split between him and Adair. One observer decided to take Walters place but lasted only around half-an-hour until he was broke. Cassidy continued to take his cards every hand and then fold, clearly intimidated by Adair's presence at the table. The blacksmith Weller got lucky and won a hand, after which he actually started playing more cautiously. </p><p></p><p>Adair didn't talk very much while he played. Whenever somebody who he recognized came near the table he would call to them by name and chat for a few sentences, but that was the extent of his conversation. For the second time this evening a woman dressed as a harlot with a very low-cut dress came into bring Adair a fresh glass of ice water. He would tell her "Thank you Kitty" and then she would leave again. </p><p></p><p>Each time she arrived Maggie would give her a look that would kill. Jake wasn't sure if her anger was due to the momentary presence of the loose woman or because Adair wouldn't drink anything of the Lone Star's, even water. </p><p></p><p>The final cards were dealt in this hand. Adair called and then raised a full $ 40.00, the most he had raised so far this evening. Weller folded. Cassidy surprisingly stayed in, and raised another $ 20.00. Jake estimated that due to Walters bad luck he still had around $ 80.00 at this point in time. He looked down at his own hand, a full-house comprised of three 8's and two Kings. </p><p></p><p>He then had a momentary reprieve from deciding how to proceed when Ruby climbed onto the stage and made an announcement suggesting that people buy drinks for her and Katherine.</p><p></p><p>Ruby didn't have time to think beyond that as the bar became crowded with over a dozen men all wanting to buy her a drink. Tom Whipple calmed them somewhat and told them they would have to each wait their turn, but to feel free to get themselves one. As such, he and Mills were going to be busy for the next half-hour. </p><p></p><p>Back at the El Parador, Katherine picked up a grooming brush and walked over to Meribel. Her breathing calmed as she brushed the mare with long, slow strokes. Meribel nickered softly. "That's my good girl," Kate said softly and kept brushing. She would go back to the Lone Star in a few minutes. She knew she'd embarrassed herself by leaving, but staying had not been an option. Her nerves and anger were too close to the surface. With each stroke she let a little bit of it go.</p><p></p><p>Ruby had a few drinks before she noticed the crowd gathering around Jake's table. She excuses herself from the bar for a moment and in response to the moans says, "I'll be right back! Just stay here and keep Tom company, you won't regret it." She walks over to the table and squeezes in behind Jake. She starts off chipperly, "Hi Jake what's going on..." her voice trails off. "Oh sorry, big hand..." </p><p></p><p>Adair looks like the professional no nonsense type so Ruby decides not to try to distract him, well not on purpose anyway. She stands behind Jake and puts her gaze on Adair. She studies him intently. Tony Lucky's table had finished up their hand and decided to take a break to watch what had turned into a high-stakes hand at Jake's table. Tony slides over behind Jake, sees what he is holding, and whispers into his ear "If you're short on cash I can spot you." I may need that Lucky", Jake whispers back. Without any expression he says to the table, "I'll pay to see those cards gentlemen, I call."</p><p></p><p>Adair shows his hand to also be a full house, three sevens and a pair of tens. Cassidy then lays down his hand consisting of four queens and an ace. The lumberyard owner says, "Thank you gentlemen. I believe that I"ll quit while I'm ahead." "Well Mr. Cassidy, it appears that the ladies in the deck are smiling on you tonight. We'll look forward to seeing you another evening." I think it is time for extended break folks. Thank you all for a fine game." To the room. "We are running a little short of players here, if we can fill up the table again we'll start in a half an hour, otherwise the game starts again tomorrow night." </p><p></p><p>“My favorite card!” chirps Ruby from right behind Jake. When he startles because she is standing right over him she laughs. Jake is looking at her like she’s crazy so she explains, “The queen. It’s my favorite card.” She pauses and says slowly, ‘Although I guess it’s not my favorite card when it’s played against me…” She starts pondering then decides to not worry about it. “I’d better get back to the bar before there is a riot.” Ruby squeezes Jake’s arm. “You did a great job Jake, maybe Tom and Maggie will hire you. They have an empty table anyway and the crowds have been bigger. Then we don’t have to worry about you working at the bank.”</p><p></p><p>Dumbfounded, Jake watches Ruby promenade back to the bar. He just shakes his head. And they are worried about me? He stretches and scans the room, and notices Katherine is not there. He looks back at the poker table and his departing players to make certain no one is waiting for him or disgruntled, before he goes off looking for Katherine.