Another Day, Another Dollar

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Maddie went pale at the sound of the voice. She muttered something in French in a low voice. The man turned his
attention from Ralph, and looked at her. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the Duchess," Come down a little in status
haven't you. Not exactly the Silver star is it.' He grabs her, and tries to kiss her.

Maddie gathers her wits about her. She brings her knee up catching him where it counts when he lets
go she shoves him hard enough to send him sprawling. "Keep your damn hands off me. And don't call me
Duchess." Maddie is shaking like a leaf. The last person, she expected to run into was her ex-husband.

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Well, well it seemed his former employee knew his brand new employee as the man addressed her. Ralph saw the look on Maddie's face
 and she was not pleased to see him either. He knew here as Duchess? Ralph paused to watch the new implications in progress.
The man boldly decided he was going to kiss her and Maddie made him pay for it. Down he went. Ralph decided he had seen quite
enough.

"That's it! We are done with you!" Ralph could move a lot faster than most people might think at first glance. He suddenly bounded
over the bar with a chair leg in hand, one kept hidden beneath the bar but well within his easy reach.

Before the still pained ex-gambler could react defensively, Ralph was upon him, cracking the man a good one on the head with
the solid wood club. It was lights out for Ralph's victim. With a smirk, Ralph glanced at one of the customers watching from the
bar then motioned to the prone man sprawled unconscious on the floor.

"Help me drag him outside and it'll mean a free drink for ya."

That offer was eagerly accepted and the two men proceeded to grab a wrist each then drag the fellow out the batwinged
front doors, leaving him sprawled unconscious in the street. Ralph wasn't quite done yet though, extracting the man's gun
from it's holster, unloading the weapon, then tossing both the gun and bullets into the nearby horse trough. That settled he
reentered the saloon.

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Maddie was standing in the same place. A few the patrons had scooted over, giving her some space. She was using
the mirror behind the bar to put herself back together. She noticed Ralph come in. Drawomg a shaky breath, she waited
for him to come up to her. "Well, I guess you might like an explanation for all that. I was expecting to see him
here.He's actually part of the reason, I came out here. Could we sit somewhere, i would rather this talk be between the
both of us."

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Ralph re-entered the saloon and customers averted their eyes when he looked their way, no one much cared to receive the ire of the saloon owner
once aroused. He could definitely get rough. He set the chair leg on the bar top then moved toward Maddie. He didn't even need to say anything
when the woman realized he'd probably like to know more about how those two knew each other. His guess was they'd worked in another place in
the past maybe that riverboat she bragged about.

"Sure, pick the closest open table," Ralph then moved back to the bar and helped himself to a scotch bottle and two shot glasses which he then
placed down on the table she choose. He poured two shots and took one of them.

"Drink that, it'll help settle yer nerves. So? What's the story then? I'm all ears..."

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Maddie took the glass. At least he was willing to listen to her. S6he tossed back the whiskey. "Well Jake and go back
a long way. I met him at a ball in New Orleans. He swept me off my feet. My parents tried to keep us apart, but I left with
him. Promised to marry me, told me a pack of lies. Turned out, he was working the boats as a gambler. Oh we had a wedding, captain
of the boat married us. Come to find out, that doesn't count. I stuck with him, picked up a few pointers.. I started witting
in on some of the games, found I had a knack for poker. Well one night, Jake got into a fight over a card game. He wa dealing
and waw accused of cheating. Gunplay happened, and I thought he was dead. Well I took over the duties at the table for the evening.
even convinced the captain to let me continue.

Well that went on for awhile, I saved money just in case. Well the damn Yankee..." she blushed. "I mean the gentlemen
of the North, took a dislike to the fact we were blockade running. They took the boat, and the crew. I managed to get off. Stayed in St
Louis, for awhile, went to Dodge, Abileene, and then Denver. While I wa there, Jake was there also. He and I got into it one night.
The man can be very abusive. I packed up and left. Been moving steadily westward. You know you are the first owner, I have
had defend me." She stops and thinks for a minute. "Now on top of everything else, he'll tell your sheriff about me trying to kill
him. Oh he calls the Duchess because of my manners, and way of speach. He says I act like I am better than everyone else. So you
sill want to hire me." She smiles at him.

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His newest employee now opened up on her past and her less than happy relationship with his ex-house gambler. Ralph just listened
and did not interrupt with questions. He did have to smile a bit at her reference to 'damn Yankees' but though he had been a soldier
in the Union army he did not take offense, for him the war was truly over. Once she was done though, he decided to have his say.

