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"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: 1862218" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter Forty-three, “Taking a Break”, January 7th, 1882:</strong></p><p></p><p>Nanuet talked with the Apache for some time as the others were finishing up and getting ready to head back to Promise City. They never did find out who killed Flint's partner, but chances are they were dead. Geronimo had some respect for this man Knowles, so he would show him respect also and hand over the Cherokee items that he wanted from the cave. He had decided however to keep the knife and the man's wallet, as trophies. He wouldn't need the money where he was going and he could easily get another knife. They had argued over it but Knowles had no leverage and Nanuet walked away with the items. </p><p></p><p>A sense of satisfaction came over him. Even though there had been a lot of destruction today, there were a lot of bad people who would no longer be causing trouble now. He spent a few moments reflecting on the morning's events and did a small chant to commemorate the end of the battle. He then returned to his companions looking forward to return to Promise City and begin his task of ambassador. Maybe it would start with a trip by the Marshall’s office to see if any of these men were on those Wanted Posters....</p><p></p><p>The trip back takes considerable time as the Cartwrights and Barkleys are the only ones with experience herding cattle. It is nearly noontime when they reach a bridge over a stream along the road. The Cartwrights decide to stop to water the cattle and horses and let them graze. Nanuet wanders off by himself. </p><p></p><p>The Cartwrights get together for a snack lunch and Katherine sits down to join them. Little Joe hands Jake a pouch filled with beef jerky and rolls. Jake takes it and walks along the stream with Ruby sharing the snack and talking. Jake and Ruby slowly walk along the stream together. </p><p></p><p>Katherine sat with her knees pulled up to her chest. The food seemed dry and tasteless, but she didn't really notice. It had been a long, long morning, and any sense of relief at its ending had long since gone. How had she come to this place? How had she ended up in gunfights, chasing cattle rustlers, standing in what amounted to a mass grave? </p><p></p><p>The pictures still haunted her. She knew they were unlikely to be family of any of the men there, but they had brought to her that they were men. They had lives of their own and perhaps people somewhere who cared about them. Parents if not wives and children. Would someone else be missing them the way she missed Tom? She lowered her head to her knees and closed her eyes.</p><p></p><p>After Jake is sure they are earshot of the others he quietly says, "I was more than a little surprised to see you conjuring or whatever you were doing today. Don't often see that." ”Well Jake, it’s not a talent I show to many people. Just a few things I always knew how to do,” she says shrugging. “Actually someone recently offered to teach me more than what I know now. I wasn’t sure you could learn it, thought you had to always know how to do it. Most people are afraid of it anyway so I learned to just keep it to myself.” Jake responds, "Now that doesn't change anything with me, mind you. I was just surprised. I guess I shouldn't be, I have a feeling you will keep doing that to me." Pauses. "Surprise me, that is." Ruby smiles at him. “I didn’t think you would mind too much or I wouldn’t have done it. I have a feeling you have a few surprises up your own sleeve,” she says slyly. “Besides, don’t you like surprises?” </p><p></p><p>Jake is quiet for a couple of minutes and they keep walking in silence. He starts to say something and then stops. Then finally, "I don't know what you were thinking when you went running in that room all by yourself. If you weren't such a good shot I'd put you over my knee. You scared the crap out of me, um, us." He looks away and says, "Look, I'm not accustomed to having many friends traveling around the way I do. So when I saw you on the floor with all that rock on you, and the blood, well... damn, never mind." </p><p></p><p>He shakes his head then starts to walk back to the others. Ruby reaches her hand out and grabs his arm stopping him. Her face becomes serious. ‘I was worried, well I was really worried about you, actually. And the others too. After you got shot and you were bleeding so much the only thing I could think of was to stop anyone else from getting to you. So I ran in. I guess I wasn’t really thinking.” She pauses and kicks at some pebbles on the ground. “I’m not used to having friends either, well not ones I can trust, and I’m not used to having people depend on me…” She drifts off into thought for a moment. As she thinks her face starts to lighten. Her worries could wait a little longer. </p><p></p><p>“So you were worried about me, huh? Good to know.” she says playfully. “As for putting me on your knee, I might actually enjoy that as much as you do.” With that she turns lightly on her heel to start back, her long hair swinging in the wind. Then she stops and turns back to him. “Oh, one more thing Jake. The next time you unbutton my shirt you’d better be buying me a drink first.” As Ruby skips off towards the others Jake says to himself in a low voice, "She did it to me again." </p><p></p><p>He comes back to the others and talks to Katherine who is tending her horse. "We all have things we do better than others. I'm not good at judging horseflesh or even riding. Think you could pick me out a horse from these others that would be better than the nag from Promise City? Nothing special, just study and maybe a bit smarter. And maybe you could help me judge a good tailor back in town; I'd like some new 'poker' shirts. I like them tailored." She agrees quickly and he thanks her. </p><p></p><p>He continues. "You had a kinda tough day today. You want my two cents?" She doesn't answer but looks at him and smiles. "In my