Donovan's Gun by Luke Short

Author:Luke Short [Short, Luke]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The auctioneer, who was chief of the volunteer fire department, told the crowd what it already knew: the money raised from the bidding for the box lunches was to go toward the purchase of a new hose-cart. After that the bidding began. In theory, no man was supposed to bid on the box lunch his partner had brought. When a man tried it the others would pounce on his bid with glee, raising the price until it was the equivalent of half a dozen hotel dinners.

As the bidding progressed, Jim looked over at the women seated against the wall. He was surprised to see Sarah Hethridge sitting next to Kate. Down the line, seated between two middle-aged women, was Bonnie Hethridge, who, as always, looked beautiful and smartly dressed. Jim wondered if she had chosen her dress of a fire-wagon red as befitting the occasion.

When one of the boxes took Jim's fancy, he bid on it against Sheriff Andrews and won. When the auctioneer called the name of the box winner, the shy young wife of the feed-stable owner stood up. Jim led her across the room to the row of chairs opposite the women's row where some of the couples were already eating from their boxes.

Always the easiest opening gambit was to ask a woman about her children, and Jim did this. The shy little woman gratefully rose to the bait, and while she talked about each child and how its traits differed from those of the others, Jim watched the room. He noted that Kate's box had been bought by a puncher who was in the act of unsteadily settling himself by her, and he smiled at the accuracy of his earlier prediction. He was wondering why Sheriff Andrews was dreading this night. There were, to be sure, several of the small cattlemen present with their girls or wives, but they all seemed friendly enough, and only out to enjoy the evening.

When all the boxes were gone, it left about fifteen women-less men and, predictably, they drifted out through the door by the piano at the back of the room which led to a corridor that let onto the alley. Out there, Jim knew, bottles and jugs would be passed around to liven up the evening.

As Jim and Mrs. Carson finished eating, the musicians came down the long room. The four of them put their instruments on the table and moved it into a corner, afterwards hunting out chairs, which they placed on either side of the piano. The town's music teacher, Mrs. Feldman, left her partner and took her place at the piano.

Jim danced the first set with the little mother of six and then took her to her husband. During the set, someone had brought in mugs and half a dozen huge pots of coffee, which were placed on the auction table. The crowd was milling around the coffee now and Jim joined it, trying to spot Kate.

It was then, over the clatter of cups, that Jim and the others heard an exchange of shots out in the alley.

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