His mind turned for a second to the “hoor,” Rita, and the doctor. He wondered where the doctor was, and for just a moment his mind played with the idea that the man might be Carl Lowe. But that didn’t make any sense. Still, he wanted a look at him and he wanted a look at the girl. Finally he pushed his plate back, unable to eat another bite. He said, “Whew! Herman, your missus can cook up a storm! Lord, I ain’t tasted anything that good since I don’t know when.” He ran a critical eye over Higgins. “Herman, what I can’t understand is how come you don’t run to more flesh the way Sylvia feeds.”
Higgins shrugged. “Beats me and the missus both. Ain’t got ary a idea. Oh, it ain’t ‘cause I don’t eat. I can pack it away with the best of ‘em. Sylvie says it’s because I never sit still long enough for any of it to stick.”
Longarm smiled. “Yeah, you do kind of remind me of a chapparal the way you dart around, busy as a bee. You are of kind of a nervous nature.”
“Sylvie says I wear my clothes out from the inside the way I fidget around in ‘em.”
Longarm said, “Herman, I reckon you got an instrument where you can tap into that telegraph line running outside.”
“Aw, yeah,” Higgins said. “Got a wire runs right here into the house. Got me a key back yonder in the livin’ quarters.” He gave Longarm a serious eye. “Company won’t hire you till you learn to tap out that code with that key. Took me a spell to get it down, but I’m a pretty fair hand now. Course ain’t much call to ever use it. Ask for supplies to be sent. One thing and another. Notify other stations when a stage is runnin’ way late or when we have a breakdown.”
Longarm said, “Well, that is right handy, Herman, because I’m going to need you to send a message for me.”
Higgins frowned, and then he looked sorrowful. He scratched behind his ear. He said, “Doggone it, Mr. Long, ain’t nothin’ I’d like better’n to accommodate you but, see, this here telegraph line ain’t public. It be a private operation for the company I work for. They don’t allow no private use if you take my meaning.”
Longarm said, “I’m going to need you to make an exception for me, Herman. It’s pretty important.”
Higgins was looking very uncomfortable. “Now, Mr. Long, I done took a likin’ to you an’ I’d shore like to help. But it’d be worth my job I was to get on that instrument and be sendin’ out messages hadn’t got nothin’ to do with company business. I’d give anything if I could, but I can’t.”
Longarm said, “Herman, I’m going to show you something and I’m going to depend on you being able to keep a secret. Can you do that? I got reasons for it.”
Higgins pulled his head back and gave Longarm a look that said the question should never have been asked. “Pshaw!” he said. “Why, Mr. Long, they is secrets been dropped in me six, seven years ago and ain’t hit bottom yet. That is how deep my secret poke is. Why, my stars and bars, if it is a secret you want kept, then I am yore man.”
Longarm said, “Just be sure you keep that in mind.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his badge. He laid it on the table. “Herman, I’m a deputy United States marshal and I need to use your telegraph wire on official business. And since you are a transportation outfit that is regulated by the federal government, you are obliged to aid me in any way you can.”
Higgins stared at the badge with his mouth open. “My stars and bars and Gertie’s girdle! Take a look at that thar! Hot damn, I knowed you was somebody special minute you come staggerin’ in off that desert. Somethin’ told me to treat this feller right because he is a he-horse! An’ by golly, I was right! Wait’ll I tell the missus!”
Longarm wagged a finger at him. “No, no. This is between me and you.”
Higgins’s face fell. “You mean to say I got me a real live federal marshal here an’ I can’t even tell my ol’ woman? Glory be! You have any idea how wearin’ this place is on a body? Biggest excitement we get is a sandstorm, an’ here you come an’ I can’t even say nothin’. Pshaw!”
“Herman, this is important government business. It might be that it doesn’t matter who knows, but right now I’m kind of operating in the dark, so I think it’s best just to play my cards pretty close to my shirt buttons. You take my meaning?”
Higgins’s eyes got round. “Boy, howdy, yessir, I do, Mis-Marshal Long. I …” He suddenly stopped and stared at Longarm. “Yore last name be Long, don’t it?”
“Yes. So what?”
Higgins said slowly, “They is a right famous federal marshal got the nickname of Longarm. Now that wouldn’t be you, would it?”
Longarm shrugged. “I get called that from time to time.”
Higgins let out a long breath. “Laws a-mercy! Dog my cats if that don’t beat all. I got the very marshal they call Longarm settin’ right here at my table! Man that has caught more outlaws than the whole of the Texas and Arizona Rangers put together! You talk about your red-letter days! Whooooeeee!”
Longarm smiled slightly. “Herman, you are going to have to collect yourself here. Now where is your telegraph set up?”
Higgins jerked his head toward a door. “Back there in our livin’ quarters. I bet what you are gonna send is gonna be real secret, ain’t it?”
Longarm frowned. “Well, I’m seeking information. It ain’t all that secret.”
“Boy, I’d give a dollar to know what it was all about.”
Longarm stared at him in disbelief. “But Herman, you will know. You are the one going to send and receive for me. I don’t know how to work one of those damn things.”
Higgins’s eyes got big again. “Great sakes alive! That’s right. I’m gonna be in the know. Hot damn!”
Longarm looked at the door to the living quarters. “You said that girl was back there?”
“Yeah, she be layin’ on the bed. Or she was.”
“Well, I’d rather not have anybody back there who isn’t necessary. Which means just you and me. Like I say, this may come to nothing, but I’d still rather keep it mum.”
Higgins began moving around vigorously inside his clothes. He got an earnest look on his face. “Wa’l, you can count on me, Marshal Long, Longarm.” He shook his head. “Damn, I can’t believe you are settin’ under my very roof. Why, you are more famous than Billy the Kid or William Cody or any of ‘em. My dogs and cats!”
“I need to do this pretty quick,” Longarm said. But in the back of his mind he was wishing that his boss, Chief Marshall Billy Vail, could hear what Higgins had said.
Higgins immediately leapt to his feet. “Right you are, Cap’n. You just step this way.”
Longarm followed him through an open door and into a small sitting room. It was rough and small, but Longarm could easily see the touches Sylvia had added to make the place more livable. Over in the corner Longarm saw a little table and, sitting on it, a telegraph key. A wire ran in through the small window to make the connection to the line running outside.
Higgins had gone to the door of another room and Longarm followed him, looking over his shoulder. Inside there was a woman lying on the bed. At first she appeared quite plain and a good ways past her youth. But she jumped to her feet as soon as Higgins opened his mouth, and stood beside the bed smoothing her skirt. Then he could see that she was no more than twenty-five or twenty-six and quite appealing. She wasn’t beautiful, but she had a buxom figure and a pretty enough face. There was something hard in her eyes and in the set of her mouth, but Longarm thought that was just brought on by her recent hard luck.
Higgins said, “Miss Rita, I hate to disturb you but me and this gentleman got business back here. If you could wait out yonder in the common room I’d be much obliged. There is that padded bench if you are still a little light-headed.”