John stood outside the general store while they packaged his purchases.  It gave him a moment to look up at the stars and thing.  He'd already planned the rest of his evening, so all he needed to think about was that moment.  He'd already started his thoughts down the road that led to perdition; it was hard to keep them off that topic.<br/><br/>Chen's daughter was marrying age, past it almost.  He wondered why the old man hadn't arranged a match for her.  They certainly weren't the only Chinese in the territory.   It wasn't his place to stick his nose in where it didn't belong but it was still a troublesome issue.  May he'd offer to take the girl of their hands if she was still here in a year.  It wouldn't do to have her become an old maid.  With no husband, she's be forced to take care of her parents by herself and that would be a lot of work, especially if she had to run the store by herself.  Then again, did he really want to give up the mine and put his face in front of that many people in a day?  Somebody might recognize him and that wouldn't do Li any good to have her husband beat somebody half to death.  Best to leave well enough alone.  Besides, he'd barely spoken twenty words to her that didn't involve asking where her folks were so he could buy supplies.<br/><br/>Best to leave such a pretty girl to somebody who would do right by her, not that John wouldn't have done right.  He just had a bad record when it came to pretty girls.<br/><br/>He turned his thoughts away from Li, which was hard, given the amount of skin she'd been showing.  It was enough to make a man think impure thoughts.  He wondered if the store was going to be able to fill his order the next time he was in town.  Supplies were looking thin and he wondered why.  But then it wasn't his place to ask.  Not his business.  It wouldn't be until they didn't have what he needed.  Speaking of which....<br/><br/>John stuck his head back through the door.  "Got any dynamite?" he asked.