A lot of the talk truly was over Caroline's head, she knew shit about mining and, frankly, cared even less. Her world was the saloon. She wouldn't go down into those dark tunnels for all the money in the world. Not that women were ever miners. Sadly though she knew young boys were. But no one said life was fair.
Then a latecomer arrived, walking in like he owned the place. She knew the type. Self-important, most likely a bully. What a surprise, Fortner hired him no doubt. Birds of a feather.
He walked to where Lem Cross had his legs lounging on an empty chair, and then jerked the chair away. Lem almost fell on the floor. Then, to Sally, he said, "Got any Bourbon?"
Caroline smirked, "Got any money? Bourbon ain't free."
Sally went wide eyed when Caroline cheeked the huge brute of a man; even Mr Flandry might have trouble dealing with the ugly monster if he turned nasty (or was that nastier? He already looked nasty!)
She hurried forward to placate him.
"Oh, sorry Sir, Caroline's just joshing, I'm sure; we got plenty, I'll get you a nice big glass of the good stuff, right away!!" she assured him, cricking her neck as she looked up. Then she high-tailed it to the bar.
Address me as Hon. Hiram Priest, esq.
Then a latecomer arrived, walking in like he owned the place. She knew the type. Self-important, most likely a bully. What a surprise, Fortner hired him no doubt. Birds of a feather.
He walked to where Lem Cross had his legs lounging on an empty chair, and then jerked the chair away. Lem almost fell on the floor. Then, to Sally, he said, "Got any Bourbon?"
Caroline smirked, "Got any money? Bourbon ain't free."
Jim Henry fixed Caroline with a stare. Then, after a pause that was beginning to feel uncomfortable, he said, "I'll worry about the money. You worry about the Bourbon." His voice was deep and brusque.
Sally went wide eyed when Caroline cheeked the huge brute of a man; even Mr Flandry might have trouble dealing with the ugly monster if he turned nasty (or was that nastier? He already looked nasty!)
She hurried forward to placate him.
"Oh, sorry Sir, Caroline's just joshing, I'm sure; we got plenty, I'll get you a nice big glass of the good stuff, right away!!" she assured him, cricking her neck as she looked up. Then she high-tailed it to the bar.
Jim nodded, then sat down across from his boss, Franklin Fortner.
"Sorry I'm late," he said. "I had to get my horse shod, and the blacksmith was busy with someone else."
"We weren't too far into things, Big Jim," Franklin replied. "And don't pay any attention to Caroline over here," he pointed to his singer/barmaid. "She had a bowl of spiders for breakfast. Anyway, she's our star attraction at the saloon. She's got quite a voice."
Soon the men were deep into discussions about posting pickets at the mine.
"Our guards are trained and licensed to carry," Jim announced. He knew all the ins-and-outs of the business.
"That's good," Hiram Priest interjected. "Though I don't know if licenses are required out West here."
Priest turned to Sally. "Get me whatever Big Jim's drinking. Will ya?" He needed to wet his whistle. Then, to Caroline, he asked, "From your knowledge of the men around here, do you think any of them would be interested in working the mine? We're going to post some help wanted notices."
Not one of the barmaids obliged, so Hiram, a bit disgruntled, muttered, "Insolent," under his breath, then stuffed his cheek with a wad of tobacco.
The meeting continued until each section leader understood what was expected of them. It was Jake Baxter who handled most of those details. He got his start working the Comstock Lode, working his way through the ranks. He'd fallen on some evil days recently and needed to find work. When the opportunity to get in on the Kalispell strike arose, he jumped at it. In his better days, he'd never have done so for such a uncertain return.
Everyone had their say and everyone seemed satisfied -- even Jim Henry who always seemed to find the weakness in everyone else's plans and ideas.
Franklin Fortner rose and addressed the group.
"There being no further business to come before the first meeting of the Staff of the Shooting Star Mine, I call the meeting closed."
Within an hour, all the men had dispersed expect, of course, Fortner and Priest, who huddled at the reserved table at the back wall of the Stardust.
ooc: Sorry, missed this!
IC: Caroline was seething (par usual it seemed when it came to Fortner). He'd said to Ralph the men would have to pay for their drinks but he lied,now this latest thug was even drinking their best and thus most expensive bourbon without a coin being produced. Ralph was not happy either but then it wasn't his business, he got paid the same either way.
Then, to Caroline, Hiram asked, "From your knowledge of the men around here, do you think any of them would be interested in working the mine? We're going to post some help wanted notices."
She threw him a look then sighed, "The men around here are almost all cowpokes from the ranches or townsfolk with jobs already. So I doubt it. What the hell any of them would know about riskin' their lives in a dark tunnel underground is beyond me. But, hey, post yer notices."
Fortunately the meeting broke up soon after, Caroline hadn't even tried mingling and charming to get the newcomers to buy more drinks because what was the point. They were drinking for free.
"Well, that was sure entertainin'," she then stood up and spun out and flounced out of the room. Ralph started rinsing glasses then drying them, they'd need them for the evening.
