Salvation Recalled

With a sweeping wave of his duster, the bounty hunter seated himself at the bar of the dingy desert saloon. The portly old barkeep turned to welcome the finely dressed newcomer.

“How do, good sir? Can I fetch ye a beverage to wash the grit down?” asked the barkeep in a warm voice, as he set down a beer glass.

“A whiskey and a mug of ale would fit me proper,” he replied as he removed his embroidered deerskin gloves and wide brimmed hat. He slapped down several coins, and the barkeep got to work as Dixon swiveled around on his stool. He leaned back against the sticky bar and took in the battered saloon he had saved so long ago. The evening sun was bleeding red and orange tones through the two dirty windows, and several smoky oil lamps were already lit. There were murmurs of conversation from the small card game at one of the three round tables in the center of the room. The five men playing wore filthy work clothes stained some indiscernible shade of grey from the local mine. Two soiled doves sat across the room from Dixon, each coyly eyeing him as they whispered amongst themselves. One in particular piqued Dixon’s interest. Her fine boots drew circles in the saw dust on the rough wooden floor.

“That’ll be thirty cents, if you please,” said the barkeep as he set down the drinks. Dixon patted the bar next to his change without breaking eye contact with the brunette across the room. He winked at her before slowly turning back to the bar. A few stools to Dixon’s left, an old man was gently swaying already as he leaned against the bar for support. Dixon raised his whiskey in thanks before draining it. A smile played across the barkeep’s ruddy cheeks as he took stock of Dixon. “Pardon me askin’, but do my eyes deceive, or are you familiar to me?”

“Yessir, I was once known to these parts,” replied Dixon.

“I knowed it so. I don’t forget me a face. How long since we last received ya, if’n you don’t mind me pryin?” asked the barkeep as he leaned in closer with his elbows on the bar top.

“Near on a decade by my count. You could say I rode in with a bang and left in a swirl of gun smoke,” Dixon replied with a smug smile. The barkeep drew a comically perplexed look across his face as he tried to decipher Dixons riddle. The bounty hunter almost laughed as he lifted his beer glass to his lips. Dixon wiped the froth from his manicured mustache and waited for realization to strike the simple man. The barkeep’s eyes grew wide as saucers as he pushed himself back from his bar.

“Naaah, you ain’t…you ain’t him, surely not. Why come back? I mean, I love our lil’ slice of heaven, but you…you’re famous now, right? I mean, you is the one that gunned down them Boonhearst boys outin’ the street there, right? What was your name…? Dalton, Denton,…Dixon? That’s it, Dixon. Yes sir, I surely do know who you are,” said the barkeep shaking his head in astonishment.

“Well, I believe you remiss sir, in naming those outlaws as boys, but Dixon is my preferred moniker. As for the reasoning behind me brightening your bar, I am only passing through in search of another loathsome bounty in ramparts well removed from here. I thought only to light upon memories past and see how fares this fine community,” said Dixon.

“Apologies, only a figure of speech it was. Anyone of age remembers that day. Shoot, reckon I shoulda knowed you quicker,” said the barkeep. Just then, the brunette from across the bar sidled onto the stool immediately to Dixon’s left. Dixon gave her a slight nod as he peered sidelong at her.

“Hello, handsome. That’s a mighty fine get up you wearin’,” said Emily. The barkeep leaned in towards her with raised eyebrows.

“Emily. This here’s dead eye Dixon. The one that collected the bounty on…”

“I knowed exactly who he is, Leonard; I recognized him right off. If’n you’d quit your blatherin’, I could introduce myself.” She turned her attention back to Dixon. “I’m Emily, and it is lovely to see you grace our town again.”

“It’s a pleasure, ma’am, to be in the presence of such beauty as yours. And I give thanks to your compliments on my garments and heartily return the favor. That is a well-made dress, and custom boots if I’m not mistaken. I find your appearance wholly appealing, little lady,” said Dixon as he turned her way.

“Well thank you. Bit worn around the edges maybe, but they was a gift from my daddy some years back. How long can we count on your company?” she asked.

“Well, truth be told, I was only set on a stiff refreshment and a hot plate before continuing on. I just wanted to ease my mind from wondering on how the good people here prospered, since being free from the villainy of the Boonhearst gang, that is. I never understood why they would have carved out their hide away here. But it did make them an easy mark to find.” He finished his beer and raised the empty glass to the barkeep for more. Leonard took the glass and quickly shuffled away. Dixon noticed Emily hide a predatory smile and understood himself to be a willing mark.

“I find myself amenable to persuasion though, in regard to the duration of my stay.” Dixon smiled as his eyes took in the lithe form under her dress. She started to lean in a bit closer to him. From down the bar, the drunken old timer finally noticed Emily. He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.

“I, I’m amen…admittable too, darlin’. Wanna keep me s-s-some company? I got paid yester-yesterday. Yessirrrr, I did,” slurred the slack-jawed old timer. Emily turned her head to glare back at him.

“Douglass, if you don’t remove your paw from my shoulder, I’ll remove it from your arm. I am busy,” she slowly growled in a low tone. Douglass pulled his hand back as if it had been bitten. She looked back to Dixon with nothing but sweetness behind her smile. “Tell me again, cowboy. Tell me about how you was our town’s salvation so long ago.”

“Well, little lady, if you’re of a mind to indulge an old bore his former glories, then I’m inclined to cooperate and pontificate. But first, Leonard, how about serving up that hot plate I mentioned earlier. Is that still an option open to an aging gunslinger of some repute?” asked Dixon. The barkeep snapped to attention at the sound of his name.

