"Nice place ya got here." Boone said. "Quiet little place looks like. I suppose it does get a mite rowdy at times though."
Ralph nodded, "Not if I can help it. But yeah, it's a pretty law abiding town."
"I'll tell ya this here is some real pretty country up here. Might lite a spell." the man paused, "Hard to find a place ta stay?"
"Well, there's a boarding house down the street. And a hotel but it's on the expensive side. Or so I hear, I never went there," Ralph answered.
"Have me another, I believe. Yes siree, right nice country," the man produced another nickel.
Ralph gave a bit of a smirk, "Guess you ain't been around here during a winter. But sure, I'll pour you another." Which he promptly did and took the coin right after.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Now ain't that the shame of it. Country like this part of the year, bloomin', green, then a winter sets in for months on end. But, now that's why this land is so rich, so green, so invitin'. Ain't like them southern territories, Arizona and New Mexico. Hot. Plain miserable most all year, except when it's cold and miserable. Yah, God's own country up here." Boone, although willing to say whatever to get the where he would ask what he wanted to know, was serious about the country. He was glad he signed on with Steelgrave and his lot.
"So your sayin' the winters are pretty rough then?" He asked, because he wanted to know. "If I was looking to find out about a man, one I crossed paths with a ways back, who'd be the best to ask about. Not lookin' to shoot him, just maybe some information on him."
It would not be long now. Shortly the herds would be known, listed by size and number of hands. Though they would not see them all, they could guess the size of both, especially the hands, which brought to mind a need perhaps to have a look out in town in the event hired guns came into the town, and, where else would they start?
He was also thinking about the Lost Lake and his father's grand plan to take it. Nice to have, yes. hard to hold, yes. Easy to work, no. It would require a good number of men to work the Lost Lake, he was well aware of that. And to hold it? He had an idea, and like his father had said, his running the country, it would be easy to get the men. But first, Elias Steelgrave had to run the country, beginning with the county.
He would need the right men in the right positions, he had Robertson, but he had run. He had Latham and Ashworth, hardly men to brag on. He needed the Mayor and the majority of the Town Council, not to mention the Town Marshal, and the County Sheriff. It was not looking good at the moment.
Perhaps he might consider reappraising his involvement with the Lost Lake.
"Never been down there - to Arizona and New Mexico. Heard that it was hotter than hell though. And the Apaches are real unpleasant," Ralph replied.
"So your sayin' the winters are pretty rough then?"
"Yep, colder than New York state which was where I was brought up," Ralph nodded.
"If I was looking to find out about a man, one I crossed paths with a ways back, who'd be the best to ask about. Not lookin' to shoot him, just maybe some information on him."
"Well, how 'bout you start with a name for this here man. If I don't recognize it, I can try and come up with someone who might," Ralph thought it suspicious the man hadn't just started out with a name.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Now first off, I ain't the law, and I ain't huntin' him. We, me and this Casey, 'er Case, anyway, me an' him was in a town called Sholo, what weren't much of a town really. Anyways, he'd said this was a grand country. I made it up here with some prospectors to look over the possibilities. So, long story short this Casey fella bragged himself up pretty good as County Sheriff, or he was running for it an expected to get elected, some such nonsense. just wondered if he was jest hot air."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Pushing on, out of Kalispell, Shannon, Oldham, and Injun Charlie had attracted attention, that was to be expected. What with a six foot tall Indian in a top hat? They had eaten, stopped by the General Store to pick up a few things, coffee, beans, flour and ammunition, then they simply mounted up, and rode out of town. Heading north for the time being.
Walt had a map that would get them to the hide out, but not in a direct, straight line. No one went directly from Kalispell to the entrance of the secluded natural fortress that the Steelgrave Gang called home. That way there was no trail leading to it.
Shannon was sure that the pack animals carrying their ill-gotten gains would be welcomed by Case, and then they could get down to business. The business of locating banks they had not taken as yet, with the exception of Kalispell's. Of course Walt would argue if they were hitting everything in the area, and Kalispell was untouched, well then there would be some suspicion as to why it had been spared. Then it would be up to Case to make the call. It didn't really matter to Shannon one way or the other, it was just facts.
He had made it a point of looking it over, but he had no real chance to case the place, just a look at the front of the bank as they rode past. They could always come back and have a look, or perhaps Steelgrave could give them the layout of the place, in the event he saw the logic to hitting the bank.
His call. His town, their specialty.
Ralph listened to the stranger then as he talked about somebody named Case or Casey. Immediately the former lawman - make that crooked lawman - of Whitefish came to mind. It sure sounded like Case Steelgrave anyhow.
"So, long story short this Casey fella bragged himself up pretty good as County Sheriff, or he was running for it an expected to get elected, some such nonsense. just wondered if he was jest hot air."
"Well now I can't be sure but I do sorta know of a Case Steelgrave, former marshal of the former town of Whitefish. Which burnt down ya see," Ralph explained.
"He was crooked or so they say and then got arrested here in Kalispell when he tried to draw on our local lawman. Damned lucky he didn't get his head blown off. So....well...anyhow we got us an election coming up this fall for mayor and sheriff. So he might well be wantin' to run for that. But you gotta know this - most people in this town don't like the Steelgrave family, his old man and Case. I can't see him winnin'."
And that was quite a mouthful for the normal taciturn bartender.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Huh, sounds like the feller I met, Steelgraves was it? Sounds to be a lotta hot air to me. Some folks try hard to be what they ain't." Boone said, and took a deep drink of the beer.
"A man disliked stands to lose in a community that's got nothin' good to say for him. If in fact that's him, I wish him luck, sounds lie he'll be needin' It." He paused to finish his beer. "Well I gotta be pushin' on, maybe try out that boardin' house. Get me a steak. Yah, haven't had a good one in a while. Anyhow, friend thanks for the conversation. Be seein' ya."
"A man disliked stands to lose in a community that's got nothin' good to say for him. If in fact that's him, I wish him luck, sounds like he'll be needin' It." the man paused to finish his beer.
"I don't, I ain't gonna be votin' for that sonofabitch," Ralph remarked off handedly.
"Well I gotta be pushin' on, maybe try out that boardin' house. Get me a steak. Yah, haven't had a good one in a while. Anyhow, friend thanks for the conversation. Be seein' ya."
"Boarding house should have an openin' or two. The diner has good food, believe they serve steaks too. The hotel does but that place is on the expensive side," Ralph informed him then nodded, "See ya."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Thanks." Boone said over his shoulder. Well, there was one that had no use for Case, and there were others, but first, to see about the boarding house and a place to lay up for a few days, then, a nice big juicy steak with all the trimmings. There was no hurry seeing what folks felt about Case, none at all. Besides, it allowed Boone the chance to size up the town, maybe talk with whatever law they had, see what thy could add, knowing whatever was said would not be good.
It took a bit longer than he wanted to get him a room at the boarding house, but it was suppertime and the owner was busy, so he was polite and even somewhat charming about it and got a place to bed down. Then he found himself on the board walk thing about his own supper, there was this cafe, and, there was the expensive hotel dining room.
The double eagle rotated in the air, falling toward the open hand that waited, and plopped tails up. It was the hotel dining room. He smiled and went inside for dinner.