Spur
by Kent Tessman (1995)
Genres: Western


action: %
response: In retrospect, maybe all that cheap whiskey last night in Grady's wasn't such a brilliant idea. Not the way the evil, glowing orb of the morning sun is burning a hole through your squinting eyes and right into the back of your head. And especially since there's a guy with a six-shooter on his belt, ready to draw, standing thirty feet away and facing you. Your body keeps screaming at you that you should still be in bed. The dimly lit cage of your memory tells you that all of this has something to do with you standing up for some woman in the saloon last night, and right now you wish like hell you could remember.

No one ever said you were lucky, but you are...

Written using the Hugo Compiler v2.5

(New players should type "help".)

The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Roy Heffer is standing in front of you, his right hand dangling over his holster, fingers twitching nervously. Somewhere in the distance, someone strums an out-of-tune Spanish guitar.
action: You shoot roy
response: Would help if you had your six-shooter in your hand.
action: You look at Roy
response: You might want to spend less time staring, and more time thinking about the fact that you're in the middle of a gunfight.
action: You draw
response: You pull your six-shooter out of your holster.

Roy draws his six-shooter, yanking it from its holster and raising it toward you...
action: You shoot roy
response: You beat Roy to the trigger, shooting him through the heart just as he is aiming at yours. (And surprising yourself while you're at it that your old gun hit him--your aim must've been off.)  Roy gasps, drops his gun, and falls to the ground, dead.
action: You search roy
response: Roy wasn't exactly a tiny guy. You're not having the best of luck moving him.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: You examine the gun
response: A six-shooter like yours, but a lot nicer, to be honest. While you paid about three bucks for yours, old Roy here--rest his soul, and all that--must've dropped at least ten. Maybe even fifteen.
action: You look at your gun
response: Old faithful, with the emphasis on the "old" part. And faithful doesn't necessarily mean accurate.

A crowd starts to gather around you and the corpse.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the north. He stops for a second, looks at Roy's stiff, and raises his eyebrows. "Oooh. Dead guy."
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are also carrying a skeleton key and your six-shooter.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

More people come out onto the street to see what happened. They see the body. Some of them point at you and begin talking to each other in low voices.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the south.
action: You put your gun in the holster
response: You put your six-shooter in the holster.

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.

You hear someone saying to you: "Look, partner. I dunno what your beef with ole Roy here was, but you best be getting outta here before the Sheriff shows up."
action: You get all from the corpse
response: Nothing to get.
action: You get the roy's gun
response: Taken.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the south. He stops for a second, looks at Roy's stiff, and raises his eyebrows. "Oooh. Dead guy."

Old Dan heads off to the east.
action: You get all
response: Roy Heffer's body: Only if you want to be spotted carting a dead body around town. Not recommended.
gathering crowd: You can't take that.
Little Jimmy: Little Jimmy probably wouldn't be too big on that idea.
action: You get the gun
response: You pull your six-shooter out of your holster.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the north.

Old Dan arrives from the east.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: You shoot the crowd
response: You let go a shot, but it misses. Doesn't matter, anyway. Even if you'd hit somebody, the rest of the crowd would still swarm around and proceed to beat the ever-lovin' crap outta you, leaving you a bloody, lifeless pulp. Like they are at the moment, actually.
action: Smell body
response: You don't smell anything unusual.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the north.

Old Dan arrives from the east.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: Examine dan
response: Old Dan looks like he's been on a bit of a bender. One that's lasted about twenty years, to be honest. His body looks like it's had the hell beaten out of it time and time again. But there's something about his eyes that--if they would just take a second to focus--seems like there's wisdom hidden somewhere deep in their murky depths.

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are also carrying a skeleton key and Roy's gun. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.

Old Dan arrives from the west.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: You talk to Dan
response: Old Dan is listening.
action: You ask Dan about Roy
response: "Once in a while Roy'd buy me drink or something. Didja have to go and kill him, of all people?"
action: No
response: That was a rhetorical question. (Although you sound rather negative.)
action: You ask Dan about himself
response: (Assuming you mean Old Dan.)
"I just don't know anything about that, cowboy. How's about buying me a drink anyway?"

Old Dan heads off to the north.
action: You follow Dan
response: Which way did he go?
action: You look at your surroundings
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Roy Heffer's rapidly cooling body is here.
A crowd is gathering around the corpse.
action: Go east
response: Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.

Grady studies you as you come in. "Plannin' on paying your bill anytime soon?"

You watch under the swinging doors as several sets of boots show up. The Sheriff's deputies have come looking for you.
action: About yourself
response: (in the mirror)
Shouldn't have done that. You look like hell.
action: You ask Grady about Roy
response: Grady shrugs. "I'm glad you plugged him. Just don't spread the rumors of my joy around. After what that son of a bitch did to this town?
Him and his cattle-stealing old man? Good goddamn riddance."
action: You look at the horseshoe
response: Your basic lucky-charm horseshoe.
action: You ask Grady about the last night
response: "Forget it, dustball. After that trouble you caused in here last night--winding up with wasting some guy on the street outside my place?--you ain't getting another drink in here."
Grady shrugs. "I'm glad you plugged him. Just don't spread the rumors of my joy around. After what that son of a bitch did to this town?
Him and his cattle-stealing old man? Good goddamn riddance."
action: You ask Grady about Dan
response: "Old Dan?" Grady shakes his head. "When he's got money, he's my best customer. When he doesn't, like almost always, he's a pain in my ass."
action: You buy drink
response: "Forget it, dustball. After that trouble you caused in here last night--winding up with wasting some guy on the street outside my place?--you ain't getting another drink in here."
action: You buy the mirror
response: Normally you'd have to be in a store to buy something.
action: Shoot grady
response: You pull the trigger and shoot Grady. He falls to the ground, twitches a couple of times, then lies there, getting cold.

Old Dan arrives from the west.
action: You remove the pants
response: As much as you like them, style probably shouldn't be your number one concern right now.

Old Dan arrives from the west.

Grady looks up from behind the bar as Old Dan wanders in. "Out!" he says, pointing toward the door.
action: Kiss dan
response: Old Dan doesn't seem to share your affection.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: Up
response: Rooms on all sides of the landing--their doors closed and probably locked. The stairs go back downstairs to the saloon.
action: Up
response: The stairs end here.
action: You look at the door
response: The room door is closed.
action: You open it
response: (Assuming you mean the room door.)
The room door is locked.
action: You unlock it
response: (Assuming you mean the room door.)
(with the skeleton key)
Unlocked.
action: You enter it
response: (Assuming you mean the room door.)
(opening the room door first)
As you open the door, it bangs against an empty whiskey bottle that had rolled against it. The bottle skitters away into the corner of the room.

Not too fancy, but then you get what you pay for. A bed with a mattress that was, as you vaguely remember it, rather wooden. A wash basin and mirror along one wall. Curtains closed, covering the single small window.
Looks like someone slipped a piece of paper under the door while you were out.
In the corner of the room is a whiskey bottle, empty and discarded.
action: You examine paper
response: "Meet me at the stable at 10:00.

- S."

(Not like you have any memory of who S. is.)
action: Smell bottle
response: One whiff of the old Dr. Vita-Vim's (even the empty bottle) is enough to set your head a-spinning.
action: You take the bottle
response: Taken.
action: You look under it
response: (Assuming you mean the bed.)
You don't find anything under the bed.
action: You examine the mattress
response: Looking at the bed doesn't bring back any fond memories of comfortable sleep. The bedsheet is still in a crumpled heap at the foot of the bed.
action: You search it
response: (Assuming you mean the bed.)
You don't find anything.
action: You open the curtains
response: Opened. Through the closed window you can just peek around the corner of the hotel enough to see Main Street below. You see a gang of deputies waiting in front of the saloon--waiting for you, that is.
action: You open the window
response: Opened.
action: You enter the window
response: You're on the second floor, and the ground looks kinda hard. Not exactly the perfect jumping scenario.
action: Look around
response: Not too fancy, but then you get what you pay for. A bed with a mattress that was, as you vaguely remember it, rather wooden. A wash basin and mirror along one wall. Curtains open, revealing the single small window and Main Street below.
action: You examine the basin
response: The wash basin looks just like you would expect.
action: Tie sheet
response: You'll have to be a little more specific about what you'd like to tie the bedsheet to.
action: You examine the window
response: Through the open window you can just peek around the corner of the hotel enough to see Main Street below. You see a gang of deputies waiting in front of the saloon--waiting for you, that is. As you stick your head out the open window, you see a drainpipe running along the outside of the wall.
action: You examine the drainpipe
response: The sturdy pipe is attached to the side of the building.
action: You tie the sheet to it
response: (Assuming you mean the drainpipe.)
You tie the bedsheet to the drainpipe.
action: You climb the sheet
response: As you climb down the bedsheet, it starts to rip. One small piece of cloth tears away and flutters down below you.

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
The small piece of cloth from the bedsheet is lying on the ground.
action: You take the cloth
response: Taken.
action: You look at it
response: (Assuming you mean the scrap of cloth.)
The piece of cloth is about the size of a handkerchief.
action: You look at the barrels
response: Messing around the barrels will not get you anywhere. Honestly.
action: You examine the shed
response: Your basic slats-thrown-together storage shed. One door, which is closed. One window, which is closed.
action: You open it
response: (Assuming you mean Grady's storage shed.)
The shed door is locked.
action: You break it
response: (Assuming you mean the shed window.)
With what? Your hand? Not too damn likely.
action: You examine the window
response: Through the window, you can see an assortment of tools and various other implements, including a ten-foot ladder.
action: You break it with cloth
response: (Assuming you mean the shed window.)
Not with that, you won't.
action: You break it with the gun
response: (Assuming you mean the shed window.)
The glass shatters with a crash.
action: You look through the window
response: Through the broken window, you can see an assortment of tools and various other implements, including a ten-foot ladder.
action: You put the cloth in the window
response: That doesn't make any sense.

You can't do that with the shed window.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
action: You take the bedsheet
response: Except that the bedsheet is tied to the drainpipe.
action: You pull it
response: (Assuming you mean the bedsheet.)
Pulling the bedsheet doesn't get you anywhere.
action: You climb it
response: (Assuming you mean the bedsheet.)
action: You put the cloth on the glass
response: Which glass do you mean, the whiskey bottle or the shed window?
action: West
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.
Little Jimmy is here, cheerfully chomping on some sticky taffy.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the north.
action: Go south
response: Bobby ignores you as if he didn't even hear you.

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.

The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

As you arrive, the deputies jump up from where they've been waiting for you, grab you, and push you to the ground. They quickly shackle your hands before hauling you back to your feet. Time to go see the Sheriff...

...and the gallows.

The game has ended. Do you want to (R)ESTART, R(E)STORE a saved game, (U)NDO your last turn, or (Q)UIT?
action: You go northwest
response: (opening the heavy stable door first)
With a grunt, you heave the stable door open.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the north.

Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to one of the stalls to the north is closed.
action: You examine the stall
response: The stall gate is closed.
action: You open it
response: (Assuming you mean the stall gate.)
The gate swings open with a creak.
action: You examine the stall
response: The stall gate is open.
action: You search it
response: (Assuming you mean the stall gate.)
You don't find anything.
action: You go to the north
response: is answered by coming in here--the pile of old hay on the ground was probably due for a changing a couple of weeks ago. A few long-since-used pieces of leather tack--a bridle and saddle among them--hang on the wall. The stall door to the south is open.
Standing sullenly in the corner of the stall is an old black mare.
action: You examine the mare
response: Built neither for comfort, nor for speed. This aging mount would probably be happiest if you just left it alone.
action: You search the hay
response: None of that stuff is likely to be of any use to you.
action: Ride mare
response: You get on the old black mare.
action: You go to the south
response: To walk, you will have to get off of the old black mare. Otherwise, try "ride" or "gallop" and a direction.
action: Ride south
response: Stable, on an old black mare
Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to the stall to the north is open.
action: Ride north
response: Stall, on an old black mare
Any question as to where the musty odor of the stable is coming from
is answered by coming in here--the pile of old hay on the ground was probably due for a changing a couple of weeks ago. A few long-since-used pieces of leather tack--a bridle and saddle among them--hang on the wall. The stall door to the south is open.
action: World test
response: You can't use the word "/world".
action: You examine the mare
response: Built neither for comfort, nor for speed. This aging mount would probably be happiest if you just left it alone.
action: Ride south
response: Stable, on an old black mare
Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to the stall to the north is open.
action: You read the note
response: "Meet me at the stable at 10:00.

- S."
action: You look at the watch
response: You can't ride that way.

You can't use the word "watch".
action: Ride se
response: North end of Main Street, on an old black mare
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the north.
action: You ask Jimmy about the taffy
response: Little Jimmy sings: "I love taffy! I love taffy! I love taffy! I love taffy!"

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.
action: Go downward
response: You get off of the old black mare.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the west.

Old Dan arrives from the south.
action: You give the bottle to Dan
response: "It's empty. Don't tease me."

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.
action: You get on the mare
response: You get on the old black mare.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the west.
action: You go west
response: To walk, you will have to get off of the old black mare. Otherwise, try "ride" or "gallop" and a direction.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the south.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: You stand
response: You get off of the old black mare.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the south.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: You draw
response: You pull your six-shooter out of your holster.

Roy draws his six-shooter, yanking it from its holster and raising it toward you...
action: You shoot roy
response: You beat Roy to the trigger, shooting him through the heart just as he is aiming at yours. (And surprising yourself while you're at it that your old gun hit him--your aim must've been off.)  Roy gasps, drops his gun, and falls to the ground, dead.
action: You get all
response: Roy Heffer's body: Only if you want to be spotted carting a dead body around town. Not recommended.
Roy's gun: Taken.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: You go east
response: Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.

Grady studies you as you come in. "Plannin' on paying your bill anytime soon?"
action: Wave to Grady
response: You wave. Nothing happens.

Grady leafs through the hotel ledger.
action: Go upward
response: Rooms on all sides of the landing--their doors closed and probably locked. The stairs go back downstairs to the saloon.
action: Go west
response: (with the skeleton key)
Unlocked.

(Assuming you mean the room door.)
As you open the door, it bangs against an empty whiskey bottle that had rolled against it. The bottle skitters away into the corner of the room.

Not too fancy, but then you get what you pay for. A bed with a mattress that was, as you vaguely remember it, rather wooden. A wash basin and mirror along one wall. Curtains closed, covering the single small window.
Looks like someone slipped a piece of paper under the door while you were out.
In the corner of the room is a whiskey bottle, empty and discarded.
action: You get all
response: handwritten note: Taken.
whiskey bottle: Taken.
action: You examine the bed
response: Looking at the bed doesn't bring back any fond memories of comfortable sleep. The bedsheet is still in a crumpled heap at the foot of the bed.
action: You open the window
response: Opened. Through the closed window you can just peek around the corner of the hotel enough to see Main Street below. Roy Heffer's body is lying in the middle of it, surrounded by a rubbernecking crowd.

Opened.
action: You tie the sheet to the drainpipe
response: You tie the bedsheet to the drainpipe.
action: You get the cloth
response: As you climb down the bedsheet, it starts to rip. One small piece of cloth tears away and flutters down below you.

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
The small piece of cloth from the bedsheet is lying on the ground.

Taken.
action: Go west
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.
action: You go to the north-west
response: (opening the heavy stable door first)
With a grunt, you heave the stable door open.

Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to one of the stalls to the north is closed.
action: Go north
response: The gate swings open with a creak.

is answered by coming in here--the pile of old hay on the ground was probably due for a changing a couple of weeks ago. A few long-since-used pieces of leather tack--a bridle and saddle among them--hang on the wall. The stall door to the south is open.
Standing sullenly in the corner of the stall is an old black mare.
action: Ride south
response: You get on the old black mare.

Stable, on an old black mare
The gate to the stall to the north is open.
action: Ride se
response: North end of Main Street, on an old black mare
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the north.
action: Ride south
response: Main Street, on an old black mare
The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

As you arrive, the deputies jump up from where they've been waiting for you, grab you, and push you to the ground. They quickly shackle your hands before hauling you back to your feet. Time to go see the Sheriff...

...and the gallows.

The game has ended. Do you want to (R)ESTART, R(E)STORE a saved game, (U)NDO your last turn, or (Q)UIT?
action: You get off
response: Empty lot, on an old black mare
Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the east.

You get off of the old black mare.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.
action: You get the taffy
response: Little Jimmy bawls as you grab his candy. "Give me back my taffy! Gimme gimme!" he hollers as he stamps his feet.
action: You get on the mare
response: You get on the old black mare.
action: You describe your surroundings
response: Empty lot, on an old black mare
Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here.
action: You go east
response: To walk, you will have to get off of the old black mare. Otherwise, try "ride" or "gallop" and a direction.
action: Ride east
response: North end of Main Street, on an old black mare
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.
action: You eat the taffy
response: You nibble at the sticky taffy. It's not too bad. Gums up your mouth and fingers pretty good while you're at it.
action: Inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), a handwritten note, a scrap of cloth, and some sticky taffy.
action: You wait
response: Time passes...
action: Wait
response: Time passes...

Time passes...

Time passes...

A woman slips into the stable behind you. She stands off to the side, almost in the shadows, regarding you warily. She looks vaguely familiar.

The woman seems relieved. "Good. I wasn't sure if you'd actually come," she says.

She goes to the stable door and looks outside, making sure that the two of you are alone before she closes it.
action: Kiss woman
response: She pushes you away. "Hey, hayseed. I don't know what you think you've got coming for helping me out, but if that's it, you can just forget it."

"That must mean you remember what I told you last night in Grady's, right? About Glen Heffer? I mean before his bastard son showed up and started causing trouble."

That's when it hits you: this is the woman for whose honor--directly or indirectly--you ended up in a gunfight this morning. Sarah or Sandra or Samantha or something like that. Sarah. That's right: Sarah. Whew. Nice memory on you.
action: You examine Sarah
response: Sarah's long brown hair is tucked up under her wide-brimmed cowboy hat. There's a look of seriousness about her face, and strain, as if she's got a little bit too much to deal with right now.
action: You ask Sarah about Glen
response: "I guess he can add kidnapper and blackmailer to his list of accomplishments, right after thief, murderer, and son-of-a-bitch."

Sarah looks at you skeptically again. "Okay. Here's what you have to do," she says. "You've got a horse. Good. You know the road going east just north of town? Ride east, all the way to the end. You'll know when you're there because you'll find me waiting for you."
action: You ask Sarah about the last night
response: Sarah doesn't seem to know anything about last night.

Sarah's face softens a little, and some of her tough facade fades away.

"Look, I don't know if you're a hero or just not very smart or what.
It was more than enough that you stood up for me against Roy. Now this. It's probably more than I can ask, but...thank you."
action: You ask Sarah about Glen
response: "I guess he can add kidnapper and blackmailer to his list of accomplishments, right after thief, murderer, and son-of-a-bitch."
action: You ask Sarah about Roy
response: "Last night in Grady's? Last night Roy knew exactly what I was talking about, about Uncle Bucky. Today? Well, today I'm glad you shot him."
action: You ask Sarah about Bucky
response: "He may be a little strange, but, hey, he's my uncle, and he's dear to me--and it's not just because he's got a lot of money. But I'm not going to let that rotten snake Glen Heffer force me into coming up with ransom money--Uncle Bucky wouldn't want that."
action: You ask Sarah about Grady
response: "Hmmm. I don't really know him that well. Doesn't seem like the happiest guy, though, does he?"
action: You ask Sarah about the mare
response: Sarah doesn't seem to know anything about the old black mare.

Sarah moves to the door. "I've got to go now. I'll see you there."
action: Ride se
response: North end of Main Street, on an old black mare
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.

Old Dan arrives from the south.
action: Ride north
response: Edge of town, on an old black mare
You can still see Tumbleweed Flats behind you where the road curves around from the south. A dead, rotted tree stands here, marking the memory of the last living thing between here and where the road disappears into the eastern distance.
action: You examine the tree
response: The tree is now gray and rotted. It marks the point where the road comes up from the southwest and turns east.
action: Ride east
response: Long and dusty road, on an old black mare
Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Ride east
response: The old black mare continues plodding eastward... (Now would be a good time to decide that a younger, stronger horse would be a good idea.)

Long and dusty road, on an old black mare
Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Ride east
response: The old black mare continues plodding eastward...
Common sense says this old mare ain't gonna make it. Common sense says go back.

Long and dusty road, on an old black mare
Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Ride east
response: The old black mare continues plodding eastward...
The mare wheezes as she plods along.

Long and dusty road, on an old black mare
Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Ride east
response: The old black mare continues plodding eastward...

Long and dusty road, on an old black mare
Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Ride east
response: The old black mare continues plodding eastward...
In your wisdom, you have driven the old black mare past the point of exhaustion. To be a little more exact (and graphic), the poor horse suddenly collapses, moaning and wheezing, sending you tumbling to the ground. Then she coughs her last and dies.

Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: You look around
response: Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: You go to the west
response: You trudge back in the direction of town...

Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: You go east
response: You continue trudging eastward on foot...

Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Go east
response: You continue trudging eastward on foot...
(Having vastly overestimated your own ability to make this little journey on your own, you collapse face-first onto the dirt road. And then you stop breathing.)
action: You eat the taffy
response: You chomp down about half of the taffy.
action: You eat the taffy
response: You gobble the rest of the taffy. Yum. All gone.
action: You go to the east
response: Enter saved game to load:
action: Dismount
response: You get off of the old black mare.

Sarah slips out of the stable.
action: You examine the window
response: The hayloft is a good ten feet over your head.
action: You exit
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: Go east
response: Knowing full well there's a way over the barrels and crates, you clamber awkwardly over the stack...

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
action: Up
response: You scramble back up the bedsheet to the open window.

Not too fancy, but then you get what you pay for. A bed with a mattress that was, as you vaguely remember it, rather wooden. A wash basin and mirror along one wall. Curtains open, revealing the single small window and Main Street below.
Through the open curtains, you can see your bedsheet fluttering from where it is tied to the drainpipe outside.
action: You ask Grady about the horse
response: Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.

The alley is wedged between the hotel to the south and the shed to the north; it basically runs a short ways east-west.
action: Go down
response: Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
You catch glimpses of boots underneath the swinging doors, walking
back and forth outside the saloon--the Sheriff's deputies, presumably waiting for you.
Grady is behind the bar.
action: You look at the horseshoe
response: Your basic lucky-charm horseshoe.
action: You ask Grady about the shed
response: "What? The shed is locked. What about it? Leave me alone. What have you ever done for me?"

Old Dan arrives from the west.

Grady looks up from behind the bar as Old Dan wanders in. "Out!" he says, pointing toward the door.
action: You take horseshoe
response: You can't take that.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You ask Grady about the horseshoe
response: "Hasn't done me much good. Need a new lucky charm."

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You ask Grady about lucky charm
response: "Hasn't done me much good. Need a new lucky charm."

