by Jake Logan
“Slocum,” he said, a broad smile on his face, “come on in. Lunch is about ready.”
“Thank you,” Slocum said, taking off his hat and hanging it on the tree that stood by the front door. Just then, Myrtle came out of the kitchen with a bowl in her hands. She saw Slocum and greeted him with a smile. Slocum nodded. Myrtle put the bowl on the table and went back into the kitchen. A moment later Jamie appeared with a platter of steaks. “How do you do, ma’am?” Slocum said.
“Oh, much better now that you’re here,” she said, but she said it with an edge to her voice that indicated more than a touch of sarcasm. Slocum smiled. He guessed that he had let himself in for quite a bit of that when he had taken Tipton’s offer.
“Have a chair,” said Tipton. “My brother’s coming by to eat with us. I want you to meet him.”
“Your brother?” said Slocum.
“Yeah. He’s got a small spread north of here. We don’t get together very often. He sent a man over with a note saying that he was coming by, so we set him an extra place.”
“I’d be happy to eat with the boys,” Slocum said. “I don’t want to be in the way here.”
“Nonsense,” said Tipton. “When I hired you on, I said you’d eat in the house. And like I just said, I want you to meet Arnie. Arnie, that’s my brother. He ought to be getting here any time now. Have a drink?”
“I still got half a workday ahead of me,” Slocum said. “I don’t need to be getting drunk so early in the day.”
“Hell, one drink won’t hurt you.”
“All right.”
Tipton got up and went to his liquor cabinet to pour two glasses of whiskey. Then he carried one of them over to Slocum.
“Thanks,” Slocum said.
Tipton raised his glass, and so did Slocum, and they drank.
“Drinking so early in the day?” came a voice.
Slocum looked up to see Jamie smirking at him.
“Just one,” he said.
“Well,” she said, “bring it on over to the table. Lunch is on.”
“Hold on a bit,” said Tipton. “Arnie’ll be coming along any time now.”
Almost as if in answer to his statement, the sounds of a horse approaching outside came to their ears, and Tipton went to the door and opened it. “You’re just in time, Arnie,” he called out. “Lunch is on the table. Come on in.”
“It ain’t often I get invited to eat at the big ranch,” said Arnie. Slocum stood up as Arnie walked in the door. Arnie looked at him with curiosity. Tipton was already pouring another glass of whiskey. He walked over to his brother and handed him the glass.
“Arnie,” he said, “I want you to meet Slocum. He’s working for me. Slocum, this is my brother, Arnold Tipton.”
Slocum shook hands with Arnie. “Glad to meet you,” he said.
“You must be somebody special,” Arnie said, “to be eating in the big house with the family. Lige don’t even eat in here.”
“Special fence-mender today,” Slocum said.
“You men want to come to the table?” said Myrtle. “Hello, Arnie. Welcome.”
“Howdy, Myrtle,” said Arnie. Jamie came out of the kitchen just then, and Arnie added, “Howdy, Jamie.”
“Hello, Uncle Arnie. Glad you could make it.”
Arnie, Tipton, and Slocum, taking their glasses with them, moved to the table and sat down. Soon their plates were heaped, and the conversation slowed down as they turned to their meals. In a while, Jamie spoke out.
“Did I hear you say you’d been fixing fence today, Slocum?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
“Well, now, that’s not exactly what I understood you’d been hired to do.”
“Just what has he been hired to do?” asked Arnie.
“I told Lige,” said Slocum, “that when Mr. Tipton didn’t need me, I wanted to work. That was the job he set me to do.”
“Arnie,” said Tipton, “last night, in the Hogneck, Brace Beamer come on me from behind. He was fixing to kill me in cold blood. Slocum here saved me. I figured then and there that if the Beamers are going to be coming at me unexpected, I could use a little help. That’s what I hired Slocum for.”
“I see,” said Arnie. He looked at Slocum sideways. “A bodyguard, huh?”
“That’s about it,” said Tipton.
“You really think that’s necessary?”
“Hell, I just told you what happened.”
