Cora’s Tale

Copyright: Willard Douglas; All rights reserved

Prologue… 1910.Bisbee, Arizona

A good hour and a half after the sun had come up in Lowell, it has finally risen to a height sufficient to peek over the mountain and flood my room with light. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and sit up, falling right back over, my head swimming. I push myself back to a sitting position, keeping my eyes focused on the radiator in the far corner of the room.

Slowly the vertigo subsides and I am able to to make my eyes focus. My clothes are neatly folded on a chair although I have no recollection of folding them. No recollection of arriving back home after closing the bar at two. I stumble across the room to the small corner sink, grabbing the coffeepot on my way. I fill it at the tap before tossing in several spoonsful of coffee that I ground yesterday. I place the pot on the hotplate before spooning tomorrow’s ration of coffee beans into the grinder.

I sit at the table drinking my coffee and begin to recall my walk home. I remember topping off my pint of whiskey just before locking up the bar at two. I remember turning up Broadway and upturning the pint, taking a long pull, getting ready for my climb back up to Temby. I have no recollection of anything after that. Normally, I could get three nights out of a full pint but this morning there was barely enough left for my morning nip. Clears the cobwebs away… But not enough for me to remember any more of my trek back up to my room.

Around eleven I heat water on the hotplate to shave before getting ready for the day. I always tend bar in black slacks and a sky blue shirt with a black vest and frilly dark-blue arm garters. The ensemble is topped off with a derby hat. I may be seventy years old, but I am still Elmo.

At eleven-forty-five I begin my walk down from Temby Street. A flight of steps down to Clawson and then another down to Opera. I drop down into the alley behind the school and now stand at the top of the Broadway steps looking down at Brewery Gulch. At the bottom of the steps I see wagons passing up and down through the muddy street. The gulch is always muddy. Everything comes running down it. Dishwater, bathwater, piss, shit… You name it.

The sun, high in the sky now, shines brightly onto the steps,making the damp and slippery old leaves gathered there sparkle in their newfound sunlight. Small critters, just being awakened by the warm sunshine as I had been a little earlier, scurry from cover to cover.

I continue down the steps, passing several houses and the sides of commercial buildings before emerging onto the boardwalk at the bottom. I turn left and pass two small shops before coming to the bar. I unlock it and enter, kicking the refuse from the night before aside as I walk further and further into the gloom to the back where I find the light switch.

Shortly after twelve I hear the customary knock of my trusted assistant Jonny, a kid about sixteen. I open the door for him and he steps inside followed by his old man who he parks on the last stool at the end of the bar furthest from the door. The old man immediately lowers his head to the bar. Jonny grabs the broom and starts to sweep the place out.

As Jonny rakes out the trash I begin cleaning up the bar and restocking it. About one a fresh keg of beer is delivered from the brewery up the street followed a short while later by the iceman who drops a fifty pound block in the back sink. Jonny picks it into smaller chunks that he drops into the beer cooler around the kegs. At two I pull back the curtains over the bay windows that flank the door, raise the shade covering it and then unlock it. The bar is open.

CHAPTER I

Elmo spent most of the next couple hours sitting outside on the plank walk where he could see both directions up and down the gulch, going back inside only when a new customer came in or someone inside called out for a refill. It wasn’t very busy and Jonny was perfectly capable of pulling beer without Elmo’s help when it was slow, so Elmo was sitting outside on his stool, watching the comings and goings along Brewery Gulch, when the four o’clock train from Douglas pulled up to the station at the bottom of the street. He could see the passengers as they stepped out onto the platform. He watched a young woman step down into the street, stepping gingerly to avoid the puddles. He could see from his position outside the bar that she was rather plain, of medium height and build, perhaps carrying a few extra pounds. She wore a plain dress, likely made from flour sacks. Her hair, a mousy brown color, looked as if it had been whacked off with a knife, more likely just a bad scissor cut. She was quite young, not more than twenty by Elmo’s guess.

She proceeded across the street and stepped onto the sidewalk just down from where Elmo sat and without ever casting a glance in his direction proceeded up the Broadway steps.

A shout came from inside the bar: “Hey Elmo. You gonna serve beer in here or sit out there and nap all afternoon?”

“Kiss my arse!” Elmo shouted back over his shoulder as he rose from his stool and turned to go back inside. This was the usual exchange every time one of the old sots needed a fresh one. “You’re not gonna die of thirst in the next few minutes. Now shut your pie-hole. By the time he finished saying this he was already several steps inside on his way around behind the bar, thinking no more of the young woman, continuing a verbal exchange with the three old miner’s who had been put out to pasture by the company. Injuries, lung-disease, anything that prevented a man from putting in a full shift got him ousted from the mine.

As Elmo stood there, the young woman he had so recently watched ascend the steps came walking into the bar, bravely stepping right up in front of where Elmo stood.

“Excuse me, but can you tell me how to get to Opera Drive?” She spoke very rapidly not pausing for breath before adding. “I’m lookin for Faulkner, a feller I met a while back back there in Arkansas where I’m from, Lake City, and he sent for me to come out here to Bisbee cause he said in a letter he had a good job in the mine and he said when I come he’d put me up in a room and pretty soon we could get married but some feller out yonder on the platform who I asked if he knowed where Opera Drive was told me to go up them steps just down thattaway … (she pointed toward the Broadway Steps) … and I did but they just led up to an old dark alleyway so I run back down here to find somebody to ask and you was the first one I could find.” … She finally paused for a breath and emitted a big sigh, gazing up at Elmo with a baleful look.

Elmo slowly counted to ten to make sure she had completely spoken her piece. He wanted to tell her where she went wrong was when she left that place Lake City in the first place, but he composed himself and said, “Go back to the top of the Broadway steps and turn right in the alleyway. Just a few steps ahead will be a much shorter set of steps that go up to Opera Drive. What’s your name young woman?”

“Cora. Thank you.” She sort of curtsied before turning and walking rapidly out of the bar and towards Broadway.



Elmo stepped into the bar just before noon the next morning. As usual, Jonny and the old man weren’t far behind him. Jonny claimed to be the son of a whore up in the red light district further on up the gulch. The canyon and road running up the floor of it was called Brewery Avenue instead of Brewery Gulch and then it became Zacatecas Canyon even higher up. Jonny called the old man he stayed with his pa but no-one ever knew whether he was his real pa or just some old man that he had taken up with. Jonny got the old man settled on his regular stool back in the shadows at the far end of the bar. Then he went to pick up his broom and started sweeping up the debris from the night before, starting at the back and sweeping everything ahead of his broom out the front door. He’d barely gotten started when a young girl burst through the door almost knocking him down.

She shouted as she ran in, “Please protect me, he’s gonna kill me!”

Elmo was in the back storeroom retrieving supplies to restock the bar when he heard the commotion. He came running forward and instantly recognized the girl from the afternoon before.

“Cora,” he said. “Who’s trying to kill you?”

“Faulkner. He’s right behind me. Can you hide me?”

“Watch the door, Jonny.” Elmo said as he pulled Cora back into the shadows at the back.

“Stay back here and hunker down. Nobody’ll see you.” he told her.

Cora ran back to where Elmo stood and squatted in the corner.

Elmo turned and started toward the front just as the door burst open. Jonny was leaning on his broom just inside watching, as he had been told. A man suddenly appeared and got two steps inside the bar when Jonny’s broom shot out between the man’s outstretched legs and he pulled upward as hard as he could, felling the man as neatly as a logger felling a tree.

Meanwhile Elmo grabbed a sawed off pool cue he always had within easy reach behind the bar and walked towards the front as the man slowly got to his feet, his face beet red with rage.

“Git outta my way, old man. I’m here to get my woman, and not you or anybody else is gonna git in my way.” He reached an arm out to brush Elmo aside just as the tip of the pool cue speared him in the solar-plexus.

“Now you listen to me you little pipsqueak arsehole,” … Pipsqueak did a pretty good job of describing the man’s physical size. … “I don’t know what you’re talkin about but the constable should be here shortly to sort it out.”

With this, Elmo began prodding him backward with the stick until he was all the way out the door still bent double and gasping for breath from the initial prod.

“Okay, here’s the scoop, arsehole. You come back in my place and try to make trouble again you’ll be in a world-a-hurt. Got it! Now git!” Elmo shouted as he kicked the man firmly in the ass, propelling him forward and causing him to stumble off the edge of the plank walk into the gutter beyond.

Elmo turned and walked back inside, closing the door behind himself but leaving it unlocked. He pulled the curtain back and watched the man, whom he assumed to be the man Faulkner that Cora was running from, stumble down the street toward the train station. Just as he disappeared from view, Jonny returned, followed a moment later by the constable.

“What’s goin on here, Elmo?” the constable said as he walked through the door.

“Aww, nothin really constable. Man comes bustin in yellin somethin about lookin for some woman that he claimed he’d seen runnin in here which is, of course, plum ridiculous, so I helped him back out the door usin this little sawed-off thing here. And I also helped him over into the gutter” … Elmo stood up and faked a kick to the constable’s ample rear-end. … “where I left him. I doubt if he’ll be back any time soon. Mighty obliged to you for comin down to ask, though. Want a beer? Or is it too early?”

“Reckon I could stand a little somethin wet goin down the old gullet, now! Reckon that’d be just okay.” the constable replied as Elmo began to draw his beer. The constable could count on one free beer per afternoon/evening in every bar in town. Else when the next ruckus broke out … and it was inevitable that a ruckus would break out in one or several of the saloons in town at some point during the evening … he might conviently be otherwise occupied and unable to respond quickly when called. One free beer a day was cheap enough insurance to guarantee his quick response to a call for help.

Elmo continued restocking the bar while the constable drained his beer in three quick swallows. He set his schooner on the bar and turned toward the door, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand as he exited. Elmo said to Jonny, “Quick boy, lock that door and pull the curtains and don’t unlock it again for nobody until I get back down here. If anybody wants in tell em to get lost.”

Elmo turned and walked to the back where he found Cora huddled in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chin, skirt tucked in under her legs. She rested her head on her knees as she cried softly. She looked up at Elmo as he walked towards her.

Extending his hand downward, he said, “He’s gone, and won’t be back if he knows what’s good for him. Come, I have a place where you’ll be safe for as long as necessary.” He reached down and took one of her hands pulling her gently upwards before turning and opening a door in the back corner that opened into a large storeroom. A flight of stairs to the right of the door led upwards. “Follow me.” Elmo said, as he pulled a string hanging down from the ceiling. A dim glow came from high above, barely illuminating his face. “C’mon.” he said as he began to step upward. “Be careful. These stairs is kinda dark but there’s nothin to hurt you. Just follow me.” The frightened girl still seemed hesitant but began climbing. Elmo continued. “There’s nothin up here but a small bed and a few necessaries… and junk, of course. I sometimes sleep up here when things have been really busy and I don’t feel like walkin back up to Temby Street, which is even higher up than Opera. So come on.” he said, turning and proceeding upward.

At the top, he looked back down and Cora was about halfway up, climbing slowly. When she reached the top, he said, “So this is it.” sweeping his hand around as if he was presenting the Taj Mahal. “Why don’t you have a seat on the bed there.” He gestured before turning and stepping into the back area littered with old broken furniture and assorted other junk. He began to toss things this way and that before exclaiming. “Ahh! Here it is.” He came up with an old chair that would hold his weight if he sat on it like a stool and didn’t lean against the back. He dragged it over by the bed and sat down.

“Now, Cora. You saw what just happened down there. Like I said a moment ago, Faulkner won’t be back today if he knows what’s good for him. You’ll be perfectly safe up here. There’s even a chamberpot back over there in the corner.” He pointed. “Now tell me everything that has happened to you since you left here heading for Opera Drive yesterday afternoon. I want to know everything right up to the instant you burst through that door down there a few minutes ago.

Cora began to tell her story.

“Well, as I said last night, the man Faulkner came through Lake City, Arkansas, a while back and made me believe he loved me so I waited till he wrote me a letter tellin me…”

“Yeah. … I know… Tellin you to come to Bisbee. I know all that. What happened when you got up to Opera Drive yesterday afternoon?”

“Well, it took me awhile to find Faulkner. Well, I didn’t really find him, but I found out where he stays, and that was just luck. I went there but he wasn’t there but some fella come along who said he know’d him and assured me that that was the room where Faulkner stayed and when I told him why I was there he said it’d probly be okay if I just went on in and so I did and I was just goin to lie down on the bed for awhile and so I did and then I went to sleep.

“Later, I don’t know what time it was, Faulkner come in, stumblin around makin lotsa noise and wakin me up. He was so drunk he didn’t know who I was even though I kept tryin to tell him and he just sorta fell down on the bed and then turned over and squinted at me …”



“’Wha … Wha ya say ya name was?’

“Cora. From Arkansas. You wrote me and told me to come here to Bisbee. Said we could get married.”

He tried to focus his watery eyes on me for a minute before he passed out across the bed. Even though he ain’t that big it was all I could do to turn him around and git ‘im layin along the bed like a body’s s’posed to. And I stripped his boots and dungarees off, leaving him layin there in his longjohns. And then I lay down beside him, but I kept my back to him on account of the stinkin fumes comin out of his mouth. Then I went to sleep.

This mornin when I woke up the sun was high in the sky. Bright light came in through the winda. I eased out of bed and looked down at him. He snored peacefully. I wondered how long he would sleep. I wondered if he would remember me?

It wasn’t too long, fifteen minutes maybe, before he suddenly sat straight up in bed and bolted for the open window, fumblin with the buttons on the front of his drawers as he ran. He managed to get his pecker out just in time to piss out the winda. As he tucked everthing back in again he turned around and saw me and said, “Aww, shit. Now how … now who are you again?

I told him. One more time.

As soon as I mentioned the word married, he got a strange look in his eye and lunged for me, sayin, “Well, darlin, if ya’r here to marry me, we might as well start in practicin.” As he reached out for me

I leaped up and stepped to one side, causing him to lurch forward and lose his balance. He jumped up and came for me again, pure madness in his eyes …”



Elmo had heard enough. “Stop!” he shouted.

She stopped speaking and Elmo paused for a moment to give both of them time to calm down a bit before continuing. “I’ll ask questions and you just nod your head. Did he have his way with you?”

She bobbed her head up-and-down slowly. Big tears began to run down her cheeks.

“Did you want him to?”

Her head swiveled from side-to-side.

“So he raped you? Is that what you’re sayin?”

Up-and-down motion of her head.

“The bastard!” Elmo said. “He’s a dead man. I got to go down and open up the bar. I’ll get back up here to talk more as soon as I can.”

Elmo got back down to the bar just at opening time. He unlocked the door and the usual suspects began to straggle in one at a time. He had time to get each a beer before the next one walked in. They always sat on the same three stools just inside the door. Elmo slid a beer down the bar as each of them took his seat.

Late that afternoon, Elmo was busy slinging beers while keeping an eye on the front door, knowing just as surely as he was standing there that the man Faulkner would be back before the night was over.

But when the man Faulkner did come in, Elmo didn’t see him until he fired a pistol through the ceiling and Elmo’s heart skipped a beat knowing that Cora was somewhere up there on the other side of that ceiling.

Although the bar was packed, everything went deathly quiet. Elmo spotted the little pipsqueak striding toward him, the crowd parting as he stepped forward. His pistol was leveled directly at Elmo.

In all of the excitement, no one noticed Jonny carrying the sawed-off pool cue quietly shadowing Faulkner.

“I want my woman and I want her now. I know you have her. She was seen comin in here earlier and never no one seen her come out. So I know she’s in here somewhere. Now where is she?”

He thrust the gun out toward Elmo just as Jonny, using both hands, brought the butt end of the pool cue crashing down on the man’s wrist with as much force as he could muster. The man Faulkner screamed in pain and dropped the gun just as Jonny’s second blow caught him in the throat. A sword would have lopped his head clean off. But the pool cue only crushed his windpipe. He couldn’t breathe. He died a few minutes later.

The coroner and the constable were called. Elmo took the pool cue from Jonny and dropped it down into the cold, icy depths of the beer cooler.

No one ever stepped forward to say how the man Faulkner met with his fatal injuries.

No charges were ever filed.

CHAPTER II

Cora was dozing on the bed when the yelling began, and the shot came whizzing past her head. She jumped up, scampered into the shadows amongst all the junk, and huddled there, afraid to move. The pressure on her bladder was at the bursting point when she heard Elmo’s voice coming from the bottom of the stairs. She dashed towards the chamber pot in the front corner, barely getting her dress up to squat over the pot before the torrent started.

Elmo ascended to the point where he could see into the room, eyes at floor level. He spotted Cora in the corner hovering over the chamber pot. He instantly receded a couple of steps and waited until he heard Cora’s footsteps on the floor planks before entering the room.

“Cora, thank God you’re okay. You are okay, aren’t you?” He asked.

“I … I … guess so. Just scared, I … I reckon.”

“You’ve nothin’ to worry about now, Cora. He’s dead.”

“Who’s dead?”

“Faulkner. You said he raped you. We don’t tolerate rapists.”

“Well, yeah. But it was only because you made me say it. But I’m not sure it was really rape. I ain’t never done it before, and I was scared and it was happening so fast, but he did say he was going to marry me. And I thought …”

“Listen here, girl! I don’t know you, and I sure as hell didn’t make you do nothin’! You’re the one what come in here screamin’ that he was right behind you and was going to kill you. And when I questioned you earlier, you nodded yes to my asking if he raped you! So don’t say I made you do nothin’,” Elmo was furious.

Cora had seated herself on the bed with her back to Elmo, who was perched again on the broken chair. Cora sobbed loudly.

“I … I … didn’t mean to… to say he raped me. I mean… I mean, he was chasin’ me because I screamed when he started to do it, but before he could touch me with his pecker I jumped up and run out of the house, and I never looked back until I was past them houses goin’ down to the street and when I looked back I seen him jumpin’ off the porch and startin’ to run down the steps. I just kept runnin’ until I got here.”

“Wait just a minute!” Elmo exclaimed. “Wait! Yesterday afternoon, right after I brought you up here, you said he raped you. Now you say he didn’t even touch you.”

“I did,” she said, sheepishly. “I did say that, but I guess it was cuz when he woke up and saw me, it scared me to death. And then you roughed him up and threw him out and I was still scared and I guess that’s why I nodded yes when you asked if he raped me. It sort of felt that way. And now, after I’ve had a chance to lay up here and think about it, I’ve started thinkin’ that he prob’ly wouldn’t have killed me and we could maybe still get married, but you killed him! You… killed … him! What am I gonna do?” She lowered her head into her cradled hands and sobbed again, more loudly.

The way in which she moaned that last sentence made Elmo realize she was just a scared young woman … little girl, really … who, now that the man she came to Bisbee to marry was dead, was terrified. She was completely alone. Elmo sat there dumbfounded. This young girl might be the most gullible, impressionable person he’d ever met. After being brutally attacked and almost raped, she still held out hope that the man would marry her. That hope, and a corresponding and conflicting fear that he might enslave her if she had allowed him to have his way with her.

Elmo began to pity the poor girl. What could he do to help her, and should he even try to help? She was none of his responsibility. But she was really pathetic.

After several minutes during which neither spoke, she timidly asked, “What happened down there, anyway? Who fired that shot through the floor? There’s where it come through, right over there.” She pointed. The bullet-hole was about three feet from where her head had been.

“Faulkner fired the shot. He was about to shoot me, but Jonny stepped in and … that’s enough, Faulkner’s dead. No one saw what happened, according to what everybody told the sheriff. It’ll go in the books as ‘Killed in a bar brawl. Killer unknown.’”

“But, Mr. Elmo, I truly don’t know what I’m gonna do. I don’t have no money to get back to Arkansas and even if I did, I couldn’t because my daddy told me when I left not to never come back cuz he didn’t know me no more and I was dead to him. And I know’d then, and I know now he meant it and still means it,” She began the loud sobbing again.

Elmo handed her his handkerchief. He paused and then said, “You can sleep here tonight. Tomorrow we’ll see what we can figure out. I’ve gotta get back down to the bar right now, but I’ll be back up to check on you before I close at two and leave.” He stood and started to go.

“Mr. Elmo, wait!” Cora called out. “You cain’t leave me up here all by myself. It’s spooky up here! I’m scared.”

He gazed at her. “Well,” he said, “You’ll just have to get over being afraid unless you want to go back out there on the street, and that’ll shore enough be scary.”

“Why can’t I come down to the bar?”

“Because by city ordinance, no female can be in a saloon after five o’clock. So it’s either here by yourself, or the street. You decide.”

And with that, he turned and went back down to the bar. After witnessing the murder earlier, the crowd had thinned out. When the constable questioned them, no one could recollect any details, but after it was all over, they couldn’t wait to spread the word about what Jonny had done with that little pool stick.

After he had closed the bar at two, stashed the day’s receipts in the floor safe behind the bar, and locked the door, Elmo went back upstairs. He found Cora sitting cross-legged on the bed with the quilt up around her shoulders.

“I just came up to let you know I’ll be leaving now. I’ll come back around nine in the mornin’ and we’ll go get some breakfast. Good night,” He said and turned to go.

Cora called out, “But Mr. Elmo! I made myself not be scared up here by myself because I knew you were down in the bar. Cain’t I go with you wherever you go?”

“No. You can’t. I rent a single room in a widder’s house up on Temby and they ain’t no place for you to sleep. If that old German woman found you in my room, she’d kick me out, and then I’d be havin’ to sleep here. Tomorrow mornin’ we can see if she’s got an extra room where you can stay until you find someplace else.”

“Oh, Mr. Elmo,” Cora wailed, “But if I’m in this bar by myself I won’t be able to close my eyes all night. I’ll be jumpin’ at ever little sound.”

Shit, Elmo thought. What do I have to do to please this little wench?

He supposed there was nothing but stay in the bar all night.

“Alright. You won’t be by yourself. I’ll be at the bottom of the stairs. Ain’t no other way up here. You’ll be safe,” He shrugged. “I’ll go see if I can come up with a place to lay down,” he mumbled, almost to himself.

Cora nodded, and he went downstairs.

The best sleeping arrangement he could come up with was two chairs pushed side-by-side at the foot of the stairs. He would stretch out with his back and head on the chairs and prop his legs on the steps in front of him.

As he was dragging the chairs across to the stairway, he heard Cora’s frightened voice from above, “Mr. Elmo, is that you?”

“Yes. Just tryin’ to make myself a place to sleep.”

As he said this, he ascended the stairs and peered over at the bed. Cora had at least lain down and was staring at him with wide, trusting eyes.

“Go to sleep now,” he said, gently. “Nothin’ or nobody’s gonna git you. Okay?”

She nodded, sleepily. By the time Elmo had gotten settled, as much as was possible, on his chairs, a full pint of rye whiskey in his hand, all was quiet. He could hear Cora’s regular breathing and knew she was asleep. He upturned the pint of whiskey and tried to find a marginally comfortable position. It was a miserable night.

He was awakened frequently by Cora’s restlessness and mumbling. At first, he tried to ignore the noises, but he wasn’t sleeping anyway. When the sounds continued, he crept to the top of the stairs to see if he could understand what she was mumbling.

What he heard was, “Leave me alone, Daddy, or I’ll kill you. You cain’t touch me no more like you used to. Don’t touch me! Git away!” and she would flail her arms as if she were trying to hit someone or push them away.

It was almost daylight when she finally drifted into a more peaceful sleep. By that time, Elmo had just slumped down in the corner at the top of the stairs finding it no worse than his chair arrangement below, so he dozed there until he heard Cora get up. He watched her walk over to the chamber pot in the far corner. She was looking straight at him, surely seeing his clearly open eyes, when, without hesitation or seeming embarrassment, she lifted her skirts and squatted over the pot. He averted his eyes and thought about the scene from the night before. This was not a good situation. He would have to figure something out.

Before she had finished her pee, Elmo started down the stairs, squelching a groan with every step, as his creaky old bones and the muscles clinging to them complained about his attempted sleeping arrangement. He was used to sleeping until eleven, and sleeping well. It wasn’t even nine o’clock yet, and he was dead tired.

Downstairs, he searched around under the bar for some coffee beans and a grinder. Finally locating them, he dropped a handful of beans into the box and ground them, dumping the ground coffee into an old coffeepot and filling it with water. He placed it on the small gas stove and waited on it to boil.

Presently Cora came down the stairs and into the bar.

“I’m hungry,” she said.

“We’ll go across the street and get some breakfast in a bit, but I’ve got coffee boilin’ that should be about ready. Let’s have a cup and talk about a few things before we go.”

“Talk about what?”

“Well, for starters, I couldn’t help but notice how you pulled up your skirt and squatted on the pot a few minutes ago while you looked straight at me. If you expect me to help you, the first thing is to show me you have at least a modicum of modesty and respect for me.”

“A… a what of modesty?”

“A little bit. You could at least have turned your back to me.”

“I’m sorry. Didn’t think nothin’ about it. Figured you’d like it as much as my pa done.”

Elmo remembered back to her mumblings during the night.

He had a revelation. A revelation is not an enlightenment.

“Girl, I’m old enough to be your granddaddy. You know that.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, as long as you’re in Bisbee, that’s what I’m gonna be. You can call me Pops.”

“But why? I ain’t your grandkid? Why can’t I just be your friend?

“Because 70-year-old men don’t have … How old are you, anyway?

“Eighteen.”

“Seventy-year-old men don’t have 18-year-old girls as friends. Them that know any 18-year-olds leave two dollars on the dresser when they leave their beds. Ya understand me? So call me Pops, especially if they’s anybody around who might hear you. You had a suitcase with you when you got here yesterday, didn’t you? Where is it?”

“In Faulkner’s room, I reckon. That’s where I left it, anyway.”

“Can you find your way back to Faulkner’s room once you’re up on Opera Drive?”

Cora sort of screwed up her face before saying meekly, “I … I think so.”

Elmo never thought to ask her what was in her suitcase.

“Awright, we’ll go get some grub, then get your suitcase, and then see if we can find you someplace to sleep tonight. I cain’t do another night on them stairs. But right now, I’m hungry. C’mon.”

They walked across the street to a place locals knew as The Greek’s, actually The Gulch Cafe, where they were served runny eggs, sausage, and burnt toast. But it was plentiful, and Cora asked for seconds.

As soon as she had finished, Elmo stood and said, “Let’s go see if we can find your suitcase.” He dropped a dollar on the table and started walking towards the door. Cora had to move quickly to catch up to him before he got across the street. He headed for the Broadway steps.

It was all Cora could do to keep up with him as he climbed. When he reached Opera Drive, he paused and waited for her to catch up. “You know how to get to Faulkner’s room from here, right?”

“Yeah, I think so. I went several places the other mornin’ afore somebody tole me where to go.”

“Then lead the way,” Elmo gestured for her to go first. They walked up Opera to the foot of Temby where she stopped and looked up a long flight of steps. On either side of the steps houses seemed stacked one on top of the other. After a few seconds, she shook her head and walked a little further up Opera. The previous scene was repeated, but this time she said, “I think these’ns are the right stairs. If they are, his room is in that house yonder, the third one up that-away.” She motioned toward the right.

The two of them started up. When they got to the house, she pointed out the room she thought was Faulkner’s. Elmo knocked, waited a respectable interval, and then tried the door. It opened onto a room with a bed, a chair and a small table. Nothing else except piles of rubbish strewn all over.

“Do you know where you left the suitcase?” Elmo said.

“I put it under the bed when I first got here.”

Elmo knelt down to look under the bed. He pulled out the small suitcase and turned to leave. It felt empty, but he still didn’t ask about its contents.

“Follow me,” He said stepping off the porch. Rather than retracing their path down to Opera, he turned the other way, continuing up the stairs past two more stacked houses. From here, a narrow trail ran along the brow of the hill. Elmo followed it around to the left. Cora saw that more houses lined the top of the hill above them.

They walked along the trail for a few hundred yards when they came to another set of steps that crossed their path. Elmo turned downward, passing one house, and then turning into the gate of the next one.

“Gertrude!” he shouted as he stepped onto the porch and made for the door.