"Well, that was sure entertainin'," she then stood up and spun out and flounced out of the room. Ralph started rinsing glasses then drying them, they'd need them for the evening.
Sally brought him more of the empties over and glanced over her shoulder at the retreating Caroline.
"Oh, I sure wish Caroline'd be more..." the word she wanted was 'diplomatic' but it wasn't really in her vocabulary. She settled for 'nicerer' "I sure with Coroline'd be more nicerer with Mr Fortner and his friends. I don't blame her for not cottoning to his plans, but she could always pretend she didn't mind, I'm scared she might get the can some of these days, an' then where would we be Mr Flanadry?"
"I know God says we shouldn't tell lies, but he don't mind if we don't say nuthin' at all. She should be st... sto... like you, all quiet and serious and never saying nuthin' unless you have to" she explained badly.
She shimmied back to the kitchen and bumped in Hiram Priest.
"Ooops, oh, er hello Judge..." she knew he liked to be called that "... your meeting seemed to go very nice and all. I bet that bald fellow digs them mines out quicker 'n any of them, he sure was big" she said, to make polite conversation. She didn't understand that the scary giant Jim Henry was more by way of security than one of the diggers. "... but he sure did drink a lot of whiskey!"
Address me as Hon. Hiram Priest, esq.
She shimmied back to the kitchen and bumped in Hiram Priest.
"Ooops, oh, er hello Judge..." she knew he liked to be called that "... your meeting seemed to go very nice and all. I bet that bald fellow digs them mines out quicker 'n any of them, he sure was big" she said, to make polite conversation. She didn't understand that the scary giant Jim Henry was more by way of security than one of the diggers. "... but he sure did drink a lot of whiskey!"
Hiram, being a kind man at the core, smiled at the young barmaid.
"Jim Henry is a serious man, make no mistake, and he never lets whiskey affect his judgement, no matter how much he drinks. You'll probably be seeing a lot of him in the coming weeks and months."
Meanwhile, while Hiram was entertaining Sally, back in the barroom, Franklin zeroed in on Ralph. He was anxious to explain something to him.
"Ralph. What I need you to do is give me a chit for all the liquor that was poured today during our meeting; any that wasn't paid for. Can you do that for me? When you're done, please give it to me, and I will write a draft from my personal account to cover every cent of it."
He rubbed his chin, then explained further. "These men will become regular customers and their money will go into our coffers. It's good business. Today was just a breaking-the-ice. Does that make sense?"
While all this was going on, Judge Priest was getting to know Sally better.
"Tell me, Miss Cutts. Do you have a feller you're sweet on, any of the local swain? It seems to me that a young lady like you would be fighting the off."
Sally brought Ralph more of the empties over and glanced over her shoulder at the retreating Caroline.
"Oh, I sure wish Caroline'd be more..." the word she wanted was 'diplomatic' but it wasn't really in her vocabulary. She settled for 'nicerer' "I sure with Coroline'd be more nicerer with Mr Fortner and his friends. I don't blame her for not cottoning to his plans, but she could always pretend she didn't mind, I'm scared she might get the can some of these days, an' then where would we be Mr Flanadry?"
Ralph shrugged then gave a slight smile, "Caroline will be Caroline. I wouldn't worry about her gettin' fired. Mr. Fortner knows how good she is for business. Even if he is mad at her, it'd be like a person cutting off your own nose to spite someone. She does her job. The boss might be a lotta things but he isn't stupid."
"I know God says we shouldn't tell lies, but he don't mind if we don't say nuthin' at all. She should be st... sto... like you, all quiet and serious and never saying nuthin' unless you have to" she explained badly.
"Long as I've known her, she says what she thinks. Don't think it'll change now. You worry too much, kid," Ralph observed.
Speaking of bosses, Fortner then approached Ralph.
"Ralph. What I need you to do is give me a chit for all the liquor that was poured today during our meeting; any that wasn't paid for. Can you do that for me? When you're done, please give it to me, and I will write a draft from my personal account to cover every cent of it."
"Sure, if I can remember, didn't exactly keep track. But I'll get it for ya.," Ralph nodded, seemed to him like the man was just writing a draft to pay himself but hell, he just worked here.
Fortner rubbed his chin, then explained further. "These men will become regular customers and their money will go into our coffers. It's good business. Today was just a breaking-the-ice. Does that make sense?"
"Yeah, it does. Just hope they all realize they have to pay from now on," Ralph pointed out one possible flaw.
While all this was going on, Judge Priest was getting to know Sally better.
"Tell me, Miss Cutts. Do you have a feller you're sweet on, any of the local swain? It seems to me that a young lady like you would be fighting the off."
This was a month before Sally started her romance with Cabot Flagg, and her unproductive date with Cade Brodie, and the girl could do nothing other than blush a deep red to the very roots of her hair and stammer "N.. no, Sir. I don't know anything about boys really. We were kinda kept away from the soldiers when I was a laundress at the fort. The fellers here sometimes say things I don't understand or 'marry me Sally' or something, but I think they're just making fun of me." she replied as best she could.
"W... why do you ask, Sir?"
She wondered if some nice young good-looking lad had been asking after her.