previous posts: The Man on the Ladder 1: Dark Days Ahead
The
three mysterious men came into the town of Valentine on three
identical horses. They had made camp the night before along the
banks of the Niobrara River and were revitalized after a long
journey. It was cloudy and a chill had settled in the air. They had
been traveling day after day following their purchase of the horses
at the Sioux City train depot over 100 miles to the east. It will be
nice to sleep in an actual bed again, they looked forward to renting
a hotel room. They were travel and battle hardened souls, but
creature comforts were a thing they had grown accustomed to.
Valentine
was a lovely community built in the shadows of a Sioux reservation
near the Niobrara River. It was named after a politician serving in
the US capitol. It was a burgeoning community hotly anticipating the
coming Sioux City and Pacific Railroad. Strangers coming and going
was commonplace for their isolated township. Typically outsiders
were speculators or robber barons and their entourage. The good
folks of Valentine assumed these three men were there to do business.
The
three rented their rooms and stayed the night. They ate in the hotel
restaurant. The Fat One ordered mutton chops, the Tall One had
oyster stew, and the Leader ate liver and onions. They each had
water and beer and went to bed following their meal. Tomorrow they
would begin the process.
Ñ
The
light poked through the lace curtains of the Leader's room. Dawn had
arrived. He had already been awake awhile, but now he was motivated
to rise. He had done this countless times before. He was still
driven but the urgency of his job had waned long ago. He was
important and felt the lure of his agenda, he was just more
meticulous now. He was steady. There was no need to rush his work,
it would never abandon him. He knew the human condition would never
disappoint him. After dressing and shaving he went down to the
restaurant for eggs and coffee. His companions eagerly sat there
knowing he would be the last to arrive.
One
would hesitate to claim they enjoyed each other's company. They
neither liked nor disliked each other. They respected one another.
They were efficient at their jobs and complimented each other. They
ate their food and went to work.
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