</p><p></p><p>Adair intercepts Jake before he gets far from the table. The man quietly makes the comment "Your girl has quite a voice and a body to match. Tell her that when Mrs. Whipple's prudish ideas get to be too much for her there will be a job waiting over at the Palace Saloon." He then gathers up his belongings and departs. Cassidy pockets his winnings and asks Jake "Are you running Job's table again tomorrow?" Jake just nods to Adair without answering. He turns to Cassidy and responds. "I expect I'll be running his table tomorrow evening, I don't think Job will be back by then. I look forward to seeing you again." Cassidy says, "Glad to hear it. I normally only come here three nights a week but I think I'll make an exception." </p><p></p><p>Jake looks into the kitchen and then out front for Katherine. Although it looks like Jeff has things in hand with Ruby's antics Jake does not want to be too far away. If he does not see her around he'll ask Tom if he knows where she has gone. Ruby is back at the bar. Two cowboys and a prospector almost break out in a fistfight trying to see who will get to sit next to her. Mills growls at them and they stop, the prospector winning out and buying her a drink.</p><p></p><p>Jake does not see Maggie anywhere around either and goes over to the bar to ask Tom. While there he sees a prospector and a cowboy both trying to get Ruby's attention. There is an empty glass on the counter in front of her and she then downs a second one. Tom waves Jake over behind the bar and says to him "I hate to have to ask you this after a bad night at the table, but would you mind taking a turn at the piano? Maggie and Katherine both seem to have disappeared and if we don't get Ruby back on stage soon for everybody to share in her attentions I think there's going to be trouble."</p><p></p><p>Jake nods his agreement to Tom, especially after seeing that Ruby is heading for her second drunk of the day. He quickly sits down at the keyboard and plinks a few keys and then starts into a common drinking song that has many different renditions figuring that Ruby knows at least one of them. "Ruby darling", he says loudly, "don't make these poor thirsty folks listen to my shabby piano playing, why don't you jump on stage and save me?" "Of course, Jake anything for you." Ruby gets back on stage and sings along to every song Jake plays.</p><p></p><p>Jake beings to play for her when he now notices that the glass for tips atop the piano, and the other one at the edge of the stage, are both empty. On previous nights Ruby had been very good about making sure to take those whenever she left the stage, but tonight she hadn't been at all concerned about it. Jake realizes that it is entirely possible that Katherine emptied them both before she left. He also considers that a pair of men who he had seen earlier seated near the stage, that left the Saloon no more than a minute earlier, may have helped themselves while everyone else was distracted at the bar and poker table.</p><p></p><p>After about fifteen minutes of grooming her horse Katherine decided that it was time to head back to the Lone Star. Nanuet had been up in the loft sleeping lightly, as he always does. He heard someone enter the stables below and crept forward to see who it was, more out of curiosity than anything else. He was surprised to see Katherine, not dressed in her normal garb. She looked upset and frustrated. He watched her as she brushed her mare. He thought about the strength that she must have, to come out here by herself, an easterner and a woman. He gathered his things and was just about to call out to her when she turned and left. Nanuet climbed down from the loft and hurried after the woman. </p><p></p><p>When Katherine turned the corner of Main and Fremont she nearly collided with Maggie Whipple. "Oh, I was just coming to check on you," the woman exclaimed. "Are you all right?" Kate replies, “Yes, I'm alright. I just needed to get out of there for a few minutes. I was furious and I didn't want to take it out on anyone. Apparently Jake took Ruby to someone named Mr. Valdez this afternoon, he said he'd explain why but he hasn't yet. Whatever the man did there, it seemed to knock all the sense out of the girl's head. I didn't want to yell at her, it's not her fault. She's just so happy she can't seem to conceive that anything could be unpleasant." Maggie exclaims "Valdez is the Celtic and Mexican priest. Why would he have taken her to him?" </p><p></p><p>Katherine has some difficulty hearing what Maggie said, as the sounds coming from the Comique Variety Hall and Saloon on the corner have now gotten louder, changing from just piano music to a loud deep woman's voice. Much to Katherine's surprise, she recognizes the piece as being from one of Wagner's operas. </p><p></p><p>In response to Maggie’s question Katherine says, "I don't know, I'm hoping to get a chance to ask Jake soon." Katherine raised her voice to be heard and put her hand on Maggie's arm to stop her. "It's been a long time since I heard something like that," she said, moving to peek in the door. She lingered a few moments listening and letting the music soothe her. "Wagner. Always a good choice." She smiled at Maggie. "We should go, I suppose." Maggie says, "I agree. We should go into the Comique until you calm down a bit more. Don't worry about the Lone Star, your friend Ruby is keeping half the place busy and Jake has the other half enthralled with his game. They won't be needing any waitresses or piano players for at least another ten minutes." The two ladies enter the Comique.