Robbers Roost

by James Reasoner

  "Ching Ping!" he exclaimed. His embrace tightened around her, and all of his anticipation of their reunion proved to be inadequate. She was lovelier and more passionate even, than he remembered.

  "Preston!" she whispered as she buried her face against his chest. "I knew you would come back for me!"

  Fox could do nothing but hold her and pat her lightly on the back. He saw the way the others were smiling at him, and he felt a flush of embarrassment. He had been afraid that they would look down on her — and on him as well — because Ching Ping was a whore.

  Elbridge turned back to Madame Varnish. "Where's Jack's room?" he asked.

  "I'll show you."

  She led the marshal, Landrum, and McCoy upstairs. Glidinghawk and Celia stayed downstairs to keep an eye on the other women, although it appeared that the last thing the soiled doves wanted to do was cause trouble.

  Fox stayed where he was, holding Ching Ping.

  The others returned from upstairs a few minutes later. Elbridge was stuffing money into a bag. "We can check the numbers on these bills and make sure they came from that Army payroll," he was telling Landrum. "All in all, I think this will be sufficient proof that Jack masterminded the robbery. We'll be able to close the books on this case, even though there wasn't much of the loot left."

  "Better some recovered than none, I guess," Landrum said.

  Madame Varnish was lagging behind them on the stairs. She was still carrying the shotgun, and now she lifted it again. The men in front of her stopped short as they heard the double click of the hammers being drawn back.

  "That's far enough," Madame Varnish said.

  Elbridge sighed. "You're going to get yourself killed, woman," he threatened wearily.

  "I ain't out to get nobody killed," the madame said. "I just want to know one thing — are you goin' to blame me for that robbery Jack pulled, now that he's dead?"

  Elbridge and Landrum exchanged a quick glance in the tense silence that followed, the big woman's question. Landrum gave a slight, almost unnoticeable shake of his head. .

  Elbridge looked over his shoulder at Madame Varnish. "Are you willing to swear that you knew nothing about the robbery?"

  "Damn right."

  "Then I see no point in pressing any charges against you, ma'am. You and your, ah, employees will be free to go." Elbridge's voice hardened. "But I do believe it would be a good idea for you to go while you have the chance. Somewhere out of the territory might be wise."

  Madame Varnish uncocked the shotgun and held it out so that Landrum could take it from her. "All right," she said. "But since you ain't blamin' me, I don't mind tellin you that you might take a look at an officer at the fort named Sims."

  "What are you saying?" Elbridge demanded.

  Madame Varnish shook her head. "I don't know a damn thing about it, remember? I'm just sayin' that it would be hard to pull, a job like that unless you had some inside help, and this fella Sims paid a visit or two to Jack a few weeks back."

  Landrum frowned. He was remembering the detail of troopers who were on their way from Bozeman to Virginia City to escort a wounded lieutenant back to the fort "Sims caught a bullet in that robbery," he said to Madame Varnish.

  She shrugged. "Hell, mister, accidents happen. Especially when there's lots of bullets flyin' around."

  Elbridge nodded grimly. "I think that wraps it all up. Remember what I said about getting out of the territory, ma'am."

  "Oh, I will," Madame Varnish promised.will."

  As the others turned toward the door, Fox followed their lead, his arm still around Ching Ping's shoulder. As they started out of the building, Madame Varnish suddenly snapped, "Ching Ping! Where the hell you think you're goin'?"

  Ching Ping looked back at the big woman, tears of happiness on her face. "Away from here, Madame Varnish," she said, her hand tightening in Fox's. "Far away from here."

  CHAPTER TWENTY- ONE

  The sun was shining brightly the next morning in Virginia City. Powell's Army had secured rooms in the hotel after returning to town with Elbridge and McCoy, since the cabin on their mining claim had been destroyed.

  The claim itself had been destroyed, for that matter. The tons of rock that had fallen in the gulch had diverted the-stream and completely buried the area where Celia had found the nugget.

  If there was still gold there, it would take far too much effort now to reach it.

  But they had never intended to remain miners, anyway. Since they had managed to bring this mission to a successful conclusion, all of them: were convinced that soon Amos Powell would have another job for them.

  Fox was waiting in the hotel lobby for Ching Ping. She had already been out shopping this morning, taking what expense money" Fox had been able to get out of Landrum to buy a dress to replace her garish, indecent Robbers Roost garb.

  Fox couldn't wait for her to get back downstairs so he could see her new outfit.

  They had continued their reunion after returning to Virginia City the night before, and even though Fox had gotten very little sleep, he felt very refreshed this morning.

  Ching Ping had been, very grateful. She had been grateful several times, in fact.

  Celia came into the lobby and walked over to Fox. "You look positively smug, Preston," she said. "Reliving past triumphs?"

  Fox blushed. "Really, Celia. Do I inquire about your affairs of the heart?"

  "You've been known to, yes." She smiled at him. "But let's not fight, not today. There'll probably be time for that on our next mission."

  "Our next mission . . ." Fox mused. "That's something I'm going to have to talk to all three of you about."

  Celia looked at him thoughtfully, struck by his solemn tone of voice. Is there a problem, Preston?"

