Read Online The Last Buckaroo by J. R. Wright - Free Book Online

need for soft
food.  She ’ d done that when she finally got
around to having breakfast, around ten thirty.  Now he was here to tell her
what he ’ d
decided.
    “ I
thought chicken soup broth and custard pudding for lunch.  If that ’ s
okay, I ’ ll
get it over to him pronto, Katie? ”
    “ No
rush.  I was just over there and he ’ s
still sleeping. ”
    “ I ’ ll
give him an hour then. ”
    “ Thanks,
Helmer. ”
    “ You
bet, ” he said and turned to
leave.
    “ Oh,
Helmer …” she remembered.
    “ Yes,
Katie ? ”   He reappeared.
    “ The
trial date has been changed.  I ’ ll need Wanda to
replace me on Monday, if that ’ s all right? ”
    “ Sure. 
I ’ ll
tell her.  You know Wanda, she ’ ll always jump
at the chance to be over here.  The gal is man crazy. ”
    “ Well,
Helmer, you know what they say …”
    “ What
do they say, Katie? ”   It was a game they played often, and he
was good humored enough to go along with it.
    “ It ’ s
a dirty job, but somebody ’ s got to do it. ”
    Helmer
laughed, then disappeared outside again, but only for a second.  “ Woody
Clampett is going to get Yancey off, isn ’ t
he? ”
    “ Well,
if he doesn ’ t, you and I will just have to
spring him and make a run for it. ”
    “ How
come I don ’ t think you ’ re
kidding, Katie? ” Helmer said, seemingly
anxious for a response.
    “‘ Cause
I ’ m
not! ”
    To
that Helmer nodded solemnly and turned to leave for the final time.  Now he wondered
how much longer he would have her … either way.  Oh, well, if the Anti-Saloon League, pushing hard for prohibition,
got their way, his tavern wouldn ’ t
be open for business much longer anyway.

 
     
     
     
    CHAPTER
TWELVE
    Again
it was slim pickings at the tavern; only stragglers popped in and out
throughout the day.  But when evening rolled around the usual crowd came
through the open door in droves.  Thank goodness the beer wagon had come that
afternoon, or she ’ d be drawing from the
last keg.  Katie asked the driver to leave two extra, in addition to the eight
he usually brought.  If business continued as it had been the past few days,
she ’ d
need them before he returned the following week.  Then of course the murder
trial would bring extra people to town.  That had always been a big attraction
in Blazedale … that and hangings.  But there
wouldn ’ t
be one of those this time, she was certain.
    About
an hour into evening a tall stout man of about forty came through the door and
marched right up to Katie at the bar.  “ Hello,
good looking, ” he
said, a boyish grin on his face.
    “ Hello,
Bart. ”  Katie returned the
smile.  However, she really didn ’ t
mean it.  Bart Miller had been trying to get into her bloomers for the past
five years.  And even though he was a married man, she expected him to still be
at it five years from now.  He simply refused to take her repeated rejections
as final.
    “ I
bought me a car, Katie.  Now I ’ ll be able to
make it over here more often. ”
    “ Well,
now that just made my day, Bart. ”   She looked around the
room, appearing unconcerned.  “ What ’ ll
you have? ”
    “ I
bet you missed me, Katie.  What ’ s it been, two
months since I was here last? ”
    “ I
can ’ t
say as I recall.  I guess I was so busy missing you I lost track of time.  Has
it really been that long?  It seems like yesterday. ”
    “ Okay,
Katie …”  Bart drew back, seeing
he was getting nowhere.  “ I ’ ll
just have a beer …   Do you have something in a bottle? ”
    “ Berg ’ s
Lager, but it ’ s twenty cents. ”
    “ What ’ s
an extra dime? ”
    Katie
went to the ice room door, reached in and came back with it.  She found an
opener in a drawer and popped the cap.  “ Enjoy! ”   She slid the long
necked bottle to him.
    Bart
took a few gulps, then belched loudly.  “ Damn,
that ’ s
good beer. ”
    Bart
always had to be different.  The last time, it was