Part 22 (1/2)
”It means several things, sir. For one, it means that each man workin' for you is doin' the job of two. And when you add it all up, since we started, we're fifty or sixty miles ahead of schedule.”
More silence. Silence was how Harwood Gast showed his jubilation. All he said was: ”Thank you, sir.”
Poltrock stowed his book back in the saddlebag. ”Mr. Gast, what was that train I just saw flyin' by here a little while ago? We ain't scheduled for no deliveries anytime soon, and, besides, it looked like a pa.s.senger train.”
”It is. I just bought it from the yards in Pittsburgh. It'll move thirty miles an hour, they say.”
”I believe it, sir. So you'll be going back home tonight for a visit?”
”Yes, and so will we all. I've decided to give the men another respite. The men deserve it...as you've just verified with your spectacular account of their progress.”
Well...Poltrock could use some rest. ”That's very generous of you, Mr. Gast. We was all wonderin' why the usual Friday night cookout'n all was canceled.”
”The train boards in a hour, Mr. Poltrock, and it will be takin' us all back to Gast for a week of relaxation. Why, I haven't even seen my own wife and children in several months. And as fast as that new steam car goes? We'll be back home before noon tomorrow.”
”That's great news, Mr. Gast. The men will be beside themselves.”
”So you best get back to the site soon, Mr. Poltrock. Oh, and here...A token of my appreciation for your work thus far.”
Poltrock took a small leather case from him. ”Why, uh, thank you, sir.”
Gast looked to the stars. ”Good things will continue to befall us, Mr. Poltrock. I can feel it down to the roots of my very soul. I can see it in the stars...”
Maybe he's been drinkin', Poltrock mused. The man sounded wild, loony even. But now that he thought of it, Poltrock had never once seen Mr. Gast take a drink.
”It's the night for it, I can tell,” Gast went on with his obtuse talk. He looked once more down at Poltrock. ”Yes!” he whispered. ”Tonight!”
Gast turned his horse and trotted off.
Poltrock shook his head after the man. Well ain't that the d.a.m.nedest...He hefted the leather case.
When he looked inside, he couldn't even speak.
The case contained five stout cigars, an ink pen studded with diamonds, and $500 in cash.
My G.o.d...
It was a fortune, added to the lofty salary he was already being paid. When this is over, I'm going to be a very rich man, and I owe it all to...Mr. Gast.
He climbed back on his horse and headed back to the site.
It's the night for it, I can tell, Gast's words came back to him.
A mile or so down, the horse stopped for no reason. ”What's the matter? Come on, I got a train to catch.” he said. But then he realized exactly where he was.
He was looking to the left, into a little clearing in the side brush.
That's where Morris took the Injun girl...
Something compelled him to dismount, and he never even considered what it might be. Next, he was walking into the clearing, his oil lamp raised.
Morris must have already left; Poltrock could hear nothing within. When he entered farther, he stopped and stared.
He wasn't sure what he was seeing at first. It was the girl, he could tell, but...
Something didn't seem right.
The girl lay naked. He could see the backs of her legs, the bottoms of her bare feet, as well as her b.u.t.tocks, which Morris had fussed about so.
But...Poltrock could also see her b.r.e.a.s.t.s...
He stepped closer. His cognizant mind shut off when he leaned over to see what had been done. Indeed, the well-endowed Indian girl lay on her belly. He need only lift her shoulder to realize exactly what Morris had used that fancy bayonet for.
She'd been skinned from collarbones to pubis, and it was an intricate job. Morris had managed to slough off her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and belly skin in one clean sheet, after which he'd flipped her over and laid the sheet across her back.
So he could sodomize her and look at her bosom at the same time...
Poltrock stared at the strange corpse for untold minutes, and as he held the lamp higher, he noticed several more dead Indian women deeper in the clearing.
He couldn't think for the loud drone in his head that suddenly threatened to push his skull apart from the inside out. My G.o.d...
He was staring at the dead girl...
My G.o.d, he thought again. What am I...
The roar in Poltrock's head began to abate when he realized he was unfastening his belt and lowering his trousers.
As Poltrock was stepping onto the train car, he noticed Morris sitting in the very first seat, the long bra.s.s-handled knife and scabbard hanging off his belt. ”Mr. Poltrock! Now we know why no whiskey was delivered tonight!”
”Yes...”
”They say we'll be back to town by noon tomorrow.” Morris winked as Poltrock pa.s.sed.
He mentioned nothing of what he'd found in the clearing, nor what he'd done afterward. He preferred to fantasize that it was all a bad dream-of course it was. Since the moment he'd signed on with Mr. Gast, in fact, his life was a bad dream.
He followed the aisle down to the last block of seats, which were reserved for Mr. Gast and himself.
Bones creaked when he sat. Yes, it had been a hard week; moreover, it had been a hard four years. Poltrock suspected that once they got back to Gast, he'd spend most of the respite sleeping, while everyone else made revel. He sighed at the fancily cus.h.i.+oned seat and footrest, let himself sink.
Bad dream...
Through the window, he could see strong-armers with lanterns walking along the cars; only a few would stay behind to guard the work site and its heaps of construction materials. The lanterns cast misshaped yellow circles to and fro in the darkness. Poltrock squinted. When one of the strong-armers glanced up at him, his eyes looked a sickly yellow.
Poltrock pulled down the curtain.
Next, he looked across the aisle and saw Mr. Gast fast asleep in his seat. Minutes later, the whistle blew, and the train chugged off. Far enough away now, he reopened the curtain and stared into the nightscape sliding by. An oblong moon followed him, tingeing the countryside. When he found himself scrutinizing his reflection in the gla.s.s...