A Town Called Sunrise

When Did The Wicked Ever Rest

The wagon pulled up to the livery, and Avril wiped his hands on his apron, then took it off and tossed it over a rail. He could see the table and chairs promised by blue for the assayer's setup.

"Looks a fine sight, Avril." Slant jumped down from the wagon and wandered inside, nodding with approval. "I'll unload the wagon and help you set everything up."

"More like I'll help you, I don't know what's needed."

"Well, the assayer needs to be against a wall, or in a corner, so's nobody can get in behind him. Too many light-fingered onlookers when there's gold around.

Avril looked around and suggested a spot Slant agreed with, and they started unloading.

"Jeremy'll be here keepin' an eye on things too, so can we set a chair up there?" He pointed to a small loft several feet off the ground.

"I'll need to reinforce the floor first. Easy enough to do. I only use it for spare harness parts. I can do that, and put a chair there for him." Avril looked at his friend. "Is there likely to be trouble? I mean gun trouble, 'cause I have stock on the other side of that side wall, and it ain't that thick."

Slant laughed and whacked him on the shoulder. "No, my friend, it ain't likely. Unless shoutin' and hootin' might disturb them. You've seen enough jamborees to know what happens."

"But this is the first time it's been on my doorstep. Blue never complained all them other years."

Slant planted a large hand on his friend's shoulder. "Some of these miners come into town for the first time in a year. There's a lot of tension waitin' for the results of a year's work, and it takes most of a day to get through them all. Blue can't do much business if they're fillin' up the saloon just sittin' waitin'."

"I reckon not. I guess I can handle that okay. Thanks. And tell Blue not to forget she promised me a tab."

******

Troy Waites packed all his tools, took a final glance in the mirror at the set of his hat, and headed for the stage depot. He would be catching the train at Unionville, and with one stop in Rivercreek, he would arrive in Sunrise the second day of the jamboree. This was because very few of the prospectors came the first day, when the opening day speeches and self promotions by the town's political members took up all the festive time.

He'd been burned before, wasting a whole day to get his work done. He was also looking forward to seeing the delectable Miss Freegate again. He stood as the stage pulled in, allowing his bag to be hoisted up on top and lashed down, before clambering inside.

"Be a short delay while I get a loose shoe looked at." The driver announced, hopping down and strolling into the depot.

"We'll still make the train won't we?" Troy called up to the shotgun rider.

"Ain't missed one yet." A dollop of tobacco juice raised a small cloud of dust beside the stage.

"I meant today's train."

"If it's on time."

Troy sagged back in his seat, getting stares and sympathetic looks from the other passengers.

******

Baron stood on the front step of his ranch house, watching his men saddle up for their ride to Rivercreek.

"Make sure you don't miss that train now. It'll be our only chance at the assayer before he gets to Sunrise.

"We'll be there in time, Mr. Landsman." Bowie Hogarth gave his horse a lash across the flank, and took off ahead of Jitter and Arley.

"You know what you have to do, Rudman." Baron cautioned.

"Stop fussin' boss," Arley circle stepped his mount as he spoke, to get out of Jitter's path. "I'll see it gets done."

"Bloody good luck, with those two." Baron gave a worried shake of his head and went inside.

******

Blue bent down under the stairs and shook Colt's arm. "That something going wrong you mentioned has turned up."

He pushed his hat back and the tilted chair came down with a thump. "Course you couldn't have said you didn't know where I was."

"That would be lying, Sheriff."

He gave her a crooked look and, stood, stretching. "What's the trouble?"

"Patsy is in a heated debate with Fred about her location and the construction of her booth. She claims she was allotted a spot beside the library, and Fred has built the food eating contest tables there."

Colt emitted a noisy sigh and plodded across the saloon and out the doors. He heard the arguing right away, and he moved a little quicker as Patsy's voice dropped in volume to a more dangerous level.

"Hey, you two! What seems to be wrong here? This is jamboree time, no fightin' and arguin'."

He backed up in surrender at the dual barrage of complaints, patting the air with his hands, and finally yelling for quiet.

"S'pose we do this calmly, one at a time. You first, Miss Shiff."

"At the meeting we all agreed where everything would be and the drinks stand was supposed to be beside my food stand in front of the library. Now he says it's going to be the dunking stool."

"I thought somebody said the food eating contest."

"That was Daisy, that's what she heard."

"What's Daisy got to do with it?"

"She's volunteering at the drink stand."

Colt, waited a second then turned to Fred. "Okay, your turn."

"It ain't my fault. The mayor said he wanted the drinks next to the kissing booth. Said it would get more business. All them fellers in line waitin' would need coolin' off."

"It isn't supposed to be a business, Fred Diggs. It's supposed to be a celebration."

"Don't tell me, Patsy, tell old Edgar."

"You could have told him--"

"Whoa! Hang on there." Colt took a deep breath. "Fred, follow the original, agreed upon plan made at the meeting. The fellas at the kissing booth can cool off on the dunkin' stool. I'll handle Edgar.

"Thank you, Sheriff. Seems every year he sticks his nose in something." Patsy looked to Fred for his reaction.

"Fine with me. I'm just the builder. Where I build don't make no never mind. And patsy's right, he always has to fuss things up."

"Well you folks keep electin' him." Colt tipped his hat, and left the pair looking sheepishly at one another.

******

"Unionville Station, and thar's the train!" The driver cheered from his seat, pulling the stage to a halt beside the platform. "Told yuh all we'd make it."

The passengers stumbled out beside the stage, shaken and bone sore from the race across the hilly terrain. Dust and dirt covered all the luggage that was being dropped from the roof of the stage by the driver.

"Best hurry, her whistle's blowin'. Have a great trip and we'll be waitin' when you get back."

Jogging awkwardly with their bags, a hot blast of steam was the last straw, as the passengers scrambled past the idling engine, and finally managed to board the train.