Part 20 Vol. 2

3Gun was amazed. If only raising a posse was this easy. Enthusiasm spread like a prairie fire with everyone employing whatever skills they could offer to kick start the Busted Gulch Jamboree. Even old dead-face Unger was happily hammering together an outdoor stage while Hank Bellows put together a dunking pool. Smells and heat from the cafe filled the street as AJ and Deputy Darkly baked up a storm of cakes, muffins and brownies.

CrazyGoose and little Ron arranged a long table with paper plates and cups for free lemonade and cake provided by funds from the town council, as they agreed it was for a worthy cause. The whole idea was to repay Satchell and Lotta Baggage for the expenses incurred for the Red House girls accommodation at the hotel. 3Gun watched the erection of a cake walk outside the cafe, a kissing booth by the general store and other booths and tables for various contests and games.

Pretty soon the town was filling with the residents both local and from Tent City. The streets became crowded and noisy, laughter and cheering from the various venues. Up on the new stage, Loren got the attention of the crowd, introducing the Red House girls and breaking into a routine of songs that had them all swaying and clapping.

3Gun had waved to CG at the lemonade table and watched as she sent Little Ron running with a glass for the sheriff. The lemonade was a hit and the line-up long and he wandered down the street watching for any problems. He noticed how the people drinking were all grinning from ear to ear and moving in an unusual manner - almost but not quite dancing.

(Arrow pointing to Tex Mex in disguise)

Hidden in the crowd in his disguise, Tex Mex fumed inside. The potion he had bought from the witch Ruby to spike the lemonade not only wasn't poisoning the people, it was making them happy. He stole out of town and rode away, vowing he wasn't through with the group from Busted Gulch - not by a long shot.

Meanwhile, as 3Gun watched CG pouring and greeting folks he began to feel strange and stepping up to the table, he broke into song. Around the same time, Loren had left the stage to take her turn in the kissing booth and when AJ saw her there he tried to talk her out of it but she convinced him with a song that had him running around getting all the change he could find to buy kisses. With enough to use up her whole turn in the booth; he quieted the grumbling cowboys waiting in line with a song for Loren.

At the cafe, Deputy Darkly was enjoying her lemonade while she baked and thought about Marshall Lorne who was already on his way to BG. She giggled and clapped her hands hoping she would be at the kissing booth when he got there and as she took another tray of muffins from the oven, she found herself jigging and singing around the kitchen.


Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top