“Ah, Brace is the really crazy one,” Arnie said. “If Slocum killed him—”
“He didn’t. He beaned him with a bottle. Brace went to jail for the night.”
“Beaned him with a bottle?”
“Yeah. From way across the room. It was the best pitch I ever saw.”
Arnie gave Slocum another look, but he didn’t say anything more. In another few minutes, everyone was finished with the meal. Jamie poured coffee all around, but Slocum declined. “It’s about time for me to get back to work,” he said.
“Have some coffee first,” said Tipton.
“Yeah,” said Arnie. “Who’s going to challenge the bodyguard?” Then he laughed.
“I think I’ll be going,” Slocum said.
“Don’t be like that,” said Jamie. “I’ve already poured it.” She put the cup down in front of Slocum.
“I reckon I can take time for one cup,” Slocum said. “Do you mind if I carry it out on the porch?”
“I’ll join you,” said Jamie.
“We all will,” said Tipton.
“Carl,” said Arnie, “I need to talk to you.”
“Oh, all right. The rest of you go on out. We’ll be along directly.”
Slocum and Jamie went out on to the porch and found chairs to sit on.
“I apologize for my uncle,” Jamie said. “He was a little rough on you.”
“I ain’t hurt,” Slocum said.
“I know, but what he said wasn’t called for.”
“He don’t like me,” said Slocum. “He ain’t alone in that.”
“Well, I hope you won’t let it bother you. He doesn’t come around all that often anyway.”
“Well,” said Slocum, “it don’t bother me.”
“I think it does,” said Jamie. “I heard you offer to go eat with the boys, and you didn’t want to hang around long enough to drink a cup of coffee.”
“I just felt like I might be in the way,” he said. “And right now, I feel like I’m taking too long for lunch. I want to work for my pay just like anyone else.”
“That’s admirable. Most men would take advantage of the position Daddy gave you.”
“I ain’t—”
“I know. You ain’t most men. By the way, when you said that Arnie didn’t like you, and that he wasn’t alone in that, I hope you didn’t mean to include me.”
“Oh, no, ma’am, I—”
“I know I’ve acted a little smart with you. I was just fooling. I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that I didn’t like you.”
“No harm’s done, ma’am,” Slocum said.
Just then Slocum overheard Arnie’s voice raised inside the house. “It ain’t like I’m over here every week,” he said. “Hell, Carl, I just need a little to tide me over. That’s all. You can afford it. You with this damn big ranch and all. Things are going to turn around for me here before long, and I’ll pay you back. This and everything else I’ve borrowed.”
Slocum picked up his cup to finish the coffee. He stood up and handed the empty cup to Jamie. “I’d best be getting on,” he said.
Jamie took the cup. “All right, Slocum,” she said. As Slocum went down the stairs, Jamie glanced toward the house with a worried look on her face. Slocum mounted the Appaloosa, tipped his hat, turned and rode off. As he rode, he pondered the situation he had gotten himself into. It was an uncomfortable spot to be in. Jamie had been sarcastic with him at first, but when Arnie had tied into him, she had apologized to him. That had surprised him. He would have expected her to join in with her uncle. The o
nly thing he could make of that was that she had just been teasing. Teasing usually meant just one thing, and Slocum wasn’t sure that he didn’t like that. She was a fine-looking young woman. He’d have to be careful though. He sure didn’t want to get shot by the man he was supposed to be protecting.
Carl liked him all right, and so did Myrtle, and it was Carl, after all, who had hired him. Myrtle was likely happy to have someone guarding her husband from that family of Beamers. But Lige didn’t like it, and now it was obvious that Carl’s brother Arnie did not like it, either. Well, Jamie had said that Arnie wouldn’t be around that much. Maybe it would be all right. But then, Slocum was a bit uncomfortable, too, at having overheard what Arnie was saying to Carl. He felt like he had been eavesdropping on private family concerns. Arnie was obviously useless. He had a ranch but couldn’t manage his own affairs. He was bumming money from his brother, and apparently it wasn’t the first time. Not only that, he was being rude and insistent about it. Well, that was none of Slocum’s business. He did wonder, though, if he had made the right decision in accepting Carl Tipton’s offer of a job.