A large woman appeared, wiping her hands on her apron. She was well past middle age. Her husband had been killed in the mine 10 or 12 years before. Gertrude managed to survive by taking in boarders like Elmo.

“Land o’ goshen, Elmo!” She fished a large pocket-watch from somewhere between her ample breasts. “It is only nine o’clock. Vat have you been doing out this morning so early?”

“I’m just now getting back up here from last night. Spent the night in the bar.” He turned to find Cora cowering behind him and urged her to step up as he continued, “This is Cora. My granddaughter. Her mama was my daughter. My daughter died in El Paso a few weeks back and left Cora with no one and nowhere to go. So she come here. She’s got no other kin. You think she can stay here for a while?”

“Not in your room. I don’t care if she is your gran-dotter. That vould not be proper,” The woman replied.

“I was actually hopin you had a spare room.”

“Nope. Don’t. I reckon she can sleep vith me if she’s a mind to. Might be a room come available pretty soon. Come over here closer, darling.”

Elmo prodded Cora toward the large woman. As Cora approached, she was struck by the strong odors emanating from the woman. The smell of frying onions predominated, but there were other pungent food odors that she couldn’t identify, mixed with a strong smell of unwashed woman.

The woman stretched out her arms and put both her hands on Cora’s shoulders. She looked from Cora’s face to Elmo’s.

“You never said nothing about having no dotter much less a gran-dotter. But this-un does favor you some, I reckon,” She paused, examining Cora, “You can sleep with me, girl, but you will stay clean and come to bed when I do. Yah?”

Cora thought the woman sounded funny. She had never heard anyone pronounce ‘having’ with so much stress on the last syllable and what the hell is a gran-dotter?

Cora turned to Elmo, silently pleading for him to rescue her from this foul smelling woman. Instead Elmo said, “Okay, Gertrude. That’ll work. At least for now. Take her up and show her my room. She can wash-up and stay there till dinner time. I’ll send Jonny up sometime after dinner to make sure everything’s okay,” And he turned to leave.

Cora stood frozen for the few seconds it took Elmo to step outside. He was about to proceed down the steps that lead to the street. She rushed after him.

“Mr. Elmo, wait!” she called. Elmo turned and grabbed her by the arm. He said in a quiet, urgent voice, “I’m Pops. Got-it? Pops. People must think I’m your grandfather as long as you’re here.”

“Okay, Pops.” she said almost in a whisper. “But please take me with you. Don’t leave me here with that woman. She stinks! There’s no way I’m ever sleepin’ with her.”

Elmo thought for a minute and then called back inside. “Gertrude,” he said, “Cora’s decided she wants to come with me so we’ll do that. I’ll have Jonny show her how to get back up here sometime before five. I’m not inclined to let her stay long after openin’, but she’ll be out by five, or I’ll be breakin’ the law!”

“Make’s no never-mind to me,” Gertrude replied as Elmo turned back and strode down the stairs.

CHAPTER III

Elmo continued his long strides down toward the Broadway Steps, Cora again struggling to keep up with him. When she finally caught up to him, she yelled, “Pops! Will you listen to me?”

Elmo turned and said, “Yes, I will. Just keep your voice down.”

“Okay. But you just gotta understand. I don’t like that fat, smelly, old witch of a woman and I shore can’t sleep with her. I’ll stay out of the way up above the bar until it closes and sneak into the house with you when you come home and sleep on the floor in your room. I’ll cook for ya, I’ll clean for ya, I’ll wash your clothes, and starting today you can show me things to do to help around the bar and I’ll do anything, absolutely anything, to earn my keep, but you just can’t make me sleep with that woman. I won’t do it!”

By the time she had finished this speech, they were almost at the bottom of the Broadway steps. Elmo said nothing but continued striding towards the bar. When Cora started to talk again, he shushed her, saying, “Wait ‘til we’re inside.” He unlocked the door, and they entered. He had barely gotten the door closed when Cora began again.

“So what do you think, Pops? Wouldn’t you like to keep me around awhile? I’ll …”

Elmo cut her off, saying in a very terse voice, “Now, You listen to me. You come waltzing into my bar just day before yesterday completely lost, and I helped you to get to where you wanted to go. And then yesterday you burst in and said the man Faulkner was right behind you and was going to kill you, and I protected you. And then you told me he raped you, and I made sure he died! And now you want me to take care of you?

“I somehow felt sorry for you, but now that you’ve said no to Gertrude’s … and that does not include on my floor or in my bed! I’m gonna make it real simple for you. Either you’re back at Gertrude’s before she goes to bed tonight and you sleep there, or you walk out that door right now and don’t never come back. And I mean that. If you walk out now, I never want to see you again.”

She looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes, “How about if I stay up yonder?” She pointed to the ceiling. “I’ll go up there as soon as the bar opens, and you won’t hear nothin’ out of me plum til mornin’. I swear. I’ll make myself not be scared up there by myself. I promise I will,” She sobbed.

“Did you not hear me say that I was giving you two choices. Did either one of them sound like you stayin’ in the attic?”

She just cried.

“Then choose: Gertrude’s or hit that street out there.”

“Do I have to go right now? Can’t I at least stay here ‘til openin’ time.”

“Listen, girl. I gotta get a little shuteye before openin’ time. It’s almost noon, so Jonny will be here soon. I’m gonna start gettin’ this place ready to open, and as soon as he gets here, I’m goin’ up there … (he pointed) … and take a nap.

“Okay. That’ll be okay, I … guess,” She said and walked slowly to the back table and sat down.

A little after 12, as expected, Jonny and his old man came in. Jonny led the old man to his stool, noticing the young girl who had come in yesterday screaming murder sitting at the back table. But he knew about her now since he whacked that Faulkner fella who she came here to marry.

When Jonny turned and reached for his broom, Elmo locked the front door and took the key. He started towards the back, saying over his shoulder to Jonny, “I’m goin’ up to take a nap. Wake me when the iceman comes.”

Elmo had barely reached the top of the stairs when Cora walked to where Jonny was sweeping.

“Hi, I’m Cora. What’s your name,” As she said this, she stepped past Jonny so that she was standing between him and the bright window behind her. Her flour-sack dress became almost transparent in the light, revealing that she had nothing on underneath. In 16-year-old Jonny’s eyes, he was looking at a goddess. He saw her as a grown woman, even though she was only two years older. And the whisperings around the bar last night were that Faulkner had raped her that morning. And Jonny had killed him, her intended husband. Now she was standing there front of him, and he was speechless.

Cora twirled around in the sunlight and said, “Are you gonna tell me your name or just stand there gawking at me all afternoon?”

Jonny, suddenly very self-conscious, hung his head. “Jonny,” he said.

“Well, Jonny, what do you think about my dress?” This time, as she twirled, she raised the dress above her knee.

“Your dress is right nice, I reckon.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said and then lowered her voice, “I need you to help me.”

“Not sure what I can do, but I know I have to get this sweepin’ done ‘fore Mr. Elmo has my ass,” and he put his broom, upon which he had been leaning as he gazed at Cora, back to work, saying, “Just talk to me while I work.”

“Well, Elmo is tryin to make me go back to where he stays and sleep with an old fat woman who stinks and I can’t do that but I don’t know nobody in this town and I don’t have no money so I was hopin’ you might know somebody that could help me out for just a couple days until I can find somethin’ to do. I’ll do pert near anythin’. Pert near anythin’ at all,” She smiled.

When she added nothing further, he said, “I might know a place where a lady will be willin’ to help you out. Go up that-away,” He pointed up the Gulch, “To house number 141. Ask for Lil when you get there. Tell her what happened to you, and she’ll find somethin’ for you to do.”

“Well, I cain’t leave right now, since we’re locked in,” She began, “Can I do somethin’ to help you, so you don’t have to work so hard? What do you have to do, anyway?”

“First, I gotta get all this crap on the floor raked up to the front so when the iceman comes, I can sweep it out to the street. And then after the iceman leaves the ice, I got to chop it up and put it in the beer cases, and if I’m lucky, I’ll have time to sneak a cigarette out of the old man’s pack and have a smoke before the iceman comes, so let me get to it.”

“Cain’t I do somethin’ to make sure you get through with your sweepin’ before the iceman comes? And maybe we could share that cigarette you’re gonna steal or maybe you could steal two.”

“Reckon that ain’t no problem, but they’s really nothin’ for you to help with. Just keepin’ me company would be fine.”

“A’course!” said Cora and she began to dance suggestively around him, leaping back-and-forth across his pile of trash as he continued his slow progress toward the front. After he got the trash to the door, he stole those two cigarettes Cora had mentioned, and the two of them huddled by the small exhaust fan that struggled to move the air. They had almost finished when they heard a racket at the front door.

Jonny said, “Put your butt out quick. Mr. Elmo gets pissed when he catches me smokin.” And without another word, he opened the door to the attic and shouted up the stairs “Mr. Elmo, the iceman’s here,” Before turning back to Cora. He whispered, “C’mon,” and practically dragged her to the back table.

The iceman continued his pounding on the front door as Elmo came creakingly down the stairs.

“Hold your horses, Sam, I’m comin’.”

He unlocked the front door, and Sam came in with a 50-pound block of ice suspended from tongs. It was melting and had soaked Sam’s feet.

Jonny quickly swept his pile of trash out into the street.

“Damn, Elmo, Whar was ye?” Sam asked.

“Asleep. Had a rough night.”

“Uh-huh,” Sam grunted as he dropped the ice in the big sink behind the bar. He spied Cora sitting at the back table. As he turned to leave, he slapped Elmo on the back and winked, “Bet ye did!” Glancing over his shoulder at Cora.

“She’s my granddaughter, arsehole. Now git.”

Elmo propelled Sam towards the door and locked it behind him.

Meanwhile, Jonny worked an icepick, breaking the ice into chunks that would fit in the beer cases. As Elmo passed by, he looked at his watch. It was one-fifteen. He had forty-five minutes until opening time. “You got everything under control, boy?” He asked Jonny.

“Think so, boss,” Jonny replied as he worked on the ice.

Elmo continued to the back of the bar and disappeared into the toilet.

Cora came over to where Jonny was. “What’s goin’ to happen now?” She pointed toward the toilet, knowing Elmo would be back out in a minute or two.

“Don’t know. When he don’t get enough sleep, he can be a bear, so it’s anybody’s guess.”

When Elmo came out, Jonny was almost finished with the ice. Elmo looked at him, “Walk this girl back up to Gertrude’s. I expect you back before openin’ time.”

“Yes, sir,” Jonny said curtly but with a big smile on his face. He would be more than happy to walk Cora anywhere she wanted to go. She had made it clear that place was not going to be Gertrude’s.

“C’mon, girl.” Jonny said playfully to Cora who looked over at Elmo, realizing he had not even acknowledged her presence since he came down to unlock the door. His expression did not change.

Elmo watched from the door as Jonny and Cora turned up the Broadway Steps.

CHAPTER IV

Cora glanced back at the bar as she and Jonny started up the Broadway Steps. ‘Pops’ was standing next to the door but gave no indication he saw her. Jonny had taken her hand and was pulling her upward.

Cora pulled back and said, “You’re not takin me up to that smelly old woman’s, are you?”

“Shhhh. C’mon,” was Jonny’s reply, as he tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her upward. When they got to the alleyway behind the school, he let her go. “Now we can talk, and I ain’t gonna take you up to that ole woman’s ‘less you want me to. But Elmo’s gotta think I am. I figgered he’d watch us go up the steps. But he ain’t comin’, so we’re safe now. So, where ya gonna go?”

“I reckon I’ll go to that place you was talkin’ ‘bout. That number whatsis place … If you’ll show me how to get there, that is.”

“Number 141?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

As Cora and Jonny were speaking, she was closing the distance between them, nudging him backwards until he was nearly surrounded by an oleander bush that protruded into the alleyway behind the school. Cora had an enticing smile on her face.

“I noticed you was lookin’ at me back yonder in the bar when I was dancin’ around. Have you ever felt of a woman’s body?” Jonny was dumbstruck. Cora took his hand and placed it on her breast. “Like this?”

As she said this, she pressed herself up against him, pulling her dress up with one hand and moving his hand from her breast down between her legs with the other. She held it there.

Jonny’s manhood stood to attention. Cora untied the knot in the rope holding up his pants and they fell around his ankles.

He thrust his stiff manhood between her legs, not knowing exactly where it should go, but it felt good moving it back and forth. Suddenly he felt the spasm of an orgasm. He deposited his excitement messily on the inside of the back of her dress where it slowly oozed to the hem.

He hung his head and reached down to pull his pants back up. “I’m sorry, Cora. I don’t think I did that right. Guess I didn’t know what I was a-doin’.”

Cora, who knew everything was over, dropped her dress back down around her ankles and said, “You did okay, I guess. Now where is this number whatsis?”

“Come on,” Jonny said.

He grabbed her hand again and pulled her toward Opera Drive. He led her down Taylor and down to the Gulch, keeping close to the left. He hoped Elmo was busy and not looking up the street.

After a short walk, Jonny suddenly turned up a steep brick path between two houses. They passed one house at the street level and approached a second house one level up. This second house was a large, three-story place with a red light hanging out front.

As they stepped up on the porch, Jonny turned to Cora and said, “Wait ‘til I leave before you knock on the door. Ask to see Lil. Tell her your name and why you came to Bisbee and what happened yesterday and that you need a safe place to stay. She’ll take care of you, I promise. Bye, Cora.” He turned and walked down the brick path.

Cora watched him until he got down to the road before turning and knocking on the door. A young, pretty, brown-skinned girl opened the door. She was younger than Cora. “Yees? Can I heelp you?” she said in a shrill voice.

“I’m Cora. I want to see Lil.”

The brown girl looked Cora up and down before stepping back and saying, “Follow meee.” She walked past a set of stairs on the left. On the opposite wall was an opening into a large room ornately furnished with sofas and settees. A heavy carpet was on the floor. As they continued down the hallway, Cora saw closed doors opposite each other and another at the end of the hall. The brown girl knocked on the one on the left under the stairs.

A woman, old enough to be Cora’s mama, opened the door. “What is it, Juanita?” she asked.

“Thees girl say she’s Cora, mee’sees. She say she need to talk to you. You want me throw her out?”

“No,” Lil said. “I’ll talk to her. You may go, Juanita.” Juanita turned and walked through the door at the end of the hall.

Lil looked Cora up and down. Cora was shorter than average and a little plump. She was not what Lil would call pretty, but she had potential.

“Juanita said your name was Cora. Cora what?”

“Cora Hicks, ma’am.”

“Well Cora Hicks, sit down over there, and tell me about yourself. Why are you in Bisbee? And why do you need my help?”

“Well I come to Bisbee because this feller Faulkner that I had met last year in Arkansas, Lake City, where I lived with my Pa, sent me a letter last month tellin me he had a good job in a copper mine and for me to come to Bisbee and we could get married except then yesterday when Faulkner woke up and found me in his room he attacked me and I got scared and run down to the bar where I had been in when I first got here the day before … “

When Cora stopped for a breath, Lil chuckled and said, “Wait!” and began to laugh. “Slow down. I can’t keep up! When did you arrive in Bisbee?”

“I got here on the train from Douglas day-before-yesterday and …”

Lil held up her hand again, “And you obviously found Faulkner because you said he attacked you.”

“Yes’m, he …”

“So, you came down to the bar where you had been the day before. What bar?”

“The one Pops runs.”

“Pops? Who’s Pops?”

“My grandpa.”

“Wait! Your grandpa runs a bar in Bisbee?”

“Well. Not exactly. That is, he does run a bar but he ain’t exactly my grandpa. He just told me to say that when he was helpin’ me this mornin’ after somebody killed Faulkner last night.”

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Lil said, again holding up her hand. “Was this man Faulkner killed in Elmo’s bar?”

“Yes’m.”

“So is Elmo the man who told you to call him Pops and say he was your grandpa?”

“Yes’m.”

“That all makes sense. Early last night, a man came running in here shouting that some stranger had been killed at Elmo’s,” Lil stated, thoughfully. “So this Faulkner wrote you and told you if you came to Bisbee he would marry you. Is that right?”

“Yes’m.”

“And you arrived in Bisbee on Friday afternoon.”

“Yeah, if’n Friday was the day-before-yesterday.”

“It was,” Lil assured her. “What happed when you got off the train?”

“Well, I asked some feller if he knew how to get to Opera Drive and he pointed to some steps, ‘Go up that-away.’ And I did, but at the top they was just a alleyway goin’ both ways and it didn’t look like no Opera Drive so I come back down, and it just happened that Pops’ bar was the first place I come to, so I went in and asked a man there how to get to Opera Drive and he told me where to go. And …”

“Wait! Was the man named Elmo?”

“Yeah. I didn’ know who he was then. I figgered it out the next day when I was runnin’ from Faulkner after he tried to rape me. I didn’t know no other place to go but back there. “

This time, Lil had to prod her to continue, “And then?”

“Well. I went runnin’ in, never thinkin’ about nothin’ but stayin’ away from Faulkner and I run in yellin’ for help and Elmo … but I didn’t know his name then … got me hid in the dark at the back just as Faulkner come bustin’ in, and Jonny … I didn’t know his name then neither … tripped him with his broom and Elmo poked him in the belly with a sawed off pool stick and kicked him out. And then Elmo showed me a room above the bar where they’s a bed and told me to stay there until he could figure out what to do.”

Lil’s interest was increasing, especially now that Elmo was involved. She and Elmo had been lovers at one time years ago, and he remained very special to her. “And then what?”

“Well, I stayed up there in that room until the shot come through the floor and …”

“What shot?” Lil exclaimed.

“The shot Faulkner fired through the ceiling when he come in threatenin’ to kill Elmo. It come through the floor just a few feet from my head! I run to the back and hid behind all the junk and I stayed back there ‘til Elmo come up after the bar closed. That’s when I found out that Faulkner was dead.”

“Do you know who killed him?”

“Not really. Elmo wouldn’t tell me. He just said the sheriff come and couldn’t find who killed him and since nobody knew him anyway, he wasn’t goin’ to report it to the judge.”

“So, you stayed in the bar all night?”

“Yes’m. I was real scared so Elmo stayed there with me.”

“Did he sleep on the bed with you?”

“No! A’ course not! It was too little a bed, for starters, but he never mentioned nothin’ like that. He slept sittin’ in the corner at the bottom of the stairs.”

Lil smiled thinking about poor old Elmo trying to sleep at the foot of the stairs.

“What happened this morning?”

“Him and me went across the street to breakfast and…” Cora continued describing the morning and her unenthusiastic meeting with Gertrude. “There warn’t no way I was gonna sleep with that stinky old cow.”

Lil smiled broadly. Having come face-to-face with Gertrude a few times, she understood Cora’s sentiments.

“And so Jonny brought you here,” Lil stated.

Cora nodded, “Yes’m”

“Do you have any money?”

“No’m”

“And you expect me to take you in for nothin’?”

“I can work ma’am. It looks like you got a big place here and I’m thinkin’ it might be a boardin’ house or somethin’. I can clean and wash clothes and iron and cook a little. I’ll do just about anythin’ to earn my keep and if I can save a little on the side I might be able to …”

“Okay, I get the point,” Lil said, opening the door and hollering, “Juanita?”

“Yes, mee’sees Lil?” Juanita answered as she ran out one of the doors into the hall. “What I can do for you, mee’sees?”

“Take Cora up to number 12 and leave her there,” She turned to Cora, “The room’s small but it has a bed and other necessaries. Wait on me there. Take a nap if you wish. I’ll be up a little later. Right now, I have somewhere I have to go.”

As Cora followed Juanita toward the door, Lil noticed a wet stain extending to the hem on the back of her dress. She’d ask her about it later. At the moment, she had more pressing business.

Room 12 was on the third floor. Juanita entered and Cora peered in. The ceiling sloped downward from left to right. The door was angled at the top to accommodate the slanting ceiling. A narrow bed leaned against the low-ceilinged wall. On the opposite wall stood a washstand with pitcher and bowl. A window at the far end of the room angled down like the door, accommodating the sloping roof. She could see another roof outside and beyond that a hillside.

In the furthest corner under the lowest slope of the ceiling was a chamber pot, partially hidden by a faded curtain.

After Cora left with Juanita, Lil put on a large bonnet and waltzed out the front door. There was spring in her step as she descended to the road and down the Gulch toward Elmo’s. She arrived just at opening time. Jonny saw her as she entered and knew he was in trouble. There was only one reason why she would be coming to see Elmo.

Lil marched by the bar, turning so Elmo glimpsed her face under the bonnet, and continued to the table at the back, the only table in the barroom. She knew Elmo would follow her.

“What the hell are you doin’ here, Lil. Slummin’?”

“Aww, hush up, Elmo. I think you’ll want to hear what I’m going to tell you. Jonny brought Cora to my house.”

Elmo dropped heavily into the opposite chair, “Well damn. He was supposed to take her to Gertrude’s.” He hesitated a moment before continuing, “Well, Jonny said when they got up to Clawson, he left her there to find her way…” As Elmo considered this, he realized he had been duped.

He stood up and yelled, “Jonny! Here! Now!” but Jonny didn’t respond. The regulars at the bar had seen Jonny slip out the door as soon as Lil entered.

“Aw, shit. That little arsehole’s in trouble when I catch him. He told me when he and Cora got up to Clawson, she pointed up to Temby and told him she could make it from there. And I believed the little shit. I’m gonna kill ‘im! So, he brought her to your house?”

“Yes, she’s there now. She told me her story. And told me about Faulkner who was later killed in here. I heard about that…”

“Yeah. He come in shootin’ and causin’ a ruckus and somebody ended it for him. Hit ‘im in the neck with somethin’ hard enough to kill ‘im. Sheriff isn’t pursuing anything, I reckon.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be too hard on Jonny. I can already tell that your Cora is a headstrong young woman. Were you really telling her she had to sleep with Gertrude?”

Elmo shook his head and chuckled, “That was kinda pushin’ it, I reckon. She ain’t by any stretch ‘my Cora’ but she shore is strong willed. But what was I supposed to do? I’da had to sneak her into my room to sleep on the floor. What kinda reputation would she have after that? And what would people think of me?”

“What kinda reputation is she gonna have spending time in my house?” asked Lil. “And what’s this bull about her calling you Pops and saying you’re her grandpa? I almost laughed out loud.”

“Yeah, that. I figgered it wouldn’t look too good for a 70-year-old man to be runnin’ around with a young ‘un like that. I’d be labeled a dirty old man as sure as shootin’.”

Lil laughed. “Maybe. But we all know you’re a dirty old man. so I don’t see a problem!”

“Aww, dang girl!” Elmo protested.

“So, here’s the situation,” Lil got down to business. “I put her in the room where new girls stay until they decide if they’re gonna work for me. I put her up there and figured I’d give her a couple days to make up her mind.

“Make up her mind to what?” Elmo asked, already knowing the answer.

“Well, when a new girl comes into the house like this, she has to earn her room and board by keeping all the chamber-pots in the house emptied and cleaned. That’s a chore that no one has been willin’ to do for more than a few days. By then, the girl starts seeing clients or she finds accommodations elsewhere,” She paused, “So, what I’m getting at is that Cora has the option to become one of my girls.”

“Does she even know what kinda house you’re runnin’?”

“Don’t know. She can surely find out, though, if she asks.”

Lil thought she heard a touch of caring in Elmo’s voice. But he chased that idea away by bursting out, “Well that’s fine! She’s been nothin’ but a headache since she showed up! Glad to have her outa here!”

“Reckon so,” Lil said as she stood up and turned to leave. She glanced back, “Oh, by the way, don’t be hard on Jonny. Jonny’s not to blame. He may have even done her a favor. At least she’s got a roof over her head and isn’t lyin’ dead on the Gulch somewhere.”

Lil turned and regally walked out of the bar, head held high.

CHAPTER V

When Lil got back to Number 141 she called Juanita from the kitchen and sent her up to room 12 with instructions to bring Cora down. Cora arrived a couple minutes later. “Ma’am, you wanted to see me?”

Cora started to sit down, but Lil said, “Wait, don’t sit. Turn around slowly.” Cora obeyed. Lil could still see the dark stain on the back of Cora’s dress as she turned. “Come here, girl.”

Cora moved toward Lil.

“Now, turn with your back to me.”

When Cora had done as requested, Lil reached down and took the hem of her dress, raising the fabric to examine the stain. She dropped the dress and said, “Okay, face me. I know that Jonny brought you here. Did you come straight from the bar?”

“No. We went up those steps next to the bar. Jonny said it was called Broadway.”

“Did you get to the top of the stairs before you stopped to screw?”

Slowly Cora turned crimson, the deepening color rising from chest to face. She hung her head and said nothing.

“You can tell me, girl. I promise not to judge you. Or Jonny. You’re a young girl who expected to become a bride when you got to Bisbee, and Jonny’s a 16-year-old boy with a boy’s desires. Looking at the back of your dress I can pretty much guess what happened. Was it him that pushed himself on you, or did you help him, encourage him?”

The color that had ebbed flamed again in her face as she answered, “I sort of helped him, I … I guess.”

“Did he pull out before he squirted? Is that how the stuff got on your dress?”

“Pull out? What’a ya mean?”

“Pull out of you.”

“Oh!” Cora exclaimed. “No. He never put it in me in the first place. I don’t think he really know’d what he was supposed to do, and I only sorta did but didn’t have time to help him before it was all over.”

Lil considered this and then asked, “You came here with no suitcase. Do you have any belongings?”

“Yes’m. My suitcase is up yonder…” Cora looked around and realized she had no idea which direction Gertrude’s was, so she said, “Up yonder, wherever that Gertrude lady’s house is.”

“As soon as Jonny surfaces, I’ll send him after it. I assume you have some clean underthings? And other dresses?”

“No’m. No panties or nothin’. Daddy wouldn’t never let me wear ‘em when I’s back there in Lake City. I got another o’ these flour sack dresses, though.

“Holy mother of God!” Lil said, surprised by Cora’s admissions. “When was the last time you had a bath, girl?”

“Before I left Arkansas. A while before, I reckon.”

Lil just shook her head and said, “Go get Juanita for me. She’ll be in the kitchen. Door at the end of the hall.”

“Yes’m,” Cora said, slipping out.

When Cora returned with Juanita, Lil said, “Juanita, take Cora up to the bathroom and help her with a bath. And make sure her hair is scrubbed. You’re first in line to use the tub unless one of the girls has a date in the next half hour.”

As soon as Cora and Juanita left, Lil went to see Lizzie in room 6. Lizzie was about the same size as Cora. Lil left room 6 with a pair of panties, a short chemise, a plain dress, … although not nearly so plain as the flour sack … and a fancy dressing gown.

She took the items to the bathroom where Cora was just stepping into the tub. Lil stood by while Juanita used a brush to scrub Cora, including her hair,. When Juanita had finished, Lil handed her the dressing gown, and instructed her to take it up and leave it on the bed in room 12.

As Cora stepped out of the tub, Lil handed her a towel. When Cora had dried herself, she handed her the pair of panties. “Put these on.” she said.

Cora stepped into the panties rather awkwardly. Lil handed her the chemise, and Cora slipped it over her head. It was long, hanging to mid-calf. Then Lil dropped the dress over Cora’s head, and buttoned it at the back of her neck. It was a simple frock, but compared to Cora’s flour sack, it felt elegant.

“Follow me,” Lil said, kicking Cora’s old dress over into a corner behind the tub and leading the way back to Cora’s room.

Back in the room, Lil looked Cora over. She looked good in the new dress. Her hair was still damp from the scrubbing but dry enough to show a copper shine coming through the brown.

“Take your dress off,” Lil ordered.

Cora had felt embarrassed in the bathroom, but it was nothing to what it was now. Her nakedness there was circumstantial. Now, she was being ordered to undress in front of this strange woman. She blushed.

“Oh, come on, girl. I saw you naked just a few minutes ago. And, besides, you’ve spent your entire life being naked in front of your father. Now you’re embarrassed to take your dress off in front of me? Drop it.”