</p><p></p><p>He stopped as another woman met her on the street. He slowed down and approached the women trying not to startle either one of them. Before he could reach them they walked off and entered a building. He couldn't read the sign, but strange music was coming from inside. He hemmed and hawed about whether or not to go inside. He thought to himself, "she did seem pretty upset, and she should be working, something must be going on." </p><p></p><p>The Comique is half filled with dwarven prospectors who seem to be enjoying the Norse opera. Katherine decides that the woman standing on stage certainly has the voice for opera. Maggie tells Katherine "That's Flossie McKenna, the famous Denver showgirl. She performed regularly at my father's Saloon there. She originally came here with me and Tom almost two years ago but we didn't have enough business back then to keep her employed and the Comique stole her from us. Well, I guess stole is a bit harsh, more like borrowed. But with you here now I don't see us ever needed to borrow her back."</p><p></p><p>"You meant Ruby, of course, not me." Katherine said, with half her attention of Flossie. "I can certainly see why you'd be sad to loose her, she's wonderful." Maggie replies "Well, I guess I meant a collective you. I see you, Ruby and Jake as a trio. That was how Flossie, Tom and I were when we arrived here. She was my best friend, then she and Tom and a falling out and things haven't been the same between her and I since." Katherine sighs and comments "It's nice to get to hear her voice again but I suppose we should be getting back." They turn and head out. </p><p></p><p>Nanuet straightened his clothes and hair. He wasn't sure how he would be received in a place like this, but he stuck his head in and saw Katherine and the other woman talking near the door. "Katherine, are you OK? I heard you in the stables. I thought you were supposed to be working?" Maggie acts surprised when an Indian intercepts Katherine at the doorway and begins talking to her. "Will you excuse me for a moment, Maggie?" </p><p></p><p>Kate moved just a few feet away to talk to Nanuet. "I'm fine, I just needed to get out of the Lone Star for a few minutes. Mr. Whipple, Maggie's husband and the owner of the Lone Star...Well, I felt like he was watching me. And then Ruby, trying to 'loosen me up" made an open invitation to the men in the bar to buy me drinks. I'm really not ready for that kind of attention, especially from my employer. I've always found it soothing to be around horses, so I came back to the El Parador for a few minutes. "I appreciate your concern though," she said and smiled. "We're just on our way back to the Lone Star. Come in if you like and I'll buy you a drink."</p><p></p><p>Maggie seemed a little surprised at her inviting an Indian over for a drink, but doesn't argue. Nanuet says, "If you think I will be welcome there and won't cause any more trouble for you then I will gladly accept. I hear Ms. Ruby has a voice worth listening to, and although I would like to I feel I won't get much sleep tonight. Your friend looks a little alarmed there, maybe you want to tell her I don't mean any harm." </p><p></p><p>The three head out of the Comique and start back up the street to the Lone Star, three doors down on the right. A pair of men who had been seated near the piano listening to Ruby for most of the night exit the Lone Star and turn left. As they near the trio one tips his hat towards Katherine and says, "Evening Ma'am, that was some mighty nice piano must you played tonight." Thank you, sir." Kate smiled. That was one kind of attention she didn't mind receiving. </p><p></p><p>"I've forgotten my manners," Kate said as they two men passed them. Mrs. Maggie Whipple, this is my friend Nanuet. He is also staying at the El Parador and has been very kind to me. He noticed me in the stables and came to make sure everything was alright. That's a kindness that deserves a drink, don't you think?" Nanuet follows Katherine and Maggie back to the Lone Star. </p><p></p><p>As he walks in he takes in the scene and responds under his breath to Katherine "And they call my people savages." Katherine tells him "To be fair, Ruby has been encouraging them. That announcement I mentioned, she made it for herself as well. Looks like they took her up on it. Really, it's usually much quieter here."