He rode on back to the spot he had abandoned when Lige had come after him for lunch, and he set to work again right away. Working alone like that, he had plenty of time for his thoughts, but he was just thinking the same thing over and over again. He tried to think of something else. He tried to think about Jamie naked. What would she look like? He thought that he had a pretty good imagination when it came to women’s bodies, but thinking about Jamie like that made him feel guilty. Carl and Myrtle were both nice folks, and they sure wouldn’t like it if they knew he was contemplating their daughter in that manner. He had to think about something else. Anything.
He forced himself to think about his job and the Beamers. How many of them had Tipton said there were? Ten? Ten Beamers to watch out for. And he didn’t even know what they looked like except for Brace. Were there any Beamer women, he wondered. What would they be like? It was likely he’d have to kill all of the Beamer men, if they were anything like what Carl Tipton said they were like, and if the rest of them were anything like Brace. Then if they did have any women, what would become of them? Slocum thought that he should find himself another line of work, but it was too late for that just now. Perhaps if he ever finished this job, he would look for something else. Maybe if he rode into some ranch in some part of the country where he had never been before, not wearing his Colt, just pretending to be an ordinary cowhand, maybe he could get a job like that. Then he could just mind his own business and work at his job and stay out of trouble. Maybe. Hell, he knew better than that. He had tried it before.
He worked steadily, and by the end of the day, he had finished his job. He mounted up and headed back for the ranch house. When he arrived and had put up his horse, he found Lige sitting on the porch with Carl Tipton. Each man had a drink in his hand.
“Howdy, Slocum,” said Carl. “I’ll get you a drink. Pull up a chair.”
“Thanks,” said Slocum. He dragged a chair over and sat down as Tipton went into the house.
“How’s the fence coming?” Lige asked.
“All done,” said Slocum.
“All done? There was a heap of fence to take care of out yonder.”
“Well, I done it.”
“I’ll check on it in the morning,” said Lige.
“I wish you would,” said Slocum.
Just then, Tipton came back out and handed Slocum a drink. Then he resumed his seat.
“Thanks,” Slocum said.
“Well, I’ll ride out and check on it,” said Lige. “If it is all done, I’ll find you something else for tomorrow.”
“Forget about it,” said Tipton. “I need Slocum tomorrow.”
Lige looked over at his boss. “You riding out somewhere tomorrow?” he asked.
“I got to go into town, and then I got to ride over to Arnie’s place.”
“Okay,” said Lige. “I guess you’ll need your bodyguard then for sure.”
Slocum took note of the sarcastic tone of Lige’s voice. “You’ll find that fence is all right,” he said.
“Yeah? Well, I’ll see. I’ll check it over.”
Slocum shrugged and tasted his whiskey. It was mighty good. Lige turned his down and put the glass on the porch rail. He stood up.
“I’d better be getting back to the boys,” he said.
“All right, Lige,” said Tipton. “Have someone saddle up my horse first thing in the morning. Slocum’s, too.”
“I’ll take care of my own horse,” said Slocum.
“I’ll have yours ready to go, Boss,” said Lige, giving Slocum a look. He went down off the porch and started walking toward the bunkhouse.
“He seems like a good man,” said Slocum.
“He’s the best,” said Tipton.
“He sure don’t like me worth a damn,” said Slocum, “but I tried to put myself in his place. I’d likely feel the same way.”
“Don’t let it bother you,” said Tipton. “Lige will do what I tell him to do.”
“I ain’t bothered much by it,” Slocum said.
“Slocum,” said Tipton, “first thing in the morning, we need to head into town. I got some business to take care of at the bank. From there we’ll ride out to my brother’s place. Then we’ll come back here, but it’s going to take most of the day to do all that. I just want you to ride along with me is all. Just make sure that no one slips up behind my back.”
“Sure thing,” said Slocum. “That’s what you hired me for.”
