“What’ll it be gents?” Clyde the bartender said walking up to them.
“I’ll have a beer and shot of your good whiskey,” Blake said. “What do you want Caleb?”
He stood to full height and said, “S-same.”
Blake turned to him with one elbow on the bar. “Really now. If you’re sure.”
“Y-yup.”
“Set them up, barkeep,” Blake said turning back.
When the drinks arrived Blake held up his beer mug to Caleb. “Here’s to your health.” They clinked their mugs together and took a swallow. Caleb’s face scrunched up like he didn’t care for it much and he set the mug down. “Don’t care for it son? Ever had whiskey?” Caleb shook his head no. “Well try just a sip, and don’t spill any.”
Caleb took a tentative sip. To the casual observer they would have thought he tried kerosene.
Blake smiled. “No harm in not liking alcohol. It’s expensive and can lead to trouble.” Blake turned back to an amused bartender. “Got any sarsaparilla hiding back there?”
“Sure do, I’ll fetch you some.”
When Caleb tried it he liked it just fine. They were talking and enjoying their drinks when Blake felt a silky arm slip though his. Turning he was face to face with a pretty redheaded woman. Her dress was very low cut revealing her large creamy breasts. Her red hair was pulled back in curls with a large feather sticking out. “Hi there,” she said seductively, “where have you been hiding?”
“I had to sail all the way from China to get here, sorry I’m late,” Blake said flirting back. “And what’s your name, darlin’?”
Pulling his arm tighter to her chest and batting her large green eyes, “Michelle to my friends. What’s yours, honey?”
“Blake,” he said. Caleb cleared his throat and Blake came out of her trance. “And this is Caleb, ma’am.”
“Pleased to meet you, Caleb,” Michelle said smiling sweetly.
Caleb turned bright red and looked down at the bar. “Ma’am,” he said.
“You handsome boys want to buy a lady a drink?”
Blake summoned over the bartender who poured her a drink from a bottle under the bar. Blake knew it was probably just tea but he was enjoying the company so he didn’t mind. The three of them talked for a while. Blake knew she was a prostitute but he found her intoxicating. It had been some time since he shared a bed with a woman and she was really making him consider taking her upstairs. She pressed hard against him with his arm now completely between her breasts and whispered in his ear, “Why don’t we go up to my room? I’ll show you a real good time.”
Fate was a funny thing. Blake was in a tough spot because he didn’t want to leave Caleb there alone, and thoughts of Chrissy flashed in his mind and yet he had no real ties to her. Then there was Michelle who was ready, willing and more than able to satisfy his primal needs. He was just about to apologize to Michelle and decline her offer when a huge hairy hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her away from him.
“There’s other customers that need tending,” he growled. It was the huge man Blake saw before sitting in the corner. Up close he was even more intimidating; he had hands the size of hams, and forearms the size of Blake’s thighs. He stood a full head taller than Blake with long hair and a great bushy beard that almost concealed his black beady eyes.
Apparently, Michelle did not care for being interrupted while conducting business. Her green eyes flashed with anger as she slapped him on his broad chest. “Back off, you big lummox!” she snapped. “I’ll see to the others when I am done here.”
He brushed her aside roughly. “You’ve wasted enough time on this one, now git.”
Blake was not one to see any woman manhandled so he stepped in between them. “Maybe she has, or maybe she hasn’t. I believe the choice is hers.”
The huge man looked down on Blake, his voice sounding like distant thunder, “I say she’s done here.”
Blake turned to Caleb smiling. “See the problem with men like this is no one will ever take them head on. Because he is so big he thinks he can push people around and there’s nothing they can do. The first thing you do is get them down to your size.” With that, Blake brought up his foot and sent it crashing into the big man’s knee. Howling in pain he dropped to his other knee, then he grabbed the bar rail and started to stand back up. Blake punched him hard in the middle of his chest causing he man to gasp for breath. “See now we are the same size,” Blake said calmly. “May I borrow your tap hammer?” he said to the barkeep. The bartender brought a large wooden mallet up from beneath the bar and handed it to Blake. “You see Caleb it’s not how hard you hit, it’s where you hit,” as he brought the hammer down squarely between the gasping man’s eyes. The human buffalo dropped to the floor like a pole axed steer. “You see how easy that can be?” Blake handed the hammer back to its owner.