  "Well, I don't know if there will be a next mission for me," he admitted. "I'm thinking of leaving the team — if Ching Ping will do me the honor of being my wife."

  I Celia tried to conceal her surprise. They should have been expecting something like this, she thought. Fox had had his romantic side awakened at last, and he wasn't thinking straight.

  "Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked gently.

  "And whynot?" Fox snapped. "Because I'm a fool and I don't know what I'm doing? That's the opinion the three of you usually have of me."

  "No, Preston, that's not what I — "

  "Or is it because you think Ching Ping is not worthy of me because of her past? Well, it is the past, I assure you, and things are going to be different in the future!"

  Celia didn't know what to say. Fox appeared to have his mind made up, and she knew from experience how stubborn he could be.

  "Preston?" a voice came from the stairs; "How do I look?"

  Fox and Celia looked around to see Ching Ping slowly descending the stairs. She wore a demure traveling suit and a small, stylish hat.

  Fox smiled and blinked. "You're lovely, Ching Ping," he said softly.

  "Thank you." The girl came into his arms and embraced him tightly. 'Thank you for everything, Preston. I-I just wish I could stay with you forever."

  Fox kissed her lightly on the mouth. "I'm glad you said that. Because I was about to ask you — "

  "But I can't, Preston," Ching Ping interrupted him. "I am so sorry, but I just can't."

  Fox's eyes widened in shock. "I-I don't understand — ".

  "I. have one more request to make of you, Preston. I am ashamed to ask you for anything since you have done so much for me already, but my family and I must return to San Francisco."

  "Your . . . your family?"

  Ching Ping nodded. As Fox and Celia watched in astonishment, she pulled out, of Fox's arms and went to the door of the hotel. She opened it and beckoned, and seconds later, an elderly Chinese couple appeared, followed by half a dozen children of various ages.

  "My family," Ching Ping said proudly.

  "Oh, Lord," Celia said. She clutched Fox's arm. "It's one of those Chinese families who took over a played-out claim. You remember, Preston. Elro
y told us about them."

  Fox did remember. There were Chinese all over the west, most of them brought over to help with the building of the railroads, and many of the ones who had remained behind had taken over old mining claims. Through sheer hard work and diligence, they sometimes managed to eke a bare living out of the Claims.

  And some of the young women wound up in places like Robbers Roost.

  It made sense to Fox now. Ching Ping must have become a prostitute to help support her family. The knowledge only made him love her all the more.

  But now she was talking about leaving him, going back to San Francisco with her family.

  "I can get money," he began desperately, putting his hands on Ching Ping's shoulders. "I can send your family anywhere they want to go. But you can stay with me!"

  With tears shining in her eyes, Ching Ping shook her head. "You would always remember where we met, my love, and so would I. You may say now that it makes no difference, but some day it would. And it would always make a difference to me. I must leave with my family and make a new. start. Perhaps someday we will meet again . . ."

  Celia stepped closer to Ching Ping. She reached in the pocket of her dress and took out the nugget she had found in Alder Gulch. Taking Ching Ping's hand, Celia pressed the nugget on her.

  "Use this to help you get back to San Francisco," Celia said gently. There was a slight catch in her voice, part sympathy for Ching Ping and her poverty-stricken relatives, part reluctance to give up the nugget.

  But what the hell, she thought. After all, as a member of Powell's Army, she did earn the grand total of $67.67 each month from the government.

  Ching Ping started to stammer out her thanks, but Celia just: .patted her on the arm and then left the hotel lobby. She didn't want to intrude any further on Fox's farewell.

  "You're really .going?" Fox asked. There was a strange pain in his chest. The feel of a heart breaking, he thought.

  "I have to. Please understand, my Preston."

  He drew her toward him, kissed-her ever so gently on the lips. "I suppose I'll have to," he whispered. "As you say, perhaps someday we'll meet again."

  There was a clatter of hoofbeats outside, and - Ching Ping said brokenly, "We must go."

  "Goodbye, Ching Ping." Fox hugged her one last time, then turned away. He couldn't bear to watch her go.

  He heard the hotel door opening, heard the shuffle of footsteps as the little family of Chinese left. Fox drew a deep breath. There was still his work. He would lose himself in whatever mission Amos Powell found for them next.

  A sharp pain stung him in the right buttock, making him jump.

  Fox whirled around, rubbing at the injured portion of his anatomy, and saw a Chinese boy around ten years old peeking around the corner of the door from the sidewalk. One of Ching Ping's little brothers, he realized.

  And the little demon had a slingshot in his hands, of all things!

  As Fox stared at him, wide-eyed, the boy giggled and then disappeared, no doubt running to board the stage.

  Preston Kirkwood Fox closed his eyes and shook his head. He had no idea where Powell would be sending them next.

  But, please, God, Fox prayed fervently, let it be somewhere there were no children!

  James Reasoner is the author of Under Outlaw Flags and Cossack Three Ponies, both published by Berkley Books and nominated for the Spur Award. A professional writer for more than half his life, he has written everything from mysteries to science fiction and fantasy. He lives in a small town with his wife, Livia, also known as the novelist L. J. Washburn, and they have two grown daughters.

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