“Go ahead, this I have to hear.”
An hour later Bill had told her all about the mission. It started to rain and they went back up to his office and 2011.
DATELINE: 2011 PLACE: THE 1800 CLUB, NEW YORK
She wiped rainwater from her shoulders as she came through the door. Bill called Matt for refreshments.
Over coffee, Emma looked deep into the black liquid. “So, in a nutshell, Roosevelt is not the aggressive, confident president we know of from our history books. He didn’t charge up San Juan Hill, and we lost more men than we should have. And because of all this, Japan became the dominant country in world politics, and we take second or third place.”
Bill nodded as he put his cup down. “We know that Roosevelt was a huge admirer of Bat Masterson. They used to sit and talk about military tactics. Roosevelt needed a guy like Bat to bounce around ideas. But if Masterson wasn’t handy with a gun, he could never have become a lawman, Roosevelt would never get to admire or meet him, and Teddy would lose his guiding star.”
“Wow! Bill. That’s wild. But let me ask you, does he want gun-handling lessons?”
“This is the sticky part. He thinks I’m a writer looking to do a piece on the pros and cons of being a good gun-handling person.”
“You mean gunfighter.”
“Well, not really. Masterson is an upright man who can’t be pushed around. He’s just a terrible shot. I convinced him to take lessons as an aside for the story we are working on together. Whether he’s good or not with a gun, he’s going to be the same person and in his case, a good person. Believe me, I wouldn’t ask you to teach Billy the Kid to shoot. We need Masterson to be good enough to have confidence in himself and let Roosevelt hear of him and meet him so history will take its natural course.”
“Where do we start?” Emma asked, eager to begin.
“When you are ready we take a cab to the ferry going to New Jersey. From there, we take a train out to Dodge City, Kansas. I’ll go over the clothes and things you’ll need for the trip.”
Emma pressed him, “When do we start?”
“Tomorrow, if you want. I suggest you get some rest. It’s not the easiest trip I ever took.”
Emma’s eyebrows raised, “I thought time travel could put you . . . well, anywhere you want? Why do we have to travel?” She raised her hand, “not that I don’t want to. I am looking forward to every second of this trip. I want to experience it all.”
“I know what you mean. And it’s too bad the time unit that sends us into the past can do it only from one place, and that’s to and from this building. It’s been on this spot for over a hundred years. Next time I speak with the people from the future, I’m going to see if they can hook it up to a GPS unit or something that can place us in any spot we want. But, like you I enjoy having to take the same transportation systems that the people of the time period we visit did. It gives me a feeling of being one of them as we all experience the same trials and tribulations.”
The grandfather clock struck midnight and Emma stood up. She held out both hands and grasped Bill’s. “This was the most fantastic evening in my life.” She looked at the pistol on the table. “What do I owe you for the revolver?”
“No charge. It’s a business expense, and I hope your grandfather likes it.”
“He will, believe me. Now I have to concoct a story about how I got it.”
“Your problem, not mine.”
They laughed as Bill walked her to the door. “Tomorrow, Matt will outfit you for the trip.”
“I’ll see you early in the morning. Good night, Bill, and thank you so very much for a great evening.”
DATELINE: 1875 PLACE: DODGE CITY, KANSAS
One week later, the train conductor let everyone know that Dodge City was thirty minutes away. Bill sat in the dining car as Emma entered. He eyed the men as they watched her walk by them. She wore her blond hair swept up beneath a stylish, wide brimmed, brown hat with a black and white feather protruding from the crown. It matched her wide-shouldered, short brown jacket and long flared skirt. Her high-buttoned shoes made her taller than most of the other passengers and she walked through the bouncing car with grace.
Wow, thought Bill, even with a minimal amount of makeup on she’s a knockout.
Emma smiled as she sat next to him. “Five o’clock,” she said. “Bet it gets dark early around here.”
“Wait until you see how dark it gets. You set?” Bill asked.
“Yes, and am I glad you told me to bring my own towel.”
Bill looked at her large bag, “I’d love to know what else you have in that travel bag . . . damn, it’s heavy!”