Caleb just stood there with his mouth hanging open as was most of the bar. Dan LaClare strolled up to Blake and looked down at the heap of man on the floor. “I do believe he is going to be very upset with you when he wakes,” he drawled. “May I recommend you be elsewhere when he does.”
“Perhaps that would be best,” Blake said imitating him. He turned to Michelle, took her hand and kissed it. “Maybe, another time, ma’am?”
Still staring at the man on the floor she said, “Looking forward to it.”
Blake turned Caleb around and ushered him out the door.
Halfway down the street Caleb glanced back at the saloon and said, “H-h-how’d you d-do t-that?” looking at Blake in amazement.
“Remember that Merchant ship that brought me back? I had some fights and a little Chinese fellow took pity on me and taught me some things he learned in a Shaolin temple. Kind of comes in handy sometimes, don’t you think?”
Caleb shook his head yes and sputtered, “Yeah.”
******
Early the next morning Blake woke up, washed, shaved and put on some clean clothes. Coming down the stairs he could tell breakfast was cooking because the whole house smelled of bacon and fresh bread. Smiling he strolled into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Good morning, Sadie. Breakfast smells great.”
“Well sits yo’self down an’ I’ll fix yo’ a plate. I’s saved some ‘for the boy eats it all,” Sadie said grinning.
Caleb looked up from his plate; his cheeks were stuffed like a squirrel gathering nuts.
Blake leaned back in his chair laughing. “You know son, nobody is going to steal that, so you can take your time and chew.”
Caleb took a big swallow, “I-It’s a-a-awful g-good.” Then took another huge forkful of eggs and shoveled them into his mouth.
Blake shook his head in amazement. “I’m going to go broke feeding this kid,” he muttered. Sadie set his food down and he looked up at her, “Thank you. How is Sam coming on the back room?”
“Jest fine, got the outside done, and the roof ain’t leakin’ no more. He tol’ me to ask yo’ ‘bout the stove.”
“I’m going to get Caleb making horseshoes this morning and I’ll go get the stove and pipe from Dooley’s store,” he said as he dug into his breakfast.
“Appreciate it, I do, gets a might chilly sometimes.”
A small bark came from the back door. Satan was sitting there wagging his tail.
“Yo’ jest wait there, Mr. Dog, I is comin’,” Sadie said picking up a plate of table scraps. She opened the screen door and set the plate on the steps. Satan gobbled up the food and was done practically before she closed the door.
“You two are friends now?” Blake asked.
“He done killed a rabbit in th’ garden and a fat rat from somewhere yesterday. He be all right wit’ me, long as he don’t let no wind in the house. Lawd, that was awful.”
Blake and Caleb laughed and got their hats off the hook by the door. Satan was very excited to see Caleb and ran around barking. He followed them all the way to the forge. Blake had Ca
leb get the firepot started while he found the steel for horseshoes. He showed Caleb how to make a shoe by bending, shaping and punching the holes. Caleb’s first attempt was terrible but Blake was patient and after a half dozen tries, Caleb made a good one. “Now do that same thing fifty times,” Blake laughed as he patted him on the back. Blake took off his apron. “I’ve got to go to the mercantile and get Sadie’s stove. Be back in a while.”
The bell over the door rang when Blake entered, which brought Madeline running. “Good day, sir. May I help you?” she said boldly.
“I need you to pick up that stove over by the wall and carry it to my house, please,” Blake said politely.
She turned quickly and ran to the small pot belly stove. Then she turned to Blake and said, “I can’t lift that, you silly, I’ll get Daddy,” and thundered off to find her father.
Terry came out of the back room carrying Ethan on her hip. “Good morning Mr. Thorton. How are you today?”
“Please, ma’am, call me Blake. Who is this handsome little spud?”
“This is Ethan,” she said bouncing him on her hip. “Josh will be right with you. I am finishing up with another customer.”