"You thought he was dead on a ship? I would think you would have been able to know for sure?" he didn't get that part but in the
end it wasn't important. Jake was obviously alive still though now a bit worse for wear after the woman and Ralph himself got
thru with him.

"As for me defending you, I told ya earlier. I expect my employees to be loyal and do their part and if they do then I will always
back them up. Jake didn't so he don't work for me anymore," was his take on why he had defended her.

"And as for your worry about what he tells the sheriff, I get along right with the law in town and I will tell the sheriff that Jake
is a damn liar. Caroline will back me up. All our word against his. So relax."

And finally.

"Yeah, I still want to hire you. Consider yerself a regular now, Maddie," he smiled and tossed down a shot of liquor.

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Maddie giggled a little bit. "I was a little busy trying to dodge bullets, and flying fists. By the time it was over, they had taken the body away, and I was dealing. Never gave it a second thought." She relaxed a little. The thought of him lying on the saloon floor, and then drug out the door was too much. She started giggling, which grew into a full blown belly laugh. She wasn't used to whiskey, so it had hit her a little hard. "the look on his face, when I shoved him. And then you up and over the bar. You sir are a true knight in shining armour." After a few moments of laughing, she finally bought it under control.

"Sorry whiskey, isn't my usual drink. Give me a few minutes and maybe a cup of coffee, and I can start to work. Same agreement, right I use my funds tonite and tomorrow,"

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Ralph leaned back in the chair as the woman started laughing, maybe it was the liquor, maybe it was the release of tension from her
confrontation with her ex-partner but it was amusing to witness as was her calling him a knight in shining armor.

"Oh, I don't think anyone else would agree with you on that point. But yeah, drink down that coffee when it comes, Caroline must have
had to make a fresh batch, not sure what's keepin' that girl?'"

"But yep, same deal as we discussed earlier before that rude interruption. Think of it as yer audition. If you can prove you are as good
at cards as you say you are, you got the job permanent. Oh...and that don't mean I expect you'll win every single night....no one is
perfect."

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"If I won all the time, no one would want to play, now would they." Maddie notices the young lady, she had seen earlier headed their way.
"Isn't that Caroline there?' When the young lady reaches the table Maddie takes the coffee from her. 'Merci...I mean thank you, I need that."

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Caroline emerged from the back kitchen with a cup of hot coffee on a saucer then carefully walked it over to where Ralph and their
new employee were sitting. As she set it down the woman thanked her, declaring she needed it. Caroline nodded.

"Happy to oblige. Sorry we don't have any cream or sugar."

Not a lot of customers ever came here to ask for coffee, they were mostly looking for something alcoholic.

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Maddie got a good look at the young woman. She was pretty, and looked friendly. "That's ok. When I drink coffee, it is usually black. Maybe I should introduce myself. Madelaine Dubois, but my friends call me Maddie. Your father and I have been discussing the possibilities of
my employment here.'

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The woman was quite content with the coffee as Caroline served it, black and hot. She then introduced herself to the saloon gal. Caroline had
an inkling that was what Ralph and the woman were in deep discussion about.

"Well, hello and welcome then, Maddie, pleased to meet ya. I'm Caroline...Caroline Mundy but then you knew that part of it already didn't you?"
Caroline's smile was warm and very sincere.

"So what you gonna be doin then? You a cook or piano player?" the girl knew her father wouldn't hire a singer or dancer as that was her job.
Nicely dressed as that woman was, Caroline highly doubted she was a cook.

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"Well, at least she didn't ask if I was the new prostitute", Maddie though to herself. Most of the people she had dealt with before, had offered that position. "Actually, if everything works out. I am going to be the new house gambler. I can't play a piano, or cook. I am lucky if I can make myself a cup of tea. So your father has agreed to let me try out for the next couple of nights.."

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One eyebrow raised upward but otherwise Caroline concealed whatever surprise she had at Maddie's answer.

"House gambler huh? Alright then....I wouldn't have guessed that. No offense, just I never saw a woman gambler before. But my father...
he usually is right on his hunches so ...." Caroline didn't finish that sentence just smiled.

"Well good luck ta you then. Last one we had didn't work out too well," she shrugged, having been in the back she had missed the drama
just a few minutes earlier.

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Maddie noticed the raied eyebrow. 'Oh, I know Jake. When sober, one heck of a good card player. Drunk, a blind, and deaf ape could beat him. Don't worry, I don't think he will around much, unless he is really stupid." she smiled. "the look on his face. Well now, if it is all right with you both. I would like to start proving to you what I can do. Your father said you could get me a set up. Maybe later on, when I take a break, Caroline, I could tell you more about my background."