The Legend of Shamus McGinty's Gold by I. J. Parnham

Author:I. J. Parnham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Culbin Press
Published: 2020-06-27T16:00:00+00:00

HALF AN HOUR AFTER the mob invaded the Lazy Dog Saloon, Fergal leaned against the bar. The saloon was now empty. Tables and chairs lay on their sides, the departing townsfolk having scattered them about the room. Dozens of empty bottles of discarded universal remedy lay on the floor, their spilled contents mingling to create a clean patch in the center of the room.

“It looks like we struck lucky in making a universal remedy that worked once,” Fergal said. “That’s a pity. For a while, I thought we might make real money.”

“We’ve still got Quinn’s money,” Randolph said. He took advantage of the hiatus and finished his beer, which miraculously the mob hadn’t knocked over.

“Most of it,” Fergal said with a sigh.

“What do you mean?”

“I sold forty bottles, but strangely, I’ve refunded forty-two bottles.” He sighed. “Let’s get back to the wagon.”

“It’s like you say, you can’t trust anyone these days,” Randolph said as they strode from the saloon.

Jed laughed. “Twenty dollars down on the day isn’t bad. I thought for the moment that we wouldn’t live through that one.”

Randolph stood on the boardwalk. The banner, which proclaimed Fergal’s virtues, now lay on the hardpan. Worse, it was dirty and trampled underfoot. Two people wandered by and scowled toward them, muttering under their breath.

Fergal sighed. “The worst thing is that for once, I thought I’d made a difference. People have never been pleased to see me. I liked the feeling.”

As Randolph considered their change in fortune, he rubbed his chin.

“I have a worse thought. If we struck lucky the once in making a universal remedy that worked, what about Quinn’s pa or whoever Morgan is? Quinn won’t be happy if what we gave him isn’t working.”

Even under the bright sunlight, the color drained from Fergal’s face.

“That’s a good point. We need to get out of here, and fast.”

“What about the money we might make from the townsfolk if we can find the right recipe?” Jed mused.

“If I lose twenty dollars every time I make a new batch of universal remedy, I’ll be bankrupt within a week.”

“And what about the gold we came to search for?”

“I’ve learned one thing in life,” Fergal said as he strode down the main drag. “Being alive and poor is preferable to being dead and rich, and anyhow, I’ve seen no gold. Let’s leave and go to Redemption City.”

Randolph hurried after Fergal. He’d taken only a few paces when Quinn and his men came out of the alleyway beside the saloon. Within moments, Quinn and Vance stood side by side with their three other men.

“I thought we’d come and see you,” Quinn said, with one thumb tucked into his gunbelt. “We couldn’t help but hear the trouble you were having. You used to operate a three nos system for your customers: no replacements, no refunds, no matter what. It seems as though you’ve changed that policy.”

With his arms folded, Fergal sighed. “I’m afraid I had to, but that needn’t concern you.”

Fergal stepped to one side to walk to the wagon just beyond the saloon, but Vance strode a pace to his left and blocked the route.

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