With that Chrissy came out of the back carrying a bolt of fabric. “I’ll take two yards of this and some thread,” she told Terry. Her eyes caught Blake’s and she smiled a little. “Good morning,” she said.
“Ma’am,” Blake said touching the brim of his hat.
“Here,” she said holding out her arms to Ethan, “I’ll take him so you can cut the cloth.”
Terry handed her Ethan and Chrissy smiled down at him cooing softly.
Blake wandered over to her and tickled Ethan on the cheek. “How come you don’t smile at me like that?” he asked Chrissy.
“Maybe because he hasn’t developed a smart attitude yet,” she said never taking her eyes off Ethan.
“Certain women bring that out in a man,” Blake said grinning.
“Hmmm,” she muttered, cocking her eyebrow.
Josh appeared from the side door. “Hello Blake, what can I do for you?” They shook hands and Blake gave him a list and made arrangements for the stove to be delivered while Chrissy and Terry finished their business. Blake kept stealing glances their way admiring how good Chrissy looked holding a baby.
“I said, is there anything else?” Josh teased a distracted Blake.
“Huh?” Blake asked, and then realizing he had been caught gawking at Chrissy said, “no that’s it.”
Their business concluded, Chrissy turned to leave. “I’ll see Caleb promptly at two then, Mr. Thorton.”
“Damn, I forgot,” Blake said. “Give me one of those dollar Ingersoll watches, please.” Josh took one out of the case and handed it to him. “If you would indulge me, ma’am, I would like to talk to you.”
“I need to get back, but if you can be brief,” she said.
The truth was Blake had no idea why he said that he wanted to talk with her and he felt like a schoolboy on the playground. He took money out of his pocket and gave it to Josh.
“There’s a hundred dollars here,” Josh said.
“Really?” Blake said, watching Chrissy leave. “Well put it toward my account.” He was trying to catch up with her and bumped into a cracker barrel.
“Hey, Blake,” Josh called with a big grin.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Blake could see he was being teased and growled back, “Shut up.” He opened the door and left.
Josh walked over to Terry. “I would have thought it gets easier when you’re older.”
“Apparently not,” she replied, watching Blake run by the window.
******
Blake hurried to catch Chrissy just as she reached the edge of the store. “Excuse me, ma’am,” she turned to look at him. “It occurred to me that I don’t know your last name.”
“O’Bryan, Christine O’Bryan. Is that why you wanted to talk to me?”
“Well, that’s one of the reasons,” he said. “I wanted to know if….” Blake was stopped by a grizzly-like roar coming from the alley between the buildings. When he turned toward the noise, he saw a huge form lumbering straight at him, gathering speed. Blake recognized the big man from the saloon barreling toward him. Left with not much time to think, Blake grabbed Chrissy’s arms to get her out of way of the charging beast. When she was safely back around the corner he plucked an axe handle out of a barrel and, swinging it low, caught the big man’s shin, causing him to stumble. The big man pin-wheeled his arms trying to regain his balance and ran headfirst into a passing wagon. As his head hit the two-by-twelve board on the side of the wagon, the board cracked and the wagon rocked, almost tipping over. The startled driver pulled back on the reins yelling, “What the hell hit me!!??”
Blake got back to his feet dusting himself off and walked over to the heap of man on the ground.
“Good Lord,” the driver said jumping down, “I though a full grown bull rammed me.”
“Just about,” Blake said.
“Damn fool broke my wagon side board,” the driver sputtered, “and I can’t move my wagon without running him over.”
The big man hit dead center on the wagon and fell out cold and face up between the wheels. Blake tossed the driver a five dollar coin and said, “Here you can use that to fix your wagon, if you help me drag him out of there.”
“Sure thing, Mister,” he said, pocketing the coin. They both grabbed a foot and dragged him back into the alley. “He sure is one heavy son-of-a-buck, ain’t he?” he puffed wiping his sleeve across his forehead.
“That he is,” Blake replied shaking his head. Stepping over the big man’s legs they left the alley.
Chrissy peeked around the corner as Blake stepped out. “What on earth was that all about?”
“I have no idea, but he seemed right angry with that wagon,” Blake said shrugging his shoulders.
