The more words you speak, the less they mean. So why overdo it?” –Ecclesiastes 6:11 (NLT)
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“Dave Cook told me that you rode with McNelly down in Texas,” said McBride, matter-of-factly as he sipped his coffee. Emelda made us one of my favorite breakfasts, I call it huevos verde, but it is really green chili that she makes, not just a sauce. It’s right under biscuits and gravy as my favorite breakfast.
I had to wipe some of the chili from my moustache before answering him. “My, that was ages ago. It was not long after the war. I was driftin’ as many were, tryin’ to find a way to begin life over. Both my folks were murdered during the war,” I paused, took a sip. “Sort of a vendetta by some folks in Virginia as we went with West Virginia in her succession. They burned everything. I sold the land and came West.”
Molly went out to the store ordering goods to carry over until spring. It seemed almost a miracle the things they can put in cans to keep them from spoiling. I like that term “miracle,” though it really was not. It was using the good sense that the Lord gave us to progress. The shame of it was that man often didn’t use much good sense in his progress. I planned on going out on a hunt as soon as McBride left. Ol’ Grizz crossed over the Great Divide and he did quite a bit of our hunting for the diner. Of course, Mr. Thompson kept us supplied with beef, and once in a while Molly bought from Mike Fountain. She purchased her chickens from Joe Dixon, and Greta still supplied eggs though Hannah had passed on a couple of years ago.
“Well, if you’re half as good as Blasco and Cook say, you’ll make my job much easier,” remarked McBride as he used a tortilla to sop us the rest of the chili on his plate.
Giving a little cough, I replied, “You don’t always want to believe everything those two gentlemen tell you.”
McBride didn’t reply, but lifted his eyes to look over the rim of his cup as he drank. I couldn’t quite tell if there was a hint of a smile on his face.
“I don’t want you out in the weather, but as soon as possible start making your rounds in the district. Red Cower and Nick Jordan are Rangers for the Silverton and Ouray area. Sim Jurgenson will be joining them come spring. Introduce yourself to them. One of them will be with any major ore shipments going out of the area. Also Ab Loningr will be working over in Telluride. We call him “Slick” and when you meet him you’ll understand why. When he leaves with a shipment you might want to be in Telluride until he returns.”
He paused for a moment, then added, “It’s up to you to inform me if we need anyone over in the western district. I’ll be leaving tomorrow. If I’m not home for Christmas my wife will send me on down the road with Santy Claus,” he said with a laugh.
Molly came in at that time carrying two sacks of groceries followed by Jimmy Hopkins with a couple more. McBride jumped to his feet to relieve her of her burden and followed her into the kitchen with Jimmy in tow. I hadn’t paid any attention to the two men that followed them into the diner. When my eyes finally went their direction I found that one was directly to my left and the other in front of me a little to the right of where I was sitting. I felt a little foolish getting caught in this situation. Now what to do about it.
“I reckon that you two gents have something on your mind. You might as well get it out.”
I had to look at the man in front of me, and that made me vulnerable to the one on the left. If I looked to the left I would lose contact with the other man. The Greener was behind me leaning against the wall and I had a cup in my left hand. My right hand was on the table.
“You remember Lem Collins?” asked the man in front. “This is for him.”
As he pulled his gun, I fell backward, my hand going to my pistol, then…