Chapter 16: Jason

The ride that morning led Jase southwest out of Milledgeville toward his destination of Macon. From Macon, he would ride nearly straight west to Columbus. Then it was another more or less straight shot west across the Alabama line to Montgomery. It would be a long ride. In fact, it would be early fall before he reached Montgomery. His first major stop was in Macon. But Macon was full of Union troops and Carpetbaggers so he did not stay long before he set out for Columbus.

The last night on the trail before Columbus, Jase made camp three hundred some yards back in the trees, well off the trail and just a stone's throw from a sparkling little brook of fresh, clear water. But, as luck would have it, not quite far enough off the trail.

Jase built a very small fire, just enough to boil some Arbuckle's and heat some beef jerky. He had just finished and was sipping his coffee when he head a horse on the trail. The horse stopped for a moment, and then came on, toward Jase's camp.

Well short of the fire, a voice called out, "Hello the camp! May I come and join you? That coffee smells awfully good!"

Jase, by now well versed on trail etiquette, but still cautious, responded, "Come on in then, but slow, and keep your hands up where I can see them."

The horseman did as he was instructed and rode slowly in. Jase said to the man, "Turn your horse so's I can see you as you dismount!" The man did so.

"My name's Claus. I don't blame you for being cautious. The times we live in, you can't trust no strangers right off."

Jase said nothing but indicated for Claus to sit and pointed to the coffee pot.

Claus just stood still, but said, "I got me a cup in my saddle pack, ok if'n I get it?"

"Go ahead," said Jase.

Only what Claus had in his hand as he started to turn back to Jase was not a coffee cup. It was a Colt Army. Jase heard it go to full cock as the gun started to come in line with him. The gun never made it. Jase had been watching carefully and, in quick reaction, had pulled his own Colt, cocking and firing it in a movement more swift than the blink of an eye.

The round took Claus in the middle of his forehead, right above his nose. The entry wound was small and round, but the exit wound took out much of the back of the man's skull in a horrific red spray of brains and bone that made a mess of the horse and the saddle directly behind him. He was dead before he hit the ground, his Colt dropping into the dust beside him.

Death comes quick to the unwary, thought Jase, and either he was not wary enough, too slow, or both!

Once again, Jase had a dead body, a horse with full tack, and more weapons on his hands.

Seems to be somebody on the prod everywhere I go, thought Jase as he started to go through the dead man's pockets. A pair of gold eagles, a pocket knife, lucifers in a watertight wrap, and the usual makings for smokes was the result.

No identification was found. Jase unsaddled the man's horse and picketed it with his own. The saddlebags contained nothing worth taking and Jase tossed in the man's pistol belt. After he put out the remains of the fire, he took his bedroll another twenty yards into the trees for the night.

Jase had another tiny fire going and coffee heating before first light. After a meal of hardtack, beef jerky, and coffee, he saddled Claus' horse and tied him face down over the saddle. Then he saddled his own horse, arranged the pack saddle on Brax, and rode out toward Columbus. Once he arrived, Jase once more had to go through the telling of how he ended up with a dead body in tow while the undertaker removed the body.

Nobody seemed to know the deceased. It was assumed the dead man was a drifter looking for another grubstake the supposed easy way instead of working. After successfully completing his story, the local law said Jase was free to go. Jase walked outside and mounted his horse, riding off to locate a livery stable.

Jase paid the upfront fee to have his three horses curried and brushed, fed well, and stabled in a comfortable stall for the night. The dead outlaw's horse and tack was run of the mill and well worn, but he negotiated a good price for both. he kept the weapons, two Colts and a Henry, for the time being.

Jase then said to the livery man, "I need the buckskin for a while longer. You can take care of him when I get back."

The livery man just nodded as Jase remounted and rode out onto the street. Three blocks away, Jase found both a hotel and a barbershop. His first stop was the barbershop. Once again, a hot bath, shave, and a hair trim made him feel like a new man.

While getting his hair trimmed, Jase asked the barber, "Is there a place nearby where a man can wet his whistle?"

The barber replied, "Two blocks down and around the corner to the right, sir."

Jase thanked the barber, paid his bill, and following the directions of the barber, rode to the saloon. The place turned out to be a large and gaudy combination saloon, dance hall, and gambling hall called, The Silver Palace and Saloon. The place occupied half the city block, side to side as well as front to back.

He pushed through the batwings and stepped to the side to let his eyes adjust to the dim interior and to look the place over. The central portion held the saloon. Off to the left, near the center, lay the gambling hall and directly across from that lay the entrance to the dance hall. Jase had to walk past both of those entrances to reach the saloon bar at the back of the central room.

In the dance hall portion, a piano player, banjo player, and trumpeter pounded out lively and noisy music. Jase noticed the second story balcony above the dance floor had numerous doors all around. He had no doubt as to their purpose.

Reaching the bar, Jase said to the barkeep who appeared almost instantly, "I'll have a whiskey with a beer."

Wordlessly, the barkeep served Jase's order as he picked up the proffered coins and was gone, looking after still another customer at the very busy bar. Jase downed the whiskey shot and then sipped on his beer as he looked around some more to observe the activities.

The gambling and dancing areas were separated from the saloon by a half wall about four feet tall. The remainder of the wall was widely spaced lattice work the rest of the way to the ceiling. This gave a more or less clear view from one area to all the other areas.

Jase had no interest in getting involved in a card game this night, so he concentrated his observing on the dance hall room. Lots of pretty girls in there were dancing and competing for male customers. Fairly often, one of those pretty girls would lead a partner up the stairs to one of the rooms above.

The girls, with their overly made up faces, were definitely not modest in their enticement of customers, quite openly and shamelessly rubbing up against their dance partners and inviting return caresses. Although starved for female companionship, this was definitely not Jase's cup of tea. He'd seen enough for one night.

As Jase reached the entrance area to the dance hall on his way to the batwings, he was suddenly confronted by one of the girls.

"Wouldn't you like to dance with me, handsome? I sure would like to dance with you."

The girl's skimpy top was most revealing of her ample endowments as the girl drew Jase tight against herself in an embrace.

"I know you will really like me!"

Jase disengaged himself with some difficulty as he said, "No, I'm not interested."

The girl pouted and teased, "What's the matter honey, don't you like girls?"

The girl shook herself enough to jiggle her top which threatened to spill her breasts from their loose confinement.

"Sorry," said Jase, "not interested tonight."

Jase turned and started for the batwings again when he felt a large hand on his left shoulder.

A heavy voice from behind and a head above him said, "Mister, you insulted the lady. You owe her an apology and a dance."

Jase replied, "Mister, I just politely declined her offer, I did not insult her. Now kindly remove your hand from my shoulder."

The hand squeezed harder as the voice said, "Mister., I ain't goin' to tell you again!"

"Neither am I," Jase said as he quickly spun around and landed a sledgehammer right into the solar plexus of the giant standing behind him. As the man doubled over in pain and explosion of breath, Jase brought his knee up into the man's face with all the force he could muster.

The man's nose broke with a crunch of cartilage as he was flung partially upright by the blow. Before he could move again, Jase brought a booted foot into the man's groin with a mighty kick. The man howled in pain and doubled over again, clutching himself and screaming.