James Brat was riding his horse down a narrow country road not know where it was going to take him. James was a gambler by trade and had just been run out of Horseshoe Bend. Well, not run out but the sheriff made it very clear to him that he had over stay in welcome in their town. Bent wasn't at all surprised because he had taken the Mayor and two of the councilmen for a cleaning in a card game.
This was the third town he had been run out of in two week for cleaning their leading citizens in poker games.
Brent was a tall man that always wore all black cloths with a white shirt with lace down the front and a black bowie. He never when anywhere with out his black hat and very seldom took it off except to tip it to a pretty woman that would walk by.
Brent was quit a lady's man if he did have to say so himself. Very seldom was he in a town for more than a day or two before he was sleeping with a pretty young girl or the best looking Whore in the saloon.
Brent came around a bend in the road and almost hidden by the bushes was an old faded sign saying "Jamestown one mile ahead". He road on down the trail and came to a river. The bank was steep and setting at the bottom was and old ferry with an old bearded man setting on a cage. Brent rambled on down and the old man stood up, "Going across the river to Jamestown young man?"
Brent said, "Saw a sign beck away saying Jamestown on it, what river is this?"
The old man said, "This be the James River. Was named after the first man that when down it from on end to the other, Sir James of England, that be were the town got it name just put town after James. Cost you a nickel for me to take you across."
Brent said, "Sound fair enough to me", and flipped the old man a nickel and road his house on to the ferry.
There was a cable across the river and the old man undid the rope and turned the nose up the ferry up steam and it took them right across. On the way across the old man asked, "Why you be going to Jamestown?"
Brent said, "No particular reason, just got on this trial and this it were it brought me."
The old man ran the ferry hard to ground and tied it up quick before the current could turn the back end down steam. Brent road his horse of and up the bank.When he got to the top he was on Main Street of Jamestown. He road on down the street until he found the livery stable.
A stocky man about in his forties was shoeing a horse as he road up. He walked with a pronounced limp as he came up to Brent. Brent figured he was and old time cowboy that had taking one to mean falls, "Hi there stranger, my name be Willie and I'm the blacksmith here in town. Want you're horse put up for the night or are you going to stay awhile. It's cheaper by the week."
Brent said, " Nice to meet you Willie, lets try the week, I guess I'll be here that long, How much?"
It's six bits by the week if you just want him to have hay, dollar if you want him to have some grain. Of course I'll give him a good brushing before I put him up", Willie replied.
Brent said, "I'd like him to have some grain", and flipped him a dollar coin.
"Dose this town have a hotel", Brent asked?
Willie replied, "Nope, Mrs. Sue's room and boarding house is the only place to stay over night. It's right down the street yonder. That's where I stays. Mrs. Sue is a mighty good cook.", and pointed at a two story green house.
Brent thanked him and took his saddlebag and started toward the house that Willie had pointed at. On the way he walked in front of a bar and decided to go in and have a whiskey. It wasn't much different from all the bars Brent had been in before. There were men playing cards at one table and others men were just drinking at the bar or at another table. Of course there were dancing girls if that is what you want to call them.
Brent went to the bar and the bartender asked, "What will you have?"
Brent said, "A whiskey will be just fine."
"Stranger in town aren't you", the bartender asked as he poured the whiskey in a shot glass.
"Yeap, just got in to town. Was on my way down to Mrs. Sue's to see if she had a room for the night and saw this place and decided to have a drink", Brent answered.
The bartender said, "I'd say you were a preach wearing those fancy black cloths except you are wearing a gun and drinking whisky." Brent said, "No not a preacher, just passing through. Will probably see you later on tonight, I like to play a little poker now and then", and downed the last of his drink.
As he pushed the swinging doors open to leave a lady ran in to the door and dropped all her package.
Brent said, "Sorry mama", as he picked up her packages and handed them to her.
Brent looked her over as she just stood there staring at him with a discussed look on her face. She looked to be in her mid twenties with long dark hair. She had a nice figure and big round breasts. Her cotton dress was cut just low enough that you could see her cleavage with out the other ladies in town call her indecent.
She said, "You should be, bursting out of there like that. The doors on the bars should just one way and that is in."
Brent tipped his back hat and said, "I apologize again, can I carry some of those package for you. The grocery sacks look awful heavy."
The lady snapped, "No think you, I'm used to carrying my on packages."
Brent, said, "It wouldn't be any trouble, I'm on my way down to Mrs. Sue's to see if she had a vacant room for me tonight."
The lady said, "I am Mrs. Sue and yes I do have a vacant room. I'll let you carry these two sacks of grocery since you're going to my house anyway."
On the way to the house Sue asked, "Do you just want a room for the night or room and board?"
Brent said, "I'll probably be in town for a few days, I'll take the room and board."
Sue still hadn't cooled down and said sharply, "I charge a dollar by the day, which includes breakfast and dinner. It's five dollars for a full week and I always have fried chicken on Sundays. Are you going to be here a week?"
Brent said, "I plan to be here at least a week but if I have to leave before a week is up I'll pay you for the full week."
Sue said, "You sure will, I get my money in advance."
They arrived at the house and went in to the kitchen and put the groceries in the cabinets. Sue took Brent up the stairs and showed him his room, which was a corner room. The room was rather small but all Brent need was a bed and place to change cloths.
Sue said, "Dinner is promptly at six and breakfast is at seven in the morning."
Brent paid her for a week and then said, "Seven is pretty early for me, don't guess I will be making many breakfasts."
Sue said, "There is always coffee on the stove and usually there are biscuits and smoked sausage or smoked bacon left over. I try to cook plenty."
Sue left and when to cook supper and Brent took his shirts out of his saddlebag and put them in the drawers. He checked his 32 derringer and the clip that held it up his sleeve. He poured some water from the pitcher in the wash basin and shaved and washed his face and hands.
Sue yelled, "Supper is ready, better get down here."
Brent went down to the dinning room and there were already four people at the table. One was Willie the blacksmith and two other fellows that were surveying for the railroad. The other was an old lady that had got to old to take care of her self.
Sue introduced them and they set down to eat. Sue was a good cook and the meal was excellent. Brent complimented Sue and then said, "I think I will go look over the town."
Brent headed for Joe's bar and the poker game. On the way he saw two other bars and looked in. There wasn't any poker game going on so he went on down to Joe's bar.
There were four men at the poker table and Brent when over and asked if there was room for five. One of the men said, "Sure stranger, pull up a seat. We can always use some new money in this town."
Brent asked, "What's the game?"
The man that told him to have a seat said, "Five card draw, twenty-five cent ante and a dollar bet, three raises unless you are head to head then the sky is the limit."
One of the other men said, "I guess you are staying down at Mrs. Sue's?. Was a terrible thing."
Brent asked, "What was terrible?"