“Well hell yes. Course it is. Lemme holler at the help.” He set down the refilled beer glass and shuffled off. Dixon slid the beer glass smoothly across the bar top as he pivoted around to face Emily. He thought he might sense a good night ahead of him.

“Where to start this adventurous tale of mine. Let’s see,” said Dixon as he stroked his goatee into a fine point. Emily pulled her stool a bit closer. She now sat with a leg on each side of Dixon’s left knee. “The Boonhearst Gang were cattle rustlers, as you well know. But the inciting incident that escalated them to infamy, was the bank robbery two counties over, in a small town of which the name now escapes me,” said Dixon.

“I sure love the way you talk, mister dead eye. But I thought it was they uncle that did the rustlin’?” asked Emily as she stared up at him moonily.

“Well now, that could be the case. Time has laid a fog over the details in the years between. ‘Twas the bank robbery anyhow that raised their bounty to an amount I deemed attention worthy. According to the bounty, one of the men had nearly been rendered lifeless in the robbery. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the process of seeing his felonious family off with the ill-gotten gains,” said Dixon, nodding slightly with each syllable.

“I believe that was they daddy,” said Emily. About that time, Leonard returned to his post behind the bar.

“It’ll be jus’ a short few minutes til your suppers out,” reported Leonard. Dixon nodded.

“The bounty also read that this town was a known hideout of theirs. Being in so close a proximity to the crime seemed reckless to me, but the inner workings of a corrupted mind shall forever remain a mystery.” Dixon paused as if in thought, shaking his head slowly. “Nonetheless, ‘twas my best lead and first destination. Little did I know, it would be such a short man hunt,” said Dixon. The drunken old man at the end of the bar laughed as he was taking a drink, causing him to cough and splash beer down his chin. The other three paid him no attention.

“I rode into town forthwith and found this very bar,” said Dixon.

“I member that! I was there that day,” interjected Leonard.

“Yes, thank you, Leonard,” said Dixon. Emily glared at the barkeep, who hung his head a bit and lowered his gaze.

“Whilst cleansing my pallet with this fine brew, I heard my stallion whinny. He was better than a watch dog, that horse. I decided to investigate and discovered someone fleeing my presence in the fading light. I called out, Boonhearst!, which had the very effect I had intended. He stopped dead in his tracks and proceeded to spin around while fumbling to draw his sidearm. A mighty fire fight ensued. As I put down the Boonhearst leader, three more came pouring out of the wagon like angry hornets. There was howling and cursing, and a general mayhem erupted. One of the criminals wielded a rifle, while the other two went for the leader’s guns. I spared them the need to breathe. I don’t dare dwell upon it, but I believe I single handedly ended that entire loathsome lineage.”

Just then, a woman came up beside Dixon to deliver his meal on a beat-up tin plate. Dixon nodded to the woman before she left. He pulled the plate closer as he looked back to his silent audience.

“I see my tale has rendered you speechless, little lady. But truth be told, it was among the quickest bounties I ever took upon. I didn’t even have to collect the bodies. I showed the befuddled sheriff my bounty poster, and was directed post haste to the bank for reward. It’s best not to linger in such situations,” said Dixon as he speared a potato with his fork and popped it in his mouth. Emily was still very close to him.

“You know, mister deadeye, I was actually there that day, when that mighty fire fight happened.” She was talking softly now. “I think you might’ve got some details wrong about them Boonhearst boys you kilt.”

“Well now, as I told the barkeep, they were no more boys than…”

“Actually, they was boys. Other than theys daddy, who done actually robbed the bank, the oldest Boonhearst boy was only 13. I know it so, cause this weren’t they hideout, ‘twas they hometown. They just had a dumb daddy that drug em along in the wagon when he done did sumtin stupid,” she said while looking down at her boots.

“Well now, let’s just wait a tick. I would never shoot a child. I believe that they might well have lived here, but children I refuse to concede. Let’s just calm things down and commit to more civilized conversation,” said Dixon as he gently caressed her shoulder. She took a moment before looking up into his eyes. She smiled with a practiced sex appeal.

“I do love the way you talk, cowboy.” She put her hands on his hips to lean closer. Dixon began to smile. She moved her lips to his ear. “Just one more thing, mister deadeye. You didn’t kill all my daddy’s children that day,” Emily hissed as she plunged the knife blade deep into his chest. Leonard grabbed Dixon’s arm before he could get at his pistol. Dixon’s other hand fumbled for the knife, but Emily had a firm grip on it. Dixon tried to push himself away from the bar but only upset his stool. Emily pushed him back with everything she had. With Dixon’s back flat against the bar, Leonard was now able to get both arms. Emily let go and stepped back, she watched as the realization of his imminent death darkened Dixon’s eyes.

“See, I bought this here saloon with the bank money my daddy hid away. And the people of this town were kind to me after I was orphaned and left completely alone in the world,” she related. The whole room was watching now. Dixon was starting to look drunk from shock. Emily stepped forward and slapped Dixon hard across the face. “Stay with me now. See I done dreamt of this day my whole life. Hell, Leonard’s probably tired of hearin’ bout it. I just never thought you’d be dumb enough to show your face here again. So, I guess you were very amenable to being persuaded to stay, because I believe this is the end to your adventurous tale, mister deadeye Dixon.” Emily stepped forward and ripped the large knife from his chest, splattering warm blood across the sawdust covered floor. She watched the light fade from Dixon’s eyes, as she shed one last tear for her fallen family.