Adam Steele 35 Stranger in a strange Town by George G. Gilman

Author:George G. Gilman [Gilman, George g.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

`WE HAVE never had need of a sheriff as such in Braddock,' the red- and round-faced Byron Nolan told Adam Steele in the Alamo Saloon something over two hours after the shootings down at the other end of the town's main street. 'This is the first time that serious trouble of a violent nature has ever occurred here and all we can hope is that it will be the last.' The short, thick-waisted and fleshy-shouldered banker in the shined and worn city suit removed his gold-framed eye-glasses and polished them with a handkerchief. And shook his head, frowning, like he had serious doubts about the hope he spoke of being realised.

The Alamo Saloon, so named for no other reason than that it was in the state of Texas - as far as Steele could see - was an eating house as well as a drinking establishment. And he had come to these spartanly-furnished, undecorated, dusty and stale-smelling premises to eat a surprisingly good breakfast. This after getting no argument from anybody when he announced his intention as he left the Judge's house, and the gathering throng of shocked and curious people parted to allow him through. Perhaps the black-bearded, bloodshot-eyed, game-legged, middle-aged man who ran the saloon was at first vexed that he had to leave the scene of the violence to meet the needs of a lone customer. But then he seemed content enough while he cooked the order of breakfast and elicited laconic but not brusque answers to the questions he called from the kitchen - the Virginian's responses building up a bald but authentic picture of the morning's events that the bearded saloon-keeper would be able to relate to his regular and sure to be ill-informed customers.

When the breakfast of eggs and grits and ham and bread along with a pot of coffee was delivered to the table, though, the man felt compelled to contain his curiosity - by the stone-faced demeanour of Adam Steele that he mistakenly assumed to be an outward sign of brooding ill-humour created out of the questions-and-answers interlude. Whereas the Virginian was merely reflecting with resignation on how his latest shot at settling down and running a regular and respectable business was being hampered from the outset. Would have been surprised if he knew he had frightened the saloon-keeper into silence; but in fact was simply quietly pleased in back of his normal impassiveness that the man who went to stand behind the short bar had run out of questions, leaving his sole patron to eat the breakfast in peace.

While he ate the large breakfast in the depressing, dingy surroundings he found he was easily able to avoid being infected by the place; and he felt no bitterness toward those who had caused him trouble, nor any self-pity that life seemed to be showering him yet again with an unfair share of trials and tribulations. And, as he finished eating and set about emptying the large pot of coffee, he found that his equanimity was disturbed on just two scores.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.