Cora reached behind her neck to unfasten the single large button. The dress, which was split most of the way down the back, easily slid off her shoulders and dropped to the floor.

Lil thought, She’s not going to be the most popular filly in the stable, but she may have potential.

She said, “Cora, you can put the dress back on. What can you tell me about yourself? You came here from Lake Village, Arkansas. You mentioned your daddy didn’t like you to wear underthings. Why was that?”

“My daddy said he liked to study me with no clothes on. He especially liked to watch me when I was squatted over the chamber pot. I think he might have made me go naked all the time if there was no chance someone else would see me.”

“Cora, did your daddy ever …” Lil paused, deciding how to phrase the question.

Cora responded frankly, “Fuck me?”

“Yes. I might have used a different word, but yes, that’s what I meant?”

“No, not exactly.”

“Not exactly? What exactly did he do?”

“Well, when I was little, my mama run off. Daddy would heat up water on the stove and give me baths in the kitchen sink. He’d dry me off and tuck me into his bed, him layin’ behind me and spoonin’ me. When I started gettin’ older, he did other things. But he didn’t fuck me.”

“Did he still have you sleep with him in his bed?”

“Yeah. I ain’t never had my own bed.”

“But you never…?”

“No’m. He said that was a sin but as long as we didn’t actually do it, anythin’ was okay. So’s all he ever done was play with me down there a little and pretty soon I’d feel something thick and gooey all over my back, and then Daddy would get a rag and wipe it off and we’d go to sleep.”

“Dear lord!” Lil exclaimed. “Cora, do you know what the word virgin means?”

“Oh, yes’m. Jesus’ mama Mary was a virgin when Jesus was borned. We learned in Sunday school that that meant she hadn’t never been with no man. You know, to get fucked by one.”

This girl’s story became more incredible with every sentence. She had been abused by her father virtually all her life without ever having lost her virginity.

And now Lil was trying to turn her into a whore.

“When you told me about you and Jonny earlier, you said he didn’t know what to do, and you only sorta knew. What did you mean, sorta? You seem to know what ‘fuck’ means.”

“Well, back home, just like ever’where I reckon, they’s farm animals around and we used to watch ‘em, you know, when they was doin’ it and some boys told me one day that what they was doin was called fuckin’. And then when I learned about Jesus and how his mama was a virgin and learned what a virgin was, I unnerstood what fuckin’ meant. I might be ignorant of school learnin’ and such, but I ain’t dumb.”

“No,” Lil chuckled, “you’re not dumb.”

Lil glanced at the time – a quarter after four. Supper was served from half-past-four to half-past-five so that the girls could be ready to entertain customers by six. Lil just had a few more questions and instructions for Cora.

“Do you know what kind of house this is, Cora?”

“Ain’t it just a boardin’ house?”

“Well, somethin’ like that but ten of the rooms are rented to women who entertain men there.”

“Oh, you mean they’re whores?”

Again, Lil couldn’t repress a smile. “Yes.” Lil didn’t ask how she knew that word. “Are you hungry?” she said.

“Yeah, I reckon I am. Ain’t et since breakfast and that was the first I’d et in two days.”

“Go back to the kitchen and tell Cooky I said to feed you. After you’ve eaten, go up to your room and stay there. I don’t want to see you elsewhere in the house tonight. In the morning, Juanita will show you what you must do to earn your keep while you’re here. Understand?” Lil asked.

“Yes’m,” Cora replied. “And thank you.”

“Wait to see what you’ll be doing tomorrow before you thank me. Now, go,” Lil said, pointing to the door.

In the kitchen, Cooky was busy preparing supper. There were only two meals served in the dining room each day. Breakfast from ten to noon every morning and supper from 4:30 to 5:30. At breakfast, most of the girls came down to eat, many just grabbing a biscuit and going back upstairs. Some rarely came down at all in the mornings; however, most made it down to supper, often chatting over glasses of beer before going back upstairs to make their final preparations for the evening.

When Cora told Cooky that Lil said to feed her, Cooky ‘humphed’ in disdain. She stared at Cora for a minute before saying, “Some cold ham there under that cloth on the table, bread over there in the box. They’s other stuff in the icebox there. Eat whatever you want.” And she resumed frying chicken for dinner.

Cora made herself two ham sandwiches which she quickly ate standing at the table. She washed them down with a large glass of water before making her way back up to room 12.

As soon as she entered the low, sloping room, she spied the peignoir Lil had left on her bed. She held it up, admiring it. She had never seen anything so pretty. It was edged in rabbit fur, and held together with one large button located just below her navel.

She stepped out of her new dress, carefully hanging it on one of the three nails at the back of the room that served as a closet and slipped the fancy dressing gown on.

A small mirror hung opposite the bed. She stood back as far as she could from the mirror and unfastened the button. She liked the way she looked in her new lingerie. She slid her hands down the front of her body, over the chemise that encased her breasts and on down to her hips. The chemise and panties were both pale pink. The peignoir yellow.

She lay down on the bed in her new finery and cried herself to sleep. It was only late afternoon.

Sometime later… Cora didn’t know what time, only that it was dark… she was awakened by someone touching her shoulder and clapping a hand over her mouth. He whispered, “Shhh! It’s Jonny. Don’t scream!” He slowly removed his hand from her mouth.

Cora sat up in bed. Not thinking at all about her state of undress, she pulled him down onto the bed beside her and wrapped her arms about him. She buried her face in his neck and cried softly.

“What’s the matter?” whispered Jonny.

Cora wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and said, “I don’t know. I just started thinkin’ about all of what’s happened to me since I got here just day before yesterday, and how I’ve already got friends who are tryin to help me.”

Cora had released Jonny and the two were now sitting side-by-side on the bed. When Cora started speaking again, it was in a normal voice. Jonny quickly shushed her.

“Shhh! If Lil finds me here, she’ll skin me!”

“I just wanted to know how you got in the room. Did you come through the house?”

“No, I came in through the window.”

“How did you know which window?

“I’ve been around this house since I can remember. Lil’s my ma, but if you mention it to her, she’ll deny it. Everybody thinks I’m just a kid who hangs around and does odd jobs for her when I ain’t at Elmo’s. And she lets Cooky feed me, and Cooky takes good care of me. Cooky told me Lil had put you in number 12.” He looked over at the window. “Say, did you know Lil went to see Elmo today right after I left you here?”

“She went to see Elmo? What for?”

“I skedaddled as soon as I saw her come in the bar. I knew she would tell Elmo that you was at her house, and I already tole him I took you to Clawson and you’d get on up to Gertrude’s by yourself. He’d know I lied to him. He’ll be madder n’ a hornet.”

“Oh, Jonny! I’m so sorry for causing you all this trouble.”

“No worries. I’ll wait to tomorra and talk to Lil and get everthin’ straightened out.”

Cora leaned closer to him, reached for his hand, and thrust it between her legs, as she said, “Jonny, remember this mornin’ in the bushes? I’ll bet if we take our time, we can do it right on this here bed. Take yore pants off.”

Taking their time was not to be. Doing it right was.

Jonny stood and dropped his pants to his ankles before turning to see Cora, naked but for the peignoir, laying there before him, welcoming him in. There was no foreplay.

He had just penetrated her when an inadvertent scream rose to her lips. He was not quite quick enough to get a hand over her mouth to stop it.

They lay there holding their breaths, neither moving except for the slow, steady slippage of Jonny’s stiff member further inside her. It was but a moment later before they had indeed been successful in doing it right.

About that time, just as Jonny exploded inside her, somebody tapped at the door and said, “Is everythin’ hunky-dory in there, girl? This is Esmeralda from next door. Is it okay for me to come in?”

In the time it had taken Esmeralda to say this, Jonny had grabbed his pants and jumped out the back window onto the roof, where he lay down and pulled the trousers onto his legs. He realized too late that he no longer had the rope that kept them up. Holding his pants up with his hands, he slipped off the roof to the hillside below.

The door to Cora’s room opened just as the window closed. A young woman, dimly lit from behind, stood in the doorway wearing only an open dressing gown. Her hair was in a tangle about her head. Cora had pulled her own peignoir tightly about herself.

A tiny squeak of a voice said, “Oh, hi, hon. I’m Esmeralda from next door. I thought I heard you scream.”

“Perhaps you did. I think I dozed off and had a dream, but it’s okay now.”

“Alright, hon. If I can do anything, anything at all, I’m right next door ‘cept when I’m down in the parlor.”

“I don’t think anything could keep me from sleeping now. Thanks.” Cora laid her head down on the bed and pulled the peignoir up around her.

“’Bye.” Esmeralda said as she closed the door.

Cora lay there, luxuriating in Jonny’s warm stickiness. She wondered where he was right then and when she would see him again.

As it turned out, when Jonny disappeared into the night, it would be the last time Cora ever saw him.

CHAPTER VI

Cora awakened the next morning still thinking about Jonny. She could still feel his stickiness between her legs. Someone knocked gently on the door and walked in.

Cora sat up in bed, pulling her peignoir up around her.

“I sorry, Mees Cora, but Meez Lil say’d I got to show you how to empty the chamber pots. Come.” said Juanita, turning to leave.

“Wait!” Cora called, “I need to put some clothes on!”

“You got clothes on. Come on,” Juanita called over her shoulder as she continued down the hall.

Cora jumped up and ran after her, pulling the dressing gown tight.

Juanita didn’t go far. Just a few feet down the hall, a chamber pot sat next to a door. Fortunately, it had a lid on it.

“Pick it up and follow me,” Juanita said as she turned and started down the stairs.

On the second floor, she turned towards the only bathroom in the house, and Cora followed with the pot. Cora could hear whatever was inside the pot sloshing around. She steadied the pot as best she could.

Juanita went into the room where Cora had bathed the afternoon before. She walked to the back corner to a small closet that held an open-hole toilet.

“Pour the sheet in here,” Juanita said, raising the board lid up. Cora did as instructed.

“Now reense de pot out at the sink yonder,” she indicated the bathroom, “and take it back up to where we got it. You remember what room?”

“Room 10, I think.”

“Don’t never forget. Girls don’t like to have their pots meexed up.” She didn’t bother to tell Cora that the room number was painted on the bottom of every pot.

Juanita watched as Cora rinsed the pot before turning to leave. Cora quickly asked, “How long do I have to do this, Juanita?”

“What Meez Lil say is that you gotta do it always you’re in this house, unless you work like de other girls do. You see men or you clean pots.”

“No! I mean how long today do I have to keep this up?”

“All day ‘til the last fella leaves. That means all night sometime. It’s your job.” Juanita said matter-of-factly and turned to go downstairs, adding over her shoulder, “Less you decide to see fellas.”

“What time is it?” Cora called after her.

“It was nine when Meesees Lil sent me up here,” Juanita replied as she continued down the stairs.

Cora stood on the landing with the empty pot in her hand and watched Juanita go before returning to the third floor.

She set the pot down outside room 10 and looked down the hall to see if there were any more pots out. As Cora gazed down the hall, the door to room 10 opened. Esmeralda was standing there.

“Oh, hi, hon,” Esmeralda said in her squeaky voice. “You’re havin’ to empty the pots, ain’t ya? I lasted half a day afore I told Miz Lil that I wanted to go to work, but I pretty much already knew why I was here, anyhow. How many have you emptied so far?”

“Just this’n. Ain’t no more out. I don’t even know what to do.”

“Oh, hon. Did you get to look around the parlor and dining room when you got here yesterday?”

“No. Just Miz Lil’s room and the kitchen. And the bathroom. And room 12, ‘a course.”

“Well you should go look around the house.”

“What if somebody puts her pot out?”

“Jus’ check ever few minutes. You’ll be fine.”

Esmeralda stood there with her frilly dressing gown hanging open and her hair in tangles. Cora became conscious of her own scant covering, although she had held it closed … for the most part, anyway.

“I think I’ll put my dress on first,” Cora said, turning back towards what she was starting to think of as her room.

After she dressed and entered the hall again, there were no pots out, so she went down to the second floor. Seeing none there either, she descended to the main floor. The bottom of the stairway was located just inside the front door. Cora noticed a large key dangling from a length of chain and fastened securely to the door handle. She later learned that the door was locked at 10 p.m., and anyone coming to the house after that had to ring the bell. Usually, when that happened, it was Juanita who peered through a tiny peep-hole to see who was ringing. Regular johns who came after hours would ask for a particular girl, and Juanita would wake her. When the door was not locked, a little tinkle bell hanging over the door would jingle whenever it was opened. To the left of the front door was an arched doorway into the parlor. Cora turned and looked over her shoulder down the hallway. No one was there.

She stepped into the parlor. The room was large and, to Cora’s eyes, exquisitely furnished. Soft couches were spaced around the walls, interspersed with low tables and spittoons. Three round settees occupied the center of the room. The walls were covered with photographs of ladies reclining in various postures and manners of dress. Or undress, as the case might be.

Cora walked around the room, studying the pictures. She quickly realized that every one of them had been taken in that very room. She turned to see Lil standing in the doorway. Cora reddened.

“I’m sorry, Miz Lil. I shouldn’t be here.”

Lil laughed. “What do you mean, you shouldn’t be here? It’s perfectly fine. As long as you’re caught up with your work. Want to see the dining room, while you’re down here?”

“Yes’m,” said Cora, relaxing.

Lil crossed the room and walked through a doorway. Cora followed. A table with six chairs occupied the center of the room. Cora remembered Lil saying there were 10 rooms in the house that were rented to women, but there were only six chairs. Lil explained, “It’s rare that more than three or four girls are down for dinner at the same time. Dinner is served from 4:30 to 5:30. First come, first served.”

Lil moved to the hallway door. As she left the room, she said to Cora, “If you want, come down to the dining room about 4:30 and I’ll introduce you to the girls.”

Cora went back upstairs to watch for chamber pots. A little after four, Cora emptied her last pot before supper. She knocked softly on Esmeralda’s door. When Esmeralda saw Cora, she smiled. “Hi, Cora. You need somethin’?”

“I need a hairbrush,” Cora replied.

“Come in and sit down, hon,.” Esmeralda pointed to a small stool in front of a large vanity. “Let me help you.” She picked up a hairbrush and began to brush Cora’s hair.

“You got a date tonight, hon?”

Cora laughed, “No, But Lil asked me to come down to dinner at 4:30, and I thought I should look as good as I could.”

“You do need some help,” Esmeralda said, continuing to brush Cora’s hair. “What you got to wear, hon?”

“Just this here dress. Lil got it for me yesterday. I think she burnt up my old flour-sack thing I come here in.”

“I guess it’ll have to do, then. For now, anyway.” Esmeralda finished brushing Cora’s hair and reached for a small spritzer. Lifting Cora’s hand, and turning her arm over, she sprayed a little toilet water on the inside of her wrist. “You should smell good too, darlin’.”

Cora smiled. She was beginning to like it here. Never in her life had she been treated so nicely. It felt good.

When she entered the dining room at four-thirty, Lil was sitting at the head of the table. As soon as she saw Cora, she called out to Cooky to serve the food. She beckoned Cora to sit in the chair at her right hand. The other four chairs were empty.

Cora was taking her seat when Juanita came out of the kitchen with a pitcher of beer and several mugs. She set the beer and mugs on the table and turned to go.

“Thank you, Juanita,” Lil said.

As Juanita set the items down, three women in varying states of dress, entered from the parlor. As they were seating themselves, Lil tapped the side of her beer mug with her spoon and said, “Girls, I’d like you to meet Cora. Cora’s been emptying your slops all day, so you may have seen her.” As Lil said this, each of the girls smiled. “But she’s probably not going to be doing that much longer, so enjoy it while it lasts.”

The door from the kitchen opened, and Cooky, whom Cora had encountered the afternoon before, entered with a platter of beef roast with tiny potatoes, onions, and carrots. Everything on the platter was smothered in gravy. She set the platter in the middle of the table and returned to the kitchen.

As they began helping themselves to the roast and fixings, Lil said, “I’ll let you girls introduce yourselves.”

“Hi, I’m Lizzie,” said the one closest to Cora.

“I’m Millie,” said another.

“I’m Carmen,” said the third, a very dark complected beauty with coal black hair and eyes, and a smoky voice. Cora would quickly learn that Carmen was the most popular girl in the house. With the customers, that is.

Before Cora had a chance to respond, Esmeralda came in. She was still wearing her dressing gown. Her hair was unbrushed.

“Hi, Cora. You look good,” Esmeralda said as she took the last remaining place at the table.

Lil just smiled. She had noticed Cora’s brushed hair and could smell the perfume.

Before long, Lizzie, Millie, Carmen, and Esmeralda began leaving, placing their plates in a tub on the sideboard as they left. They were replaced by other girls just arriving. As they came in one by one, they introduced themselves to Cora. They were Mabel, Fannie, Maude, Minnie, and Black Bonita. Black Bonita, who insisted that “Black” be part of her name, was the clown of the bunch.

As dinner was winding down and 5:30 was approaching, Lil stood and told Cora to come with her. Lil went into her own room across the hall, and Cora followed.

As they entered, Lil said, “Close the door before you sit down, please.” Cora obeyed.

“Now, Cora, are you ready to choose? Do you want to keep emptying chamber pots for your room and board, or would you rather earn it like the rest of the girls?”

“I don’t wanna empty no more chamber pots, that’s fo’ shore!” Cora’s eyes were downcast. She shuffled her feet. “So, I reckon I ain’t got much choice.”

Lil, of course, noticed her reluctance.

“Not really. But I have an idea. This evening, why don’t you hang around the parlor and dining room. Watch the girls and the customers. You don’t have to do anything tonight, just watch. You may feel differently about things tomorrow. You can consider what the girls do or continue emptying pots. Or you can leave this house.”

“But one of the girls said I had to empty pots until after the last fella left.”

“Well, normally you would. But tonight, I’m giving you the night off. Tomorrow, you can empty pots… or not,” Lil smiled.

This was not what Cora had expected when Jonny brought her here.

“Is there anythin’ else?” Cora asked, continuing to nervously stare at her feet.

“No. I’ll send Juanita to wake you in the morning, and you can continue with the pots. Or make a different decision,” Lil said. “Really, Cora, the girls here are quite happy.”

“Yes’m,” Cora said and left the room. She walked into the parlor. The room was empty except for Black Bonita, who was sitting on a couch in the back corner, away from the door.

“Hi, Cora,” Black Bonita said as Cora came into the room. “Come sit by me,” She patted the couch next to her. Cora crossed the room and sat down.

“So, is this your first time?” Black Bonita asked.

“My first time? My first time for what?”

“Your first time to, you know, turn tricks?”

“Turn tricks?”

Black Bonita laughed, “Never mind. I’m pretty sure my question is answered. How did you come to be here?”

“Well…” Cora told her the story of the past three days, and how her life had taken so many abrupt turns. As she was telling it, Mabel, Fannie, and Maude came in one at a time, but they paid no attention to Cora.

As Cora was finishing her story, two men came through the door. One of them walked straight up to Maude and said, “Hi, Maudie. Told you I’d be back.” Maude turned to the other girls and shrugged as if she didn’t recognize him, but she turned to face him and put her arms around his neck.

“And I’m glad, hon. Wanta go right up or have a beer first?” She reached down to feel him. “Never mind. I know the answer. Follow me, hon.”

Meanwhile, Mabel approached the other man and invited him to sit down by her. They sat on a couch on the other side of the room from Cora. Mabel fawned over him, whispering in his ear. He seemed pleased.

Carmen, Minnie, and Lizzy had joined them now, dispersing themselves around the room. Minnie picked up a magazine. Carmen and Lizzie went straight to the beer waiting on the dining room table.

Gentlemen callers came and went, some hanging around the parlor for a while before selecting a girl and going upstairs. Others knew which girl they wanted immediately, and still others just perused the merchandise and left.

Cora began to get sleepy. She wondered when she would see Jonny again. She was just about to nod off when she glanced up and saw Elmo in the doorway, staring at her. She had no idea how long he had been there. Before she could speak, he turned and walked towards Lil’s room.

Cora bolted for the stairway just as Lil’s door opened, and Elmo stepped inside.

“What the hell, Lil. Have you already put her to work?”

“Come in, Elmo,” Lil said, although he was already inside. “Sit down and cool off. I forgot this was your night to get your horns trimmed.”

Elmo ignored her comment. “I just saw Cora all decked out sitting in the parlor. Have you put her to work already? I thought you said she had some time to decide.”

Lil chuckled. “She has as long as she likes. After handling everybody’s slops all day, she announced this afternoon she didn’t want to do that, so I’m letting her observe the parlor tonight. Maybe she’ll decide to stay and empty slops. Maybe she’ll decide to leave. Or maybe she’ll join my girls. Why are you concerned? You said you didn’t give a damn what she did.”

“Well. Maybe part of me does. She’s so young.”

“Yeah, I figured you might care, although she’s no younger than most of my girls when they start. Esmeralda’s not much older than Cora. You want me to go out and see if she’s available? Esmy is the one you like snugglin’ with these days, isn’t she?”

“Naw,” Elmo said. “Well, yeah, but I ain’t horny no more tonight. How much would it cost me for Cora to keep stayin’ in the room where she is now without havin’ to, you know?”

Lil laughed at Elmo’s sudden bashfulness, “You mean you’ll pay her room and board and she don’t have to do anything at all for it?”

“I guess that’s what I’m askin’, yeah.”

“Well, these girls are a funny bunch. They’re not gonna take to a girl who’s perfectly capable of earning a living staying in the house for free. But if you’re serious, I suppose I could let her stay in room 12 for a buck-fifty a night.”

“Hells bells, woman. That’s mor’n I’m payin’ for my room at Gertrude’s.”

“Then put her up at Gertrude’s,” Lil said, knowing that had already been tried. Before Elmo could answer she added. “Oh yeah. Gertrude don’t have any empty rooms. And you don’t get fed at Gertrude’s either, so stop griping about the buck-fifty.”

“Okay. Okay. Buck-fifty a night just until I can sort things out.” With that, he stood and went out into the hallway. Lil followed him and watched as he pulled his derby down over his eyes, keeping his head down until he disappeared through the door.

CHAPTER VII

On Tuesday morning, Juanita woke Cora at about eight and told her that Miz Lil wanted to see her.

“Okay.” Cora said sleepily. “I’ll be down d’rectly.”

Five minutes later she was tapping on Lil’s door.

“Come in,” Lil called. Cora stepped inside. “Sit down, Cora. How was last night?” she asked, interested if Cora would mention Elmo’s visit.

Cora burst into tears. “Oh, Lil, nothin’ in my life, not even what my daddy done to me all them years, shamed me as bad as when Pops was starin’ at me. I was so embarrassed! I run as fast as I could to my room. And that was when I knowed for shore I cain’t be no whore. I’ll do anythin’ else to earn my keep, but I cain’t be no whore, and I ain’t haul’n no more slops. If them’s the only two jobs you got, I’ll have to go som’ers else.”

Lil smiled, “Actually, you’re getting a reprieve. For now.”

“A what?”

Lil’s smile widened. “You don’t have to empty slops or be a prostitute to stay here. Elmo’s going to take care of your room and board. For now, that is. We don’t know how long the arrangement will last, but for now, room 12 is yours. You are free to come and go as you please. You can eat in the dining room with the other girls. Now you may go,” she said, dismissing her.

As Cora turned to go, Lil went to the kitchen door, summoning Juanita. When Juanita came in, Lil closed the door and announced that Cora would continue to stay in room 12 and eat with the rest of the girls.

“Let Cooky know this,” Lil said, and providing no additional details, Lil dismissed Juanita.

Back in her room, Cora was stunned. She needed time to think. It was nice she had a place to stay, and it was nice of Elmo to pay for it. Should she go and see him? Her thoughts were interrupted by the rumbling of her stomach. She hadn’t eaten since the previous afternoon. She went down to the kitchen.

Cooky sat at the table peeling potatoes. She looked up at Cora disdainfully. “What’re you doin’ in here, girl? Ain’t feedin’ ya no more.”

Just then, Juanita entered. “Lil said for me to tell ya that Cora is staying and can eat jus’ like the other girls.”

Cooky snorted, “Breakfast is in the dining room from ten-thirty to eleven-thirty. Come back then,” and she turned back to her task.

Juanita looked at Cora. Cora whispered, “What’s up with her?” using her head to motion towards Cooky.

“Huh! Don’t nobody like no freeloader!” Juanita said haughtily.

Half an hour later, Cora sat on the floor of her room, gazing out the window, and thinking about Jonny. She wept quietly.

Her hunger eventually got the best of her. After her earlier treatment by Cooky, she didn’t want to miss breakfast time, so she slipped her dress back on and went downstairs. In the middle of the table was a tureen of tepid porridge, a pitcher of milk, and several bowls. Esmeralda was the only one at the table. She was dressed or, rather, not dressed, in her usual dressing-gown. She kept her head down over her bowl and didn’t acknowledge Cora.

Cora looked at her and said, “Hello, Esmy.”

“’Lo,” Esmeralda murmured without raising her head. She spooned in another mouthful of porridge.

Juanita entered just then and witnessed Esmeralda’s attitude. She said, “Come with me, Cora,” so Cora followed her into the kitchen.

Cooky was still peeling potatoes. Juanita told Cora to sit down as she dished up a bowl of hot porridge and handed it to her. “Milk’s in the icebox, yonder.”

“Stuff in the dining room should be good enough for the likes of her,” mumbled Cooky.

Jaunita answered, “Oh, you be quiet.” She turned back to Cora. “You gotta understand, girl. Lil is the madam here and she makes all the rules, so if she says you can stay here free, you stay free, but nobody’s gotta like you. Right or wrong, the girls will hate you for that.”

“That’s not fair. I’m here because Elmo’s payin’ Lil for my room and board. I ain’t stayin’ here free.” Cora replied as she shoveled porridge into her mouth.

“Hmm!” Juanita said. “That’ll likely change things. The girls’ likely will think different once word gets ‘round you’re bein’ kept by Elmo.”

“I ain’t bein’ kept by Elmo! He’s just payin’ my room and board ‘til I can find Jonny.”

“And what is that, if it’s not keepin’ you, honey?” Cooky said.

Cora, finishing her meal, stared at Juanita, recognizing the truth of the situation. “What time’s dinner?”

Cooky laughed. “Ain’t no ‘dinner’ girl, if’n yore referrin’ to a meal served at midday. Breakfast ain’t over ‘til 11:30. Supper’s served four-thirty to five-thirty, as ya know, since you ate at table last night. Now git on out my kitchen. I may gotta feed ya, but I don’t gotta babysit ya. Go!” she said waving her paring knife at Cora. Cora went back into the dining room where Esmeralda had been replaced by Carmen and Minnie. They didn’t look up, so Cora continued to the parlor and out the front door. She felt completely alone, alienated from everyone in that house.

She stood on the porch and examined herself. The dress she was wearing was pretty, certainly an improvement from her flour sack shift, but it wasn’t what a proper lady would wear. It was cut low in the front so that her breasts were prominently displayed. The back was split almost to her waist with a single button near the top keeping it together. She needed to get her suitcase from Gertrude’s. She decided she could find the place, so she set off.

She remembered the street Jonny had taken around the cemetery from Opera to the Gulch, so she headed that way. She had just passed the cemetery when she saw a dapper man in a derby who she instantly recognized as Elmo approaching. She ducked behind a wall, hoping he wouldn’t see her. Fortunately, he turned towards the old school and descended the steps to the alley.

As soon as he disappeared, Cora bolted across into Clawson Street and began searching for the stairs she knew led up to Gertrude’s. She found them and found Gertrude at home. Cora told Gertrude that Elmo said it was okay for her to go up to his room to get into her suitcase, which was under his bed. Gertrude sensed a lie, but found she didn’t care.

“First door at the top of the stairs, dearie,” she said sarcastically. Once in Elmo’s room, Cora retrieved her suitcase from under the bed and opened it. She quickly shed Lil’s dress and replaced it with her own, but kept the panties and chemise on. She put Lil’s dress in the suitcase and left it there.