Grady leafs through the hotel ledger.
action: You go to the north-west
response: One measly pool table comprises the billiards room. That and a
heavily locked door behind which Grady stashes his liquor. Southeast takes you back out into the saloon.
action: You take the ball
response: You should probably be doing something else rather than messing around with the billiards equipment.
action: You examine the door
response: The locked door looks just like you would expect.
action: You examine table
response: Not a very fine specimen of the billiards world. One of the four legs is shorter than the other three, giving the balls a tendency to roll into the bottom right pocket.
action: You examine the bottom right pocket
response: The pool table pocket looks just like you would expect.
action: You search it
response: (Assuming you mean the pool table pocket.)
You don't find anything.
action: You look in it
response: (Assuming you mean the pool table pocket.)
The pool table pocket is empty.
action: You unlock door
response: The door is locked up as tight as anything you've ever seen. There's no way in hell you're ever going to get it open.
action: You shoot door
response: You pull the trigger, and--CLICK. Your six-shooter is empty.
action: You examine the roy's gun
response: A six-shooter like yours, but a lot nicer, to be honest. While you paid about three bucks for yours, old Roy here--rest his soul, and all that--must've dropped at least ten. Maybe even fifteen.
action: You shoot the door with the roy's gun
response: You put a bullet in the door. From the next room you hear Grady holler: "What the Jesus are you doing in there?"
action: Go southeast
response: Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.

Grady leafs through the hotel ledger.
action: You ask Grady for the key
response: Which key do you mean, the skeleton key or the shed key?
action: You ask Grady for the shed key
response: "What? The shed is locked. What about it? Leave me alone. What have you ever done for me?"
action: You climb the sheet
response: Rooms on all sides of the landing--their doors closed and probably locked. The stairs go back downstairs to the saloon.

Not too fancy, but then you get what you pay for. A bed with a mattress that was, as you vaguely remember it, rather wooden. A wash basin and mirror along one wall. Curtains open, revealing the single small window and Main Street below.
Through the open curtains, you can see your bedsheet fluttering from where it is tied to the drainpipe outside.

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
action: You go west
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: You go south
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: Go south
response: Standing here in the middle of Main Street, you are directly across from the Tumbleweed Flats Sheriff's Department, which is directly to the east. Not the safest place to hang out, perhaps, considering that the gallows are right on the other side of the street--and you might as well try and avoid that particular inevitability for as long as possible. Might be a better idea to head north, back up Main Street. Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
action: You go to the south
response: Going south from here will get you nowhere. You really don't need any more of that then you've already got.
action: You go east
response: Cramped quarters, actually. Barely room enough for the sheriff's
desk and a jail cell in the corner.
Sheriff Argyle is sitting behind his desk, munching on a sandwich and reading "Strange Western Lawkeeper Tales".

Argyle's eyes bulge out of his head as you stroll in. He drops his sandwich. "Jumpin' Jehosophat! I mean...well, I mean, aren't you the guy who shot Roy Heffer?"
action: You ask Argyle about the horse
response: The Sheriff eyes you warily. "Look, I'm not exactly sure what you're hoping to find out here. This have anything to do with why you smoked Roy?"
action: You shoot Argyle
response: You pull the trigger, and--CLICK. Your six-shooter is empty.
action: You shoot Argyle with roy's gun
response: You pull the trigger and shoot Sheriff Argyle. He falls to the ground, twitches a couple of times, then lies there, getting cold.
action: You look at the corpse
response: One dead sheriff.
action: You ask Dan about the liquor
response: "I just don't know anything about that, cowboy. How's about buying me a drink anyway?"
action: You go to the west
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

More clutter than any person in their right mind would know what to
do with. Luckily Lucille has the right idea: put it all on shelves and call it a General Store. Among other things, the shelves contain a box of bullets (one dollar), a box of shotgun shells (three dollars), an empty taffy box, a trail kit (one dollar), and a pick-axe (five dollars).
Lucille herself is standing behind the counter.
action: You look at kit
response: A label reads: "Everything you need to be prepared. If you don't get yourself one of these here kits, you're not prepared. If you're not prepared, you're dead, buddy. Get it?" The hard sell, you might say.
action: You ask Lucille about the kit
response: "What, that thing? Piece of crap is what it is. Don't even know why I've got it. But I ain't giving it away, if that's what you're thinking."
action: You buy the kit
response: With what? You're broke, cowboy.
action: You examine the taffy
response: The sticky taffy looks just like you would expect.
action: You give the bottle
response: Try giving something to someone in particular.
action: You give the bottle to Lucille
response: Lucille politely refuses.

Old Dan arrives from the east.

Lucille rolls her eyes as Dan comes in. "What do you want now, old timer?" she asks.
action: You show the roy's gun to Lucille
response: Lucille doesn't seem too interested in Roy's gun.

Old Dan heads off to the east.
action: You describe your surroundings
response: More clutter than any person in their right mind would know what to
do with. Luckily Lucille has the right idea: put it all on shelves and call it a General Store. Among other things, the shelves contain a box of bullets (one dollar), a box of shotgun shells (three dollars), an empty taffy box, a trail kit (one dollar), and a pick-axe (five dollars).
Lucille herself is standing behind the counter.
action: You look at the clutter
response: Among other things, the shelves contain a box of bullets (one dollar), a box of shotgun shells (three dollars), an empty taffy box, a trail kit (one dollar), and a pick-axe (five dollars).
action: You shoot Lucille with the roy's gun
response: You pull the trigger and shoot Lucille. She falls to the ground, twitches a couple of times, then lies there, getting cold.
action: You get all
response: Only if you want to be spotted carting a dead body around town. Not recommended.
action: You get all from shelves
response: box of shotgun shells: Taken.
empty taffy box: You can't take that.
pick-axe: You're carrying too much to take that.

Suddenly a half-dozen of the Sheriff's roughest, toughest, and hungriest-for-justice deputies show up. They level their guns at the murderer (meaning you, of course), and bring you down in a blaze of trigger-pulling.
action: You apologize
response: Enter (R)ESTART, R(E)STORE, (U)NDO, or (Q)UIT:
action: You go to the east
response: Enter saved game to load:
action: Inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), a handwritten note, a scrap of cloth, and some sticky taffy.
action: You examine Lucille
response: Lucille is actually not the Lucille in "Lucille's General Store"--Lucille is Lucille's daughter. She's in her mid-fifties, skinny as a post, and exceptionally stern-looking.
action: You ask Lucille about the taffy box
response: "You lnow what it is? It's that damned John Stratford came in here and bought up all my damned taffy. Rich old bastard. Now I got that irritating little kid what's-his-name in here crying for candy. Damned if I don't claw my own eyes out one of these days."
action: You give the roy's gun to Lucille
response: Lucille politely refuses.
action: You ask Lucille about Stratford
response: "He's a pompous bastard. So rich and all, living in that mansion back in the trees, him and that whatever-her-name-is."
action: Go east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
action: Go north
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
action: Go west
response: Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here.
action: You examine the brush
response: Very dense. If there's anything behind the trees, you'd have a heck of a time trying to fight your way through the brush to find it.
action: You look at weeds
response: They look kind of a mess. Someone really ought to get busy doing some weed-picking.
action: You pick weeds
response: You pluck one of the weeds from the ground.
action: You examine weed
response: Green. Weedish. Six leaves.
action: You examine bobby
response: The other half of the menacing team that is Little Jimmy and Bobby. In another eighty years or so, they'd diagnose this kid as having hyperactivity/attention-deficit disorder. But at the moment, you just find him annoying.
action: You put the taffy in the gun
response: Roy's gun is closed.
action: You open the roy's gun
response: You crack it open. There are six bullets left.
action: You give the taffy to Bobby
response: Bobby refuses.
action: You open your gun
response: You crack it open. It's empty.
action: You ask Jimmy about Stratford
response: Little Jimmy bawls: "Taffy! Taffy! Gimme back my taffy!"
action: You pluck the weed
response: You pluck a leaf from the weed. It flutters away.
action: You examine the weed
response: Green. Weedish. There are five leaves left that you haven't plucked. (Looks kinda like a five-leaf clover.)
action: You go east
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
action: You go south
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
action: You go east
response: Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.
action: You give the weed to Grady
response: "No thanks. If I wanted a weed, I'd go pick my own. Now a four-leaf clover: there's a valuable plant."
action: You pluck the leaf
response: You pluck another leaf from the weed. It flutters away.

Grady watches you, wondering the hell you're doing.

Old Dan arrives from the west.

Grady looks up from behind the bar as Old Dan wanders in. "Out!" he says, pointing toward the door.
action: You give the weed to Grady
response: "No thanks. If I wanted a weed, I'd go pick my own. Now a four-leaf clover: there's a valuable plant."

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You pluck the leaf
response: You pluck another leaf from the weed. It flutters away.
action: You give weed to Grady
response: "A four-leaf clover? For me? I ...well, I don't know what to say. Maybe this'll turn my luck around. Maybe I misjudged you." And with that, Grady takes the weed from you.

Old Dan arrives from the west.

Grady looks up from behind the bar as Old Dan wanders in. "Out!" he says, pointing toward the door.
action: You ask Grady for the shed key
response: "You want to get into that old shed? Nothing but junk in there," Grady says. But then he shrugs and digs out the key anyway, putting it down on the counter.

Grady leafs through the hotel ledger.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You ask Grady about the horseshoe
response: "Hasn't done me much good. Need a new lucky charm."
action: You go to the west
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
action: Go east
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Knowing full well there's a way over the barrels and crates, you clamber awkwardly over the stack...

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
action: You get the key
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.
Sitting on the bar is the key to Grady's shed.

You don't see that.
action: You examine the key
response: Which key do you mean, the skeleton key or the shed key?
action: Shed
response: It's the key to Grady's shed. In fact, it's got "Grady's Shed" scrawled on it.
action: You go to the east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

Knowing full well there's a way over the barrels and crates, you clamber awkwardly over the stack...

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
action: Unlock shed
response: (with the shed key)
Unlocked.
action: You open it
response: (Assuming you mean Grady's storage shed.)
Opened.
action: You enter it
response: (Assuming you mean Grady's storage shed.)

It's dark in here. The only light bleeds in through the window and
the open door. Looks like this is where Grady keeps most of his junk. Resting on the ground against one wall is a ten-foot wooden ladder.
action: You get the ladder
response: You're carrying too much to take that.
action: You look at the junk
response: Most of the metal stuff is rusted. Most of the wooden stuff is termite-gnawed. None of it is of much use to you.
action: Inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. You are also carrying two keys (a skeleton key and the shed key), two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), a handwritten note, a scrap of cloth, and some sticky taffy.
action: You put the gun in the holster
response: Which gun do you mean, your six-shooter or Roy's gun?
action: Mine
response: You put your six-shooter in the holster.
action: You put the roy's gun in the holster
response: Your six-shooter is already tucked in your holster.
action: You drop the note
response: Dropped.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. You are also carrying two keys (a skeleton key and the shed key), Roy's gun, a scrap of cloth, and some sticky taffy. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.
action: You climb the ladder
response: Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.

You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over, dragging the ladder after you.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to the stall to the north is open.
An old black mare is here.

Try leaning the ladder against something for starters.
action: You lean the ladder against the loft
response: You lean the ladder against the loft, just where the hayloft begins.
action: You climb ladder
response: About ten or so feet off the stable floor. Too far to jump--better
to make wise use of the ladder which is still leaning against the wall. Sunlight shines in through a small square window.
action: You look at the window
response: Through the window you can see the branches of a massive oak tree.
action: You climb it
response: (Assuming you mean the window.)