“I’m not expecting any trouble,” said Tipton, “but you never know. Besides the Beamers, when I leave the bank, I’ll be carrying some money with me.”
“All right.”
“I just want you to know what’s going on. That’s all.”
“All right,” said Slocum. “I’ll be up and ready to go.”
The door opened and Jamie stepped out.
“Are you two about ready to eat?” she said. “We’ve got a mess of vittles ready for you.”
“I’m hungry as a bear,” said Slocum.
“Well, let’s go inside then,” said Tipton.
As Slocum stood up and turned to go inside, he noticed that Jamie gave him a smile that looked to him to be a bit more than just friendly.
4
Slocum was up early the next morning and out to saddle his Appaloosa. He found a cowhand saddling another horse. He figured Lige had sent the man to saddle a horse for Carl Tipton. He greeted the man and went on about his business. Then he rode the Appaloosa back to the ranch house and tied it at the hitch rail there. The cowhand he had seen at the corral was just behind him, bringing the other horse. Slocum walked on into the house. He found Tipton coming out of his bedroom.
“Morning, Slocum,” Tipton said.
“Good morning, Carl,” said Slocum. “Our horses are waiting outside, ready to go.”
“Good. We’ll just have a quick breakfast here and then we’ll be on our way.”
Myrtle and Jamie spread out the meal, and they all ate. The conversation at the table was casual. When they finished, they all had one last cup of coffee. Tipton got up brusquely, ready to head out. Slocum followed his lead. They said their good-byes, put on their hats, and headed out the door. Slocum was wearing his Colt. His Winchester was in the saddle boot. Both men mounted up and headed for the main ranch gate. They made their way to the main road which led into town without saying anything. Then Tipton spoke up.
“I feel a little bit foolish, riding into town with a bodyguard, Slocum, but then, you never know what you might run into.”
“I wouldn’t let it worry me none if I was you,” said Slocum.
“Well, I’ll admit to you, I do feel somewhat better with you riding along. Those damn Beamers have got me jumpy.”
“I’ll watch for any sign of trouble the best I can.”
“I trust you to do that,” said Tipton.
The ride into town took them a couple of hours, and they mad
e it without incident. They hauled up in front of the Breakneck Bank and dismounted. Lapping their reins around the hitch rail there, they walked inside. Tipton walked up to the counter and spoke to a teller there. Slocum hung back and tried not to pay any attention to what was going on. It was none of his business. He was just along as a hired gun. He was pretty sure though that Tipton was getting some money to take to his worthless brother. In just a few minutes, Tipton turned and headed for the front door. Slocum followed him out. Outside, they mounted up again and headed out of town. On the way, Tipton said hello to a few people they passed.
“Arnie has a hard time making ends meet,” Tipton suddenly volunteered once they were out on the open road again. “I have to help him out now and then.”
“It’s none of my business,” said Slocum. “I reckon a man has got to help out his family some.”
“Arnie’s younger than me,” said Tipton. “I was out here first. A few years after I got good and established, Arnie come out. He decided that he wanted to do the same thing that I had done, but he just can’t seem to get ahead. I know it frustrates him, watching how well I’m doing. I invited him to sell out and come in with me, but he won’t do it. He thinks he has to make it on his own.”
“Some men have to learn the hard way,” Slocum said, and as soon as he had said it, he thought better of it. But Tipton didn’t seem to pay any attention to it. They were riding out of Breakneck in a different direction from which they had gone in, and it took them another two hours or so to reach Arnie Tipton’s ranch. Slocum immediately noticed the run-down condition of the place. Fences needed mending. There was junk in the yard. The house could have used some good, hard work. Arnie heard them coming, for he was out the front door before they had stopped. As they reined in, he spoke up first.
“You brought Slocum along, I see,” he said.
“Howdy, Mr. Tipton,” said Slocum.
Arnie ignored him and spoke to his brother. “Our business is private,” he said. “Come inside.”
“I won’t be long, Slocum,” said Carl Tipton, dismounting and following his brother to the front door.
