The Crystal City Page 0,139

think you know that your going along with Arthur Stuart here probably saved the lives of all the other men who went with you, since they might not have gone if you had refused."

"I don't plan to die for any cause," said Jim Bowie. "Nor any man, excepting only myself. I know that ain't noble, but it prolongs my days, which is philosophy enough for me."

He expected, Arthur thought, a bit more amusement or admiration for his attitude-but this wasn't a saloon, and nobody here was drunk, and so it rang a little hollow. There were people here who would die for a cause, or for someone else's sake.

It was Peggy, bless her heart, who came right to the point. "So where will you go now, Calvin?"

"Go?" said Calvin. "Why, this is the city of makers, and here I am. I had some experiences-I was just about to get to them, but I know when it's not time for a tale-I had some experiences that made me realize how much I wished I'd paid more attention to Alvin back when he was trying to teach me stuff. I'm an impatient pupil, I reckon, so no wonder he kicked me out of school!"

Even this was a lie, and everyone there knew it, and it occurred to Arthur Stuart once again that Calvin seemed to lie just because he liked the sound of it, and not to be believed.

"I'm glad to have you," said Alvin. "Whatever you're willing to learn, I'll be happy to teach, if I know it, or someone else will, if it's something they know better than me."

"That's a short list," said Calvin, chuckling. It should have been a compliment to the breadth of Alvin's knack-but it came out sounding as if it were an accusation of vanity.

Arthur didn't have to be told that his sister was furious that Calvin was staying and Alvin was welcoming him. He knew Peggy thought that Calvin would one day cause his brother's death. But she said nothing about that, and instead turned to Jim Bowie. "And you, sir? Whither now?"

"I reckon I'll stay, too," said Bowie. "I liked what I saw up there. Well, no, not what I saw in the glass-don't misunderstand me, Alvin-but the manner of seeing. What an achievement! There's kings and queens would give up their kingdoms for an hour in that place."

"I'm afraid," said Alvin, "that you won't be welcome inside when the tabernacle is built."

Bowie's expression darkened. "Why, I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "Might I ask why?"

"There's some as finds the future in there," said Alvin. "But a man who kills his enemies shouldn't have access to a place that might show him where his future victims might be."

Bowie barked out a laugh. "Oh, I'm too much of a killer for your tabernacle, is that it? Well, here's a thought. Everybody here who has ever killed a man in anger, stand up with me!" Bowie rose to his feet and looked around. "What, am I the only one?" Then he grinned at Alvin. "Am I?"

Reluctantly, Alvin rose to his feet.

"Ah," said Bowie. "Glad to know you admit it. I saw it in you from the start. You've killed, and killed with relish. You enjoyed it."

"He killed the man who killed my mother!" cried Peggy.

"And he enjoyed it," Bowie said again. "But it's your place for visions, Al, I won't dispute you about it. You can invite whoever you please. But that only applies to the building, Al. This is a free country, and a citizen of it can move to any town or county and take up residence and there ain't a soul can stop him. Am I right?"

"I thought you were a subject of the King, from the Crown Colonies," said Peggy.

"You know that an Englishman has only to cross the border and he's a citizen of the U.S.A.," said Bowie. "But I've gone them one better, and taken the oath just like a ... Frenchman."

He grinned at Rien. "I think I know you, ma'am," he said to her.

She looked at him with eyes like stones.

"I'll be your neighbor like it or not," said Bowie. "But I hope you like it, because I intend to be a peaceable citizen and make a lot of friends. Why, I might even run for office. I have a bent for politics, having once made a try at being emperor of Mexico."

"As you said," Alvin answered quietly. "It's a free country."

"I will admit I thought I'd get