In the manner of a crow or vulture or some other sort of top-branch-perching bird. The loft window is behind you, technically to the southeast, while the ground is perilously far below.
action: Go upwards
response: You're in a tree. Think about it.
action: You climb the tree
response: In the manner of a crow or vulture or some other sort of top-branch-perching bird. The loft window is behind you, technically to the southeast, while the ground is perilously far below.
action: Go downwards
response: Down, you say? Well, you begin to shimmy down the tree, precariously clutching onto branches and outcroppings of tough bark--whatever you can reach. Finally, scraped and bruised all to hell, you find yourself on firm ground.

Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
Strutting proudly around the meadow is a fiery red stallion.
action: You look at the horse
response: A finer-looking animal you've never seen. You could probably ride forever on this horse, and it wouldn't even break a sweat.
action: You ride the horse
response: You get on the fiery red stallion.
action: Shout
response: You let out a hearty bellow. Nothing else happens.
action: Ride south
response: You give the red stallion a couple of pokes in its sides with your spurs, and the animal breaks into a trot. A couple of seconds later, however, an old man in an ascot and a mop of gray hair (John Stratford, that is) comes chasing after you from the west.

"Get off my blimey horse!" he hollers at you in a proper British accent. Right before jamming a couple of shells into a double-barrelled shotgun and shooting you dead.
action: Dismount
response: You get off of the fiery red stallion.
action: Go south
response: Your parched brain tries as hard as it possibly can to remember what the path through the trees looked like from above, and you start forging a path...

Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
action: You go north
response: Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
Strutting proudly around the meadow is a fiery red stallion.
action: You go west
response: Of a mansion, or what might be considered a mansion if it weren't
quite so rustic looking. It's as if someone took a giant tub of Dr. Ricardo's Growth Tonic (which he peddles to the unsuspecting populace whenever he's in town, about every four months or so) and poured it over one of the ramshackle houses--albeit one of the nicer ones--scattered about Tumbleweed Flats. You can enter the house to the west.
John Stratford is sitting in his rocking chair, smoking his pipe.
His trusty shotgun is across his lap.
action: You shoot Stratford with the roy's gun
response: Blam! Stratford looks surprised as hell as you shoot him. He pitches forward onto his knees, then tumbles forward onto his face. He lies that way on the ground at your feet.

Now. What happens next is your introduction to the lovely Juanita Stratford, devoted wife of the (recently) late John Stratford. She comes racing out of the house with her shotgun--exactly the same make and model as his, how romantic--lines up the barrel between you and her, and starts trigger-pulling. Love, baby. And you got in its way.
action: You ask Stratford about the taffy
response: "Oh, I love that taffy."
action: You show the taffy to John
response: "Hey! Now I do know good taffy, and I do believe that is some!"
action: You ask John about Juanita
response: "My dear wife Juanita. I do love her. She is everything a man could want. And one wickedly good shot, to boot."
action: You give the taffy to John
response: Stratford looks surprised. "Why, thank you," he says. "Who told you that I do so love this taffy?" He munches on the candy.
action: You ask John for the horse
response: Which horse do you mean, the old black mare or the fiery red stallion?
action: You ask John for red stallion
response: Stratford's mouth is too gummed-up with sticky taffy to talk.
action: Gallop south
response: Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
Strutting proudly around the meadow is a fiery red stallion.

You get on the fiery red stallion.

You give the red stallion a couple of pokes in its sides with your spurs, and the animal breaks into a trot. A couple of seconds later, however, an old man in an ascot and a mop of gray hair (John Stratford, that is) comes chasing after you from the west.

He tries to shout something at you, but his mouth is gummed up with taffy. The same goes for his fingers, which are useless so far as pulling the trigger on the shotgun he is aiming at you.

Empty lot, on a fiery red stallion
Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, running in circles around Little Jimmy.
action: You give your gun to Jimmy
response: To walk, you will have to get off of the fiery red stallion.
Otherwise, try "ride" or "gallop" and a direction.

(taking your six-shooter first)
You pull your six-shooter out of your holster.

Little Jimmy bawls: "Taffy! Taffy! Gimme back my taffy!"
action: Ride east
response: North end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
action: Ride north
response: Edge of town, on a fiery red stallion
You can still see Tumbleweed Flats behind you where the road curves around from the south. A dead, rotted tree stands here, marking the memory of the last living thing between here and where the road disappears into the eastern distance.
action: You go to the east
response: To walk, you will have to get off of the fiery red stallion.
Otherwise, try "ride" or "gallop" and a direction.
action: Ride east
response: Long and dusty road, on a fiery red stallion
Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Ride east
response: The red stallion gallops along without faltering, eating up the distance, Tumbleweed Flats disappearing far behind you.

End of the road, on a fiery red stallion
The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah is here, sitting atop her beautiful Arabian horse.

"I'm glad you made it," Sarah says as she climbs down from her horse.
action: You stand
response: You get off of the fiery red stallion.
action: Kiss sarah
response: She pushes you away. "Hey, hayseed. I don't know what you think you've got coming for helping me out, but if that's it, you can just forget it."
action: You ask Sarah about Uncle
response: "He may be a little strange, but, hey, he's my uncle, and he's dear to me--and it's not just because he's got a lot of money. But I'm not going to let that rotten snake Glen Heffer force me into coming up with ransom money--Uncle Bucky wouldn't want that."
action: You ask Sarah about Glen
response: "I guess he can add kidnapper and blackmailer to his list of accomplishments, right after thief, murderer, and son-of-a-bitch."
action: You get on the arabian
response: You get on Sarah's horse.
action: Ride W
response: Sarah asks: "And why, if you don't mind me asking, don't you just ride your own horse?"
action: You look at Arabian
response: A beautiful Arabian, perhaps two years old. The kind of horse you rarely had the chance to see for yourself--well, before you gummed up Stratford and swiped his stallion, that is.
action: Dismount
response: You get off of Sarah's horse.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah is here.
Sarah's Arabian is here, snacking contentedly on a small patch of grass.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.
action: Go southeast
response: From the top of this incline, you can look back to see the dusty road stretching out of sight to the west. Over the crest of the hill, you can see the Heffer ranch house to the south--quite an impressive sight, to be honest. A hayfield opens up to the east.
Standing guarding the front of the house is Glen Heffer's
mean-looking henchman Large Duane. Lucky for you he can't see you.

Sarah scrambles up the bank after you. "I hope you know what you're doing," she says.
action: You examine Duane
response: Large Duane is not a friendly looking fellow. If he sees you, he'll kill you. If you had anything to your name, you could bet it all on that fact. It's also the best argument there is not to mess with him.
action: You shoot Duane with the roy's gun
response: Trying to shoot Large Duane from so far away isn't such a hot idea seeing as what a lousy shot you are. The same, however, is not true for Large Duane, whose attention you manage to attract. He draws, aims, and hits you right between the eyes.
action: Go upwards
response: From the top of this incline, you can look back to see the dusty road stretching out of sight to the west. Over the crest of the hill, you can see the Heffer ranch house to the south--quite an impressive sight, to be honest. A hayfield opens up to the east.
Standing guarding the front of the house is Glen Heffer's
mean-looking henchman Large Duane. Lucky for you he can't see you. Sarah is here.
action: Go east
response: Standing amidst the scattered golden haystacks drying in the hot sun. In fact, the hay is so dry it crackles under your feet as you step on it. From here, you can either go back west where you came from, or southwest toward the Heffer ranch house.

Sarah follows you into the hayfield. "What are you doing over here?" she asks.
action: You examine the hay
response: The hayfield is full of scattered golden haystacks drying in the hot sun.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), and a scrap of cloth.
action: Go southwest
response: Nice building, no doubt the product of years of ill-gotten gains. Directly south of you is the front door, which is closed. You can backtrack to the top of the steep bank to the north, or go northeast into the hayfield.
Large Duane is here, looking large and mean.

Large Duane looks up as you come near. His eyes narrow, and he quickly draws his gun and sends you off to Cowboy Heaven. What the hell were you thinking, stomping on up to him like that? Doesn't matter.
action: You go west
response: From the top of this incline, you can look back to see the dusty road stretching out of sight to the west. Over the crest of the hill, you can see the Heffer ranch house to the south--quite an impressive sight, to be honest. A hayfield opens up to the east.
Standing guarding the front of the house is Glen Heffer's
mean-looking henchman Large Duane. Lucky for you he can't see you.

Sarah follows you back to the top of the bank.
action: Go northwest
response: The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah's Arabian is here, snacking contentedly on a small patch of grass.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Sarah follows after you.
action: Go west
response: Now, come on...you know better than to try to make it on foot.
action: You get on the red
response: You get on the fiery red stallion.
action: Ride W
response: The red stallion gallops along, and before too long delivers you safely to the west end of the long, dusty road.

Edge of town, on a fiery red stallion
You can still see Tumbleweed Flats behind you where the road curves around from the south. A dead, rotted tree stands here, marking the memory of the last living thing between here and where the road disappears into the eastern distance.

(Sarah stayed behind at the east end of the road.)
action: Ride south
response: North end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

Old Dan arrives from the south.
action: Ride south
response: Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
action: Dismount
response: You get off of the fiery red stallion.
action: Go west
response: More clutter than any person in their right mind would know what to
do with. Luckily Lucille has the right idea: put it all on shelves and call it a General Store. Among other things, the shelves contain a box of bullets (one dollar), a box of shotgun shells (three dollars), an empty taffy box, a trail kit (one dollar), and a pick-axe (five dollars).
Lucille herself is standing behind the counter.
action: You get the kit
response: You'll have to buy the trail kit first.
action: Go east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.
action: Go north
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
action: Go west
response: Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here.
action: Go north
response: Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
action: Go west
response: Of a mansion, or what might be considered a mansion if it weren't
quite so rustic looking. It's as if someone took a giant tub of Dr. Ricardo's Growth Tonic (which he peddles to the unsuspecting populace whenever he's in town, about every four months or so) and poured it over one of the ramshackle houses--albeit one of the nicer ones--scattered about Tumbleweed Flats. You can enter the house to the west.
John Stratford is here, looking mad as hell.
action: Go west
response: Stratford brandishes his shotgun in your general direction. "Not so fast, tumbleweed," he mutters in his clipped British accent, barely understandable through his mouthful of sticky taffy.
action: You give it to him
response: (Assuming you mean Roy's gun and John Stratford, respectively.)
John Stratford refuses.
action: You examine the house
response: Quite a place, as far as these parts go. At least compared to the typical pile of slapped-together planks that passes for a house around here.
action: You go west
response: Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, running in circles around Little Jimmy.
action: You pluck the leaf
response: You pluck one of the weeds from the ground.

You pluck a leaf from the weed. It flutters away.

You pluck another leaf from the weed. It flutters away.
action: You examine the weed
response: Green. Weedish. There are four leaves left that you haven't plucked. (Looks kinda like a four-leaf clover.)
action: You give the weed
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Old Dan arrives from the east.

Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.

Try giving something to someone in particular.
action: You give the weed to Grady
response: "A four-leaf clover? For me? I ...well, I don't know what to say. Maybe this'll turn my luck around. Maybe I misjudged you." And with that, Grady takes the weed from you.
action: You ask Grady for the shed key
response: "You want to get into that old shed? Nothing but junk in there," Grady says. But then he shrugs and digs out the key anyway, putting it down on the counter.
action: You give the bottle to Grady
response: Grady politely refuses.
action: You unlock door
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

Knowing full well there's a way over the barrels and crates, you clamber awkwardly over the stack...

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.

(with the shed key)
Unlocked.
action: You get the ladder
response: (opening the shed door first)
Opened.

It's dark in here. The only light bleeds in through the window and
the open door. Looks like this is where Grady keeps most of his junk. Resting on the ground against one wall is a ten-foot wooden ladder.

You're carrying too much to take that.
action: Go northwest
response: Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.

You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Old Dan heads off to the west.

Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.

One measly pool table comprises the billiards room. That and a
heavily locked door behind which Grady stashes his liquor. Southeast takes you back out into the saloon.
action: You get the ladder
response: handwritten note: Dropped.
shed key: Dropped.

You're carrying too much to take that.
action: Inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), a scrap of cloth, and some sticky taffy.
action: You put your gun in the holster
response: You put your six-shooter in the holster.
action: You put the cloth in the bottle
response: You stuff the piece of cloth into the opening of the bottle.
action: Go west
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over, dragging the ladder after you.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
action: Go west
response: Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
action: You put the ladder on the loft
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to the stall to the north is open.
An old black mare is here.

There's no room on the loft.
action: Go west
response: Stratford brandishes his shotgun in your general direction. "Not so fast, tumbleweed," he mutters in his clipped British accent.
action: Smell bottle
response: The piece of cloth is in the way.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. A scrap of cloth is stuffed in the mouth of the bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, Roy's gun, and some sticky taffy. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.
action: You examine Stratford
response: John Stratford is around fifty or so. He's got a healthy shock of white hair atop his head. But other than that, his eyes look kinda mean. And that goes none too well with the shotgun on his lap. Puts you on your guard to say the least. You warily watch Stratford warily watching you as he puffs on his pipe.
action: You go south
response: Your parched brain tries as hard as it possibly can to remember what the path through the trees looked like from above, and you start forging a path...

Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here.
action: You go east
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: You go east
response: Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
action: Go south
response: Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
action: You go east
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
action: Go east
response: Knowing full well there's a way over the barrels and crates, you clamber awkwardly over the stack...

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
action: You look at the planks
response: The wooden plank looks just like you would expect.
action: You get the planks
response: It's attached to the side of the saloon.
action: You pull the plank
response: With a grunt, you yank the board free from the side of the saloon. It falls to the ground with a dull clatter, revealing an opening leading southeast into the wall.
action: You examine the opening
response: The opening leads southeast into the darkness beyond the wall of the building.
action: You go southeast
response: In the dim light from the alleyway, you can make out the outlines of several shelves of crates and bottles, as well as a heavy door which--you guess--leads out into the billiards room. Sitting in the shadows in the corner is a big wooden keg.
action: You look at the keg
response: As you blow away the dust from the keg, you reveal some crude stenciling that reads: "Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX." A tap is fixed to the side of it.
action: You get the keg
response: It's much too heavy to lift.
action: You examine tap
response: The crude stenciling reads: "Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX." A tap is fixed to the side.
action: You fill the bottle
response: You fill the bottle with Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX.
action: You fill bottle
response: The bottle is already filled with Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX.
action: Drink bottle
response: It smells pretty damn strong. Are you sure you want to try it?
action: Yes
response: That was a rhetorical question. (Although you sound rather positive.)
action: Drink bottle
response: You take a tiny sip of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX, and the next thing you know...

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are carrying a child's rattle.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: Shake rattle
response: Rattle, rattle.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: You go to the south
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

The sun begins to sink lower in the western sky.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: Go south
response: Standing here in the middle of Main Street, you are directly across from the Tumbleweed Flats Sheriff's Department, which is directly to the east. Not the safest place to hang out, perhaps, considering that the gallows are right on the other side of the street--and you might as well try and avoid that particular inevitability for as long as possible. Might be a better idea to head north, back up Main Street.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: You go north
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Your head hurts like hell.

Old Dan heads off to the east.
action: Go west
response: More clutter than any person in their right mind would know what to
do with. Luckily Lucille has the right idea: put it all on shelves and call it a General Store. Among other things, the shelves contain a box of bullets (one dollar), a box of shotgun shells (three dollars), an empty taffy box, a trail kit (one dollar), and a pick-axe (five dollars).
Lucille herself is standing behind the counter.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: Go east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Your head hurts like hell.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: Go west
response: More clutter than any person in their right mind would know what to
do with. Luckily Lucille has the right idea: put it all on shelves and call it a General Store. Among other things, the shelves contain a box of bullets (one dollar), a box of shotgun shells (three dollars), an empty taffy box, a trail kit (one dollar), and a pick-axe (five dollars).
Lucille herself is standing behind the counter.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Your head hurts like hell.

Old Dan heads off to the east.
action: Go east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Your head hurts like hell.

Old Dan heads off to the north.
action: Go north
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: You give the rattle to Dan
response: Old Dan politely refuses.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: You look at the bottle
response: The label proclaims: "Dr. Vita-Vim's Sour Mash." Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle.
action: Shake bottle
response: You wave the whiskey bottle. Nothing happens.
action: Go northwest
response: Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
You can squeeze through an opening between two boards in the side of the saloon.
A wooden plank is here.
action: Go west
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
action: You go to the south
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You examine the plank
response: Once attached to the side of Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Old Dan arrives from the west.
action: You give the bottle to Dan
response: Before you can even get the hand holding the bottle halfway up, Old Dan grabs the bottle and takes a gigantic swig. His eyes open so wide you can see through his head. Then he rockets straight into orbit, disappearing into the stratosphere, leaving only a trail of blue smoke behind him.
action: You look
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), and a scrap of cloth.
action: You put the cloth in the bottle
response: You stuff the piece of cloth into the opening of the bottle.
action: You examine the cloth
response: The piece of cloth is about the size of a handkerchief.
action: You go to the south
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Old Dan heads off to the north.
action: You go to the north
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
action: You show the bottle to Dan
response: Old Dan's eyes widen. He grabs at the bottle, almost throwing himself off-balance. As he weaves: "Gimme that! For the love of God, give me that!"
action: Go south
response: Standing here in the middle of Main Street, you are directly across from the Tumbleweed Flats Sheriff's Department, which is directly to the east. Not the safest place to hang out, perhaps, considering that the gallows are right on the other side of the street--and you might as well try and avoid that particular inevitability for as long as possible. Might be a better idea to head north, back up Main Street.
action: You go east
response: Cramped quarters, actually. Barely room enough for the sheriff's
desk and a jail cell in the corner.
Sheriff Argyle is sitting behind his desk, munching on a sandwich and reading "Strange Western Lawkeeper Tales".

Argyle's eyes bulge out of his head as you stroll in. He drops his sandwich. "Jumpin' Jehosophat! I mean...well, I mean, aren't you the guy who shot Roy Heffer?"
action: You give the bottle to Argyle
response: Sheriff Argyle politely refuses.
action: You look at the sandwich
response: It's a plain old fried-chicken sandwich.
action: You get it
response: (Assuming you mean Argyle's sandwich.)
Taken.
action: You go west
response: As you turn and start to walk back out the door, Argyle kisses you with his Smith and Wesson .38 right between the shoulder blades. Cowardly, perhaps, but he is the one still breathing.
action: You go east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.
action: You show the bottle to Grady
response: Grady's eyes narrow when he sees the whiskey bottle full of his dear old Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX. "Why, you whiskey-thieving yellow-belly..." he mutters. Right before he grabs the bottle and clubs you over the skull with it. It shatters, and everything gets real ark...

...until you wake up a good half-hour later with a lump on your head.

Your head hurts like hell.
action: You go west
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

More clutter than any person in their right mind would know what to
do with. Luckily Lucille has the right idea: put it all on shelves and call it a General Store. Among other things, the shelves contain a box of bullets (one dollar), a box of shotgun shells (three dollars), an empty taffy box, a trail kit (one dollar), and a pick-axe (five dollars).
Lucille herself is standing behind the counter.
action: You open it
response: Taken.

(Assuming you mean the trail kit.)
Opened.

The trail kit contains a matchbook, a fork, a spoon, and some beef jerky.
action: You go to the east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Suddenly a half-dozen of the Sheriff's roughest, toughest, and hungriest-for-justice deputies show up. They level their guns at the murderer (meaning you, of course), and bring you down in a blaze of trigger-pulling.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), a scrap of cloth, and a wooden plank.
action: You throw the bottle
response: You'll have to be a little more specific about what you'd like to throw the whiskey bottle at.

Old Dan arrives from the east.

Lucille rolls her eyes as Dan comes in. "What do you want now, old timer?" she asks.
action: Wait
response: Time passes...

Old Dan heads off to the east.

Do you want to keep waiting (YES or NO)?
action: You throw the bottle at Dan
response: You ultimately decide that throwing the whiskey bottle at Old Dan isn't such a great idea.

Old Dan heads off to the east.
action: You throw bottle at the counter
response: What exactly are you hoping for?
action: You go east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.

Old Dan arrives from the west.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle. A scrap of cloth is stuffed in the mouth of the bottle. You are also carrying a skeleton key, two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), and a wooden plank.

Old Dan heads off to the north.
action: You ride the horse
response: You get on the fiery red stallion.
action: Ride south
response: South end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Standing here in the middle of Main Street, you are directly across from the Tumbleweed Flats Sheriff's Department, which is directly to the east. Not the safest place to hang out, perhaps, considering that the gallows are right on the other side of the street--and you might as well try and avoid that particular inevitability for as long as possible. Might be a better idea to head north, back up Main Street.
action: Ride south
response: Going south from here will get you nowhere. You really don't need any more of that then you've already got.
action: Ride north
response: Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Old Dan arrives from the north.
action: Ride W
response: Empty lot, on a fiery red stallion
Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
action: Ride north
response: Hidden meadow, on a fiery red stallion
Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
action: Ride south
response: Empty lot, on a fiery red stallion
Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here.
action: Ride NW
response: Stable, on a fiery red stallion
Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to the stall to the north is open.
The ten-foot ladder is leaning against the loft.
An old black mare is here.
action: Ride north
response: Stall, on a fiery red stallion
Any question as to where the musty odor of the stable is coming from
is answered by coming in here--the pile of old hay on the ground was probably due for a changing a couple of weeks ago. A few long-since-used pieces of leather tack--a bridle and saddle among them--hang on the wall. The stall door to the south is open.
action: You throw roy's gun at the barrel
response: What exactly are you hoping for?

Old Dan arrives from the south.
action: You go to the east
response: Knowing full well there's a way over the barrels and crates, you clamber awkwardly over the stack...

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
You can squeeze through an opening between two boards in the side of the saloon.
action: You climb the sheet
response: Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
You can squeeze through an opening between two boards in the side of the saloon.
action: You untie sheet
response: You untie the bedsheet from the drainpipe.
action: You look at it
response: (Assuming you mean the wash basin.)
The wash basin looks just like you would expect.
action: You search it
response: (Assuming you mean the wash basin.)
You don't find anything.
action: Look around
response: Not too fancy, but then you get what you pay for. A bed with a mattress that was, as you vaguely remember it, rather wooden. A wash basin and mirror along one wall. Curtains open, revealing the single small window and Main Street below.
action: You look under it
response: (Assuming you mean the bed.)
You don't find anything under the bed.
action: You search it
response: (Assuming you mean the bed.)
You don't find anything.
action: Go east
response: Rooms on all sides of the landing--their doors closed and probably locked. The stairs go back downstairs to the saloon.
action: Go down
response: Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.

Grady pulls out a cloth and polishes up the bar a little.
action: You go west
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Old Dan arrives from the north.
action: You go to the south
response: Standing here in the middle of Main Street, you are directly across from the Tumbleweed Flats Sheriff's Department, which is directly to the east. Not the safest place to hang out, perhaps, considering that the gallows are right on the other side of the street--and you might as well try and avoid that particular inevitability for as long as possible. Might be a better idea to head north, back up Main Street.

Old Dan arrives from the north.
action: Go north
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
action: Go north
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.
action: You shoot the tree with the roy's gun
response: You pull the trigger, and put a bullethole in the dead, rotted tree.
action: Ride east
response: The red stallion gallops along without faltering, eating up the distance, Tumbleweed Flats disappearing far behind you.