She cocked her eyebrow at him. “The wagon, really? Are you sure he wasn’t after you?” she said, not believing him.
“Couldn’t have been me,” Blake said innocently, “I hardly know him.” Chrissy continued to stare at Blake pursing her lips. “So, does Bonnie have everything she needs for teaching Caleb?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Good, then he’ll be there on time,” said Blake tipping his hat. “Good day Mrs. O’Bryan.”
She watched him walking back toward the forge and drew a deep breath. Exhaling loudly she shook her head and smiled.
Back at the forge Caleb had made good progress on the shoes. He was dirty and sweating but he grinned from ear to ear. Blake examined the shoes and pointed out some things he could do better but all in all he was pleased. He handed Caleb the pocket watch he bought earlier and Caleb was stunned. Blake had assumed that Caleb could tell time but quickly realized that he couldn’t. Blake taught him how to wind it and explained the basics of reading a watch. “It’s you’re responsibility to be over at the café for school on time,” he said. “I’ll help you for a while, but it’s up to you.”
Caleb held the watch to his ear and smiled at the ticking sound, “I-I w-will, t-thanks.”
Joe Bergman strolled out of the livery, eating an apple.
“Hey, Joe,” Blake called to him, “got any horses in need of shoes?”
“Several,” Joe said.
“If you want, we’re ready to put some on.”
“Hell, yes,” he said. “Be right back.”
He went in the livery and came out leading a mare. “She’s a good one to learn on, stands quiet.”
“Thanks,” Blake said taking the mare. “Fetch the shoeing box over there, Caleb, and we’ll try out some of those shoes you made.”
Blake taught Caleb how to trim, reshape and nail the shoes on. Blake did a front and back shoe and had Caleb try the other side. The mare stood patiently for Blake but fussed a little when Caleb tried. Just when Blake was going to step in to h
elp, Caleb stopped and stood up and talked to the horse.
“Whoa there, girl,” he said. “This is my first time, so take it easy now.”
He stroked her head gently and the mare nuzzled his hand. Running his hand gently down her neck and down her leg he gently picked up her hoof and went back to work.
“I’ll be damned,” Blake whispered to himself.
When he was done Caleb stroked her neck softly. “Good girl,” he said.
Blake came over to inspect his work. “Good job, son,” he said rubbing the withers on the horse.
“T-t-thanks,” Caleb smiled.
“How come you don’t stutter around horses?” Blake asked gently.
Caleb shrugged his shoulders. “N-n-not a-afraid of th-them.”
Blake placed his hand on his shoulder. “You keep going like you are, and you will be a fine man. I see it in you. There’s nobody in the world that you should hang your head to, just remember that.” Caleb nodded. “Now take the mare back to Joe and see if he has another one to shoe.”
Caleb took the lead rope and walked her back in the livery. A few minutes later he walked out with a gelding. Smiling he gave Blake a silver dollar. “F-from J-Joe.”
“That’s yours, son. You earned it. Soon you’ll have a whole pocketful of them,” Blake said smiling. Caleb put the shoes on two more horses with Blake’s guidance and was getting more confident with each one. That was all the shoes Caleb had made. He took the watch out of his pocket and checked it. He held it out to Blake, who looked and said, “Twelve o’clock, Sadie should be bringing lunch soon.” With that she came around the corner carrying a basket. Caleb ran up to her and showed her the watch and money he made. They sat in the shade of a nearby tree to get out of the sun and enjoy their meal. When they finished Caleb rebuilt the fire and started making shoes again. He checked his watch constantly holding out for Blake to read. Each time Blake told him the time and how much longer before he had to go.
At a quarter to two Blake told Caleb to get cleaned up and head to the café. He continued to make shoes for the rest of the afternoon. It had been a long time since he had done any serious blacksmithing and he could feel the fatigue creep into his muscles. There a peace that comes from blacksmithing; it is difficult to describe because it looks like dirty, hard, sweaty work. Perhaps right in the center of it all, the violent pounding on the anvil, the intense heat of the forge and the steaming hiss of the metal in the water of the slack tub, it is like the eye of a hurricane. Blake liked it there and felt completely at peace.
The Blacksmith Page 10