Butler's Wager

CHAPTER 21

Butler found Mary Jane Healy waiting for him when he left the Long Branch. This time he was not surprised.

“You’re persistent,” he said.

“Yes, I am,” she said. “That’s what makes me a good newspaperwoman.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he said.

“Then talk to me,” she said, falling into step with him.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Yes, there is,” she said. “Why you’re in Dodge, how long you plan to stay—”

“What makes you think your readers would be interested in me?” he asked. “Why not interview somebody like…Ben Thompson?”

“I did,” she said, “when he first came to town. Now he was very cooperative.”

“He was?”

“Very,” she said, nodding.

“When was that?”

“A couple of weeks ago.”

“Have you got a copy of that issue?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said. “We have copies of every issue—plus issues of other newspapers.”

Struck by an idea, he stopped walking. She had to stop abruptly and still went two steps past him.

“I’ll make you a deal,” he said.

“What?”

“Let me look through your archives and I’ll let you interview me.”

“Our archives? Why?”

“I’m a student of history,” he told her. “I want to read up on Dodge City.”

“Fine,” she said quickly. “I can even help you, save you time having to find specifics about Dodge. I’ll just show you the newspapers that will have what you want.”

“Okay,” he said, “let’s go.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now,” he said. “I’ve got nothing else to do.”

“But…what about gambling?” she asked. “Don’t you want to play poker?”

“I will,” he said, “later. Right now I want to see all those newspapers.”

“Well,” she said, “okay, then, let’s go.”

When Mary Jane came walking back into the office of the Dodge City Times with Butler, her brother raised his eyebrows. He spoke to Butler, not to her.

“I thought you would have lost her by now.”

“She’s hard to lose,” Butler said.

“I know.”

“Lou,” M.J. said, “Mr. Butler is going to be in the back room looking at old newspapers.”

“Fine by me,” Lou Healy said, “Just don’t breathe too heavy, you’ll end up with black ink on your lungs.”

Butler looked at M.J.

“He’s kidding,” she said. “Come on, I’ll get you situated and start bringing out some papers.”

He followed her into a back room where she left him seated at a long wooden table, then went to get some papers. When she returned she had copies of not only the Times but the Hays Sentinel, the Yates Center News, and even the New York Herald.

“When you’re finished with these I can get you some more,” she said.

“I appreciate it, Miss—”

“Just call me M.J.,” she said. “Everybody does.”

As she leaned over him he smelled not newspaper ink, but her. She’d obviously had a bath that morning, and her hair smelled fresh and clean. Suddenly, he felt dirty.

“I’ll be back to check on you later,” she said.

“I’ll be here.”

At the door she stopped and turned.

“By the way, when can we do that interview?”

“How about tonight?”

She looked surprised.

“That’d be great. I can come to your hotel—”

“Why don’t we have supper?” he asked.

“Supper? Oh, you mean…together? I, uh, usually I eat with my brother but—”

“I’ll buy.”

“Well…all right. I guess he can fend for himself tonight,” she agreed.

“I’ll pick the restaurant,” he said. “I know just the place for it. What time do you finish here?”

“About five, but—”

“Let’s do it at six, then,” he said. “You can conduct the interview while we eat.”

“I’ll remember to bring a pad,” she said. “Well, all right, now that that’s settled, I’ll leave you to it.”

He started going through newspaper, hoping he’d have time to go back to his hotel and have a bath.