End of the road, on a fiery red stallion
The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah is here.
Sarah's Arabian is here, snacking contentedly on a small patch of grass.
action: You show the bottle to Sarah
response: "Oh, great. So what, you're going to drink that and get all fired up for being a hero? Lucky me."
action: Yes
response: That was a rhetorical question. (Although you sound rather positive.)
action: You give the bottle to Sarah
response: "No thanks. Although God knows we could both probably use it." She takes a look at you. Has second thoughts. "Well, maybe not both of us."
action: Drink bottle
response: The piece of cloth is in the way.
action: Go southeast
response: From the top of this incline, you can look back to see the dusty road stretching out of sight to the west. Over the crest of the hill, you can see the Heffer ranch house to the south--quite an impressive sight, to be honest. A hayfield opens up to the east.
Standing guarding the front of the house is Glen Heffer's
mean-looking henchman Large Duane. Lucky for you he can't see you.

Sarah scrambles up the bank after you. "I hope you know what you're doing," she says.
action: You throw the bottle at the hay
response: You pitch the bottle into the hayfield, where it lands with a dull thud.
action: Go east
response: Standing amidst the scattered golden haystacks drying in the hot sun. In fact, the hay is so dry it crackles under your feet as you step on it. From here, you can either go back west where you came from, or southwest toward the Heffer ranch house.
A whiskey bottle is here.

Sarah follows you into the hayfield. "What are you doing over here?" she asks.
action: Shout
response: You let out a hearty bellow. Nothing else happens.
action: Go south
response: You try to move, but Roy is faster, and he shoots you in the back before you can get away.
action: Go upward
response: Roy Heffer is standing in front of you, his right hand dangling over his holster, fingers twitching nervously. Somewhere in the distance, someone strums an out-of-tune Spanish guitar.
action: Wait
response: Time passes...

Roy draws his six-shooter, yanking it from its holster and raising it toward you...

Do you want to keep waiting (YES or NO)?
action: Y.
response: Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You look at six-shooter
response: Old faithful, with the emphasis on the "old" part. And faithful doesn't necessarily mean accurate.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You draw
response: You pull your six-shooter out of your holster.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You look at Roy
response: You might want to spend less time staring, and more time thinking about the fact that you're in the middle of a gunfight.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You look around
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Roy Heffer is standing in front of you, his right hand dangling over his holster, fingers twitching nervously. Somewhere in the distance, someone strums an out-of-tune Spanish guitar.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You shoot yourself
response: If you were prone to that sort of thing, you would've done that a long time ago. It's not like desperation is new to you or anything.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You drop the gun
response: Dropped.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You talk to Roy
response: Would seem the time for talking is long past.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You shoot general Store
response: You pull the trigger, and put a bullethole in Lucille's General Store.

Roy Heffer looks at you like you're out of your gourd.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You look
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Roy Heffer's rapidly cooling body is here.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: You check your inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are also carrying a skeleton key and your six-shooter.

A crowd starts to gather around you and the corpse.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the north. He stops for a second, looks at Roy's stiff, and raises his eyebrows. "Oooh. Dead guy."
action: You examine the saloon
response: The sign over the door originally just said "Grady's Saloon", but since then "Billiards" and "Hotel" have been added.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

More people come out onto the street to see what happened. They see the body. Some of them point at you and begin talking to each other in low voices.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the south.
action: Yes
response: That was a rhetorical question. (Although you sound rather positive.)
action: You draw
response: You pull your six-shooter out of your holster.
action: Shoot sign
response: You pull the trigger, and put a bullethole in Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.

Roy Heffer looks at you like you're out of your gourd.

Roy draws his six-shooter, yanking it from its holster and raising it toward you...
action: You throw the gun at Roy
response: You ultimately decide that throwing your six-shooter at Roy Heffer isn't such a great idea.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You open the gun
response: You crack it open. It's empty.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You get south
response: You can't take that.

Roy draws his six-shooter, yanking it from its holster and raising it toward you...
action: You shoot the guitar
response: You can't do that with the Spanish guitar music.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You listen to the music
response: It's faint, but you can make out the theme to 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly' fairly clearly.

Roy pulls the trigger. Catches you square in the chest. Ouch--that smarts! Not to mention the fact that it kills you.
action: You examine the corpse
response: Dead as a doornail, as they say. In a few minutes he'll be too stiff to move. Roy's gun is lying in the dirt where he dropped it when you shot him.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: You get all from the corpse
response: Nothing to get.
action: You look at the corpse
response: You don't see that.

Dead as a doornail, as they say. In a few minutes he'll be too stiff to move. Roy's gun is lying in the dirt where he dropped it when you shot him.
action: You search roy
response: Roy wasn't exactly a tiny guy. You're not having the best of luck moving him.

A crowd starts to gather around you and the corpse.
action: You look under Roy
response: Roy wasn't exactly a tiny guy. You're not having the best of luck moving him.

More people come out onto the street to see what happened. They see the body. Some of them point at you and begin talking to each other in low voices.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the north. He stops for a second, looks at Roy's stiff, and raises his eyebrows. "Oooh. Dead guy."
action: You move roy
response: Roy wasn't exactly a tiny guy. You're not having the best of luck moving him.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

You hear someone saying to you: "Look, partner. I dunno what your beef with ole Roy here was, but you best be getting outta here before the Sheriff shows up."

Little Jimmy goes running off to the south.
action: Search corpse
response: Roy wasn't exactly a tiny guy. You're not having the best of luck moving him.

Little Jimmy comes running past you from the south. He stops for a second, looks at Roy's stiff, and raises his eyebrows. "Oooh. Dead guy."

Old Dan arrives from the east.

(Old Dan has to make an effort to swagger around Roy's body.)
action: You ask Dan about Roy
response: "Once in a while Roy'd buy me drink or something. Didja have to go and kill him, of all people?"

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.

Little Jimmy goes running off to the north.
action: You get the roy's gun
response: Taken.

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You shoot Dan with it
response: (Assuming you mean Roy's gun.)
Old Dan isn't here.
action: You shoot bobby
response: What sort of lowlife are you, exactly?

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.

Old Dan heads off to the west.
action: You move roy
response: Old Dan helps you heft Roy's body a foot or two to one side.

Roy must've dropped his wallet in the dust when you plugged him. You take it. (What the hell--you already killed the guy.)  Old Dan looks at you expectantly.

Bobby chases off after Little Jimmy.
action: You get all
response: Roy Heffer's body: Only if you want to be spotted carting a dead body around town. Not recommended.
gathering crowd: You can't take that.
Roy's gun: Taken.
Old Dan: Old Dan probably wouldn't be too big on that idea.
action: You go east
response: Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
Grady is behind the bar.

Grady studies you as you come in. "Plannin' on paying your bill anytime soon?"
action: You examine the wallet
response: Calfskin. Nice. Monogrammed with "R.H." It's closed.
action: You open it
response: (Assuming you mean Roy's wallet.)
Opened.

Inside the wallet are a quarter and a dollar bill.
action: You give the bill to Grady
response: (taking the dollar bill first)
Taken.

Grady refuses. "You come back with some real money, 'fores I boot your dusty butt outta here."
action: You look at dollar
response: Good old legal tender, emblazoned with the seal of the Union.

You watch under the swinging doors as several sets of boots show up. The Sheriff's deputies have come looking for you.
action: Go west
response: The room door is locked.
action: You unlock door
response: (with the skeleton key)
Unlocked.
action: Go west
response: As you open the door, it bangs against an empty whiskey bottle that had rolled against it. The bottle skitters away into the corner of the room.

Not too fancy, but then you get what you pay for. A bed with a mattress that was, as you vaguely remember it, rather wooden. A wash basin and mirror along one wall. Curtains closed, covering the single small window.
Looks like someone slipped a piece of paper under the door while you were out.
In the corner of the room is a whiskey bottle, empty and discarded.
action: You get the sheet and the bottle and the note
response: bedsheet: Taken.
whiskey bottle: Taken.
handwritten note: Taken.
action: You climb the sheet
response: Opened. Through the closed window you can just peek around the corner of the hotel enough to see Main Street below. You see a gang of deputies waiting in front of the saloon--waiting for you, that is.

Opened.

You tie the bedsheet to the drainpipe.

As you climb down the bedsheet, it starts to rip. One small piece of cloth tears away and flutters down below you.

Running along the north side of Grady's--the old wall of the building is directly behind you. Grady's storage shed is just to the north, and Main Street is back out to the west. You're well hidden by a stack of old, sun-bleached wooden barrels. Overhead, you can see your bedsheet, flapping in the wind from where it's still attached to the drainpipe.
The small piece of cloth from the bedsheet is lying on the ground.
action: You get the plank
response: Taken.

It's attached to the side of the saloon.
action: You get it
response: (Assuming you mean the wooden plank.)
Taken.
action: You go southeast
response: In the dim light from the alleyway, you can make out the outlines of several shelves of crates and bottles, as well as a heavy door which--you guess--leads out into the billiards room. Sitting in the shadows in the corner is a big wooden keg.
action: You fill the bottle
response: You fill the bottle with Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX.
action: Go northwest
response: You can squeeze through an opening between two boards in the side of the saloon.
action: Go west
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.
Little Jimmy is here, cheerfully chomping on some sticky taffy.

Bobby comes running after Little Jimmy.
action: You get the taffy
response: Little Jimmy bawls as you grab his candy. "Give me back my taffy! Gimme gimme!" he hollers as he stamps his feet.
action: You go to the north-west
response: (opening the heavy stable door first)
With a grunt, you heave the stable door open.

Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to one of the stalls to the north is closed.
action: You wait
response: Time passes...

A woman slips into the stable behind you. She stands off to the side, almost in the shadows, regarding you warily. She looks vaguely familiar.

The woman seems relieved. "Good. I wasn't sure if you'd actually come," she says.

She goes to the stable door and looks outside, making sure that the two of you are alone before she closes it.

Do you want to keep waiting (YES or NO)?
action: You ask Sarah about Sarah
response: The strangely familiar woman would probably rather not talk about herself.

"That must mean you remember what I told you last night in Grady's, right? About Glen Heffer? I mean before his bastard son showed up and started causing trouble."

That's when it hits you: this is the woman for whose honor--directly or indirectly--you ended up in a gunfight this morning. Sarah or Sandra or Samantha or something like that. Sarah. That's right: Sarah. Whew. Nice memory on you.
action: You ask Sarah about Glen
response: "I guess he can add kidnapper and blackmailer to his list of accomplishments, right after thief, murderer, and son-of-a-bitch."
action: You ask Sarah about yourself
response: Hopefully you know as much as anyone.

Sarah looks at you skeptically again. "Okay. Here's what you have to do," she says. "You have a horse, right? I mean, I'm assuming you do. If you don't, you'll have to get yourself one. I guess I just figure any cowboy worth his weight in dust has a horse. You know the road going east just north of town? Ride east, all the way to the end. You'll know when you're there because you'll find me waiting for you."
action: You ask Sarah about Roy
response: "Last night in Grady's? Last night Roy knew exactly what I was talking about, about Uncle Bucky. Today? Well, today I'm glad you shot him."

Sarah's face softens a little, and some of her tough facade fades away.

"Look, I don't know if you're a hero or just not very smart or what.
It was more than enough that you stood up for me against Roy. Now this. It's probably more than I can ask, but...thank you."
action: You go southeast
response: Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here.
action: You pull the weeds
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly. He gives you grouchy look.

Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.

