Moving On Chapter 3 THE NEXT MORNING—SUNRISE The six peacekeepers that were left in Four Corners were up and getting their horses saddled. They were getting ready to head out to track down Ezra. After they had their horses ready, they were walking them out of the livery when Adrian Woolery walked up to them. "You okay, Mister Woolery? Your head still bothering you?" asked Nathan. Adrian Woolery sighed and shook his head. "No. Here." Reaching into his pants pocket, Woolery pulled out some money and handed it to Nathan. "What's this?" asked a confused Nathan. Woolery looked a little uncomfortable as he explained. "It's for you treatin' me yesterday. I know I told you that Mister Standish cleaned me out, but it wasn't true. In fact it was one of the best games I ever played. Standish is a friendly fella. Anyway, my wife found out about me gamblin' away some of our money and threw a fryin' pan at me, hittin' me in the head." "Don't worry about losing your money. It wasn't your fault. Ezra cheated ya, I'm sure," said Nathan. The other five peacekeepers turned angry glares on him, as did Woolery. Adrian Woolery shook his head. "No, sir. I don't believe he did. I don't know why, but I don't feel like he's a cheater. He offers a fair and good game. Anyway, I was gonna use that money," Woolery pointed at the money in Nathan's hand, "to play another game with Mister Standish tonight. But the wife found out about it and put her foot down. Said I needed to pay my bill to you and not gamble. Said she'd take the pan to me again, if I did." Woolery looked a little embarrassed by admitting that. "But, thanks for takin' care of my head. Good day." With that said, Woolery walked away. "Hmm, well, what do ya know," Nathan stated. "See, Ezra didn't cheat. And, he did leave Mister Woolery some money. People play cards with him 'cause they wanna. He doesn't force 'em," said JD. "Humph," Nathan grunted. "Nathan, do you want Ezra to come back?" Chris asked. "Of course," Nathan quickly answered. "Well, start acting like it. If you don't, he won't come back." Nathan just stared at Chris for a moment. "Look, I like Ezra okay, but you know how he is. I mean, you get onto him all the time. He can't be trusted. He's a conman and gambler. They're all immoral and cheats." "I know that I jump on Ezra a lot, Jackson. And I plan to remedy that. But the Kid's right. He doesn't force people to play with him and they shouldn't if they can't afford to lose. Now, let's go get Ezra." A few minutes later, six men were on their horses and heading out of Four Corners. ON THE TRAIN Ezra sighed as he leaned his head against the back of his train seat. He was on his way. 'New Orleans, here I come.' The thought was bittersweet. He loved New Orleans. He had been there when he was twenty and had been wanting to go back. But his going back was because he had left the place he thought was home. And he had left the men that he had started thinking of as friends... brothers. He shook his head slightly, ridding himself of thoughts about Four Corners and the other six peacekeepers. It was time to start anew, again. And, Ezra Standish was adaptable in almost any situation. Closing his eyes, he let his mind drift to the many gambling halls that New Orleans had. RIDGECLIFF Twenty minutes after the six peacekeepers had left Four Corners, Vin had spotted tracks leading to a place called Ridgecliff. Vin had had a hunch that Ezra had headed there. Now, they were about to see if that hunch was true. After a few minutes of asking around at the saloon, and finding out nothing, they headed to the hotel. The deskman informed them that Ezra had arrived and had gotten a room for a few hours. But he wasn't there now. "I saw him heading toward the train," he said. A couple of minutes later, the six peacekeepers were standing in front of the station master. After explaining what Ezra looked like, the station master confirmed that Ezra had been there. "But you missed him. He left on a train headin' to New Orleans an hour ago." "Damn!" rang out five voices, causing the station master to jump in surprise. Nathan didn't say anything. He was still thinking that it might be for the best if Ezra was gone. Return to Moving On
Moving On
Chapter 3
THE NEXT MORNING—SUNRISE
The six peacekeepers that were left in Four Corners were up and getting their horses saddled. They were getting ready to head out to track down Ezra.
After they had their horses ready, they were walking them out of the livery when Adrian Woolery walked up to them. "You okay, Mister Woolery? Your head still bothering you?" asked Nathan.
Adrian Woolery sighed and shook his head. "No. Here." Reaching into his pants pocket, Woolery pulled out some money and handed it to Nathan.
"What's this?" asked a confused Nathan.
Woolery looked a little uncomfortable as he explained. "It's for you treatin' me yesterday. I know I told you that Mister Standish cleaned me out, but it wasn't true. In fact it was one of the best games I ever played. Standish is a friendly fella. Anyway, my wife found out about me gamblin' away some of our money and threw a fryin' pan at me, hittin' me in the head."
"Don't worry about losing your money. It wasn't your fault. Ezra cheated ya, I'm sure," said Nathan. The other five peacekeepers turned angry glares on him, as did Woolery.
Adrian Woolery shook his head. "No, sir. I don't believe he did. I don't know why, but I don't feel like he's a cheater. He offers a fair and good game. Anyway, I was gonna use that money," Woolery pointed at the money in Nathan's hand, "to play another game with Mister Standish tonight. But the wife found out about it and put her foot down. Said I needed to pay my bill to you and not gamble. Said she'd take the pan to me again, if I did." Woolery looked a little embarrassed by admitting that. "But, thanks for takin' care of my head. Good day." With that said, Woolery walked away.
"Hmm, well, what do ya know," Nathan stated.
"See, Ezra didn't cheat. And, he did leave Mister Woolery some money. People play cards with him 'cause they wanna. He doesn't force 'em," said JD.
"Humph," Nathan grunted.
"Nathan, do you want Ezra to come back?" Chris asked.
"Of course," Nathan quickly answered.
"Well, start acting like it. If you don't, he won't come back."
Nathan just stared at Chris for a moment. "Look, I like Ezra okay, but you know how he is. I mean, you get onto him all the time. He can't be trusted. He's a conman and gambler. They're all immoral and cheats."
"I know that I jump on Ezra a lot, Jackson. And I plan to remedy that. But the Kid's right. He doesn't force people to play with him and they shouldn't if they can't afford to lose. Now, let's go get Ezra." A few minutes later, six men were on their horses and heading out of Four Corners.
ON THE TRAIN
Ezra sighed as he leaned his head against the back of his train seat. He was on his way. 'New Orleans, here I come.' The thought was bittersweet. He loved New Orleans. He had been there when he was twenty and had been wanting to go back. But his going back was because he had left the place he thought was home. And he had left the men that he had started thinking of as friends... brothers.
He shook his head slightly, ridding himself of thoughts about Four Corners and the other six peacekeepers. It was time to start anew, again. And, Ezra Standish was adaptable in almost any situation. Closing his eyes, he let his mind drift to the many gambling halls that New Orleans had.
RIDGECLIFF
Twenty minutes after the six peacekeepers had left Four Corners, Vin had spotted tracks leading to a place called Ridgecliff. Vin had had a hunch that Ezra had headed there. Now, they were about to see if that hunch was true. After a few minutes of asking around at the saloon, and finding out nothing, they headed to the hotel.
The deskman informed them that Ezra had arrived and had gotten a room for a few hours. But he wasn't there now. "I saw him heading toward the train," he said.
A couple of minutes later, the six peacekeepers were standing in front of the station master. After explaining what Ezra looked like, the station master confirmed that Ezra had been there. "But you missed him. He left on a train headin' to New Orleans an hour ago."
"Damn!" rang out five voices, causing the station master to jump in surprise. Nathan didn't say anything. He was still thinking that it might be for the best if Ezra was gone.
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