Two days later, Angel Eyes was getting a bit antsy from the lack of activity. He was about ready to spend some time with Emma, but decided he would make her wait another day or two.
Instead, he took his weapons a short distance from town to get some practice in, both in shooting and in drawing his gun. Despite his proficiency in all aspects of gun handling, it was essential that he keep his skills up to date and not allow himself to get rusty.
As he rode back to town, he realized he now had a valid reason to visit the mercantile. He'd expended a fair amount of ammunition while practicing and he could always use a new pouch of pipe tobacco. He decided to go the next day.
By mid-afternoon, Angel Eyes was at his usual spot in the saloon, nursing a whiskey and smoking his pipe. A low-stakes poker game was in progress at a nearby table, and a couple of sodbusters were at the other end of the bar drinking beer.
Close to supper time, a poorly dressed, bone-thin young man came into the saloon. Glancing all around nervously, he looked distinctly out of place. His prominent Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed several times in agitation.
Finally, he gathered his courage and went up to the barman and leaned close to ask him a question. The bartender pointed at Angel Eyes, after which he looked even more distressed than he had before, because Angel Eyes looked exactly like what he was.
He approached the paid assassin timidly and asked, "You're Angel Eyes?"
"That's what they call me."
"I heard that you ah, uh, help people make their problems…disappear," the young man managed to say. "For a price, of course."
"Spit it out," Angel Eyes growled, his eyes narrowed. He wasn't going to make it easy for this bumpkin.
The young man, not much more than a boy, eventually found his voice. "I'm Ro-"
"Stop!" the hired gun said, holding up his hand. "I neither need nor want to know your name. Either get to the point or stop wasting my time."
"All right," the man said, gulping again. "I was engaged to this girl and she threw me over for the banker's son. I…I…want him gone!"
Angel Eyes rolled his eyes so hard they nearly went back in his head. "Are you kidding me?"
Fishing his hand into his pocket, the young man produced a twenty dollar gold piece. "I'll give you the entire twenty dollars to do it."
The assassin guffawed loudly. "Kid, let me give you some advice. Either find you a new girl, if that's possible, or do the job yourself. I don't work for peanuts."
"I could probably scrape up a bit more if I sell the new saddle I just bought."
"You can't afford me," Angel Eyes told him, enunciating each word carefully, his voice dripping with scorn. "Now, go away while I'm still in a good mood."
After the disappointed young man reluctantly slunk out of the saloon like a whipped dog, Angel Eyes turned to the bartender. "Horace, why in the hell did you send that pathetic loser over to me? Couldn't you tell he couldn't afford me? Don't do that again, unless it's someone who looks like he can pay my fee."
"I'm sorry," Horace said, now a bit apprehensive. "It won't happen again."
The hired gun said nothing, but merely signalled for another drink.
The next day, Angel Eyes casually sauntered into the mercantile after having lunch at the cafe. He noted with satisfaction how Emma perked up the moment she saw him. Walking over to her, he handed her the list specifying the types of ammunition he needed.
As Emma went to fill the order, she remembered he'd bought some just the other day when they first met. She wondered what he needed so many bullets for, but knew better than to ask.
"Some pipe tobacco, too," he said when she returned with the stuff on his list.
After she handed him the tobacco, he leaned closer and said in a low voice, "I'd like to see you tonight."
"I want to be with you, too, but I don't know if I can come up with a good enough excuse for being out all night on such short notice," Emma replied.
"You can come to my room at the hotel," Angel Eyes told her. "It's much easier than going all the way to that cabin and you can go back home after we're done."
"What if someone sees me?" she said. "And the desk clerk there is an awful old gossip.
Angel Eyes was exasperated, but did his best to hide his temper. "My room is at the back of the hotel. There's a back entrance and the staircase leads right to my door, Room 7. You won't have to see the desk clerk and you can come and go unnoticed. Will that do?"
Emma could sense that he was losing his patience, so she smiled at him and said, "Yes, that will work for me. I get off at six. Do you want me to come over then?"
"Yeah, that'll be fine." He touched her hand briefly, then left without another word.
Emma could hardly wait for six to arrive. Once the store closed, she quietly slipped out the back door, eager to be with her lover once more. To help conceal her identity, she wore a wide-brimmed sunbonnet, which completely hid her face.
As before, she slipped through the back alleys, this time to the hotel. She found the rear entrance that Angel Eyes had told her about and slipped inside before anyone saw her. After mounting the steps, she quickly located Room 7. Emma knocked
hesitantly and exhaled in relief when he opened the door.
Angel Eyes was dressed casually, wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a few buttons undone at the neck. He also wore a dark vest with black pants and boots. Emma found this to her liking as her eyes raked over his trim figure.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, once he'd closed the door behind them. "I brought a couple of roast beef sandwiches from the cafe."
"I am," she replied, surprised by the thoughtful gesture. "I didn't eat anything before leaving the mercantile."
He took out a bottle of whiskey and poured them each a shot. "Here's something to go with the sandwiches." The couple fell silent for a few minutes, eating quickly, eager to get to the main event.
Emma finished first, then slowly rose to her feet. Acting instinctively, she sat down on Angel Eyes' lap and put her arms around him. She leaned in and gave him a deep kiss, as one hand began to undo the rest of his shirt buttons.
As her other hand began to stroke his chest, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. After he dumped her none too gently onto the mattress, they both burst out into laughter. They wrestled for a bit, just enjoying each other's company.
But, soon, their mutual need for each other turned into passion, and no more words were spoken, beyond sighs and groans.
A few hours later, Emma suddenly woke up, her head on Angel Eyes' chest. They'd both fallen asleep after a thorough workout. Looking out the window, she realized she'd stayed longer than she intended.
She quickly retrieved her clothing from the floor. Angel Eyes awakened and watched her drowsily as she dressed.
Once she was finished dressing, he reached for her. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her goodnight. For the first time, Emma noticed that he was missing the first joint of his second finger of his right hand. She knew she shouldn't ask him about it, so she merely kissed that finger, instead.
He gave her an odd look, but said, "I enjoyed it. We'll do it again soon."
"I'll look forward to it," she said, as she reluctantly stood up to leave. "Good night. Sleep well."