experience, west of the Mississippi and outside of the biggest towns or cities if you are going to help folks out or stand by them you can't always rely on the local law, lawyers and judges. You have to use other ways. Me, I try to talk it out and when that won't work, I always have the Peacemaker here." Patting his Colt revolver. "Now I ain't saying that all my solutions are what you would call ethical. And for me the Peacemaker really is last resort, although it may not have looked it today. But mostly I just mind my own business. Now you on the other hand have a heart as big as those mountains there." He waves his arm in their direction. </p><p></p><p>He continues, "And if you are going to keep on jumpin' in and helping folks out at the rate you do, you are gonna need to decide what you are willing to do and not willing to do. And once you make peace with that, you'll feel a whole lot better. And if you don't want to get good at shooting that gun of yours, then you need another way of stoppin' trouble." He kicks some dirt with his boot while he looks down. "I ain't the wisest of men, but I do know that ya gotta know who you are. If you gotta do something you don't like, but you know that you'd do it again if you had to, you can still look yourself in the mirror, still sleep at night." He puts his hand on her arm, "You of all people have should have no shame of looking in the mirror." He lets go or her arm and looks around. "I think that's probably enough wandering scoundrel gambler wisdom for today, huh?" he ends with a smile. He leaves her to go scrounge for a couple of rifle holsters he can add to his saddle.</p><p></p><p>Jake, wait," Kate said quickly. "You're right about many things. I have to be more than a widow and a barmaid, but I don't know what that is. Someone has offered to teach me to... well, you remember what Ruby did earlier with the lights. Someone believes I could learn to do that as well and perhaps a great deal more. Maybe that's who I am here. If it works out, I'll have options other than this," she said patting the revolver. "But until then, since I seem to have a problem not making other people's business mine, perhaps you'll teach me how to use this better." </p><p></p><p>She walked over to him and pulled his head down so she could kiss his cheek. "You're not fooling anybody with that scoundrel business you know. You're a good man."</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, five miles northeast of Promise City...The four prospectors had awakened early to start loading up the wagon with the ore. They soon realized that this would be a harder task than they had had anticipated. The rockslide made such a mess at the base of the mountain they would not be able to get the wagon nearly as close as they would have liked. They then considered using the aging horses to drag the rocks over to the wagons, but feared that they might get injured on the obstacle course of jagged stones. So the men decided on rolling the silver-encrusted granite stones over to the wagon. They were thankful that it was a cool January day so that they did not have to contend with the typical Arizona heat.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 1862218, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter Forty-three, “Taking a Break”, January 7th, 1882:[/B] Nanuet talked with the Apache for some time as the others were finishing up and getting ready to head back to Promise City. They never did find out who killed Flint's partner, but chances are they were dead. Geronimo had some respect for this man Knowles, so he would show him respect also and hand over the Cherokee items that he wanted from the cave. He had decided however to keep the knife and the man's wallet, as trophies. He wouldn't need the money where he was going and he could easily get another knife. They had argued over it but Knowles had no leverage and Nanuet walked away with the items. A sense of satisfaction came over him. Even though there had been a lot of destruction today, there were a lot of bad people who would no longer be causing trouble now. He spent a few moments reflecting on the morning's events and did a small chant to commemorate the end of the battle. He then returned to his companions looking forward to return to Promise City and begin his task of ambassador. Maybe it would start with a trip by the Marshall’s office to see if any of these men were on those Wanted Posters.... The trip back takes considerable time as the Cartwrights and Barkleys are the only ones with experience herding cattle. It is nearly noontime when they reach a bridge over a stream along the road. The Cartwrights decide to stop to water the cattle and horses and let them graze. Nanuet wanders off by himself. The Cartwrights get together for a snack lunch and Katherine sits down to join them. Little Joe hands Jake a pouch filled with beef jerky and rolls. Jake takes it and walks along the stream with Ruby sharing the snack and talking. Jake and Ruby slowly walk along the stream together. Katherine sat with her knees pulled up to her chest. The food seemed dry and tasteless, but she didn't really notice. It had been a long, long morning, and any sense of relief at its ending had long since gone. How had she come to this place? How had she ended up in gunfights, chasing cattle rustlers, standing in what amounted to a mass grave? The pictures still haunted her. She knew they were unlikely to be family of any of the men there, but they had brought to her that they were men. They had lives of their own and perhaps people somewhere who cared about them. Parents if not wives and children. Would someone else be missing them the way she missed Tom? She lowered her head to her knees and closed her eyes. After Jake is sure they are earshot of the others he quietly says, "I was more than a little surprised to see you conjuring or whatever you were doing today. Don't often see that." ”Well Jake, it’s not a talent I show to many people. Just a few things I always knew how to do,” she says shrugging. “Actually