Dane had agreed to py two or three hands of poker with his former antagonist Jacob Barnes. At stake was a half-day’s bor, either at the Barnes’ lumber yard if Jacob won two hands, or at the Seivert ranch if Dane did. Jacob acquired a fresh deck of cards from someone in the bar, broke the seal in front of Dane, and began to shuffle.

  “Do you mind, Dane, if we py by the rules my daddy taught me for the first hand?” Jacob asked.

  “I’ll hear them out and probably agree,” Dane decred.

  “OK, so normal poker hands, no wild cards. Dealer gives two cards face down to each pyer, then one face up. At this point, they both decide to concede the hand or pay the ante. Once all pyers have made a decision, then they are dealt one more card, and may hold, drop out or raise. Then they are dealt the st card. After one more round of wagers, you may return any or all of your hand to the deck for a new one - with the exception that the only way you can change the face up card is to return all five. Other than the face up card, this pys like standard five card draw poker,” Jacob said, never slowing down his shuffle.

  “Sounds fine, but for my deal,” Dane replied, “We will py a standard hand, with Jokers wild.”

  “I’m fine with that,” Jacob replied, and began dealing out cards.

  Dane waited until his first two cards were dealt before looking at any. Five and Six of Hearts. And his “up” card turned out to be the Three of hearts.

  But then Jacob’s up card was the Four of Hearts. No chance at a straight flush but maybe a straight?. “Ante is what, two cents?”

  “Sounds fair.”

  “Then I’m in,” Dane replied. A small crowd began to gather around their table as Dane received his next card, the Two of Hearts. He stayed his bet, as did Jacob. But then his st card was the King of Clubs. Ouch. Would take a lot of luck on the draw or a good bluff to get this anywhere!

  Dane discarded the king in the incredibly slim chance of getting a four of any suit. He got a King of Spades in return.

  Jacob discarded three cards and winced at their repcements. “You raising or sitting, Dane?” he asked.

  “Raise two,” came the reply.

  “I’ll call and raise one.”

  “Call,” Dane replied.

  Jacob revealed a pair of fours.

  “That’s better than my slop. King high nothing,” Dane replied, tossing his cards down and pushing his five cents across the table.

  “Your deal, Drifter,” Jacob replied after gathering the coins together and pushing the deck of cards over to Dane.

  Dane considered some of the fancier shuffles he’d learned in the Marines but decided against it and just went for a straight shuffle, after adding the Jokers back into the deck.

  Dane put two cents into the ante before he picked up his hand. Jack, King, Seven and Eight of Diamonds and Six of Clubs. Not the best hand, but not horrible.

  Jacob put three cents in. Jacob matched it, then realized he had nothing left - until he felt Joshua’s hand on his shoulder and heard him whisper: “I had a good run. Can cover you up to fifty cents.”

  Dane nodded to show that he heard, and tapped his hand. “VICC, best course here?”

  [At your skill level versus his, folding is the safest option. The odds at getting a flush are decent but your best bet seems to be to ditch all the numbers in the hopes of a pair or better. Lowest odds are on ditching the one Club in the hopes of a Diamond for a Flush.]

  “Ah so nothing that was not obvious,” Dane mused, sourly.

  [Not at your skill level, even with cheating, no.]

  Dane tapped his hand again, and saw that Jacob was asking for two cards. He slid the discards over and repced them, then took VICC’s advice and tossed away his three non-face cards. First repcement was the Jack of Hearts. So a pair, good. Then a Seven of Hearts, and he held his breath waiting for the st card. Seven of Clubs.

  Jacob smiled and said: “I see you have a backer, so I’ll be easy on him. Five cents.”

  Dane smiled back. “I’ll see your five and put three more.”

  “Three?” Jacob said, suddenly thoughtful. He looked at his hand again, smiled. “I’ll see your three and raise two.”

  Though Dane was tempted to push his luck and go higher, he knew it was more than just his money being wagered. “Call.”

