Jese kicked off his boots angrily. It took all his strength and fortitude not to throw himself upon the mattress like a child. Instead, he sent a footstool flying across the room.

Things hadn't turned out quite as well as he'd hoped they would. And he was a pessimist for Lord's sake! As a child, he'd been full of hope. But it had been beaten out of him every step of the way. And now he proudly possessed strong survival skills and a thick skin.

He hadn't thought that he would ever experience a luxurious emotion like disappointment again. He'd just begun to expect failure as an inevitable part of the day. But this was different. He'd failed at being a husband... and God knew he never wanted to do that again.

As he and Anne Rollins had found the door of the cattle rustlers' accommodation he'd knocked. He'd give them a well-worded threat, then bang their heads together soundly and after the fine rustle up he'd be on his merry way. Straight back to Nova Radcliffe's homestead, he decided. For no other reason than to check that she was upholding her side of the bargain.

But no one answered the door. He hadn't been worried by that. He knew from first-hand experience that men with less than pristine backgrounds weren't likely to swing their door open, gaily, to whoever cared to knock. So he let himself in.

The room was empty. The sheets on the bed were starched, and there wasn't a stray sock to be seen. Jese gazed around for something that could tie them there. Anything! But there wasn't even a backside indent on the bed. "No one's here," he snarled at his sad-eyed companion.

"They must be out."

"No." Jese glanced at her as he spoke. "The place is vacated."

"It must be a mistake," she replied. "I remember this room as clear as day. See that large pot plant there, with that exotic flower?"

Jese glanced at the exalted cactus. "Yeah?"

"I remember looking at it."

Anne was desperate, he noticed. She obviously thought he was going to ask for his dime back. "I'm going to find the Clerk." As he marched through the halls he kept his eyes peeled for elusive staff.

When he found the land lady he'd had his hopes dashed. Not only had the two men left the previous night (earlier than intended) but they'd been in a mad rush when they'd left.

"They had the Sheriff hot on their tail, they did," the buxom Landlady said.

"Why?"

"They tried to hold up the Saloon."

Jese managed to suppress the profanities that tickled his lips. He'd let the two go?

"I heard, if it weren't for some mad man with a death wish, they would've taken everything!" She continued.

Anne glanced at Jese. He'd shaken his head firmly. He had no eager desire for people to know that it was him with the death wish. They would too, he thought - his gut clenched - if they'd lost a chubby little angel too.

He had to learn to move on. He stared bleakly out of his Hotel room at the steam powered vehicles below, hoping that his eyes would spot them... that he could be given a second chance. This time he wouldn't miss. With an angry sigh, Jese stood up to prepare himself for an early night's sleep.

Finally, between the sheets, Jese rested his head on his hands. He managed to calm his anger. He'd set out to chase the two from town and hadn't he done that? If he hadn't been involved in the bar brawl they might have succeeded in their robbery, and left with the belief that Little River was ripe for the picking. But he'd sent them running for the hills. They would have to have skin like a Buffalo's hide to stay around Little River any longer.

He'd succeeded in his goal. Now he had to focus on his wedding. He felt a thud of excitement inside. The thought of his impending marriage, of how he would soon be sharing his bed. Feeling her skin feel against him. Sharing kisses, with her buttocks in his hands and those long legs behind his back.

"Enough!" Jese snarled. Rolling over he thumped his pillow into shape and fell asleep.