Hell's Belle Read Online Free Page B

card
table. Only two other men still remained, and they were counting their money,
looking weary and ready to call it quits. "Think we've done it, gents.
Enough cards for one night," Marquardt announced.
    The others agreed
and headed off to their rooms.
    Cookson poured
another glass of liquor and studied his partner. Marquardt had that look on his
face—the look that warned he was on to some new scheme. "Wait just a
moment…" Cookson frowned. "That young whelp who was at the table?
Don't start ruminating on him. He and his old man couldn't afford themselves
decent pillows. You seen them t'other night, heads on their chests? And that
mouse traveling with them. She weren't no fancy bit of fluff."
    "But they're
bound for Nevada , Cooky."
    Cookson shrugged.
"Me old mum was always going to Kent. Never made it that I know of, but
she was always going."
    "Shut up about
her and pay attention. My nose is itching. I'm telling you, there's something.
That young one's had a bit tonight. Can tell he's not used to the demon rum.
Loosened his tongue. I asked him, sort of general like, what's in that book the
elder's always furtively peeking at."
    "What
book?"
    "Didn't you
notice? He's got this thin bound volume, keeps it inside his coat. The son said
right off it had a map, mentioned how all the territory where they're bound is
rich in minerals. Gold, silver, the like."
    Cookson just
snorted.
    Marquardt scowled.
"I'm telling you, there's something to it! The boy backtracked right off.
Because I think he knew he wasn't supposed to blurt that out. Was the liquor
talking. Then he tried to brush it off right quick, changed his tune, see?
Though he did allow that his uncle is an explorer of some renown."
    "Really?"
Cookson seemed to chew on these new revelations.
    "They've got
themselves a map to a vein of gold ore. You hear about fellows working their
claims, dropping dead of lung ailments or such."
    "Aye, and you
hear about idjits listening to stories about gold that doesn't exist."
    "What doesn't
exist is that mercantile business! That's smoke, Cooky. Why'd they want to go
and open a bleeding emporium now, after the railroad's already up and running?
A thousand other souls already moved to the town. Probably some already opened
shops ahead of them. Think about it. Doesn't make sense. It's a cover for the real reason they're going West."
    Cookson chewed at a
hangnail, ruminated a bit. "Well…perhaps we should change our own
destination. To this Nevada he spoke of. Won't cost us a farthing to travel a
bit beyond, will it, seeing as how the railroad's being so considerate?"
    "Precisely
what I was thinking!" Marquardt drew his brow down in thought, then
brightened as a brilliant notion struck. "But we'll not disembark where
they do. I'll wait until the father advises the conductor exactly where they're
bound. Then we'll get off at another stop, one either side of it. We don't want
them to realize we're on to them. Since the lad tried to cover up his little
blunder, we'll put on as though we never believed a word."
    Cookson squinted,
took another puff on his cigar. "Right." He took a sip of the scotch
whiskey the hotel had provided and winced at the taste. "These Americans
don't know what they're about when it comes to spirits. Dreadful stuff. Utter
swill."
    "I hear
something else that can be dreadful is working in a mine. Dirty, nasty
business. Quite risky…financially. Also to life and limb, I should
imagine." Marquardt winked and offered a slow smile.
    "Might be
weeks or months before any real profits. I say we find a nice alternate
destination for the nonce. A place with busy dice tables. We'll give it a
decent spell, then stop by whichever part of Nevada those Bells are headed for.
And see about that supposed mercantile of theirs."
     
    * * *
    Wadsworth, Nevada
Summer, 1870
     
    Despite delays and
the stolen luggage, Fletcher and Lucius Bell were able to arrange for a grand
opening of the new Bell & Son Emporium on the morning of July