Chapter Three
"There are no secrets that time does not reveal."
~Jean Racine
The stranger walked out from behind the stable, where he'd tied his horse, and headed for Main Street. He'd waited until the side street around the stable was quiet and free of people. As he was about to turn onto the street, he spotted Jack exiting the saloon. He hid between the two buildings and waited for several seconds. Then, he cautiously peered around the corner and looked for Jack, who had stopped in the street to speak with Mayor Ramsey. The stranger ducked back behind the buildings and closed his eyes. He waited a few minutes and then peeked around the building again. Jack was no longer where he had been in the street. The stranger's eyes revealed his panic as he scanned the street looking for Jack. He finally spotted Jack climbing the steps to jailhouse. As he leaned back against the building, he exhaled with relief. Then, his face screwed into an angry expression and shook his head.
"Get yourself together, Edmond!" he chastised himself in a low voice. He stepped back out into the street and looked back at the stable. He seemed torn between returning to the stable for his horse or continuing down the street. Finally, he resumed his walk down the street, toward the saloon.
Inside the saloon, Elizabeth had finished collecting her students' supplies from the tables and was cleaning up her desk before heading home. As she grabbed her shawl, she heard the saloon door open and turned, expecting to see Tom Trevoy, the bar manager, coming to work for the evening. Instead, she was surprised to see the stranger.
"Oh! May I help you?" she asked.
The stranger looked Elizabeth over from head to toe, making her feel a bit uneasy. Finally, he teased, "Are you the barkeep?"
Elizabeth's eyes widened as she quickly shook her head. "Oh, no, no! I'm not the barkeeper! I'm the school teacher," she explained.
The stranger looked confused. "School teacher? What's a school teacher like you doing in the saloon?"
Elizabeth quickly explained, "Oh no, this is the school. It's the saloon at night but the school room during the day. At least it is until the new church and school is completed."
The stranger was beginning to understand. "Oh! Okay," he told her as he nodded. Then, once again, he looked her over with a stare that made her quite uncomfortable. He removed his hat and made a small bowing motion with his head. "The school has a mighty pretty school teacher. If I'd had a teacher as pretty as you, I probably would have refused to ever graduate!" he told her, cloyingly, as he flashed her a very charming smile.
Elizabeth did not return the smile. She wasn't appreciating this man's flirtatious manner and she certainly wasn't impressed by his scruffy appearance. She'd noted his ragged beard, unkempt hair, and ill-fitting clothing. "Excuse me, but I really need to go," she told him as she turned back to finish packing her basket. She quickly packed it, stood up straight and headed toward the saloon doors.
The young man made a quick sidestep to partially block Elizabeth's path to the door. "I hope to see you again, soon! Have a very nice evening, Miss..." He trailed off, hoping Elizabeth would supply her name. She did not. Instead, she flashed him a brief, lukewarm smile. "Mr. Trevoy should be here soon," she told the stranger as she sidestepped past him and exited the saloon. She shut the door with a definitive clang.
The man walked over to the window and watched Elizabeth stride down the street. He shook his head and made a low whistle. "Something else," he mumbled under his breath.
The saloon doors swung open and Tom Trevoy marched in to his saloon. He stopped short when he saw the stranger standing at the window. "Saloon won't open for another half hour," he announced gruffly.
The stranger spun around and looked at Trevoy, a bit wide-eyed. "Umm... oh no! I'm looking for a job not a drink! That pretty school teacher told me a man by the name of Trevoy, I think, would be here soon. You him?" he asked.
Trevoy eyed the stranger suspiciously. "What kind of job?"
The stranger stepped forward and met Trevoy's gaze evenly. "Bartender. I used to do that some at my uncle's saloon back home."
Trevoy continued to study him. After several moments, he asked, "You know anything about horses?"
The stranger's face broke into a smile. "Yes, sir! I've taken care of horses and stables. I learned that pretty good," he boasted.
Trevoy's brow furrowed. "Learned it where?"
The stranger seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment. However, he quickly recovered and answered, "Oh, my Pa was a farrier, so I've been around horses my whole life."
Trevoy looked the stranger from head to toe, again. "What's you name?"
The stranger stood a bit taller as he supplied, "Edmond Allen, sir."
Trevoy considered the matter for just a few moments before telling Allen. "Well, we'll try this out on a probationary basis. We'll give it a week or two and see how you do. The job involves working as a bartender at times and working in the stable at other times. That's why I need someone good at both. Think you're up for it?"
"Yes, sir!" Allen responded eagerly.
"Alright, then," Trevoy said as he stepped toward the bar. "Let's get things ready for the miners."
Allen smiled and followed Tom to the bar.