The Argo Goes West

49, White House Gunfighters

Theodore Roosevelt greeted Pat Garrett and his Rough Riders with a smile.

"I have high hopes for you guys."said Roosevelt as he shook hands with each member. The Mad Bomber tried to wipe his sooty hands with his clothes before shaking hands, but the gunpowder seeped under his skin. He declined the handshake when his turn came. But Roosevelt said, "I love people with dirty hands," and squeezed his hand. He shook hands with black Orpheus and Asian Billy Chen alike. He went out of his way to ask Bonnie if she wanted a handshake or a kiss on the back of her hand. Bonnie wanted a handshake. Roosevelt's warm hands reminded Bonnie of the ringmaster of the western show.

Other White House Gunfighters, Ben Daniels and Bat Masterson, were also in Denver. Daniels had led his Rough Riders, made up of outlaws who had been incarcerated. They wore khaki uniforms. Roosevelt invited only the White House Gunfighters to his car on the Argo for a detailed report. Meanwhile, Bonnie waited outside with Daniels' men.

They watched each other from a distance. Bonnie could hear Daniels' men saying 'nigger' and 'chink'. They called Bonnie a 'cocktease' and looked at her with lustful eyes and licking tongues.

"You bastard!" Slim yelled, his face flushed with anger. "If I hadn't injured my leg, I would have beaten you!"

"I know how you feel," Lou Blackman patted Slim on the shoulder. "Leave it to me."

With a friendly smile on his face, Lou approaches Daniels' men. "Hey, let's play a card game until the bosses' important meeting is over."

"OK."

Before starting the game, Lou turned to Slim and gave him a mischievous wink.

Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, his secretary Miss Craig, Argo captain Danny Harris, vice-captain Clay Roberts, pilot Pete Stryker, and the White House Gunfighters sit at the table in Argo's fourth car. They began the meeting while looking at the railroad map that was spread out on the floor.

Pat Garrett pointed his finger at the map between Denver and Cheyenne. "The tracks around here are a maze. Difficult to repair. I think we should take a new line."

Roosevelt asked with a grumpy face. "How long will that take?"

Stryker replied. "It's not flat, so we have to level the ground before we lay the tracks. That would take a lot of time."

Roosevelt nodded and then asked another question. "How was Salt Lake City, Ben?"

Roosevelt and Ben Daniels fought together as 'the Rough Riders' in the Spanish-American War.

"There's an obstacle near De Beque," Daniels replied.

"What kind of obstacle?"

"It's a rock. A huge rock."

"Are you saying that rock is blocking the tracks?"

At first, Daniels flatly answered, "No," but then quickly rephrased, "Yes."

Damiels opened his palms and began to explain. "At first the rock is far away. But when the train tries to pass, it closes. (Daniels actually clapped his hands) and left again."

"Are you saying that rocks move?"

"Yes! That's right."

"What do you think?" Roosevelt asked Captain Harris, who had been silent all this time.

"I will send a patrol to De Beque."

"I'll go with them," Roosevelt said, then instructed his secretary, Miss Craig, to cancel all appointments for the afternoon.

Harris said. "Then I'll come too."

Roberts didn't miss Harris' lips twitched in exasperation.