“We tonight thought we’d take this opportunity to give you a little peek of what to expect.”

Beauregard looked to the musicians and nodded.

“Here’s a favorite tune of ours,” he said. “‘My Grandfather’s Cock’ . . . CLOCK, I mean clock. ‘My Grandfather’s Clock.’”

The crowd clapped as the band members got to their feet and started playing the upbeat song.

“I know that face,” Virgil said.

“Beauregard?”

Virgil nodded as he looked at him intently.

The musicians were a lively group and they danced a little jig as they played. Beauregard held out his hand for Nell to come up. She stepped up and after the band got a few progressions out of the way she sang along. She was animated and expressive as she sang, and in no time at all she had the whole crowd singing along with the popular tune.

Beauregard stepped off to the side. He misstepped a little but caught his balance. He stood back and watched Nell proudly. He folded his arms across his ribs and smiled.

Virgil and I watched for a moment, then Virgil said, “I’ll be damned.”

“Remember?” I said.

“I do.”

“Where?”

“I’ll be damned,” Virgil said again.

“Gun hand?” I said.

Virgil shook his head.

“Snake-oil salesman.”

“That fits,” I said.

“Does,” he said, shaking his head a little.

“Where?”

“A time ago. Way before you and me started working together, before town work, even. I was working the big gambling room at the Menger Hotel in San Antone. He come around there, selling his remedies. Thought he was the cock of the walk. A young buck then, full of himself.”

Virgil stopped talking for a moment and just watched for a bit.

“One evening,” Virgil said, “he sat at the wrong gambling table. They caught him cheating. Rough bunch, they was gonna string him up . . .”

Beauregard took Nell by the hand between the verses of ‘My Grandfather’s Clock’ and the two of them danced along with the music.

“Looks like he still thinks of himself as the cock of the walk,” I said.

Virgil nodded a little.

“Drinking his remedies, too,” I said.

“I’ll be damned,” Virgil said. “That’s sure enough him. He was flashy back then, younger, but flashy. I locked him in a closet till the ruckus settled and the gamblers cleared.”

Virgil just shook his head from side to side a little.

“When I let him out he wanted to fight me,” Virgil said. “Best I remember, I slapped him a few times and kicked him out the back door and into the trash like the spindly miscreant he was.”

“Likely still is,” I said.

“Seems,” Virgil said.

— 14 —

The band played some more festive tunes with Nell singing along. Then the magician, Dr. Longfellow, performed a few disappearing-handkerchief tricks followed by the jester clown jugglers, who made the crowd roar with laughter. As soon as the little show finished up, Allie hurried up behind the lectern.

“Hello, everyone,” she said. “We, the ladies’ social of Appaloosa, want to let y’all know we have provided some refreshments, cookies and cakes and some lemon punch, so everybody stay, mingle with our special guests, and enjoy.”

The crowd did just that and the flock of folks gathered around the troupe as they worked their way to the table like cattle headed to feed.

Allie looked up, seeing Virgil and me standing at the back of the room, and scurried through the throng of people over to us.

“Oh, Everett,” Allie said, as she clamped her arms around me. “Thank God you are okay.”

“It’s okay, Allie,” I said.

Allie didn’t move; she just squeezed me harder, keeping her face nestled in my chest.

I looked to Virgil.

“I’m right here, Allie,” I said.

Allie just squeezed me tighter.

“Hell, Allie,” Virgil said. “Let him breathe some.”

Allie removed her head from my chest. She cut her eyes at Virgil a bit, then looked up to me but remained clutching me tight.

“Oh, Everett,” Allie said. “Thank God in Heaven you are okay. I was so worried about you.”

“Thank Samuel Colt,” Virgil said.

“Virgil Cole,” Allie snapped, as she looked to him. “I swear, you can be so callous.”

“Nothing callous about being a good gun hand and returning fire,” Virgil said.

“Oh,” Allie said. “You’re impossible.”

Virgil smiled.

“I guess that’s good,” Virgil said.

Allie looked back up to me.

“I’m just grateful you’re here and alive,” Allie said.

I smiled at her.

“Well, Allie,” I said. “You’re entirely welcome . . . You put together a good gathering here.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m happy about the turnout.”

“Might have myself a piece of cake,” I said. “Maybe some of that lemon punch.”

“Oh, yes,” Allie said. “Come and see what we got.”

Allie pulled me away from Virgil and over to the desserts spread out across the table.

Virgil followed us through the crowd of folks over to the table, and as we neared I noticed Beauregard look over at Virgil. He was standing with Nell as he talked with Ashley, but he was focused on Virgil. I could tell he recognized Virgil. He leaned close to Ashley and it was obvious he asked Ashley about Virgil. Ashley looked over to us, he said something to Beauregard and then escorted Beauregard and Nell our way.

“Virgil, Everett,” Ashley said. “Let me introduce you to Beauregard Beauchamp and his lovely wife, Nell.”

“Oh, yes,” Allie interjected with enthusiasm as she took over the introductions. “Virgil, Everett, this is Beauregard and Nell. Beauregard, Nell, this is Virgil and Everett. Virgil is my, my . . .”

“Marshal Cole,” Virgil said.

Allie blushed a little.

“And this is Everett,” Allie said. “Virgil’s deputy marshal.”

“I was just letting Mr. and Mrs. Beauchamp here know you are our celebrated territory law officials and what a wonderful privilege it was for the growing community of Appaloosa that the two of you resided here.”

Beauregard held out his hand to Virgil, but I shook his hand instead.

“Virgil’s not much on shaking hands,” I said. “Pleasure to meet you both.”

Nell looked at me and smiled. Beauregard remained focused on Virgil.

“We’ve had the pleasure of meeting before,” Beauregard said to Virgil. “Have we not?”

“Believe we have,” Virgil said.

Beauregard squinted a little.

“Card game,” Virgil said. “San Antone.”

Beauregard chewed a few hairs of his mustache.

“Menger’s,” Beauregard said. “The hotel?”

Virgil nodded.

“Well, isn’t that just the best,” Allie said. “Old friends.”

“Yes,” Beauregard said. “Old friends.”

Virgil smiled pleasantly but didn’t say anything.

“Long time ago,” Beauregard said.

Virgil nodded a little.

“Was,” he said.

“Well, maybe you two can just pick up where you left off?” Allie said.

“Maybe,” Virgil said.

— 15 —

Ashley cornered me before I left the town hall only to let me know he was planning on being the new territory governor and he hoped to have Virgil and my endorsement come Election Day.

Goddamn rain, I thought, as I crossed the street and headed back to my alley room above the survey office. The streets were now mud and the ruts were beginning to get deep. Got to let up sometime soon.

When I left the boardwalk I walked across a single plank over the soggy narrow passage to the stairs. I took the first step leading up to my room and noticed lamplight in my window. I stopped before taking another step and drew my Colt.

I took one slow step at a time. The stairs were solid. They didn’t creak as I ascended, and I made my footfalls cautious and quiet as I moved up. I stayed low, not showing myself as I passed under the window overlooking the rungs, then eased to the side of the opening and peeked in.