𝗖𝗨𝗣𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗬 ➳ 𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟮

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔.

Eleanor sat in her camp the same night, staring at a picture in her hand. She stared down at the happy faces of her father, Otis Miller, and his suppose to be friend, Charlie Tatum. Over their shoulders they slung large sacks of robbed goods, their rifles up in the air. Eleanor gave a small smile as she traced a gentle finger over her Father. He wasn't the best Father, running off some days and coming back a while later. But when he was there, he was the best person in her life. She felt a tear slip out as she looked at his happy face. She'll never forget Mother breaking the news to the three children and then having to bury him. As for the man that grinned wildly beside him, she despised him with every bone in her body. Charlie Tatum, the man that shot him. She never knew why he did it but he did. 

Her oldest brother, Otis Miller Jr. tried to find him. Only he got arrested for apparently being the leader of a gang that robbed a train, only to be released several months later from prison as the law found the confession false. He never told them, his family, if he actually did it. Since then, she's never seen him. Her other brother on the other hand, strayed away from their Father's legacy. He saw what he was, saw him as a cold-blooded murderer who sinned. As far as she knew, he hated their Father. She hadn't heard from him after Mother died. As for her, she couldn't live knowing the murderer of their Father was still alive. Since her brother failed, she was taking matters into her own hands. That was her main mission.

Of course though, money was another mission. She wanted it, longed for it. She could better her life with it, perhaps not escape her sins but at least give her food. Hunting was difficult, some days you would get nothing and some days you would get something. She was done gambling with nature. Perhaps she could even build a safe house where she could keep everything. 

Wiping away her tears, Eleanor folded the picture in half before pulling on her rugged coat and tucking the photograph into the breast pocket. She turned to Seyfret, heading over to the horse. It may have been nightfall, but it would be the perfect time to stick her nose into places in Rhodes. Mostly every night the town was drunk, including the Grays. However, they shouldn't be too bothered with her at the moment due to the current ongoing feud with the Braithwaites. Her ribs ached from the fall she had on Seyfret thanks to Charles. She knew they weren't broken, just bruised. She struggled to mount the horse but she managed. 

"Come on, boy," she muttered, kicking him up. The horse rode away from Ringneck Creek and found his way to the nearest path. The two began their short journey to Rhodes, not too far away from her camp. Eleanor decided she wasn't going to move her camp, she didn't want it to look like Dutch and his men scared her off. 

Eleanor arrived in Rhodes, riding in to see a few hillbillies camped outside of the General Store, fast asleep on the bench seat and the floorboards. Ignoring them, Eleanor rode to where the nightlife of the town normally was, like Valentine it was the Saloon. Or as it's called in Rhodes, the Parlour House. She hitched Seyfret outside, next to a chestnut horse. 

"Be nice," she muttered to Seyfret who liked to let other horses know who was in charge. Knowing the horse would go against her words anyway, she walked off. She rounded the small white fence, walking along the wooden walkway to the Parlour House. As she walked up the steps, a drunken man wobbled through the doors, leaving the nightlife. He groaned, unaware of the upcoming stairs. Not knowing what to do, Eleanor stretched a hand out to him however she was too late, she watched as the man tumbled down the small steps of the Parlour House. A couple of men who were leaning on the railing outside chuckled at the sight. Eleanor made her way into the Parlour House, ignoring the man who had just fallen down the stairs. 

For a settlement that faced waves of red dust being blown through the streets every hour, the interior was beautiful. Compared to Valentine, Rhodes was full of more wealthier folks. The Grays being wealthy themselves did a real good job cleaning this town up. The place lingered of men in expensive suits, other than a hand full of Grays and local workers. Women in beautiful dresses laced around the room, most of them prostitutes. Probably figured rich men would spend their money for time with a well dressed woman. Not knowing what more to do, Eleanor approached the bar and ordered a drink. As she took the bottle of beer from the man that served her, he frowned as he looked at her.