She smiled. “Just stuff we women can’t be without,” she added with an air of mystery, “all very top secret you know.”
“Is the pistol I gave you in there?”
She shook her head, no. “No, I gave that to my grandfather before I left. I told him I traded a few of my pistols for it. He was so moved, it was a beautiful moment.”
Bill smiled as he felt the train starting to slow down.
Fifteen minutes later they got off the train in Dodge City, and Bill spotted Timmy with the buckboard hoping to get a customer. He waved to him, “Timmy, over here.”
Excitedly, Timmy slapped the horse with the reins and brought the wagon over. “Mr. Scott. Glad you came back.” He removed his hat, “and this time ya brought yer wife. Wow, she’s pretty.”
Both Bill and Emma blushed, “Ah, no, she’s my cousin, Miss Emma. She’s on her way to California and is going to stay here for a few days. Think there’s room at the Splinter?”
Timmy replaced his hat and helped Emma with her bags. “Shucks, Mr. Scott,” he said, “there’s always room at the Splinter. You gonna stay longer this time?”
“Not sure, Timmy.”
The young boy slapped the horse on the rump with the reins and took them to town. As Timmy took down Emma’s bags, Bill gave him a dollar bill.
“Gosh, thanks, Mister Scott. Like I said, if’n ya need me, jus’ call an’ I’ll be there ta help ya.”
At the Splinter, the same clerk was at the desk. He licked his palm and slicked back his thinning hair as he explained to Emma that he’d be only too happy to bring hot water to her room for a bath . . . no charge. Bill smiled and said, “Thanks, but I could never let you carry such a heavy burden. When Miss Walters wants to bathe, I’ll carry the water up for her.” The clerk had a forced smile on his face.
Bill helped Emma up the stairs with her bags, and then brought her some water to wash up.
“Emma,” he said, “I suggest we have supper as soon as you are ready. There are just a few street lamps here, and I don’t want us to wander off in the dark.”
She nodded. “I really want to see as much of Dodge as I can.”
He smiled. “As much as you can by the half dozen street lamps. Tomorrow, I’ll give you the grand tour.”
Pearl’s diner was brightly lit and the usual customers were there. Bill looked around for Marshal Earp, but he wasn’t around. Pearl shuffled across the room and stood over them, one hand on an ample hip.
“Welcome back. Couldn’t stay in New York without Pearl’s cooking, could ya?”
“After a meal at Pearls,” he said to Emma, “you never venture too far away.”
Pearl hit him on the head with her towel. “Aw, go on now. You two hungry or just want a cold snack?”
Emma looked at Bill. “I’m famished. You?”
“Me, too” he answered. “What do you recommend, Pearl?”
“Easy ‘cause there’s only one choice. Tonight I made roast beef, white whole potatoes, corn on or off the cob, onions and beef gravy. And for gravy-dippin’, hot corn bread. Got some goat’s milk, too.”
Bill looked at Emma. “That’s good for me. You?”
Emma smiled and said, “Me too, but hold the goat’s milk. Any wine?”
Pearl looked at her, then at Bill “Well, we got a real live one here, don’t we?” she said. “Wine
it is. Don’t ask white or red honey, you get what we got open.”
“Good,” Emma said.
Pearl walked over to another couple and started her talk all over again.
Emma smiled. “What a happy soul.”
Bill winked, “And she can cook, too.”
After supper he paid the bill and, as Pearl put the cash in her tin box, he asked, “Is Marshal Earp around?”
The storeowner shook her head. “He’s out with a posse chasing some critters who tried to rob our bank.”
“Do you know if Masterson went with him?”
“Masterson? The writer? No. I saw him yesterday. He was in for lunch.”
Bill said goodnight and stepped outside with Emma. She was looking up at the stars.
“Bill, look how bright they are. No city lights to take away the darkness. Just the way nature meant it to be. This even beats the 1800 Club.”
“I know. That’s one of the perks about this job. We get to see things as they really were. When I first made a trip back, I was amazed to see everything in color. I was so used to seeing grainy black-and-white photos I started thinking that’s the way it was.”
