Erskine knew of a small, unmarked saloon in town that still managed to serve beer and whiskey to the right kind of men. Men like him, and the other “disciples.”
He went to the door and knocked. It was opened by a big man wearing a dirty white apron.
“Hey, Dan,” he said, letting Erskine in. He quickly closed the door and locked it, then went back behind the bar.
Erskine saw that the disciples were there, either at the bar, or sitting at tables. He counted five. Only one was missing, a man named Dooley.
He went to the bar and said to the bartender, “Beer.”
“Comin’ up.”
“Where’s Dooley?” he asked, as the man gave him a beer.
“Ain’t seen him tonight.”
Erskine turned to the room.
“Anybody seen Dooley?”
“He’s with his woman,” Lyle Brent called back.
“You know where she lives?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Well,” Erskine said, “go and fetch him. Tell ’im I need him here.”
“Now?” Brent asked.
“No, in a week!” Erskine said. “Yeah, go now!”
“Okay, okay,” Brent said, standing up. “Don’t get sore.”
“What’s Dooley doin’ with a woman?” Andy Miller asked, laughing.
“She’s one Father Stoll don’t want,” Brent said.
The bartender let Brent out and relocked the door.
“Listen up!” Erskine yelled. “Sometime in the next few days, maybe more, we’re gonna be called on to take care of the Gunsmith.”
“I thought we was gonna do that this mornin’,” Miller said.
“Yeah, well, we almost did,” Erskine said, “but Father thinks it’ll take more men.”
“More than five?” Miller asked. “Hell, five men coulda handled Wild Bill Hickok.”
“Adams ain’t Hickok,” Darby Grey said. “I heard Adams has gunned five men more than once. Me, I’m glad we didn’t go for it this mornin’.”
“Well, it don’t matter what you think,” Erskine said to Miller, and then “Or what you think,” to Grey. The boss says get more men, so I’m getting’ more men.”
“That why you want Dooley?” Miller asked.
“Yeah,” Erskine said, “he knows some boys who wanna come in with us.”
“They better be good boys,” Grey said. “This is the Gunsmith we’re goin’ up against.”
“What are you, a big fan of his?” Miller asked.
“No,” Grey said, “I just know what we’re goin’ up against. You should know, too, but you’re too young and stupid.”
Miller, in his twenties, stood up so fast his chair fell over. He faced Grey, who was in his forties.
“What’d you say to me?”
“Siddown, Miller!” Erskine snapped. “Grey’s right, you are stupid if you underestimate Adams.”
Miller looked at Erskine.
“All the fast guns are gone,” he said, picking up his chair.
“Not this one,” Erskine said. “Just sit and relax, all of you. We ain’t about to start fightin’ among ourselves. We’re gonna need every gun we got for Adams. And there’s one more thing.”
“What’s that?” Trevor Cahill asked.
“We may have to go up against the sheriff.”
“Gaines?” Miller asked. “But you were his deputy.”
“That’s right,” Erskine said. “I was, but not no more.”
“Why would we go up against him?” Cahill asked.
“Because he might just back Adams’ play.”
“Why would he do that?” Grey asked.
“I don’t know,” Erskine said. “Maybe he’s decided to start doin’ his job again. Maybe he’s decided he don’t like Stoll.”
“I like Stoll,” Miller said, “as long as he pays us. I don’t believe in any of his mumbo-jumbo, but he’s a smart man. He’s got most of the town believin’ him, and he’s got the women jumpin’ into his bed.”
“Ain’t left many females for the rest of us,” Cahill complained.
“Seems like Dooley found one,” Grey said.
“Yeah,” Miller said, “but she’s ugly!”
They all laughed.
“Hey,” Grey said, “sometimes a wet hole is just a wet hole.”
“If that’s what you believe,” Miller said, “then maybe you should fuck a sheep.”
More laughter.
“Me,” Miller went on, “I need a pretty woman.”
“Well,” Cahill said, “Stoll has sure corralled himself the pretty ones, ain’t he?”
“Maybe he’ll teach us some of what he’s doin’,” Grey said.
“I don’t need lessons from some old man,” Miller said. “I can get me a woman any time I want.”
“You?” Grey said. “You wouldn’t know what to do with a real woman. That Brenda would kill you.”
Now they all laughed, except Miller.
“Brenda?” he scoffed. “She’s way too old for me. Stoll’s got a coupla young ones he’s fuckin’. Now I could show them a thing or two they ain’t gettin’ from him.”
“Shut up about women already!” Erskine said. “You boys better start thinkin’ about nothin’ but how we’re gonna kill the Gunsmith.”
“Is that what Stoll wants?” Grey asked. “Adams dead? Or just out of town?”
“He ain’t said, yet, but we gotta be ready for whatever he wants.”
“I’ll be ready,” Miller said, touching his gun.
“Come on,” Erskine said, “I’m buyin’.”
With that, all the disciples made their way up to the bar.