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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 1973837" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 81, “Chester’s Job”, January 10th, 1882:Chester is about to head over to his job when the Silverbell Mining Company clerk Earl Hogan spots him, as this man is among the people standing around the carriage. He gets Chester’s attention and says, “You’re late! I don’t allow that young man, consider yourself fired.” "What?" Chester pulls out his pocket watch and checks the time. It shows 8:40. "Please, Mr. Hogan. It won't happen again. Bandits on the road attacked us. Marshall Earp was there." He spins around looking for Earp. "He can explain. Please, I need this job." Hogan replies, "Sorry, son. The Marshall isn't paying you. The mine needs reliable workers. Being late on your second day shows me you're not."  He thinks to himself “Damn! Now what am I going to do?” A familiar voice speaks up from behind Chester and says, “Can’t hold a civilian job either can you Martin? People like you never change.” Chester turns to see the same five U.S. Army soldiers who had stopped by the Lone Star the previous evening. Three are human, one is a half-ogre and another is an ogre. Of the four enlisted, a human is a Sergeant, the half-ogre is a Corporal and the other two are Privates. Chester has never met any of the enlisted men before. Unfortunately the human officer leading this group who has just spoken to Chester is known all too well. Lieutenant Oscar Gamble had held the rank of Sergeant back when Chester had the misfortune of serving under him. The man had taken an instant disliking to Chester and was one of the main reasons behind Chester’s decision to leave the military.Ruby overhears the Sergeant talking to Chester. Before Jake can speak she puts her fingers to his lips to keep him quiet and nods her head towards them. Jake does turn and listen to what the Lieutenant is saying. His eyes start to narrow and he clenches his fist. He whispers to Ruby, "Something about that bastard just rubs me the wrong way, and I'm tired folks being taken advantage of today." He looks to Chester and waits for his response. Chester recognized the voice and replied. "Good morning, Sergeant." Chester makes a show of looking at Gamble's shoulder boards. Insincerely, he states, "Oh, I'm sorry--Lieutenant. Congratulations on your promotion. What do you want?"  "Nothing from the likes of you," Gamble states, adding "Martin, why don't you do this whole County a favor and just leave." Jake tells Ruby "That soldier boy doesn't deserve that crap. Go with it if I start something." Ruby grabs his arm and hisses, "Jake, don't!" "Stop it." He shakes her hand off. "I'm not going to shoot him. Just create a scene. It'll be fine." Ruby has her doubts. Ruby crosses her arms and leans up against the nearest building, close but not too close, and says to herself, "Ok Jake, I guess we'll see just how good you are..."The dwarf Torvald MacNaulty walks right up to the Lieutenant and says "You listen here solider-boy, this young man has spent the morning helping to fight outlaws, something that YOU should have been out doing instead. We killed us a lot of bad guys but I don't think we got all of them. So why don't you stop harassing these honest citizens and go make yourself useful!""Lieutenant" Jake steps up into the middle of the crowd. "You were his commanding officer? Ah, I see what's happening here." Jake turns and points to Chester Martin. "That man in an act of courage and selflessness leapt from a speeding stagecoach onto a horse and displayed astounding skills in riding and shooting. Now you just don't wake up one day with those skills. You only learn them from you commanding officer. You are to be congratulated sir, that one of your men road fearlessly into overwhelming odds and most certainly saved some innocent lives today." Jake pauses a second so the crowd an look at Chester. "If you have done your job only half as well with these others that are with you then those outlaws you are after for trying to rob the mail stagecoach have much to fear. I expect you'll have them in custody any day now. Bravo, sir, Bravo." He turns back to Chester. "You sir, don't fall for that. The Lieutenant must certainly need brave and skilled soldiers to combat these outlaws. You don't need to go back to the Army for employment. However Silverbell's loss is my gain, and before they change their mind and scramble to hire you back I need a man just like you for they rest of this week." Jake takes out $20 and puts it in Chester's hand. "And I'll pay in advance before any of these others steal you away." Jake laughs a little laugh. "Anybody looking to hire you after that ought to move quickly, I think there