Gertrude didn’t see Cora as Cora departed. She hurried down to Broadway and on down to the bar.

When she got there, the door was locked and the shade was down. She pressed her face to the glass of the bay window where there was a gap in the curtain. She saw Elmo coming out of the back room carrying several bottles in each hand. She watched him approach and began tapping on the glass. He looked up, caught a glimpse of her face, and almost dropped his cargo.

Quickly ridding himself of the bottles, he walked to the front and unlocked the door.

“Whatta you want’ girlie? Thought I was through with you,” he growled, stepping aside to let her in before re-locking the door and starting toward the back.

Cora followed saying, “I’m sorry, Pops, but I couldn’t go sleep with that stinky woman and I didn’t have nowhere’s else to go except where Jonny took me to Number141, but I swear it wern’t Jonny’s fault. They wern’t no way I was gonna sleep with that Gertrude woman like you said I had to so even if he had taken me there I wouldn’t have stayed. And …

Elmo tired quickly of her begging. “Enough! Okay, stop.” She quieted, standing there in the shadows. “That’s what Lil told me. I wanted not to care if you stayed in Lil’s house. I wanted not to care if you became a whore. But then I saw you sittin’ there in the parlor last night all dolled up. It must have triggered somethin’ in me. I didn’t care for it.”

“Lil told me you and her had worked it out for me to stay there for a while, and you was payin’. I just wanted to say thank you, Pops.”

Elmo noticed she was calling him Pops but didn’t comment. “Yep. I’m payin’ for ya. For now.” He paused to let her consider that. Then he added, “For now means just that. I could change my mind at any time. Do you understand?”

Cora hung her head, “Uh-huh.” she muttered.

“Now if that’s all you came for, I need to get ready to open, so get on outa here.”

“Pops,” Cora said, “Do you know where Jonny is?”

“Nope. Ain’t seen him.”

“He hasn’t come back?”

“Not in here, he ain’t. The old man weren’t here yesterday, either. Why do you want to find Jonny?”

She couldn’t tell him the real reason – that Jonny had fucked her, and she had fallen in love with him. “Oh. I jus’ mostly wanted to make sure he ain’t in trouble with you for not taking me up to stinky Gertrude’s.”

“I guess it wouldn’t be fair if I blamed him, since ever’body is insisting it ain’t his fault. If you happen to find him, tell him he can come back to work if he wants to.”

As Elmo said this, he unlocked the front door and said, “G’bye, Cora,” as he gently pushed her through.

“Bye, Pops,” she answered.

He stood in the doorway and watched her walk down the sidewalk towards the mouth of the Gulch and Main Street. He smiled as he thought about her calling him Pops. Damned if he wasn’t becoming fond of that girl. She showed a lot of spunk.

Cora wandered up Main Street, past the mine offices, the hospital, and the mercantile store. She passed the post office and library and walked on as far as Castle Rock. This was her first foray up Main. It sure was different from the Gulch where a constant trickle of slops gave it a fetid odor. Main Street was much cleaner. She realized she was getting hungry, so she turned around and headed toward Number 141.

When she got there, she peaked into the parlor to see what time it was. The large mantle clock showed four o’clock – half an hour until dinner. Perhaps Lil was in her room. She went to Lil’s door and knocked.

“Who is it?”

“Cora, ma’am. Can I come in?”

“I suppose,” said Lil, sounding a bit exasperated. Cora entered. “Why are you bothering me again, girl?”

“I just wanted to know if you knew where Jonny was?”

Lil saw that Cora was wearing another plain cotton dress, like the one Juanita burned Sunday afternoon. This one had a different pattern, and there was no stain on the back. It took Lil a moment to remember the existence of Cora’s suitcase. I wonder what else she’s done today, thought Lil.

“No, girl. I don’t know where Jonny is. Never have tried to keep up with him. Somebody’s gonna find him dead in the Gulch one of these mornings, mark my words.”

“You can’t wish him dead, Miz Lil! His own mother? How could you say that?”

It slipped out before Cora could stop herself.

“What!” Lil exclaimed, “Who told you that?”

“Jonny did. Last night. He come through the winda’ to my room. I was sleepin’ when he snuck in and woke me up. He said you was his mama, but you didn’t want nobody to know it, so I won’t tell nobody. Surely you cain’t wish him dead, though.”

Suddenly she stopped. Lil stood up and glared down at her. When Cora saw the anger in her eyes, she said, “Guess I done said too much, huh?”

“Exactly what did he tell you?” Lil hissed through clenched teeth.

“Just about how he know’d to come to the window of room 12 because he knew everythin’ about this house ‘cause you was his mama and you let him eat in the kitchen.”

“The little shit. I’m gonna kill him when I find him.” She sat back down, never taking her eyes off Cora. “Have you mentioned this to anyone? Any of the girls in the house? I can’t have them hearing this!”

“No’m, I ain’t even tole nobody that Jonny came to my room.”

“Don’t!”

“So, is it true, ma’am?” Cora bravely asked.

“I won’t answer that question. Just never repeat it to anyone. Do you hear?”

“Yes’m”

“If you do, you’ll be out on the street in five minutes. You understand?”

“Yes’m”

“I see you changed clothes, too. I assume the dress you have on is one you had in your suitcase at Gertrude’s. Is that right?”

“Yes’m”

“When did you go up to Gertrude’s?”

“This mornin’. Right after I left here.”

“She just let you get your suitcase? Didn’t ask any questions? Where was it?

“Yes’m. It was in Pops’ room, and I sorta told her that Pops had said I could go up there and change. The dress you got me is still in the suitcase under Pops’ bed.”

“Didn’t you like the dress I got for you?”

“It’s fine for when I’m here in this house, but when I went outside, it made me uncomfortable. I ain’t never had nothin’ that fancy. My ol’ dresses feel more like me, so I went up to get this’n.”

“Did you leave the panties and chemise with the dress too?”

“No’m. I got them on. They make me feel good inside.”

“Make you feel good inside? Why?”

Cora reddened, “I don’t wanna say, ma’am.”

Lil realized what must have happened night-before-last when Jonny came through Cora’s window. It made perfect sense.

“Cora, when Jonny came to visit you last night, did you … “ she hesitated. She started to use a euphemism and then remembered that Cora was familiar with the coarser term, “Cora, did Jonny fuck you this time?”

Cora blushed furiously and hung her head, “Yes’m.” She was afraid Lil would hit her or yell at her, but instead Lil did a most surprising thing. She put her hands on Cora’s shoulders and smiled, “This is our secret, Cora. Just the two of us. Good-bye, now,” she said

Cora turned and went out the door, closing it behind her.

Lil sat back down in her chair and smiled. She had never wanted Jonny. He came along just when she was in her prime, entertaining several tricks a night. When she found out she was pregnant, she went to see the old doc at the Copper Queen Hospital, but he wouldn’t take care of it for her, so she bore her pregnancy as best she could and left the baby in the kitchen with Cooky as soon as he was born. It was Cooky who took care of him and gave him what little raising he got. As Jonny got older, Lil had as little to do with him as possible. He did odd jobs around the house, and Cooky fed him when he showed up at the kitchen door.

CHAPTER VIII

Cora climbed to the third floor, but instead of going into her room, she knocked on room 10.

Esmeralda opened the door, “Whatta you want?” she growled.

“Please help me, Esmy,” Cora said, beginning to cry.

Esmeralda looked both ways up and down the hall before quickly pulling Cora inside and closing the door.

Cora continued weeping. Esmeralda led her over to the bed and sat down with her. “What’s the matter? What’s happened to you?”

“I don’t know exactly. I was happy here yesterday, except for havin’ to empty everybody’s shit. And at supper, and later in the parlor, I was havin’ a good time watchin’ what was goin’ on until Pops come in.”

“Who’s Pops?”

“Oh. That’s what I call Mr. Elmo.”

Cora had told Black Bonita what had happened to her since coming to Bisbee, and what one of the girls knew, they all knew with lightning speed.

“So, what happened after Pops come in?

“I was so ‘shamed, I couldn’t stand it, and then this mornin’ Lil explained to me that Pops was payin’ for me to stay here without havin’ to work.”

“What?” This was news to Esmeralda and undoubtedly would be news to the whole house.

“I thought ever’body knowed it.”

“No. All Juanita said was that you would be stayin’ in room 12 and taking meals with the rest of us. Maybe she didn’t know it was Elmo that’s keepin’ you?”

She waited for a reply. Cora continued to weep and finally said, “I told Juanita and thought she would tell everybody.”

Esmeralda chuckled, “Juanita don’t talk to us girls unless she has to. I’ll spread the word. Why you still crying?”

“Well… I cain’t find Jonny.”

“Jonny. Lil’s boy? That kid who works for Elmo and comes by to get handouts from Cooky? Why do you want to find him?”

“He’s the one who brought me here, so I didn’t have to sleep with the stinky woman. And then he come to my room later and …”

Esmeralda nodded and looked at the clock on the dresser. It was four-fifteen. She looked again at Cora. “Where did you get that awful dress, girl?”

“I brought it here from Arkansas. I didn’t feel good when I went out in that dress Lil give me, so I went up to the stinky woman’s where my suitcase was and got this ‘un. What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s just ugly. We gotta go see Black Bonita. She’s the one you talked to last night, ain’t she?”

“Uh-huh”

“She knows stuff. Maybe she knows where Jonny is. Come with me.”

Cora followed Esmeralda across to room 9. Esmeralda tapped gently and went in. Mabel was reclining on the bed painting her fingernails. “Hi, Esmy,” she said, “What’s up?”

Esmeralda sat on the edge of her bed, “I’ve only got a minute, but I need to tell you something. Cora here is stayin’ in 12 because Elmo’s keepin’ her! She wants our help findin’ Jonny. I’ll tell you more later, but right now you need to spread the word before ever’body come down to supper. Cora don’t deserve to be treated like we been treatin’ her. Come on, Cora, let’s go see Black Bonita.”

They found Black Bonita in her room on the 2^nd floor. Esmeralda quickly brought Black Bonita up to date on Cora’s situation. It was twenty-past-four, almost supper time. Black Bonita looked at Cora. “Girl, you think you can wait till close to five-thirty to come down to supper?”

“I guess so. Why?”

“Well, for one thing, we gotta get you in a different dress than that old raggedy thing you’re wearing. I also want to float an idea by Lil before we talk to you about it. Sound okay?”

“Yeah. I guess. I’ll just go to my room.”

A few minutes later, Esmy stopped by with a dress that was much nicer than her flour sack but not as fancy as the one Lil had given her. Esmy said, “After you get done eatin’, hon, come up to my room.”

Cora changed into the new dress and went down to the dining room at five-fifteen. She was greeted warmly by the girls there. She ate quickly and went to Esmeralda’s room. Esmeralda, Mabel, and Black Bonita were there. Black Bonita immediately began to speak.

“Cora! While we were at supper, I pitched the idea to Lil that you become a boy. You’ll be safer that way. Girls can’t run around free-like, but boys can! Lil thinks it’s a swell idea. Between the bunch of us, we can get you some boy’s clothes by tomorrow! What’d’ya think?”

“But Esmy! I cain’t pay for no clothes, and I cain’t become no boy! How will that fix things?”

“Don’t worry, hon. Clothes won’t cost you nothin’, and we’ll explain after breakfast how it will fix things.”

The next morning after breakfast, Cora, Esmeralda, Black Bonita, and Mabel gathered once more in Esmeralda’s room. It was larger than Cora’s but quite crowded as the three women dressed the fourth in boy’s clothing.

“Where did you get these?” Cora asked, as Esmeralda held up a man’s denim shirt.

“That’s my secret. Now get that dress off and put this on.”

The shirt was loose on Cora, allowing her breasts to betray her gender. Black Bonita studied her for a moment saying, “Be right back.” She trotted down to her own room and returned with a strip of muslin several yards long and about a foot wide.

“Take that chemise off and let me help you with this,” she commanded Cora. Cora obeyed.

Black Bonita took the muslin and swiftly wrapped Cora’s chest, going around her ribcage several times with the cloth. The wrapping pressed her breasts firmly against her chest.

“Now put the shirt back on.”

Cora’s breasts all but disappeared now.

Mabel reached into a tow sack and pulled out a pair of britches. Everyone immediately began to gag. “Oh lord! What’s that smell?” Mabel cried, stuffing the britches back into the sack.

“Smells like somethin’ died!” exclaimed Esmeralda.

“Where’d you get these? Off some an old drunk who passed out in the gutter and shit himself?” asked Black Bonita, picking the britches up gingerly between two fingers and holding them as far from her has she could. She ran out of the room and headed for the stairs.

Esmeralda turned to Mabel. “Where did you get those stinky things, girl?”

“One of Carmen’s reg’lars come in late last night and heard her and me talkin’ about needin’ to find some boy’s britches. He said he knew where he could get some. All Carmen had to do was give him a free ride. He brought them back in the tow sack.

“Did he stay in her room all night?”

Before Mabel could answer, Black Bonita returned carrying a dripping pair of britches in her hand. “Washed ‘em out in the basin in the bathroom. Wrung ‘em out best I could, but they’s still perty wet,” she handed them to Cora. “There’s a winda in your room that opens to the roof, ain’t there?”

Before Cora could respond, Esmeralda remarked, “Of course there is. That’s how Jonny got in there night before last, ain’t it, Cora?”

Cora, who didn’t particularly like everyone in the house knowing her business, blushed and hung her nodding head as she left the room.

Back in room 12, she pushed open the window and laid the britches carefully on the roof. Then she sat down against the wall, gazing at them. They looked like Jonny’s britches and made her think of him.

By mid-afternoon, the britches were dry enough that she could try them on. They were a little too long and were too big in the waist, but that could be remedied. They would work. They sure smelled better!

Cora felt around under the bed for the old pair of brogans she had worn to Bisbee from Arkansas. Instead, she found a piece of rope. It was the rope Jonny had used to tie up his pants. Cora found that it worked well for holding up her britches, so she tied it about her waist. She bent down again to reach for the brogans.



She looked up at the little piece of mirror on the wall and pulled her hair up, tying it in a knot on top of her head. “If I only had a cap.” she thought.

She hurried downstairs, dragging her hand across the tinkle-bell at the door making it sound like someone had come in from outside. Minnie, Millie and Maude were lounging in the parlor. They all looked up at her but didn’t recognize her, thinking she, or he, rather, had just walked in from outside.

Then Cora spoke, “Anybody seen Esmy or Mabel or Black Bonita?”

“Cora?” Minnie exclaimed, laughing, “what in the world?”

“It’s the new me. Like it?” she said, turning around.

Mabel, having heard the tinkle-bell and looking down the stairwell, ran for the stairs, tapping on Black Bonita’s and Esmeralda’s doors as she passed. She arrived in the parlor, closely followed by the other two.

They all agreed that what Cora needed to complete her transition to maleness was a cap and promised they would have her one before the night was over. Perhaps several!

All six of the girls began a very lively discussion bordering on argument as to what Cora’s boy name should be, largely ignoring Cora in the process. Sam, Bill, Clem, Steve and others had been rejected when the dining-room door opened and Lil stepped into the room from where she had been surreptitiously listening to the ensuing conversation. “His name should be Corky.”

Everyone turned to look at Lil as she stepped through into the room. It had, in fact, been her idea to have Cora pretend to be a boy who could go about the streets looking for Jonny without anyone taking a second look. She looked directly at Cora. “Follow me, girl. Let’s get rid of some of that hair.” There was absolutely no more discussion of what Cora’s boy name should be. It was Corky!

They passed through the kitchen where Lil said to Cooky, “Follow us. Bring your butcher knife.”

When they stepped onto the back porch, Lil said, “Whack off enough of that hair so she looks like a hick boy from Arkansas or some such backwater place as that. And she turned to go back in.

Cora was scared. Cooky had never liked her and it would be so easy for the knife to slip and it was coming alarmingly close to Cora’s ears. Or worse! But Cooky gathered sections of hair into her fingers and deftly removed several inches all way around.

“Okay, boy, go on and find yoself a mirra.” Cooky said, turning to go back inside. Cora followed her, passing through the kitchen into the hall. As she passed Lil’s door, Lil called out to her to step inside. She approved of the haircut and said, “You must now actually become Corky. How low can you make your voice go?”

Cora tried imitating a man’s voice. It was only a few tones lower than her normal voice and wouldn’t fool anyone. Lil, who naturally spoke with a low pitch anyway, lowered her own voice and demonstrated, adding a rasp that had not been there before.

“Go back up to #12 and practice the deepest voice you can and make it raspy like I did. Start thinking of yourself as a boy. I’ll send Maria up with your supper so you don’t have to come back down until the girls have found you a cap.”

“Like this?” Cora/Corky said in as husky a voice as she/he could muster with a definite audible raspiness, turning to step back out into the hall.

Cora/Corky took the little slip of mirror off the wall and sat down on her bed in #12. She cried. She thought of Jonny and how much she looked like him now. She had on the same kind of shirt and britches that he wore and even had them tied up with his rope. Surely Corky could find him tomorrow.

Meanwhile, down in the parlor, it was early evening, supper was over, and all the girls were quaffing beer from the pitchers in basins of cold water on the dining-room table. Things were lively in the parlor. The tinkle-bell sounded and everyone looked up to see a nice looking young man, wearing an ordinary plain cloth cap. Exactly what Corky needed. This fellow was new to the house and was about to get more than he bargained for.

Carmen rushed over to him, whisked the cap from his head, tossed it out into the room and enveloped him in her arms. She cooed, nibbling his earlobe and rubbing herself against him, whispering in his ear, “Want to come upstairs with me, darlin? Only two dollars.”

He pushed her away. “I want my cap back?”

From behind him Lizzie purred, “Come and get it, sweetie.”. She held it high above her head. He turned toward her and tried to grab it but she took a step backward. He started to step towards her as Esmeralda, standing behind him, slipped his galluses over his shoulders just as Lizzie took another step back, causing him to trip over his own britches as they fell around his ankles.

His cap came flying back out into the group of girls as he fell on top of Lizzie. Esmeralda quickly pulled his britches away from his ankles. He was naked from the waist down.

When he realized what had happened, he never thought about his cap again. He jumped up and lunged for Esmeralda who jumped back and sang out, “You gotta catch me to get them back.” She ran for the stairs. He followed closely on her heels, catching up to her just as she reached the top. He grabbed out for the britches and managed to catch hold of them with his fingers but Esmeralda had a firm hold and continued to pull him upward, directly into #10.

When Esmeralda showed the man out half an hour later he had forgotten all about his cap. He had also forgotten to check for his wallet.

The cap completed Corky’s disguise perfectly.

CHAPTER IX

Friday afternoon, Elmo was sitting outside the bar as was his habit at that time of day. A young boy about Jonny’s age was hanging around at the corner watching the train depot. Elmo had seen him around the last few days but had paid him no attention. The train from Douglas arrived and began spewing passengers. The first well-dressed man, undoubtedly a drummer, who stepped off the train with two large suitcases, brought the boy running.

When Corky got up to the man he said, “Hey, mister, want me to carry your bags up to the hotel yonder?”

The man set one bag on the platform and said, “You carry that’un. This’uns my sample case.”

“So you’re a drummer, huh. Just passin through. Whatcha sellin’, anyway.”

“Ladies things, you wouldn’t be interested.”

Elmo watched as the boy spoke to the man and admired his hustle. That hustle and the way he was dressed reminded Elmo of Jonny.

Elmo called out to one of the men sitting at the bar. “Hey, Georgie. C’mere a minute.” When Georgie appeared in the doorway, Elmo pointed the boy out and said, “Catch that boy with them bags yonder. Find out his name and ask him to come see me after he gets done. There’ll be a fresh beer waitin’ on you when you come back.”

Georgie trotted down the Gulch toward the boy with the suitcases.

“What’s your name, son?” Georgie asked the boy.

“Corky,” the boy said in a husky voice.

“Elmo wants to see ya.”

It was all Corky could do to keep a smile from bursting out, but he just mumbled, “Elmo? At that bar just up the Gulch?” But the man had turned away. He had delivered his message and was ready for his free beer.

As Corky continued carrying the cases to the Copper Queen Hotel, he allowed himself to break out in the broad smile that had threatened before. So, Elmo had noticed him. That was what he had been hoping for since Wednesday. That was why he went by the bar a couple of times whenever Elmo was sitting outside. He figured that one day Pops would want to know who he was.

When Corky had collected his four bits, he hustled back to the depot, hoping someone would be waiting there with bags to be carried. As he crossed the Gulch, he looked up the street but couldn’t tell if Elmo was outside. There were no passengers with bags, so he continued walking up the railroad track alongside Naco Road almost to Sacramento Hill before turning and walking back toward town. The clock on the Pythian Castle struck five.

Corky walked into Elmo’s bar five minutes later, keeping his head lowered as he passed down the bar. He waited at the end of the bar for Elmo to notice, keeping his head down. When Elmo approached, Corky, still keeping his head down, said, “Hi, Pops. You wanted to see me?”

Pops! The word struck Elmo hard. Nobody but Cora called him Pops.

“Look at me, boy.”

Corky looked up at Elmo, smiled, and said again, “Hi, Pops.”

“Awww, shit! Cora!” It slipped out before he knew it. Fortunately, only Corky heard, and he said, “Corky, Pops. Best to call me Corky when I’m here in the bar.”

“Corky? What the hell ya doin’? What’s up with this get-up?” Elmo exclaimed.

“I’m grateful you’re payin’ my keep at Lil’s, but you ain’t gonna keep doin’ that forever and I don’t wanna live in a whorehouse forever neither, so’s while I been lookin’ for Jonny, I’ve been hustlin’ for whatever work I can get. Boy’s work. Nobody’s paid no nevermind I’m not really a boy.”

Elmo had noticed that when he listened to Corky speak, he didn’t hear Cora at all.

“How much you made so far ‘hustlin’, as you call it?”

“Ninety-five cents.” Corky said.

“I don’t know what’s happened to Jonny,” Elmo mused. “It’s not like him to just disappear, and his old man’s gone too. I hope nothin’ bad’s happened to ‘im, but I’m gonna need somebody to do his job if’n he don’t show up soon. I pay Jonny $2 a day. You want the job? S’long as you look and talk like this, nobody’ll be the wiser. Why don’cha meet me here at noon tomorra’?

Without waiting for Corky’s response, Elmo turned and went back up the bar. Corky, the smile firmly planted on his face, walked out with his head down. No reason to call attention to himself.

He got back to No. 141 almost exactly at five-thirty and rushed into the dining room. The remains of a roasted chicken were on the table along with a bowl of green beans and small new potatoes half submerged in congealed chicken gravy. No one else was in the dining room. Corky picked up the platter and carried it to the kitchen. Cooky was sitting at the table, a cigarette dangling from her lips, a cup of coffee in front of her.

“What the hell you think you doin’?”

“Jus’ helpin’ to clean up and maybe grab a bite,” Corky responded.

When she saw Corky’s broad, goofy grin, she said, “Stick them things in the oven long enough to melt that fat, and they’ll be good as new.” Corky knew it would be barely edible, even warmed up, but something was better than nothing. He ‘stuck them things’ in the oven and gave Cooky a quick peck on the cheek.

“Thanks, Cooky. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Corky next knocked on Lil’s door and entered when Lil said, ‘Come in.’

“Hi, Cora” Lil said. She sounded in a good mood. “What brings you in here?”

“Elmo saw me workin’ at the train station, carryin’ luggage, so’s he sent a man to get me to come see him. He knew d’rectly, a’course, that Corky was really me, but he said he liked my voice, and when I told him what I’d been doin’ for three days without nobody knowin’ I was a girl, he laughed and told me to be at the bar at noon tomorra’ to start doin’ Jonny’s old job for the same two bucks a day he was makin’!” Cora explained, breathlessly.

She paused for breath just long enough for Lil to interject, “Wait! Here you go again!” She chuckled. “What were you doin’ when the man said Elmo wanted to see you?”

“Carryin some drummer’s bags up to the Queen. The man just come up and asked me my name, and I said Corky and he said Elmo wanted to see me and left.”

“So, did you carry the bags to the hotel?”

“Yes’m. The man paid me four bits to tote ‘em.”

Lil pursued her questioning until she learned all about Corky’s visit to the bar. She was glad Corky would be working for Elmo. Somehow, she realized that she and Elmo were the only people in Bisbee who were willing to help Cora – or Corky – and keep the girl from making a prostitute’s living.



Corky quickly lapsed into a routine. He was at the bar from noon to sometime around five. In the evenings, he hung around the parlor and dining-room, chatting and drinking with the girls, disappearing when they had to work. He quickly developed a taste for beer. Now that he was a working boy, all the girls adored him. He was a pet.

And Corky also seemed to be easing into the role of Lil’s companion. Almost every morning, he and Lil would have coffee in Lil’s room before Corky left for the bar.

After a while, Corky stopped searching for Jonny. He spread the word that if anyone ever heard about Jonny to let someone know at Elmo’s bar. He began hanging out increasingly at the bar, staying some nights until as late as eight or nine, pitching in to help Elmo whenever he could. Elmo raised his pay to $3 a day.

This routine continued pleasantly for several weeks until one morning when Corky, Lizzie, and Esmeralda were in the dining room having breakfast. Corky had just finished a bowl of porridge when he jumped up and ran towards the kitchen, passing through and right on out to the back porch.

Corky lost his breakfast.

Embarrassed, he ran through the kitchen to the hall, bypassing the dining room where Esmeralda and Lizzie were musing his disappearance. Back up in room 12, he realized it was about time to go to the bar. Still feeling a bit queasy, he went back downstairs and out the front door.

As soon as the girls heard Corky leave, the word of his sudden illness spread throughout the house. Lil announced that she wanted to see Cora, as Cora, as soon as she returned to the house that night.

Corky left the bar about ten, later than usual. A short while later, Cora, wearing the dress Lil had given her, knocked on Lil’s door.

“Cora, I need to ask you a question.”

“Yes’m,” Cora answered gruffly. Corky’s voice had become habit over the past six weeks and it was getting more difficult to speak in Cora’s normal voice.

“Do you know how long it’s been since you had your last period?”

Cora had a confused look on her face momentarily before she said, “Oh. You mean my monthly? I cain’t rightly remember. What month is it, anyway?”

November.,” Lil said.

“Well, golly. I reckon it’s been quite some time. I remember it was still hot in Arkansas the last time I stayed in the barn on account of… of that.”

“What?” Lil exclaimed incredulously. “You had to stay in the barn because of your period?”

“Yes’m. Pa said I was unclean during my monthly and it was best for me to sleep with the cow until I got clean again.”

“Did you have to stay in the barn every month?”

“Yes’m.”

“That old man should be hung up by his balls,” Lil said, matter-of-factly as she continued, “Next question, Cora. How long you been feelin’ sick in the mornins?”

“Gosh… A while, I reckon. I figger I got a tummy bug that won’t go ‘way,” Cora answered, puzzled.

Lil looked thoughtful, “Cora, darlin’, I think you’re pregnant.”

“What!” Cora exclained. “Oh no! I cain’t be pregnant!”

“When Jonny came into your room that night, you two, uh, fucked. Correct?”

“Well, I guess. We sorta did. When he put his pecker in me it hurt like the dickens at first an’ I started to scream, so he put his hand over my mouth an’ then he pushed it more into me an’ it kinda felt good when Esmeralda knocked on the door an’ Jonny run out without even getting’ his pants pulled up. That rope I use to keep my pants up is the one Jonny used. He left it under my bed.”

“Hmm,” was all Lil said, giving Cora a chance to continue.

“But, Lil, I don’t know what I’ll do if I’m pregnant! I won’t be able to go on bein’ Corky and workin’ at the bar!” Cora was distraught.

Lil couldn’t help but chuckle, “You can get away with it for a while, maybe, but pretty soon you’ll begin to show. Then it’ll be goodbye Corky ‘til the baby comes…. Unless we have it taken care of.”

“Whad’ya mean, ‘taken care of’?”

“I mean get rid of it. It’ll be like you were never expecting in the first place.”

