The afternoon wore on and the dinner hour approached. Jim, Kitty and Cyclone rousted their three companions from their leisure and they all went to dinner.
Cyclone had mellowed toward the gambler as they spent the afternoon together. He did find something likeable about the young man, but he sure as shootin’ wasn’t going to admit it to himself or anyone else.
He watched at how comfortable Kitty and the gambler were with each other. He felt a bit of sadness and he thought of Matt Starr, the young marshal that Kitty had been taken with. And, he with her. But, that was something that could never be. Kitty, he and the others were wanted outlaws and it was Matt Starr’s duty to bring them all to justice, if that’s what you would call it, because it was justice that The Wildcats, themselves, were seeking.
Kitty had pledged herself to seek revenge against Simon Price, banker and benefactor of Fortune City, Arizona. Until, her quest was over, she could never consider the normal life of a young girl.
She already had her heart broken; once over Matt Starr and recently over a man much like Dandy Jim Butler, himself.
Dinner was pleasant. The others couldn’t ignore Jim forever. Soon barriers started to fall and conversation became cordial. Eventually, laughter ensued and all seemed to be having a good time.
Rap was a wonder to watch. The way he waded into the food and the drink was reminiscent of a man off of an island by himself and seeing the outside world for the very first time.
It was fully dark, by the time they finished their meal. The boat had been well lit for the evening and they all walked out onto the deck.
The air was cool and crisp and there was a slight breeze that tugged at clothes and hair. The river brushed away beneath them and the water whispered against the hull. There was the shimmering light of the moon above dancing on the surface of the rippling waters.
They lingered awhile, watching moon and clouds in the dark sky mingling with the stillness of the night, the whine of the engine and the steady churning of the giant paddle wheel aft.
Night chill drifted in and they all decided to call it a day and night and head back to their state rooms. Except, for Dandy Jim. His business was one of the night, and he would be heading off to the gaming tables to once again, try his luck.
Dandy Jim hadn’t been playing long, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He was playing at a different table than he had been at earlier in the day. His back had been to entrance of the lounge from the deck. He didn’t see Kitty and the others come in.
When he turned, he saw Kitty there. She was wide eyed and her hand was still on his shoulder.
“Jim!” she said in a whisper. There was excitement in her voice. “I’ve got to talk to you!”
“Can it wait?” He glanced once again at the five cards in his hand.
“No! It Can’t.”
Dandy Jim stared into her big green eyes. His lips turned up on the ends in a slight smile. He nodded.
Then to the other men in the game, he said. “I’m out for this one. He tossed his cards down; straight flush, all diamonds, Ace. King, Queen, ten, and Jack of Diamonds.”
He started to rise from his chair, “Hold my place, Gentlemen,” he said. “Your luck this time. I’ll be back later.”
“Oh, Jim,” Kitty sighed, looking down at Jim’s discarded cards. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s alright, Kitten,” he reassured her as he escorted her away from the table; the others close behind.
“What is it?” Jim asked as they stepped out onto the deck.
“We were robbed?” Kitty blurted it in a loud whisper.
“Robbed?”
“Yes. When we got back from dinner, we found both rooms were broken into. They trashed everything as if they were looking for something. And they found our money in my room. I had it in a hat box and I covered it up with all our luggage in a closet.”
“Were any other passengers robbed?” Jim asked.
“No. At least I don’t think so. I haven’t heard anyone else complaining.”
“Did you report the theft to the captain?”
“No. We can’t do that. Considering who we are and where we got the money in the first place.”
“How would anyone know you had money to steal?” Jim asked.
“Remember, this afternoon when Rap blurted out about us having money?”
“You think someone in the lounge noticed and came looking?”
“Yes.” Jeremy put in. “Those two men you were playing with this afternoon. Rap and I saw them in our hallway this afternoon. They may have been checking out which rooms were ours. They saw Rap, Henry and I go into our room. They probably hit ours first. That’s why it was trashed too. When they didn’t find anything they must’ve tried Kitty’s and Cy’s room.”
Dandy Jim turned slightly so he could glance back into the lounge. Those same two men were playing at a far table. They had several stacks of chips in front of them on the table.
“They do seem to be pretty flush, tonight,” Jim mused. “I pretty much cleaned them out earlier today. I didn’t like playing with them. They were obviously playing partners and pretending they didn’t know each other. That’s why I found a different game tonight. I didn’t want to play with them again. I did wonder where they got another stake.”