is going to be some competition."Since bullies tend to change their tune when the target of their behavior is defended the Lieutenant backs off. He talks briefly to Deputy Sheriff Hunter, who essentially just relays the information that Jake and Seawell had told them, and then orders his troops to go mount up. They head off in the direction of Drover's Livery, where their horses are stabled. Jake realizes that he only has fifteen minutes until his scheduled 9:00 AM meeting at Attorney Berg's office. There's no time for a bath, but he at least needs a clean shirt. He debates whether he has time to go back to the El Parador for it or if he should just buy one at Judge Lacey's store, next door to Berg's. MacNaulty is also all dirty and greasy from the ride to town but doesn't seem the least bit concerned about his appearance. Despite Jake's comment to Ruby about looking beautiful, her clothing is an absolute mess and probably beyond repair, her face is covered with dirt and axle grease, and her hair looks like something a bird made a nest in. Ruby smiles to herself. Jake was good, not that she expected any less. She reached up to her hair, sighed and figured she would go take that bath.As they had prepared to leave the hill Sanoma comes up behind Nanuet as he's prepping the sling for Earp "I'm going to quietly check out the area I'll meet you back in town"  The others leave.  Kate rode worriedly alongside the litter, keeping an eye on Earp. There was no reason for him to have passed out again, and no matter how strangely he might act toward her, he seemed a good sort of man. The strange calmness that had settled on her during the attack was fading, leaving her worried and out-of-sorts. Her hands began to shake as she remembered that beams of light hitting the brigands. Especially the one that had fallen when she and Nanuet combined their fire on him. She swallowed against the sudden sickness in her stomach and focused her eyes on the Marshall as someone she could help rather than harm.Kate sniffled and wiped her eyes just before they rode back into town. They were the first tears she'd shed in the last few months that weren't for Tom. She wanted to be back at the El Parador, in Mr. Gonzales' rooms. Not to learn, just to sit with no one to disturb her but the old wood elf. She shook her head. There was too much left to do to be wishing for quiet.  "Should be take him to the doctor?" she asked.Katherine Kale, Patrick Seawell, Zack Morand and Nanuet continue on towards the town hauling the liter with Morgan Earp. It takes them a good half-hour to exit the mountain. They then reach the main road for the remaining half-mile to town. The very first series of buildings in town from the main road is the Morand Cartage Company and Zack has them stop for a few minutes to drop off the horse team. Morand is told by some of his employees about the location and condition of the carriage as well as a brief explanation of how it got there. He comes back to the others exclaiming, “Your friends are all safe. Don’t ask me how, but even without horses they still managed to get the stage to town. They apparently took a leisurely ride down Main Street and then got the thing to stop without killing any body or damaging anything.” Kate nodded and sighed. "Thank goodness." On the other side of town Jake says, "Chester, now you need to earn that money. Come with me." Jake says in a friendly way to the ex-soldier. He hands him the shotgun and the twisted metal that was the rifle. "Ah, do something with that..." Chester says, "Thanks for that back there. Gamble never liked me much and the feeling's mutual. Dealing with folks like him helped drive me out of the service." He grabs the weapons, "What did you do to these? Try to dig a hole?"  He looks over at Ruby leaning against the wall. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. That will never do." He walks over and takes her hand and gently pulls her along with him to Lacey's store. "Mornin' Mr. Lacey. I need a clean shirt that fits me pronto. And the lady needs some riding clothes. Hmmm, and the most alluring dress you can get your hands on. I think she'd look good in green." Jake hands him a $100 bill. "We'll settle up later, I'm kind of in a rush." He quickly changes and starts to rush out the door calling to Ruby, "go and get that bath." And as he heads towards his meeting, "Come on Chester, keep up." Judge Lacey appears to be a bit surprised by Ruby's appearance but doesn't comment."Hi Judge, how are you today? Now me, I'm having a particularly bad start to this day..." Ruby says smiling though the grime, trying to pat down her hair. "But I did tell you I needed to make some purchases, so here I am." Judge Lacey holds up the bill Jake handed him and replies "Well, your friend indicated that he was paying for you so it sounds like a shopping spree is in order. This could go a long way."Ruby claps her hands together and smiles. "Oh I like to shop." She starts speaking to herself, "I need that riding outfit, leather pants are a must, and some new dresses, hum, Jake likes green..." She glances over at Mr. Lacey. "Are you still mad at me Mr. Lacey? I was looking forward to that lunch..." Her willingness to take him up on his shopping spree suggestion appears to have improved his mood.   