Ralph Compton Sixguns and Double Eagles (9 page)

“Not me,” said Monique. “I'll try again another time.”

“So will I,” Louise said. “I'm about ready to try my luck with that skinny bunk in our cabin.”

“Then we'll call it quits for tonight,” said Wes. “You can join us for breakfast, if you like.”

“Perhaps we will,” Louise replied.

After they had left the casino, Wes and El Lobo followed, making their way down the narrow corridor to their cabin. Once inside, Wes locked the door, while El Lobo lighted a lamp. El Lobo laughed, for Empty stood looking at them, totally unrepentant for having gone after Monique in the dining hall.

“They do not fool the
perro,”
El Lobo said.

“They're either a pair of mighty honest women, or they should be acting out parts on the stage,” said Wes.

“It be the stage,” El Lobo said.

“I agree,” said Wes. “Let's put their double eagles to the test.”

Taking his knife to one of the coins, Wes scraped away the thin gold surface.

“They're leading us into a trap,” Wes said. “I reckon it'll be almighty interesting when we reach the time and place.”

After Empty's behavior in the dining hall the night before, Wes took the dog to the kitchen well before breakfast and saw that he was fed. When they returned to the cabin, El Lobo sat on his bunk and eyed Wes critically.

“I know what you're thinking,” Wes said. “You'd rather have Empty's company than that of Monique and Louise.”

“
Sí
,” said El Lobo. “
Perro
no play part. He be real.”

“We're going to play some parts ourselves,” Wes said. “We're going to pretend that we believe Louise and Monique to be what they say they are, but only until we learn what they're leading us into. Somehow, we must break into the upper ranks of Golden Dragon. For every bushwhacker we shoot, they can hire two more, and sooner or later, their luck will improve about the time ours runs out.”

“Monique and Louise be going to Boulder, but they don't ask us where we go,” said El Lobo.

“I reckon they already know,” Wes said, “and I think whatever they've been paid to do will take place between Kansas City and Boulder. We're being left alone on the steamboat for a purpose. These women must gain our confidence, and they'll need some time for that. We'll play along and see what they expect of us, once we reach Kansas City.”

“Per‘ap I know, and I no like,” said El Lobo. “How long we be in Kansas City?”

“Overnight,” Wes said, “unless the railroad schedules have changed. I think we'll spend a night there, anyway. If Monique and Louise don't lead us into some kind of trap there, then we'll know it's coming somewhere between Kansas City and Boulder.”

“They be waiting for us at Boulder,” said El Lobo.

“Don't worry about Boulder,” Wes said. “The train makes a water stop after crossing into eastern Colorado. We'll unload our horses and get off there. By the time they learn we're not on the train, we'll be well ahead of them. But we can't count on escaping them so easily. There may be killers in the hotel in Kansas City, as well as on the train.”

It was time for breakfast, and with a sigh El Lobo followed Wes to the dining hall. Louise and Monique were already there, and they waved. Wes and El Lobo made their way to the table and sat down.

“My God,” said Louise, “I can't wait to get off this steamboat and into a real bed. All night, I tossed and turned.”

“So did I,” Monique said.

“There are some fine hotels in Kansas City,” said Wes. “El Lobo and me aim to spend a night there, before going on to Boulder.”

“You're going to Boulder?” Louise cried. “Wonderful.”

“Yes,” said Monique. “We can stay over in Kansas City and travel with you.”

“Don't let us slow you down,” Wes said. “It's a long ride from Kansas City to Boulder and we may stop over in Dodge City. I have an old friend there I haven't seen in a long while.”

“We're not in that much of a hurry,” said Louise. “It will be worth the delay just to sleep in a decent bed.”

Breakfast was pleasant enough, but there was trouble during supper when part of the past caught up with Louise. Wes and El Lobo had just joined the women when a stranger approached the table. He came up behind Louise and with unmistakable familiarity placed his hands on her shoulders.

“Let me go!” Louise cried.

