A Colorado Christmas
A Colorado Christmas
The sound of the crunch of freshly packed snow under the man's boots was very welcome to the ears. The snow presently falling did not even shake the nerves of this stranger. He tipped his hat and looked upon the town ahead of him in which was decked out in all Christmas glory.
The stranger loved this time of the year. The snow, the smells and even the cards went his way. However, it was his luck that he's lost recently. As he walked into the town he looked at all the friendly townsfolk walking about. They all looked happy without a care in the world.
The stranger looked upon the livery and saw it was closed up for the night. He'd have to hope his luck would turn at the tables tonight. His feet could not handle walking another mile. He knew he had enough for one game and maybe a shot of whiskey but that was it.
"Mister?"
The stranger spun around immediately reaching for his gun. A little kid, about eight years of age, looked up at him with that sad, puppy dog look on his face. The rags, and smell, he was wearing told the stranger that the lad had seen better days.
"Can you spare anything, mister?"
"Sorry, kid." The stranger spoke. "I barely have enough for a room." he lied.
The truth was he was right but he had no intentions of getting a room. He needed to get his luck back and get out of here. Wherever here was. Ignoring the kid the stranger proceeded up the street to the hotel.
As he got closer the noise from the hotel was filling out into the street. He wasn't sure if this was the right place. That is until a drunken gambler was thrown through a window and onto the street. People scattered out of the way.
"God dammit, Will, Whose gonna pay for that window?" shouted the barkeep as the stranger walked in.
"Sorry Tom." a gambler called Will answered. "Reilly called me a cheat and scoundrel! We don't take that lying down at the Flying W Ranch!"
"I don't care what you take and don't take! This is is my place! I assume your gonna pay for the window?"
Will just shrugged and looked over at the stranger. "Who are you?"
The stranger ignored the gambler and moved to the bar. "Whiskey!"
"Sure, stranger. Why don't you hand over that gun first. I don't allow guns in my place."
The stranger put his gun on the bar as well as of couple coins. Will moved dangerously a little closer getting annoyed that he got ignored. Nobody in this town ignores him. Nobody! Tom looked at Will knowing what he was thinking.
"I didn't catch your name!"
The stranger continued to ignore him and sipped on his whiskey. Will clearly wasn't taking this sitting down. "I'm not going to repeat myself."
Again the stranger ignored him and just kept on sipping on his whiskey. Tom knew there would be more trouble if he didn't say , or do something. Brad enough he knew that Will and the Flying W Ranch hands were not going to be paying for the window. He didn't need a table being broken either.
"Will, leave him alone!" Tom said. "Just a stranger getting out of the snow."
"Then he should have found another town to go to!" Will growled. "This town belongs to the Wades! We do not welcome no strangers!"
Ignoring the caution of the barkeep Will approached the stranger and put a hand on the strangers shoulder. With quick like lightning reflexes, the stranger reached around, grabbed the gamblers wrist and put his hand around his neck and slammed his face into the bar. The sound of broken nose was clearly heard through the entire room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and quickly moved away.
"That's because I didn't give it!" the stranger growled at the now cowering gambler.
Will, holding his broken and bloody nose, went to reach for his boot and with-drawled a knife and pointed it at the stranger. "Your dead, stranger!"
The stranger took out a large Bowie knife and slammed it, point first, into the bar and left it there, returning to his drink. Everyone looked at the Bowie knife knowing that there could be history behind it since there was clearly caked on blood on the blade. Will and Tom both looked from the stranger to the knife and then back again. They both reckoned this wasn't a man to wrecken with.
Tom reached under the bar and pulled out a room key and slid it down the bar to the stranger. The stranger slammed his hand down on the bar and the key. Without looking at the bloody nosed gambler he spoke calmly and coldly.
"One game!"
Will took one look at the stranger before moving over to the table. The other gamblers present, who witnessed the scene, moved way for the stranger and Will. Blood still dripping, and the pain so severe he could hardly see, Will sat across from the stranger and glared at him.
"Ante up, gentlemen." the dealer said once everyone was settled in.
Each gambler placed their chips in the center of the table. Soon each one was getting their cards and trying to out duel the other.
An hour into the game and all but two gamblers were gone. Gone but still watching the intense match-up between the rustler and stranger. The stranger looked at his cards, his luck had finally returned and he was grateful for it. Will looked at his cards and kept glaring at the stranger. Will hadn't won a single hand all night and he was getting more annoyed by the second.
The pain in Will's nose was getting too unbearable that he almost wanted to just throw in the cards and fold but he wasn't going to give the stranger the satisfaction of the win however he was almost to his end anyways.
The stranger looked at his cards and then looked over at Will's chips. He knew if he raised him more than what the rustler had he would easily win this game and he'd be on the first stage out of this town in the morning.
"Call!"
Will threw in his remaining chips and watched the stranger throw in some chips then lay his cards down. The stranger had the royal flush. Unbeatable! Will was furious and threw his cards onto the table.
"YOU CHEAT!" bellowed Will.
The stranger did not blink or even move. He just stared down Will and looked over to the bar at his Bowie knife still planted firmly into the top of the bar. Will followed his direction of glance and saw the knife. "You think I'm scared of you? Its over there and your here."
The other gamblers moved out of the way, now that the card game was officially over, but did not stop watching the scene. Will immediately went after the stranger, producing a knife himself. The stranger took one step sideways then threw a fist into Will's face right on top of the shattered nose again. Will dropped the knife and screamed collapsing to the floor.
Satisfied with the job well done the stranger turned back to the table and picked up all his money and other objects off the table and pocketed them and went to retrieve his blade and gun from the bar and then went up to his room. Others watched him leave, including the cowering rustler on the floor.
Talk of "who is he?" and "where'd he come from?" circulated around the room. It was strange. This man knew how to win at cards. Knew how to fight and is carrying a Bowie knife. One that only a handful of people even owned. Will finally got himself up after watching the stranger go upstairs and disappear.
The sheriff walked in and saw the mess and then looked over to Will. "I should have known."
"Now sheriff!"
"Don't 'now sheriff' me Wade. You've been a problem in this town from day one." the sheriff said. "What's with your nose?"
Will pointed up the stairs and down the hallway. "A stranger in town and he did this to me!"
The sheriff nodded and looked to Tom who nodded to confirm the story. "Well then congratulations are in order then."
"But sheriff."
The sheriff put up one finger to shut up the rustler and looked back at him. "You and your family have been pushing around for years. Finally a stranger comes in and puts you in your place. I'm going to go home and enjoy my nog and get some rest."
The sheriff turned and walked right back out into the snow. Will watched him go instead of chasing after him. Tom even turned and started cleaning glasses and the bar noticing a big gash in it from the strangers blade. The patrons returned to their drinks, piano music began again. The Christmas festivities had begun once again before the stranger walked in. It was going to be a long quiet night.
Unknown to all a large snow storm was bearing down on the town of Union, Colorado.