Clayton Parker arched his back and realized that long days in the saddle weren't for him any more. He cast a look over to his chum, Stewart Nelson, "Whadda say we stop in Dodge tonight?" he said as they continued to ride during the warm sunny summer day.
Nelson looked over to his friend, "I sure could use a few drinks, that's for sure. And who knows, the way my luck has been lately, I might even win enough money so that we could have a proper room and a bath for the night," he laughed.
"If I had your luck, I'da quite gambling a long time ago," Parker scoffed.
"Well for that, you can buy your own drinks," Nelson scoffed and returned his gaze to the road ahead, "It sure would be nice to get out of these clothes, and that the truth," he smiled.
"So, I guess that means we're staying Dodge," Parked said waiting for confirmation with a slight smile on his face.
Nelson looked back at his friend, "What? Do you need it in writing, not that you can read," he shook his head. "Of course we're staying in Dodge."
The two men rode on and the day grew to dusk and they reached the outskirts of Dodge City. As they rode through the streets they made their way to Front Street where the atmosphere was almost carnival-like. People were taking advantage of the warm early summer night after such a harsh winter.
Parker and Nelson spotted the Long Branch Saloon up the street, "Hey, there we go! That looks like a good watering hole," Parker said pointing up the busy street and smiled.
Nelson licked his lips for the taste of whiskey, "It sure does..." he smiled with a glint in his eyes, "and it looks like it might offer a little bit more," he sighed with what might have sounded like a call for love.
Parker laughed, "Aren't you getting too old for thinking about that sort of thing?"
"Parker, just because there's snow on the roof, doesn't mean the fire is out..." Nelson smiled with a wink. Both men laughed as they pulled their horses to a stop in front of the Long Branch Saloon.
Nelson looked over to his friend, "How long have we been riding anyway?"
As Parker slowly stepped down off his horse, "Oh, it depends on when you want to start the clock, I guess. For instance," he thought, "this time we've been riding since last Sunday. But," he paused, "If you want to take it back to when we met in Wichita, then it would be over ten years..."
"Ten years since Wichita?" Nelson slid down from his horse, "All that time ago..." he sighed, "and what do we have to show for it?"
"It's more like all that money ago," Parker reminded his friend.
Nelson looped his reins over the hitching rail and waited for Parker who was busy with his saddle. "I sware this horse knows when to call it a night," he said as he fussed with his saddle bags and such. Just as he was finishing his eyes caught something down the street just a way. Actually someone that caught his eyes. "Nelson!" he said in a hushed voice and waved for his friend to join him behind the horse.
"What?" Nelson said as he moved next to his friend.
"Look," Parker pointed toward the General Store.
What they were looking at was Wilbur Jonas as he instructed Festus Haggen on how to set out the produce when it arrived in the morning, "Now, Festus, I appreciate your help, but I can do this myself," Jonas stated.
"Wall I know you can, Mr. Jonas, but Doc said you shouldn't be hefting all these baskets like you do fer a week or more with your back the way it is!" the deputy stated.
"Well, it's nice of Doc to think of me, but I can do this," Jonas said in his ususal stubborn way, which was brought on by a stingy streak the store owner had.
"You know Mr. Jonas, with all my respect, I jist think you work too hard and all by yerself," Festus said.
Jonas stopped what he was doing, "You do?"
"Certainly!" Festus said as he looked around the front of the store, "why look at all the things you do jist to get ready fer a day's business, only to pack it all up again at night so no one would steal it on you!"
Jonas looked around the store and a smile slowly spread across his face, "I guess I do work hard," his voice was finally level and somewhat calmer then before.
"Wall maybe that's what Doc's trying to tell ya!" Festus then stated.
"You think so?" Jonas asked back.
Festus smiled, "I am certain that is what ol' Doc is saying..."
Parker watched on, "He's got quite the act going on there doesn't he?"
"I'm not sure I am following you," Nelson said.
Parker looked over his shoulder, "Don't you see who he is? Look at him good and hard. Listen to his voice."
Nelson looked and listened again and his mouth dropped open, "Russell Warr."
"Yeah, Russell Warr. How fancy he ended up here in Dodge with all our money and hiding himself in a general store," Parker sneered, "And right under the nose of the United States Marshal, Matt Dillon."
"How do we know it's really him?" Nelson asked.
"Well for starters I'm going to walk over there and make my self known," Parker straightened his back and stepped up to the boardwalk. "I bet he'll turn white a sheet once he sees us. The shallow bastard he is..."
Nelson stepped up to the boardwalk next to Parker, "Let's go see ol' Russell. I'm kinda anxious to hear what he's done with our money."
"Yeah, this should be interesting to see if he actually recognises us. After all it's been fifteen years, hasn't it?" Nelson sneered.
"I think so. All in I know is we did five years and he didn't," Parker frowned.
The two men walked along the boardwalk and then cross the alley before they got to the general store. Jonas watched Festus as he moved the baskets inside for the night. Nelson and Parker stood right next to the store owner who noticed them, "Can I help yo gentlemen?" he looked over his glasses.
Nelson looked at Parker, "Gentlemen?" he said before looked Jonas straight in the eyes, "That's pretty funny Warr,"
Jonas looked over his shoulder wondering if they were talking to someone behind him. He looked back, "Excuse me, were you talking to me?" he smiled.
"Yeah," Nelson stepped slightly closer, "You're doing a good job with this front you've got going for you," he smiled at Jonas.
"I don' know what you're talking about," Jonas stated.
"No. Of course not," Parker quipped. "We'll be back to catch up on old times," he smiled as the two men left.
Jonas stood on the boardwalk with his mouth hanging open. Festus stepped next to the store owner, "You know them two, Mr. Jonas?"
Jonas shook his head no, "I've never seen them in my life."