“Oh, come on, gal. This is old Sam Brenner. You pleasured me often enough in New Orleans.”

One of the waiters had seen what was taking place, and he took Brenner by the arm.

“Sir,” said the waiter, “release the lady or I'll summon the captain.”

“Leave the captain be,” Wes said, getting to his feet. “You, Brenner, back off and leave the lady alone.”

“Mind your business, friend,” said Brenner, increasing his grip of the girl's shoulders. “I seen plenty of this sister in New Orleans, and it wasn't at no tea social.”

He turned on the interfering waiter, flooring the man with a single blow. It was time enough for Wes to get around the table and land a blow of his own. Brenner stumbled into a table and it overturned with a crash. He was getting to his feet, cursing, when three of the waiters piled on him. Almost immediately, Captain Gavin arrived.

“All of you, back to your tables,” Gavin ordered.

When the curious had moved away, the waiter Brenner had slugged explained to the captain what had happened. Two of the waiters held Brenner's arms behind his back while Captain Gavin faced him.

“You, sir, are drunk,” said the captain. “I am confining you to your quarters for the rest of the night and ordering that you not be served anything stronger than lemonade or coffee for the remainder of this voyage.”

The furious Brenner was led away and Captain Gavin turned to Louise.

“My apologies, ma‘am, and my congratulations to you, sir,” he said, speaking to Wes. “Your action was timely and appropriate.”

He turned away as one of the waiters approached the table.

“I'm not hungry,” said Louise.

“Neither am I,” Monique said. “I want to go out on the deck for some fresh air.”

“El Lobo and me will go with you,” said Wes. “There may be some more of your old friends on board.”

“Thank you,” Louise said, “but I don't need you to protect my dubious honor.”

“Maybe not,” said Wes, “but we have some talking to do.”

“What he means,” Monique said sarcastically, “is that
you
and
me
have some talking to do. I suppose we might as well be done with it.”

Louise sighed. “I suppose.”

It being the supper hour, the steamboat's decks were deserted. The four of them took deck chairs and when neither of the women spoke, Wes did.

“After all that look-but-don‘t-touch talk, the two of you don't seem to practice what you preach.”

“Well, what did you expect?” Louise snapped. “Would you have been more impressed if we had confessed to being whores trying to escape our past?”

“There's somethin' to be said for telling the truth,” said Wes. “Especially when there's a chance it'll track you down and you'll have to face up to it.”

“Some of it was true,” Monique said. “We've heard there is a Pretty Girl Saloon in Boulder, and that's our reason for going there. We hoped if we traveled with you, perhaps we wouldn't be noticed, that what happened tonight ... wouldn't happen.”

“We suspected you weren't telling the whole truth,” said Wes. “With all that talk and your high-falutin' ideas about men, you seemed almighty anxious to ride with a couple of
hombres
you'd never seen before.”

“So you allowed us to stumble on, making total fools of ourselves,” Louise said.

“
Sí
,” said El Lobo cheerfully.

“When a woman makes a play for a man, she generally has plans for him,” Wes said. “We went along with you because we were curious, wondering how you aimed to use us.”

“I suppose we deserved that,” said Louise.

“
Sí
,” El Lobo repeated.

“Damn it,” Monique snapped, “is that all you can say?”

“
Sí
,” said El Lobo, striving mightily to keep a straight face.

“All I can say is that I'm sorry if we've caused you embarrassment,” Louise said.

“So am I,” said Monique. “You'll not want to be seen with us again, I suppose.”

“We have nothing against you,” Wes said, “now that you've told us the truth. Or at least some of it. We'll reach Kansas City tomorrow, and it's unlikely your past will follow you any farther.”

“That's more than kind of you,” said Louise, “and I'm glad that's behind us. Once we reach Kansas City and a decent hotel, perhaps we can properly show our gratitude.”

“You don't owe us anything,” Wes said.

Monique laughed. “Oh, but we do, and we pay our debts. We'll meet you for breakfast.”

