Joe had made the acquaintance of a young waitress at one of Mile 49's finest restaurants during his last visit. When he arrived at Curly's at 11 a.m., there were only a few old-timers sitting on a bench in front of the building. Inside, Joe sat down in a dark corner at a table against the outside wall. The owner of the establishment, Curly Smith, was standing behind the service counter talking to a stranger. Joe signaled the kitchen-girl over to his table but kept his eyes fixed on the stranger. The one thing that Joe found odd about this particular man was that his clothes were far too clean. The gentleman would, from time to time, scrape the dirt floor of the restaurant with the sides of his black polished leather boots with a slow sweeping motion. Joe sensed that something was wrong.
The waitress stood by Joe's table. "A pot of tea," explained Joe. Then, "Bring me a steak," he said. "No, bring me two steaks . . . "
"Are ya that hungry, Joe?" quizzed the girl.
"I could eat a scabby donkey," says Joe.
"I'll bring ya the steaks then," she promised.
Joe winked at girl and she returned to the back-kitchen to put in the order. Joe kept the stranger in the corner of his eye. He decided that the man must have just arrived in town. However, the prospector's outfit puzzled him. Once, the fellow turned and looked across the room at Joe.
The waitress finally brought a plate of food and set it down in front of him. "It's on the house, Joe," she whispered, as she pretended to scratch her nose. He was about to thank the girl when, the prospector stood up and walked over to Joe's table. The waitress moved to another customer and Joe started in on his meal.
Joe looked up and acknowledged the stranger. While chewing a mouthful, he said, "You want something, Mister?"
The man answered with a question of his own. "So, what are we eating today? Is that Montana beef, or maybe its local game?
Joe carved a little on his steak. While poking at a lone potato, he replied, "Yep, Montana Long-horns. Good eating!'
The stranger sat down across from Joe. He watched Joe eat his steak.
Joe thought to himself, "This fellow is dressed in the cleanest work clothes I've ever seen!" Joe was beginning to feel uneasy. He put down his knife and fork and looked up again.
"No, No. Don't stop on my account," said the stranger.
Joe slowly got to his feet and excused himself, "I'll be right back. Don't let them take my plate away." He headed for the back door, which consisted of a single piece of canvas covering the opening in the log wall. Joe walked to the outhouse, at the back of the building, and went inside.
The stranger followed as far as the back entrance. Inside the outhouse, Joe was sitting on the throne wondering. He leaned forward, and, with a finger, poked a knothole out of one of the boards that made up the door. He then lined up his right eye with the hole and peered out towards the back of Curly's. He could see the prospector sitting by the doorway. There was a gun in his hand.
Joe had a lot on his mind. Was the stranger one of the B.C. Police? Would he be arrested if he returned to the restaurant? Would the stranger shoot first and ask questions later? Joe had to make his move!
In the next episode, Curly's Outhouse, we find our hero in a little wooden cubical, directly behind Curly's Restaurant. The story does continue, and Joe does make his move.