Cora stared at Lil, stunned. She began to shake her head.

“What’s the matter, girl?” Lil said, and then, after a moment of reflection. “Oh god! You don’t want to get rid of it, do you?”

“No’m. It’s Jonny’s and now I just gotta find him.”

“Cora. There’s something you should know. I don’t think you’re ever going to find Jonny. That first week after he disappeared, somebody found a body up Zacatecas Canyon about Jonny’s age and size. It took a few days for the news to get down the Gulch, and by then the turkey buzzards had picked the bones clean, so no one could identify them. I know you don’t want to hear this, but I believe, and I’m sure Elmo agrees, those bones are all that’s left of Jonny. We won’t ever know for sure unless Jonny miraculously turns up.

Cora held her head in her hands and began to wail. Lil was uncomfortable with the emotional display, so she simply said, “I think you’d better go up to your room now,” and dismissed her.

Late that night, Cora finally cried herself to sleep. The next morning, she talked herself into feeling a little better. Nobody knew for sure that the bones were Jonny’s. And she didn’t know for sure whether she was pregnant, so for now, she could still be Corky.

The following noon, Corky arrived at the bar wearing a brand-new pair of overalls. Lil had noticed that Corky’s britches looked exactly like Jonny’s … they might even be Jonny’s… and Cora’s condition would prevent her from wearing them much longer, so Lil had Juanita pick up a pair of overalls at the Fair Store that morning. Cora was thrilled.

Elmo was not surprised to see Corky in overalls. Lil had sent him a note the evening before letting him know about her conversation with Cora. If Cora was pregnant, it would be easier to hide it in the overalls. Lil had asked Elmo not to mention it and to keep it between the two of them until it was a certainty.

Certainty didn’t take long. Cora continued to be sick almost every morning. And there was still no period. There was no doubt, at least in Lil’s mind, that Cora was pregnant. And she knew that, before long, Cora’s condition would not be disguised by overalls and the gig would be up.

“Cora, have you told Elmo that you’re pregnant?”

“No’m. I figgered if he don’t notice, then I don’t have to tell him.”

“Well, consider this. If folks find out that Elmo’s boy Corky is really a pregnant Cora, what do you think they’ll say? I think you need to tell him. Let him decide to keep you working or not. Or… I have another idea. What if you stop working for Elmo and become my full-time companion? Juanita is a good maid and servant, but I need someone to be with me when I go out. What do you say? I think Elmo will still pay to keep you here, and if you need something, you just let me know.” Cora nodded as she absorbed the conversation.

The next morning, Lil appeared at the train station and bought a ticket to Douglas for some shopping. After the conductor called ‘All Aboard!’, Corky appeared at the back of the train and clambered into the caboose.

That evening, Lil and Cora stepped off the train in Bisbee wearing new frocks and juggling several large parcels. Lil hired a wagon to deliver the packages to No. 141, and she and Cora strolled up the Gulch in their new finery arm-in-arm, nodding demurely at Elmo as they passed the bar.

CHAPTER X

When Lil and Cora returned to No. 141, their packages had already arrived. It was late afternoon and the house’s clientele would soon start arriving. The girls were exclaiming over the packages that had been piled in the hall when Lil and Cora entered. Both were wearing new, fashionable frocks. Lil gathered several parcels as she went down the hallway. Cora grabbed the remainder and followed Lil into her room. Neither of them said a word.

Lil had purchased several new dresses for Cora that showed off her figure. And she wanted to show off her figure. She’s been pretending to be a boy for what felt like a long time. She looked forward to being Cora again, even pregnant Cora, because the baby she was carrying was Jonny’s.

That night, she came down to the parlor wearing a stylish, slinky, tight-fitting gown. She sauntered into the parlor, flounced over to the sofa in the corner, and sat down, making sure that everyone saw her. Lizzie, Millie, and Black Bonita were the only three women there. They quickly crowded around her, full of questions.

“Wow! You look fetching! What happened to Corky?”

“Very nice gown! Lil buy it for you?” This one with a hefty dose of disdain.

Esmeralda walked in on this conversation. She was one of the few girls who knew Cora had been sick in the mornings. Realization dawned on her face, and she exclaimed, “Oh, my god, honey! Are you preggers? That explains the overalls a while back… Is that why you and Lil got rid of Corky?”

All the girls began talking at once, and Lil entered the room.

“Okay, ladies! Be still and listen! Yes, Cora is pregnant, and the baby is Jonny’s. I bought her the overalls to wear until she started showing, and that time is almost here. Cora has been resurrected and will be in my employ as my personal assistant. Does anyone have any questions?”

No one did.

Before long, Cora’s condition was obvious. In early March, Lil put a cot in her room for Cora to sleep on, so she no longer had to climb the stairs up to her room. Cora still went nightly to the parlor, sometimes sitting on the sofa in the corner, and sometimes reclining on one of the settees, watching the action and often flirting openly with the men.

Late one night, an old man… that only Cora could tell had come from Arkansas… came through the door. He stood just inside the parlor and looked around. His eyes soon locked onto the figure of Cora.

Cora looked up and recognized her pa. The color drained from her face. She shrieked and hid her face in her hands.

The man began to walk across the room as the others in the room gave way before him. He stepped up in front of the sofa where Cora reclined. He knelt in front of her.

“You little whore!” he whispered as he dropped to his knees. “I always treated you with respect after yore mama died… I never defiled you. All those years you slept in my bed, I never defiled you. And now this? I’ve got no understandin’.” He wept.

Lil stood in the doorway holding a sawed-off shotgun. She watched as Cora’s pa stealthily moved his hand toward his boot. Lil approached him, pointing the shotgun at his head.

Suddenly, his hand came flying up holding a 10-inch knife. Lil cocked the 12-gauge. The man’s head snapped around and glared at her just long enough for her to pull the trigger. The man’s head disappeared. His brains were splattered on the wall.

Cora saw none of it. She had passed out cold.

Lil lowered the gun and said, “Somebody get rid of this pile of shit.”

Two of the male visitors drug what was left of the old man out the door and down into the Gulch. His body was never identified.

As the men were dragging the body out the door, Cora came to, apparently in shock, as she took in the scene. Then suddenly, she screamed.

“Oh my God, it hurts! What’s happening to me?”

Lil rushed to Cora’s side. “What hurts?”

“It’s … it’s gone now,” answered Cora. A short few minutes later, Cora cried out again, “Oh! It’s back! Oooh!” and she doubled over.

Lil began to understand.

“C’mon, Cora. You need to walk,” Lil said, as she draped Cora’s arm over her shoulder and pulled her upright. “I think you’re going into labor.” Cora wailed, and Lil was concerned. She knew that if this was indeed Cora’s labor beginning, it was too early.

Esmeralda, Carmen, Lizzie, Millie, and Black Bonita were still in the room. The men who had been upstairs when the shot was fired had rushed down the stairs, pulling up and buttoning their britches as they ran. All had been ushered out the front door.

As Lil and Cora walked, Cora doubled over again in pain. The other girls watched nervously. Lil was timing Cora’s pains and hoping they would stop. She prayed this was a false labor brought on by the shock of the recent excitement in the room. Unfortunately, the contractions were getting stronger and closer together.

Cora took a few more steps and suddenly stopped.

“What’s this?” She exclaimed, looking down. A puddle was forming at her feet. Her water had broken.

Lil reacted instantly. She barked, “Somebody, run get the midwife! Now!”

“Yes’m!” Millie said and dashed for the door.

“Esmy, go tell Cooky to boil a large kettle of water and bring it to my room.

“The rest of you are going to help me get her onto my bed.”

Cora just screamed again as she felt another strong contraction. She collapsed despite Lil’s support.

“Help me get her to her feet, girls,” Lil commanded.

As Cora’s contraction eased, the women helped her toward Lil’s room.

As they passed through the dining room, Lil called out loudly, “Juanita, run to the closet and bring plenty of towels and old sheets to my room. Now! Hurry!”

As they positioned Cora on Lil’s bed, Juanita appeared with a stack of towels and old bedding.

“Spread those on the bed,” Lil commanded, pointing at the sheets. “Be quick.”

As Juanita complied, the women removed Cora’s confining clothing and got her onto the bed. She was having regular contractions now, only a minute or two apart. She screamed, “It’s not moving! It just hurts!”

The time dragged, Cora’s pain continued, and Millie returned with bad news. The midwife was away in Palominas delivering twins. She wouldn’t be coming anytime soon.

Near dawn, Cora was becoming exhausted. She cried out, “I think it’s comin’, Lil. I can feel it!”

Lil knelt at Cora’s feet, “Let me see, sweetie.” What she saw was a head beginning to emerge between Cora’s thighs. And then the bleeding began.

As the baby’s head began to emerge, Lil could tell that something was wrong. She said, “Yes, your baby’s coming, Cora. But try not to push! Something’s not right!”

But Cora pushed. She had no ability to stop herself. But despite Cora’s efforts, the baby moved very little. Something indeed was wrong. Lil tried to pull the little head and help the shoulders emerge, when she saw the umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck.

“Oh my God, where is that midwife!” Lil was frantic. “Somebody fetch something sharp! Cooky, your best knife! Or a razor! Something please! I’ve got to cut this thing!” Panic had entered Lil’s room.

The women worked over Cora, doing the best they knew how. Time passed, and finally the baby was pulled from Cora’s exhausted body. The poor thing had not survived, whether from the pinched umbilical cord wrapped around its neck or for other, unknown reasons, it never drew a breath.

One of the girls had finally located the local doctor, who arrived after the fact. He could only shake his head and offer some pain relief to Cora. He took a small vial of morphine out of his bag along with a hypodermic.

Cora moaned softly, “Where’s my baby?” as her pain was reduced to a dull ache.

“Oh, Cora,” sighed Lil. “You had a little boy, darlin’, but he didn’t survive. I’m so sorry.”

Suddenly, despite her morphine-induced lethargy, Cora cried out. She sat up and saw Cooky leave the room with a towel-wrapped bundle.

“Noooooo! My baby cain’t be dead! It just cain’t be!” she wailed.

Cora wailed, begging to see her baby that Cooky had whisked away. “My baby Jonny! Where is my baby Jonny?” she cried.

Lil hurried out after Cooky. She found the woman on the back porch with a pail of water. When Cooky had finished washing the tiny body, she wrapped it in a clean towel. Then she and Lil returned and placed the tiny bundle in Cora’s arms.

But holding the little body did not calm Cora. She realized this was not her baby Jonny. This felt like nothing but a cold piece of meat. She turned away, saying, “Get this thing away from me. I never want to see it again!” and she hid her face and sobbed silently.

Lil ushered everyone out of the room and sat down in a chair, Cora cried herself to sleep. It was a long night.

CHAPTER XI

For two weeks Cora was too weak to get out of bed. Every day, she mourned the finality of losing both Jonnies, the lover and the infant. Again, she was truly alone in a strange place, and nearly all the people she knew were whores. During the two weeks Cora recovered, she still slept in Lil’s room. Juanita brought in her meals, so she didn’t have to go out. Very slowly, she began to feel like herself again. The dull ache from the stillbirth of baby Jonny began to fade slowly. And then, one morning very early, she sneaked back up the stairs. At ten-thirty, Corky came down to breakfast.

The news spread rapidly through the house, and a minute later Lil, who always had breakfast in her room, came rushing into the dining room.

“What do you think you’re doing young …” Lil was about to say, ‘young lady,’ but her words trailed off as she looked, once again, into the face of Corky. Instead, she said, “You must be feeling much better.”

“Yes’m, I am, thank you.”

“Come and see me when you finish your breakfast.” Lil said, turning and leaving the room.

Corky finished his breakfast leisurely as various ladies came and went, all remarking how good it was to see him, before he went across and knocked on Lil’s door.

“Come in, Cora, and have a seat. I was hoping to get to talk to you today but didn’t expect Corky.”

Cora spoke, “I’ve been thinkin’ about it for over two weeks. And I started thinkin’ what life as Cora would be like. I figger the only thing Cora can do, besides be one of yore ladies, would be to go to work in a kitchen or shop somewhere’s, and I’d much rather be hangin’ out at Pop’s place pullin’ beers.”

“What about if you… Cora that is… stay here as my paid companion, as we had started before…?” Lil wondered. “You can run errands for the house and take care of other little inconveniences, just like you did while you were still pregnant. As I said before, Juanita does a good job with some things, but then she misunderstands what I want her to do and gets herself, and me, into trouble. I’ve had to explain to the sheriff about a couple of situations she created.”

“It’s not like I don’t like bein’ your companion, Miz Lil, an’ I sure do appreciate all you’ve done for Cora an’ it’s not like I don’t like livin’ my life as Cora, ‘zactly, but Cora cain’t work in Pops’ place and Corky can an’ I’m really beginnin’ to miss the hustle and bustle of the bar. Why, I’m the only woman in Bisbee who spends every afternoon and most of an evenin’ in a saloon!”

Cora/Corky paused for a breath before adding, “No’m, but thank you. I don’t think the companion thing is right for me. That spell I worked at Pop’s was the only time I been happy here. I weren’t lonely, and hardly thought ‘bout Jonny, ‘cept to hope that he would come walkin’ through the door and wonder who I was. Now I know that that ain’t gonna happen.”

Lil recognized when she was beaten. What did she have to offer this kid but companionship? Elmo could offer her so much more. As long as the world thought she was a boy, that is.

“Well, what does Elmo say?” Elmo, of course, had been told of the stillbirth. He’d even stopped by to check on Cora, when Lil allowed him to visit.

Corky said, “I don’t know. I ain’t been down there, but I sure will be this mornin’.”

Lil laughed and shooed Corky out of her room.

Corky checked the big clock in the parlor and realized Pop was likely already at the bar. He hurried out the door and down the gulch. When he got to the bar, he stood there with his face pressed against the glass. Soon, Pops came from the back with several bottles balanced precariously in his arms. He almost dropped them when he saw Corky’s face plastered against the glass.

He managed to set the bottles on the bar before he moved to let Corky in.

“Well bless my soul if it’s not Mr. Corky. What did you do with Miss Cora?”

“I killed her!” Corky replied over his shoulder as he strode to the back for the broom, and not another word was said about Cora. She had, for the time being, ceased to exist.

Corky quickly became Elmo’s primary bartender. Elmo found he rather enjoyed spending the evening drinking rye whiskey and watching someone else, especially Corky, tend bar. He preferred sitting on the last stool at the end, the one formerly occupied by Jonny’s old man who disappeared when Jonny did. He liked sitting there in the shadows, where he could sip his rye and not have to deal with the riffraff.

That only lasted until about ten, however. He feared that a young, vulnerable boy … especially one who was actually a young woman … might not be safe on the streets late at night. Elmo insisted Corky leave at ten and make his way back up to Lil’s. Corky had no choice but to obey, but if he had his druthers, he’d stay at the bar until closing.

The walk back up to No. 141 took Corky less than ten minutes, but during that time the kernel of an idea began to grow in his mind. A few weeks passed before he turned the idea into a plan. Now, it was time to pitch it to Pops.



Pops sat on his stool sipping his rye one slow afternoon in September. Corky came and leaned on the bar across from him. “Pops, I got a proposition for ya.” Pops just eyed him but said nothing, so Corky continued, “What if you and me both started livin’ up there?” He pointed to the ceiling. Elmo said nothing, just waiting, knowing there was more.

“We could clean out some of that junk and build a couple a’ walls so’s there’d be two rooms, one for you, ‘n’ one for me. An’ maybe a bathroom? Ya know, Corky can’t stand at that urinal back there and pee. He’s got to become Cora for that, and someday I’m gonna get caught with my pants down even though I latch the storeroom door when I go in there to squat.” The single toilet in the back corner across from the storeroom had no door.

Elmo remained quiet but attentive. Cora felt encouraged.

“An’ another thing. If I don’t have to go back up to No. 141 at night, I can stay and work here in the bar and help you get things shut down.

Corky didn’t consider the cost of this proposal or if Pops could afford it.

Corky paused and waited. Elmo kept his eyes on his drink, not speaking. To fill the silence, Corky continued. “Just think what it’ll be like not to have to climb all the way up to Temby to that stinky woman’s house before you can go to bed! Your bed’ll be just up them stairs yonder!”

Once again, Corky paused and, again, Elmo remained silent. Corky was determined to stay quiet too, but finally he couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Aw, c’mon Pops. Ain’t you gonna say nothin? Least you could do is look at me.”

Elmo finally looked up, “Aw, hell, Cork. It’s not a bad notion, but a body’s got to think on it. People would talk, ya know.”

“Why? Everybody thinks yore my grandpa, and what’s more reg’lar than a boy livin’ with his grandpa?”

“Gets kinda rowdy around here after ten. That’s one reason I sent you home at ten. You’ve seen some of it, but it’s often worse. These guys get drunker as the evenin’ wears on. You shore yore up for that? I fear you might get yourself hurt… or kilt.”

Corky was ready for this argument. “Aw, heck, Pops. You’ve seen me put the fear o’ God in a few of those ol’ codgers with that little pool cue you fished out of the beer cooler. An’ maybe I can get myself a pistol. I can take care a’ myself. I ain’t scairt.”

“Well,” Elmo said at last, “Lemme just think about it a spell. I allow it wouldn’t cost a whole lot to make two rooms, but the bathroom part … there ain’t no plumbin’ up there … that’s another thing. Might cost a lot to do that.”

“Well, while yore thinkin’, remember that you’ll be savin’ what yore payin’ to the stinky woman for your room, an’ you wouldn’t be payin’ Lil for my keep no more neither.”

That was indeed something to think about.

CHAPTER XII

The next morning, Corky went down to the dining room a little after ten. Lil breezed in a few minutes later still in her nightgown, hair flying wildly about her head. She didn’t notice Corky until she came out of the kitchen, steaming cup of coffee in hand, and headed straight back to her room. As Lil passed through the room, Corky spoke up.

“I need to talk to you, Lil,”

Lil waved her free hand in a come-along motion and continued across the hall to her room. Corky followed.

“What’s on your mind?” Lil asked as Corky closed the door.

“I pitched an idea to Pops yesterday afternoon, and I want to see what you think about it,” Corky began.

“Go on.”

“Well, see, I want Pops to turn that big room over the bar into an apartment with a bedroom for him an’ one for me an’ a bathroom.” Corky explained the benefits of living over the bar. “It would mean Pops don’t need to pay my keep here, nor his neither, at Gertrude’s. An’ I could work more, an’ help out more, an’ nobody would care, cuz I’m a boy,” He paused for a breath. “Whad’ya think?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been up there. Elmo has said that some nights he’s too tired to hike up to Temby, so he sleeps there on a cot. And I guess you slept up there a night or two after that fella… what was his name?”

“Faulkner?”

“Yes, Didn’t Faulkner try to rape you?”

“Sorta, but he’s dead now,” Corky said and then continued apace. “I tol’ Pops that we could put up a couple a’ walls an’ maybe a bathroom an’ him and me could live up there. That way, I wouldn’t have to leave early to come back up here an’ could stay at the bar all the way to closin’.”

Lil thought about this. She had expected that, as Cora continued to be Corky, the day would come when Corky, pet of all the ladies as he was, wouldn’t be comfortable living in a house full of prostitutes. And if Cora weren’t posing as Corky, she likely wouldn’t have stayed at Lil’s this long.

“What did Elmo say to your proposal?”

“He said he’d have to think about it. That just puttin’ up a wall or two pro’bly wouldn’t cost so much, but a bathroom might cost considerable.”

Lil chuckled as she muttered, “The old skinflint. He’s got the dough. That old man can buy and sell most anybody in this town ‘cept the big bosses at the mines. The bigger issue would be the town’s opinion of a young girl and an old man living together like that. There might be people, even on the Gulch, who think that would bring shame upon the whole town.”

“No’m. That ain’t no problem cuz in the first place, everybody thinks I’m Corky and don’t look at me twice’t. They’s only a few who ever saw Cora with Elmo, and them what did were told that I was his grandkid.”

“Didn’t you say when you first got to my house that Elmo had taken you up to Gertrude’s and even arranged to have you sleep there?” Lil inquired. “You don’t think Elmo’s mentioned that the girl he brought up there goes by Corky now and is working in the bar?”

“No’m. She don’t know.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Well, Miz Lil, ever since Corky showed up in the bar lookin’ for a job, Elmo has pounded it into me that if I ever see that stinky woman in town or somewhere, I gotta make sure and not let her get a good look at me. But since I hardly ever get away from the Gulch, and I ain’t never seen her down there, they’s not much to worry about. And ‘sides, whether I’m Cora or Corky, how is me livin’ with my grampa worse than me livin’ in a whorehouse?”

“You have me there,” Lil admitted. Besides, this young person was going to do whatever she/he wanted, anyway.

“Tell you what,” she said, after her moment’s reflection. “Tell Elmo I told him to get his ass up here for lunch tomorrow at eleven. I think he’s had plenty of time to think about your idea.” She winked at Corky. “We’ll help him make up his mind. That is, Cora and I will help him. Now git!”

Corky delivered Lil’s order to Pops as soon as he got to the bar. Elmo had no objections. Cooky’s lunches were special.



And lunch the next day was no exception. There was chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes, plenty of black-peppery cream gravy along with a large bowl of buttery, sauteed calabacitas and fresh rolls. The meal was completed with coffee and blueberry buckle.

When Elmo came into the dining room and saw Cora sitting there in her finest, his chest swelled. It was difficult for him to believe that he had only known this young woman a few months. While it had taken him some time to get used to the idea, he found that he liked his new grandchild more every day. And he appreciated her most as a boy. A granddaughter was prohibited by law from working in the bar. A grandson was not.

They finished lunch and were enjoying coffee and dessert when Lil broached the subject of an upstairs apartment. Elmo said he was still thinking about it.

“I’m concerned about the cost,” He declared.

When Lil heard this, the sip of coffee she had just taken sprayed from her mouth in astonishment. She used her napkin to brush drops off Elmo’s arm while regaining her self-control.

“That’s the funniest thing I ever heard, Elmo! You’re worried about the cost?” She laughed, “You could afford to buy most of the Gulch, if you wanted to. Now build your grandchild that apartment, you old fool!”

Elmo’s chest swelled again, and he smiled. He was thinking more about his grandson than granddaughter. He had a vision of Corky being there with him when he closed up at night. He thought how each night after closing, he had to get down on his hands and knees behind the bar to access the small safe … about the size of a large coffee can … embedded in the floor. His old bones had more and more trouble with this chore, especially after working for 12 hours. And it was a long climb up to Temby in the middle of the night. It would be nice to have Cora… He thought of her as Cora again now… to care for him.

He grinned. “Guess I know when I’m licked,” He looked at Cora. “You really want this, don’t you?”

Cora jumped up from the table and ran to Elmo. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I do, Pops. I really do.”

Lil reached over and began to pat Elmo gently on the forearm. “You don’t know how licked you are, old man,” she chuckled. “I’ll send Juanita out to find Ron. I happen to know he’s looking for work. He came by to see Black Bonita the other night, but he couldn’t afford to go upstairs with her, sayin’ he was between jobs. I’ll have him come see you this afternoon.”



Corky led Ron to the back of the bar into the storeroom where the stairwell was located. He turned and ascended the stairs. At the top, they stopped to look around. The large space would swallow up two people living there. Hell, Ron thought, you could sleep a whole company in here. … Ron had seen action in the brief Spanish-American War that was almost over before it began in 1898. … He looked at Corky.

“So, you want to divide this big space into two rooms and a toilet? Them’d be damn spacious rooms,” He paused and looked up. The ceiling was high, probably 10 or 12 feet. “Look at the size of that little cot and how it’s swallowed up by all this room!”

“Oh!” Corky exclaimed. “Never thought about it like that. And that first night …” Cora nearly told Ron how she was too scared to sleep up there by herself the second night she was in Bisbee, which would have revealed Cora’s true identity, but Corky quickly recovered. “Uh, it would prob’ly be hard to sleep in so much space. So, what should we do?”

“Gimme a few minutes,” Ron said, walking towards the front of the building. Spaced across the front wall were three large casement windows. He paced off the distance in front of them and estimated 30 feet. Corky followed to the far front corner opposite the stairs. Ron began to pace once again, this time along the sidewall of the building, until he estimated he had gone about 20 feet. Looking back at Corky, who was walking toward him, he said. “The bathroom should be here, ‘cuz it’ll be easy to tie into the plumbin’ in the bar below. We’re standing d’rectly above the bar.”

Ron walked straight back across the room to a spot a few feet from the stairs. He looked around and continued to make notes. Corky joined him. When he finished his notes, he looked at Corky and said, “Let’s go back downstairs, and we can talk to Elmo.”

When they came downstairs, they found Elmo impatiently waiting in the barroom. He had wanted Corky to show Ron around, but he was anxious to know what Ron thought.

“So, what’dya think, Ron. We only got a few minutes before openin’. What’s your recommendation?”

“Well, Elmo, that’s a huge space up there, right Corky?” Ron began. “It’s way too big jus’ to build one wall ‘cross the whole building. After pacing it off, I think we should wall off maybe the front third of the building and put the bathroom d’rectly over the bar. Make it easy to tie into the plumbin’ down here. That main wall would go all the way ‘cross the room, or most the way, making a short hall to the top of the stairs. Then, ‘cross the front can be three rooms, each with a window. The rooms’ll still be purty big, and there’ll be an extra room for storage or whatever.”

As he spoke, Ron sketched on a fresh page of his notebook, and Elmo and Corky looked over his shoulder. Now they could see his vision, and it was more elaborate than Elmo had imagined. He was once again worried about his pocketbook, even though Lil would laugh at him for it. Elmo was habitually tight with his money.

“Shit. Never thought about all them walls. Thought we was just gonna put a wall ‘cross the middle and be done with it. How much is it gonna cost me? Until I know, I won’t give it the go-ahead.”

Corky was listening intently to what Pops was saying… Cora really liked what Ron was proposing but understood that Pops couldn’t say yes without knowing the cost.

“Since you’re about to open, I’ll stroll up Main to the lumberyard where I can get some prices and do some figurin’. Reckon I can be ready to give you an estimate by about five. You very busy then?” Ron said.

“Not usually. And Billy will be here. He can tend the bar pretty well.”

Ron nodded and left. Elmo and Corky returned to their bar-opening chores. Both were busy with their thoughts about the proposed construction project.

A little before five, Ron came in and sat down at the bar.

“You got them estimates?” Elmo asked.

Ron handed Elmo a sheet. Elmo perused it for just a moment, feigning surprise at the amount even though it wasn’t as much as he expected. He looked at Corky.

“Boy, I dunno if yore worth this much money or not.”

Corky, who had no concept of what ‘this much money’ really meant, just grinned and said, “Okay, Pops. I’ll just go tell Lil the bad news.” He turned to go, but he had seen the glint in Elmo’s eye and knew Elmo wasn’t serious.

“Come back here, boy,” Elmo grinned, turning back to Ron.



“How long’s it gonna take ya to git ‘er done, Ron?”

Ron immediately said, “Well, Elmo, lucky for you I got nothin’ else lined up right now, so I can start as early as in the mornin’, if you want me to. I should be able to get the walls up in a couple a’ weeks. And then I’ll get Abe in to do the plumbin’ for the bathroom, but that shouldn’t take more’n a few days. Pretty sure I can be done in three weeks. Less, if everything goes smoothly.”

The subject then arose as to what time he could get started the next morning. He liked to start jobs as early as possible. How early could someone get to the bar to let him in?

Elmo said, “That’s gonna be a tough one. See, I don’t get away from this place ‘til two-thirty, maybe three in the mornin’, so I don’t normally get up ‘til around eleven. Doin’ good to get down here by noon.”

“It’s gonna take at least twice as long if I can only work half days. If a job comes along that I can work full time, it’ll take precedence.”

Corky, who could hardly wait for the project to be finished, piped up, “I got an idea, Pops. I can come let Ron in so he can start work as early as y’all want! I’ll jus’ get up extra early!”

