Dance with the Deacon

"I have been called to open a church in Sadie's Gulch." I did not elaborate. I had pretty much figured out the less I said to the man the better.

"Holy shit, sorry preacher but Sadie's Gulch is the wrong place for a church."

"You mean they don't need a church there? I think you will agree. Every town needs a church." I was just playing on the documents which I had found in the dead deacon's box.

"Well Deacon it will be a sight worth seeing. At least they had the good sense not to send another soft preacher type. You are the third preacher to try to open that church."

"Like I said, I am not a preacher." After a moment's reflection I asked, "So what happened to the others?"

"They mostly got scared off. None of them actually got killed. Least not none I know of."

"Well that is comforting. It doesn't make any difference but it is comforting to know."

"There might be a reward for those two. If there is, do you want me to send it on to you. To help with the Lords work?" If I said no he got to keep it. I was sure it was his hope.

"Why don't you donate it to that local church of yours?" I asked it, but I knew the money would never show up in the local collection plate.

"Fair enough, Deacon you did the right thing on these boys. They would have kept it up until they killed somebody. If not yesterday then today or tomorrow."

"Sheriff, I knew they were wicked. It was not I, but the hand of the Lord who chastised the men." I tried to sound at least a little fanatical. I must have done pretty well since the sheriff would not meet my eyes again. He simply nodded then walked from the car kind of shaking his head. It was a bit of a mystery to me how everyone could have left the car without waking me. Nonetheless I was the only person left in the car.

I removed my rifle and carpet bag from the overhead rack. As I walked from the car I gave some thought to finding Edith to say goodbye. I was so sleep addled that I almost forgot she would be leaving the train with me. It was after all the last stop before the end of the line. The workers were laying track ten miles farther down the line.

A wooden platform separated the train tracks from the station. A dirt wagon path separated the station from the town. The town occupied only the south side of the tracks. On the north side cattle grazed inside a barbed wire surround pasture. I would have loved a drink of whiskey and a bed for the night. I would have done both had the sheriff not already have made my acquaintance. Instead I walked to the small general store. Since the town was too small for a livery stable the general store might know where I could fill my needs.

I took no notice of the other shoppers. I went directly to the counter where a man stood watching everyone closely. I had a feeling my stay in the town though short was going to be very unpleasant.

"Good afternoon brother," I said trying to stay in character until I left the small town.

"Good afternoon parson, what can I do for you?" The man's face seemed to be set in an unbreakable scowl.

"I am in need of transportation to a town named Sadie's Gulch. Could you tell me if there is a coach to that wicked place?" I didn't smile at him, instead I tried to look fierce.

"Not even to a town closer than here. Sadie's Gulch is a mining town and not many people go there except to work. Those go by horseback or they walk. There are freight wagons but they do not carry passengers. They also do not run on any particular schedule. I am sorry the best I can suggest is that you buy a horse." He seemed almost amused at the thought. I suppose in the black suit and clerical collar I did not look like a horseman.

"Very well where might I purchase a horse?" I looked him hard in the eye. It just did not have the desired effect on him. Again I thought it must be the clothes. He didn't seem as respectful as he should.

"Best thing you can do, unless you want to walk about five miles, is to walk over to the saloon. You can ask around in there somebody probably has a horse they want to sell." He was still watching the few people milling about the store. I didn't watch them I watched him watching them.

"Tell me brother........." I waited forcing him to answer with this name before I continued.

"Edwards, parson," he finally replied.

"Ah Brother Edwards, why is it that you watch the customers so intently?"

"I have to parson. Otherwise these people would steal from me."

"You do know that this is all trash in the making my friend." I smiled. I noted with great satisfaction that he did not seem to understand. I walked from the store without making any purchase. He and I both knew I would be forced to return since he had the only store in town. Probably the only one before I reached Sadie's Gulch.

The store did not even have a porch. It was out the door and down two wooden steps to the dirt wagon track. I turned toward the small one story structure with the sign reading 'Sleeping Dog Saloon'.

"Deacon," I heard the sound of the woman's voice from behind me. I turned to see Edith walking toward me.

"Ah Edith, how is the patient?" I asked it curiously as well as to start the conversation.

