Moving On Chapter 2 It was pitch black outside and six of the peacekeepers were sitting in the saloon. They were the only people left. The last of the customers had stumbled out an hour earlier, and Inez had left fifteen minutes earlier. It had been hours since Ezra had hit Nathan and stormed up to his room. Nobody had seen or heard a sound from him since then. The peacekeepers were worried, even Chris and Nathan, even though they refused to show it. "Look, why don't we just go check on him?" questioned Buck. Nathan snorted. He still couldn't believe that Ezra had hit him! And, boy, did Ezra pack a wallop. Nathan's top lip was split and his jaw still hurt. Sighing he asked, "Why don't we just wait until the morning? I'm sure he's just up there planning on how to bilk more people outta some money." J.D. jumped up. "You know what, Nate? I'm sick and tired of you always putting Ezra down. He's a good man, even if you are too blind to see it! He doesn't cheat. He doesn't need to! And I don't care what Mister Woolery told you. Ezra never takes all of anyone's money. He always leaves them somethin' and you know it! Now, I'm going upstairs to check on Ezra and I don't care what any of you say about it!" With that J.D. stormed away, leaving one smirking peacekeeper and four shocked peacekeepers. Vin slowly stood up and followed J.D., saying more with his silence than he could with words. "Well, come on. We might as well go, too," sighed Chris. When they reached the upstairs hallway, J.D. was knocking on Ezra's door. "He's not opening," J.D. said looking at Chris. Chris knocked on the door and growled, "Ezra! Open this damn door!" After a couple of minutes, Josiah kicked the door, knocking it open. The room was empty. "What the...?" "Where is he?" Buck wondered out loud as he lit an oil lamp, so they would be able to see better. Right away they all noticed that some of Ezra's possessions were missing. A few of his books, some of his fancy shirts and slacks, and his new plum colored jacket. "Fellas, here's somethin'," said Vin as he held up a white folded piece of paper. Chris snatched it out of his hand. Opening it, he read out loud. "Gentlemen, it has come to my attention that it is time to move on from Four Corners. If you want to view this as running out and breaking my promise to you, feel free to do so. I was beginning to think of our fair town as home and you six as friends -- family. But I have come to realize that that is not true. "I refuse to subject myself to any more slurs of my heritage and remarks about my morals. Feel free to do whatever you see fit with my belongings that I left in my room. I have no need for them. They are just things. Maybe we will all meet up once again. Safe trails. Ezra P. Standish." Six pairs of shocked eyes looked at each other. "He's gone?" whispered J.D. "Well, maybe it's for the best," commented Nathan. All the comment did was earn him five glares. He held his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm just sayin' is all." "Well, what are we gonna do? We have to go find him and bring him back!" J.D. exclaimed. "We'll look for him come morning. It's too dark right now," Chris said. Josiah sighed. "Even if we do find him, there's no guarantee that he'll come back. And we can't make him." After a slight pause, Josiah continued, "I believe that we have hurt him a great deal, Brothers." "No worse than he hurts them folks that he cheats," Nathan mumbled. J.D. just shook his head and stormed out of the room. Buck followed. "Kid, wait up!" "Let's get some sleep, so we'll be ready to head out at first light," said Chris. TWENTY MINUTES OUTSIDE OF FOUR CORNERS Ezra sighed as he carefully rode in the dark. He had waited for the darkness on purpose, that way nobody would see him leave after he had snuck out of the back of the saloon. He was twenty minutes from Ridgecliff, the nearest town that had a train. He wanted to get away from New Mexico territory as quickly as he could. So, that meant taking the train. Well, maybe he would be able to find some gentlemen to play a game of cards with. As he carefully continued to guide his horse, Royal Flush, to Ridgecliff, he thought about where to go. He had no definite plans. But New Orleans sounded pretty good. With a firm nod of his head, his decision was made. New Orleans, Louisiana, it was. With a half smile, half frown, he continued on his way. Return to Moving On
Moving On
Chapter 2
It was pitch black outside and six of the peacekeepers were sitting in the saloon. They were the only people left. The last of the customers had stumbled out an hour earlier, and Inez had left fifteen minutes earlier.
