25.

Virgil and I rode out in the morning to visit Fritz Stark at his sawmill. We had some strong coffee with him in the raw-plank shack that served as an office at the mill. The sound of the steam saw and the smell of sawn wood permeated everything.

“Name’s Everett Hitch,” I said. “He’s Virgil Cole.”

Stark was a tall, sharp-edged man with thick eyebrows and no social grace.

“What do you want?” he said.

“Wanted to talk,” I said.

“Go ahead,” Stark said.

"You probably know there’s trouble brewing in town,” I said.

“Never go to town,” Stark said. “Don’t know nothing ’bout it.”

“You know Wolfson?” I said. “Runs the emporium? O’Malley, who owns the copper mine?”

“Know ’em,” Stark said. “Don’t like ’em.”

“Why not?” I said.

“Coupla thievin’ cocksuckers,” Stark said.

“How about a young fella named Redmond?” I said.

“Don’t know him,” Stark said.

“If Wolfson and O’Malley got into some sort of shooting situation, would you back one against the other.”

“No,” Stark said.

He looked at Virgil.

“What’s your name again?” Stark said.

Virgil smiled. I could tell he liked Stark.

“Cole,” he said. “Virgil Cole.”

Stark nodded to himself.

“What I thought,” Stark said. “I know about you.”

“Uh-huh,” Virgil said.

“You’re a lawman,” Stark said.

“Used to be,” Virgil said.

“What are you now?” Stark said.

“Don’t know,” Virgil said.

“You up here working for somebody?” Stark said.

“Nope,” Virgil said.

“So why you here?” Stark said.

“Visiting Everett,” Virgil said.

“How ’bout you,” Stark said. “You a lawman?”

“Used to be,” I said.

“What are you now,” Stark said.

“I keep the peace in Wolfson’s saloon,” I said.

“Wolfson send you up here?”

“Nope.”

“So why you up here talking to me?” Stark said.

“Curious by nature,” I said.

“Well, I ain’t,” Stark said. “I just want to cut my lumber and stack it on the flatbed.”

“And you don’t plan to take sides,” I said, “if there’s trouble between ’em.”

“Hope they kill each other,” Stark said. “Got no use for either one.”

I stood.

“Thanks for your time,” I said.

“Well, I ain’t got much of it,” Stark said. “You want somethin’ to eat ’fore you go?”

I said, “No thanks.”

Virgil grinned.

“Your coffee’s so chewy,” he said. “It’s a full meal by itself.”

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