"She is going to be fine. I explained to her what I had done. I even suggested that if she had any concerns because of who I am, she might want to find a doctor to take a look."

"And who are you?" I smiled when I asked it.

"Deacon, I am an animal doctor. At least I am of sorts." She saw my curious look. "It is a long story. If you go along with my plan, we will have plenty of time for me to explain."

"What is it you have in mind Edith?" I really had no idea what she could mean.

"I heard you in the store asking about going to Sadie's Gulch." She had a bold look on her face something most women did not have at anytime. With the possible exception, if the were forced to defend their children.

"I am bound there to open a church." I explained it hoping she would accept it without question. I wasn't sure I could defend the plan.

"Well they certainly need one. That is not my concern at the moment. I need to get to a horse ranch about five miles this side of Sadie's Gulch. So I suggest we travel together."

"You mean the two of us alone on the road. I hardly think that is fitting Edith." I said it with what I hoped was a serious look. At that moment I wished I was my former self. Even though Edith was not a raving beauty she was a striking woman.

"Deacon let me explain something. If you are worried about your reputation, don't be I will leave you before we reach the Gulch. No one there need ever know about our having traveled together. If you are worried about what my husband might think, don't be. He has left me here to fend for myself. You are the best and probably the only companion I could find."

"Edith, I would be happy to accompany you, if you are sure it will not cause a problem in your marriage?" I wasn't thinking that at all. I was thinking more carnal thoughts.

"Not to worry Deacon, there will be no problem in my marriage. None that is not there already." She seemed more resigned to her situation than sad. I did not understand nor did I care to understand.

"Well it might not matter none anyway. I got to find a way out of here. We are both going to be stuck here till I do." I was racking my brain to come up with something besides taking a couple of days to find a horse. Even the saloon didn't seem to offer much hope. There were only two horses tied up at the hitching rail beside the building. One day there would be a livery stable in the town since the railroad ran through it. I expected that the train was so new lots of businesses hadn't had time to catch up to it.

"Did you notice the wagon pulled up behind the store?" Edith asked it in a very serious all business voice.

"No I didn't. Do you know whose it was?" I thought maybe she could help me out.

"No, but it said The Hennessey Horse Company. Hennessey is a horse breeder like my husband. His man must be in town picking up supplies. We should be able to get a ride with him back to the ranch. He will definitely have horses for sale. You can afford a horse?" She seemed worried about it.

"Yes I can, but can you?" I asked it seriously.

"No, but if you buy me one, my husband will buy it back when we arrive in Sadie's Gulch. Truth is though for some reason I thought you would want a buckboard or something like it."

At that point I remembered the real deacon's wagon. "That would be best for visiting and the like, but I would just have to sell it when the church was up and running. That is why I had decided on a saddle horse. However a small wagon would do as well."

"It makes no difference to me. I am at home on horseback. Standing here in the street is not especially good for either of our reputations. Why don't you go in and find Hennessey's man."

It was never a question. I went into the saloon since I hadn't noticed anyone who looked like a ranch hand in the store. I went to the bar first thing. "Whiskey and beer," I demanded. The bartender was quick with it even though he looked a little skeptical. I put the silver dollar on the bar before I drank.

When he returned with my change I asked, "Is there a man from Nate Hennessey's place here.

"Don't want no trouble preacher," he said in reply.

"I need a horse so that I might get out of here. I was told his boss had horses for sale." I turned my back to the bartender so I could look over the room. The two men who sat at a table talking were definitely not ranch hands. They had to be drummers of some kind.

"Jarve is in the back. He should be finished anytime now." It was the bartender authoritative answer. He obviously knew the habits of either Jarve or the whore with him. I was torn between waiting inside or going out to stand with Edith. I waited at the bar. I even had one more drink.

When the cowboy came through the curtains used to cover the hallway entrance I cornered him. "Jarve, my name is Deacon Burke. I am in need of a horse. I understand your boss has horses for sale."

The man took a couple of seconds too long to process the information. "Sure, what you want to do?" He asked it not exactly understanding my request.

"When are you going back to the ranch?" I asked it wanting to shake him he was so slow.