When they had gone, El Lobo spoke.

“What they do for us?”

Wes laughed. “What can a couple of whores do to show their gratitude?”

“They show you,” said El Lobo. “I no want.”

“We'll have to go along with whatever they have in mind,” Wes said, “because it likely involves more than gratitude. They may be setting us up for an ambush. Can you think of anything worse than being naked in bed, without your guns, with a bushwhacker gunning for you?”

“Sangre de
Cristo, ” said El Lobo, gritting his teeth.

“Don't let it bother you,” Wes said. “We don't yet know what they have in mind, but when they spring it on us, we'll be ready.”

When the steamboat's whistle blew for the landing, Wes, El Lobo, and Empty were on deck. Louise and Monique joined them.

“What hotel do you suggest?” Louise asked.

“The River Front,” said Wes. “It's not far from here.”

“Will you be riding with us?” Monique asked.

“No,” said Wes. “El Lobo and me have horses. We'll have to stable them. Go ahead and take a hack to the hotel. We'll join you there.”

Louise and Monique looked doubtful, but they allowed deckhands to load their trunks into a hack and ordered the liveryman to drive them to the River Front Hotel.

“They be waiting for us,” El Lobo said gloomily.

“I reckon,” said Wes, “but we're not there yet. We'll have to ride along the river, and there's some prime places for an ambush. This pack of outlaws we're after will have more aces up their sleeves than Monique and Louise.”

When deckhands brought horses and saddles, Wes and El Lobo saddled up. Leaving the steamboat landing, they rode along a narrow street paralleling the river. There was a continuous row of warehouses and freighting sheds along the way, while on the opposite side of the street, there was only underbrush down to the water's edge. Most of the sheds and warehouses had flat roofs with square or oval false fronts. There was little space between the buildings, so Wes and El Lobo kept their eyes on the various false fronts and roof overhangs. When the warning came, it was so slight that a casual observer wouldn't have seen it. The brief reflection might have been a pinpoint of light off a glass pane ... or off the barrel of a Winchester. As though by given signal, Wes and El Lobo quit their saddles, taking their Winchesters with them. Lead ripped the air as they bellied down in waist-high vegetation, seeking a target. But the bushwhackers were firing from cover, and there was no target. The firing ceased as suddenly as it had begun. Wes hung his hat on the muzzle of his Winchester, and when he raised it, it drew no fire.

“They're gone,” Wes said. “Let's ride, before somebody comes to see what the shooting was all about ”

Their horses had paused to graze, and mounting, they rode on. Their eyes continued to scan the rooftops and a few vacant buildings, but there was no more shooting. Reaching a livery near the River Front Hotel, they stabled their horses. Carrying their saddlebags and Winchesters, they started toward the hotel. Not surprisingly, Louise and Monique were waiting in the lobby.

“We're on the second floor,” Louise said. “Rooms twenty-eight and twenty-nine.”

“Then we'll take a room there,” said Wes.

Wes thought El Lobo was about to say something, and almost imperceptively shook his head. He thought he knew why the two women had taken separate rooms. Not until they reached their room—number thirty-two—did El Lobo speak.

“They trap us. You with Louise, El Lobo with Monique.”

Opening his saddlebag, Wes removed a handful of yard-long leather thongs. Beneath his coat, he tucked four of the thongs under his belt. Without a word, El Lobo took four of the leather thongs, concealing them beneath his coat. He grinned at Wes, and Wes spoke quietly.

“If Monique invites you to her room, go with her, but under no circumstances are either of you to get into that bed. Keep her out of it any way you must, and keep her quiet. Keep the room dark, your Colt handy, and position yourself anywhere except between the bed and the door.”

“
Sí
,” El Lobo said.
“Bueno.”

Wes answered a knock on the door, and it was Louise.

“It's two hours till suppertime. What are you going to do until then?”

“We're goin' to take off our hats, kick off our boots, and get some sleep,” said Wes. “After three nights on a steamboat bunk, we're in need of it.”