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 1829497, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter Thirty-two, “Jake’s Big Hand”, January 6th, 1882:[/B] The poker game had continued and Ned Walters had dropped out, commenting that he needed the rest of his money for the remainder of the weekend. Jake estimated that Walters had lost close to $200, rather evenly split between him and Adair. One observer decided to take Walters place but lasted only around half-an-hour until he was broke. Cassidy continued to take his cards every hand and then fold, clearly intimidated by Adair's presence at the table. The blacksmith Weller got lucky and won a hand, after which he actually started playing more cautiously. Adair didn't talk very much while he played. Whenever somebody who he recognized came near the table he would call to them by name and chat for a few sentences, but that was the extent of his conversation. For the second time this evening a woman dressed as a harlot with a very low-cut dress came into bring Adair a fresh glass of ice water. He would tell her "Thank you Kitty" and then she would leave again. Each time she arrived Maggie would give her a look that would kill. Jake wasn't sure if her anger was due to the momentary presence of the loose woman or because Adair wouldn't drink anything of the Lone Star's, even water. The final cards were dealt in this hand. Adair called and then raised a full $ 40.00, the most he had raised so far this evening. Weller folded. Cassidy surprisingly stayed in, and raised another $ 20.00. Jake estimated that due to Walters bad luck he still had around $ 80.00 at this point in time. He looked down at his own hand, a full-house comprised of three 8's and two Kings. He then had a momentary reprieve from deciding how to proceed when Ruby climbed onto the stage and made an announcement suggesting that people buy drinks for her and Katherine. Ruby didn't have time to think beyond that as the bar became crowded with over a dozen men all wanting to buy her a drink. Tom Whipple calmed them somewhat and told them they would have to each wait their turn, but to feel free to get themselves one. As such, he and Mills were going to be busy for the next half-hour. Back at the El Parador, Katherine picked up a grooming brush and walked over to Meribel. Her breathing calmed as she brushed the mare with long, slow strokes. Meribel nickered softly. "That's my good girl," Kate said softly and kept brushing. She would go back to the Lone Star in a few minutes. She knew she'd embarrassed herself by leaving, but staying had not been an option. Her nerves and anger were too close to the surface. With each stroke she let a little bit of it go. Ruby had a few drinks before she noticed the crowd gathering around Jake's table. She excuses herself from the bar for a moment and in response to the moans says, "I'll be right back! Just stay here and keep Tom company, you won't regret it." She walks over to the table and squeezes in behind Jake. She starts off chipperly, "Hi Jake what's going on..." her voice trails off. "Oh sorry, big hand..." Adair looks like the professional no nonsense type so Ruby decides not to try to distract him, well not on purpose anyway. She stands behind Jake and puts her gaze on Adair. She studies him intently. Tony Lucky's table had finished up their hand and decided to take a break to watch what had turned into a high-stakes hand at Jake's table. Tony slides over behind Jake, sees what he is holding, and whispers into his ear "If you're short on cash I can spot you." I may need that Lucky", Jake whispers back. Without any expression he says to the table, "I'll pay to see those cards gentlemen, I call." Adair shows his hand to also be a full house, three sevens and a pair of tens. Cassidy then lays down his hand consisting of four queens and an ace. The lumberyard owner says, "Thank you gentlemen. I believe that I"ll quit while I'm ahead." "Well Mr. Cassidy, it appears that the ladies in the deck are smiling on you tonight. We'll look forward to seeing you another evening." I think it is time for extended break folks. Thank you all for a fine game." To the room. "We are running a little short of players here, if we can fill up the table again we'll start in a half an hour, otherwise the game starts again tomorrow night." “My favorite card!” chirps Ruby from right behind Jake. When he startles because she is standing right over him she laughs. Jake is looking at her like she’s crazy so she explains, “The queen. It’s my favorite card.” She pauses and says slowly, ‘Although I guess it’s not my favorite card when it’s played against me…” She starts pondering then decides to not worry about it. “I’d better get back to the bar before there is a riot.” Ruby squeezes Jake’s arm. “You did a great job Jake, maybe Tom and Maggie will hire you. They have an empty table anyway and the crowds have been bigger. Then we don’t have to worry about you working at the bank.” Dumbfounded, Jake watches Ruby promenade back to the bar. He just shakes his head. And they are worried about me? He stretches and scans the room, and notices