This is the story of Busted Gulch from its beginning to current times. An opportunity for readers who were unable to follow all the comments and the time line. Here is your chance to know the whole story and follow the future events of this famous t...
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Jasper & Bounty
In the middle of 3Gun's preparations for Evelyn Treelane's appearance in the saloon, Kae arrived back in town, exhausted from her ride back from her investigations in Oh Aces. She arrived in the saloon, tired, hungry and very thirsty, and 3Gun and stannbear chipped in to buy her dinner and a drink while she reported on what she found.
Turned out she came across some old cabin in the foothills of the Parallel Mountains that she was sure belonged to Croc at some time. Her evidence was a small box she found under the floor, filled with letters to Croc from a Galina Diamond. stannbear was dismayed, hearing about yet another relative he knew nothing of, and reluctantly offered to question his aunts in the town jail.
Kae finished her meal and informed them that she had taken a place in town, an apartment over an empty store on Main Street. stannbear was all upset because he was paying rent in the hotel and would have loved a place of his own. 3Gun was just surprised that there was an empty store on Main Street. He never noticed it at all on his nightly patrols as Sheriff. He kept quiet.
There was still no news about CrazyGoose or Lean and while 3Gun worried, there wasn't much he could do. For him to ride all the way to Oh Aces to look for them would just be a waste of time; they could be anywhere there or in between. He thought he would speak to Kae again and see if she would have a look. Investigating was her job after all.
No sooner had Kae left, and 3Gun was back making his arrangements for the show, when a little old lady wandered in, carrying a basket of kittens and asking for the Sheriff. She had lost a cat, Jasper, that never came home for dinner. Apparently a first, and she feared it was dead. She implored 3Gun to find it for her and offered to make him a chocolate pudding.
This was the last thing he wanted at that time but she was old, she was pleading and she was holding him up so he agreed to look. He told her to give her name to the bartender, wait in the saloon, and he would be back . . . with her cat. Chocolate pudding she had mentioned, and with a twinkle in her eye. He felt very uncomfortable about the offer. Chocohol and cocopops had been eliminated from Busted Gulch . . . he thought.
3Gun walked down the street straight to the stable. He knew cats were attracted by the horses and they loved to nestle in the straw. He stopped by each stall and did the, 'Here, Kitty, Kitty' bit and suddenly he stopped short. There on top of stannbear's horse, Bounty, peeking out from between its ears, was Jasper the kitten. Pleased with himself for finding it so fast. 3Gun grabbed the kitten and stuffed it in his jacket pocket and hurried back to the saloon.
There were a lot of tears and laughing and the lady stuffed the kitten into the basket with the others and made her way out the door. stannbear wanted to know why 3Gun didn't charge her something, the pudding sounded good. He would have eaten it. 3Gun waved him off and told him to track her down if he wanted some pudding but it turned out she never left her name and when they looked outside there was no sign of her.
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It was almost time to escort Miss Treelane and 3Gun dipped his hand in the horse trough, patted his hair down and went straight to the hotel. Behind him people were pouring into the saloon and the admission box was getting heavy.
Evelyn Treelane was waiting in the lobby and she gave 3Gun a dazzling smile, offering her arm to him. With Roland, reluctantly trailing, they strolled back through town and into the saloon. Right away people cheered and the noise became louder as 3Gun helped her up onto the stair landing so that she was above the crowd. He quieted the room and made the introduction then moved away to the bar and nodded to the piano player to start.
She performed three songs, one where she came down the stairs and walked through the room, chucking some of the men under the chin and politely offering little bows to the ladies. When she was finished, the applause drowned out the piano and 3Gun had difficulty escorting her back through the crowd and out the doors.
Back at the hotel he thanked her for her generosity and hoped the train would be along soon to take her to California and shows she planned to give there. Roland remained sullen. 3Gun figured he was just mad because she did it for free and he made nothing as her agent. Back to the saloon and he gave the admission box to Crooked Smile to count the take.