Elmo liked the idea, and so it was decided. Corky was to be at the bar at six-thirty the next morning to let Ron in to start work. Corky arrived at the bar just as Ron and his helper did.

The men climbed the stairs and immediately began clearing out the junk, moving anything salvageable to the back and hauling the rest away. Then their trips were reversed as they brought in the tools and materials they would need for construction.

Corky sat with his feet propped on the bar drinking coffee and watching Ron and his helper come and go. Ron Bowen was slender and muscular, with sandy hair that cascaded onto his shoulders. The muscles in his arms rippled beneath his shirt as he carried his heavy loads through the bar and up the stairs. Cora noticed.

By the end of the day they had everything up the stairs and were ready to start building. It took Ron another week to finish the walls. Then, Abe came and installed the bathroom plumbing and fixtures. Two weeks later, the apartment was ready to move into… a week ahead of schedule!

Lil donated a bed and dresser that she had stored in her attic. The furniture was well-used but serviceable. She sent them for Corky’s use but, by arrangement, all of Cora’s feminine belongings would be kept at Lil’s. If for some reason, Cora was expected at Lil’s, such as the lunch they had with Elmo, Corky could make the transformation quickly.

The old cot was moved into Elmo’s room until they could get him a better bed. Two small tables and a couple of chairs that had been broken in a brawl long ago were repaired, and these were divided between the two bedrooms.

Pops and his ersatz grandchild then became housemates. Their new arrangement was an instant success. At first, the only real difference in their routine was that Corky stayed at the bar until closing. And when the door was locked at two, Corky was the one on hands and knees behind the bar, stuffing the day’s receipts into the floor safe.



On the afternoon after Elmo and Cora’s first night in the apartment, Ron came in about five. Elmo was working the bar, and Corky was nowhere to be seen.

Ron perched himself on a stool at the front of the bar next to the wall. This would become his ‘regular’ spot. He held up a finger for Elmo to bring him a beer. When it arrived, he asked, “Where’s Corky?”

“Oh,” Elmo said. “He’s up at Lil’s. He goes up there to eat. He should be back here any time now, though. Usually gets back around five.”

Ron saw Corky as soon as he came through the door, and he jumped up to shake his hand. When their hands touched, it was Cora who was blushing as Ron squeezed her small, feminine hand in his large, calloused one. And it was Cora who had a fleeting vision of Ron lying beside her in her bed upstairs. And it was Cora who smiled broadly at him, although he saw only Corky.

He asked how the first night in the new apartment had been, and Corky answered, “It was wonderful!”

Meanwhile, Elmo had drifted back down the bar to where his three old regulars sat, joining the lie-fest, and paying no more attention to Ron and Corky. The younger two continued to talk about mundane things as Corky cleared away the clutter that Elmo left on the bar. More customers began to drift in, keeping Corky busy, so Ron finished his beer, waved goodbye, and slipped out the door.

He smiled as he walked along, recalling that moment when Corky first came walking in and he met him with a big handshake and looked into his eyes. Were they really the eyes of a boy? There was something too delicate about the soft hand, and those eyes seemed quite feminine. Was it possible? Ron pondered…. This might get interesting.

Ron continued his regular visits to the bar, depending on where he was working on any given day. He tried to get there around five, just as Corky was getting back from supper and before it started getting busy. But even on busy nights when Corky had no time for talk, Ron enjoyed sitting and watching him work. Every time their eyes met, Corky smiled at him. The more he observed Corky, the more he was convinced that ‘he’ was not a ‘he’ at all. He wanted to learn why a girl was pretending to be a boy. Whatever the reason, he was determined not to blow Corky’s cover.



The first month passed quickly for Corky. He still ate two meals a day at Lil’s but otherwise was at the bar. Elmo got used to having him around. He spent more and more time sitting on his barstool with a bottle of rye.

As Corky became the primary employee at the bar, Elmo’s concern for Corky’s safety increased. He remembered Corky mentioning getting a pistol when he proposed the apartment, and Elmo decided it was a good idea.

On the one-month anniversary of Elmo and his grandson moving into their apartment, Elmo presented Corky with a .38 caliber nickel-plated Derringer with over/under double barrels, which slipped easily into Corky’s pants pocket when he was behind the bar, and it stayed under Cora’s pillow at night.

Corky’s workload was steadily increasing. Not only did he do the morning sweeping and cleanup, but now he was tending a busy bar half the night. Elmo’s $3 a day was good pay, but Corky paid one of those dollars daily to Lil for meals. As Elmo relaxed further into his “retirement,” sipping his rye at the end of the bar, Corky became busier and busier. He was beginning to think he needed an assistant. He almost never got to just be Cora anymore, and it was tiring to be Corky almost all the time.

Corky, of course, became Cora every night when he finally got the bar closed and managed to get upstairs. It was Cora who snuggled down into the covers when she went to bed. It was Cora who was awakened when the sun came up over Chihuahua Hill and flooded her room with bright sunlight.

Recently, the sun awakened her from dreams… dreams about Ron Bowen. She usually turned over, pulled her pillow over her head to shut out the sun, and tried to bring the dream back. When this didn’t work, she would get up and take her morning bath. She relished in not having to share a bathroom with 10 other women. Relaxing in the warm water made her comfortable and tingly as she thought about Ron. But soon the water got cold, and she had to get out.

Cora continued to dream about Ron Bowen, both at night and when Corky had time to daydream. Her dreams of Ron were not completely without encouragement, as Ron had taken a liking to Corky while he was working there. After he finished the job, he began to come in for a beer or two most afternoons.

As time passed, Cora began to sense that Ron knew her secret. Cora saw the way he looked at her. She began to want to confess to him that Corky was really Cora. What would he think? What would be the best way to break the news to him?

The next morning, she went to see Lil.

“You know, if you feel this way, I think you should let him know. But you must make sure it’s him only. Do you think you can arrange for him to take an hour off some afternoon and meet you here for lunch after the girls are done, say one o’clock? Surely Elmo can handle the bar alone for that last hour before opening. Just let me know when you get it arranged. Any day will do as there’s never anything going on in the dining room at one.

Cora smiled, “I like the idea. Thank you so much, Lil.”

Lil said, “Go get ‘im, girl,” as Cora left the room.

Corky appeared to be walking on air as he sauntered back down to open the bar. He was happy. Cora was ecstatic, but Corky did a fairly good job disguising his emotions. What was Ron going to think?

Corky’s next important move was to arrange for Ron to meet him at Lil’s the next afternoon at one.

CHAPTER XIII

Cora was bone-tired when she finally climbed the stairs after closing the bar at two, but still she fairly buzzed with excitement for her meeting with Ron the next afternoon. And she dreamed of him while she slept. She was still dreaming about him when the sun rose over Chihuahua Hill at about seven-thirty.

She fervently hoped when Ron met Cora, he would like what he saw. Where was this morning’s meeting and revelation going to lead?

Corky got an early start at the bar. He had just swept last night’s clutter out to the street when a young boy walked up and boldly said, “Want some help, boss?”

Corky replied, “Nope.” The boy walked away as Corky raked the last of the mess out into the street. Then Corky wondered why he had answered so quickly. He really could use some help. He worried about mentioning it to Elmo, but he called after the boy to come back.

“What’s your name?” Corky inquired.

“Billy,” the boy replied.

“How old are you, Billy?”

“Why’s it any business a’ yours?”

“Might have a job for you if you’re interested.”

“Course I’m interested.”

“Then come by about one tomorra’ and we’ll talk.”

Billy smiled and waved. “Righty-O!” and he turned to walk away, calling back over his shoulder, “Oh, I’m sixteen.”

Corky continued readying the bar, and by the time Elmo came down at noon, most of the work was done. Elmo barely noticed as he crossed to the front door on his way to the Greek’s.

Corky called out, “Pops!” and Elmo turned around. “I gotta leave in just a little while and go up to Lil’s. I might not get back before openin’, so you’ll have to open by yourself, but I’ll have everything ready before I leave.

Pops said, gruffly, “Try not to be too late!” and stepped out the door.

Corky finished the last of the chores before trotting off to Lil’s. The bar was ship-shape and ready for Pops to open.

Lil was watching for Corky when he entered the house. She took him directly to her room. Esmy and Black Bonita were there.

Also awaiting Cora was a beautiful, tasteful gown, gloves, hat, and shoes – everything to make her look like a successful, interesting woman. Esmy and Black Bonita made sure she had rosy cheeks and bright red lips. Ron wouldn’t know what hit him.



At one p.m. on the dot, they heard the little bell above the front door and knew that Ron had arrived. Lil greeted him and escorted him into the dining room. When they stepped inside, Cora was standing on the other side of the table.

Before Ron had time to react, Cora smiled and spoke in Corky’s voice, “Afternoon, Ron. Surprised?”

His jaw dropped but his eyes smiled. He had harbored a strong suspicion that Corky was really a woman, but he had not expected to see that woman standing in front of him now. He was looking at a beautiful smile that alone made the entire package beautiful in his eyes. His heart fluttered.

He looked around and realized that Lil had disappeared, leaving him alone with this woman whom he knew only as Corky. She moved to where he stood, jaw still hanging slack from the shock.

Cora held out her hand. “Ron, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Cora Hicks. I hope you’re not disappointed that I’m not really Corky.”

Ron laughed. Lil heard it in her room and smiled.

“Wow!” He finally said. “Disappointed? How could I be disappointed? I’m delighted! But what happens to Corky?”

“Corky’s alive and well. Sit down and I’ll explain.”

Ron pulled out the chair at the head of the table for Cora before sitting around the corner from her. She took his hand in hers.

Cora explained that while she couldn’t wait any longer to reveal her real self to Ron, Corky would still be the one at the bar every day because, as a woman, Cora wasn’t allowed to work there.

“That’s the short version of how Corky came to be,” Cora said. “Let’s eat lunch and I’ll tell you the long version, if you want to hear it.”

“Of course I want to hear it!” Ron said as Cooky came through the kitchen door. She carried a tray with a plate of fried chicken, and bowls of mashed potatoes, peppery cream gravy, and steamed green beans.

After they had finished their meal, Cooky came in with coffee and apple pie. As they ate their dessert, Cora began her story. She explained how Corky had to be the bartender and how Cora could only appear as herself in this house or in her bedroom above the bar after closing.

“Cora can never be seen downstairs at the bar. And my name, Cora, cain’t never be mentioned outside of this house, least not so anybody could hear. I’d be breakin’ the law if someone found out ‘bout me in the bar,” Cora explained. “Guess the law was to keep gals like as works here from being in a bar, temptin’ the husbands and such. I don’t think the law works so good, as the husbands come up here anyhow. But I gotta be Corky at the bar, see.”

She continued her story of how she had come to Bisbee less than a year ago and everything that had happened after that. She told how she had met Elmo within minutes after getting off the train, about Faulkner, how he tried to rape her, and how he had been killed in the bar later that night. She told him about Jonny and her pregnancy, about Jonny’s disappearance and the subsequent stillbirth. She explained how she probably could never have kids now, because of what the doctor had to do. She ended the tale by reiterating her need to be Corky so she could earn her keep at Elmos’s.

“But I didn’t want to hide from you anymore,” she concluded.

Throughout her entire speech, Ron nodded occasionally and held fast to her hand. When she had finished, he squeezed it.

“You’ve had quite a time here, haven’t you?” he said, quietly smiling. “I’m sure glad to know your story… and to know Cora!”

They sat at the table holding hands and gazing at one another until it was time for Cora to change back into Corky and return to the bar. Both looked forward to getting to know each other better.



Elmo was behind the bar when Corky got back.

It was very difficult for Corky to keep Cora bottled up inside as he took over the bartending. Cora wanted to come out and sing! But soon things got busy, and Corky had to focus on the job at hand. By arrangement, Ron didn’t come in the bar that evening.

Corky was exhausted but happy as he helped Pops up the stairs that night. Cora was worn out when she crawled into bed.

And Corky was inexplicably happy on his way up to Lil’s for breakfast the next morning.



The next morning at eleven-forty-five, Elmo was sitting on his stool with newspaper and coffee in hand.

Corky had swept the usual mess to the front and was just raking it out into the street when Billy appeared. Corky pushed a broom-full of garbage over the threshold and across the plank walk out into the street. As he turned to go inside, he motioned for Billy to follow him.

In a low voice, he said, “So, you wanna work here?”

“Depends. What’s it pay?” Billy was tall and skinny, freckled, with a mop of flame colored hair poking out in oily spikes from under a beanie that looked like an inverted bowl on his head. A piece of straw hung from a corner of his mouth. He was digging under his fingernails with a pocketknife. He obviously wanted to look tough, older than his years, and like he belonged here. He didn’t look up from carving his nails when Corky answered.

“One dollar a day and all the warm beer you can drink. You can start this afternoon.”

Billy finally looked up. He was thinking that with a dollar a day … every day… something he could count on… he would be able to eat and, for two-bits a night, rent a bed in a flophouse he knew out on Naco Road at the base of Sacramento Hill.

“I c’n start now, if’n you want.”

Corky smiled. He was beginning to like this kid.

“I just gotta get it cleared with the big boss settin’ back there. C’mon with me,” Corky said, as he propped his broom beside the door. The curtains were still pulled, and the door-shade was down.

“Okay, Boss,” Billy said, and followed Corky. Elmo set his coffee cup down and saw Corky followed closely by a scruffy teenage boy. Somehow, he knew what Corky was up to.

It makes sense, of course! Elmo thought. Corky had essentially taken over the running of the bar, and had been complaining about being constantly tired. Elmo knew it was a big job.

It was true that Corky made a dollar more than Jonny had, Elmo thought, but he really did work his butt off. Perhaps, it was time to think about getting him a helper. Corky was now doing everything Jonny used to do and most of what Elmo had always done, including ordering and re-stocking liquor. It was fortunate that the brewery was right across the street. They delivered fresh kegs and installed them in the ice box. This was Brewery Gulch, after all! Elmo thought. And not only was Corky down on hands and knees stuffing the day’s receipts into the safe in the floor every night, but he was on hands and knees the next morning when those same receipts had to be taken to the bank. Elmo was right there watching both ends of this operation, of course, and he had to be the one to make the deposit at the bank, but aside from this and a few afternoon bartending duties, Corky did everything else.

Having considered all this in the time it took Corky and Billy to approach, Elmo decided to make Corky squirm a bit before giving in to Corky’s assumed proposal.



Corky had rehearsed what he would say to Pops. He had his reasons lined up like little ducks, ready to fire them one by one at Pops. But before he could open his mouth, Elmo looked at Billy and said, “What’s your name, son?”

“Billy, sir.”

“Well, Billy, wanna job?”

“This fella said I already got one ‘n I could start soon’s we got your OK.”

Elmo chuckled. “This fella here ain’t got hirin’ and firin’ rights. Only I got that. But in this case, he’s prob’ly right. Did he say what he’us gonna pay ya?”

“One dollar a day…” Billy said, his voice trailing off to just a whisper as he added, “and all the warm beer I can drink.”

“Guess that’s reasonable, considerin’ you can likely ease his workload. I reckon he plans to pay you out of what he gets ever’ week, so that means you’ll be workin’ for him. So, I guess you can go to work when he tells ya to. You and him can work out the details. Work hours and such.”

Corky was surprised at Pop’s response and unsure if Elmo was serious. But he decided to roll with it and pointed to where the broom was propped against the door. Corky told Billy to finish sweeping the trash out to the street.

“An’ then empty the spittoons out there too, an’ rinse them in the big sink at the back by the toilet, see over there in the back corner,” Corky instructed.

As soon as Billy had gone to work, Corky looked at Pops, a look of disbelief on his face.

“I don’t think that’s fair, Pops, havin’ me pay Billy out of my pay. I ought’n to have to do that. You know I do more’n enough work here for my $3 a day without havin’ to pay that boy yonder outa my money. And I know, since I tally up each day’s receipts afore you take ‘m to the bank and write all the checks to pay the bills on this place so you can sign ‘em,” … Cora, though she didn’t have much schooling, had a head for numbers … “and I know yore makin’ heaps ‘a money in this place.”

Elmo smiled. He was impressed with Corky’s sound arguments and the amount of thought Corky had given this. Elmo reckoned Corky had squirmed enough.

“Okay, but you kinda deserved that. Should’a come to me first before offerin’ the kid a job. But you got your helper, and you don’t have to pay ‘im yourself.”

“Aw, thanks, Pops. You might be okay after all,” Corky said with a grin as he turned to go to work.

Elmo called him back, “By the way, starting today, you’ll be paid $4 a day. And have a helper. Now git!” he said, already having raised his newspaper back up in front of his face.



Corky was so busy showing Billy what he would be expecting him to do that he didn’t notice it was after five. Ron walked in and sat in his usual spot by the wall. Corky glanced up and a big smile broke out on his face. He shouted, “Beer, Ron?” Ron nodded. Corky drew his beer and walked down to set it in front of him, extending his hand, “Missed you yesterday.” Corky winked and Ron smiled.



Elmo, Corky, and Billy soon became accustomed to their new routine. Billy caught on to Jonny’s old job so quickly, he needed no supervision after the first week.

Elmo had been coming down to the bar with just enough time to grab a mug of coffee over at the Greek’s before starting to prepare for opening. Now, most days, Corky, and Billy were busy doing the pre-opening tasks when Elmo came down from his room. He barely said good morning to them as he headed across to get his breakfast … a piece of buttered toast … that he ate as he meandered back across the Gulch. He sat on the back stool with coffee and newspaper until opening time. After the bar was open, he would drag his stool out to the plank walk and monitor the comings and goings on the Gulch until late in the afternoon, when he again resumed his position at the far end of the bar with his bottle of rye.

Billy’s routine included the myriad little tasks that a bartender must do. Within a few weeks, he was able to man the bar alone, as long as it was slow, with Corky or Pops there to pitch in if necessary. Corky spent much of the afternoon outside with Pops, helping inside when needed and, most days, leaving about four-thirty to go to Lil’s for supper before returning around five.

CHAPTER XIV

Lil discovered that she thought of Cora and her situation often. The girl had become rather dear to Lil, and Lil realized the challenges Cora faced as Corky… and that the Corky disguise was, by necessity, a temporary thing. It simply could not go on forever. She began to form a life-changing plan for Cora… and herself.

One Friday in December, Pops and Cora were having brunch with Lil when, out of the blue, Lil asked, “Elmo, do you still call this girl your granddaughter? And do you truly think of her that way?”

Elmo looked sort of embarrassed. “I reckon so, yeah.” Bits of partially chewed food fell from the corners of his mouth.

“I’ll bet you’d do anything for her, wouldn’t you?”

He wiped away the food with the back of his hand and muttered, “Yeah, pert near.” He was trying to figure out where this was going.

“Then give her the bar.”

Elmo almost choked on that one, but Lil continued, “I happen to know you don’t have any family that you can leave stuff to and, as the old saying goes, you can’t take it with you. You might as well give the bar to your granddaughter.”

Elmo’s words failed him. He grunted, his mouth full again.

“You have plenty of money in the bank and own four or five buildings down on the Gulch besides. If Cora owns the bar, she’ll be there to take care of you as you get older. Else, someday, your granddaughter is going to meet some man who’s going to sweep her off her feet, and she’ll follow him to Timbuktu if he asks her. Think about it. If Cora owns the bar, you don’t ever have to worry again. Right?” She gouged him affectionately in the ribs and finally gave him a chance to speak.

“I reckon.”

“You reckon! Hell! I’ve heard her tell Esmy and some of the others how there’s lots of nights when you’ve had more rye whisky than you should, and Corky has to help you up the stairs and off with your pants. Isn’t that taking care of you?”

Elmo looked at Cora, “You do that for me?”

She nodded her head, smiling at him, and then said, “Corky does. Sure. You don’t think we could leave you on that stool all night, do you?”

Pops hung his head and muttered, “I don’t remember you doing that. Thanks.” This last word was nearly unintelligible.

“I know you don’t.”

“Okay,” Lil said, “Let’s talk business. We’ll get a lawyer to draw up a bill of sale showing you’re selling the bar to Cora for a dollar and other considerations. … Or something like that. We’ll talk to the lawyer. You’re not giving her everything you own. Just the bar… the business and the building. The rest of the property stays in your name. If I know you, you likely have enough cash in the bank to keep you in rye whiskey for the next hundred years!”

“But,” She continued. Lil was on a roll, beginning to speak in the present tense as if everything was already decided. “The money the bar takes in belongs to Cora. She’ll put it in her own bank account. And when it’s time to pay the bills, she’ll pay them. The two of you can decide how to transition turning the business over to Cora, and I’m quite sure she will always need your advice.”

She paused for effect. As Elmo was about to speak, she resumed.

“And that materially changes one very important thing. As a business owner, Cora must have the right to manage her business as she sees fit. Regardless of who’s making the decisions, it must appear that Cora is. Once Cora owns the business, no city or state ordinance can prevent her from running it!”

Cora hadn’t yet figured out what Lil’s motive was, but she was a fast learner. Would Elmo agree to her proposal?

Lil still wasn’t giving Elmo an opportunity to respond. She continued her pitch.

“Do you see what this means, old man? Your saloon will become famous for breaking this barrier against women! The same laws exist in almost every mining town, and it is discrimination against women. In some places out here in the West, I can’t even own my own house! Just because I happen to be a woman! I want to see things change!”

As Lil paused for breath, Elmo quickly wedged some words of his own into her monolog.

“You about to run out of tongue, woman? Can I put in my two cents now?”

He had tried to sound serious, but Lil and Cora saw the hint of a smile on his venerable old face. Lil chuckled.

“Sorry. Guess I did hit you with both barrels. But I’ve thought about this ever since you agreed to the apartment being built. You convinced me that there’s nothing wrong with an old man living with his granddaughter. There’s also nothing wrong with that granddaughter being proprietor of the bar.”

“Let me guess. If I agree to this… and I haven’t yet… but if I did, I’m going out on a limb and guessing that you’ve already talked to a lawyer and made sure I can legally sell the bar to Cora here for a dollar.”

“Yep. I already knew that I can own this house, officially operated as a boarding house. I had to verify that there was nothing that says a woman can’t own a bar here. Currently, there is not. The lawyer’s name is Lorenzo Albright. You know him, don’t you Elmo? He lives up on Quality Hill.”

“Yeah. Yeah. I know him and I know where he lives.” Elmo said.

“Good. I told him to expect you to call on him but didn’t say when. Now ya’ll get on back to the bar and get it ready to open. Shoo!”

And with that, she hurried them out of her dining room. Elmo walked out the front door as Cora ran up the stairs to re-emerge as Corky. And for the rest of the day, Cora would dream about the day when … perhaps … Pops hadn’t said no to the scheme yet … she could get rid of these old things of Corky’s and become Cora full time again. Cora knew that no answer from Pops was the best answer until he had a chance to let the idea bounce around his rye-fogged brain for a spell.

CHAPTER XV

Since the day Cora revealed herself to Ron at Lil’s, her admiration for him had increased steadily. She wished fervently that she, as Cora, could carry on a proper courtship with him. Sadly, she knew that was not possible, so Corky and Ron, to anyone watching, became fast friends. From the time Ron sat down on his stool, Corky spent every possible moment propped against the bar opposite it.

October became November, and November turned into December. Cora began to think of Ron in a different way. She began to think how nice it would be to have him in her bed at night. She began thinking about how to make it happen. Cora was a frustrated young woman. Having to masquerade as Corky all the time added to her frustration.



Cora’s plan began to take shape. It would be easy to sneak Ron into her room after closing as soon as Corky got Elmo up to bed. They would just have to work out the details.

As it turned out, Ron Bowen had already thought of that and was ready to test his plan that very night.



At a few minutes before two, Corky began herding the last remaining drinkers out the door. Once they were all outside, he closed and locked the door and pulled the shade. He had already pulled the curtains closed over the bay windows.

He crossed behind the bar and opened the cash register. He carefully stacked all the bills into a bank bag and stowed it in the floor safe. He’d barely locked the safe and was starting to stand up when he heard tapping at the door. His skin prickled, and fearful thoughts arose. Who could be tapping on the door at this hour? Making double sure the safe was locked, Corky remained crouching behind the bar and waited, hoping whoever was there would go away.

But the tapping continued … Tap …Tap …Tap … … … … Tap…Tap…Tap … … … … Tap…Tap…Tap

Corky looked around at Elmo. Supposedly, he was supervising Corky’s handling of the money, but instead he was sound asleep, head cradled in his arms.

Keeping one hand on his Derringer, Corky quietly turned to the door.

Tap…Tap…Tap … … … … Tap…Tap…Tap … … … Tap…Tap…Tap.

The only light still on was a shaded bulb hanging low over the bar that produced a narrow cone of light, which illuminated the cash register and the backbar around it. The rest of the room was in deep shadow.

Corky could see the silhouette of a man through the shaded window in the door. He approached, keeping a hand on the pistol in his pocket. He pulled the shade aside just enough to peek through and laughed in relief when he saw Ron. And then laughed harder at Ron’s appearance. Ron’s face was pressed to the glass, forefingers hooked in the sides of his mouth, stretching it into a grotesque grin.

Cora finally got control of herself and relaxed her grip on the Derringer. She fished the key out of her pocket and opened the door just a crack.

“What are you doin’ here at this time of night?” She asked.

“I was hopin’ I might get to see Cora. I ain’t been able to see her since that day at Lil’s, and they’s some things I really need to talk to her about.” Ron smiled.

It was at that very minute that Cora’s plan came together in her mind, and she couldn’t believe how simple it was. Elmo was passed out on the bar. He would be oblivious when Corky helped him upstairs. He’d also never know, once she had seen him to his room, when Ron came up to Cora’s room a few minutes later. They would just have to make sure Ron was gone before Elmo stirred the next day, which would not be difficult as Elmo never came out of his room before noon these days. Many days he didn’t appear until nearly opening time.

She quickly unlocked the door and pulled Ron inside, placing a finger on her lips to silence him before leading him to his usual place, now deep in shadow.

She whispered, “I’ll get Pops upstairs an’ change into Cora. Should I come down then, or do you wanna come up?”

“Which do you think?”

“Once I get Elmo set and I’m ready, I’ll whistle for you to come up.”

“Go. Hurry!” he said, shooing Corky away with his hand.

It took Corky a good ten minutes to get Pops up the stairs and into bed. In another five, Cora, fur edged peignoir wrapped tightly around her, stood at the top of the stairs, and whistled softly. A moment later, Ron appeared and ascended the steps silently… two at a time.

Cora reached for his hand, her peignoir falling open in the process. She was wearing only panties and a short chemise. She led him into her room, closing the door behind them.

They didn’t speak. Cora removed his coveralls and led him to the bed. Silently and tenderly, they consummated their relationship before drifting off to sleep in each other’s arms. Just three hours later, the morning sun awakened her. Ron snored softly beside her. She rose and pulled her peignoir on before going out to the bathroom. Back in the room, she sat and watched Ron sleep for almost an hour. When he awoke, he was confused until he saw Cora sitting there. He smiled and mouthed, “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” Cora answered in a soft voice. “Elmo’ll sleep for a while yet. He don’t never come down afore one these days.”

Ron whispered, “Will you hand me my coveralls?” They hung over the back of the chair in which Cora sat. “Where is the bathroom?”

Cora stood, but instead of handing him his pants, she shed her peignoir and handed it to him, saying, “Wrap this around you. The bathroom is at the end of the hall past Elmo’s room, which is next door. There’s an empty room at the end of the hall on this side and the bathroom is on the other side.” Cora, now naked, slipped back under the covers. Ron joined her there a few minutes later, and they made sweet, quiet, morning love. After, they lay in the sunbeams, basking in each other’s presence. Ron was the first to speak, “That was amazing. I’m so glad I came by when you were closing.”

“Me too. I’ve known since that day at Lil’s, that this time would come. I felt sure at some point I would have you in this bed. And it’s everything I had dreamed it would be.”

Ron held her tight and said, “Can I come back tonight?”

“You can come every night if you want.”