Emma was quiet. A tear slid down her cheek. The moonlight glistened on it and caught Bill’s eye. “Hey,” he asked in a low tone, “what’s wrong?” He wiped the tear away.
She sniffed and kept looking up at the stars. “She’s dead. That wonderful woman who just fed us supper and wished us well as we left. She’s been dead over one hundred years.”
Bill held her. “Hush. She’s not dead. She’s as alive and warm as us. She’s living right now. It’s we who are out of place, so to speak. We came back over one hundred years, so are we born yet? No, we’re not born for another century. Yet she sees and accepts us as natural as we should accept her. In fact while we are here, she has a whole future in front of her. We came into their world, and they are as alive as we are. Forget that we are from the future and just let your club training take over.”
Emma looked at him, then through the window at Pearl as she swept her restaurant. She sniffed and patted her nose with a white handkerchief. “You’re right. How silly of me.”
Bill shook his head. “No, not silly, natural. It shows that you have feelings and a love of history and the past. Not silly at all. In fact, I’m proud that you’re a member of the club and I’m glad you decided to make the trip.”
“I’m okay now,” she said as she wiped some makeup off his jacket. “Thanks for being here.”
“No problem. I suggest we get some rest. Tomorrow we start work.”
Emma stifled a yawn. “Right you are. Tell me, do you bring me hot water tomorrow morning, and how does one put in a wake-up call?”
“One has to bring an alarm clock and I did in the form of my pocket watch. It has a built-in alarm. I’ll set it for seven o’clock, tap on your door, and as you get up, I’ll bring you the water, then get mine. Deal?”
“Deal.” They walked back to the Splinter and said goodnight. It was a long day and neither missed the train’s rocking motion and fell asleep right away.
The next morning, after two trips of carrying warm water to Emma’s room and one for himself, Bill was ready for breakfast. He waited in front of the hotel and smoked a cigar.
“A nasty habit.”
He turned to see Emma standing in the doorway. She was dressed in a long blue skirt and matching vest which covered a white blouse buttoned up to the neck. Her hair was pulled back into a French braid and she carried a small parasol for the sun.
“Do you approve?” she asked as she popped open the small umbrella and swirled around.
He smiled and dusted off his boots as he found himself hoping she approved of his all-black attire. He threw down the cigar and, as he stamped it out said, “I do. I really do. Is that what you had me lugging all the way across the continent?”
“Well, you told me to make sure I had extra clothes,” she answered with a grin. “Shall we eat? I’m famished again.” With her hand on his arm, they walked over to Pearls.
An hour later, after a big breakfast of fried ham and eggs topped off with two cups of coffee, they left the restaurant to start their mission. Emma asked, “Bill, I know we have business, but can I stroll for a bit? I’d like to see the real Dodge City.”
Bill looked around at the quiet street. “If you feel ready for it, no problem.”
“I do,” she said excitedly.
“Fine then.” He pointed toward the newspaper building. “I’m going to be in that red brick building. It’s the Dodge City Journal and it’s where Bat, I mean, William Masterson works as a writer. In fact, it’ll give me a chance to let him know his teacher is a woman.” He looked at his pocket watch. “Let’s meet back here in about, say, thirty minutes?”
Emma agreed and they walked opposite ways.
Bill entered the building and saw Masterson sitting at his typewriter. He looked up, rose, and they shook hands warmly.
“Bill, how’ve ya been?”
“Fine, just fine.” He looked over at Chester. “Hello, Chester, how’s the world treating you?”
The reporter looked over the eyeglasses balanced on the tip of his nose and answered, “Oh dandy, just dandy. I write pearls of wisdom and the danged editor cuts my copy. So, I’m continually in a dandy mood.” He took a sip of coffee and held up the half empty mug, “Thank the Lord for inventing coffee.”
Masterson asked eagerly, “How was your journey, Bill? I haven’t heard of any train breakdowns.” He handed Bill a coffee mug full to the brim.
“No problems at all, just a long, hard ride. Have you given our project any thought?”
“Plenty! I’m rarin’ to start. Did ya bring your cousin?”
