The Unknown
by Patricia Henry
Chapter One
Prologue
By mid morning, Sheriff Mort Corey had made his rounds. It was a typical morning for the lawman. He had arrested three cowboys for shooting up the saloon and filled out five pages of paperwork about the incident. He figured by ten a.m.; it was time for a well deserved break.
Mort leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on his desk, and sipped his steaming coffee. But just as soon as he had taken one swallow, a stranger entered the lawman�s office. And from the saw off shotgun the stranger carried, Mort Corey knew his break was over.
�Morning,� the man greeted.
Mort sized the stranger up quickly. This was no ordinary dollar a day cowboy. This was man to be reckon with. �Morning. What can I do for you?�
The visitor pushed back his hat, revealing light, dusty hair.
Mort realized that this man had been in the saddle for awhile to get to Laramie.
�Name�s Josh Randall. I�m looking for someone.�
�You a bounty hunter?� Mort didn�t try to hide the disgust from his voice.
But Josh showed no anger. Instead he grinned. �You know a man named of Jess Harper?�
Mort didn�t answer right away. Josh lost his grin as he waited patiently. But his patience soon disappeared. �Well Sheriff?�
Mort gave a quick nod.
From his jacket, Josh pulled out a faded wanted poster. He handed it to Mort. �He look like this man?�
It was Jess all right. And the reward was a high one.
CHAPTER ONE
Someone was singing off key; but to Jess Harper it was the sweetest sound he had ever heard.
Jess Harper drew in his breath and then blew as hard as he could.
�Happy Birthday to you!�
All of the candles but one went out on the birthday cake.
�Goin� to be bad luck,� Jonesy mumbled.
�Aw Jonesy, that�s just what old folks say if you don�t blow all the candles out,� Andy complained.
�And old folks know �cause they�ve lived a long time. Seen a lot of things. You�d do good to listen to old folks. I know what I�m talking about,� Jonesy countered.
�Jonesy, you saying you�re old?� Slim asked with a smile tugging at his lips.
��Course I ain�t!� the old man bristled. �But that don�t mean that I don�t know what old folks are saying. That�s �cause I respect my elders. I listen to them. To be wise to do the same.�
�To be your elder, Jonesy, that person must be awful aged.� Jess�s eyes twinkled with amusement.
�You make all the fun you want, Jess. But we�ll see who�s laughing when you start having bad luck. Now I can relight those candles and you can try again; and you can turn that bad luck around,� Jonesy suggested.
�Jonesy, I don�t think there�s anyone having better luck than I got right now,� Jess disagreed.
�Let�s eat that cake!�
�I�m for that!� Andy cried out with glee. �My mouth�s just a watering. Looks awful good, Jonesy.�
�All right, Jess, it�s your birthday. But if it was me, I�d try again to blow them candles all out. You know what the old folks say.�
�Well I don�t care what they say,� Jess stated, his finger hooking some of the icing off the cake. �This is the best birthday I�ve ever had.�
Andy grinned at Slim.
Jonesy started cutting the cake. He gave the biggest piece to Jess �on account it�s your birthday. And you ought to have some fun before the bad luck begins.�
Chewing a large mouthful of cake, Jess complemented, �Jonesy, this sure is good. Thank you for baking it for me.�
�My pleasure, Jess. Have another piece.�
�I think I will.�
�Jess, where were you last year on your birthday?� Andy asked between bites.
Jess thought for a long minute. �Dodge City. Went to the Dodge House and had me a steak.�
�Dodge City!� Andy�s eyes lit with interest. �Boy oh boy, what I�d give to see that place! Maybe you and me-�
�Maybe...some day,� Slim cut in. �But for right now, Andy, wasn�t there something you needed to tend to in the kitchen?�
�Oh yeah!� Andy grab another bite of cake, then took off running to the kitchen.
Jess paid no attention as he started eating a second piece of cake. �Mighty fine,� he mumbled. �Mighty fine.�
Andy came back in the room, carrying a small box that was covered with flour.
�We wanted to be sure you wouldn�t find it, just in case you got a hankering to go looking,� Jonesy explained.
�Find what?� Jess asked.
�Just remember good things come in small packages.� Andy handed Jess the small box wrapped in brown paper.
�Happy Birthday, Jess. It�s from all of us,� Slim said.
Jess stared down at the present as if he had never seen one. �I never expected-� Jess quickly wiped his arm across his eyes. �Must have got flour in my eyes. Or dust.�
�Dust! I keep this place-� Jonesy stopped in mid sentence as Slim gave his a quick shake of his head. Jonesy said quickly, �I guess it can get a might dusty in here. All them stages coming in. Andy, remind me to sweep up the place after lunch.�
Like a close brother, Slim touched Jess� arm. �Aren�t you going to open it?�
Jess smiled. �Sure. Sure!� He unwrapped the brown paper as if the wrapping was precious to him. He opened the box then gasped.
�You like it?� Slim asked.
Jess just stared at the present.
�Jess,� Slim began, �we were all each going to get you something. But then we saw this. We knew you needed one. So we all went in together to get it. Hope you don�t mind.�
�Mind?� Jess repeated. �I don�t remember the last time I got a present on my birthday. A saloon gal bought me a beer once but...� Jess picked up the pocket watch, holding it as if it was gold. �You got a mortgage due and this must have cost-�
�Now don�t you fret,� Slim cut in. �You�ve worked hard here these last few months. �Sides you�re part of this outfit now.�
�Well do you like it?� Andy demanded, his face crinkled with worry.
�Andy, I think it�s the best present a fellow could ever get. Thank you. Thanks to all of you.�
Slim couldn�t help thinking that Jess who usually looked like a tough guy, didn�t look so tough right now.
Jess� thumb slid over the case, which had an engraving of a log cabin with smoke blowing out the chimney. �Prettiest watch I ever seen.�
�Well open it up,� Jonesy instructed. �So far all you�ve done is stare at the case.�
Jess pushed against the side clasp and the watch case snapped open. The tune played softly. He looked up in wonder.
�They just had one to pick from,� Jonesy explained. �You know what that song is?�
Jess nodded.
Jonesy sang out, �Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, be it ever so humble, there�s no place like home.�
Suddenly there were four voices singing, �home, home, sweet, sweet home. There�s no place like home. There�s no place like home.� Laughter followed.
�I don�t know how to thank you.� Jess looked happier than they had ever seen him.
�Look on the back,� Slim urged.
Jess turned the pocket watch over. He read the words out loud, �Jess, Laramie.�
Jonesy said. �It was Slim�s idea. I wanted to put Sherman Relay Station. But it was too long.�
�And,� Andy added quickly, �we couldn�t fit all our names and your name on the back.�
�We figured no matter where you were, you�d always know you had a home in Laramie,� Slim stated. He waited but Jess only stared down at the watch. Slim added worriedly, �Maybe we should have put something different.�
�No,� Jess said with a shake of his head. �No, this is perfect.� He looked up, his eyes catching each face, �Just perfect.�
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