The Love and Treachery of Scrooge McDuck!

Sitting the Apple!

January - 1888

The train pulled into the last station on the track two weeks after the fiasco with ____. The snow had piled up as he hiked. He barged into the town and up to the bar. There was a "close"  sign on the front. He pushed the door open anyways. He immediately noticed that it was practically empty except for a few men in suits sitting in the back. In the bar, an open bottle and a full shot sat near the sink.

"Can't you read?" One of the men spit, standing from the table. The gentleman was a menacing goose three times the size of Scrooge.

He hesitated but he saw Goldie's head pop up.

"I'll handle this," she said.

She dashed away from the table and grabbed his hand, pulling him back outside.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

She was wearing a dark blue dress and she was wearing makeup, which was strange. Though he could tell under the makeup her face was tear-stained. It didn't take a genius to piece together what was going on. It didn't matter he was getting his gold back.

"Give me my gold and I'll be out of ya hair." He was surprised by how soft his tone was.

"I don't have it," she hissed.

He wouldn't have believed her but she glanced in the window. She shifted on her feet.

"Where is it?" His eye twitched. Her eyes darted inside. He growled when he saw what she was looking at. "Betting with other people's money?"

"Come join us. You can try to win it from me," she beamed, but it didn't feel genuine.

She pulled his arm. She seemed to be begging him without right out saying. He hated that he felt like he had to follow. Even though he knew his gold was most likely a lost cause he couldn't just leave her. He couldn't place a name on the feeling.

He walked in and the man that had stood up originally glared at him as walked in. Scrooge recognized him as the sheriff. The sheriff wrapped an arm around Goldie's shoulders as Scrooge took a seat across from her. He could see in her eyes that she was holding back a murderous rage.

The game was small stakes. A few small coins sat in the middle. The conversation lulled as they finished up the round. The man to his left won the round and gathered his winnings. Two silver coins, a copper piece, and what he knew to be IOU from the local bank.

Then the dealer sent two cards flying across the table at him. It was an older gentleman. The only person that even the sheriff seemed to respect. He flipped three cards up in the center. Immediately he knew his chances of winning were high. Scrooge held two kings and two aces were staring him in the face.

"Y' look familiar," the sheriff said.

"Dia, this is my brother. Remember?" Goldie said.

He caught that. She had talked about him. She had known he would follow her. He didn't know how to feel about that. Diamond simply rolled his eyes.

It was Scrooge's turn. He raised the pot. He didn't have much at this point but he knew a winning hand when it was staring him in the face. He tossed in two silver dollars.

"I remember your father hung his hat at a lot of doors," the sheriff chuckled.

Goldie bristled but bit her tongue. He went to remark back but he could see her pleading not to. The men made a few plays and it was Diamond's turn. The sheriff looked at his hand and tapped the table.

Calls came up from around the table. It was Diamond's turn and he matched Scrooge's bet. Scrooge bet another silver coin. More calls followed.

"So did y' come in for the weddin'?" Diamond asked. Goldie's eyes widened. Scrooge did notice the silver band on Goldie's hand but looked away quickly when she slid it under the table.