Chapter 14
Posted: July 09, 2007 - 05:50:56 pm


The Cantina El Toro was a large three story building that sat on a corner and fronted the north side of El Paso's east-west Main Street. The second floor was composed of small bedrooms for the girls who worked there. The third floor also had a few bedrooms and a large storage area. Pen had a three room apartment on the back side of the building, with an entrance from both the saloon and the back of the building. I had never been in his apartment until I helped carry him in there. I have to say that what I saw of it impressed the hell out of me. Pen had excellent taste and an eye for quality. A quick look around was all I got that night, as I had to lock up the saloon and secure the night's proceeds.

As soon as we brought Pen inside, Dr. Willis started working on him with Liz and three of the Toro's dancers helping him. By the time I'd finished what I needed to do, Doc Willis had Pen's torso tightly wrapped, and the women had him all cleaned up. Liz was sitting by the bed, dabbing his face with a cool wet cloth. Doctor Willis gave Pen a slug of laudanum for his pain and said he'd see him in the morning.

I shooed the dancers out of the room and walked the doc to the door, so I could unlock it and let him out. As we were walking, Willis told me that he was able to get to the Nugget so fast because he had just left Rosa's on a similar call. Coincidently, it was George Howard and one of his men who had been involved in the fracas at Rosa's. George and his partner had pistol whipped a drunk vaquero over the attention of a dancer. I had a sickening feeling I knew which dancer was involved.

It sobered me considerably to know that if I had taken up Feleena on her invitation to visit her, tonight would have been the night George Howard died. It would have also marked the beginning of Ty Ringo McGuinn's last few days.

I walked back to check on Pen one last time, and made sure Liz was okay before I headed out myself. Liz said she was going to stay the night, and one of the other women would sit with him tomorrow morning while she went home to freshen up and pack a bag. I wasn't surprised much by that revelation, because from talking to Pen, I knew the two of them were seriously in love. I had to figure that, even if Pen wasn't injured, Liz would have moved in with him soon anyway.

It was after one-thirty, when I finally dragged my carcass back to my room. I was too keyed up to sleep, however, so I did my accounting and wrote in my journal. I had my best week yet financially, netting almost a hundred and fifty dollars from gambling, my legal practice and my salary from Pen. I had almost five hundred dollars in my valise under my bed. That was a lot of money in 1877, about three years' salary for the typical family, and more than most families managed to save in a lifetime. And I hadn't scrimped to accumulate the money, either. I'd spent money as needed on both myself and others.

I had a plan for the money I was saving though, and strangely enough, it was the same plan my great-great uncle Ty had when he started hording it. We both wanted to buy a ranch, stock and equip it, and if the place didn't come with one, build a house. I had a further ambition, though, because unlike Uncle Ty, I wanted a wife and a passel of kids running around.

Land during the 1870s was dirt cheap around El Paso. Land nearer the river was as much as ten dollars an acre, but further out it was as little as twenty-five cents an acre. I had more than enough now to buy a few hundred acres with a house and some stock north of the city. If I doubled my stake, I could afford the same sized piece of land with reliable water on it. Water around West Texas was always a concern. The area was arid enough that it took at least three or four acres to graze one cow.

One of the nice things about living at Molly's was learning all about the innovations built into the place by her husband, that I could eventually incorporate in my own place. The principle innovation was his plumbing and water system. Yes, the Dean house had running water and more important, it had a flush type bathroom. The bathroom was still located in a separate building out back, but it beat the heck out of the typical outhouse.

Molly's outbuilding had two separate rooms with English porcelain commodes in them and a room with a big porcelain coated cast iron bathtub. Water came from a two hundred gallon tank set on stilts about twenty feet in the air. A windmill ran the pump that lifted the water out of the well up to the tank. Gravity supplied the water to the plumbing fixtures. Another innovation Dean had installed was a black cast iron tank that sat on the roof above the bathtub. For most of the year, the sun heated enough water to fill the tub two or three times a day. At my place, I vowed that the tank would supply a shower too.

Molly even pointed me toward the catalog and reference book that Mister Dean had used for his design. The equipment was expensive, but well worth the money.

The differences between Molly's house and most of the homes around El Paso highlighted the dichotomy between having money and getting by. Conveniences that made for a much better quality of life were available; they were just out of most westerners' reach. For once in my life, I was motivated enough to make sure my reach became long enough. I fell asleep that night, more determined about that than ever before.

Sunday mornings were usually quiet around El Paso, as the saloons and dance halls were closed, per city ordnance. Sunday morning was the one time a week I used Molly's bathtub instead of Clem's. I usually bathed at Clem's, because his Chinese helper had plenty of hot water always available, and I was at Clem's six days a week for a shave anyway.

