Quitting Time

by Robert J Conley

  Gruver thought about making a response, then thought better of it, turned, and left the lounge.

  “Weren’t you a little hard on him?” said Alma.

  “I don’t think so,” said Colfax. “I watched them hang a man.”

  “Well,” said Channing, “I’m afraid that I must tum in. It’s been a very rough day for an old man.”

  “What will you do from here, Mr. Channing?” asked Colfax.

  “I’ll take what’s left of my people in my remaining wagons and return to New York. It’s all I can do. Once there, I’ll start over.”

  “I wish you good luck,” said Colfax. “Meeting you has been a great pleasure, although I certainly regret the circumstances surrounding the meeting.”

  “Mr. Colfax,” said Channing, “those circumstances would in all probability have been much worse had you not been here. I’m deeply in your debt. Good night, sir.”

  With Channing gone, the other actors soon finished their drinks and excused themselves. Colfax found himself alone with Alma Dyer. He poured himself another drink and offered one to Alma.

  “No, thanks,” she said. “I would like a cigarette.”

  He reached into his pocket and offered her the makings, then watched with fascination as she rolled herself a smoke. He handed her the matchbox from inside his vest pocket, and he smiled as she lit her cigarette.

  “You are a remarkable woman, Alma,” he said.

  “What? Because I can roll a cigarette?”

  “Yes. You can roll cigarette. You can act. You are brilliant and you are beautiful.”

  Colfax had never before in his life said those kinds of things to a woman. He was a bit surprised at himself, but he knew that the brandy had loosened his tongue. He was glad of it. He tossed down his drink and poured himself another. Alma took a deep drag off her cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

  “I believe that I would like another drink,” she said.

  Colfax poured her drink. Then he rolled himself a cigarette and lit it.

  “What about you?” she said.

  “What?”

  “What now? Will you go to Texas?”

  “Yes, I will. Right now I’m going to get drunk, but later, after I’ve slept, I will go to Texas. On the next train. Are you going back to New York City with Mr. Channing?”

  “I don’t know, Cole.”

  Colfax took another drink. His head was beginning to feel light, but he liked the feeling, and, what was more, he needed it for what he was going to say.

  “Would you like to see Texas?” he said. Alma sipped at her brandy.

  “Yes,” she said.

  Colfax leaned his elbows on the table and looked directly into Alma’s face.

  “Would you—accompany me—on the train to Texas?” he said. He noticed that asking the question—forming the words and forcing them to escape from his mouth—had increased his heartbeat. Alma shifted her eyes without turning her head so that she was looking into his. They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed a long moment. She reached across the table and put a hand on top of his.

  “Yes,” she said. “I’d like that. Very much. I was beginning to think that you wouldn’t ask.”