someone recently offered to teach me more than what I know now. I wasn’t sure you could learn it, thought you had to always know how to do it. Most people are afraid of it anyway so I learned to just keep it to myself.” Jake responds, "Now that doesn't change anything with me, mind you. I was just surprised. I guess I shouldn't be, I have a feeling you will keep doing that to me." Pauses. "Surprise me, that is." Ruby smiles at him. “I didn’t think you would mind too much or I wouldn’t have done it. I have a feeling you have a few surprises up your own sleeve,” she says slyly. “Besides, don’t you like surprises?” Jake is quiet for a couple of minutes and they keep walking in silence. He starts to say something and then stops. Then finally, "I don't know what you were thinking when you went running in that room all by yourself. If you weren't such a good shot I'd put you over my knee. You scared the crap out of me, um, us." He looks away and says, "Look, I'm not accustomed to having many friends traveling around the way I do. So when I saw you on the floor with all that rock on you, and the blood, well... damn, never mind." He shakes his head then starts to walk back to the others. Ruby reaches her hand out and grabs his arm stopping him. Her face becomes serious. ‘I was worried, well I was really worried about you, actually. And the others too. After you got shot and you were bleeding so much the only thing I could think of was to stop anyone else from getting to you. So I ran in. I guess I wasn’t really thinking.” She pauses and kicks at some pebbles on the ground. “I’m not used to having friends either, well not ones I can trust, and I’m not used to having people depend on me…” She drifts off into thought for a moment. As she thinks her face starts to lighten. Her worries could wait a little longer. “So you were worried about me, huh? Good to know.” she says playfully. “As for putting me on your knee, I might actually enjoy that as much as you do.” With that she turns lightly on her heel to start back, her long hair swinging in the wind. Then she stops and turns back to him. “Oh, one more thing Jake. The next time you unbutton my shirt you’d better be buying me a drink first.” As Ruby skips off towards the others Jake says to himself in a low voice, "She did it to me again." He comes back to the others and talks to Katherine who is tending her horse. "We all have things we do better than others. I'm not good at judging horseflesh or even riding. Think you could pick me out a horse from these others that would be better than the nag from Promise City? Nothing special, just study and maybe a bit smarter. And maybe you could help me judge a good tailor back in town; I'd like some new 'poker' shirts. I like them tailored." She agrees quickly and he thanks her. He continues. "You had a kinda tough day today. You want my two cents?" She doesn't answer but looks at him and smiles. "In my experience, west of the Mississippi and outside of the biggest towns or cities if you are going to help folks out or stand by them you can't always rely on the local law, lawyers and judges. You have to use other ways. Me, I try to talk it out and when that won't work, I always have the Peacemaker here." Patting his Colt revolver. "Now I ain't saying that all my solutions are what you would call ethical. And for me the Peacemaker really is last resort, although it may not have looked it today. But mostly I just mind my own business. Now you on the other hand have a heart as big as those mountains there." He waves his arm in their direction. He continues, "And if you are going to keep on jumpin' in and helping folks out at the rate you do, you are gonna need to decide what you are willing to do and not willing to do. And once you make peace with that, you'll feel a whole lot better. And if you don't want to get good at shooting that gun of yours, then you need another way of stoppin' trouble." He kicks some dirt with his boot while he looks down. "I ain't the wisest of men, but I do know that ya gotta know who you are. If you gotta do something you don't like, but you know that you'd do it again if you had to, you can still look yourself in the mirror, still sleep at night." He puts his hand on her arm, "You of all people have should have no shame of looking in the mirror." He lets go or her arm and looks around. "I think that's probably enough wandering scoundrel gambler wisdom for today, huh?" he ends with a smile. He leaves her to go scrounge for a couple of rifle holsters he can add to his saddle. Jake, wait," Kate said quickly. "You're right about many things. I have to be more than a widow and a barmaid, but I don't know what that is. Someone has offered to teach me to... well, you remember what Ruby did earlier with the lights. Someone believes I could learn to do that as well and perhaps a great deal more. Maybe that's who I am here. If it works out, I'll have options other than this," she said patting the revolver. "But until then, since I seem to have a problem not making other people's business mine, perhaps you'll teach me how to use this better." She walked over to him and pulled his head down so she could kiss his cheek. "You're not fooling anybody with that scoundrel business you know. You're a good man." Meanwhile, five miles northeast of Promise City...The four prospectors had awakened early to start loading up the wagon with the ore. They soon realized that this would be a harder task than they had had anticipated. The rockslide made such a mess at the base of the mountain they would not be able to get the wagon nearly as close as they would have liked. They then considered using the aging horses to drag the rocks over to the wagons, but feared that they might get injured on the obstacle course of jagged stones. So the men decided on rolling the silver-encrusted granite stones over to the wagon. They were thankful that it was a cool January day so that they did not have to contend with the typical Arizona heat. [/QUOTE]
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