Pulling the thicket of weeds doesn't get you anywhere.
action: You go to the east
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
To the south, you can see a gang of deputies lounging around outside Grady's Saloon--presumably waiting for you.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, running in circles around Little Jimmy.
action: You give the clover
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly. He gives you grouchy look.

As you arrive, the deputies jump up from where they've been waiting for you, grab you, and push you to the ground. They quickly shackle your hands before hauling you back to your feet. Time to go see the Sheriff...

...and the gallows.

The game has ended. Do you want to (R)ESTART, R(E)STORE a saved game, (U)NDO your last turn, or (Q)UIT?
action: Go downwards
response: Rooms on all sides of the landing--their doors closed and probably locked. The stairs go back downstairs to the saloon.

Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel
Sunlight glares in through the swinging saloonesque doors, only to be swallowed up by the murkiness inside. Tables and chairs, barstools along the long counter, and a room-length mirror behind the bar. There's a horseshoe tacked to the wall, too. Stairs go up to the hotel rooms on the second floor. The billiards room, such as it is, is in the northwest corner.
You catch glimpses of boots underneath the swinging doors, walking
back and forth outside the saloon--the Sheriff's deputies, presumably waiting for you.
Grady is behind the bar.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly. He mutters something about cheap cowboys.

Old Dan heads off to the west.

He gives you grouchy look as he goes.
action: You give the clover to Grady
response: "A four-leaf clover? For me? I ...well, I don't know what to say. Maybe this'll turn my luck around. Maybe I misjudged you." And with that, Grady takes the weed from you.
action: You ask Grady for the shed key
response: "You want to get into that old shed? Nothing but junk in there," Grady says. But then he shrugs and digs out the key anyway, putting it down on the counter.

Grady pulls out a cloth and polishes up the bar a little.
action: You open the door
response: The shed door is locked.
action: You unlock it
response: (Assuming you mean the shed door.)
(with the shed key)
Unlocked.
action: You go north
response: (Assuming you mean the shed door.)
Opened.

It's dark in here. The only light bleeds in through the window and
the open door. Looks like this is where Grady keeps most of his junk. Resting on the ground against one wall is a ten-foot wooden ladder.
action: You get the ladder
response: You're carrying too much to take that.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle. A scrap of cloth is stuffed in the mouth of the bottle. You are also carrying two keys (a skeleton key and the shed key), two pistols (your six-shooter and Roy's gun), Roy's wallet, a dollar bill, a handwritten note, a wooden plank, and some sticky taffy. Inside the wallet is a quarter.
action: You drop the note and the keys
response: handwritten note: Dropped.
keys: skeleton key: Dropped.
shed key: Dropped.
action: You put dollar in the wallet
response: You put the dollar bill in Roy's wallet.
action: You put your pistol in the holster
response: Which pistol do you mean, your six-shooter or Roy's gun?
action: Inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle. A scrap of cloth is stuffed in the mouth of the bottle. You are also carrying Roy's wallet, Roy's gun, a wooden plank, and some sticky taffy. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.Inside the wallet are a quarter and a dollar bill.
action: You get ladder
response: Dropped.

Taken.
action: Go west
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over, dragging the ladder after you.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
action: You go northwest
response: Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to one of the stalls to the north is closed.
action: Go west
response: You lean the ladder against the loft, just where the hayloft begins.

About ten or so feet off the stable floor. Too far to jump--better
to make wise use of the ladder which is still leaning against the wall. Sunlight shines in through a small square window.

You can't go that way.
action: You go downwards
response: Smells musty, just like every other stable you've ever been in.
There's a meager half-light drifting down from a window in the loft overhead, and the stable door leads back out onto Main Street to the southeast. If anybody in this town owned a horse, this is where they'd keep it.
The gate to one of the stalls to the north is closed.
The ten-foot ladder is leaning against the loft.
action: You go west
response: Down, you say? Well, you begin to shimmy down the tree, precariously clutching onto branches and outcroppings of tough bark--whatever you can reach. Finally, scraped and bruised all to hell, you find yourself on firm ground.

Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
Strutting proudly around the meadow is a fiery red stallion.

Of a mansion, or what might be considered a mansion if it weren't
quite so rustic looking. It's as if someone took a giant tub of Dr. Ricardo's Growth Tonic (which he peddles to the unsuspecting populace whenever he's in town, about every four months or so) and poured it over one of the ramshackle houses--albeit one of the nicer ones--scattered about Tumbleweed Flats. You can enter the house to the west.
John Stratford is sitting in his rocking chair, smoking his pipe.
His trusty shotgun is across his lap.
action: You give the taffy to John
response: Stratford looks surprised. "Why, thank you," he says. "Who told you that I do so love this taffy?" He munches on the candy.
action: You get on the horse
response: Obviously not a popular picnic spot; in fact, if not for your vantage point perched atop the tree, you would never have known it was here, much less be able to blindly navigate your way through the thick of trees to the south. The meadow opens up to the west.
Strutting proudly around the meadow is a fiery red stallion.

You get on the fiery red stallion.
action: Ride south
response: You give the red stallion a couple of pokes in its sides with your spurs, and the animal breaks into a trot. A couple of seconds later, however, an old man in an ascot and a mop of gray hair (John Stratford, that is) comes chasing after you from the west.

He tries to shout something at you, but his mouth is gummed up with taffy. The same goes for his fingers, which are useless so far as pulling the trigger on the shotgun he is aiming at you.

Your parched brain tries as hard as it possibly can to remember what the path through the trees looked like from above, and you start forging a path...

Empty lot, on a fiery red stallion
Standing where you are, in the middle of a thicket of weeds, you're faced by a wall of impenetrable brush to the north. Just to the right of the trees, to the northeast, is the entrance the local stable. Back east is Main Street.
action: Ride east
response: North end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, running in circles around Little Jimmy.
action: You get off
response: You get off of the fiery red stallion.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

He mutters something about cheap cowboys.
action: Go north
response: It's dark in here. The only light bleeds in through the window and
the open door. Looks like this is where Grady keeps most of his junk. A handwritten note, a skeleton key, the shed key, and a wooden plank are here.
action: You go west
response: You find a foothold on the stack of barrels and clamber over.

Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.
action: You open the kit
response: Opened.

The trail kit contains a matchbook, a fork, a spoon, and some beef jerky.
action: Light match
response: You strike a match.
action: You go to the east
response: The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly. He gives you grouchy look.
action: You show the bottle to Dan
response: Old Dan's eyes widen. He grabs at the bottle, almost throwing himself off-balance. As he weaves: "Gimme that! For the love of God, give me that!"
action: Go north
response: Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
The fiery red stallion is standing patiently nearby.
action: Ride south
response: North end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, running in circles around Little Jimmy.

Old Dan arrives from the south.

He gives you grouchy look.
action: You give quarter to Dan
response: (taking the quarter first)
Taken.

"Well, much obliged, partner," Old Dan says as he takes the quarter.
action: You look around
response: North end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, running in circles around Little Jimmy.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
He has a quarter.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: Ride south
response: Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
He has a quarter.

Old Dan heads off to the south.
action: Ride south
response: South end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Standing here in the middle of Main Street, you are directly across from the Tumbleweed Flats Sheriff's Department, which is directly to the east. Not the safest place to hang out, perhaps, considering that the gallows are right on the other side of the street--and you might as well try and avoid that particular inevitability for as long as possible. Might be a better idea to head north, back up Main Street. Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly.
He has a quarter.
action: You get quarter
response: Taken.

Old Dan heads off to the north.

He gives you grouchy look as he goes.
action: Ride north
response: Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
The name might be a bit of overkill--after all, Tumbleweed Flats is a town with only one street. The sun beats down from above, lighting up the dusty haze stretching the length of the street north and south of here. On either side are rows of weathered wooden buildings. Immediately to the west is Lucille's General Store; to the east is Grady's Saloon, Billiards, and Hotel.
Old Dan, the town drunk, is here, standing in place and swaying slightly. He gives you grouchy look.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle. A scrap of cloth is stuffed in the mouth of the bottle. You are also carrying Roy's wallet, Roy's gun, a wooden plank, a trail kit, and a quarter. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.The trail kit contains a matchbook, a fork, a spoon, and some beef jerky.
action: You put quarter in the wallet
response: You put the quarter in Roy's wallet.

Old Dan heads off to the east.

He mutters something about cheap cowboys as he goes.
action: Ride north
response: North end of Main Street, on a fiery red stallion
Now leaving the bustling metropolis of Tumbleweed Flats, pop. 59.
The local stable is off to the northwest, just north of an empty field. To the east is the north end of the hotel, although it doesn't look like you'd be able to get by the stack of crates and barrels. A dusty road continues north out of town.
Little Jimmy is here, looking sullen.
Bobby is here, jumping up and down in place.
action: Ride north
response: Edge of town, on a fiery red stallion
You can still see Tumbleweed Flats behind you where the road curves around from the south. A dead, rotted tree stands here, marking the memory of the last living thing between here and where the road disappears into the eastern distance.
action: Ride east
response: Long and dusty road, on a fiery red stallion
Brambles and cactuses all over the place. Some might call it the desert. Not all that lucky for you, seeing as you're wandering around in the middle of it.
action: Ride
response: You'll have to specify a direction as well.
action: Ride east
response: The red stallion gallops along without faltering, eating up the distance, Tumbleweed Flats disappearing far behind you.

End of the road, on a fiery red stallion
The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah is here, sitting atop her beautiful Arabian horse.

"I'm glad you made it," Sarah says as she climbs down from her horse.
action: Inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are holding a whiskey bottle. Some of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX is sloshing around inside the whiskey bottle. A scrap of cloth is stuffed in the mouth of the bottle. You are also carrying Roy's wallet, Roy's gun, a wooden plank, and a trail kit. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.Inside the wallet is a quarter.The trail kit contains a matchbook, a fork, a spoon, and some beef jerky.
action: Light match
response: You strike a match.
action: Light cloth
response: You touch the match to the cloth, and it begins to burn.

The match goes out. You drop it.
action: You throw the bottle at the hay
response: You wind up and toss the bottle with its burning fuse and payload of Grandma Grady's Wicked XXX at one of the haystacks, which catches fire with a WHOOSH and soon builds into a roaring blaze. Even from here, you can see Large Duane's eyes go wide as saucers when he catches sight of the haystack flaring up like a match head. He runs like a madman into the hayfield, stomping on patches of flaming grass and kicking dirt onto the fire.

Sarah glares at you. "You are crazy, aren't you?"
action: You go southeast
response: Nestled between the house and the edge of the hayfield. There isn't much here except a window.

Sarah follows after you.
action: You look at the window
response: Through the window you can see the inside of the house, as well as two men. One of the men seems to be holding the other hostage--the giveaway being the gun he's holding on him.

"Uncle Bucky!" exclaims Sarah. Then her eyes narrow. "And that bastard Glen Heffer."
action: You break the window
response: Your attempt to break the window attracts the attention of Glen Heffer, Large Duane, and the rest of Heffer's hired guns, who corner you against the house and proceed to do away with you turkey-shoot-style.
action: Go upwards
response: Nestled between the house and the edge of the hayfield. There isn't much here except a window.
Sarah is here.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are also carrying Roy's wallet, Roy's gun, a wooden plank, and a trail kit. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.Inside the wallet is a quarter.The trail kit contains a matchbook, a fork, a spoon, and some beef jerky.
action: You give the spoon to Sarah
response: (taking the spoon first)
Taken.

Sarah politely refuses.
action: Go inside
response: Try using the door around front.
action: Go northwest
response: From the top of this incline, you can look back to see the dusty road stretching out of sight to the west. Over the crest of the hill, you can see the Heffer ranch house to the south--quite an impressive sight, to be honest. A hayfield opens up to the east.
Large Duane is off to the east, trying to put out the burning
haystack!

