After dropping off the two horses at the Blackwater stable, Stephen sauntered into the Blackwater saloon.

  This was the same saloon Stephen had visited the first time, the one where he was recommended to the Kodak shop.

  It was the same bartender from last time, now sitting alone at the bar, looking lost in thought.

  Perhaps it was because Stephen had tipped well last time, the bartender recognized him at a glance and greeted him warmly.

  "Hey there, mister! Long time no see. You look like you've been through the wringer."

  The bartender offered him a cup of hot coffee, curiously asking as he looked at Stephen's disheveled appearance, "Rough bounty hunt?"

  "I gotta say, you bounty hunters sure work hard..."

  Stephen took the hot coffee, inhaled the rich aroma, and downed it in one gulp.

  "You have no idea. It was a total disaster."

  Stephen set down the empty cup and plopped down on the bar stool.

  He looked at the bartender with a weary expression and said, "I need some food, a clean set of clothes, and a warm room with a hot bath."

  A generous tip was a must. Stephen tossed two water-stained bills onto the bar.

  Water-stained or not, it was still cash. The bartender happily pocketed the money.

  "I'll take you up for a bath and fresh clothes first." He led Stephen upstairs.

  "And perhaps some... extra special services?"

  As they walked, the bartender looked at Stephen with a knowing smirk. "We got two real lookers in town right now. Figures that would make you drool.."

  "Honestly, if my wages weren't so pathetic, I'd be splurging for a night myself."

  Stephen chuckled at the bartender's disappointed expression, which almost tempted him.

  But the pain in his shoulder reminded him that strenuous activity was probably not a good idea right now.

  Stephen shook his head regretfully, declining the bartender's offer.

  "You go ahead and take a bath, and I'll grab you some clothes. Any particular style you're looking for?"

  "Uh, just something simple. Regular cowboy gear will do."

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  He was never one to fuss over clothes, as long as they were wearable.

  Stephen gave the bartender his size, and the bartender nodded and left.

  He closed the bathroom door and stripped off his soaked clothes.

  First, he dumped a bucket of cold water over his head, then plunged into the steaming hot water.

  Logically, Stephen shouldn't be exposing his wounds to water, but, again, his body was in inhuman condition.

  In just one night, his gunshot wound had completely stopped bleeding, and the wound was already closing.

  Since he traveled here, other than worrying about how to live, his physical quality is getting better and better.

  He enjoyed the bath, and just as Stephen climbed out of the tub, the bartender returned.

  He brought Stephen a simple set of clothes.

  A white shirt, jeans, a black coat, and a pair of black boots.

  Apparently, men's taste in fashion was always consistent.

  Stephen quickly changed into the new clothes. They were a surprisingly good fit.

  After cleaning himself up from head to toe, Stephen ambled downstairs to enjoy his dinner.

  Lunch was a simple meal of bread with peanut butter, some fruit, and roast meat.

  The peanut butter was sweet, and the roast meat was marbled with fat, making it a bit heavy.

  But a bite of fresh watermelon helped cut through the richness. The watermelon had been chilled in cold water and was cool and refreshing.

  Paired with a decent gin, the dinner was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

  "So, did you get that Kodak you were after?"

  The bartender looked at Stephen, who was now well-fed, and brought him a beer.

  For some reason, the saloon was unusually quiet that day, with only a few patrons drinking.

  With nothing much to do, the bartender struck up a conversation with Stephen.

  "Yeah, and I've already snapped some nice photos."

  Stephen pulled the Kodak out of his bag. He always kept it in a waterproof leather pouch to protect it from water damage.

  "I'm planning to get these photos developed at the Kodak shop tomorrow."

  Stephen had already used up three rolls of film. He'd taken a lot of pictures.

  Of course, he hadn't forgotten Welen's request for photos of criminals.

  Including the Murfree Brood that he and Arthur had wiped out, the O'Driscoll gang at Emerald Ranch, and the Del Lobos this time.

  Hopefully, Welen wouldn't be too shocked when he developed those somewhat R-rated photos.

  "I gotta say, some folks got a knack for this sort of thing."

  The bartender shook his head in resignation. "Remember I told you our boss was obsessed with photography? Well, he sent some of his pictures to a newspaper the other day, hoping they'd publish them."

  "But they sent all the photos back untouched, along with a single word."

  "What was it?" Stephen asked curiously.

  "Garbage." The bartender shrugged, looking helpless.

  "Ha!" Stephen burst out laughing. "That boss of yours is quite the character."

  "So, what happened then? Did your boss give up on taking photos?"

  "Nah, he's not the type to give up easily."

  The bartender looked utterly miserable. "Just yesterday, he packed his bags and left again, saying he was going to take pictures of wildlife this time."

  "Honestly, sometimes I feel like I'm the one running this place."

  "That's not a bad thing, is it?"

  Stephen chuckled. "You're using someone else's shop to do what you love, and you're gaining experience along the way. That way, when you have enough money, you can open your own shop."

  Stephen's words were like a bolt of lightning, and the bartender froze in place.

  After a moment, he snapped out of it and smiled happily. "You're right! Since the boss is gone, I can totally make this place the way I want it."

  "Thanks a lot! You're words are a true reminder!"

  The bartender grabbed Stephen's hand and shook it excitedly. "I've always had so many ideas, but I never knew how to put them into action."

  "You've helped me see it. Maybe I should be a little bolder."

  "Oh, by the way, I'm Galen, Galen Fischer. Thank you very much for your advice, mister."

  As soon as he finished speaking, the bartender excitedly dashed back to the bar.

  A young man with a dream. Not bad.