Then to Kitty he asked, “Did they get the entire twenty thousand?”
“No,” Kitty said. “There was fifteen thousand in the hat box. I had kept out five thousand for clothes and expenses. I still have over three thousand in my purse.” She hefted her little handbag.
“Good,” Jim said. “Give it to me.”
“What?” Kitty was taken by surprise.
“I shoulda known it,” Cyclone snapped.
Henry snapped to attention. His eyes darkened beneath the thick lenses of his eyeglasses.
“You can’t be thinking what I think you’re thinking,” Jim pleaded.
“We know what you’re thinkin’, alright,” Cyclone groaned.
“Cy, You’re wrong about that,” Jim protested
“I ain’t wrong about that,” Cyclone grumbled. “You been after our money all along.”
“You’re wrong, Cyclone,” Jim protested. “I’m not after your money.
“Well, you’re sure as shootin’ after my granddaughter. Same thing.”
Jim shook his head in exasperation. Then he ignored Cyclone and turned to Kitty. “I’m just going to put it with my own stake and get in the game with those two birds. I’ll fleece them and get it all back.”
“I believe you, Jim, but..but...what.... what if you lose?” Kitty asked.
“Kitty...Kitty, for shame. How can you think such a thing?”
“Well..............” Kitty was still reluctant.
“I don’t lose.”
Kitty’s eyes roamed to the table that Jim had just been playing at, thinking about the hand he had tossed away.
Jim’s eyes followed her’s. He smiled. “Only when I want to, Kitten. Only when I want to.”
Two hours later, The Cyclone Kid and Arapahoe Brown were still on the deck outside the lounge. They had been watching the card game in progress all evening.
Dandy Jim’s pile of chips had been steadily growing while the two scruffy men and the other players’ stacks were dwindling.
Along about one o’clock in the morning, the game was winding down. The other tables had long since cleared and only the one game had remained.
Finally one of the two scruffy men tossed in his cards and pushed himself angrily to his feet. He scooped up what chips were left in front of him and stalked across the lounge floor, heading for the deck.
Rap and Cyclone stepped quickly back into the shadows, one on each side of the lounge entrance: Rap to the right and Cy to the left.
The man came out onto the deck, muttering something low and under his breath; obviously, totally ticked off about losing.
He passed by Rap. Rap stepped out and wrapped his big arms around the man’s chest and arms. One giant paw reached over the
man’s mouth and muted his protestations.
The man’s feet lifted off the floor and Rap was pushing him toward the side rail of the boat. Cyclone hustled up behind the two flailing legs and feet. He caught the man by his ankles and helped Rap carry him to the rail.
Swinging the body two and fro in widening arcs, Cy and Rap built up enough momentum that on the third swing, they loosened their grips and let the man fly over the rail and plunge downward into the dark waters below.
There was a momentary, muted scream and splash that could hardly be heard beneath the din of the engine and the churning of the paddle wheel.
“Nice night for a moonlight swim,” Cyclone chuckled, slapping his partner on the shoulder.
“Aw, Cy,” Rap said. “You know I can’t swim.”
It wasn’t long before the other partner quit the game. They had deliberately left separately, hoping that no one would know they were playing partners in the game.
“Get ready,” Cy said. “Time for more fun.”
They both stepped back into the shadows.
It was another hour before Dandy Jim Butler arrived back at Kitty’s and Cy’s room. He flashed a wad of bills up in front of his face and smiled. “Got it all back and a few more,” he gloated. “Seems to be about twenty thousand here.” He shoved the bills toward Kitty.
She grabbed them quickly and held them close to her breast like a bouquet of flowers. Her eyes glowed. She leaped forward wrapping her arms around Jim’s neck and gave him a big long kiss.
“I’ll be horned swallowed,” Cyclone groaned to himself.
Kitty, suddenly aware of herself, and hearing her grandpa, pushed herself back from Jim. Money still in one hand, she smoothed out her gown with the other. She stared at Cyclone. “Now Grampa,” she said. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for doubting Jim? See he saved our money once again.”
“Yeah,” he mumbled with defeat. And to himself, he thought. “Guess you don’t need your old grampa no more as long as you got that consarned Dandy man.”
****