Now Playing: The Songbird of the West
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Episode Eleven concluded with:
As the singer took her bows, Dehner began to
chuckle at his own pretentions. Why fool himself with pompous thoughts? He was
as dazzled by Carrie Whiting as everyone else,--especially the males in the
audience.
Felix Murphy rushed back onto the stage. “Before
we finish, folks, there is a special favor that Miss Whiting has agreed to do
for our town.”
A quizzical look suddenly came across the
singer’s face. She was not prepared for what was going to happen next.
Episode Twelve
Felix
continued, “As you all know, we are going to rename our town. For the last few
weeks, I have urged all of our citizens to write suggestions for the new name
and give them to me. Well, many of you made the same suggestion and now I would
like for our lovely guest, Miss Carrie Whiting, to read the new name of our
fine town.” He handed Carrie a piece of paper.
There was reluctance in Carrie’s
smile but she read aloud from the paper. “Beginning tonight at midnight, the
name of this town will be Patten, Texas.”
Bruce Patten jumped onto the stage
and immediately placed an arm around Carrie Whiting. The applause he received
was subdued. “I am very grateful for the honor that you all have bestowed upon
me and I will do my best to be worthy of that honor.”
Felix Murphy worked his hands as he
again addressed the crowd. “Before we all go to dinner, let’s hear a round of
applause for Bruce Patten, the man who brought Carrie Whiting to our town!”
Carrie’s named ginned up the
applause. While the clapping continued, Bruce Patten kept his arm around the
singer, escorting her off the stage and through a back doorway. Dehner moved
toward that doorway and saw that it led to a small corridor with a room at the
end, presumably an office. Patton seemed to swish Carrie Whiting into that
room.
People were beginning to leave the
Silver Crown and head for one of the town’s two restaurants. Inside the saloon,
men were milling about as the bartender and swamper began to put down the
tables and get ready for business. They moved quickly. A lot of customers left
over from the show were ready to part with their money. This would be a busy
night.
Dehner eased into the corridor,
partially closing the door to conceal himself. He moved close to the office
door, which was shut. Carrie Whiting had not been kidnapped again but Dehner
still felt that she was in danger.
***
“I can’t believe the cheap trick you
just played on me…” Carrie broke loose from Patten’s arm the moment they
entered his large office.
“My, my, when did you suddenly get
such high standards?”
“Are you going to throw that in my
face? I was twelve, Bruce!”
Monday: Episode Thirteen of The Songbird
of the West