"Soon as I have me a drink." He was definite about the drink.

"Tell you what, I need to buy some things at the store. I will just toss them on your wagon and catch a ride out there with you. That way I wont have to come back to town."

"I guess that will be okay," he replied.

Instead of saying anything else that would have been useless, I turned to walk out the door. I didn't see Edith at first. She was inside the doorway of the store. I could just imagine the scene in there. The overly suspicious clerk must be going crazy. I walked across the street toward the store. Edith came out to meet me.

"So?" she asked.

"He is having a drink," I replied.

"Deacon go get him," she demanded.

"I have to buy some things in the store. If he is not out here shortly after, I will." She looked as though she didn't believe me. Well more like she was impatient with me. She seemed to be in a hurry to get home.

I bought two blankets from the store. I also bought camp cooking items, and a little food for the three day trip. My only other purchase was a canvas tarp. I could have used my pocket knife to cut the tarp into a ground sheet for each of us. Instead I rolled it in one full sheet. I knew she would have no use for a ground sheet when she got home. I would have wasted a perfectly good tarp for nothing. If she wanted a ground cloth she would be forced to sleep beside me. If not, then she could spread her blanket on the ground. All my purchases fit into a large wooden box which I added to the Hennessey wagon.

I wasn't too worried about the space the items would take up on horseback since there would be two of us to carry them. There was also the slight chance Hennessey would have a small wagon I could buy. The wagon would add only a few more hours to the trip. The journey would be made over wagon roads anyway.

Edith looked at me with real disapproval as I sat down to await the driver. I could tell she wanted me to go pull him out of the saloon. Edith had never been a man after a long hard month's work on a ranch. The cowboy just wanted a few minutes to relax. Of course the ugly old and fat whore would help. I hadn't actually seen her but whores in a town as small as the one where I parked my butt usually were all of those things. Their one saving grace was that they were willing. Edith on the other hand was attractive, young and thin. She however, was not going to be willing. Still I could only hope that I was wrong.

Jarve showed up a few minutes after I parked my butt. He walked to the wagon without a word to either of us. He saw my box. He stared at it as though trying to decide whether or not to chuck it over the side. He decided against it without even looking at me. His decision was made for other reasons than the look in my eye. I had to work on hiding that look since I didn't think it suitable for a deacon. Then again I wasn't a parson so I might get away with a fierce look now and again.

The ride to the ranch took well over an hour. The ride was almost totally in silence with the exception of Jarve's telling me how long the ride would be. Hennessey was at the house. Judging from his appearance and the glasses perched atop his head he was working on his books. I placed my box on his porch realizing I had made a mistake by bringing it. He pretty much knew we had no choice but to buy a horse from him. He would have known it anyway. We had no other way to get back into town box or no box.

"Mr. Hennessey," I greeted him with a handshake. My name is Deacon Burke. The lady and I are headed to Sadie's Gulch. I need to purchase some form of transportation."

Hennessey looked me over carefully. I expected he was judging my ability to pay. I am sure he was taking that into consideration before he began showing me horses. I didn't mind. I figured I might as well start playing the part.

"Well Deacon if you are going to Sadies Gulch you need more than a horse and prayer. You need a good sized iron rod."

I had a pretty good idea, but I asked anyway. "Why would I need an iron rod?"

"Sadie's Gulch is about the roughest town in Nevada. They don't exactly need religion as much as they need killin' over there."

"Well Mr. Hennessey the Lord has called on me to start a church there. He did not however give me exact instructions on how to do it." I gave him the fierce look I had been trying to hide. Hell it just slipped out.

"Religion at the point of a gun. It is an interesting concept." He turned his attention to Edith for the first time. Mrs. Burke why don't you go in the house. Emma will be in the kitchen fixing supper. Just follow the smell. I expect she can find you a glass of lemonade."

"Mr. Hennessey I am not Mrs. Burke. If you have no objection I would like to stay." She had a look that somehow said she was the one making the decisions. I supposed even in those days women could rule their men. The problem seemed to be that I was not her man. She did know more about horses than me. Not that I didn't know about them. I just never made a study of the filthy beasts.