It had been hours since Ezra had hit Nathan and stormed up to his room. Nobody had seen or heard a sound from him since then. The peacekeepers were worried, even Chris and Nathan, even though they refused to show it.
"Look, why don't we just go check on him?" questioned Buck.
Nathan snorted. He still couldn't believe that Ezra had hit him! And, boy, did Ezra pack a wallop. Nathan's top lip was split and his jaw still hurt. Sighing he asked, "Why don't we just wait until the morning? I'm sure he's just up there planning on how to bilk more people outta some money."
J.D. jumped up. "You know what, Nate? I'm sick and tired of you always putting Ezra down. He's a good man, even if you are too blind to see it! He doesn't cheat. He doesn't need to! And I don't care what Mister Woolery told you. Ezra never takes all of anyone's money. He always leaves them somethin' and you know it! Now, I'm going upstairs to check on Ezra and I don't care what any of you say about it!" With that J.D. stormed away, leaving one smirking peacekeeper and four shocked peacekeepers.
Vin slowly stood up and followed J.D., saying more with his silence than he could with words.
"Well, come on. We might as well go, too," sighed Chris.
When they reached the upstairs hallway, J.D. was knocking on Ezra's door. "He's not opening," J.D. said looking at Chris.
Chris knocked on the door and growled, "Ezra! Open this damn door!"
After a couple of minutes, Josiah kicked the door, knocking it open. The room was empty. "What the...?"
"Where is he?" Buck wondered out loud as he lit an oil lamp, so they would be able to see better.
Right away they all noticed that some of Ezra's possessions were missing. A few of his books, some of his fancy shirts and slacks, and his new plum colored jacket.
"Fellas, here's somethin'," said Vin as he held up a white folded piece of paper.
Chris snatched it out of his hand. Opening it, he read out loud. "Gentlemen, it has come to my attention that it is time to move on from Four Corners. If you want to view this as running out and breaking my promise to you, feel free to do so. I was beginning to think of our fair town as home and you six as friends -- family. But I have come to realize that that is not true.
"I refuse to subject myself to any more slurs of my heritage and remarks about my morals. Feel free to do whatever you see fit with my belongings that I left in my room. I have no need for them. They are just things. Maybe we will all meet up once again. Safe trails.
Ezra P. Standish."
Six pairs of shocked eyes looked at each other. "He's gone?" whispered J.D.
"Well, maybe it's for the best," commented Nathan. All the comment did was earn him five glares. He held his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm just sayin' is all."
"Well, what are we gonna do? We have to go find him and bring him back!" J.D. exclaimed.
"We'll look for him come morning. It's too dark right now," Chris said.
Josiah sighed. "Even if we do find him, there's no guarantee that he'll come back. And we can't make him." After a slight pause, Josiah continued, "I believe that we have hurt him a great deal, Brothers."
"No worse than he hurts them folks that he cheats," Nathan mumbled.
J.D. just shook his head and stormed out of the room. Buck followed. "Kid, wait up!"
"Let's get some sleep, so we'll be ready to head out at first light," said Chris.
TWENTY MINUTES OUTSIDE OF FOUR CORNERS
Ezra sighed as he carefully rode in the dark. He had waited for the darkness on purpose, that way nobody would see him leave after he had snuck out of the back of the saloon.
He was twenty minutes from Ridgecliff, the nearest town that had a train. He wanted to get away from New Mexico territory as quickly as he could. So, that meant taking the train. Well, maybe he would be able to find some gentlemen to play a game of cards with.
As he carefully continued to guide his horse, Royal Flush, to Ridgecliff, he thought about where to go. He had no definite plans. But New Orleans sounded pretty good. With a firm nod of his head, his decision was made. New Orleans, Louisiana, it was. With a half smile, half frown, he continued on his way.
Return to Moving On