PART 4

Hoss and Clayton rode at an easy canter most of the way back to town, slowing their horses to a walk when needed. Hoss knew the way to Virginia City so well that he knew exactly when to slow down and so Clayton watched and kept his horse to the same pace as Hoss'.

Hoss had asked specific questions about Clayton's life as Driscoll and his new life now and Hoss came to believe that Clayton was sincere. Hoss found that he liked Dave and trusted him. And although Dave and Adam looked alike, they weren't alike; Hoss realized that Adam had an intensity about him that was born of watching so much suffering and being so lonely as a child. Clayton had, he told Hoss, a happy childhood but that he had seen a gun fight as a small boy and wanted to be like the victor. So Clayton had practiced all his youth at drawing a fast gun-and he learned quickly and developed the agility. But as he aged, he told Hoss, he began to slow down until he realized after being shot-in the Bible, he joked- that he would soon be dead. So, with his blessings, Sam Driscoll did die at the young age of twenty-eight and Dave Clayton was born-reborn actually like a phoenix from the flames. He and Hoss laughed and then Clayton asked Hoss if he was born again into the spirit.

"Now, Dave," Hoss said, "I been born once and that was enough for me. I'll let you know if I feel the need to be baptized but until then I'll just keep goin' to church and if you preach so well that I feel the need to go jump into a river, I'll let you know." The two men laughed. Clayton held no resentment for people who resisted being baptized-he believed that it was what was in a man's heart that counted and if they loved their neighbor as themselves, they were truly children of God no matter what else they did.

"Let me ask you something," Clayton asked. "The man who tried to kill Adam what did Adam do about it? Did he turn the other cheek, so to speak?"

"No, Adam didn't so much turn the other cheek, but realize that he weren't goin' to die, but he very well might iffen he went lookin' for that kid-and he didn't know what he would do when he found 'im. Besides, he was just a kid and Adam done told me that if that kid was anything like Joe, well, he could understand why he would want to kill the man who killed his two brothers."

Finally Hoss and Clayton entered Virginia City. "Don't suppose you'd join me in a beer," Hoss said, grinning.

"No, I don't think that a minister should indulge in spirits-maybe a little wine upon occasion." He gave Hoss a wink.

'Just like Adam,' Hoss thought. Hoss was surprised how many mannerisms the two men shared and it was always eerie.

"But the only thing that should alter a man's senses," Clayton continued, "is prayer. But…well, there is one thing I am curious about," Clayton said. "That young girl, Lucy, is she, well, does Adam have any claim on her?" Clayton was glad it was dark because he felt himself flush like a schoolboy. For some reason, Lucy Fairmont disturbed him. He had been celibate since he had heard the calling but now he desired Lucy. He knew that he, as a minister, was allowed to find a wife and marry, was even encouraged to do so, but he hadn't felt this way about anyone, hadn't been so attracted to any woman like this and he knew that tonight as he lay in his bed, he would have difficulty falling asleep-that Lucy's lovely face would be before his eyes and his feelings for her would run through his veins.

Hoss grinned. "Why, Reverend, I'm a little surprised. You can't drink no beer but you can…um…want a woman."

"Ministers are allowed to take wives and although I'm not saying that I'm going to marry Miss Fairmont, I do find her charming-delightful actually-and I look forward to seeing her again if she doesn't hold my former life against me after knowing about it. But if your brother has a prior claim to her…"

"Nope. Adam ain't got no claim on her," Hoss said, stopping his horse in front of the Bucket of Blood saloon. "Lucy, well, she done had a schoolgirl crush on Adam since she was a little one. Always followed him around the Ponderosa whenever she could. Adam called her Tag-along Lucy to tease her and then we all just done it. She used to get so mad, 'specially when Joe teased her 'bout Adam and called her that name. She would light into Joe and one of us would have to pull her off 'im. He had a few black eyes and bruised cheeks from her." Hoss chuckled.