The Chinese fellow and his family had a small house in back of Clem's shop, and ran a laundry business for Clem. As time went by, I found that Clem was quite the entrepreneur.

Anyway, I was sudsing up in Molly's tub when she came through the door with an impish smile. Without a word, she pulled the shift she was wearing over her head and daintily stepped into the tub with me. She turned her back to me and sat down between my legs with a sigh.

"I didn't think I had the nerve to do this, Ty, but when I saw you headed out here, I couldn't resist."

I told her I was happy she did, as I picked up the soap and started washing her. Molly and I were squeaky clean when we got out of the tub thirty minutes later, some places cleaner than others. We did a lot of kissing and mutual groping, but nothing much past that. We decided to save the rest of it for tonight, when she slept with me again.

While we were sitting in the tub, I filled her in on what happened to Pen the night before. She told me how appalled she was at the casual violence of some of the people out here. On that, I had to agree. We also talked some about Agent Jones and his exploits. She was concerned that he had disappeared. To ease her mind, I told her about Jones's mission in El Paso and how he was probably in Mexico as we spoke, breaking up the counterfeiting ring. It turns out my guess was fairly accurate, but I wouldn't know that until Jones returned a week later.

After my best bath yet in Old El Paso, I dressed in my charro suit, put on my way cool silver spurs and walked over to the stables for Melosa. I saddled my filly up with her new rig, stuck my gunbelt and pistol in her old saddle bags and slung the new saddlebags across her butt too. I was bringing the saddle bags, because they were bulging with presents for the Lopezes, thanks to a buying spree at Pritchett's and across the river yesterday afternoon, using Feleena's money.

I staked out my usual place at the mission and waited for what I considered my adopted family. They arrived early this Sunday and they didn't come alone. Behind the Lopez's, there followed a second wagon driven by a nice looking Mexican man. Juanita was sitting on the bench with him, holding little Anna. In the back of the wagon, two serious faced young boys were staring at everything and everyone. Hector Lopez stopped his wagon right next to where I was standing and the other man pulled up on the other side of Hector.

I greeted everyone and helped Maria and Anna down from the back of the wagon. After everyone was on the ground, Hector introduced me to Juanita's suitor; his name was Emilio Cortez. My first impression of Emilio was that he seemed a good man. From what I gathered, today was get acquainted day for Emilio, Juanita and their children. So far, it appeared as if everyone liked each other just fine and dandy.

After the introductions, Anna the elder dragged me to a spot in front of the church doors to chat, and I assume to get me noticed. If that was her plan, it worked, as a number of women stopped by to talk to her. She introduced me in glowing terms, and most of the women were attractive and unattached. After a couple of them moved off and we were standing alone, I leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"They all seem to be nice, Anna, but none of them ignite the passion in me the way you did the first time you looked me in the eye."

She smiled at me and put her hand on my cheek.

"I know, Charro, but I won't always be here to put that fire out for you. Besides, you are too good a man to keep to myself."

I was about to say something else, when Feleena and her usual group walked up. Feleena detached herself from them and came over to where we were standing. She nodded pleasantly to Anna and gave her a polite respectful greeting before addressing me.

"Good morning Tyler, it is nice to see you again."

This was the Feleena that I liked more and more every time I saw her. I thought that this sweet and nice persona was the real Feleena. I returned her greeting and told her how beautiful she looked that morning. She accepted my compliment gracefully and said she hoped we could talk for a minute after church. I agreed that I would like that also. Anna stood by and watched our byplay with interest. When Feleena went on by to rejoin her group, Anna gave me a look.

"So, you did not take my advice about avoiding that one, hombre. Juanita said you took her to lunch at the hotel and the two of you seemed very friendly. Today was the first time she has ever stooped to talk to me, you must have impressed her."

I hastened to repeat to Anna the story of doing some legal work for Feleena, and that I wasn't pursuing her. I did admit that I liked the woman I thought Feleena could be. Anna nodded her understanding, but still cautioned me again.

"It needs to be the woman she wants to be, Tyler, not the woman you want her to be."

It was my turn to nod. That statement summed up my dilemma perfectly.

Baby Anna made it all the way through the Mass this Sunday, as she was fascinated by Emilio's sons. She happily crawled from one lap to the other, cooing and giggling at the young boys. That Lopez gene was already noticeable; she wasn't even two yet and she was already a flirt.

We did the standing on the church steps thing again after Mass ended. Anna was quick to introduce me to any women I missed earlier. This group included two more cousins, one of them a very pretty and extremely well put together young woman named Miranda. Miranda had my full attention, until I found out she was even younger than Maria. Anna could not understand my reluctance to consider women she said were only a few years younger than, and just as mature as me. Hell, it didn't even make sense to me. The fact was that, regardless how mature they were, and how young my body was, my mindset was still firmly twentieth century. I thought sixteen was just too young for me.

