Jesse's Song
Chapter 10
A few days later, the herd reached the outskirts of Denver. The men were anxious for the trail to end and head back to their homes and loved ones. Festus finished the morning chores and set out on the wagon, closing in on the end of the trail. The drive was over but he was still at a loss as to what it all meant. Jesse was gone and in his heart he still felt responsible. Nothing had changed.
He stared about him at the trail and the cowboys laughing and joking good naturedly with each other and longed to do the same. He knew that this time tomorrow, the men would be in various states: some drunk, some broke again and some flush with city life. He smiled briefly as he remembered trail's end with Jesse all those many years ago and pondered what trail's end would be like this time.
A few hours after sunrise, the herd entered the town heading for the stockyards and to their fate. Festus drove the chuck wagon one last time down the streets of Denver, staring about him in amazement. It had been more than a few years since he had been to Denver and he was astonished at the changes he saw in the town.
Pulling up by the stockyards, Festus spotted Carpenter watching the herd move easily through the gate to the corrals and urged the team on to stop by the trail boss. Hopping down from the wagon, he looked about for a moment, feeling the excitement of the town begin to fill him.
"Well, trail's end. What're ya gonna do now?" Carpenter asked, walking to stand by Festus' side, watching him with a slight smile.
Festus paused for a moment, looking about him at the activity and squinted. "Don't reckon I got any idea right now, Mr. Carpenter. Reckon to explore this here town a bit afore I head off anywheres though."
"Goin' back to Dodge City and your old job?" the trail boss asked quietly, looking at the ground as he spoke.
Lowering his eyes, Festus shrugged his shoulders. "Ain't got no plans atall. Jes, mebbe ride off into them there mountains and explore a bit. Or mebbe stay here in Denver. Mebbe go north." He sighed and looked up. "I ain't got no idea what I'm gonna do I reckon."
Carpenter nodded and looked Festus in the eye. "If ya ever want to ride with me again, yer more than welcome. I'll be headin' back down south in a day or two. Always have need of a good hand and yer one of the best I've been around, Festus. I mean that. You can ride with me any time."
Smiling slightly, Festus dipped his head. "I 'preciate that, Mr. Carpenter. I purely do. And I'll think on it." He turned to gather his belongings from the back of the chuck wagon, intending to find the remuda of horses and search for Ruth, when Carpenter handed him a roll of bills.
"What's this here?" he asked with a confused look.
Carpenter laughed. "It's called pay. Ya worked with me on this drive and now ya got pay comin'."
Festus shook his head. "I…I didn't do this fer pay, Mr. Carpenter. I done it fer Jesse. And to…to…"
"To hide, Festus? I know why ya done it. Ya still done it and ya got pay comin'."
"I…I cain't take it. It belongs ta Jesse."
"Festus, Jesses's dead, but it weren't yer fault. Jes somethin' that happened. It was bound ta catch up with him eventually. Ya see, I been thinkin' on this some, too." He shook his head and looked away, his eyes moist. "Maybe I had a part in it. I don't know. I knew he was runnin' but I still let him go off into town that night and…" he broke off and looked back at Festus, who refused to meet his eyes. "Jesse didn't blame you. He wanted to protect you, and us, from what was comin' but he couldn't. And neither could you. Or me. This money is yours to do with what ya want. Give it away if ya want or spend it or take it home with ya. But it's yours. Jesse would want it that way."
Reaching out a hand, Festus accepted the roll of bills, nodded at the trail boss and stared down at the money.
"I'll see you tonight at the restaurant? We're havin' a farewell dinner before everyone goes skittering off."
"I'll be there."
"It's been a pleasure, Festus. I owe ya my life. If there's ever anythin' I can do for ya, let me know," Carpenter said, reaching out his hand to him.
Carpenter turned away and started barking orders at a few nearby hands. Festus looked down at the money in his hand and counted it, planning what to do with his share. With a little smile on his face, he headed off to start spending his money. Sniffing, he decided a bath would be a welcome beginning and walked off, a little spring in his step.
That night, the men gathered at one of the less finer eating establishments in Denver and hooted and hollered till early the next morning when they were run off by the management of the restaurant and the local sheriff. The men stumbled on their way, some going to hotels for the night and some, not wanting to spend their hard earned cash, headed out of town to sleep under the stars once again.
"Festus! Where ya goin?" Billy yelled as Festus gathered up his belongings.
"To the hotel, boy! I had me enough of sleepin' on the ground fer a bit. Where ya plannin' on goin'?"
"Well, I…uh…"
"Well? What's wrong with ya?"
"Well, I ain't never…that is…I'm right tired of sleepin' on the ground, too. I jes…"
Festus smiled and grabbed the boy by the neck. "Come on ya scamp. This way."
The two walked off unsteadily to the hotel where they decided to split the cost of a room and settled in for a little sleep.
"Festus?" Billy's hesitant voice woke Festus just as he was about to drift off.
"Yeah, boy?"
"What ya gonna do now?"
"I thought I'd sleep."
He heard Billy sigh and he smiled. "No. I mean next. After sleepin'. Tomorrow. What are ya gonna do? Go home?"
It was a long time till Festus answered. "I don't rightly know, Billy. Thought I'd do some shopping," he said thinking with a smile of the things he planned to buy for his friends back home, intending to have them shipped to Dodge. "Mebbe stick around here fer a day or two."
"What then?"
"Ain't planned that far ahead."
"Them mountains is 'bout the prettiest things I ever did see. All white on top and shining sometimes, ya know? I wonder, well, I wonder what they's like. Ya ever been there?" Billy's voice grew softer and softer and Festus knew he was drifting off to sleep.
"Yeah, I bin there." Festus stopped when he heard soft snores coming from the bed next to his and he smiled. "Night, boy," he said softly as his mind drifted to the past and tried to settle on the future. "Night."