The Ballad of Broken Vows

Chapter Two: Arthur

I part ways with Jimmy, he's on the hunt for single women and I'm on the hunt for some cheap liquor. I push open the swinging doors of the saloon and walk directly up to the bar. A few people recognize me, but they know to keep their mouth shut.

"Whiskey, neat, and keep them coming." I demand. The bartender places a glass in front of me and begins pouring the fine liquid. Four glasses downed and I'm still not feeling a buzz.
I snap twice and point to my empty glass; the bartender pours me another. Two more shots later, finally I'm feeling something.

"Slow down there, cowboy, your horse won't know where to take you." I hear a voice say. I turn and see a lady standing next to me. Not just any lady, the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. Just the sight of her takes my breath away. Her brown hair is messily braided down her back with a few loose strands framing her small face. I am distracted by her choice of clothing, though. Instead of the usual dress that you see women wear, she is wearing pants. "Mind if I join you, Mister..." She trails off. Her emerald green eyes stare into mine as she waits for me to respond.

"Wilson, Arthur Wilson, and no I don't mind at all, ma'am." I say nervously. I can feel sweat start to bead up on my forehead. No woman has ever made me feel so inferior more than she is right now. What a bold choice of attire she has chosen. I know in bigger cities women wear jeans to work in, but around here, women stay at home and the men work. "I must say, I quite admire your choice of wardrobe, Miss..."

"Lee... well uh, Bell, Cassidy Bell." She shuffles her feet anxiously.

"Well, Cassidy Lee- uh Bell, I admire your attire." I say and she gives me a soft smile.

"It's back to Bell, not legally yet, but it will be soon. And, thank you, I work on a ranch. Jeans work much better when I'm herding cattle and sheep."

So, she's in the middle of a divorce, that is very unheard of around these parts. It's easier to get away with murder than to prove reasons for a divorce to the church. So, the burning question is, who committed adultery in their marriage? I hate to assume adultery had anything to do with her broken vows, but that is the most common reason for a divorce.

Also, she's a rancher? I'm impressed, Miss Bell, I don't know many women like you. A woman in a man's world.

"What's your story, Miss Bell?" I lean on the bar and raise an eyebrow at her. "Get this fine lady a drink, Mister, on me. I'm guessing Miss Bell is a gin kind of girl." I tell the bartender, he nods and pours her a glass.

"You would be correct, Mr. Wilson." She flashes me a smile of pearly white teeth. She accepts her drink and pulls out a cigarette. She searches her pockets for a second, but I grab a match from my vest. I stroke the match with the nail of my thumb and the flame sizzles to life. Cassidy leans in and lights her cigarette, I shake the match and toss it to the floor. She takes a long drag and then leans back onto the bar with both of her elbows. "I'll tell you my story, but I'd like to hear the one about your scar first, Mr. Wilson."

My hands instantly reach to my scar. It trails from slightly above my eyebrow down across my nose. My first thought is to tell her that I was in a bad hunting accident. I don't know if I can trust her just yet to tell the real story. I was robbing a man and he sliced my face with a skinning knife.

"I had a run in with a cougar, terrible hunting accident." I say with a smug smile. She nods, but I can tell she's not buying any word that falls out of my mouth. She searches my eyes for a few seconds, and then smiles at me.
"That was a short story, Mr. Wilson."

I chuckle slightly and say, "I've told shorter."

"Well, that cougar must have thought you were delicious." Cassidy takes her hand and traces the scar along my face, and then down to the scruff of my beard. My breath almost catches in my throat. It's been a long time since I have had my breath taken away by a woman. None of the ladies that I had for just for a night could hold a candle to Miss Cassidy Bell. She finishes the last drag of her cigarette and flicks it into the empty vegetable can on the bar.