The Iron Horseman Read Free Page A

up to the tinder car to tell Festus
where he can find the smithy or we may be here a lot longer than expected.”
James still stood in front of the sleeping car’s entrance.
    “You’re
up to something, James.”
    “I’m
sure I don’t know what you mean, sir.”
    “Okay,
I’ll play along.” Levi glanced over at the hotel. “You’ll know where to find
me.” He hopped down off the platform, grabbed his bags, and untied Apollo.
“Come on, boy. Back to the livery for a few hours, then we’ll go for a ride.”
He led the horse to the stables and offered the liveryman another few coins for
his trouble.
    With
this delay, he would have the time to help the men put the roof on the new
permanent structure that would house the mercantile, the sheriff’s office, a
trading post, and a post office. It was almost complete and it was about time
the General Store could be moved from the temporary tent into the building. The
bank, Day’s End Hotel and Restaurant, livery, and two saloons all stood of
their own accord on the opposite side of the street, but all were joined with a
well-constructed boardwalk.
    As
he made his way over to the store, it seemed awfully quiet and wondered where
everyone had gone. A small group of young children dashed from the mercantile
with sticks of hard candy protruding from their mouths.
    “Need
some more hands?” he asked the robust woman who ran the place as he stepped
into the mercantile tent. “Seems the train’s not leaving for a while.”
    “Ah,
Mr. Redbourne. I’d heard that the train was delayed. What happened to your
friend?”
    “My
friend?” Levi asked.
    “The
fella you was in here with earlier. Tall. Young.” Mrs. Dowdry placed a large
jar of confections down on the counter, then wiped her hands on her apron.
    “I
think you’re mistaken me for someone else,” Levi said with a laugh. “This is
the first I’ve seen you today.”
    “Unless
there is someone in this world who has your same smile and good looks…” She
didn’t finish, but cleared her throat.
    It
can’t be. Unless…
    “Nah,”
he said aloud.
    “I’m
sorry?” she asked.
    “It’s
nothing.”
    “Well,
I’m afraid there’s nothing that can be done on the new building without more
nails. We’re all just waiting on the new blacksmith, bless his heart. Don’t ask
me how they let that happen, but well, the smithy, he’s a little…” The store’s
proprietress looked as if she was searching for a polite way to finish her
statement. “…slow,” she finally said with a gracious smile. “A group of them
are heading over to Emaline’s for some supper. Can I help with you with
something?”
    He
shook his head.
    Levi
appreciated how the people here were always ready and willing to help each
other. It reminded him of home. Stone Creek, his home town, had grown into
quite a bustling little community, but you could always count on the people
there. He loved that about small towns and got that same feeling here in Flat
Plains. Levi tapped on the counter and turned to leave.
    “Thank
you, Mrs. Dowdry,” he said as he ducked under the tent flap and walked back out
into the sunlight.
    It
pained him to admit, but Emaline Granger cooked some of the best meals he’d had
since being home at Redbourne Ranch. His stomach agreed. It had been a few
hours since he’d eaten his breakfast of warm bread with huckleberry jam and
scrambled eggs. He mentally added ‘good cook’ to his ongoing list of what he
would appreciate in a wife. He’d made up his mind to stop in at the restaurant
and tell Emaline, the proprietress, that he’d be staying the extra night and
ask for his room back.
    The
town had really pulled together this last week as they worked on completing the
building where the Day’s End Restaurant and Hotel had taken up residence. As he
stepped inside, Levi saw the pride Emaline had taken in adding the finishing
touches to her establishment. He hadn’t really noticed them before, but frilly
purple