When Feleena exited the church, I extracted myself from Anna's tender clutches and walked over to where she was standing. As I grew nearer, I overheard a snatch of Spanish conversation between Feleena and Rosa.

"... so Feleena here comes your other cowboy," Rosa said.

"This one only dresses the part, Rosa. He is really a lawyer, very stodgy, but trainable I think," Feleena replied with a laugh.

Feleena still had no idea I spoke Spanish, so she thought her rapid-fire speech was beyond me. I still nodded to avoid giving myself away, as I greeted them in English. Rosa returned my greeting and walked off to join her other girls. I decided to have a little fun with Feleena, since I amused her so much.

"I hear you had some excitement at Rosa's last night."

"Yes, a drunken Vaquero was bothering me, and a handsome young cowboy rescued me from the brute."

"So I heard, lucky for you it was a real man and not your stodgy lawyer."

Feleena turned as red as the setting sun. She covered her embarrassment by becoming angry.

"You didn't tell me you spoke Spanish Señor," she said sharply.

I shrugged and replied, "It never came up, and you assumed I couldn't. Just as you assumed I wasn't a cowboy, even though I arrived here bringing a herd of cows in from Mew Mexico not a month ago. It's usually a bad thing to make judgments without the facts."

Feleena was definitely not in the habit of being upstaged. It was amusing watching the conflicting emotions careen across her face. I upped the ante by reaching out for her hand.

"Let me show you that there might be more to me than meets the eye," I said as I closed my eyes and pretended to concentrate.

"I see a small farm in New Mexico, and a happy mother and father at the birth of their first child, a beautiful daughter," I intoned. "As she grew to be a young woman, she felt there was more to life than marrying a poor farmer or vaquero. At seventeen, she left home without a backwards glance, headed for Santa Fe. In Santa Fe she discovered that her charm and beauty could get her anything she wanted. After a year, she headed for the brighter lights and easier money of El Paso. That was about six months ago. Since then, many men have fallen for her charms. Funny, this woman has the same first name as you, but her last name is Montoya."

Feleena looked more and more stricken as I regurgitated what history and legend had said about her a hundred years into the future. I dropped her hand and gave her a slight bow.

"I'll bother you no more, Señorita de la Vargas," I said, then I did an about face and left.

She was still standing there staring at me as if I had fallen out of the sky, when I mounted up on Melosa and headed back to town.

I slowed up when I caught up with Hector and Emilio's wagons. I sadly had to turn down dinner that Sunday, because I had to check on Pen and Liz. I pulled the black saddle bags off Melosa and handed them to Anna. When she looked at me questioningly, I bent over in the saddle and whispered in her ear.

"When your company is gone for the day, pass these out to your family. They are tokens of my appreciation for all you have done for me."

She smiled, bobbed her head, and then kissed me on the cheek.

"Vaya con Dios, Corazón," she said softly.

I had a lot on my mind as I rode back to town. Mostly, I was wondering if I had ruined things forever with Feleena. If I had, I figured it was for the best, because no way was I going to be her doormat. If she was looking for a man to train, she had picked the wrong hombre. Besides, it wasn't as if I was lacking for female companionship anyway. Not only that, but if I could overcome a little twentieth century conditioning, I had marriage prospects out the Wahzoo in Maria and Miranda Lopez.

I think Melosa was disappointed that I didn't sing as we trotted back to town. To make up for it, I swiped her a bucket of oats once we arrived at the stables. I stowed my saddle and tack and strapped on my gunbelt. I pulled the pistol out of the holster to make sure it wasn't binding, and left the hammer safety strap unsnapped. After last night's happenings, I thought being prepared for the worst was in order.

Of course, because I was prepared, I didn't pass another living soul as I walked to the Toro, funny how that works. I let myself in the front door of the saloon, went across the dancehall and knocked on Pen's door. When I identified myself, Liz unlocked the door and let me in. She led me to the bedroom where Pen was propped up on the bed with some pillows behind him, his pistol in his lap. I put my hands up in the air.

"Don't shoot me boss, I haven't messed anything up yet," I joked.

Pen laughed and then grimaced and grabbed his side. When he caught his breath, he shook his finger at me.

"Damn it, Ty, don't make me laugh, it hurts like hell when I do."

I started to crack another joke on him when Liz sent me this stern look.

"That'll be enough out of you Tyler McGuinn," she said ominously.

I immediately shut the hell up. Liz had that mama lion protecting her cubs look about her, and I wasn't going to chance pissing her off. When I glanced around, I also saw two of the saloon women also giving me the evil eye. I told Pen I'd see him the next morning when I came to work, and beat a hasty retreat out of there.
Joe J & Wet Dream-Girl
El Paso 15