Butler's Wager

CHAPTER 36

When Butler reentered the Lady Gay he found Neal Brown behind the bar, nursing a beer.

“Want one?” Brown asked.

“Why not?” Butler said. “I’ve already had whiskey for breakfast.”

Brown drew him a beer and set it on the bar.

“Where’s Jim?”

“Gettin’ dressed. Did you locate Thompson?”

“No, I’ll talk to him later. I was, however, trying to find Ryerson, but couldn’t.”

“Why him?”

“Because he came and went so fast,” Butler said. “I’d like to find out something about him.”

“Like what?”

“Like where he’s from. Where he’s going and why he stopped to help me? Do you have any idea who he is?”

“No, I never saw him or heard of him before.”

“Never saw a wanted poster on him?”

Brown thought a moment, then said, “Not that I can remember. What makes you suspicious of him?”

“I’m just naturally suspicious of everyone,” Butler confessed, “especially when they pop up out of nowhere to help me.”

“But that’s what you did.” Brown reminded him.

“Yeah, but I’m not suspicious of myself.”

Brown was confused, but decided not to pursue it any further. He had enough of his own troubles to keep him occupied.

“Neal, what do you think about whatever’s between Jim and Bat?” Butler asked.

“I think it’s their business.”

“If Jim sent Bat a telegram asking for help, would Bat come?”

“In a minute.”

“Then why doesn’t Jim ask?”

Brown shrugged.

“You’d have to ask him.”

“Why don’t you send a telegram?”

“Because Jim would kill me if he found out. Besides, there’s nothin’ goin’ on here that Jim and I can’t handle—with a little help from you, that is. I mean, the other night.”

“I was glad I was there,” Butler said, “and I’ll help more if something happens while I’m here.”

“You know,” Brown said, “once you’re seen takin’ sides, you’re gonna become a target.”

“It looks like that already happened, doesn’t it?”

“Oh, yeah…”

“What about guns in town?” Butler asked. “If there’s enough to be hired to go against you, what about some being hired to work for you?”

“Jim’s not gonna hire any guns, Butler,” Brown said. “That ain’t his style.”

“If he was still a lawman, wouldn’t he hire more deputies if he needed them?”

“Well, yeah…”

“What makes this any different?”

Brown thought a moment, then said, “I don’t know, it just is. Don’t get me wrong. He’ll accept help, like from you or anyone who wants to help. But he ain’t gonna go out beggin’.”

“I’m not suggesting that—” Butler said, but was interrupted by the appearance of Jim Masterson.

“Suggestin’ what?” he asked.

“Butler was just askin’ why we don’t, uh, enlist some help.”

“Enlist? You mean, like pay?”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Look,” Masterson said, “we lost our jobs and some folks are gonna use that fact to come after us now, when they couldn’t do it while we wore badges. That’s just somethin’ we’re gonna have to deal with. It won’t last forever.”

“Just until somebody’s dead, maybe,” Butler said.

“Maybe,” Masterson said, “but that won’t be my choice. Look, Butler, you’ve helped enough. You don’t have to—”

“If I can help more, I will.”

“We’re even, you know,” Masterson said. “After this mornin’.”

“What was that about, anyway?’ Brown asked.

“I don’t know,” Butler said. “Could be a carry over from the other night.”

“I’m willin’ to bet a man like you has got enemies of his own,” Brown said.

“That’s true enough. Could have nothing to do with you and Jim, at all.”

“But we can’t be sure of that,” Masterson said. “You find Thompson?”

“No, I’ll talk to him later.” He decided not to go through the whole thing about Ryerson again. Besides, he had Mary Jane Healy trying to find out some information. “What are your plans for today?”

“Me? I’m gonna run my business.” He looked the part, his black suit and white shirt matching Butler’s.

“What about your bartender?”

“l’ll talk to him when he comes back.”

“Think he will come back?”

“Oh, he’ll come back,” Masterson said. “He’s arrogant, and he’s got his brother-in-law to protect him. He’ll be back.”

“Well, see if he knows anything about those men that tried for me this morning,” Butler said. “It sure seemed to me that he knew what was going on.”

“Don’t worry,” Masterson said. “We’ll ask him.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Butler headed for the door.

“You still interested in an early game?” Masterson called after him.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Check back with me later. I may have something for you.”

“Thanks.

As Butler left Brown turned to Jim Masterson.

“What do you think of him?”

“He seems to be able to handle himself.”

“I mean, are you suspicious of him?”

“What for?”

Brown explained about Butler being suspicious of Ryerson, and why.

“So you’re thinkin’ we should be suspicious of him?”

“I’m just applyin’ his own rules to him,” Brown said. “He did pop up out of nowhere and take a hand the other night.”

“Yeah, but he also stayed around and ended up gettin’ shot at for it,” Masterson said.

“Yeah, well,” Brown said, “maybe I’ll just be as suspicious as he is for a while, until he proves himself.”

“He’s proved himself to me already,” Masterson said, “but you do what you gotta do.”

“I always do, Jim.”