The Gun-Hand's Revenge, Part Ii

II. In the week that followed that cold, hard scene, Reno settled in and got down to work, he did tie up loose ends for the estate, but mostly in the saloons did lurk. Listening hard for any rumor, even if it were spoken drunkely, in vino veritas many times had in the past given him a good lead. Brightening up this sad endeavor 2as Meredith, who would sit by his side, telling of times she’d had with Samuel, how he had spent the last year of his life. Reno was glad to hear that his brother had remembered him in his stories and tales, unlike their father, who had seen Reno as working a ‘peasant job,’ beyond the pale. He learned that Meredith sang at the saloon, that’s how she earned her pay every week, After watching her croon Stephen Foster, she jumped down and kissed him on the cheek. That stunned him a bit, and he told her so, she was his later brother’s fiancé, she said,”Good men are hard to find in the west, a girl can’t let a good one get away.” It felt weird at first, but by the month’s end, he was spending his nights in her arms, began to understand what Sameul saw, she was well-versed in feminine charms. He started thinking that it could be more, nut had to remain focused on his task, and when drinking one night, a rumor came that Black Maddox was riding north quite fast. Reno knew the name from ‘Wanted’ posters, Black Maddox was a cruel killer to hang, word was he had helped bushwhack Samuel, that he normally rode with that gang. Reno saddled up quickly for the chase, when Meredith suddenly arrived, saying,”Reno, don’t go! Maddox is mad. I can’t see another Richards die!” “I’ll be back soon said,”said bold Reno, then sprinted his horse off into the night, none in the town though the young man would live to see through to daylight. But before darkness had even lifted, Reno rode slowly back into the town, right up to the door of the sherriff’s office, and hurled Black Maddox’s body down. The townsfolk all gathered around and stared, Meredith’s face went ghost-pale with shock, Reno asked her,”Is there something wrong, dear?” She stammered,”It just is not what I though “would happen tonight, I was so afraid, I did not think that you would make it back. They say Maddox had killed himself six men…” Said Reno,”Well, I’ve put an end to that.” He said he had to send a telegram, his family would want to hear the news, Meredith’s smile returned, and she said, “I’ll be at the hotel, waiting for you…”