Fair Land, Fair Land Read Online Free PDF

puts Joe Newton down."
    Higgins cussed himself. He knew as well as anybody
that mountaineers took offense when no offense was meant, they were
so goddamn face-proud.
    Before he could reply, Summers said, "Mister, we
don't care shit where you're from or how you palaver. That don't
matter one good goddamn. You got any whiskey? Just tell me that."
    Summers hadn't raised his voice, but there was a tone
in it that set the man back. So did his eyes.
    The man said, "It's just, well, I got my pride."
    " Good for you. My pardner was just tryin' to be
friendly. No cause to get your dander up."
    " All right. I got whiskey. Comes high, so I warn
you."
    Summers put a gold piece on the bar. It came, Higgins
knew, from his pay as a guide. No greenbacks. Just honest coin.
    Newton reached behind him and got two mugs and a jug.
    " This is s'posed to come from Kentucky, but you
never know. It's prime stuff, I swear." He poured good measure.
It was then he took note of the gold piece. He looked at it, hefted
it. "Jesus Christopher," he said, "you expect me to
make change for that?"
    " Could be you got some fixin's we want."
    " Could be. Like what?"
    " No business talk till the liquor says yes."
    " Sure. Take your time."
    Higgins could feel the warmth of the whiskey in his
belly. He wasn't much of a drammer, but once in a while a drink went
good. He drained his glass.
    " Fill 'em up again," Summers said. "Have
one yourself."
    " That's kindly," Newton said and reached
for the jug and another glass.
    Higgins thought he could speak again without roiling
the man. "None of my business, but I'm askin' myself how you
make out. For grub, I mean. Meat."
    Newton took a swallow of whiskey and licked his lips.
"That's a fair question, and I'll tell you it's not as hard as a
man might think. Fish, for instance."
    "Salmon, huh?"
    " Durin' the run. But a man gets mighty tired of
salmon."
    " Strike up the band. I'll beat the big drum."
    " Amen. I put out set lines for sturgeon. Some of
them are Christly big and break my lines. I got one down in brine now
that must have weighed nigh onto sixty pounds. Makes a nice change."
    " All the same, it's not red meat."
    " You'd be surprised, now all them pilgrims have
left. Once in a while now a mule deer — I call 'em jackass deer on
account of the ears — it kind of strolls by. I killed me one
yesterday. Reminds me. You men crave some good eats?"
    " I'm thinkin' so," Summers answered. "Pour
another, friend, your own self included."
    Before he took hold of the jug, the man added, "I
can give you some good stuff, right off the loin. My woman — she's
a Cayuse — pounds chokecherries fine, pits and all, and throws in
some seasonin', like wild sage, I guess, and makes a sauce that I
call mighty fine."
    Touchy or not, Newton was from the Appalachian
country, Higgins knew. The words he used and the nosy twang gave him
away. Not that it made any difference.
    " Might be you'll have company," Newton went
on. "That is if you don't object to some warwhoop."
    " Long as he don't hanker for scalps,"
Summers told him.
    " Nothin' like that. He's kind of a preacher, I
reckon, missionary-like. But his religion ain't wore so sore that he
won't take a drink."
    " Preachers I know like a dram so's to put more
hell in their warnin's," Higgins said.
    " He's half French to my notion. You know how
those Frenchies are, always makin' up to squaws." He grinned
suddenly, maybe thinking of himself. "Not that most don't."
    " Comin' today, huh?" Higgins said, just to
make talk.
    " Said he would. Been gone two weeks now."
    " So what you got in the tradin' line?"
Summers asked. "A good rifle, maybe?"
    " Not like that there cannon of yours. Hawken,
ain't it? But I A got a good Kentucky, full stock, sugar wood. Big
enough for deer, even elk. It shoots true."
    " Might have a look later. How"s the jug
holdin' up?"
    Newton renewed the drinks. "Got here too late
for rich pickin's," he said, resting an elbow on the bar.
"Started the cabin and then figured