“I did. I’d like to talk to you about that.”
Masterson put a cover over his typewriter and turned to Chester. “Chester, I’m going to take the rest of the day off.”
“What do you mean, the rest of the day off? It’s not even begun yet. What will I tell the boss when he asks why your seat is empty?”
“Tell him I’m on a project and doing some interviews. And, by the way, you can have the rest of the coffee.” He smiled as Chester threw a crumpled piece of paper at him. “See ya tomorrow.”
As they left the office, Masterson asked, “So, where is your cousin?”
“Taking in the sights. You know first time in Dodge. Will, I never did ask, do you have a quiet place we can practice undisturbed?”
Masterson squinted in the morning sun. “Quiet and unnoticed. Yeah, I got a little piece of land a mile out of town. I have my horse and wagon behind the office. Where we meetin’ yer cousin?”
“We are going to meet in front of Pearls in about ten minutes. Why don’t you get your rig and meet us there?”
“Good enough. See ya in a bit.”
Meanwhile, Emma walked along the dusty street, taking note of the many things that weren’t reported in the history books . . . mainly, the smell, and the flies! As she walked along the wooden sidewalk, a group of cowboys rode slowly into town. A group of young boys ran after them. She stood transfixed as they went by . . . they were dirty and all need a shave but they were the real thing. She suddenly realized that a dead man was lying across the saddle of one of the horses. Emma was horrified to see a swarm of flies following the group. She felt herself getting sick until she noticed others hardly glancing at them. A normal day in Dodge City, she thought, just another day.
She felt a presence by her side and saw Bill. One of the cowboys tipped his hat to him. Bill nodded in return.
“That’s Wyatt Earp.”
“The Wyatt Earp?”
“Yes. As I told you, he’s looking for a deputy, and it’s up to us to get Masterson ready to take that job.”
“Well, I’m ready,” Emma said.
Bill pointed up the road with his chin and said, “Here’s our ride now. And the driver is William Masterson. He’s not known as Bat, yet.”
“Does he know I’m
a woman?”
Bill clenched his teeth and raised his eyebrows. “Well . . . he will in a minute. Don’t forget you’re my cousin on your way to California. I don’t think he’ll want a woman staying around reminding him that she was his teacher.”
Driving his rig down the dusty street, Masterson spotted Bill standing there with a woman. Wonder where his cousin is, he thought. He stopped and motioned to Bill to climb aboard as the woman looked up at him. Pretty, he thought, don’t remember seeing her in town. He was startled as Bill helped her up and placed her next to him on the wooden seat and then settled down next to her. He looked at Bill questioningly.
Bill said, “William Masterson, this is my cousin Emma Walters.”
“Your cousin?” Masterson asked, confused.
Emma put out her hand, “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Masterson.”
He felt himself staring. “Ahhh, the pleasure is all mine, Miss Walters.”
She turned her blue eyes to him, “Emma. Please call me Emma.”
Masterson looked at Bill then back at Emma. “Well, Miss Emma, I’m Will.” He looked at Bill once more. “Your cousin? Am I right in saying you are in town with two cousins?”
“Nope. Just one; Emma.”
They pulled away from the wooden sidewalk and Masterson looked straight ahead while Emma’s head was on a swivel as they left town.
She’s a talkative one, thought Masterson after a while. How hot does it get around here, does it rain much, how hard does the wind blow, is there much sand blown about? Seems ta me that she asks questions that no other women ever seemed ta care about. Least no woman I’d ever met. He still looked straight ahead.
Finally, they went over the little bridge that signaled the beginning of his acre of land. On top of the hill was a small log cabin surrounded by oak trees and a low fence. The land around here was fertile and it was a good investment. Some farmer will want to buy me out, he thought.
Once by the gate, Masterson jumped down and tied up the horse as Bill helped Emma out of the wagon. Masterson walked up the cabin’s three wooden steps. “Come on inside. It’s cooler in here,” he said holding open the heavy wooden door for them. Emma entered and Bill followed, carrying her bag.
Time Travel Adventures of the 1800 Club [Book I] Page 13
