Tom followed Miss Vickie and Jeb up the stairs, feeling just a little out of place. Well, maybe a<i>lot</i>out of place. He wasn’t exactly a stranger to saloons or whorehouses, but he wasn’t used to being treated like a guest. Most of the time, it was more like getting treated like a broke cow puncher, which he usually was. “So, Onyx Landing excitin’ enough for you fellahs?”<br/><br/>Jeb’s answer made him laugh. “Yep. Sore is wild right now,” he agreed, trying not to stare too much as she bent over to pour the whiskey. “Picked a hell o’ a time ta visit, Ah reckon.”  Raising his glass, he tipped it back. “But Ah reckon this makes it worth it, cause that’s mighty fine.”<br/><br/>At Miss Vickie’s invitation he poured himself another glass, listening as she lamented having to work all night and Jeb asked her to save a lastdance for him.  “Reckon Ah do catch yer meanin’, ma’am,” he agreed, sipping the whiskey this time. “Gotta be hard, havin’ ta ride herd on this here crowd.”  A gesture took in the patrons downstairs. “Anythin’ Ah kin do ta help, we’ll, Ah’d consider it an honor ta do you a favor ma’am.”<br/><br/>-*-<br/><br/>“It always this crazy in the evenings?” Cassie asked.<br/><br/>Gwen laughed. “No. It’s probably all the excitement at the bank, got folks coming in.”  She laughed. “Or word got out that there’s more booze. Either way, it’s a good thing.”  She smiled at a miner who’d been trying to catch her eye. “Crowds mean money, after all.”<br/><br/>Cassie watched the petticoat-clad whore cross the floor, then shook her head. Crazy and crowded it might be, but so far she hadn’t had to break up any fights or toss out anyone who was getting too rowdy. So, that was good. But the noise was giving her a headache.<br/><br/>A decision made, she headed up the stairs. Miss Vickie and the two Good Samaratins That has helped out at the bank we’re there, padding a bottle around. “..,hope my distraction was a benefit this morning,” the one-armed man was saying, “though it appeared you Ladies had things well in hand."<br/><br/>“I, for one,” Cassie said, taking a seat, “will never be so foolish for lack of sense as to turn down help when it’s offered.<i>Especially</i>when guns are involved.”  Hesitating, she realized there were only three glasses. “Ah. This a private party?  Or do you have room for one more?”