Turn the page to read an excerpt from book two in the Once Upon a Western series. 

 

“Twelve Dancing Princesses” reimagined... 

 

Fifty dollars just for asking a few questions? Jedediah Jones figures it must be his lucky day. What dancing and doughnuts have to do with anything, he neither knows nor cares. He’s only interested in earning that money so he can finally eat something other than the apples he's been living off for days. Once his stomach and his pockets are filled again, he plans to move on. 

 

But answering the advertisement plunges him into a forest of painted trees, twelve pretty sisters, trouble, and more trouble. And, yes, doughnuts. So many doughnuts. 

 

Can Jedediah Jones solve the mystery and earn that fifty dollars when the whole town has failed? Or will the twelve sisters lose their family's business no matter what he does?  

An Excerpt from  

Dancing and Doughnuts 

 

 

I dropped my hat on that chair full of books, put both my hands on his desk, and leaned forward. This man might have weighed the same as two of me, but I wouldn’t have made sergeant major if I’d let myself be intimidated by every man who was bigger than me. Especially since I’ve encountered a lot of them on this earth. “How would I know that? I don’t even know what you need me to do. Only a fool would say he could solve a problem he knows nothing about.” I straightened and crossed my arms over my chest. 

Beside me, the little lady chuckled. Or possibly she had tried delicately to restrain a cough. I didn’t take my eyes off the man to find out. 

He smiled, baring strong, fierce teeth. “I’m glad to know you’re not a fool, at least.” He held out a meaty hand. “Will Algona. I think I’m pleased to meet you, Jedediah Jones.” 

I shook his hand, making sure my own grip matched the firmness of his. “Glad to know you.” 

“Pull up a chair. That is, if you can find it.” 

Moving those books that filled the only other chair would have taken more time than it was worth. There must have been thirty of them. I marveled that the chair could stand up under the strain of all those words. “I’ll stand, thanks.” 

“Then I’ll be brief. Mr. Jones, someone is trying to ruin us.” 

“How’s that?” 

“They’re adding liquor to the cider we serve during dances. Three times now, our girls have been rendered intoxicated. Three dances running, now.” 

Mrs. Algona put in, “My daughters, tipsy!” 

“All those young ladies in the kitchen, they’re your daughters?” I’d noted six in that kitchen, and I decided I ought to respect this tiny woman even more, if she’d borne six girls and retained such sprightly ways. My own ma only had four children, myself being the youngest, and by thirty she’d been too worn out to do much more than cook and mend and try to sweep out all the dirt we brought in the house. Though maybe six girls were easier to tend than four boys. Not having ever had sisters, I wouldn’t know. 

“They are,” she answered. “And I take it as a personal insult that someone thinks it’s funny to set them tipsy.” 

Will Algona said, “You act like it’s a joke, Martha. It’s no joke. Some wretch intends to put us out of business. They’re threatening our livelihood, that’s what.” He shook his head. “All our plans, our hopes for the girls—and you think this is a joke. Once, that would be a joke. Maybe even twice. But three weeks running? That is pure, deliberate malice. It needs to end.” 

“So let me get this straight,” I said. “You don’t serve liquor during your dances?” 

Mrs. Algona huffed. “Of course not! We serve coffee, cider, and doughnuts. We are a respectable establishment. Anyone who wants a stronger drink than apple cider has to go on over to the saloon. And if they’ve had more to drink than they ought, they can’t come in here.” 

Will nodded. “That’s our rules.”

“No liquor—we had to practically vow on the Bible about that. We didn’t exactly thrill the good folks of the town when we opened this place.” Mrs. Algona sniffed. “Misunderstood our intentions, that’s what they did. But they’ve come around.” 

Will said, “Plenty of people like having some-where to come socialize after a long week of work. Old and young alike, though we do tend to mostly draw lonesome young men looking for a dance with a nice girl and something sweet to eat. If we added liquor to that mix...” He held up his hands, then let them drop to his sides. “Besides, we insist that our daughters be treated right. No drunken cowboy will get within ten feet of my daughters.” 

“What about the other girls who work for you? Might one of them be dissatisfied with her pay? Or angry at another girl? Maybe they quarreled about some young cowhand?” 

“You don’t understand,” Will Algona said. “This is a family business. We don’t hire anybody to work here.” 

“So those six young ladies I saw—” 

Mrs. Algona interrupted me. “Twelve, Mr. Jones. We have twelve daughters.” 

I wished then that I’d set myself down when offered a chair. “Twelve?” 

“Twelve,” she repeated, face lighted with pride. 

“I see.” Twelve daughters. No wonder the Algonas wanted this sorted out soon. Twelve tipsy daughters must be right challenging to deal with….