“No, the United States Mint.”
The old man barked a laugh. “I believe you!”
“Here,” Nathan said, giving the old man one of the bills. “You take real good care of these horses. Clean our saddles and equipment and then soak them in a good leather oil. We’ll settle up the account when I am ready to leave town.”
“Why … why sure! How long are you stayin’, mister?”
“That all depends on how much I enjoy myself here. I assume that there are plenty of poker games and pretty women in this town?”
“Yes, sir! And, with all your money, you’ll have both comin’ to find you.”
“Just don’t say anything about the money, Mr. Waite. If I hear that you’ve been gossiping or that you’ve touched any of my packs, it’ll cost you a big tip. You see, I’m a newspaperman and I’ve got some plates and stuff that I don’t want tampered with. Is that understood?”
Waite couldn’t keep his eyes off all the hundred-dollar bills. “Whatever you say,” he said. “I mean to please.”
“Ask the kid to come in,” Nathan said, removing his saddlebags and then leading the pack horse with the treasury plates into the nearest stall. “And smile at him, Mr. Waite! Make him feel welcome!”
“Yes, sir!” the old man cried, grinning so broadly that he looked like he’d been stricken with facial rigor mortis.
“What did you ever do to make him so happy?” Rolf asked as soon as they were on their way back through the mud and rain to the best hotel in town.
“I paid him a lot more money than he expected,” Nathan shouted as a particularly loud boom of thunder shook the heavens.
“Dammit, you’re going to spend all our ranch money!” Rolf yelled as they jumped out of the street and onto the boardwalk, then marched into the hotel. “You ain’t going to have enough money left to buy even an acre of sagebrush if you don’t be careful.”
“Maybe not,” Nathan said, stomping his boots and whipping water from his Stetson as he marched across the lobby floor and planted himself in front of the solid walnut registration desk. “Clerk!”
An older gentleman appeared. He wore a suit and tie, and when he saw Nathan and Rolf, muddy and unshaven, he frowned, drummed his fingers impatiently, and said, “Yes?”
“Two rooms with baths,” Nathan ordered. “Two of your best rooms.”
The clerk studied them and then he said, “I’m afraid that our rates might be a little more than you might wish to pay.”
Once again Nathan dragged out his roll of hundred-dollar bills, and although this old man was well dressed and dandified, his reaction varied little from that of the liveryman Waite. In a matter of moments Rolf and Nathan were being escorted to their rooms.
“You just paid him a hundred dollars?” Rolf whispered when they were back in his room.
“Yes, but look at all the service we’re getting!”
“Yeah,” Rolf said. “I never even dreamed that I’d stay in a place nearly so nice.”
“Well,” Nathan promised, “just stick around, because things are even going to get better.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean food, wine, and women,” Nathan said. Earlier, he had asked the old desk clerk, who’d turned out to be an exceptionally accommodating fellow, “Mister, where can I find pretty women to share our supper and company?”
The old gentleman acted offended. “We have only two kinds of females in Whiskey Creek. Ladies and … and whores.”
“I want two whores,” Nathan said happily. “The best that money can buy in this town. Send for them right now.”
“I can’t do that! Please, sir! This is a respectable establishment!”
“Here,” Nathan said, peeling off another hundred-dollar bill. “You just find us some respectable-looking girls and do this anyway you want. Pay them fairly and keep the change, but serve them up with our dinner. If I’m happy, you’re going to be very happy when we check out in a few days. Understand?”
The old man showed every last one of his teeth—even the molars—as he folded the bill and hurried away.
“It’s going to get better real soon, Rolf. Real soon.”
“What?”
“Take a bath and come over when dinner and the girls arrive,” Nathan told his young friend. “Shave and put on something that smells good.”
“I lost my shaver and-“
“We’ll provide those,” a young hotel clerk said, appearing like magic.
“Excellent,” Nathan said, tipping the boy with a twenty-dollar bill. “And use that to find us both some clean, dry clothes. Things serviceable for the trail, but with a little style. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly,” the young man assured him. “But the stores are probably closed, sir.”
“Here,” Nathan said, giving the young man another twenty. “Besides the clothes, bring us whiskey—no, Champagne. The most expensive cigars in town and … well, I’ll think of other things as the evening progresses. Right now, of course, we need our bathtubs filled!”
“Yes, sir!”
The next several hours were like a dream to Rolf. He took a long, hot bath and was embarrassed at how muddy the water became because of the grime on his body and in his hair. Afterward, Rolf shaved his cheeks and the little stubble on his chin with a fine, sharp razor, then doused himself from head to toe with cologne and tried on a new set of clothes. Just before going next door to Nathan’s room, he even combed his hair, parting it neatly in the middle.
“If only you could see me now, Mother,” he whispered just before going out to knock on Nathan’s door.
“It’s unlocked!” Nathan shouted. “Come on in, Rolf! You’re holding up our party!”
When Rolf opened the door, he saw Nathan and two pretty women sitting on the bed. Before them rested a large silver cart with a silver tray loaded with steaming potatoes, steaks, and all manner of wonderful-smelling food.
“Hungry?” Nathan asked with a wink.
“Like a winter-starved wolf.”
The younger of the girls was no more than Nathan’s age. She wasn’t as pretty as the woman that had her arm around Nathan’s waist, but she was plenty nice with long red hair and she was slender, the way that Sally had been before she started having children. She had a pointed chin and big robin’s-egg-blue eyes.
“Hello,” she said sweetly as she came up to stand before Rolf. “I’m going to enjoy becoming … friends.”
Rolf gulped. “We’re going to become friends?”
“That’s right. Nathan has told me all about you. You’re much handsomer than I’d expected, and I know that you are very brave.” Her fingertips brushed Rolf’s stinging cheeks and sent shivers racing up and down his spine. “Are you really, really hungry?”
“I’m starved, actually.”
“Good! My name is Teresa and I’m starved too. Let’s go eat first.”
Rolf hadn’t the slightest idea what the “first” part meant. But he could smell the food, even over all the stinkwater that he’d doused himself with. Pushing past Teresa, he went to gobble up his share.
“Rolf, slow down and quit stuffing your face. And you gotta go a little easier on cologne,” Nathan said, waving at the air and making a face. “You’re just a little overpowering.”
Rolf’s feelings were hurt. “I’m sorry, sir. Maybe I should leave.”
“Hell no! But after you’ve had your fill of eating, let Teresa give you a bath and wash some of that cologne off.”
Rolf blushed and he felt like Teresa must also be withering with shame. “Besides,” he managed to say, “I just had a hot bath!”
“Have another,” Nathan said, stuffing a cube of steak into his mouth and sipping at his good whiskey. “Teresa, call the hotel desk and have them make another bath for Rolf!”
“Whatever you say!”
Rolf enjoyed his food so much, he forgot that his feelings were supposed to be hurt. And as soon as he was stuffed, Teresa took his hand and they went back to his room, where a second clear, steaming bath waited.