Part 25 (1/2)

Sarah's father at Fort Huachuca?

I reckon she didn't consider Elmont much much of a friend, not if she'd been telling him stretchers like that. of a friend, not if she'd been telling him stretchers like that.

Though it amazed me that she'd fibbed to him, I was glad.

She allowed that she might consider a trip to Elmont's hotel, but maybe she didn't mean it.

I doubted he owned owned such a hotel. such a hotel.

The way it looked, lies were flying as thick as the gravy on my beef.

I knew what they were covering up, on Sarah's part.

As for Elmont's lies, I could only guess. The way I figured things, he didn't want Sarah to know he was using the last of his inherited wealth to ride the rails in search of a rich, available woman. And she was it.

Of course, I might've been wrong.

Maybe it was just my jealousy doing the thinking for me.

That's how I saw him, though.

I don't know that Sarah was smitten by him, but she sure did hang on his every word like she'd never encountered a fellow more fascinating and amusing. You could see he was aware of it, too. He had victory in his pretty blue eyes.

Matters turned worse after the meal. He invited Sarah to play cards with him in the parlor car. I started to follow them there, but Elmont said to me, ”I don't believe the lady will be requiring your services.”

”Go ahead and run along,” Sarah said.

Run along?

I heated up considerable. But I allowed that causing a row wouldn't help my cause any. It'd only serve to peeve Sarah. Besides, the way I felt betrayed by her-again-I wasn't particularly eager to keep her company. If she preferred a swine like Elmont over me, maybe she deserved him.

I cast a poison glare at Elmont, then went on my way.

Back in my usual seat, I sat alone and boiled. I tried to tell myself that Sarah was only just being kind to the man. But it wouldn't wash. In spite of what she'd said about considering Elmont no more than a friend, I'd seen enough to figure she was uncommon fond of him.

I had some awfully mean thoughts about her.

It got to seem like she'd only taken up with me in the first place was because I was handy. I was living in her house where she could get at me whenever she pleased. My age hadn't mattered much to her, then. And maybe the various men around town simply hadn't appealed to her, one way or another. I wasn't quite what she wanted, but I'd do. do.

Maybe she'd lied all along about loving me.

Maybe she'd lied about a whole heap of things.

She sure had told some stretchers to Elmont. And to every other pa.s.senger we'd spent any time with during our travels. Well, those fibs were understandable. We couldn't very well give out the truth about the two of us. The same goes for deceiving her attorney, Mr. Cunningham, and any number of other folks.

Taken all around, though, she'd lied to just about everyone I'd ever heard her talking to.

Even the General.

Sitting there by my dark window, I recalled the time that Saber got hooked by Whittle. Instead of trying out the truth on her grandfather, Sarah'd come up with a fancy story about the horse running off on its own. We'd even left the stable doors and the front gate open to make it look good.

The more I thought about Sarah, the more it seemed like she never spoke the truth if she could come up with a lie that'd serve her better.

No telling how many lies she'd foisted off on me.

Why, I never could understand how a beautiful woman like Sarah was as unlucky with men as she'd always claimed. There she'd been, carrying on about how old old she was and likely to end up a spinster-husbandless, childless, alone and pitiful. she was and likely to end up a spinster-husbandless, childless, alone and pitiful.

Maybe she'd only said those things to win my sympathy.

She'd probably been with half the men in Coney Island, and thrown over each of them when a new fellow struck her fancy. The same way she was throwing me over for Elmont.

I felt like I'd been swindled.

For a while there, I plain hated Sarah and wished I'd never gotten tangled up with her. But then I got to thinking about all the fine times we'd had. The memories just carved me out hollow. Not the memories themselves, I reckon, but the notion that all the good things with Sarah were behind me.

Just for the sake of torturing myself even more, I hauled out the gold watch she'd given me at Christmas. I opened it up and saw she'd been gone for nearly two hours. Then I snapped it shut and stared at the crossed revolvers engraved on its cover. You'll never know how much joy you've brought into my life You'll never know how much joy you've brought into my life, she'd said.

She'd brought plenty into my life, too.

Suddenly, I felt just rotten for all the mean thoughts I'd been having about her. She'd had good reasons for most of the lies I'd heard her tell. For all I knew, she'd never lied to me. Maybe she truly did love me, and loved me still. So what if she was spending time with Elmont? Why, I'd spent hours and hours with the General. The old man had fascinated me, but I sure hadn't fallen fallen for him. for him.

That eased my mind some, but not for long.

Elmont wasn't the General. He had designs on Sarah. He aimed to have her.

Even if all they did was play at cards and enjoy each other's company tonight, he was busy working on her. And he'd be having more chances tomorrow. And the day after that. On his way to California (if that's where he was really planning to go), he'd be traveling along our route and making sure he rode in the same trains as Sarah for the rest of the trip until we reached our destination at Tucson. Days from now.

I tried to tell myself that Sarah was bound to see through his smooth ways, sooner or later.

Maybe he'd make a try for her, and she'd spurn him and that would be the end of it.

But maybe he'd make his try, and she'd welcome it. After all, he was a man-not a child. Maybe Elmont was just the sort of fellow she'd always hoped to meet.

My thoughts were in a terrible whirl, so I was glad when Freemont the porter came along to make up the beds. After he was done, I went to the lavatory at the end of the car. I used the toilet, washed up and brushed my teeth, then walked down the curtained aisle.

I'd hoped Sarah might've come back while I was gone. Her berth was empty, though. I climbed into mine, got into my nights.h.i.+rt and packed my clothes away.

Then I lay there in the darkness. The night outside didn't interest me. The gentle rocking of the train didn't soothe me. Nor did the regular clickity-clack of the wheels. When the horn hooted now and again, it sounded as mournful and lonely as my heart felt.

By and by, I got to wondering if Elmont had already managed to win Sarah's heart. I wondered if he'd already won her body, as well.

They might be together in his berth.

That notion hadn't more than entered my head when the curtains parted and Sarah looked in at me. I reckon I was glad to see her, but I felt tight and sick inside.

”I do hope you enjoyed yourself,” I said.