Jesse Cordell's Arc

Chapter 1 of 2

Jesse Cordell found the camp just before dawn, tucked between two ridges where the firelight wouldn't carry. The man sleeping near the coals had to be Mortimer. Jesse settled onto his heels and watched, patient as a wolf at a waterhole, waiting for his chance to prove he was worth keeping around. Mortimer stirred when the sun broke the horizon. Jesse moved before the man fully woke, building up the fire and cracking eggs into a skillet he found near the bedroll. The bacon hissed and popped. Mortimer sat up with a hand on his pistol, but Jesse kept his eyes on the pan, casual as Sunday morning. When he slid the food onto a tin plate and offered it over, Mortimer studied him for a long moment. Then he took the plate and ate without a word. Jesse knew better than to fill the silence with talk about joining up or proving himself. The breakfast said enough. Mortimer set down the empty plate and reached for the battered coffee pot warming at the edge of the coals. He poured himself a cup, then nodded at Jesse to help himself. Jesse took the offer and sat across the fire, sipping the bitter brew while Mortimer rolled a cigarette. Finally, Mortimer spoke. "You cook for all the men you track down in the desert?" Jesse met his eyes. "Only the ones I want to ride with." Mortimer smoked for a minute, then flicked ash into the fire. "We'll see if you can keep up." It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either, and Jesse had learned to take what he could get.