His face broke out in a wide grin, “I do like coming with you.” Cora realized her statement could have double meaning.

Cora and Ron lay there, enjoying their afterglow, when Cora suddenly sat up, crossed her legs, and said, “Oh! I have some exciting news for you!” He sat up and mirrored her position. They sat there, naked, cross legged and knee-to-knee, facing each other.

“Elmo is maybe gonna give me the bar! Well, he’ll sell it to me for mostly nothin’. Can you believe it?” Her voice rose with each word so that Ron put a hand over her mouth to shush her.

Cora and Ron didn’t hear Elmo get out of bed and go to the bathroom, but as he started back to his room, he heard voices. He recognized Cora’s, of course, and then he recognized Ron’s. He smiled broadly and slipped into his room, closing the door.

Meanwhile, Cora gave Ron all the details of Lil’s proposal, even remembering the lawyer’s name, Lorenzo Albright.

“I don’t got a read on Pops, yet,” she continued. “But it’s Saturday. Nothin’ can be done ‘til Monday anyways. I expect Pops’ll let me know pretty soon. Never a good idea to pester Pops ‘bout somethin’.”

Ron caught her excitement. “So, ya think you can stand up to the Council, like Lil says? Doesn’t the law keepin’ women outa bars also keep ‘em from owning one? Hows’ that gonna work?”

“Lil tol’ me that the lawyer said that nowheres in the laws does it say a gal can’t own a saloon! And just think! Corky can go away for good ‘n’ I can always be me!”

Ron chuckled, and Cora changed the subject, “Now, about you stayin’ here nights… Ya interested?”

“Sure!”

“Well, it worked out las’ night, but I don’t really want you comin’ up and scratchin’ on the door and me havin’ to come let you in ever’ night. So, I was thinkin.’ I ring last call at one-thirty and then begin bootin’ out the drunks soon after, so’s I can get the door locked by two. Can you get here around one-forty-five? Come in quiet-like an’ sit on your stool in the shadows?”

“Sure. Easier than waitin’ somewhere out on the street until you lock up.”

“That’s what I thought. So, after I lock up, I can get the cash stowed in the safe without a bother. Pops insists on settin’ at the bar ‘n’ watchin’, ’till I get the money all locked up. He thinks he’s makin’ sure I’m not stealin’ from him… although since he might be givin’ me the bar … an’ I ain’t sure a’ that yet. Anyways, most nights he’s so shit-faced, he don’t know what I’m doin’. But he refuses to go up unless he knows I’ve got the money in the safe.”

Ron nodded his acceptance as he smoothed the hair back from her sundrenched face and gazed into her radiant smile.

“Happy?” he asked. He reached for her, but she jumped up and clasped her watch.

“Oh, shit! It’s almost eleven. You better skedaddle!” she said as she hustled Ron out of bed and watched as he pulled on his coveralls. He leaned over, gave her a quick peck on the cheek and said, “Until tonight.”

“Until tonight,” she whispered as he started for the stairs before turning back and asking, “Can I get out the front door? Don’t it take a key?”

“Oh, hell!” Cora said, pulling her negligee tight around herself. She got the key from Corky’s overalls and led Ron down the stairs, letting the peignoir billow out in her wake. When she stepped out of the stairwell into the barroom, she pulled her wrap tight again and proceeded to the front to unlock the door. She had not previously thought about having to come down and let Ron out, but as he took her in his arms one last time, she realized it was worth the effort.

As she closed the door behind him, she heard the usual cacophony coming from the Gulch and wondered how many people had seen Ron slipping out of the bar. She found she didn’t care much. And Ron certainly didn’t as he went merrily skipping along, whistling a tune.

Back upstairs, Cora was soon luxuriating in a warm bath, soothing her aching lady parts that had just had quite a bit of attention. Now she had to transform herself back into Corky and get up to No. 141 before breakfast was over.

When she got there, Lizzie, Millie, and Nellie were at the table. They greeted Corky but continued their conversation as he filled his plate with eggs, bacon, and biscuits. He set his plate on the table and was about to pour himself a coffee when Esmy came in, dressed in a new dressing gown trimed in feathers much like the wrap Cora had worn just an hour before. In fact, Corky remembered, Cora’s negligee used to belong to Esmy. Esmy eased up behind Corky, rubbing her nakedness against his backside. “Ready for some real action, cowboy?” she said good naturedly.

“Who says I’m not getting’ any real action?” Corky replied, turning around, and pulling Esmy’s dressing gown closed.

“Corky’s gettin’ action!” Esmy giggled delightedly as she sang, “Corky’s gettin’ action… Corky’s gettin’ action!” Of course, this got the full attention of the other girls, even Lil, who strolled in.

Corky laughed. “Oh! Ya’ll think Corky’s gettin’ some? Did it occur to you that Cora might be the one gettin’ it?”

Esmy enthused, “So, if I hear ya right, that luncheon Lil and I arranged a couple months back did the trick. What took ya so long?”

“Just had to wait for the time to be right,” Cora smiled.

At that point, the girls started jumping in with questions, talking over one another. Cora filled them in about the planned arrangement with Ron. They giggled when she told them about hiding it from Elmo. They thought that was clever.

Corky whistled a tune as he went lightly on his way to the bar. Billy noticed that Corky was in an especially good mood that afternoon as they got ready to open. Corky whistled as he restocked the bar, and his mood continued through the rest of the workday.



That afternoon, Corky, who had been sitting outside watching the parade of people coming by, stepped back inside to fill his mug, when Billy leaned across to Elmo.

“Whadda ya think, Pops,” Billy spoke quietly. “Think Corky might be gettin’ him some? He sure was happy this mornin’ when he come back from the whorehouse.”

Elmo, who knew Cora was the one ‘getting’ some,’ laughed and said, “If you only knew, son, if you only knew.”



Corky, once again, practically floatedback down from Number 141 to the bar to find Ron perched in his usual place. When Corky entered the bar, Billy was chatting with Ron. As Corky stepped behind the bar, he shouted back down the length of it.

“Hey, Billy! Don’t you got a job to do?” Corky glanced at Pops as he passed. A wry smile slowly worked its way across Elmo’s face. Corky wondered about that smile.

Ron hoped Corky might re-assure him that his coming in before closing was a good idea, but he never got the opportunity. By nine, he knew it was hopeless and left. Corky was too busy to chat. But Ron eased back in at one-thirty and sat in his usual spot.

When Corky saw Ron come in, he drew a beer and walked it down to him without saying anything. Then he turned and began clanging the triangle above the bar to signify last call. He continued the clanging until no more hands shot up. He counted them and began drawing beers, sliding them down, sometimes through several sets of hands, toward their intended recipients. Corky would shout their names as each glass rolled off his fingers.

“Felix… John… Pablo….”

Then he stood by Pops at the back of the bar and waited. At five minutes to two, Corky started his sweep forward, physically herding the group of a dozen or so men toward the door. A few complained that they hadn’t had time to finish their beer.

“Then drink up,” Corky repeated. “Don’t tell me you can’t swallow that little bit down. Here, let me help,” and he would place the man’s glass in his hand, if it weren’t already there, before tipping it up and draining it into the man’s mouth, ofttimes getting as much on the outside of the man’s belly as inside it.

Nobody but Cora noticed Ron during this exodus. Corky pushed the last of the drunks out the door, locking it tight, and pulling down the shade. The window curtains had already been pulled. Corky turned then and looked at Ron, who smiled and winked.

Corky completed the tasks for shutting down the bar as he had the night before except with a much lighter heart. He kept glancing at Ron and smiling. Once the day’s cash was safely locked away, he reached under the bar and pulled out a pint bottle of whiskey.

Setting it on the bar in front of Ron, he mouthed, “Put it in your pocket and bring it up with you.” Then he turned and went to the end of the bar to collect Elmo.

“Think I c’n. … Think I c’n.” Elmo began, stepping off his stool and nearly falling. Corky caught him and steadied him. Once Elmo got his feet under him, he began putting one unsteady foot in front of the other and managed to make it to the stairwell. Corky followed closely, waving to Ron as he and Elmo disappeared into the dimly lit stairwell.

He had to take one of Elmo’s arms to get him up the steps but, once there, Elmo wobbled to his room, leaving his derby and vest on a chair, before removing his arm-garters and leaving them there also. Next, strictly by rote, he slipped his galluses off his shoulders and let his trousers fall around his ankles. Stepping out of them, he slid them under the chair with his foot before ambling back towards the bathroom.

Once Corky had gotten Pops in bed, Cora said, “Night, old man.”

“Night, girl,” Elmo replied and was snoring before she closed the door behind her. She went to the top of the stairs and slipped quickly behind the curtain across the corner of her room to transform into Cora.

As Ron waited for her to whistle, he pondered the ways his life would change if this arrangement became permanent.

Cora’s light whistle broke his reverie. Taking the steps two at a time as quietly as possible, he entered Cora’s room just as she came from behind the curtain, which spanned a corner of the room and served as her closet.

Ron gently closed the door and gazed at her. She came to him and kissed him on the cheek.

“Pops is already asleep, and I’m gonna take a bath,” she announced. “Make yourself t’home. There’s a magazine there if you want somethin’ to look at. And you got a pint a’ whiskey what can keep you company for a spell. I won’t be just a minute.”

It was fifteen minutes, but to Ron it seemed like hours. Finally, he lay on his back, head propped on pillows, whiskey in hand, with the magazine open and face-down on his chest. He listened intently and watched for the doorknob to turn. As soon as he saw the knob move, he pulled the open magazine partially over his face so he could watch Cora pad across the room on bare feet, her body glistening in the dim light of the entryway. The magazine now completely covered Ron’s face. He feigned sleep. Cora dropped the peignoir by the bedside and lay down beside Ron who still feigned sleep.

She slid her hand down and unbuttoned the single button that kept his fly closed. She reached in and found his erect penis. Then she straddled him, lowering herself, easing down until he was fully enveloped. Remaining motionless, she bent and kissed him passionately on the mouth before she began to slowly, rhythmically move her hips, bringing him to an intense orgasm within moments.

Unlike the day before, … earlier that same morning to be exact. … when their heat had lasted almost to daybreak, once was all Cora could manage this morning before drifting off to sleep with Ron’s arms wrapped around her.

She was vaguely aware of the sun when it came streaming over Chihuahua Hill. She pulled the pillow over both their heads, snuggling more into Ron’s embrace, wanting to lay there forever. It was about nine when Cora finally escorted him downstairs and let him out, whispering, “Will I see you tonight?”

“What do you think?” he said, smiling. He left, and she closed the door behind him.

And as he sauntered away, he was thinking again about the changes in his life. He had no idea of how much more change was on the way… for everyone!

CHAPTER XVI

Monday morning, Elmo came downstairs before Corky left for breakfast.

“Corky, when you come back from Lil’s this morning, come dressed as Cora. I’ll be watching for you and we’ll go up and see that lawyer, Lorenzo Albright. Is that his name?”

“Yeah. That sounds right.”

“Okay, as soon as you get back, we’ll head up to Quality Hill.”

“Does that mean you’ve made the decision to give me this place?”

“I didn’t say. I just said let’s go up and talk to the lawyer.”

“Okay by me.” Corky said, starting for the front. “Cora’ll be back before you know it.”



Half an hour later, Elmo and Cora were sitting in Lorenzo Albright’s office at his home on Quality Hill. Elmo explained that Cora was his granddaughter… Albright didn’t have to know the actual truth… and a brief overview of her presence in Bisbee. Elmo didn’t bother to mention that she had almost been raped on her first day in Bisbee and had lived in a whorehouse for most of the time since, or that she had been posing as a boy for most of the last year.

Elmo explained the details of Lil’s plan, making the lawyer believe it was Elmo’s idea.

“I want to sell my bar to my granddaughter for one dollar,” he concluded.

“Are you sure about this?” the lawyer asked.

“Well, sir, I have thought a lot, and it’s for sure what I want to do. And I also want to have a paper drawn up that says she… Cora… my granddaughter… is gonna let me keep livin’ in my room over the bar as long as I’m alive.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem,” the lawyer replied.

Albright could have cared less about what Elmo did with his property. Or what kind of agreements he made with his granddaughter. He had never met Elmo and knew little about him. He simply said, “My fee for drawing up a deed and having it recorded will be $300. Is that acceptable?”

“Fine.” Elmo said.

The lawyer pulled a legal pad in front of him and removed the top of a large, black, Mont Blanc fountain pen. “What’s your full name, Elmo?”

“Elmo Manville”

“No middle initial?”

“Nope”

He looked at Cora. And your name, darlin’?”

“Cora.”

“Cora Manville?”

“No, sir. Cora Louise Hicks.”

He wrote their names on his pad and looked back at Elmo. “What is the address of the bar, Elmo?”

“58 Brewery Avenue.”

“And I assume you have a legal deed to the property?”

“Yessir. It’s in a safety deposit box at the bank.”

“Fine. Just to make sure I’ve got this right, let me reiterate,” began Albright.

Cora and Elmo looked at each other and shrugged, neither understanding what ‘reiterate’ meant. The lawyer ignored their obvious puzzlement and went on talking, “You want the Bill of Sale to say that you, Elmo Manville, are selling your property to this young lady, Cora Hicks, for one dollar?”

“That’s right.”

“Fine. Fine.” He picked up a small black notebook calendar and looked at it, commenting, “This is Monday. I’ll have my clerk type the papers tomorrow. Can the two of you come back Wednesday morning, say around ten, to sign them?”

Elmo said, “Don’t see why not.” He and Cora stood up, and Elmo added, “Unless they’s more we need to do here, we’ll be going.”

Albright stood and extended his hand. “I’ll see you Wednesday, then.” He shook Elmo’s hand and made a mock hat-tip to Cora. As they started out the door, Albright called after them, “Oh. One last little detail. I’ll expect to be paid on Wednesday as well, if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll have your money,” Elmo answered, passing through the door and down the steps, Cora following at his heels.

The fee was paid, and the papers signed on the following Wednesday morning.

“I’ll have to send all of this to Tombstone for recording,” Albright remarked. “It’ll take the courthouse several weeks before we get copies of the recorded deed back. They don’t get in any hurry. I’ll be in touch.”



Before this exciting change of status for Cora, the previous Saturday was Ron’s second overnight with her.

It being Sunday morning, there was no reason to hurry, as long as Ron was gone before Pops stirred. Cora and Ron began to discuss how Ron’s staying there every night was going to work.

Ron rented a cellar up Laundry Hill. Laundry Hill was quite a hike up from the Gulch, but the cellar was a safe place to store his tools, and his tools were his livelihood. He kept an old cot there, so he didn’t have to rent another room for sleeping. The place was dark and damp, but he had gotten used to it. The cellar was in the home of a widow, whom he despised and fortunately didn’t have to see often.

After Ron had gotten to know Corky and was visiting the bar nearly every evening, his routine was to hike up Laundry Hill from wherever he happened to be working, stash his tools, walk back down to the bar and then, later, back up to bed. He rarely stayed at the bar after nine. Most nights, he left earlier. Now, he needed to be at the bar at closing time to be with Cora. This made for a lot of walking up and down Laundry Hill.

Cora hit on the solution. She suggested that when Ron got to Laundry Hill after work, he should stay there until late and get a few hours’ sleep. Then he could head down to the bar whenever he wanted. Once he got there, he wouldn’t have to go back up the hill until the next morning. He could get some sleep early in the evening and more during the wee hours after the bar closed.

Ron wasn’t crazy about splitting up his night like that but couldn’t think of a better plan. He sure didn’t want to miss spending at least part of the night in Cora’s bed! But how would he wake up once he was asleep in a dark cellar?

Cora seemed to read his thoughts. “Go to the drugstore and get an alarm clock,” she suggested.

So, the plan was put into place. Ron arrived at the bar that night a little before midnight. He sat in his usual place in the shadows by the wall sipping beer until closing time. Then he slipped up the stairs when summoned by Cora.

This plan worked for a while, but soon took its toll on Ron. He trudged up Laundry Hill at the end of his workday lugging his tools with him. Then he would lay down for a few hours, hoping to sleep some, before going back down to the Gulch and sitting on a barstool for a couple of hours, then going back to bed, where he often dozed off waiting on Cora to finish her bath. Cora’s bath re-energized her after her long day in the bar. She became insatiable, and that meant neither of them slept very much. Cora let Ron out the door at six most mornings. He would climb up Laundry Hill to grab his tools and get to work by seven. And Cora had several more hours to sleep before her day as Corky began.

The two lovers were becoming exhausted. Something had to change. But unless Ron only stayed over on weekends, they couldn’t figure anything else out.

The perfect solution came from a most unexpected source the very next morning.



It was another Sunday. Ron didn’t have to work, so it was about ten when he and Cora tiptoed downstairs so she could let him out. They were secure in the knowledge that Elmo was asleep in his room. Cora had peeked in and thought shehad seen him in bed. Neither she nor Ron noticed him sitting in his usual place at the end of the bar as they passed. They were whispering their good-byes when Elmo’s voice startled them.

“No need to be so secretive ya’ll. I been knowin’ what was goin’ on up there for some time now.”

Both Cora and Ron turned around, aghast.

“Oh shit!” Cora muttered. “Pops … I … Errr … That is ….” Cora couldn’t seem to form a sentence, and Elmo was finding it hard to breathe through his laughter. She glanced at Ron, and when their eyes met, they started laughing as well.

Elmo said between chuckles, “Both a’ ya’ll come back here. You in a hurry to get somewhere, son?”

“Guess not. The reason I was hurryin’ don’t seem to exist no more,” Ron smiled.

“Then let’s talk. You two really thought you were getting away with somethin’ behind my back?”

They nodded sheepishly. Cora said, “I guess we did. I don’t know what we thought, ‘cept how much we wanted to be together.”

Pops grinned. “I’ve known that Ron was stayin’ in your room since that first mornin’ when I heard you talkin’. And then I started listenin’ for you to go let him out. I know he’s been here ever’ night for three weeks. So, my first suggestion is, you take this key an’ get a copy from the locksmith.” He handed a key to Ron.

Now it was Ron’s turn to look sheepish. He looked at Elmo and asked, “Are you sure, Pops?”

“Well, it’s pro’lly not my place to say, or it won’t be pretty soon onc’t that deed gets back from Tombstone… Hell, I shoulda asked Cora if it was okay before I gave you the key to the place.”

Cora smiled at this exchange. “I think it’s one of the most wonderful suggestions I’ve ever heard. And now, I want to make a proposal, Pops, if it’s okay?

“Sure.”

Elmo and Ron exchanged looks as Cora began.

“If Ron is willin’, Pops, maybe we could hire him as a night bartender to help me out when things start gettin’ busy?” Having found her tongue, words started tumbling out of her mouth as fast as she could form them. “Because I’ve noticed that he’s really tired lately, an’ he’s missed some days of work because he’s so tired an’, that is…”

She turned to Ron. “If you would want to, Ron?”

Without waiting for Ron’s answer, she turned back to Elmo. “I thought if he was working here part time, he wouldn’t have to do so much carpenterin’….”

And then back to Ron. “And maybe you could give up your place on Laundry Hill and keep your tools in the storeroom back yonder?”

Elmo laughed and said, “My god, girl. How long you been savin’ this up?”

Cora looked at her shoes. “Uh. Guess I should’ve cleared it with you first, Pops.”

“Seems to me Ron’s the one you should clear it with. Ron, I think it’s your turn.”

“Gee,” he began. “That went by so fast, I’m not sure I caught it all! Did you say you’re offerin’ me a job? And that you thought I could maybe give up some of my carpenterin’?”

“Is that askin’ too much?”

“You kiddin’? I’d love it. … I wouldn’t never have to hike back up Laundry Hill again or worry about that scary ol’ lady I rent from attacking me in my sleep!”

Elmo chimed in, “You seen how big our storeroom is? Seein’ how you’re a carpenter and all, you could put up some shelves, so there’s enough room for your things.”

And now Cora again, “An’ you’ll never have to sneak in and out again, and we can live just like normal married folks!” It just slipped out. She glanced nervously at Ron. When he didn’t respond immediately, she added, “I’m not sayin’ we gotta get married or nothin’.”

There was a pregnant silence before Ron asked, “When can I bring my tools down?” and everybody laughed. Ron left immediately, returning with a borrowed handcart containing all his tools. By late afternoon, everything was stowed away, and Ron became a permanent resident of Cora’s room above the bar.

And that night, he started learning to tend bar, working beside Corky for now, but that was soon to change.



The next week, almost four weeks after Cora and Elmo had been to see Lorenzo Albright, a boy came into the bar with a large envelope. He had been dispatched by Lawyer Albright and had been instructed to give the envelope directly to Elmo Manville. Albright assumed that Cora Hicks, as a law-abiding woman, would not be in the bar. However, he was unaware of Corky.

The envelope contained six photostats of an officially recorded, fee-simple deed, which stated that Cora Hicks was the sole owner of the building at 58 Brewery Gulch, and that the only covenant was that she allow Elmo Manville to live rent free in a room above the bar for the rest of his natural life.



The next morning was Friday, and Corky and Ron left the bar, heading to Lil’s for breakfast.

Half an hour later, Cora and Ron emerged. Cora looked lovely in a smart ankle-length business dress, complete with gloves and a sun bonnet. A livery wagon was waiting for them on Brewery at the bottom of the steps. She dropped Ron at the bar and the teamster drove her on to the bank.

Entering through revolving doors, Cora looked around in awe. She had never been inside a bank before. Elmo was seated on a bench at the opposite end of the lobby. He saw her and immediately signaled her to follow him. As she crossed the wide office, she realized she was the only woman in the bank. There were no female employees that she could see. No female customers. She quickened her pace slightly to get into the office and away from the stares of the men around her.

Inside the office, a young clerk behind a desk waved at two chairs in front of it. As they sat, Elmo began.

“I sold my bar to this young lady here with me. She’s my granddaughter, Cora Hicks, an’ she wants to open a bank account in her name.”

“Well,” the young clerk said, “While it is certainly possible for a woman to have an account in her own name, mostly they want to be on a man’s account, whenever possible.” He looked at Elmo, turning away from Cora, and speaking as if she were not there. “Women prefer to let their husbands or fathers, or in your case, grandfathers, handle their business affairs. What if we set up a second account in your name, Mr. Manville, and put Miss Hicks on the account? That would be all she needs.” He glanced at Cora now. “And you, Cora…” … She noticed his familiarity. He would regret it! … “you wouldn’t have to be bothered with writing checks, or balancing the numbers, or other bank things. That’s such a bother.” He reached across the small desk to pat her hand. She seethed. “You’ll have good credit in Bisbee, I’m sure, and those places where you shop will be glad to send Mr. Manville here a bill each month, and he can dr…” He would have finished with “drop by with a check,” but he was abruptly, emphatically, indignantly interrupted.

“You pompous arse!” Cora exclaimed loudly, using Elmo’s pronunciation, as she jumped to her feet. Mr. Biggers, the President of the bank, who was sitting next door in his office, had been aware of the conversation through the open office doors. He nodded approval of how Jenkins gently steered these customers in the right direction. Biggers put women on pedestals and did his best to keep them out of the realms of business. Cora’s outburst got his full attention. He jumped from his chair and maneuvered his bulk out one door and into the other just in time to hear …

“Look here, Mr. Whoever-you-are, that paper there,” Cora stabbed her finger down on the deed, “That paper there says that I have fee-simple ownership of the building” Cora wasn’t sure what fee-simple meant, but she knew it was important. “… and the business that is housed inside it. Now, when I leave this bank, I will have a bank account in my own name, Cora Hicks.” She reached into her bag and extracted a $2 bill, which she extended across the desk. “Here’s $2 to secure the account until tomorrow morning when I, Cora Hicks, will come in with my first daily deposit of the receipts from the bar. And you, or one of them other little pipsqueaks out there like you,” … She swept her arm, taking in the entire bank. … “will smile and say, ‘Good Morning, Ms. Hicks’, and give me a receipt.” She pronounced it ‘recipe’. “Is that clear, Mr. Whoever-you-are? Now, set me up an account pronto, or I go find me another bank!”

Mr. Biggers bellowed from the doorway behind her, “I strongly suggest that you do just as this young woman has asked you to do Jenkins!” Jenkins had not been ‘asked’. He had been ordered!

Jenkins extracted a form from his desk drawer and began to fill in the blanks. Cora sat patiently and watched. Mr. Biggers, who was quite rotund and filled the entire doorway, also watched. This young lady was now the owner of a bar on Brewery Gulch. In 1910, there was more than one bank in Bisbee, and he didn’t want to upset the new owner of a profitable local business.

Jenkins finished the form and had Cora sign her crude script that was now her official signature. He presented her with a pad of checks. It seemed to cause him pain to have to say, “Thank you, Miss Hicks. We appreciate that you chose our bank to safeguard your money. I hope you have a pleasant day,” which was the standard salutation to any new depositor. He had never had to say it to a woman before.

As Cora stood up to leave, Mr. Biggers extended his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Hicks. I’m Horace Biggers, President of the bank, and I too want to tell you how much we appreciate your business.

Cora returned his handshake. “Pleased to meet ya, Mr. Biggers. I’m Ms. Cora Hicks,” she corrected.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Miss … err, Ms. Hicks. If you ever need anything, you just come to me.”

As Cora and Elmo started back across the lobby, the stares of the clerks were accompanied by slack jaws now that everyone knew Ms. Hicks. Mr. Biggers looked at Jenkins and said, “Follow me.” He closed the door to his office behind them.



The following day, Lil invited Elmo, Ron, and Cora for brunch. She wanted to celebrate Cora’s new status as bar owner and share some possibly controversial ideas with the new proprietor, her beau, and her ‘grandfather’.

At the end of lunch, she tapped her glass of beer with her spoon. Then she raised her glass. “To Ms. Cora,” she said, having heard from Elmo about what transpired at the bank. “The first female to own a bar in Bisbee and Cochise County and maybe all of Arizona!” The four of them held their glasses high over the table and clinked them together.

“And in consideration of that fact, I think that the three of you should plan to have luncheon here with me at eleven-thirty this coming Thursday … and every Thursday.” Having made this simple statement, she didn’t wait for anyone to respond. “Let’s move on to the real stuff. Cora, now that you’re the legal owner of the bar, I think it is imperative that you become known as the owner. Not only on paper, but the hands-on, on-premises proprietor that people recognize. I think we should plan a grand opening for one week from today.

“On that day, Corky can disappear forever. And Cora will appear at the bar that very afternoon to greet customers. And to wait for the arrival of the constable.” Lil had a wicked look in her eyes. She chuckled. “And we know he’ll arrive because word will quickly spread that there’s a woman running Elmo’s bar! … I just hope the bank folks don’t spoil our surprise,” she mused. “So, when the constable comes in to try to run you out, you will show him your deed and politely explain to him that, as the proprietor of the bar, you can’t be stopped from running your business.” She paused, thinking.

“It’s likely he won’t accept this argument, as he’s not the brightest fella around. And, it’s very possible he’ll want to arrest you. But Elmo and I think we can prevent that. We have arranged for Alonzo Albright to be waiting. The instant the constable arrives, we’ll call Quality Hill and Albright will be there in minutes. All you have to do is stall the constable long enough for Albright to get there, and he’ll take care of things.”

Cora looked at Elmo. “So, Pops, you’re in on this? You knew Lil wanted Cora to permanently do away with Corky?”

“Yep. Planned it together. You can say no. We can’t force you or nothin’. It’d be you, after all, who might have to spend time in the pokey.”

“You know,” Cora said, chuckling, “Things have gotten a bit boring being Corky. I think it’s time for a little excitement. Since we have only a week, I want to take all of Cora’s things back to my room as soon as I can. Oh, and I think we should have a funeral when we snuff Corky out for good … and maybe burn that pair of overalls.”

Everyone had a good laugh at that one.

CHAPTER XVII

At two o’clock on the following Friday, Corky opened the bar as usual, greeting the three regulars who were waiting outside. They filed in and took their usual places as Corky went behind the bar and drew their beers, sliding each down to its intended recipient as the schooner was filled. The afternoon proceeded in its normal fashion, Billy tending the bar while Corky and Elmo sat out on the plank walk.