He says "Well Miss West, the more I think about it, a man of my advanced years dining with someone as young as you would look rather silly, don't you think?"She replies, “Look to who? Do you really care what everyone else thinks? I don’t know how old you are Mr. Lacey but I didn’t know there were rules on who you could be friends with… I’ll leave it up to you then…” She pats him on the hand before she starts walking around the store looking for anything that might spark her interest. She calls from down one of the aisles, “Do you have a green dress, Mr. Lacey?”He tells her to wait and goes into the backroom. He returns with a box containing a fancy teal green dress that he then arranges over a mannequin. <a href="http://www.fashion-era.com/images/Crinsbustles/seabustle35.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.fashion-era.com/images/Crinsbustles/seabustle35.jpg</a> "How does this look to you he asks?"  He then says "Well, If you are still interested we could go to lunch today. I was planning to lock up the store to attend the court hearings, so I don't think it would matter much if I get back a little later to open up. We could dine at the Promise City Hotel and Cafe."“Oh the color is beautiful. Oh but how will it look on me? I think I should try it on.” She tries on the dress and while it is way too loose and high necked she figures she can take it to the tailor. "What do you think?' she says twirling around. It will look wonderful on you," he replies.   “Sure, lunch today sounds great,” as she piles the dress on the counter. “I am also going to the court hearings so I will see you there.” He smiles and says "I've always enjoyed a good court hearing. My Grandfather served on the New York State Supreme Court. I practically grew up in a courthouse."  She looks over all her choices, “How did I do?” she says with a big smile. He replies "Looks like around $ 45, counting you friend's shirt. So, what else would you like to buy?"Jake and Chester arrive at Mitchell Berg's place. He asks Chester to wait outside and act as guard for himself and the miners. "Look pleasantly deadly." Jake tells him, leaving a puzzled Chester Martin standing on the porch.  Pleasantly deadly? What does he mean by that? Plum loco. I knew my first impression was right. Chester shakes his head at the thought. Well, I have nothing else better to do. Hamilton Fisk is already present, seated around a table where some other chairs have been placed. Berg slides some papers over for Jake to read. MacNaulty enters a few minutes later and Jake detects the smell of whiskey on the dwarf's breath. Patrick Seawell isn't present yet. Across town, Zack Morand, Nanuet and Seawell transfer Morgan Earp on the liter over to the back of a regular wagon. Zack says they will ride over to the Great Western Boarding House (which is across the street from the El Parador) where Morgan and his brother Wyatt Earp reside."We'll ride along with you, it's on our way. I know you gentlemen have places to be this morning. I'll go in the El Parador and make myself presentable, than I'll come back over and check on the Marshall. I hope he'll be recovered enough for the trial today." They traveled the short distance and Kate and Nanuet put up their new horses in the stable. She seemed to be collecting horses lately. A ride out to Flint's might be a good idea. Perhaps she could rent some room from him for the extra animals.  While hidden in the stable she dropped the protective spell. They then went inside the El Parador, and Kate headed for her room to get cleaned up and put on some proper clothes.The wagon with the Deputy Marshall stops on the street outside of the large three-story clapboard structure and Morand heads inside. He quickly returns with six men, including Wyatt Earp. Wyatt orders four of the men to help to carry Morgan up to his room and tells the other one to go fetch Doc Eaton. While the men are carrying him inside those out on the street hear a grandfather clock inside the building chime nine times. Seawell excuses himself saying, “I have to go. I’m late for a meeting. Morand says “Wait for me, I need to have a word or two with Fisk as well.” The two men rush off.</blockquote>

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