Sarah follows you back out into the open.
action: Go south
response: Nice building, no doubt the product of years of ill-gotten gains. Directly south of you is the front door, which is closed. You can backtrack to the top of the steep bank to the north, or go northeast into the hayfield.

Sarah follows after you.
action: You open the door
response: Opened.
action: You go south
response: to call it. The front door is behind you to the north. The house opens up into the east wing to the east and the west wing to the west. (Mental note: you can hear voices coming from either wing). Going straight south will take you through to the living room, and it looks like the kitchen is off to the southwest--you can see pots, pans, and a cast-iron stove through the archway.

Sarah walks quietly into the house after you.
action: Go east
response: Walking east from the front entrance, you pass through Glen Heffer's game room, full of animals that made a stop at the taxidermist's on their way here from the wild. Lots of ivory, skins, furs--the marks of a big-game hunter. Also lots of weapons, which probably explains the preponderance in this room of guys with guns--Heffer's hired guns, to be exact--who sit around cleaning, reloading, and talking about cleaning and reloading and shooting.

The hired guns look up as you come in; hell, they're as surprised as you are. But they quickly get over it and respond with the clicking of pistol hammers, the whoosh-clack of shotgun loading, and the KABLAM! of several pounds of hot lead being sent in your direction. (Next time you make a mental note, try to remember where you put it.)
action: You go upwards
response: to call it. The front door is behind you to the north. The house opens up into the east wing to the east and the west wing to the west. (Mental note: you can hear voices coming from either wing). Going straight south will take you through to the living room, and it looks like the kitchen is off to the southwest--you can see pots, pans, and a cast-iron stove through the archway.
Sarah is here.
action: Go west
response: This is the eating area of the kitchen to the south; from here you
can go back to the front entrance to the east. This isn't the proper dining room, you guess, seeing as it doesn't seem quite fancy enough. Also seeing as it's currently populated by a host of less-than-immaculately-kept hired guns how are feasting on vittles consisting of tough grilled steak and lots of baked beans.

The hired guns look up as you come in; hell, they're as surprised as you are. But they quickly get over it and respond with the clicking of pistol hammers, the whoosh-clack of shotgun loading, and the KABLAM! of several pounds of hot lead being sent in your direction. (Next time you make a mental note, try to remember where you put it.)
action: You go to the south-west
response: It's a kitchen large enough to prepare grub for the Heffer family and all Glen Heffer's hired help--what most people in Tumbleweed Flats call hired guns. (And you might want to count the Heffer ranch-house cook among your supporters. After all, you did lighten his workload by one.)  There's a big cast-iron stove over to one side, and a huge array of pots and pans and other dishes in various stages of use, being used, and getting ready to be used again. Walking north will take you straight into the west wing, while northeast leads back to the main entrance. South continues right on out the back door.

"What are we doing in the kitchen?" Sarah asks, following you nonetheless.
action: You look at the stove
response: It's a massive, bulky, cast-iron number, taking up most of one corner of the kitchen.
action: You look at the pots
response: Your basic pots and pans. Although there are a lot of them. Time to start putting two and two together, partner. Lots and lots of folks get fed here. How many of them you think are going to be your friend?
action: Go south
response: The back door and the kitchen door lead back into the house to the north and northwest, respectively. From here, you can look out over the steep bank you originally came up--almost a cliff, really--at the bottom of which are two horses: yours and Sarah's.

Sarah follows after you.
action: You jump
response: You leap over the cliff and into the open air. Looking down, you can see your horse below you. You sight your target between your legs as you fall--

--PLUNK! Right in the saddle.

End of the road, on a fiery red stallion
The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah's Arabian is here, snacking contentedly on a small patch of grass.
action: You go to the north
response: The back door is locked.
action: You go to the northwest
response: (opening the kitchen door first)
Opened.

It's a kitchen large enough to prepare grub for the Heffer family and all Glen Heffer's hired help--what most people in Tumbleweed Flats call hired guns. (And you might want to count the Heffer ranch-house cook among your supporters. After all, you did lighten his workload by one.)  There's a big cast-iron stove over to one side, and a huge array of pots and pans and other dishes in various stages of use, being used, and getting ready to be used again. Walking north will take you straight into the west wing, while northeast leads back to the main entrance. South continues right on out the back door.

Sarah walks quickly after you, protesting: "Shouldn't we be getting the heck out of here?"
action: Go northeast
response: to call it. The front door is behind you to the north. The house opens up into the east wing to the east and the west wing to the west. (Mental note: you can hear voices coming from either wing). Going straight south will take you through to the living room, and it looks like the kitchen is off to the southwest--you can see pots, pans, and a cast-iron stove through the archway.

Sarah follows you back to the front entrance. "Are you lost?" she asks.
action: You go south
response: A giant fireplace takes up most of the east wall. Typical
living-room furniture and adornments decorate the room--although these are perhaps a little nicer than usual. The room opens up to the entrance hall to the north; going south will take you out the back door to the rear of the house.

Sitting in a chair is an old man, cheerful despite the fact that his hands are tied with coarse rope. He's having the business end of a pistol brandished at him by another man--Glen Heffer, by his resemblance to the late Roy.

Sarah comes into the living room after you and spies the bound man. "Uncle Bucky!" Then she sees Heffer, and snarls: "You withered old son of a bitch..."

Heffer leaps to his feet and yanks Uncle Bucky roughly to his feet.
The two of them make a break for the back door--Heffer running and towing a stumbling Bucky behind him. The door slams behind them.

Sarah spins toward you. "Did you see that?" she asks.
action: No
response: That was a rhetorical question. (Although you sound rather negative.)
action: Go south
response: (opening the back door first)
As soon as you open the door, you are greeted by a flash of light followed by a loud BANG a split-second later. As your knees buckle and your eyes close, the last thing you see is Glen Heffer's smoking pistol. A rule of thumb for the next life: Never open a door behind which is waiting someone who wants to kill you.
action: Go upwards
response: A giant fireplace takes up most of the east wall. Typical
living-room furniture and adornments decorate the room--although these are perhaps a little nicer than usual. The room opens up to the entrance hall to the north; going south will take you out the back door to the rear of the house.
Sarah is here.
action: You go south
response: The back door and the kitchen door lead back into the house to the north and northwest, respectively. From here, you can look out over the steep bank you originally came up--almost a cliff, really--at the bottom of which are two horses: yours and Sarah's.
Glen Heffer is here, alternately waving his pistol menacingly back
and forth between you and Uncle Bucky, whom he's got by the collar.

Sarah follows after you.

Heffer levels the barrel of his gun betwixt your eyes.
action: You shoot Glen with the roy's gun
response: --miss! Your bullet comes close enough to rustle old Glen's hair, but it misses just the same. Unluckily for you, Glen himself is unruffled enough to return the favor and send some lead in your direction. Three shots.

But he misses, too.

Glen's bullets send you dancing out of the way, almost diving into the dirt. And then Sarah lifts up her pistol and cleanly puts Glen Heffer away. His body hits the ground with a thud. Uncle Bucky is still standing there, hands bound, face white, and eyes wide. "Sarah, honey..." he says.

Sarah turns to look at you. "Now what?" she asks. "Are you going to get us out of here?"
action: Ride W
response: The red stallion gallops along, and before too long delivers you safely to the west end of the long, dusty road.

Edge of town, on a fiery red stallion
You can still see Tumbleweed Flats behind you where the road curves around from the south. A dead, rotted tree stands here, marking the memory of the last living thing between here and where the road disappears into the eastern distance.
action: Ride east
response: The red stallion gallops along without faltering, eating up the distance, Tumbleweed Flats disappearing far behind you.

End of the road, on a fiery red stallion
The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah's Arabian is here, snacking contentedly on a small patch of grass.
action: Go southeast
response: From the top of this incline, you can look back to see the dusty road stretching out of sight to the west. Over the crest of the hill, you can see the Heffer ranch house to the south--quite an impressive sight, to be honest. A hayfield opens up to the east.
Standing guarding the front of the house is Glen Heffer's
mean-looking henchman Large Duane. Lucky for you he can't see you.
action: You go south
response: Nice building, no doubt the product of years of ill-gotten gains. Directly south of you is the front door, which is open wide. You can backtrack to the top of the steep bank to the north, or go northeast into the hayfield.
Large Duane is here, looking large and mean.

Large Duane looks up as you come near. His eyes narrow, and he quickly draws his gun and sends you off to Cowboy Heaven. What the hell were you thinking, stomping on up to him like that? Doesn't matter.
action: You examine Glen
response: You peer long and hard at old man Heffer's body, but he doesn't move. Not even a twitch. Definitely dead.
action: You look at Bucky
response: A short, rather rotund little fella, with a big ole straw hat on his noggin. He tends to look around with sort of a stunned look on his face. That and a big smile--the kind that just says: "Howdy!" His hands are bound behind his back by some coarse rope.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are wearing your holster on your hip where it belongs. You are also carrying Roy's wallet, Roy's gun, a wooden plank, a trail kit, and a spoon. Tucked in your holster is your six-shooter.Inside the wallet is a quarter.The trail kit contains a matchbook, a fork, and some beef jerky.
action: You cut the rope with the spoon
response: A destructive and somewhat less than completely useful course of action.
action: You look around
response: The back door and the kitchen door lead back into the house to the north and northwest, respectively. From here, you can look out over the steep bank you originally came up--almost a cliff, really--at the bottom of which are two horses: yours and Sarah's.
Uncle Bucky is here, looking stunned and bewildered.
Sarah is here.
Glen Heffer is lying dead on the ground here.
action: You ask Bucky about Sarah
response: "Oh, Sarah's a nice girl. I mean, comin' to rescue me and all.
Oh--and you, too. Thanks a lot there, pardner."
action: You jump
response: You leap over the cliff and into the open air. Looking down, you can see your horse below you. You sight your target between your legs as you fall--

--PLUNK! Right in the saddle.

End of the road, on a fiery red stallion
The dusty road stretches back to the west as far as the eye can see, and then some. A steep bank rises up to the southeast; you can't see what might be at the top of it.
Sarah is on her horse, with Uncle Bucky perched precariously in the saddle behind her.

Sarah gives you an approving nod. "Nice one," she says.
action: Ride W
response: You dig in the spurs and gallop westward along the road back to Tumbleweed Flats. Sarah races after you, with Uncle Bucky, his hands still tied, bouncing helplessly on the saddle behind her. Looks like a rescue, cowboy.

You pass across a wide mesa and slow to a stop. Time for a well-deserved rest. Sarah rides up behind you, and both she and Uncle Bucky dismount. You stand there sihouetted by the light of the Western sunset, the four of you: you, Sarah, Bucky, and a cactus.

So, how did you do? Well, although you did wind up killing Roy Heffer, it was in self defense. And while you did break into Grady's liquor stash, that doesn't really count as being productive. It would also be interesting to see who would think highly of your stealing Little Jimmy's candy. You've also managed to completely torch a hayfield. That's something, isn't it?

On the bright side, you figured out a way to slip out of your hotel room unnoticed. And putting together that plan to steal Stratford's stallion showed at least a little ingenuity. Plus, if it weren't so seedy and practically dishonest, having wits enough to bamboozle Grady with a weed looking like a four-leaf clover would almost be commendable. Maybe you deserve some points for managing to construct a bomb out of an empty whiskey bottle and the most volatile hootch on the planet. (Or maybe not.)  But maybe it's the score that tells the story in the end--you: 2, the Heffer family: 0.

So somewhere along the way you managed to become a genuine Western hero, up there with John Wayne and Roy Rogers and the best of them--no small feat, that.