𝐍𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ➳ 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟮

❉

"Thank you," Ruth thanked the worker behind the counter of the post office who she had given the money to send, of course she put it in an envelope first. Can't risk some stingy man snatching one hundred dollars although from their little interaction, she could tell the man was quite intimidated by her. Leaving the Valentine post office that was also the train station, Ruth was washed over by the smell of sheep and pigs from the nearby auction yards. Yards were still empty, indicating that there was more room for ranchers to put in their livestock.

Ruth walked down the ramp, casting a look over to Devi who was falling asleep at the hitching post outside. Ruth decided to cross the road and go into the auction yard. The squelching noise of mud under her feet reminded her of the reason why she dreaded coming to Valentine. As she walked through she heard a man shouting by the large barn, another man with him holding a clipboard in one hand. Ruth continued forward, the shouting becoming audible as she got closer.

"And how am I suppose to get my sheep here with damn rustlers everywhere? You tell me that!" The rancher-looking man questioned the other man with attitude in his voice. "I got robbed last month! I don't want to risk missing another sale again!"

"I'm sorry sir but I can not control some low-life bandits, my job is to auction these animals. How you get them here ain't my problem," The man with the clipboard explained, his voice laced with frustration. The rancher scolded in disbelief at the man.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," Ruth took the opportunity to insert herself as the solution to the Rancher's problem. They both looked at her in annoyance. "I heard you sir are in quite a predicament and I'm here to offer you my services-"

"I am in no need of a woman's company, I am need of getting my sheep here without my men dying!" The man turned back to the man with his clipboard, yelling at him. Ruth bit the inside of her mouth before clearing her throat.

"I am no working woman of that kind sir, in fact I am exactly what you are looking for," Ruth managed to hold her tongue for the misjudgement of her gender's occupation. She reached into her coat and pulled out a card. Ruth extended the card out to him with her hand.

"Ruth Kelly, I'm a gun for hire," she explained to him. The Rancher frowned at her in disbelief before taking her card.

"You? A woman who's a gun for hire?" He scoffed as he peered down at the card. The man beside him however looked amazed, shaking his pen towards her.

"Well I'll be damned. Ruth Kelly, I've heard of your work. Mr Wegner," The man turned to look at the Rancher. "She is one of the very best in the five states. Very trustworthy, for a woman," he nodded. The Rancher huffed, looking at the man and her back and forth before sighing.

"Well, I need a gun," he shrugged before extended his hand out to her to shake. "Eugene Wegner, owner of Emerald Ranch," he introduced as the two shook hands with each other. Ruth forced a smile, trying her best not to snap at the two discriminating men.