By four, things had picked up enough that Corky was behind the bar with Billy when Ron came in with a brown paper-wrapped package under his arm. He walked straight to the stairwell, nodding at Corky and Billy as he went, before disappearing into the stairwell. Corky didn’t think anyone but Billy had seen him go up. Nobody seemed to notice that Elmo followed Ron.

After a couple of minutes, Corky told Billy he had to go upstairs for a spell but would return with Elmo and Ron in a few minutes. Billy was left to tend the bar until they came back down. Corky headed for the stairs for the very last time.



About a quarter-after-four, Elmo wandered in from the back. He was dressed in his customary uniform of white shirt, black slacks, black boots, black string tie, and black vest, topped off with his signature derby hat. Black, of course. About midway between elbow and shoulder a garter, garishly colored yellow and blue, was positioned on each arm. Although he wore this same outfit every day, somehow today he looked different.

He crossed behind the bar, nodded at Billy, and began to greet the regulars when a young lady stepped out of the stairwell. All eyes immediately turned to her as she strolled leisurely across the room. She stepped behind the bar and stood beside Elmo. The onlookers thought they saw a resemblance to Corky, but this person was most decidedly a woman! She wore a modest, button front blouse, an ankle-length gingham skirt, and fancy western boots. Her cheeks had a rosy glow. Her hair, a shiny copper color, was cut in a short bob with bangs, a style several years ahead of its time. The hair was the same as Corky’s except it had been washed, trimmed up, and brushed neatly. It was the only vestige left of Corky except the voice.

All eyes were glued to Cora as Ron descended and stood at the end of the bar near Elmo’s usual place. He too was not in his usual attire. His coveralls had been replaced by a pair of grey pinstripe trousers, a white shirt, and small crisscross cravat.

Less than two minutes had passed since Elmo had walked in, and not a word had been uttered.

Elmo looked at Cora and said, “Ring that there last-call bell, Darlin.”

Cora used a finger to wipe away a tear that had trickled down the side of her nose as she reached up and grabbed the clanger and ran it around the big triangle. The murmurs in the crowd subsided as Elmo raised his glass, and all in attendance followed suit.

“I want to welcome ya’ll to what used to be my bar,” Elmo announced to puzzled looks from everyone. “This place now belongs to Ms. Cora Hicks, my beautiful granddaughter who you see standing before you. As of today, she is the sole owner and proprietor of this here establishment. And I am so very proud of her! Cheers!” He shouted, and the chorus shouted back, ‘Cheers’.

“And, Ms. Cora,” Elmo addressed her as Ms. Cora for the rest of his life. “Ms. Cora here’ll be buying the next round of drinks.”

“Hip, hip, hooray for Ms. Cora!” The crowd sang, glasses still held high.

Cora gave Elmo her best indignant look for obligating her to a round of free drinks, but it was hard to achieve that look with tears streaming down both cheeks and dripping off the tip of her nose.

She used a bar-towel to wipe her face before turning back to the room and shouting, “Step right on up boys, and get ‘em before I decide not to be so generous!”

Ron joined her at the beer taps and the two began drawing beers as fast as the taps would flow, sliding them down the bar as each schooner was filled.

However, before all the toasts had been made and drunk, the news that Ms. Cora Hicks … a woman! … was now sole proprietor, owner, and operator of the bar, was already spreading up and down the Gulch and beyond.

And as Ms. Cora and Ron were filling glasses, a lady wearing a hooded cape slipped virtually unnoticed behind the crowd of men and out the door. Lil had been observing from inside the storeroom since the start of the festivities.



About six o’clock that evening, four of the town’s leading citizens … Dr. Albion Aquilar, physician for the Copper Queen Mining Co.; Jack Spivey, owner of the Lyric Theatre; Phineas C. Vargas, superintendent at Shattuck Mines; and The Rev. Icabod Hansen, Rector of First Presbyterian Church… entered the bar and stood in a line in front of it, glaring at Cora behind the bar. Several of the patrons turned to face them. The Rev Hansen had a very loose, ill-fitting, and threadbare black suit hanging on his bony frame. A long black frock coat and a small, much frayed top hat completed his costume.

Across his vest stretched a gold chain which he used to draw a large gold watch from the pocket. He held it high, pointing a bony finger directly at Cora.

“You, young woman, are in violation of the city ordinance that states that no female may be present in a barroom after five o’clock. It is now after six p.m.”

His long bony finger continued to point at her accusingly, following her, as she hurried out from behind the bar, passing in front of Elmo, and pushing her way through the crowd. She marched straight to the front, stopping only when the Rev. Hansen’s long bony finger was an inch from the tip of her nose. Ron was right on her heels.

Meanwhile, Elmo didn’t move as Cora and Ron passed in front him. He just smiled, enjoying the spectacle. He knew from her performance at the bank two weeks prior that Cora was more than capable of fighting her own battles. And after consulting with Lil, he had silently pledged that when the bar became hers, Cora would have to fight her own battles.

Cora slapped Icabod’s finger and arm aside. She closed the small distance remaining between them until her chin was nearly touching his chest. She looked furiously up into his face, undaunted.

“Listen, old man, I don’t know who the hell you are, but you have no goddam right to come into my establishment and yell at me. It’s downright disrespectful!” She stepped back and thrust a copy of her deed in front of his face before continuing. “This here legal paper declares me to be the owner of this here building and business! Do you see my name here? Ms. Cora Hicks? That’s me! And the paper says I own this here bar at 58 Brewery Ave. See it!” she demanded, shoving it right up against the spectacles perched on the tip of his nose.

“Step back, woman!” he shouted. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t need to see any paper because it doesn’t change the law. And you are breaking the law, woman!”

Anticipating just such a reaction, Ron stepped forward and presented another paper to the reverend. “This, Rev, is a copy of the ordinance you are citing. I picked it up earlier today from the lawyer. I had a feeling its exact wording might come in handy. Let’s see…” he perused the paper. Unlike Cora, Ron did know who Icabod was, and that he was a sanctimonious old bastard.

“It says right here, Rev, that, and I quote, ‘It shall be unlawful for any woman within the limits of the Town of Bisbee, in any saloon or in any room or apartment adjacent to such saloon or connected therewith either for hire or otherwise, to sing, dance, recite, or play a musical instrument, give a theatrical performance, or other exhibition, serve as waitress or bar maid, or engage or take part, either as employee, or otherwise, in any game of chance or amusement played in any saloon.

“Now, Rev, do ya see anywhere here,” He waved the paper again, “Where it says that the owner of an establishment … female or otherwise… can’t run her own established business? No ya don’t, cuz it says nothin’ about a female owner. Ms. Cora here has a fundamental right as the sole owner of this here business to run it as she sees fit. Do ya know of any law, local, county, or state, that prevents a woman from owning a property or a business? Can ya show me a law that says a woman can’t run her own business? Ain’t there a nice little hat shop up on Main owned and op’rated by one Mrs. Victoria Gregovich? Ain’t she owned and run it for some years?” The questions, along with the final comment, came rapid-fire.

The reverend was speechless. He looked to either side of him for the other members of his little committee but they had all stepped back until their backs were pressed against the door, as far from the reverend as possible. This ad-hoc committee had, in fact, been hastily formed by the reverend himself because he didn’t want to have to get up in his pulpit Sunday morning, especially since it was Easter, amid rumors that he had made no outcry about a woman not only being present in, but rumored to be the proprietor of, a saloon on the Gulch.

The other members of the group who had entered with him but now apparently had abandoned him, were the first men he could find who were willing to accompany him. But, now, none of them were willing to speak up, leaving poor Icabod and his god to fight their battle themselves.

The silence in the barroom was deafening. Icabod and his god stood there, all alone and overmatched!

Neither Ron, Cora, nor Icabod noticed as Elmo began approaching the group gathered at the front. Suddenly, Elmo’s voice boomed from behind the crowd near Cora and Ron.

“Cora, Ron, give these pompous arses room to get out before I start pushin’ ‘em through the glass one by one! I’ll start with this sanctimonious old bastard standing here in front of me!” Elmo reached to grab hold of the reverend as the others made a hasty exit. The blustering, self-righteous clergyman just managed to elude Elmo’s grasp and escape behind them.

“Hip… Hip… Hooray!” the chorus shouted, and the chant, “Ms. Cora… Ms. Cora… Ms. Cora!” rose to the rafters as Cora and Ron returned to their places behind the bar and Elmo to his stool. Cora reached up and gave the triangle a generous clanging to get everyone’s attention. “Okay, boys, free beer the rest of the night!” she said, and the rowdy uproar increased.

Cora’s first night as proprietor was truly festive, but she didn’t think the struggle was over. She expected to have to face the city council, and the mayor, but the constable never came to arrest her, and she was soon left to operate her bar on her own as she saw fit.



Saturday morning dawned clear and warm. It was going to get much warmer as the day progressed. Somehow, Cora was in a festive mood even though the thought of ‘Would today be the day the sheriff came calling?’ was constantly present.

A little after noon, Billy stumbled in. He said, “Mornin’ Boss,” as he went to get his broom. He started cleaning up the mess left from the grand opening celebration the night before. Corky noticed that he looked rather haggard.

“Billy, are you okay?”

“Guess so. Not feeling my best this morning. Too much opening day celebration, I suppose. Didn’t get back out to Sacramento Hill ‘til almost three. I ‘preciate you chasin’ me outa here most nights earlier n’ that. I see now that stayin’ till closin’ ever night would run me ragged.”

“What if you didn’t have to go back out to Sacramento Hill after closing?” Cora thought out loud. “What if you started sleeping in the extra room upstairs, across from the bathroom? It’s empty, and I’ll bet we can rustle you up a bed somewhere.”

Billy’s goofy grin lit up his face. “You mean I won’t have to leave here an’ can stay all the way to closin’ an’ help get Elmo back up the stairs an’ maybe even get him to go back yonder to the bathroom afore he sets on that stool of his’n and pisses hisself?”

Cora laughed. “That’s exactly what I mean.”

“C’n I go get my stuff from the boarding-house now? I don’t got much, an’ I c’n be out there and back afore time to open.” Billy’s emotions and enthusiasm overcame his exhaustion.

“Slow down!” Cora said, laughing at Billy’s excitement. “I know you’re excited, but we still gotta get this bar ready to open by two. Once all your chores are done, you can go get your stuff. Ron and I can handle the bar ‘til you get back.”

“Thank you, boss!” Billy said, resuming his duties while whistling a tune. “It almost feels like I’ll have a family now!”

Ron came in from the back and caught the end of Billy’s pronouncement that it almost feels like family. He picked up on Billy’s whistling and realized there was something different about him as Billy pushed the last of the debris out the door and into the street.

Ron glanced at Cora who had busied herself behind the bar. Ron stepped beside her and said, “What’s up with Billy? Never saw him so happy!”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Cora said, motioning towards Billy who had just come back inside.

Billy stopped whistling and stared at Ron and Cora. The goofy grin was still plastered on his face. “What?” he said innocently, looking from one to the other.

Ron couldn’t help but laugh as he said. “That’s exactly what I want to know. What?” He looked at Cora. “I know there’s something going on here. What is it?

“Tell him, Billy.”

“I’m gonna start sleepin’ in that extry room ya’ll got up there.” He pointed.

“Oh, is that all?” Ron said as if he had expected that very response. “When is this gonna start?”

“As soon’s the boss lady says I got my openin’ chores done an’ can go git my stuff an’ tell ‘em at the boarding house that they ain’t gettin’ no more two-bits from me!”

By the time he finished his speech, Cora had uttered the single word “Git” and shooed him towards the door.



As summer approached, each day the sun came up over Chihuahua Hill a bit earlier. The days kept getting longer… and warmer. And Elmo felt more useless every day. He knew he had to let Cora run her bar and fight her battles, but he had hoped that there would be situations where she would need his advice. These days, she was more likely to seek Ron’s advice than his. The business seemed to be running more smoothly than when it was just Elmo alone running the show.

Thus, as the months passed and spring turned into summer, Elmo came down to the bar later and later every day and drank more and more rye whiskey. Some nights, he even pissed his pants sitting right there on his barstool. It was, of course, Billy’s job to clean it up, so he would try his best to coax Elmo up the stairs or even just back to the toilet, before the end of the night. Elmo tended to ignore him. There were nights it took both Ron and Billy to get Elmo up the stairs.

CHAPTER XVIII

It was just after opening time on a sweltering day in mid-August. The temperature was pushing 100 degrees and had been above that mark almost every day for the last three weeks. No one in Bisbee could remember it ever being so hot for so long. The fans hanging from the ceiling in the bar whirred and pushed the warm pungent air around, but did little to cool the place off. It hadn’t rained since mid-March. The monsoons were more than a month late, the humidity remained low day after day, and there seemed to be no rain in sight. Cora had shed as much of her clothing as she dared. While city officials had not bothered her in several months now, she knew she must carefully maintain her reputation as a businesswoman, despite the heat.

Cora mopped her brow with a handkerchief and fluttered it in front of her face to shoo away the flies before tucking it back into her cleavage. She watched as an old man shuffled through the door. He leaned heavily upon a sturdy stick and dragged one foot. His face, covered with a scraggly beard that may have been trimmed with the large hunting knife that resided in a holster at his waist, showed the accumulated stresses of many years in the desert sun. He stood just inside the door, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the gloomy interior of the barroom. As his eyes adjusted, he scanned deeper into the room, finally resting his eyes on Elmo sitting in his usual spot. The man struggled forward.

Shuffle, shuffle, tap … Shuffle, shuffle, tap … Shuffle, shuffle, tap …. Cora saw his eyes were locked on Elmo and wondered if the two old men knew one-another.

Arriving at Elmo’s side, the man tapped him on the shoulder.

Elmo looked up through bleary eyes. And then his old toothless face broke into a seldom seen grin as he drawled, “Well, well. If it ain’t Rainmaker! It’s been a right long dry spell round these parts. We could shore use us some rain now, right enough. Ain’t that so, Ms. Cora?”

“Sure enough, Pops.” Cora was surprised that Elmo recognized this man. She hadn’t seen him in the more than two years she’d been in Bisbee

“Pull Rainmaker up a stool and get him a glass, darlin’.” Elmo instructed. “He’s gonna tell us where all he’s been since the last time he was in Bisbee.”

Cora placed a stool under the old man and a glass in front of him. Elmo filled the glass with rye.

As Elmo poured, the man he called Rainmaker said, “Let’s see. Nineteen and two, mebbe? That was the year I brought that big flood, warn’t it?”

Elmo said, “Well, that was nearly bout 10 year ago, then, wadn’t it?”

“Yeah. I reckon ‘twas.”

“Where ya been since then?”

“All over.”

Cora was glad when she was called to the front of the bar and had a chance to step away from this fellow, Rainmaker, whoever he was. For some reason, he gave her the heebie-jeebies. As the afternoon wore on, more and more hombres came ambling in. By late afternoon the bar was nearly double deep with thirsty men. Rainmaker got up from his stool, touched the brim of his hat as a symbolic salute to Elmo, and started towards the door.

Shuffle, shuffle, tap. … Shuffle, shuffle, tap. … Shuffle, shuffle, tap. …

“I’m about to go bring the rain,” he shouted to no-one in particular as he went.

Shuffle, shuffle, tap. … Shuffle, shuffle, tap. … Shuffle, shuffle, tap. …

He disappeared into the late afternoon heat. Word got around that he was seen around town dancing and tapping crossed sticks above his head and chanting something in a strange indigenous tongue that sounded a bit like Spanish but was unintelligible.



That night, Cora and Ron lay naked on top of their bed. The air was deathly still except for the occasional faint breeze that came through the window. Those brief breaths of air that billowed the curtains provided little relief from the night’s heat. The couple was too hot to make love and too hot to sleep.

Sometime deep in the night, as Cora lay panting, waiting for that next breath of warm air to come and caress her body, she thought she heard the distant rumble of thunder. Was it possible? Had the monsoons finally arrived?

As she looked out the small window, she began to see flashes of lightning followed a few seconds later by the rumble of thunder. “Please be moving our way,” she prayed to unknown gods. Please, she thought… begged.

As she lay there, the flashes were followed more closely by the rumble, and the rumble grew louder. It is moving towards us, she thought. Please, please rain! she begged the heavens.

Suddenly, a strong breeze entered the room, significantly cooling it.

Then she heard heavy raindrops hitting the roof. The sound was sporadic at first, as if someone were tapping fingers erratically on a wooden table.

Splat… Splat… Splat … … … Splat … Splat… Splat. Splat

As she lay there and listened, the intermittent sound changed to a steady roar as the bottom dropped out of the cloud. A steady torrent of water spilled from the sky and began to blow in the window. Cora jumped up and pulled the window almost closed.

Ron picked up a sheet they had kicked to the floor. He returned to bed and sat cross-legged beside Cora, pulling the sheet around them both. They sat and stared at the window. They could see nothing but the blur of water streaming down the window glass.

And then, as suddenly as the rain had started, it stopped. It was like turning off a spigot. And slowly, almost imperceptibly, they saw light in the east and knew the sun had risen over Sacramento Hill. It illuminated the north-east slope of Mount Ballard but would not rise over Chihuahua Hill for another hour yet.

No-one was able to sleep after the rain. Cora and Ron lay on their backs fanning themselves, enjoying the temporarily cool breeze the rain had brought. But the breeze didn’t last long. As the sun popped up over Chihuahua Hill at six-fifteen, the cool breeze vanished. Bright sunlight spread over the entire Gulch. Steam began rising from every wet surface. Only warm, moist air came in through the bedroom window.

Ron looked at Cora and laughed, “Well that was nice while it lasted,”

“Let’s go down and get something cool to drink,” Cora said, and they rose and dressed. Cora donned a light pink, silk blouse that Esmeralda had given her. The blouse had been a gift to Esmeralda from one of her johns, a drummer. Esmy had also given Cora a long cotton skirt, similar in weight to the flour sack dresses Cora had arrived in when she came from Arkansas. Ron pulled on a pair of coveralls and nothing else.

When they left their room at seven-thirty, they practically collided with Elmo and Billy, who apparently couldn’t sleep either. It was time to go down to the barroom.

Ron made a big pot of boiled coffee and then set it down in the cool water in the beer cooler so it could cool while the grounds settled. He fished out some of yesterday’s melting ice, filled three glasses, and poured the coffee over the ice. The resulting iced brew was strong and bitter, but it was cool. They dragged stools out to the sidewalk and sat there while they sipped.

Cora suggested to a somewhat reluctant Billy that he start sweeping and cleaning spittoons before it got even hotter than it already was. Elmo decided to walk down to the yard of the Mine Headquarters building and while away the morning in the shade. Cora and Ron mostly maintained their vigil outside the bar, going back and forth restocking and readying for opening.



As the afternoon crawled on, clouds began to build in the southeast. Everyone who entered the bar asked, “Do you think it’s gonna rain?” and the universal answer that afternoon, usually by a chorus of voices, was, “We can only hope!”

The Rainmaker had done his work the night before.

CHAPTER XIX

When they went to bed that night, it was slightly cooler than the previous night. There was a light breeze stirring, but it was still too warm for a sound night’s sleep. Sometime during the night, Cora awakened to the sound of distant thunder. She stepped to the window and listened. It seemed to be coming from the north, up Zacatecas Canyon. From her window, she couldn’t see much of the northern sky, but she could see distant lightning flashes coming from that direction.

She returned to bed, making an entreaty to unknown gods to send rain to Bisbee. That prayer, like all prayers, was just a wish, but she fervently wished her prayers would come true.

Something had to break soon, or she felt she was going to go crazy.

Little did she know that her prayer or wish was to come true with a vengeance in less than twenty-four hours.



The next morning when she and Ron awakened, the rumble of thunder was still distant, seemingly somewhere up Zacatecas. However, it felt significantly cooler this morning than yesterday. While Ron made his morning toilet, Cora began straightening the bed. She stood at the window and looked down at the street. There was a noisy, gurgling stream running down the middle of the Gulch, carrying the debris and effluvium collected there. She had never seen anything like this before.

She waited for Ron to come back into the room, called him over, and pointed down.

“Ummm… Haven’t seen this in a few years,” he said. “Must really be raining back up Zacatecas. Have you ever seen water running like this since coming to Bisbee?”

“If you mean has it ever run down like it is right now, the answer is no. Wasn’t no rain that first September after I got here. Last summer, I remember a stream in front of Lil’s place a few times, but it was small … I could step across it. It never came down this way though. Always went down the alleyway behind those buildings across the street.”

“Yeah,” Ron said, “I think that’s why the alleyway splits off where it does. I think it’s s’posed to carry all the runoff down the alley into the subway at the bottom of the street. ‘Cept maybe when there’s a big flood. I’m goin’ down to make coffee while you get dressed.” And with that, Ron turned and started down the stairs.

Cora spent a few minutes making her toilet before dressing and heading downstairs. Ron was just pouring a cup of coffee that he handed to Cora as she entered the barroom. He poured himself another.

Most mornings, they sat at the back table … the only table in the barroom … and companionably drank their coffee. However, this morning, without saying a word beyond ‘Good Morning’, they walked together to the front door. Ron unlocked it, and they stepped onto the plank walk. Looking to the north now, they had a clear view of the hills above Zacatecas. They could see the black, angry skies hanging over the canyon. The rumble of thunder was almost constant. At that time of the morning, with the sun shining brightly over Chihuahua Hill, the lightning was barely visible. Far up the canyon, however, they could see the dark blur connecting sky with hills, obliterating the tops of the hills at the upper end. Rain. Heavy rain.

Occasionally, now, they could see a lightning bolt followed almost instantaneously by a clap of thunder. The storm was moving in their direction.

Cora dropped her eyes to the street. As far up the canyon as she could see, the street had become a river. Water cascaded down, and all manner of detritus and debris came tumbling down in the current. Fortunately for those on her side of the street, most of it was diverted into the alleyway.

As it started to sprinkle, they stepped back inside. Cora pulled aside the curtain on the bay window to allow a partial view towards the north. Ron brought a couple of chairs from the back, and they settled down to watch the approaching storm.

“How bad do you think it’ll get?” Cora asked.

“That’s really hard to say,” Ron replied, “Back in ‘90 it flooded bad. Washed houses clean off their foundations, and ever’thin’ came down the Gulch. No way a knowin’ what this’ll do today.”

Cora was too keyed up to work. She could almost feel the electricity of the storm. All she wanted to do was sit and watch the weather.

A few minutes later, they saw Billy walking towards the bar, wet past his knees. He leaned against the door, expecting it to be locked, not realizing the curtains behind him were open. He removed first one boot, then the other, pouring water onto the planks before pulling the boots on again.

He started to knock on the door, but before his knuckles contacted the glass, Cora opened the door. Surprised, he nearly fell into her. When Billy heard Ron laughing, he realized that Cora and Ron had been watching him the whole time.

“Shit!” he said as he came through the door. “Been rainin’ all mornin’ up Zacatecas, and now it’s startin’ down here. Keeps this up, Brewery Gulch will be Brewery Creek by this afternoon. I may not be able to get back up to Lil’s.”

A couple of months ago, Billy had announced that he would no longer be sleeping above the bar. He had made arrangements with Lil to sleep in her basement in exchange for doing miscellaneous chores in the mornings before he came to the bar. Cora suspected that the timing of this arrangement had something to do with the new girl, Cindy, who had shown up on Lil’s doorstep a few days before Billy’s announcement. Unlike Cora, who herself had arrived at Lil’s door in much the same manner but wanted nothing to do with the trade, Cindy had come to Lil’s already a member of the ‘oldest profession’, so she never emptied a single chamber pot.

Billy moved out of the bar shortly after Cindy took up residence at Lil’s. Cora speculated that Cindy was fond of Billy, perhaps granting him free favors. It wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened in that house.

Cora looked at Billy now, wet nearly to his waist, and asked, “How in the hell did you make it across that street up yonder with all that water?”

“Up past Lil’s they’s a wide spot where it’s shallower an’ somebody’d stretched a rope across. I held on with one hand an’ fought off the floating trash with t’other, but if this rain keeps up, I won’t be able to get back acrost tonight.”

“Well,” Cora said, “Your bed’s still up there in your room if’n you need to sleep here tonight.”

“Has Elmo come down yet?” Billy asked, peering back into the shadows of the barroom.

“Naw. Don’t ‘spect him for another couple hours. Or more. You should know that.”

“Yeah. I do, but I thought maybe with all of what’s goin’ on he’d wanna be down here watchin’ too.”

Before anyone could reply, it began to rain in earnest. Big, sporadic drops at first, landing hard on the plank walk and in the street, but that lasted only a moment. The sky opened up and, within minutes, it was a deluge.

Cora opened all the curtains, but it remained dark inside. They could barely see the torrent of water rushing down the canyon, but they could hear the roar.

Everyone jumped at a sudden crash and sounds of splintering wood. Despite the pouring rain, Billy ran out to the boardwalk to look up the street. He saw a delivery van laying on its side, mostly damming the alleyway, and causing what had been the small overflow in front of the bar to suddenly become a torrent. Large chunks of debris, tree branches, boards, and whatever else the rain dislodged, crashed into the van and stopped, creating an increasingly effective dam across the alley, forcing more of the water down their side of the street.

Amid the noise and confusion, Elmo nearly tumbled down the stairs wearing only his red union suit, partially buttoned flap flapping in the back. The onlookers were stunned and just stared as Elmo raced through the bar, burst through the door, and ran out.

Cora yelled, “No! Pops! Noooo…!” but Elmo was oblivious.

Billy, intending to come inside and report what he has seen, collided with Elmo at the door.

“Billy! Stop him!” Cora yelled, but before Billy could react, Elmo shoved him aside and ran headlong into the raging water. The torrent quickly rose around him, causing him to stagger and stumble. The onlookers watched in horror as they saw the water swallow him and carry him, rolling and tumbling, toward the subway.

“No!” Cora screamed. “Somebody! Catch him!” But she realized even as she said it that nobody could possibly rescue Pops.

The three stood, watching in disbelief as Elmo disappeared downstream, when ear-splitting screeching and crunching noises nearly drowned out the roar of the torrent. They turned and saw the downed delivery van and all its additional gathered detritus turning in the water as if on a pivot. The bulk of the impromptu dam began to slide towards them, protesting loudly as it slowly moved, steadily picking up momentum.

“Get inside!” Ron yelled. He followed Billy and Cora inside and locked the door behind them. It was impossible to know where the water would push that vehicle or where it would end up. They hoped it wasn’t inside the barroom!

Suddenly, there was a tremendous crash. Just outside the window, the van and all its debris collided with the plank walk and ripped it away from the building. Ron turned back to see a huge wave of muddy water crash against the front of the building. Water came spurting in around the doorframe but, fortunately, both the windows and the door held.

Ron joined Cora and Billy at the back of the bar.

Just a few hours ago Cora had asked the gods to send rain. Now the rain had come and taken Pops away. And now Cora prayed … wished fervently … that it would stop, and the flood would subside without destroying her bar. In the midst of this chaos, she felt deeply the loss of Pops. She had become so close to him. Now this bar was all she had left of Elmo, the old man who had saved a young Arkansas girl and turned her into a businesswoman. She gazed over at his stool at the end of the bar and felt as if this place, this common barroom, was an organic part of Pops himself. She knew that his spirit would always be there on that stool.

Almost as if in response to her prayer, … fervent wish … the rain moved south towards Naco. Cora, Ron, and Billy returned to the front and peered out the door. They saw that the plank walk was gone and, when the floodwaters subsided, the front door would open directly onto the mud of the street.

Cora replaced the ‘Open/Closed’ sign hanging in the door with one that read ‘Closed Until Further Notice’. She pulled all the curtains closed, and the three of them climbed the stairs, Cora and Ron going into their room and Billy into Elmo’s.

Cora lay down across the bed and cried herself to sleep. Ron pulled a chair over to the window and watched the floodwaters slowly recede.