Katherine is not there. He looks back at the poker table and his departing players to make certain no one is waiting for him or disgruntled, before he goes off looking for Katherine. Adair intercepts Jake before he gets far from the table. The man quietly makes the comment "Your girl has quite a voice and a body to match. Tell her that when Mrs. Whipple's prudish ideas get to be too much for her there will be a job waiting over at the Palace Saloon." He then gathers up his belongings and departs. Cassidy pockets his winnings and asks Jake "Are you running Job's table again tomorrow?" Jake just nods to Adair without answering. He turns to Cassidy and responds. "I expect I'll be running his table tomorrow evening, I don't think Job will be back by then. I look forward to seeing you again." Cassidy says, "Glad to hear it. I normally only come here three nights a week but I think I'll make an exception." Jake looks into the kitchen and then out front for Katherine. Although it looks like Jeff has things in hand with Ruby's antics Jake does not want to be too far away. If he does not see her around he'll ask Tom if he knows where she has gone. Ruby is back at the bar. Two cowboys and a prospector almost break out in a fistfight trying to see who will get to sit next to her. Mills growls at them and they stop, the prospector winning out and buying her a drink. Jake does not see Maggie anywhere around either and goes over to the bar to ask Tom. While there he sees a prospector and a cowboy both trying to get Ruby's attention. There is an empty glass on the counter in front of her and she then downs a second one. Tom waves Jake over behind the bar and says to him "I hate to have to ask you this after a bad night at the table, but would you mind taking a turn at the piano? Maggie and Katherine both seem to have disappeared and if we don't get Ruby back on stage soon for everybody to share in her attentions I think there's going to be trouble." Jake nods his agreement to Tom, especially after seeing that Ruby is heading for her second drunk of the day. He quickly sits down at the keyboard and plinks a few keys and then starts into a common drinking song that has many different renditions figuring that Ruby knows at least one of them. "Ruby darling", he says loudly, "don't make these poor thirsty folks listen to my shabby piano playing, why don't you jump on stage and save me?" "Of course, Jake anything for you." Ruby gets back on stage and sings along to every song Jake plays. Jake beings to play for her when he now notices that the glass for tips atop the piano, and the other one at the edge of the stage, are both empty. On previous nights Ruby had been very good about making sure to take those whenever she left the stage, but tonight she hadn't been at all concerned about it. Jake realizes that it is entirely possible that Katherine emptied them both before she left. He also considers that a pair of men who he had seen earlier seated near the stage, that left the Saloon no more than a minute earlier, may have helped themselves while everyone else was distracted at the bar and poker table. After about fifteen minutes of grooming her horse Katherine decided that it was time to head back to the Lone Star. Nanuet had been up in the loft sleeping lightly, as he always does. He heard someone enter the stables below and crept forward to see who it was, more out of curiosity than anything else. He was surprised to see Katherine, not dressed in her normal garb. She looked upset and frustrated. He watched her as she brushed her mare. He thought about the strength that she must have, to come out here by herself, an easterner and a woman. He gathered his things and was just about to call out to her when she turned and left. Nanuet climbed down from the loft and hurried after the woman. When Katherine turned the corner of Main and Fremont she nearly collided with Maggie Whipple. "Oh, I was just coming to check on you," the woman exclaimed. "Are you all right?" Kate replies, “Yes, I'm alright. I just needed to get out of there for a few minutes. I was furious and I didn't want to take it out on anyone. Apparently Jake took Ruby to someone named Mr. Valdez this afternoon, he said he'd explain why but he hasn't yet. Whatever the man did there, it seemed to knock all the sense out of the girl's head. I didn't want to yell at her, it's not her fault. She's just so happy she can't seem to conceive that anything could be unpleasant." Maggie exclaims "Valdez is the Celtic and Mexican priest. Why would he have taken her to him?" Katherine has some difficulty hearing what Maggie said, as the sounds coming from the Comique Variety Hall and Saloon on the corner have now gotten louder, changing from just piano music to a loud deep woman's voice. Much to Katherine's surprise, she recognizes the piece as being from one of Wagner's operas. In response to Maggie’s question Katherine says, "I don't know, I'm hoping to get a chance to ask Jake soon." Katherine raised her voice to be heard and put her hand on