Clayton gave a small laugh. "Well, if Adam has no claim on her…"

"Since she likes Adam so much, I'd say that you got a good chance of winnin' her easy," Hoss said, still sitting on Chubb's back. "I hate to talk against my own brother, but Adam, well, he's been kinda interested in a woman round here, seeing her every so often-Miss Daphne, and he sorta always just brushed Lucy away although none of us can understand it now that she's grown and she sure is a pretty one and smart like Adam. But then we wouldn't be surprised none iffen in a few months, Adam and Daphne become-what's that word? Engaged. See, even the word gives me the crawlies," Hoss said with a shiver.

Clayton laughed and thanked Hoss for the information and for bringing him back to town and as he rode to the parsonage, Clayton wondered about Lucy.

Lucy sat in bed, her arms around her knees, the moonlight streaming in. Every time she had any dealings with Adam, it upset her but tonight she was more upset than usual. For one, she was upset that Adam was encouraging her to go to Europe. Lucy knew that he had been seen squiring Miss Bryant around and that, in and of itself, had caused her so much heart sickness that it kept her awake and crying many a night. Every time she saw them together, her heart broke and yet she couldn't stay away from anyplace they may be-not church or the few dances that had happened since she had been home from school. And Adam wanted her gone, or at least it seemed that way to her.

And then there was Dave. Lucy found that she was drawn to him. She wondered if it was because he looked so much like Adam or because he had paid attention to her. He was, as she had told Adam, prettier than Adam was. He had a gentleness about him that Adam didn't have but Lucy had always found that edge to Adam most attractive-when he was angry or being stubborn, she found herself most desirous of him. But being just nineteen, Lucy couldn't understand and sort all her feelings that swirled around her. She felt strong sexual feelings for both Adam and Dave-but Adam, ah, he was her first love. And yet there was Dave who seemed to like her, who smiled at her and had let her know he found her pretty. And yet, when Adam had walked her out, she had hoped that Adam would kiss her-but he didn't and so she was disappointed again. "But Sunday," she said out loud into the darkness, "this Sunday I'll see them both again." So she lay down and thought about what she would wear and how she would go about getting both men's attention and she didn't fall asleep until it was early morning.

That Sunday, Adam was anxious about going to church; he knew that people would be amazed at the resemblance between him and Clayton. Adam had lain awake the night that he had met Clayton and thought about the man and what he had said about his past. As foolish as it was, Adam resented that Clayton looked like him. After all, Adam thought, he was born first-he had prior claim in his looks and at dinner, as they had talked, Hoss said that it was Clayton who was Adam's doppelgänger and then Hoss had repeated the story that Adam told him. Hoss kept expecting Adam to interrupt him as he usually did as he told the story but Adam sat silent. And although Adam wasn't superstitious, the idea that seeing one's double-walker meant imminent death gave him a sick feeling like lead in his stomach. And he resented that Lucy seemed to like Clayton and he, her. Although, Adam admitted to himself, he hadn't ever given Lucy any idea of how he felt about her; she was the same young age as Joe so he felt he shouldn't. So he resisted telling her that he thought she was a delectable beauty and often wondered what it would be like to enjoy her but he still was upset over what she had said about Clayton being "prettier." Lucy, he felt, was his. He admitted that he was being irrational but it was Lucy, despite his refusal to act upon it, who had caused him to groan many a night as he thought of kissing her white skin and Clayton had no right to her affections.

Joe had mentioned to Hoss the next day that Adam hadn't been particularly friendly to Clayton-even seemed to dislike him-and wondered if Lucy had anything to do with it. Although Adam wasn't sweet on Lucy, "You know how Adam is," Joe had told Hoss, "he gets these ideas in his head and there's no changing his mind. Lucy's always been crazy about him and although he never did anything about it, now here's someone who looks like him and gets along just fine with Lucy. I think he's jealous"

"Might be," Hoss said, pondering on it. He told Joe how Clayton had asked about Lucy and whether or not Adam had any claim on her. "But I figure it's more that Adam don't like the fact that Clayton almost got him killed. And don't forget," Hoss added, "don't tell nobody that Clayton used to be a man named Sam Driscoll." They had all agreed that they would keep Clayton's secret, Driscoll's secret, just between them.

TBC