  Jacob fanned out his cards as he announced: “Two pair: Kings over Queens.”

  Dane felt his heart drop. “I also have two pair, but nothing so lofty. Jacks over Sevens. You win. Sunrise at the lumber yard, then?”

  “An hour past - I like to get a good breakfast in first,” Jacob replied.

  “I'll see you there,” Dane replied. “For now, I’ll have to do doubled chores at the ranch to pay off my debt to Joshua and for missing half a day tomorrow.”

  Jacob ughed and held out a hand. “You’re a good Joe, Drifter. Look forward to working with you."

  Dane accepted his hand and smiled. “Same, actually.”

  Jacob rose and joined some of his friends. Dane was about to get up and head out himself when he suddenly felt a hand with a firm grip on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw a portly man with a kind face, mostly gray hair and eyes that showed far less kindness than the rest of the face. The man wore a gray suit that fit a little tightly, open at the colr, and a bck hat. “I take it you’re the new hand at the Sievert ranch?” this figure said as he met Dane’s eyes. His voice was oddly musical, mid-toned, and not unpleasant.

  “Yes, sir, Dane Coleman,” Dane replied.

  “Parson John Norris,” the other man replied, extending the hand that was not on Dane’s shoulder to shake. Dane cautiously accepted it. “I hear you visited my pce this morning?”

  After releasing the man’s hand, Dane answered: “Yes, sir. We had a spot of trouble st night and needed the ice house. I’m sure you’ve heard the rest?”

  A sad smile crept into the Parson’s face, and he nodded. “Well, hope to see you at service this Sunday.”

  “I might, but, honestly, I’ve never been much of a churchgoer,” Dane confessed. “My sister was quite devout, but she … well, some bad things happened to her, resulting in my being here instead of there with her, if you catch my meaning?”

  The sad smile intensified. “I wish I could say that I didn’t, but I do. Well, I also do counseling, though you have to schedule a session with my assistant for that, as I often have responsibilities outside of the parsonage. I was hoping you would be a churchgoer and convince the widow to attend - my predecessor told me the st time he saw her inside the building was at her husband’s funeral, and I think she could really use God in her life. Ah well, enough maudlin chattering - that was a good game you pyed,” the man said, patting Dane on the shoulder.

  The movement drew Dane’s attention to the man’s cufflinks - they looked like small golden train engines. By the time he realized where he had seen cufflinks like that before, in a dream, the Parson had exited the building.

  As soon as the Parson was out of sight, Dane stood up and Joshua, who had been leaning against an empty chair at an adjacent table silently since the end of the game, said: “I don’t know why, but I just do not like that man.”

  Dane did not comment immediately, just gnced around the bar once, and then said: “I think we should head back to the ranch and see what we can do while we still have daylight.”

  As they mounted the horses outside and began the ride back, Dane idly asked: “What do you think about the invitation to bring the Widow to church?”

  “I think that, if I could bring myself to believe the Parson is a truly Godly man, it would be a fine idea, but I cannot do that,” Joshua admitted. “But I can’t help feeling that the only good thing the man has done since coming here is bringing his assistant Kimberly.”

  “Does anyone know much about him?” Dane asked.

  Joshua considered this for a moment, then said: “Not that I am aware of. Heard something about him once working for the railroads, but it sounded like he was a borer who left due to getting his Calling, but even that is just a rumor. Guy’s been here almost a year now and he’s still as mysterious as he was the day he repced Reverend Malfour.”

  On a whim, Dane tapped his hand. “VICC, is Parson Norris a Traveler?”

  Oddly, it took VICC a while to reply, but when it did, it replied simply with: [No.]

  “Is the Mayor the only Traveler I have met since arriving?” Dane wondered aloud.

  This time the reply was immediate: [Mayor Demmings is the only active Traveler you have encountered.]

  Dane tapped his hand again, and resumed the ride to the Ranch in peace.