Six Days To Kennevor, Part Ii

...On the fourth day I awoke to a great grizzly snuffing about, he had smelled the blood of my wounds, what he wanted I had no doubt. He gave a bellow and I shot, my Winchester I did fire, had to empty the magazine before that damn beast expired. To this day I sometimes hear that great bruin’s awful roar, barely escaped with all my limbs, two more days to Kennevor. On the fifth day I ran into a pair of bandits with cruel eyes, They said,”Your horse, and all your coin, or cowboy you’re going to die.” But my pistol flashed from the belt, before that bandit could react, caught him had in the forehead, he hit the ground with a hard crack. His partner was the follower-type, and away from me his horse tore, these peaks have been not but trouble, one more day to Kennevor. On the sixth day supplies ran low, I started feeling those hunger pangs, the creeks all tasted sulfurous, not fit to be drunk by a man. I got real woozy as I rode, hot sun beating down upon me, almost thought it was a mirage when tents I believed I could see. They quickly brought me a canteen, did not even have to implore, a small man came dressed in a suit: “Welcome friend, to Kennevor.” Now after I’d rested all night that same fellow did reappear, said,”I have a proposition, if you would be so kind to hear. I’ll buy out your stake right now, one hundred dollars for your claim—” I pulled my gun, said,”Speak one more word, I’ll put a bullet through your brain. After all that I have been though I’ll take my share of the gold ore. You will live up to the contract, or you will not leave Kennevor!” The man slinked back, out of the tent, and never spoke of it again, I did my job and kept the peace amongst the rough-hewn mining men. The camp grew into a full town, and I invested in the range, sold land to all the settlers who were moving out this way. That kept me rolling in the coin when the gold mine closed its doors, I’ve suffered but I have become the richest man in Kennevor.