Rivers End

Facing the Music

There were thirteen men in the kitchen, with two out on the range, and Temple felt a faint stirring within him, a desire to fight the odds. He fought the feeling down; reminding himself he wanted peace, not war with these men. The silence was thick enough to cut with a knife, and Rin had no illusions that every man seated there was contemplating reaching for a weapon. Yet, he knew his very presence here without Gates raining misery down on him was unsettling and confused them somewhat.

"I'm still on the payroll fellas. Anyone takin' issue with that better speak up now." Rin offered quietly, looking over every man.

At last the foreman, an old timer by the handle of Top Candy rose to his feet, his eyes hard.

"Reckon you better slope Temple, we don't want your kind here!"

Rin turned serious but cool eyes on him.

"I reckon I'll leave when Gates sends me off, not a second before. If you boys want to force me out, you're welcome to try." Calmly, he met the icy stare.

As one man they all rose to their feet, faces hard, mouths set in grim lines of dislike and anger.

"Step outside Temple, and we'll settle this," offered longtime hand Tuck Fry.

The others murmured in assent and Rin settled his thumbs behind the gun belt at his hips, leaning back to rest his left shoulder against the door frame. He eyed each man in turn then his gaze returned to Candy's.

"I'm as willing to settle as the next man, but I'll take only fair odds, no gang fight with a hemp dancing partner."

"Don't need no gang to help me trim your ears back!" spat Jody Tiller. "Boss shoulda hung you soon as you showed your face!"

"All right," Rin eased off the frame and took a step forward as every man in the room tensed "I'm willing to go fist and knuckle if we all leave our guns and belts right here."

"Seems fair boys. Why don't you listen?" Gates had come through the door, his brown eyes somber. "Candy, you watch the boys and make sure it's a fair fight, no cheating, no weapons. I'll take up with the man who does."

One by one the hands loosened and dropped their gun belts, filing outside, some stripping off shirts and hats, pulling on leather work gloves to protect their knuckles. Rin waited until they were all out then turned to Gates.

"You've given me a fair shake, and I owe you thanks, but I'd better tell you straight, those boys aim to make sure I don't see another sunset. It's mine to do, but I'll be sorry to break my word about helping you out."

Gates smiled mirthlessly.

"Watch yourself out there Temple, but if I was a bettin' man, I'd lay odds you don't go down so easy."

Rin took off his hat and set it on the table, then slipped out of his vest, and stripped from his shirt. He folded them neatly and laid them on the table next to his hat, pulling on tight leather gloves as he stepped out into the early morning sun. He was a big man, with a wide deep chest and broad of shoulders and hip. He'd worked hard his whole life, and the raw power in his muscles showed it. He also carried the scars from three bullets and one jagged knife wound. The fact they were all in the front did not go unnoticed. The air was already warm, a promise of the hot day to come.

Rin was reminded of the years at home with his father and brothers, the shadow boxing, wrestling, and occasional bout of genuine rage. His father had taught his sons the skills of winning a hard fistfight, using not only hands but the whole body as well. In his thirty-some years, Rin had used those lessons again and again, and he'd made up a little along the way. Temple had three brothers so he had no fear of facing more than one fight. In fact, he found himself rather looking forward to the challenge.