Hennessey made a noise like a man clearing his throat. It was to show his dissatisfaction with a woman at a business discussion. I had no real opinion so I just followed along behind him with Edith bringing up the rear. "So Deacon, what did you have in mind."

"I don't suppose you have a buckboard or small wagon around here you would part with?"

"Deacon, being a horse trader means I have to take a lot of junk in. When a man goes under around here he brings me his horses and rolling stock. I buy it all. The horses I resell. The rolling stock most likely sits in the shed over there for years. If you can find anything you want over there, I will make you a good deal."

Hennessey stood by his corral watching his horses for a second. It was obvious he wasn't going to bother walking with us. Edith and I made the short walk over to the large shed. Under the shed lay several wagons. They were both large and small types. The one thing they had in common was the way they were stored. They were piled about in total disarray. Large wagons hosted smaller ones inside their beds.

Edith and I weeded through them until we saw a couple we liked. She stood back as I checked their condition. One was very small with hardly more than a seat with a three foot square area behind. The other was slightly larger but not much. Of the two the smaller one was in the best shape. I could not find any cracks in the wooden spokes. It seemed to be in almost new condition. I decided to get a price on both. The larger wagon was in better than average shape but not nearly as perfect as the smaller one.

"Okay Mr. Hennessey, I found a couple I could live with."

"Good, let's go take a look." he allowed me to show him the ones I had found. Both were atop other wagons. "Well the small one is in good shape but I don't expect nobody else will ever want it. How about twenty dollars?"

In spite of his nonchalant manner twenty bucks was a lot of money. I shook my head trying to find a place to begin negotiating with him. From out of nowhere Edith spoke.

"How about we see the horse that goes with the wagon," she suggested.

"Miss, at that price there is no horse included." Hennessey looked offended. Edith looked amazed. I looked lost. It was quite a scene I am sure.

"You do have horses broke to the trace?" Edith asked.

"Sure I do," Hennessey replied. "I already send Jarve out to get the ones that I have for sale."

"Let's go see how he is doing." Hennessey looked like a man with something more going on than he was telling.

Edith was beside me during the walk. She was out of Hennessey's hearing when she whispered. "Am I embarrassing you?"

"Not at all are you trying to embarrass me?" I smiled to soften the words. She was smart enough to see through it.

"No, but most men would be livid by now. I mean a mere woman with an opinion. Hennessey will be soon." She seemed to look forward to it.

"Then he will be. What he does we don't have no control over." She looked at me then smiled broadly. Hennessey was waiting for us by the corral so she didn't speak again as we walked up.

"Only one Jarve found so far is the gray. You can take a look at her if you want." I looked from outside the fence. About all I could tell was that she was a nag. I could examine her closer and still it would be all I could determine.

"Is that the only one you want to sell us?" Edith asked the question with a hint of humor in her voice.

"I have three others. Jarve is out looking for them." Hennessey was more than a little on the defensive.

"I know, but is this the one you want us to buy?" Edith was looking hard at him as she spoke.

"So you allow your woman to talk to menfolk that way?" Hennessey asked it almost angrily.

"Well she ain't my woman, but yeah I pretty much allow all people to have their say." I was looking away at that time. The gray horse seemed almost listless.

"Well you menfolk talk all you want, I am going to go take a look at the nag." Edith said that as she carefully climbed over the fence. She moved gracefully in spite of the heavy skirt she wore.

Hennessey and I watched as she approached the horse. The gray never moved a muscle. I was beginning to wonder if the horse was really alive. It might have died. I supposed it could be waiting for someone to tip it over. The thought brought a smile to my lips.

Hennessey watched Edith closely as she examined the horses teeth. It is a misconception that horse people look at the teeth. They actually look at the gums to determine a horses age. When edith finished with her inspection of the horse's mouth she lifted each hoof. She checked the horse for hoof damage I supposed. After that she did the one thing that probably impressed Hennessey. It sure as hell impressed me. She pressed her ear against the horse's chest. She listened the old nag's heart for several minutes. When she had finished her inspection she walked about fifteen feet back to us then turned. She stood just watching the Gray for a few seconds which seemed much longer.