In reply to Sheriff Cruger (msg # 934):

Looks like I'm a mite late for the evenin' meal, Jake decided upon finding Hatfield's empty and locked up.

Reckon I'll stroll on down to the Occidental an' see if thaere's some leftover victuals in the kitchen that I can get someone to round up for me. If not, hell -- I still got them trail rations I bought. I've et worse.

With that, Jake turned and started south on Griffin, with the intent of heading towards his hotel.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 939):

Still discretely watching the Chinese gent, Cole responds to Travis.

I was sort of hoping you would have some skills sneaking about. But, hey, I'll give it a shot.

Cole smiles as the professor approaches.

As I said earlier this evening, you drink free tonight, professor.

Cole then glances at Ruby,  then gestures towards  his new friend.

Ruby, if you please.

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg # 940):

Jake passes by the jail again, seeing the deputy still in his chair. He reaches the intersection where all four saloons are in full trot, and then finds himself at the entrance to the Occidental. A young man that Jake has seen before, but whose name escapes him, mans the desk.

"Room 7, sir," he says, proferring the key to Jake.

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg # 941):

"Three?" Ruby asks.

In reply to Ruby Easterling (msg # 943):

Cole shakes his  head, while a small smile appears on his face.

No ma'am, not for me. I'm beginning to lose feeling in my face. I need to have my wits about me  Iwhen I make another at the faro table.

But, if my friend Travis here would like one, I've got him covered, too.

In reply to Rojas (msg # 930):

"I perform tomorrow.  You'll do well to remember I can still dodge a faster man's fists than you--I can handle your rotten fruits.  But don't you dare throw any good leftover beans and bisquits!"  Randy roars.

"It is good to see you, Luis, and the years have been good to you."

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg # 944):

Ruby nods at Cole's reply and looks to Travis Sunday, who has his attention focused elsewhere, it seems.

"One beer, coming up," she says, catching the professor's eye. "Maybe you'll try one of my famous beverages next?"

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 945):

The Mexican smiles, enjoying the conversation with his old pard. "The years, they have tolerated me," he replies.

"What are you drinking, senor?"

In reply to Rojas (msg # 947):

Action at the Beehive ebbs and flows. Now, a piano player has joined the festivities, playing a tune to which even men hardened by the trail can dance. A few hunters take the arms of young women who descend from the second floor and the buzz of the saloon resonates with a new rhythm.

The Chinese man named Loco continues to play poker with the hunters. They show no sign of breaking up the game any time soon. Lottie Deno continues to deal faro, to the delight of some and disappointment of others. The hunter who argued with Cole Trayne has left the saloon, along with his pard.

The professor has downed more than half his beer, already, finding it immediately refreshing after his investigation this evening.

------

OOC: The Judge is advancing somewhat, because of PC stated actions that depend on an NPCs actions, and yet not advancing too far because of the activities of other PCs not currently present at the saloon; in any case, conversation may continue to free-flow as PCs see fit.

In reply to Ruby Easterling (msg # 946):

ENS takes the beer.

Thank you... Ruby is it? I am Professor ENS Ringgenberg, pleased to meet you! And yes, perhaps I will try something different next!

ENS turns and joins Cole and Travis.

You gentlemen seem preoccupied with the contents of this room, is something else going on?

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 942):

Jake ignored the deputy -- whose name he remembered as "Mangy," or some such foolishness -- and moved south on Griffin until he reached the Occidental Hotel.

He nodded to the desk-clerk as he walked into the hotel, but made no move to accept the room key that the young man offered to him.

"Mayhaps in a little while," he said. "But first, you reckon thaere are any leftover victuals from the evenin' meal that I could et afore I head to my room?"

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg # 950):

The clerk responds. "It depends. I would have to take a look, sir." Seeing Jake's hopeful countenance, the young man excuses himself and heads to the kitchen. He returns with a small bowl of rice, flavored with some manner of gravy, and a hard roll.

"Slim pickin's," says the clerk.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 951):

Travis apologizes to Ruby.  He's finished drinking for the night and can't justify occupying a paying client's stool.  After a few moments of small talk with ENS he lets Cole know he'll be outside taking in the night air and would keep an eye on a certain someone later with or without him.

Travis says his goodnights and leaves the Beehive where he looks for some observation point.  Perhaps the porch of his hotel.

OOC:  The game map remaining blacked out makes it hard to remember exactly where everything is.

In reply to Rojas (msg # 947):

"Nothin' for now, my amigo."  Randy nods.

"Today's been a strange on, certainly."  Gripping Rojas' shoulder with a small shake, Randy continues, "I don't wanna be rude, and I am real happy to see you, but I gotta do some fence mendin' with JEB.  I've been real hard on him about Ayasha and her sickness lately."