Maggie's arm to stop her. "It's been a long time since I heard something like that," she said, moving to peek in the door. She lingered a few moments listening and letting the music soothe her. "Wagner. Always a good choice." She smiled at Maggie. "We should go, I suppose." Maggie says, "I agree. We should go into the Comique until you calm down a bit more. Don't worry about the Lone Star, your friend Ruby is keeping half the place busy and Jake has the other half enthralled with his game. They won't be needing any waitresses or piano players for at least another ten minutes." The two ladies enter the Comique. He stopped as another woman met her on the street. He slowed down and approached the women trying not to startle either one of them. Before he could reach them they walked off and entered a building. He couldn't read the sign, but strange music was coming from inside. He hemmed and hawed about whether or not to go inside. He thought to himself, "she did seem pretty upset, and she should be working, something must be going on." The Comique is half filled with dwarven prospectors who seem to be enjoying the Norse opera. Katherine decides that the woman standing on stage certainly has the voice for opera. Maggie tells Katherine "That's Flossie McKenna, the famous Denver showgirl. She performed regularly at my father's Saloon there. She originally came here with me and Tom almost two years ago but we didn't have enough business back then to keep her employed and the Comique stole her from us. Well, I guess stole is a bit harsh, more like borrowed. But with you here now I don't see us ever needed to borrow her back." "You meant Ruby, of course, not me." Katherine said, with half her attention of Flossie. "I can certainly see why you'd be sad to loose her, she's wonderful." Maggie replies "Well, I guess I meant a collective you. I see you, Ruby and Jake as a trio. That was how Flossie, Tom and I were when we arrived here. She was my best friend, then she and Tom and a falling out and things haven't been the same between her and I since." Katherine sighs and comments "It's nice to get to hear her voice again but I suppose we should be getting back." They turn and head out. Nanuet straightened his clothes and hair. He wasn't sure how he would be received in a place like this, but he stuck his head in and saw Katherine and the other woman talking near the door. "Katherine, are you OK? I heard you in the stables. I thought you were supposed to be working?" Maggie acts surprised when an Indian intercepts Katherine at the doorway and begins talking to her. "Will you excuse me for a moment, Maggie?" Kate moved just a few feet away to talk to Nanuet. "I'm fine, I just needed to get out of the Lone Star for a few minutes. Mr. Whipple, Maggie's husband and the owner of the Lone Star...Well, I felt like he was watching me. And then Ruby, trying to 'loosen me up" made an open invitation to the men in the bar to buy me drinks. I'm really not ready for that kind of attention, especially from my employer. I've always found it soothing to be around horses, so I came back to the El Parador for a few minutes. "I appreciate your concern though," she said and smiled. "We're just on our way back to the Lone Star. Come in if you like and I'll buy you a drink." Maggie seemed a little surprised at her inviting an Indian over for a drink, but doesn't argue. Nanuet says, "If you think I will be welcome there and won't cause any more trouble for you then I will gladly accept. I hear Ms. Ruby has a voice worth listening to, and although I would like to I feel I won't get much sleep tonight. Your friend looks a little alarmed there, maybe you want to tell her I don't mean any harm." The three head out of the Comique and start back up the street to the Lone Star, three doors down on the right. A pair of men who had been seated near the piano listening to Ruby for most of the night exit the Lone Star and turn left. As they near the trio one tips his hat towards Katherine and says, "Evening Ma'am, that was some mighty nice piano must you played tonight." Thank you, sir." Kate smiled. That was one kind of attention she didn't mind receiving. "I've forgotten my manners," Kate said as they two men passed them. Mrs. Maggie Whipple, this is my friend Nanuet. He is also staying at the El Parador and has been very kind to me. He noticed me in the stables and came to make sure everything was alright. That's a kindness that deserves a drink, don't you think?" Nanuet follows Katherine and Maggie back to the Lone Star. As he walks in he takes in the scene and responds under his breath to Katherine "And they call my people savages." Katherine tells him "To be fair, Ruby has been encouraging them. That announcement I mentioned, she made it for herself as well. Looks like they took her up on it. Really, it's usually much quieter here." [/QUOTE]
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Story Hour
"Revenge, Renewal and the Promise of a New Year" (Boot Hill/D&D)
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