The Adventures of the Lone Jack Kid: A Western Adventure (Western Fiction, by Joe Corso Book 1)
Page 20
“Come on back home with us, Charlie,” Cole said.
“I don’t think I’ll do that, Cole. You boys are a little too frisky these days for my taste. I’ve got a girl and a job waiting for me in Virginia City. And she’s a lot prettier than you boys.”
“That’s true,” Cole said. “She is a lot prettier than we are and you ain’t lying about that. Listen, Charlie. If you ever need us, wire one of our mas.”
“Thanks, boys. That means a lot to me, knowing that I have friends I can depend on. But you can understand why I can’t go home with you boys, don’t you?”
Cole agreed. “Yeah, Charlie, we understand. Still, it was nice seeing you.”
“Wait a minute, guys. Don’t tell me that you’re leaving New York so soon?”
“We don’t belong in a big city, Charlie. We’re country boys. We’d feel more comfortable in a small town,” Cole said.
“Yeah,” Jesse added. “One with a bank with a lot of cash in it. Besides, it don’t feel natural being amongst all these damned Yankees.” They all laughed and then everyone slowly filed out of the theater, leaving the Kid to his memories. Buntline had waited in his dressing room until the boys left. He wanted to give the Kid some time alone with his friends. He waited a few minutes, then he knocked on the Kid’s door and walked in.
CHAPTER 28
Buntline told the porter to take Charlie’s suitcase downstairs. “Look, Kid. I’m not going back with you. New York is my town. I have business interests here that I have to attend to. I’ll wire you your cut of the money from the books just as I’ve been doing all along. I still have to settle up with the theater people and pay your hotel bill. We had a good run, Kid, and we made ourselves a lot of money. This show gave me an idea for another show I’d like to do. Now that I’ve made you famous, I’d like to make another one or two men famous. This way, I’ll have a stable of famous people that I can represent.”
The Kid looked interested. “Do you have somebody in mind, Ned?”
“Well I did hear of this one fella. He was a scout for the army and now I hear he’s hunting buffalo.”
“Does he have a name?”
“Yeah. Cody is his name, but he goes by the name of Buffalo Bill. I think I could do something with that man.”
The Kid put out his hand. “Well, good luck with him, Ned.”
“You know, Kid. If I ever do decide to manage him, I’d have to travel out west to do it. Maybe I’ll stop by and see you.”
“I’d like that, Ned. I’ve become kind of fond of you. You’re sort of like a partner to me, Ned.”
“Well, hell, Kid. We are partners what with the books I wrote about you and the show we did and all the stuff we sold. Listen. Before you leave, I have something to give you.”
“What is it, Ned?”
“Money, that what I want to give you.” He handed the Kid an envelope with a bank check in it for forty-five thousand dollars.
“Holy Christ, this is a helluva lot of money, Ned.”
“Nonsense, my boy. That’s just the beginning. I have another book coming out and that’ll make four books I wrote about The Lone Jack Kid. I’ll be wiring you money every so often.”
The Kid smiled. “Just keep the checks coming, Ned. I can always use more of it.”
“I’ll tell one of the bellboys to take your bag out to a carriage with instructions to take you to the train station. I have you booked on the train to Virginia City.”
The Kid didn’t know what to say. He was going to miss this hard living, hard drinking bear of a man who had made all of the decisions for him while they were in New York. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your carriage.”
“Thanks, Ned. I’m gonna miss you.”
“Yeah, me too, Kid.”
The following morning, Ned accompanied the Kid to Pennsylvania Station. He watched him board the train and waited for The Kid to step out onto the rear platform, then he waved one final time as he watched the train pull out of the station, and he stayed rooted to the spot until it was no longer in sight. “Good luck, Kid.” Then he thought to himself, I wonder what future adventures The Lone Jack Kid will have?
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