The Gold Watch

by Rik Hunik

  Chapter 4

  It was afternoon of the fourth day when Pete arrived in the gold rush city of Barkerville. It had snowed most of the day so traffic was light. He was mighty glad to see some real buildings again. He took care of business first, filing his claim, selling his gold and depositing most of the money in the bank.

  He got a hotel room so he could clean up and got his suitcase out of storage so he could change. Afterward he went out and caught the barber in time for a shave and a haircut before he closed.

  Now it was time for a real meal. It wouldn't do to have his stomach growling when he tried to make a social call on a lady.

  He stepped into the Wake Up Jake Cafe and stopped in surprise. There she was, sitting alone at a table across the room. Eyes fixed on her, he hurried over. "Melina," he said, dropping into the chair beside her. "Oh Melina, it's so good to see you."

  Melina turned to face him, her eyes going wide more with surprise than joy when she saw who it was. "Peter, what on earth are you doing here?"

  "I just got back. I came here to eat. I struck it rich."

  "How rich?" Her eyes gleamed as she asked.

  "Very rich. We can get married now."

  She lowered her eyes and turned her head away. "I'm sorry Pete." She held out her hand to display a ring. "You're too late."

  Pete felt like a trapdoor had been opened beneath him and his heart had fallen through. He got up to leave and almost bumped into a dapper man with big shoulders in a tight suit.

  "What are you doing with my wife?"

  "I'm just an old acquaintance dropping by to say hello," Pete said. "Good evening to you, sir." He slipped past and walked out.

  Pete intended to march into the nearest saloon but the ticking started and rapidly grew louder. For the first time since the beginning he was seriously tempted to throw the watch as far as he could, but it hadn't led him wrong yet. He couldn't let his despair affect his judgment. So off he went, directed by the watch to a boardinghouse.

  He knocked and told the gray-haired woman who answered that he was here to see Sylvia.

  She eyed him up and down but, although she was unable to find visible fault in him, she was still not inclined to trust him. "Sylvia? What do you want with her?" Her suspicious eyes probed his.

  "I have something to give her, something she lost. I'm sure she'll want it back."

  "I'll get her," the landlady said, puzzled now, and curious, but still not trusting him.

  At least now he knew she was still here. He stood waiting, hat in hand, until the old woman returned with a blonde woman in her late twenties. Wide blue eyes looked at him without recognition. She wasn't quite pretty but her poise made her seem so. Pete sensed a strong spirit under her smooth features and he felt a powerful attraction.

  The tip of her tongue poked out to moisten her lips and she tilted her head slightly to the left. "Margaret said you have something of mine, but I haven't lost anything."

  Pete cleared his throat awkwardly. "Perhaps we should sit down somewhere," he said, turning a questioning look on Margaret, who glared at him with one eye, but ushered them into a parlor and went away to make tea.

  When she was sitting comfortably he introduced himself and showed her the watch. Sylvia recognized it right away and he let her snatch it from his hand. She read the back to confirm what she feared and he nodded.

  "What happened?" she asked, her voice choked and her eyes bright with unshed tears.

  Her knuckles whitened as her grip tightened around the watch while Pete told her about hearing the gunshots, and how he had discovered her husband's body.

  Margaret came in then with the tea but she sensed that her presence was an intrusion and left quickly.

  Pete continued, explaining how the watch had come into his hands, how it had helped him locate and deal with the killers, guided him to a rich claim, and finally brought him here, to her.

  Pete's throat was dry from talking. He gulped down the last of the lukewarm tea in his cup and said, "Your husband found the gold and it was his watch that led me to it. I think you are entitled to half the gold. That makes you rich."

  "Oh thank you, thank you." Sylvia bounced out of the chair, grabbed him gently by the ears and kissed him on the forehead, then quickly sat down again. Pete felt himself flushing brightly. Sylvia babbled on in a flood of emotion, gladness and relief temporarily supplanting her sorrow. "My savings are nearly gone and I was so afraid I would have to go into debt. Everything is so expensive here. Ben was late getting back and I didn't know what I was going to do. I was so afraid, but you've saved me from all that."

  Pete was feeling oddly light-headed. "I'm glad I could help, Ma'am, but I could never have done it without your husband's help."

  Sylvia looked down at the back of the watch. "I don't understand how he did it, but Ben said he would always provide for me. He gave you the gold and brought you to me." She looked up, eyes wide, at Pete. "That means something, I'm sure."

  Pete found himself gazing deep into those azure eyes and he felt like he was falling into the sky. After a couple of seconds he smiled warmly and took her hand. "I'm sure it means a lot."

  Sylvia squeezed his hand and smiled back.

  The End

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