Randy shakes he dear old friend's hand in farewell for the evening.  The big actor heads for saloon's swinging doors--he thinks he saw the lawman head outside earlier.

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg # 952) and Randy Oldman (msg #953):

Randy Oldman exits the Beehive shortly after the professor entered. He doesn't see JEB anywhere nearby. He walks around the area briefly to see if he can find a sign of him, but there is none. He figures one of his pards inside might know where he went.

Stepping outside a few minutes later, Travis Sunday sees Randy returning to the saloon. At the same time, the pugilist hears the gunslinger's boots on the porch the two men are reunited. They hear and witness the night life action, to the south just past the jail, on Griffin Avenue. Of course, directly across Griffin is the wagon yard, with faint sounds of someone working late.

Travis realizes that Iffin' he intends to keep an eye on the Beehive, he'll need to hang around this intersection. Maybe grab a wagon-yard fence rail with both cheeks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:20, Fri 13 July 2012.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 954):

"I guess I'll chew the fat with JEB in the mornin' or so, Travis." Randy slides along side his Frisco friend.

"'You figgur you can help explain all what's been going on today?  And last night while you're at it."

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 949):

Cole waits to make sure no one its within earshot, particularly the bartender, before responding to the professor. He subtly nods in the direction of Loco and lowers his voice, for good measure.



I just got a bad feeling about that one. Can't imagine why he would be here so soon after one of his own was murdered. Now, I'm not from around here, but I would expect most Chinese folk to lay low until the situation  has been resolved, good and proper.

In my experience, folks tend to stick to their own when things get ugly. At least until the dust settles. This one came in here, having the time of his life, like nothing' happened.

Just don't seem right.

So, me and Travis are fixin' to follow him when he leaves. I'm a might interested to see if he does anything else unexpected like, this evening.

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 955):

Travis grabs a wagon-yard fence rail and settles in.

Sure Randy it's been a busy couple of days. 

Travis fills Randy in on all of the events that he missed leaving nothing out.  he concludes with his hopes for a quick recovery for Ayasha and his intention to honor Cole's hunch and follow Loco when he emerges.

So how was the show

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 951):

Jake beamed with delight when he saw what the front-desk clerk had found for him, and he clapped the young man on the shoulder. "Naw, son -- you did good -- real good. This here's purely a de-light."

"Many's the night whilst I was in the army I'd sit by the fire an' listen to my empty belly complainin'. Them times that we mayhaps had a roastin'-ear to gnaw on, why, we counted ourselves damned lucky."

Jake grinned wolfishly. "Oh, it ain't that the quartermaster didn't try. But oft-times he had to choose betwixt gettin' us rashunns an' us havin' enough amm-unishun to kill Yankees with. Hell -- some of Gen-ral Stonewall's boys run dry durin' Second Manassas, an' had to resort to throwin' rocks at the damnYankees. That's a pre-diccyment that you'd do best to avoid."

Jake fell silent and had a faraway look on his face, seemingly as if in his mind's eye he found himself in a different place and different time. After a moment he blinked, and turned to the young clerk.

"How much I owe you for this sump-shuss re-past?" he asked.

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg # 956):

I see... it does seem a bit unusual, has he been spending much money?

OOC: Is Loco the same young man ENS met in the laundry?

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg # 958):

"The meal is usually two-bits," says the young man. He shrugs, "But that ain't rightly a meal. Whatever you think is fair, sir."

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 959):

The man that Cole refers to as Loco is most definitely not the young Chinese man that ENS met at the laundry. The professor estimates that the Chinaman playing cards is likely a decade older than the man at the laundry. And much more scrawny.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 959):

While continuing to keep a discrete eye on the Chinese man, Cole scratches the hair on his chin.

Not rightly sure how much money he is throwing around, but I will say he seems to have held his own at Ms. Deno's table. I expect folks don't play at her table 'less they are carrying money in their pockets.

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg # 962):

Well, I don't think we've established if anything was stolen during the murder... I suppose I could ask Mr. Xu now since he is right here.

ENS looks over to Mr. Xu to see how he appears to be doing.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Mon 16 July 2012.

Randy and Travis hear someone moving toward them, from across the wagon-yard.

JEB and the sheriff see two men hanging around the corner of the wagon-yard fence. One of them is a big'un.

All four men recognize each other soon enough. As the sheriff parts ways with JEB and continues traveling south on Griffin, he speaks, breifly, without stopping to engage in further conversation.

"Sunday. Ah, Randy Oldman, yes? I look forward to seeing you in show when I return to The Flat."