Double The Bounty

Chapter VI

After a late dinner, Decker went to the saloon again. This time he wanted a beer and a relaxing poker game. He’d gotten all he could get out of the witnesses and the sheriff, and it was time to start searching. He intended to travel a straight line from Heartless, Wyoming, to Doverville, Arizona, and see what popped up. He’d told the liveryman to have his horse ready at first light.

Tonight he wanted to relax because early the next morning he’d be on the trail again.

“You must like this place,” the bartender said after he ordered a beer.

“It’s the beer, not the company.”

“Thanks loads.”

“Any chance of a poker game?”

“If there is, you’ll have to get it up yourself. I don’t run any games in here.”

“I’ll take a table in the back. If anyone shows any interest, send them over, will you?”

“Sure.”

“And make sure they have some money.”

“Of course.”

The man gave him a fresh deck of cards, and Decker took them to the table with him and put them right in the center, unopened.

Before long a couple of cowboys ambled over to his table and said, “We hear you’re looking for a game.”

“That’s right.”

“What stakes?”

“Just killing time.”

“Sounds good to us.”

“You fellas brothers?”

“Nope. We happened to be at the bar when the bartender asked if we were interested in the game,” one man said, and the other nodded.

“Take a seat, gents,” Decker said, reaching for the deck and thumbing the seal open, “the game is about to start.”