Baruch Elias by Frank Chandler

Author:Frank Chandler [Chandler, Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

The streets of Vendigo were bustling with trade. Carts, buggies, carriages and wagons were moving up and down bringing things in from the surrounding hinterland: animals, local produce, consumer goods from travelling salesmen. A similar assortment of vehicles was taking goods back out: farm equipment, household goods and foodstuffs. People were going in and out of the many shops, stores and offices. There was even the sound of a piano coming from the bar of the Silver Cactus. Vendigo Bluff was growing prosperous on the rumour of silver deposits in the nearby hills, but as yet nobody had struck a vein of anything.

On the back of the speculation it was obvious that new trades and professions were springing up along Main Street. A newly built assay office, a mining claims office, more lawyers of course, and another bank was under construction. It would have been a boom time for the Elias hardware store. The fire had come at the worst possible moment, unless . . . unless you were a competitor about to set up and cash in on a boom.

Baruch dismounted outside the Silver Cactus to the tune of My Pretty Little Maid, which rang out from the ivories. When Baruch entered the premises, he saw the keys were being tickled by a Negro with a red silk waistcoat and a black top hat. The pianist looked up, smiled at Baruch with teeth that shone a brilliant white.

‘Beer please, Bosh,’ Baruch said to the barman as he walked past the piano. ‘And one for the pianist.’

‘He only drinks whiskey,’ the barman replied. ‘And who told you my name, stranger?’

‘Give him a whiskey then. And I ain’t no stranger, Bosh. Jethro told me your name, Jethro Gilling. My name’s Baruch Elias. I was brought up here. You know my folks, of course.’

The barman stopped mid-pull and his mouth dropped open. ‘Baruch Elias? My, you’ve grown a bit, boy. Haven’t seen you for, what six, seven years mebbe. That’s a terrible thing, the fire. Your folks didn’t deserve that.’

‘Four years,’ Baruch corrected. ‘I left four years ago. What do you know about the fire?’

‘Same as anyone. They say it was your pa’s brother came into town, had a quarrel, got all fired up, then he went wild and started shooting. Came back later and done them things to your folks and set the place on fire.’

‘Why didn’t the sheriff stop them?’

The barman finished pulling the beer and pushed the glass towards Baruch. ‘Who says he didn’t?’

‘Come on, Bosh, I know he didn’t, and so do you.’

‘Nothing anybody could do. They just stood there with their guns drawn ready to shoot down anyone who tried to put out the fire. Then they rode off and folk did what they could. Pulled your pa out and helped your ma. You staying with the Gillings?’

‘Yeah.’ Baruch paused to take a long swig of beer. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. ‘Can I ask you something, Bosh? What d’you know about Sheriff Hempson and his cattle-rustling days?’

Bosh shook his head.

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.