Start of a transcript of The Song of the Mockingbird An Interactive Return To Yesteryear by Mike Carletta Release 1 / Serial number 210821 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.33 lib 6/12N) Episode 12: The Bloody Rose Identification number: //407E5657-D5E9-4218-BE3E-3DECA658485F// Interpreter version 1.3.5 / VM 3.1.2 / Library serial number 080126 Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson Exit Lister version 11 by Eric Eve Glulx Image Centering version 4 by Emily Short This game also uses (badly) kludged versions of the following extensions: Menus version 3 by Emily Short Adaptive Hints version 7 by Eric Eve >restart Are you sure you want to restart? yes There's a yellow Rose in Texas That I'm going down to see Her eyes are bright as diamonds And sparkle like the dew You may talk about your Dearest Mae And sing of Rosa Lee But the yellow Rose of Texas Beats the belles of Tennessee Press any key to continue. Thunder's powerful muscles move steadily under you as you gallop down the arroyo toward the showdown with the Black Blade. You don't know what you'll do without your trusty revolver, but you trust that fate will provide. Rosa's life depends on it. You can't play Lulabelle while you gallop, but you sing a bit of The Yellow Rose as you go. Others may think it's odd, but it whiles away the time on the trail. It's earned you your nickname, the Texas Mockingbird. You prefer to be known as regular old "Boots" Taylor, though. You draw in breath for a second verse, but the sound of a shifting rock brings you out of your reverie. You whip your head to the west. On a ledge in the arroyo wall, a line of heads jut above an outcropping. Four guns come out, all aimed in your direction, and shots begin starring the ground around you. You've been ambushed! The Song of the Mockingbird An Interactive Return To Yesteryear by Mike Carletta Release 1 / Serial number 210821 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.33 lib 6/12N) Episode 12: The Bloody Rose As more shots shower around you, you dive off Thunder's opposite side, and give his flank a slap, sending him off. He knows the way home. His jet black form disappears in the direction of El Crucero. You scramble behind the only cover in sight, a man-sized boulder. A few feet away, a bullsnake rears up, then slithers away to continue its nap elsewhere. Upslope, the Black Blade's men ping a few more shots off the boulder. To learn more about the special features of The Song of the Mockingbird, type ABOUT. Arroyo At this point, the trail south to the Crossed Keys Ranch passes through a narrow arroyo. Millennia of flash floods have carved it into a steep-sloped channel and turned its floor into a scrabble of rocks on a long journey to the Mississippi River. You're crouched behind the largest of these rocks, an irregular boulder that stands chest-high and runs the length of a man. Above you and to your west, an outcropping on a ledge conceals the gunmen who ambushed you. The trail north leads back to El Crucero. >about This story was written by Mike Carletta for the 2021 Interactive Fiction Competition. The Song of the Mockingbird is Merciful on the Zarfian forgiveness scale. In addition to the usual actions, you may wish to READ and SEARCH things. Hints are available via HINT. Finally, you can display the cover art using ART. Thanks to my wife and muse, Kathy. She is my sounding board, editor and chief tester. She deserves much of the credit, and none of the blame. Thanks to my All-Star team of beta testers: EpicIFer, J. J. Guest and Linus Åkesson. They patiently, thoroughly and ruthlessly tore my game apart. Many thanks to Crystal Rain, who created the beautiful cover art. You can see more of her work at https://www.deviantart.com/crystalrain272. You may use The Song of the Mockingbird and its characters in interpretive dance, scrimshaw and porn parody. In fact, please do. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA. >x me You're plain old Boots Taylor ? ruggedly handsome cowboy hero. You're wearing your regular duds. A gunbelt hangs at your waist and a bandolier is draped across your chest. Lulabelle is slung over your shoulder. >i You are carrying: your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x duds You're wearing your regular duds. Let's see: you've got shirt, trousers, boots, kerchief and hat. You're riding today, so you're also wearing spurs and chaps. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >x chaps You're wearing fringed leather chaps to protect your legs. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. Your apprehension grows as Ace appears. He's the Black Blade's right-hand man, a greasy barrel of flesh filled to the brim with malice. Last night, he and his gang robbed the dance hall. You and Rosa were spending some time there. With four guns on one, though, you had no chance of stopping them. You can still see Ace's gloating grin as he pulled your six-shooter out of your holster and backhanded you to the floor. You don't know why he didn't kill you. Then, disaster. Ace pulled Rosa away, and forced her to ride away with his gang. He and his men were careful not to hurt her, but you're afraid of what they might do to her now. Blood boiling, you took after them instead of waiting to raise a posse. Now, they have the drop on you again, and it looks like they plan to kill you this time. >* Hmm, something seems out of order in the above? Noted. >* Like describing what Ace is doing before noting that he appeared Noted. >l Arroyo At this point, the trail south to the Crossed Keys Ranch passes through a narrow arroyo. Millennia of flash floods have carved it into a steep-sloped channel and turned its floor into a scrabble of rocks on a long journey to the Mississippi River. You're crouched behind the largest of these rocks, an irregular boulder that stands chest-high and runs the length of a man. Above you and to your west, an outcropping on a ledge conceals the gunmen who ambushed you. From his perch atop it, Ace is peering evilly down toward you. The trail north leads back to El Crucero. Ace draws back his arm and hurls the short cylinder with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and caroms down the slope. Unsure of what to do, you dive down behind your boulder. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. Jumpin' Javelinas! What was that? At your reappearance, Ace comments on his relations with your mother in terms which you know are not true. >x ace He's a pork barrel of a man, and none too spry. He's quick with his gun, though, and completely ruthless. He's poised on top of the shale outcropping uphill from you. Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >i You are carrying: your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x gun (the gun belt) Your gun belt rides low around your hips, but your holster hangs empty. >x bandolier It's a bandolier filled with extra bullets for your Colt revolver. You've felt a need for extra ammunition ever since the Black Blade trouble began. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >play guitar Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of The Wayfaring Stranger. I am a poor, wayfaring stranger, While journ'ying through this world of woe, Yet, there's no sickness, toil nor danger, In that bright world to which I go. I'm going there to see my Father, I'm going there no more to roam; I'm only going over Jordan, I'm only going over home. Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >x guitar Lulabelle's your most prized possession ? a six-string Spanish guitar. She was made by a fella named C.F. Martin back east, from mahogany and rosewood. He put her name, "Lulabelle", right on the fingerboard in mother-of-pearl. You've had Lulabelle for a dog's age. Folks like to joke that she's your wife, and you never disagree. Lulabelle is slung across your back, ready for a song. Ace draws back his arm and hurls another explosive device with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and bounces down the slope. You flatten yourself behind the boulder once more. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. As you pop your head out again, Ace emits a stream of invective. >l Arroyo At this point, the trail south to the Crossed Keys Ranch passes through a narrow arroyo. Millennia of flash floods have carved it into a steep-sloped channel and turned its floor into a scrabble of rocks on a long journey to the Mississippi River. You're crouched behind the largest of these rocks, an irregular boulder that stands chest-high and runs the length of a man. Above you and to your west, an outcropping on a ledge conceals the gunmen who ambushed you. From his perch atop it, Ace is peering evilly down toward you. The trail north leads back to El Crucero. Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >x rocks Seasonal flash floods have left the bottom of the arroyo littered with chunks of flint. >x boulder It's an oblong boulder. It stands about chest-high to you, and it's maybe six feet long. It's pockmarked with fresh bullet scars. >x outcropping A shelf of good Texas shale protrudes from a ledge halfway up the arroyo wall to your west. It's weathered and creased from long exposure to wind and water. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Goober Peas. Sitting by the roadside on a summer's day, Chatting with my messmates passing time away, Lying in the shadow underneath the trees, Goodness how delicious, eating goober peas! Peas! Peas! Peas! Peas! Eating goober peas! Goodness how delicious, eating goober peas! Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of The Wayfaring Stranger. I am a poor, wayfaring stranger, While journ'ying through this world of woe, Yet, there's no sickness, toil nor danger, In that bright world to which I go. I'm going there to see my Father, I'm going there no more to roam; I'm only going over Jordan, I'm only going over home. Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. Ace draws back his arm and hurls another explosive device with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and skitters down the slope. You flatten yourself behind the boulder once more. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. As you pop your head out again, Ace emits a stream of invective. >* hmm, was trying to distract him while he was throwing Noted. >x spurs Your silver spurs tinkle softly as you walk. You mostly wear them for show ? Thunder doesn't need much encouragement to gallop. Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >x bullets It's a bandolier filled with extra bullets for your Colt revolver. You've felt a need for extra ammunition ever since the Black Blade trouble began. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Oh! Susanna. I came from Alabama wid my banjo on my knee, I'm g'wan to Louisiana, My true love for to see, It raind all night the day I left The weather it was dry, The sun so hot I frose to death Susanna dont you cry. Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Goober Peas. Sitting by the roadside on a summer's day, Chatting with my messmates passing time away, Lying in the shadow underneath the trees, Goodness how delicious, eating goober peas! Peas! Peas! Peas! Peas! Eating goober peas! Goodness how delicious, eating goober peas! Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Home, Sweet Home. Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there Which seek thro' the world, is ne'er met elsewhere Home! Home! Sweet, sweet home! There's no place like home There's no place like home! Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Camptown Races. Camptown ladies sing dis song, Doo-dah! doo-dah! Camptown race-track five miles long, Oh, doo-dah day! I come down dah wid my hat caved in, Doo-dah! doo-dah! I go back home wid a pocketful of tin, Oh, doo-dah day! Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day! I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag, Somebody bet on de bay. Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. Ace draws back his arm and hurls another explosive device with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and skitters down the slope. You flatten yourself behind the boulder once more. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. Ace spits a string of cusswords when he spots you. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Oh! Susanna. I came from Alabama wid my banjo on my knee, I'm g'wan to Louisiana, My true love for to see, It raind all night the day I left The weather it was dry, The sun so hot I frose to death Susanna dont you cry. Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Lorena. Oh, the years creep slowly by, Lorena, The snow is on the ground again. The sun's low down the sky, Lorena, The frost gleams where the flow'rs have been. But the heart beats on as warmly now, As when the summer days were nigh. Oh, the sun can never dip so low A-down affection's cloudless sky. Ace and his gang burst into guffaws at your singing. You sling Lulabelle back over your shoulder, slightly offended. >n You start in that direction, but a flurry of gunfire drives you back to cover. You hear whispers, then stifled snickers from uphill. >s You start in that direction, but a flurry of gunfire drives you back to cover. >l Arroyo At this point, the trail south to the Crossed Keys Ranch passes through a narrow arroyo. Millennia of flash floods have carved it into a steep-sloped channel and turned its floor into a scrabble of rocks on a long journey to the Mississippi River. You're crouched behind the largest of these rocks, an irregular boulder that stands chest-high and runs the length of a man. Above you and to your west, an outcropping on a ledge conceals the gunmen who ambushed you. The trail north leads back to El Crucero. A flurry of pistol shots ricochet off your rock, and you hurriedly duck back. >x ledge A shelf of good Texas shale protrudes from a ledge halfway up the arroyo wall to your west. It's weathered and creased from long exposure to wind and water. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >mimic towhee That's not a verb I recognize. >u You try charging the outcropping, but a flurry of gunfire drives you back to cover. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >x bullet It's a bandolier filled with extra bullets for your Colt revolver. You've felt a need for extra ammunition ever since the Black Blade trouble began. Ace draws back his arm and hurls another explosive device with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and skitters down the slope. You flatten yourself behind the boulder once more. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. Ace scowls and spits disgustedly when he sees you. >push boulder The boulder is far too large to move by hand. Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >throw bandolier at ace There's no need to fuss with your gear. >i You are carrying: your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) A flurry of pistol shots ricochet off your rock, and you hurriedly duck back. >l Arroyo At this point, the trail south to the Crossed Keys Ranch passes through a narrow arroyo. Millennia of flash floods have carved it into a steep-sloped channel and turned its floor into a scrabble of rocks on a long journey to the Mississippi River. You're crouched behind the largest of these rocks, an irregular boulder that stands chest-high and runs the length of a man. Above you and to your west, an outcropping on a ledge conceals the gunmen who ambushed you. The trail north leads back to El Crucero. >w You try charging the outcropping, but a flurry of gunfire drives you back to cover. A flurry of pistol shots ricochet off your rock, and you hurriedly duck back. >e The walls of the arroyo are too steep to climb. >d The walls of the arroyo are too steep to climb. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >stand You straighten slightly and peer over the top of the boulder, checking the lay of the land. You just glimpse a row of heads protruding above the outcropping before a new round of shots sends you back into hiding. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >push outcropping You can't do much with the outcropping. Ace draws back his arm and hurls another explosive device with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and skitters down the slope. You flatten yourself behind the boulder once more. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. Ace swears lengthily when you reappear. >i You are carrying: your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >talk to ace "The time for talk is over, songman. Now it's time to die." >ask ace about grenades "The time for talk is over, songman. Now it's time to die." >w You try charging the outcropping, but a flurry of gunfire drives you back to cover. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >s You start in that direction, but a flurry of gunfire drives you back to cover. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >w You try charging the outcropping, but a flurry of gunfire drives you back to cover. Ace draws back his arm and hurls another explosive device with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and skitters down the slope. You flatten yourself behind the boulder once more. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. When you reappear, Ace crudely elaborates on his disappointment. >i You are carrying: your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >throw (the hand-tooled boots) There's no need to fuss with your clothes. You hear whispers, then stifled snickers from uphill. >x me You're plain old Boots Taylor ? ruggedly handsome cowboy hero. You're wearing your regular duds. A gunbelt hangs at your waist and a bandolier is draped across your chest. Lulabelle is slung over your shoulder. "We got a present for ya, songman!" >x belt Your gun belt rides low around your hips, but your holster hangs empty. >x duds You're wearing your regular duds. Let's see: you've got shirt, trousers, boots, kerchief and hat. You're riding today, so you're also wearing spurs and chaps. There's a burst of guffaws from behind the shale outcropping. >x hat Your hat is a "Boss of the Plains" model from a new company called Stetson. It's white, of course. >remove hat You remove your hat and wipe your brow with your sleeve before replacing it. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >x kerchief You have a bandana with a red calico print knotted about your neck. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >remove it You remove your hat and wipe your brow with your bandana before replacing them both. Ace draws back his arm and hurls another explosive device with an overhead roundhouse throw. It arcs toward you and skitters down the slope. You flatten yourself behind the boulder once more. From the other side, you hear a thunk, then an explosion shatters the quiet of the canyon. You're showered with small rocks and debris. Cautiously, you stick your head out once more. Ace scowls and spits disgustedly when he sees you. >i You are carrying: your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Ace cautiously eases himself off the outcropping. An arm emerges to steady him on the way down. >* OK I want to mess with Ace while he's fumbling with the grenades but not sure how to do it Noted. >take rock (the scrabble of rocks) You hunt around and find a fist-sized chunk of flint. "We got something for ya from the Black Blade!" >* OK, never mind Noted. >throw rock at ace (the chunk of flint at Ace) The chunk of flint unerringly arcs through the air and clonks against the rock outcropping. Nothing happens immediately. A moment later ? suddenly ? nothing happens. >undo Arroyo [Previous turn undone.] >z Time passes. >z Time passes. There's a brief hush from the gang. A canyon towhee tentatively cheeps out chili-chili-chili. From uphill, you hear a scratching, like a twig scraping a rock. >z Time passes. Ace carefully clambers up onto the shale outcropping. An arm appears briefly, passing up a short cylinder. Ace leans to take the cylinder. The shelf shifts slightly beneath him, and he bends his knees to re-balance. >throw rock at ace (the chunk of flint at Ace) You hurl the chunk of flint at Ace. He dances to one side, avoiding it easily, a grin forming on his broad face. Suddenly, the slab of shale he's standing on tilts to one side. Ace shifts to correct, overcorrects, stumbles and slides back behind the rock. You see him drop the small cylinder as he falls. A burst of shouting comes from behind the shale outcropping. A moment later, there's a blast and debris flies from behind it. Then, the canyon is silent. Cautiously, you rise from behind the boulder. A single rock, disturbed by the blast, bounces down the arroyo wall, rebounds from the shale outcropping and lands nearby. A larger section of the wall shifts, and begins to cascade down. And then the whole side of the arroyo is sliding and tumbling down, burying the outcropping beneath a pile of loose scree. After long, tense seconds of rockfall, the landslide subsides into a silence punctuated by an occasional pebble caroming down the slope. You hear weak moaning from the direction of the outcropping. >w Moving carefully to avoid another rockfall, you make your way up the slope to the site of the landslide. Behind the Outcropping A good portion of the slope has slid down the hill behind the outcropping, creating a scree of loose shale. An occasional pebble pings its way down the slope, but the immediate danger seems to be over. Rock dust hangs in the air, slowly settling, and you pull your bandana across your face to keep it out. Ace's upper body and one arm extend from underneath the pile, white with rock dust. With his free arm, he weakly beckons you closer. There's no sign of the rest of Ace's gang. You suppose they must be under all that rock. Ace, badly wounded, groans softly. >x ace Ace is partially buried in rock scree from the landslide. Only his upper body and one arm are visible. Dust from the sunbaked rocks has turned him into a ghost. He weakly gestures with his free arm. His lips move in a whisper you can't make out. Ace, badly wounded, groans softly. >listen to ace As you kneel beside him, Ace weakly grabs your arm. "Boots?" he croaks. "Yer not a bad fella." You wait, wondering if that's the end of it. Painfully, Ace opens his eyes once more. "You should know? Rosa never loved you." He pauses once more, gathering his strength. "She?" A shudder runs through him. When you touch his hand, he's gone. You rise once more, conflicted. Ace chose the wrong path in life, but no man is all bad. And what did he mean about Rosa? You remove your hat, and reflect silently for a moment. You notice a bulge in Ace's vest pocket. >* Nicely implemented Noted. >x vest There's a small pocket in Ace's vest. There's a suspicious-looking bulge in it. >open it It's a pocket. Why not just look in it? >look in pocke You can't see any such thing. >look in pocket Dipping into your hand into Ace's vest pocket, you come up with a gold casket. It's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Intrigued, you decide to hold onto it. >i You are carrying: a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x casket This oblong casket fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Its gold exterior is covered with intricate scrolling, and a few words are engraved on the top. A hinge three-quarters of the way along the top suggests that the casket contains a small and a large compartment. Both are closed. A thumbwheel protrudes slightly from the side on the end of the small compartment, looking like the winding stem of a pocket watch. >read casket Among the elaborate scrollwork, you can make out E D'ARGY. A bit below this, there's B'TE SGDG and Patented in France and England. You can't make out anything else. D'ARGY ? sounds French. You wonder where Ace got such a thing. >open it There are two compartments in the gold casket ? you'll need to specify which one you want to open. >open small You flip the small compartment open, revealing a round indentation. >x indentation This oblong casket fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Its gold exterior is covered with intricate scrolling, and a few words are engraved on the top. One end of the gold casket is open, revealing a small compartment. Inside the compartment, you see a round indentation about the size of a fingertip. The indentation contains a smaller hole, through which you can see some mechanism. A larger compartment on the other end of the casket is closed. A thumbwheel protrudes slightly from the side on the end of the small compartment, looking like the winding stem of a pocket watch. >turn thumbwheel The thumbwheel wiggles a bit, but doesn't turn. >push it The thumbwheel is fully inserted into the casket already. >pull it The thumbwheel slides out of the casket so that about a quarter inch of stem protrudes. The mechanism in the small compartment shifts slightly. >turn thumbwell You can't see any such thing. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. You can see the casket internals moving through the hole in the small compartment. >x hole This oblong casket fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Its gold exterior is covered with intricate scrolling, and a few words are engraved on the top. One end of the gold casket is open, revealing a small compartment. Inside the compartment, you see a round indentation about the size of a fingertip. The indentation contains a smaller hole, through which you can see some mechanism. A larger compartment on the other end of the casket is closed. A thumbwheel protrudes about a quarter of an inch from the side on the end of the small compartment, looking like the winding stem of a pocket watch. >x mechanism You can just see some metallic mechanism through the hole in the small compartment, but it's too dark in there to make out any details. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. You can see the casket internals moving through the hole in the small compartment. >x mechanism You can just see some metallic mechanism through the hole in the small compartment, but it's too dark in there to make out any details. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. You can see the casket internals moving through the hole in the small compartment. >x mechanism You can just see some metallic mechanism through the hole in the small compartment, but it's too dark in there to make out any details. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. You can see the casket internals moving through the hole in the small compartment. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. You can see the casket internals moving through the hole in the small compartment. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. You can see the casket internals moving through the hole in the small compartment. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. You can see the casket internals moving through the hole in the small compartment. >open large You flip the lid on the small compartment closed again. You flip the large compartment open, revealing a jumble of small gray discs. >x discs The large compartment of the casket contains a jumble of rough gray discs, each about as large as the tip of your little finger. You pick one of the discs from the pile and hold it up for a moment. It gives off a distinct smell of rotten eggs. You drop the disc back into the casket, perplexed. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. >* Confusing! Noted. >i You are carrying: a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >l Behind the Outcropping A good portion of the slope has slid down the hill behind the outcropping, creating a scree of loose shale. An occasional pebble pings its way down the slope, but the immediate danger seems to be over. Rock dust hangs in the air, slowly settling, and you pull your bandana across your face to keep it out. Ace's upper body and one arm extend from underneath the pile, white with rock dust. There's no sign of the rest of Ace's gang. You suppose they must be under all that rock. >x rock Which do you mean, the shale outcropping, the landslide or the rock dust? >shale A shelf of good Texas shale protrudes from the ledge nearby. It's weathered and creased from long exposure to wind and water. >x dust A veil of rock dust from the recent landslide hangs in the air and coats every surface. >take dust You can't do much with the rock dust. >x landslide A large section of the arroyo wall has collapsed here. Ace is partially buried beneath it ? only his upper body and one arm are visible. There's no sign of his men. One glance tells you that you can't help Ace. Moving this rock will require a crew of men. >push it There's just too much rock here. It'll require several men to clear the landslide. >take ace There's no need to move Ace. >pull it There's just too much rock here. It'll require several men to clear the landslide. >l Behind the Outcropping A good portion of the slope has slid down the hill behind the outcropping, creating a scree of loose shale. An occasional pebble pings its way down the slope, but the immediate danger seems to be over. Rock dust hangs in the air, slowly settling, and you pull your bandana across your face to keep it out. Ace's upper body and one arm extend from underneath the pile, white with rock dust. There's no sign of the rest of Ace's gang. You suppose they must be under all that rock. >pray for ace That's not a verb I recognize. >* ah well Noted. >remove bandana You remove your hat and wipe your brow with your bandana before replacing them both. >i You are carrying: a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >e You carefully pick your way among the fallen rocks back to the arroyo floor. Arroyo At this point, the trail south to the Crossed Keys Ranch passes through a narrow arroyo. Millennia of flash floods have carved it into a steep-sloped channel and turned its floor into a scrabble of rocks on a long journey to the Mississippi River. The irregular boulder you took cover behind is here, somewhat pockmarked from gunfire and explosions. Above you and to your west, you can see the outcropping where your ambushers were hiding. The trail north leads back to El Crucero. >s Overlook A long shallow slope leads down to the south, where you see the Crossed Keys spread out like a tumble of children's toys. It's a smallish cattle ranch. The main house is in the center, surrounded by outbuildings. Beyond that, there's open range dotted with cattle as far as the eye can see. There's a stable and a weathered barn to the east of the main house. Off to its west, there's a small windmill for pumping up water from the well. On the far side, you can see the bunkhouse and a corral filled with milling cattle. If it weren't for the cows, you'd think the place was deserted. But you know the Black Blade is down there somewhere, and he has Rosa. And you're going to find them! Wait ? is that a man perched on the windmill? It's too far to tell. >l Overlook A long shallow slope leads down to the south, where you see the Crossed Keys spread out like a tumble of children's toys. It's a smallish cattle ranch. The main house is in the center, surrounded by outbuildings. Beyond that, there's open range dotted with cattle as far as the eye can see. There's a stable and a weathered barn to the east of the main house. Off to its west, there's a small windmill for pumping up water from the well. On the far side, you can see the bunkhouse and a corral filled with milling cattle. >x keys Overlook A long shallow slope leads down to the south, where you see the Crossed Keys spread out like a tumble of children's toys. It's a smallish cattle ranch. The main house is in the center, surrounded by outbuildings. Beyond that, there's open range dotted with cattle as far as the eye can see. There's a stable and a weathered barn to the east of the main house. Off to its west, there's a small windmill for pumping up water from the well. On the far side, you can see the bunkhouse and a corral filled with milling cattle. >x house The ranch house looms in the center of the ranch, surrounded by outbuildings. It's a towering three stories, and is the tallest building you've ever seen. It was once white, but has now faded to the same drab brown as the surrounding prairie. Mounted at its peak is a cupola surrounded by a widow's walk. >x outbuildings The main house is surrounded by the usual outbuildings of a working ranch: barn, bunkhouse, stable and windmill. On the southwest side of the ranch, you can also see a corral crowded with cattle. >x cupola The ranch house looms in the center of the ranch, surrounded by outbuildings. It's a towering three stories, and is the tallest building you've ever seen. It was once white, but has now faded to the same drab brown as the surrounding prairie. Mounted at its peak is a cupola surrounded by a widow's walk. >x corral There's a corral southwest of the main house. It's filled with milling cattle. >x cattle The corral is filled with milling cattle, probably rounded up for branding time. >x barn There's a barn on the eastern side of the ranch, still dull red from a long-past paint job. >x bunkhouse There's a bunkhouse for the hands in the southeast corner of the ranch. >x stable In the northeast corner of the ranch, you can see a stable. >x windmill The windmill is off to the west of the ranch. It's probably for pumping water from a deep well. You can just make out a dark shape on the distant windmill. It might be a man. >x shape You can just make out a dark shape on the distant windmill. It might be a man. >save Ok. >l Overlook A long shallow slope leads down to the south, where you see the Crossed Keys spread out like a tumble of children's toys. It's a smallish cattle ranch. The main house is in the center, surrounded by outbuildings. Beyond that, there's open range dotted with cattle as far as the eye can see. There's a stable and a weathered barn to the east of the main house. Off to its west, there's a small windmill for pumping up water from the well. On the far side, you can see the bunkhouse and a corral filled with milling cattle. >s Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >lisen That's not a verb I recognize. >listen Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >* nice Noted. >x eyelet A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Down by the River Liv'd a Maiden. Down by the river there lived a maiden, In a cottage built just seven by nine, And all around this lubly bower, The beauteous sunflower blossoms twine. Oh! my Clema, Oh! my Clema, Oh! my darling Clementine, Now you are gone and lost forever, I'm dreadful sorry Clementine. >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >x wagon The ancient Conestoga wagon sits about forty feet to your west. In the distance behind it, you can see the ranch's windmill rising high above the prairie. Time has not been kind to the wagon; its canvas cover and left rear wheel are missing entirely. The wagon sits askew, leaning back on the axle. The cart's tongue and yoke, large enough to harness two horses, point up and over your head. At this angle, you can't see into the cart bed. >x yoke The ancient Conestoga wagon sits about forty feet to your west. In the distance behind it, you can see the ranch's windmill rising high above the prairie. Time has not been kind to the wagon; its canvas cover and left rear wheel are missing entirely. The wagon sits askew, leaning back on the axle. The cart's tongue and yoke, large enough to harness two horses, point up and over your head. At this angle, you can't see into the cart bed. >x bed The ancient Conestoga wagon sits about forty feet to your west. In the distance behind it, you can see the ranch's windmill rising high above the prairie. Time has not been kind to the wagon; its canvas cover and left rear wheel are missing entirely. The wagon sits askew, leaning back on the axle. The cart's tongue and yoke, large enough to harness two horses, point up and over your head. At this angle, you can't see into the cart bed. >enter wagon The Conestoga wagon is too far away. >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >x archway The doorway to the stable is a high arch, tall enough for a man riding a horse to walk through. Inside, you can see the dim interior of the stable. There's an iron eyelet mounted next to the archway. >x eyelet A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. >i You are carrying: a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >ne Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and neighing with agitation. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >x tack Well, let's see... there's everything you'd need for riding: saddle, harness, reins and so forth. You don't need any of this stuff right now, though. >x gear The usual tools for horse care hang on the wall: brushes, combs, hoof pick and the like. You don't need any of this stuff right now, though. >l Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and neighing with agitation. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >x mare She's a Steeldust. Folks call them quarter horses, since no other breed can run a quarter mile as fast. This one is short and muscular, and has a coat of reddish-brown. She seems a bit skittish. As you watch the little horse restlessly shuffling in her stall, your heart melts. You decide to call her Dancer and save her from the gang as well. >pet mare You reach to stroke Dancer's mane. She nips at you and you pull back your hands. >l Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and neighing with agitation. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >ride dancer Dancer doesn't look particularly amenable to a ride just now. >calm dancer That's not a verb I recognize. >wicker at dancer That's not a verb I recognize. >stroke dancer You reach to stroke Dancer's mane. She nips at you and you pull back your hands. >i You are carrying: a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >* I had a horse-calming puzzle in my game last year too! Noted. >l Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and neighing with agitation. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >x stall You look over the stall gate and see a quarter horse mare, whom you've decided to call Dancer. She seems a bit skittish. Beside her, you see an empty manger and a tub of drinking water. There's straw on the floor. A bullwhip is hanging on the wall behind the horse. You hope it's never been used on this stalwart lady. >x manger A wooden manger sits in the stall, within an easy arm's reach. It's empty. >push it The stall isn't open. >x tub A tub of fresh drinking water sits in one corner of the stall. >open stall Dancer nips at you as you reach for the gate. You decide not to open the gate just yet. >x whip A coiled bullwhip, perhaps twelve feet long, hangs on the back wall of the stall. >take it You reach for the whip. Dancer nips at you, and you take a step back. >x straw There's a mound of straw for the horse's bedding, and more scattered to absorb her waste. You're pleased to see that it's been recently changed. >search it The stall isn't open. >l Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and neighing with agitation. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >sw Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >i You are carrying: a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >s You silently approach the feed barn. It's a two-story affair, with the second-floor hayloft projecting a few feet beyond the main floor. A glint of light attracts your attention, and you spot a long barrel protruding from the hayloft window. You carefully edge closer, until you can see a pale man in profile, training his rifle on the center of the compound. It's Whitey! Whitey's one of the Black Blade's top lieutenants, the one he calls for the really dirty jobs. Only a few days ago, Whitey sabotaged the trestle bridge over Buzzard Gulch. You managed to get the people off ? and what a wild ride that was! ? but the train and its shipment of vital construction materials now lie at the bottom of the gulch. Whitey smirks, displaying an evil gap-toothed grin. Suddenly, he shifts his gun sideways and snaps off a shot at you. Just in time, you leap forward, and dive into his blind spot beneath the hayloft. That was too close! Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >x loft The second floor of the barn is a hayloft. It projects a few feet beyond the main floor to aid in raising and lowering the hay bales. A large west-facing window gives Whitey a commanding view over the center of the ranch, and you occasionally see his rifle barrel probing out of it. >l Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >x trouch You can't see any such thing. >o trough There's a feed trough full of dry hay here. >search it You poke around in the hay and unearth a weathered block and tackle. It could be helpful ? you add it to your belongings. >take ha You can't see any such thing. >take hay You gather up an armful of hay from the feed trough. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >x hay (the hay) You've pulled an armload of hay from the feed trough by the barn. It's pretty dry. There's more hay in the feed trough. >e You pause as you enter the dim barn to allow your eyes to adjust. Overhead, you hear the creak of boards and the rasp of Whitey's breath. A moment later, you see a flash of his pasty face as he sneaks a peek through the opening to the hayloft. You tilt your head and address the hayloft. "Whitey! I can hear you breathing up there! You can still walk away from this! Throw down your gun, and we can talk this out!" You hear a snort of suppressed laughter, then Whitey's high voice says "No one's walkin' away this time, Boots. One of us is leavin' in a casket, and that one is you!" With that witticism, Whitey falls silent. You won't be able to get to the main house with him sniping from the hayloft. It seems you'll need to find a way to get him out of there. Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. You hear a board shift in the hayloft. >x trapdoor The upper level of the barn is a hayloft. A small opening provides access from the main floor. Through it, you can see the barn roof high above, but most of the hayloft is invisible to you. A tangle of hay trails through the opening, but it's still a couple of feet out of reach. You'd expect a ladder here, but it's missing ? probably Whitey has pulled it up after him. Whitey crouches somewhere above you, guarding the center of the ranch compound. You occasionally hear the soft rasp of his adenoidal breathing. >talk to whitey "Whitey! This is not worth dying over. Come on down and talk this out!" You hear an answering snort of derision from the hayloft. Whitey's rifle probes through the opening to the hayloft, and you catch a glimpse of his pasty face peering from the dark above. You're at a bad angle for him, but he squeezes off a quick shot to keep you honest. You cringe back against the wall. You can't keep doing this ? you're going to have to eliminate Whitey somehow. >l Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. >x trapdoor The upper level of the barn is a hayloft. A small opening provides access from the main floor. Through it, you can see the barn roof high above, but most of the hayloft is invisible to you. A tangle of hay trails through the opening, but it's still a couple of feet out of reach. You'd expect a ladder here, but it's missing ? probably Whitey has pulled it up after him. Whitey crouches somewhere above you, guarding the center of the ranch compound. You occasionally hear the soft rasp of his adenoidal breathing. >x trail You can't see any such thing. >x hay (the hay) You've pulled an armload of hay from the feed trough by the barn. It's pretty dry. >i You are carrying: some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >w Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. You found a block and tackle in the feed trough, and it's lying nearby. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear Whitey grumbling under his breath. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. A squat barrel sits against the bunkhouse. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >x trough There's a water trough here. No horse would drink out of this trough, though ? it's neglected and clogged with algae. >search it So, it's come to this! You roll up your sleeve and queasily reach your arm into the filthy water trough. You probe the glop at its bottom, exploring every nuance of its foulness. Your fingers encounter a hard object. Excitedly, you pull it into the light. It's some kind of tool, but one you've never seen before. It's about 10" long, and made of cast iron. It's like a big pair of pliers with a wire cutter built into it. And instead of the pincer parts tapering to a point, they flare out into a hammerhead on one side, and a spike on the other. Remembering the corral, you decide it might be for building fences. Anyway, it might be useful... you should hang onto it. >l Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. A squat barrel sits against the bunkhouse. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >x barrel A small wooden barrel sits outside the bunkhouse. It's about a foot-and-a-half high and a foot in diameter. The exterior is scarred from hard use, but it's still intact. Inked onto its side are the words "PURE LARD." >search it You can't see inside, since the squat barrel is closed. >open it You use the spiked end of the fencing tool to whack open the head of the barrel. The barrel's a bit too decrepit, though ? once you've knocked off the head, the whole barrel collapses, leaving behind a greasy mess of barrel staves, hoops and lard. >searc lard That's not a verb I recognize. >l Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun; the wooden barrel itself, smashed into a pile of staves; the large hoop from the center of the barrel and the two small hoops from the ends of the barrel. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >x lard There's about fifty pounds of semi-solid pig lard in a mound here, amidst the remains of the barrel you broke. >x staves The wooden staves are the remnants of the barrel of lard you broke. >take all barrel staves: Taken. small hoop: You pick up one small hoop, leaving the other one on the ground. small hoop: You pick up the small hoop. large hoop: You pick up the large hoop. mass of pig lard: Confident that you'll find a use for some lard, you pull your bandana from your neck and use it to scoop a generous lump of lard from the large mass on the ground. >x staves The wooden staves are the remnants of the barrel of lard you broke. >x small hoop This is one of the hoops from the ends of the barrel. It's about ten inches in diameter. >x large hoop The middle hoop from the barrel is a bit larger than the ones from the ends ? about a foot in diameter. >save Ok. >i You are carrying: a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x staves The wooden staves are the remnants of the barrel of lard you broke. >x lard (the lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief) You've scooped up a fist-sized lump of lard into your bandana. This seems like plenty, but there's always more where that came from. You wrinkle your nose in disgust at the state of your bandana... you're going to need a new one. >* yeah not really selling the singing-cowboy image right now Noted. >l Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >s (first opening the oak door) You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >x bunkhouse Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >x door Although the bunkhouse is decrepit, its door is anything but! It looks brand new and is made of solid oak. Above the knob, you see a plate decorated with a diamond pattern, and with three keyholes in a vertical line. Each hole has a rim of a different colored metal around it; from top to bottom, they are bronze, silver and gold. One corner of the plate is etched with a single word: "YALE." >x bronze The upper keyhole is about a quarter of an inch in diameter. A thin rim of bronze surrounds it. >x silvlve You can't see any such thing. >x silver Which do you mean, the middle keyhole or the silver spurs? >keyhole The middle keyhole is about a quarter of an inch in diameter. A thin rim of silver surrounds it. >x spurs Your silver spurs tinkle softly as you walk. You mostly wear them for show ? Thunder doesn't need much encouragement to gallop. >x gold (the gold casket) This oblong casket fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Its gold exterior is covered with intricate scrolling, and a few words are engraved on the top. One end of the gold casket is open, revealing a large compartment filled with a jumble of small gray discs. A smaller compartment on the other end of the casket is closed. A thumbwheel protrudes about a quarter of an inch from the side on the end of the small compartment, looking like the winding stem of a pocket watch. >x gold keyhole The lower keyhole is about a quarter of an inch in diameter. A thin rim of gold surrounds it. >l Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >nw You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the barn whistles past you. Jerking your head that way, you see Whitey's ashy face framed by the hayloft window. You leap back to safety. >w As you enter this area, the first thing you notice is the smell. Immediately to your south is a large corral, packed with a shifting, lowing mass of Texas Longhorns. A moment later, you hear a shot whistle past your ear. Jerking your head toward the noise, you see a gaunt, weasel-faced man directly across the corral pointing a long gun at you over the mass of cattle. A second shot sends you diving to the ground. You recognize the man as Podge, one of the Black Blade's toadies. In all your prior encounters, you've never once seen him in a straight-up fight ? he prefers a knife in the back or a shot from concealment. The hollow of your back prickles as you imagine him aiming at you from behind. You raise up into a crouch, careful to keep your head lower than the cattle herd, and survey the area. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, uneasily shifting in its tight confines. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of a previous fire litter the bottom of the brazier. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >x gate On the north side of the corral is a wooden gate, held shut by an imposing padlock. Beyond the gate, you see a herd of Texas Longhorns, milling about restlessly. >x padlock This massive padlock has a brass case and a steel shackle. A keyhole is centered in one side of the lock, but no key is evident. >x shackle This massive padlock has a brass case and a steel shackle. A keyhole is centered in one side of the lock, but no key is evident. >i You are carrying: a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x tool You think this thing is a tool for building fences. It's about 10" long, and made of cast iron. It's like a big pair of pliers with a wire cutter built into it. And instead of the pincer parts tapering to a point, they flare out into a hammerhead on one side, and a spike on the other. It looks pretty useful for cutting and hammering things. >break lock Nothing you have will damage the padlock. >i You are carrying: a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >unlock lock (with the hay) You can't unlock the padlock with that! >unlock lock with staves You can't unlock the padlock with that! >l North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, uneasily shifting in its tight confines. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of a previous fire litter the bottom of the brazier. >break fence You're a man of action when it counts. That's not now. >x cattle The corral is packed with Texas Longhorns. If you were standing tall, you'd be able to see across the corral over their backs. Their characteristic horns sway as the beasts move restively in the confined space. These must be cattle that have been rustled recently! They've probably been rounded up to be rebranded. >spook cattle That's not a verb I recognize. >scare cattle That's not a verb I recognize. >yell You holler "Yippee-ki-yay!" The cattle nearby stir restively at your outcry. Apparently, they don't care for loud noises. Podge pops his head up like a prairie dog to see what's going on with you. Looking puzzled, he drops below the level of the steer once more. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >i You are carrying: a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >hit hoop with staves (the large hoop with the barrel staves) The barrel staves doesn't make a very good weapon. >l North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, uneasily shifting in its tight confines. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of a previous fire litter the bottom of the brazier. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Camptown Races. Camptown ladies sing dis song, Doo-dah! doo-dah! Camptown race-track five miles long, Oh, doo-dah day! I come down dah wid my hat caved in, Doo-dah! doo-dah! I go back home wid a pocketful of tin, Oh, doo-dah day! Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day! I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag, Somebody bet on de bay. From the other side of the corral, Podge joins you in a pleasant baritone. >* oh how nice Noted. >se You catch sight of Podge moving in the opposite direction around the corral, running and staying low. South of the Corral You pause on the south side of the corral. To your north, a wire fence encloses the large corral, where a herd of Longhorns mills restlessly. The fence pricks your interest ? something about it strikes you as odd. There's a weathered hitching post just south of the corral. A coil of rope has been hung from it. You could follow the fence around the corral to the northeast or northwest. >n Sneaking up on Podge through the cattle seems too dangerous with him firing off his gun. >x post There's a weathered hitching post just south of the corral. A coil of rope has been hung from it. >take rope Taken. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and against the wire fence, prompting bellows of pain. The fence holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >x rope The coil of rope is about fifty feet long, sturdy, and a little stiff. It's made of braided rawhide. You run a length of the rope through your hand, then experimentally flex it. Yes, this would be ideal for trick roping. >x fence It's a large corral encircled by a wire fence. The fence encircles a large herd of Texas Longhorns. The cattle mill about uneasily in the unfamiliar environment. Somewhere beyond that herd, you know, Podge is lying in wait for you. Looking closer at the wire, you notice something strange about it. Two metal wires are twisted together with a peculiar knot every few inches. At each of these knots, another piece of wire is twisted through, leaving two sharp spikes protruding. You've heard of this. They call it "barbed wire." The spikes keep the cattle from leaning on the fence and bustin' through. You shake your head sadly. This land was meant to be open for all. The Devil's Rope means the end of the open range. >cut wire (the fencing tool) That's an interesting idea, but you can't work out the geometry. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and against the wire fence, prompting bellows of pain. The fence holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >cut fence You capture the barbed wire between the blades of the tool, and squeeze. The wire sproings to either side, forming coils on the ground. You contemplate the broken fence for a moment, pleased with your work. Then you look at the massive herd of Longhorns, now separated from you by nothing but air. Then you think about the potshots that Podge has been taking at you. Then you skedaddle as fast as your legs can carry you. You catch sight of Podge moving in the opposite direction around the corral, running and staying low. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of a previous fire litter the bottom of the brazier. >yell You yell "Yahoo!" The cattle nearby stir restively at your outcry. Apparently, they don't care for loud noises. Podge pops his head up like a prairie dog to see what's going on with you. Looking puzzled, he drops below the level of the steer once more. >se It's really not safe to go to other side of the corral, now that you've cut the fence. The sound of a shot on this side could cause a stampede! >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >shout You shout "Wahoo!" The cattle nearby stir restively at your outcry. Apparently, they don't care for loud noises. Podge pops his head up like a prairie dog to see what's going on with you. Looking puzzled, he drops below the level of the steer once more. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x bullet It's a bandolier filled with extra bullets for your Colt revolver. You've felt a need for extra ammunition ever since the Black Blade trouble began. >n You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the barn whistles past you. Jerking your head that way, you see Whitey's ashy face framed by the hayloft window. You leap back to safety. >s Sneaking up on Podge through the cattle seems too dangerous with him firing off his gun. >w There's nothing in that direction. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >nw You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the barn whistles past you. Jerking your head that way, you see Whitey's ashy face framed by the hayloft window. You leap back to safety. >s (first opening the oak door) You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. You found a block and tackle in the feed trough, and it's lying nearby. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >w You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the windmill nearly puts a hole in you. Whirling around, you see the distant figure of a man poised on the windmill platform with a rifle to his shoulder. You dive back to cover. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >x windmill The windmill is off to the west of the ranch. It's probably for pumping water from a deep well. You can just make out the distant shape of the sniper at the top of the windmill. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >put block and tackle in eyelet You can't see any such thing. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. You found a block and tackle in the feed trough, and it's lying nearby. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >x block The block and tackle is a system of pulleys for lifting heavy objects. This one multiplies your force by a factor of eight. One end of the block and tackle has a sturdy hook for suspending it. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >l Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. You found a block and tackle in the feed trough, and it's lying nearby. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >* oh, OK Noted. >* pretty sure it said that I'd taken the block and tackle Noted. >take block Taken. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. Irritated neighing comes from inside the stable. >put block in eyelet You insert the hook of the block and tackle into the eyelet. >put rope into block Quickly, you thread the end of the rope through the pulleys, leaving some slack between the two ends. >i You are carrying: a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >take rope You quickly detach the coil of rope from the block and tackle. >attack rope to pulley I only understood you as far as wanting to attack the coil of rope. >attach rope to pulley Quickly, you thread the end of the rope through the pulleys, leaving some slack between the two ends. >n You look longingly at the trail back to town, but you need to rescue Rosa first. >sw You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the corral kicks up dust at your feet. You dart a glance that way and see Podge holding a long gun. You retreat. >w Across an open expanse to the west, you see a windmill mounted on long spindly legs. The windmill is probably for drawing drinking water from below ground, but you're more interested in the platform at the top. Squinting against the sun, you see a dark blotch there ? a man? You eye the path. There's a broken-down wagon about forty feet away, but not a stick of cover between there and the windmill. You take off like a hare from a coyote, aiming to hide behind the wagon, but before you've taken more than a few steps ? Zing! A bullet spatters into the ground at your feet, kicking up a plume of dust. You retreat double-quick to the stable. You're going to need a better plan if you want to get over there. >e There's nothing in that direction. >ne Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and neighing with agitation. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. Dancer follows your every move with her eyes. She seems interested in something you're carrying. >take rope You can't see any such thing. >i You are carrying: a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool some hay a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Dancer follows your every move with her eyes. She seems interested in something you're carrying. >give hay to dancer Aww, that's cute. But you can't feed hay to Dancer by hand. You spot a manger inside the stall, though. Cautiously, you lean over the stall gate and dump your armload of hay into the manger. Seeing which side of the bread is buttered, the mare allows it. >take manger You really can't reach the things in the stall with the gate closed. >open gate You swing the stall gate wide. >take manger The manger isn't going anywhere. >push manger That's not going anywhere. >push manger sw The manger cannot be pushed from place to place. >i You are carrying: a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x manger A wooden manger sits in the stall, within an easy arm's reach. You've filled it with hay, which Dancer is happily munching on. >ride dancer Dancer looks like she'd be happy to go riding, but you don't have anywhere to go just now. >take whip You give Dancer a brisk rub with your hands as you step past her and lift the whip from the wall. She gives you a grateful nuzzle, then noses with greater interest around your clothes. Smiling, you remember. You dip into a previously-forgotten stash and bring out a few irregular lumps of sugar. You were holding these for Thunder, who has quite a sweet tooth. You hold a piece of sugar out and Dancer happily mumbles it from your hand. >* oh, hey Noted. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x sugr You can't see any such thing. >x sugar You've got a few irregular brown lumps of sugar. You keep these for Thunder. Mostly. >x whip It's a leather bullwhip, about twelve feet long. >eat sugar You only keep this for Thunder, you think, breaking off a lump of sugar and letting it dissolve in your mouth. >l Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and giving you doe eyes and whickering softly. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >x tack Well, let's see... there's everything you'd need for riding: saddle, harness, reins and so forth. You don't need any of this stuff right now, though. >x stall You look over the stall gate and see a quarter horse mare, whom you've decided to call Dancer. She's looking at you with affection. Beside her, you see a manger filled with hay and a tub of drinking water. There's straw on the floor. >x water A tub of fresh drinking water sits in one corner of the stall. >drink it You're not thirsty. >search water There's no way the tub of water can help you. >search streaw You can't see any such thing. >search straw If you have investigate the straw further, you will. You're not that desperate yet, though. >* "have investigate" -> "have to" Noted. >l Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and giving you doe eyes and whickering softly. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >w There's nothing in that direction. >sw Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >tie rope to wagon The Conestoga wagon is too far away. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >whip barrel (the rifle barrel) You stand just out of sight near the hayloft window and wait for Whitey to sight his rifle over the ranch again. As his rifle barrel pokes out of the window, you snap the whip toward it! The tip of the whip barely wraps the barrel. Whitey spits out a profanity, and you engage in a brief tug-of-war for the rifle. Ultimately, though, the whip slips free and Whitey withdraws into the hayloft with his rifle, still swearing under his breath. It seems like you're just not going to be able to get Whitey's rifle like this! You hear footsteps as Whitey changes position. >whip whitey He's out of range of the whip. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >* that sure seemed like it was going to work Noted. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >whip (the bunkhouse) You swing the whip back and snap it forward, sending the whip in the direction of the bunkhouse with a loud crack. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of a previous fire litter the bottom of the brazier. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >x brazier To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of a previous fire litter the bottom of the brazier. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >x ashes Curious, you pull a mouldering strip out of the ashes in the brazier. It's a partially-burned fifty cent Greyback ? a bill from the war. You can just make out the bust of Jefferson Davis in the center before the bill crumples to dust in your hands. You poke a bit deeper ? there must have been thousands of bills here, in all denominations. Even before the end of the war, this currency was worth next to nothing. Now, its value is actually nothing. It's no wonder someone used it for kindling. >search ashes You run your hands through the partially-burned Confederate dollars. You see fragments of faces: Stonewall Jackson, George Washington, John Calhoun. They fall to pieces at your touch. >* good! Noted. >whip What do you want to whip? >steer Whip these adorable cows? You wouldn't dream of it. >whip corral You swing the whip back and snap it forward, sending the whip in the direction of the corral fence with a loud crack. Some of the nearby cows stir restively, but most of the herd remain calm. They may be used to the sound of the whip. I'd be careful with louder noises, though. Podge's head pops into view briefly at the crack. He sees you holding the whip and withdraws it again. >w There's nothing in that direction. >se It's really not safe to go to other side of the corral, now that you've cut the fence. The sound of a shot on this side could cause a stampede! >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >s (first opening the oak door) You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >nw You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the barn whistles past you. Jerking your head that way, you see Whitey's ashy face framed by the hayloft window. You leap back to safety. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear the rustle of hay from above. >climb trouch You can't see any such thing. >climb trough There's no point in climbing the feed trough full of hay. >climb window That's well out of your reach. >* thus climbing the trough! Noted. >l Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >x window The second floor of the barn is a hayloft. It projects a few feet beyond the main floor to aid in raising and lowering the hay bales. A large west-facing window gives Whitey a commanding view over the center of the ranch, and you occasionally see his rifle barrel probing out of it. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >tie hoop to hoop Which do you mean, the large hoop or a small hoop? >large Which do you mean, the large hoop or a small hoop? >small You don't have anything suitable for tying things together. You hear Whitey snort wetly and spit. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >tie large hoop to small hoop You don't have anything suitable for tying things together. >take rope You quickly detach the coil of rope from the block and tackle. >tie large hoop to small hoop No, not with this fine rawhide rope. You're sure you can find a better use for it. >undo Outside the Stable [Previous turn undone.] >undo Outside the Stable [Previous turn undone.] >x rope The coil of rope is about fifty feet long, sturdy, and a little stiff. It's made of braided rawhide. You run a length of the rope through your hand, then experimentally flex it. Yes, this would be ideal for trick roping. You've threaded one end of the rope through a block and tackle. The block and tackle, in turn, is hooked onto a sturdy eyelet by the stable archway. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >tie rope to hoop Which do you mean, the large hoop or a small hoop? >large Tying the coil of rope to the large hoop won't help you any. >tie rope ro small I didn't understand that sentence. >tie rope to small (the small hoop) Tying the coil of rope to the small hoop won't help you any. >x staves The wooden staves are the remnants of the barrel of lard you broke. >tie rope to staves Tying the coil of rope to the barrel staves won't help you any. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x hoop Which do you mean, the large hoop or a small hoop? >large The middle hoop from the barrel is a bit larger than the ones from the ends ? about a foot in diameter. >x lard You've scooped up a fist-sized lump of lard into your bandana. This seems like plenty, but there's always more where that came from. >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >x wagon The ancient Conestoga wagon sits about forty feet to your west. In the distance behind it, you can see the ranch's windmill rising high above the prairie. Time has not been kind to the wagon; its canvas cover and left rear wheel are missing entirely. The wagon sits askew, leaning back on the axle. The cart's tongue and yoke, large enough to harness two horses, point up and over your head. At this angle, you can't see into the cart bed. >whip wagon You flick the whip at the Conestoga wagon, but the wagon is much too far away. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >whip rifle You stand just out of sight near the hayloft window and wait for Whitey to sight his rifle over the ranch again. As his rifle barrel pokes out of the window, you snap the whip toward it! The tip of the whip barely wraps the barrel. Whitey spits out a profanity, and you engage in a brief tug-of-war for the rifle. Ultimately, though, the whip slips free and Whitey withdraws into the hayloft with his rifle, still swearing under his breath. It seems like you're just not going to be able to get Whitey's rifle like this! >l Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear footsteps as Whitey changes position. >e Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. You hear a board shift in the hayloft. >whip trapdoor You whip the edge of the trapdoor with a snap, but nothing in particular happens. Whitey's head pops into view briefly at the crack. He sees you holding the whip and withdraws it again. Whitey's rifle probes through the opening to the hayloft, and you catch a glimpse of his pasty face peering from the dark above. You're at a bad angle for him, but he squeezes off a quick shot to keep you honest. You cringe back against the wall. You can't keep doing this ? you're going to have to eliminate Whitey somehow. >whip rifle You stand to one side of the trapdoor and wait for Whitey to make another check of the barn interior. When you see his rifle barrel through the trapdoor, you snap the whip toward it! Aiming through the narrow opening, your whip is deflected and barely touches Whitey's rifle. You can hear Whitey jump back, then swear profanely. A moment later, he resumes his patrol of the hayloft. It seems like you're just not going to be able to get Whitey's rifle like this! >u The ladder's missing, and you don't see any way to climb up there. Also, Whitey's up there, gunning for you. You hear the rustle of hay from above. >w Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >push trough The trough is heavier than it looks ? it's not going anywhere. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >push trough The water trough weighs a ton ? it's not going anywhere. >x door Although the bunkhouse is decrepit, its door is anything but! It looks brand new and is made of solid oak. Above the knob, you see a plate decorated with a diamond pattern, and with three keyholes in a vertical line. Each hole has a rim of a different colored metal around it; from top to bottom, they are bronze, silver and gold. One corner of the plate is etched with a single word: "YALE." >open door You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >unlock door (with the bunkhouse) (first taking the bunkhouse) The bunkhouse isn't going anywhere. >* that's one way of doing things! Noted. >l Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >push doo You can't see any such thing. >pushd oor That's not a verb I recognize. >push door That's not going anywhere. >l Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of the Confederacy litter the bottom of the brazier. >push brazier That's not going anywhere. >take ashes You run your hands through the partially-burned Confederate dollars. You see fragments of faces: Stonewall Jackson, George Washington, John Calhoun. They fall to pieces at your touch. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >whip brazier You swing the whip back and snap it forward, sending the whip in the direction of the brazier with a loud crack. Some of the nearby cows stir restively, but most of the herd remain calm. They may be used to the sound of the whip. I'd be careful with louder noises, though. Podge's head pops into view briefly at the crack. He sees you holding the whip and withdraws it again. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >jump You jump in place, inexplicably. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of the Confederacy litter the bottom of the brazier. >ne There's nothing in that direction. >n You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the windmill nearly puts a hole in you. Whirling around, you see the distant figure of a man poised on the windmill platform with a rifle to his shoulder. You dive back to cover. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >s' That's not a verb I recognize. >s Sneaking up on Podge through the cattle seems too dangerous with him firing off his gun. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >se It's really not safe to go to other side of the corral, now that you've cut the fence. The sound of a shot on this side could cause a stampede! >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Lorena. Oh, the years creep slowly by, Lorena, The snow is on the ground again. The sun's low down the sky, Lorena, The frost gleams where the flow'rs have been. But the heart beats on as warmly now, As when the summer days were nigh. Oh, the sun can never dip so low A-down affection's cloudless sky. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear the rustle of hay from above. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Oh! Susanna. I came from Alabama wid my banjo on my knee, I'm g'wan to Louisiana, My true love for to see, It raind all night the day I left The weather it was dry, The sun so hot I frose to death Susanna dont you cry. From the hayloft, you hear Whitey hawk and spit. "You pick the strangest times for a song, Boots!" he calls. >e Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. You hear a board shift in the hayloft. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Home, Sweet Home. Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there Which seek thro' the world, is ne'er met elsewhere Home! Home! Sweet, sweet home! There's no place like home There's no place like home! From the hayloft, you hear Whitey hawk and spit. "You pick the strangest times for a song, Boots!" he calls. >w Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Lorena. Oh, the years creep slowly by, Lorena, The snow is on the ground again. The sun's low down the sky, Lorena, The frost gleams where the flow'rs have been. But the heart beats on as warmly now, As when the summer days were nigh. Oh, the sun can never dip so low A-down affection's cloudless sky. >e There's nothing in that direction. >ne Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and giving you doe eyes and whickering softly. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >sing Tenderly strumming Lulabelle's strings, you sing a verse of Aura Lea. When the blackbird in the Spring, On the willow tree, Sat and rocked, I heard him sing, Singing Aura Lea. Aura Lea, Aura Lea, Maid with golden hair; Sunshine came along with thee, And swallows in the air. Dancer whinnies along with you. The results are pleasant, if not particularly musical. >ride dancer Dancer looks like she'd be happy to go riding, but you don't have anywhere to go just now. >* My game also had a horse who'd try to sing along with you! Crazy Noted. >l Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and giving you doe eyes and whickering softly. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >x stall You look over the stall gate and see a quarter horse mare, whom you've decided to call Dancer. She's looking at you with affection. Beside her, you see a manger filled with hay and a tub of drinking water. There's straw on the floor. >pet dancer You whisper some soft words to Dancer. She gazes back, her eyes melting with affection. >w There's nothing in that direction. >sw Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >n You look longingly at the trail back to town, but you need to rescue Rosa first. >ne Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and giving you doe eyes and whickering softly. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >sw Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >w It's too dangerous with that sniper up there! >sw You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the windmill nearly puts a hole in you. Whirling around, you see the distant figure of a man poised on the windmill platform with a rifle to his shoulder. You dive back to cover. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >pull rope There's not much point in pulling on the rope when it's not attached to anything! >tie rope to horse You can't see any such thing. >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >tie rope to staves Tying the coil of rope to the barrel staves won't help you any. >tie rope to casket Tying the coil of rope to the gold casket won't help you any. >x gun belt Your gun belt rides low around your hips, but your holster hangs empty. >whip gun belt Your hand starts automatically for your trusty six-shooter before you remember how Ace took it from your holster at the dance hall. You narrow your eyes and clench your jaw at the memory. >x bullet It's a bandolier filled with extra bullets for your Colt revolver. You've felt a need for extra ammunition ever since the Black Blade trouble began. >whip bullet There's no need to fuss with your gear. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >x window The second floor of the barn is a hayloft. It projects a few feet beyond the main floor to aid in raising and lowering the hay bales. A large west-facing window gives Whitey a commanding view over the center of the ranch, and you occasionally see his rifle barrel probing out of it. >whip window You swing the whip back and snap it forward, sending the whip in the direction of the hayloft with a loud crack. Whitey's head pops into view briefly at the crack. He sees you holding the whip and withdraws it again. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >throw lard at window You try to toss the lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief into the hayloft's window, but you can't get a good angle without exposing yourself to Whitey's fire. >e Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. >u The ladder's missing, and you don't see any way to climb up there. Also, Whitey's up there, gunning for you. Whitey's rifle probes through the opening to the hayloft, and you catch a glimpse of his pasty face peering from the dark above. You're at a bad angle for him, but he squeezes off a quick shot to keep you honest. You cringe back against the wall. You can't keep doing this ? you're going to have to eliminate Whitey somehow. >i You are carrying: a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) You hear the rasp of Whitey's breathing. >make ladder I didn't understand that sentence. >w Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear Whitey snort wetly and spit. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet, and a rope has been threaded through the pulleys. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >take rope You quickly detach the coil of rope from the block and tackle. >tie staves (to the coil of rope) Tying the coil of rope to the barrel staves won't help you any. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >take disc You pick a gray disc from the top of the pile. There are plenty left. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >put disc in hole You can't see any such thing. >x small (the small compartment) This oblong casket fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Its gold exterior is covered with intricate scrolling, and a few words are engraved on the top. One end of the gold casket is open, revealing a large compartment filled with a jumble of small gray discs. A smaller compartment on the other end of the casket is closed. A thumbwheel protrudes about a quarter of an inch from the side on the end of the small compartment, looking like the winding stem of a pocket watch. >open smaller You flip the lid on the large compartment closed again. You flip the small compartment open, revealing a round indentation. >put disc in indentation The gray disc nestles into the circular indentation as if they were made for one another. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. The gray disc jitters around in the small compartment. You hear Whitey snort wetly and spit. >g You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. The gray disc jitters around in the small compartment. >g You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. The gray disc jitters around in the small compartment. You hear Whitey grumbling under his breath. >g You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. The gray disc jitters around in the small compartment. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >x gra You can't see any such thing. >x disc It's a gray disc about the size of a fingertip. It's rough to the touch. The disc gives off a faint scent of rotten eggs. >close smaller You flip the lid on the small compartment closed again. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. A wisp of smoke escapes from the casket, carrying a strong whiff of sulphur with it. >undo Outside the Barn [Previous turn undone.] >put bullet in large (the large hoop) There's no need to fuss with your gear. >put bullet in largeer You can't see any such thing. >put bullet in larger There's no need to fuss with your gear. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. 11/15: Pull out the thumbwheel and turn it. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. 11/15: Pull out the thumbwheel and turn it. 12/15: Open the small compartment and examine the disc. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >open smaller You flip the small compartment open, revealing a round indentation. >x disck You can't see any such thing. >x disc It's a gray disc about the size of a fingertip. It's rough to the touch. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) You hear Whitey snort wetly and spit. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. 11/15: Pull out the thumbwheel and turn it. 12/15: Open the small compartment and examine the disc. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. 11/15: Pull out the thumbwheel and turn it. 12/15: Open the small compartment and examine the disc. 13/15: It's a lighter. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. 11/15: Pull out the thumbwheel and turn it. 12/15: Open the small compartment and examine the disc. 13/15: It's a lighter. 14/15: After you've lit it once, you can just LIGHT LIGHTER. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. 11/15: Pull out the thumbwheel and turn it. 12/15: Open the small compartment and examine the disc. 13/15: It's a lighter. 14/15: After you've lit it once, you can just LIGHT LIGHTER. 15/15: It's based on a real lighter made in Belgium around 1850. Press SPACE to return to the menu. How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >close smaller You flip the lid on the small compartment closed again. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >turn thumbwheel You turn the thumbwheel, and the gold casket produces a soft, mechanical clacking. A wisp of smoke escapes from the casket, carrying a strong whiff of sulphur with it. You hear the rasp of Whitey's breathing. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >light lighter You can't see any such thing. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? 1/15: The casket has several parts that can be manipulated. 2/15: Have you opened and examined the two compartments? 3/15: Have you tried moving the thumbwheel in different ways? 4/15: There are circular discs in the large compartment. 5/15: There's a circular hole in the small compartment. 6/15: The thumbwheel can be PULLed out. 7/15: Explicit solution follows... 8/15: Open the large compartment and take out one of the discs. 9/15: Open the small compartment and put a disc into it. 10/15: Close the small compartment again. 11/15: Pull out the thumbwheel and turn it. 12/15: Open the small compartment and examine the disc. 13/15: It's a lighter. 14/15: After you've lit it once, you can just LIGHT LIGHTER. 15/15: It's based on a real lighter made in Belgium around 1850. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? How do I get to the ranch house? > What is the gold casket? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How can I kill Whitey? Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >x smaller This oblong casket fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. Its gold exterior is covered with intricate scrolling, and a few words are engraved on the top. A hinge three-quarters of the way along the top suggests that the casket contains a small and a large compartment. Both are closed. A wisp of smoke escapes from the smaller compartment. A thumbwheel protrudes about a quarter of an inch from the side on the end of the small compartment, looking like the winding stem of a pocket watch. >open smaller The gray disc has caught fire. It's smoldering and giving off a trail of malodorous smoke. Aha! The casket is some kind of new-fangled match! You'll know how to LIGHT THE CASKET next time! You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. The ashes of the Confederacy litter the bottom of the brazier. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. With a final burst of sparks, the glowing disc is fully consumed. >light brazier You need a source of fire to light the brazier. >take disc You can't see any such thing. >open larger You flip the lid on the small compartment closed again. You flip the large compartment open, revealing a jumble of small gray discs. >put disc in indentation You can't see any such thing. >open smaller You flip the lid on the large compartment closed again. You flip the small compartment open, revealing a round indentation. >put disc in indentation You can't see any such thing. >take disc You can't see any such thing. >open larger You flip the lid on the small compartment closed again. You flip the large compartment open, revealing a jumble of small gray discs. >take disc You pick a gray disc from the top of the pile. There are plenty left. >close larger You flip the lid on the large compartment closed again. >put disc in indentation You can't see any such thing. >open smaller You flip the small compartment open, revealing a round indentation. >put disc into indentation The gray disc nestles into the circular indentation as if they were made for one another. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >close smaller You flip the lid on the small compartment closed again. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >light ashes You need a source of fire to light the ashes. >light ashes with lighte You can't see any such thing. >light ashes with lighter The match-thingum is not burning. >ligh lighter That's not a verb I recognize. >light lighter You quickly repeat the steps to ignite a disc. The gray disc has caught fire. It's smoldering and giving off a trail of malodorous smoke. >light ashes with lighter The ashes are already mostly burned. You can't get them to catch. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops some barrel staves a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >light staves The barrel staves look like they'd burn, but there's no point in setting them on fire here. >put staves in brazier You put the barrel staves into the brazier. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >light staves You try to ignite the barrel staves, but you can't get them to catch without kindling. With a final burst of sparks, the glowing disc is fully consumed. >put hoops in brazier large hoop: There's not much point in putting that in the brazier. small hoop: There's not much point in putting that in the brazier. small hoop: There's not much point in putting that in the brazier. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >i You are carrying: a coil of rope a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >put lard on staves They're greasy enough already. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? 1/4: It's ideal for catching cows. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/4: It's ideal for catching cows. 2/4: How do cowboys catch cows? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/4: It's ideal for catching cows. 2/4: How do cowboys catch cows? 3/4: With a lasso! Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/4: It's ideal for catching cows. 2/4: How do cowboys catch cows? 3/4: With a lasso! 4/4: TIE THE ROPE TO THE ROPE Press SPACE to return to the menu. How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > What can I do with this rope? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? What can I do with the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How can I kill Podge? North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you see some bits of wood. They'd make a nice hot fire, but you'd need some kindling and a match! >n You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the barn whistles past you. Jerking your head that way, you see Whitey's ashy face framed by the hayloft window. You leap back to safety. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. > I beg your pardon? >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >take rope You already have that. >tie rope What do you want to tie the coil of rope to? >rope You quickly tie one end around the other into a honda. You coil the remainder, and stick the whole thing on your belt. You've fashioned a workable lariat. >* oh, OK Noted. >x lariat You've made the braided rawhide rope into a beautiful lasso. You're pretty good with the lasso, thanks to your years on the range. You should be able to snag a target from a good long distance. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >lasso rifle Standing near the end of the overhang, you spin up a loop in your lasso. The next time you see Whitey's rifle protrude from the hayloft window, you send the loop sailing toward it. Whitey jerks back, surprised, taking his rifle with him. A moment later, you see his pale face peering straight down at you, looking oddly affronted at your trick. Then he shakes his head sadly, and withdraws back into the hayloft. >* sigh Noted. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you see some bits of wood. They'd make a nice hot fire, but you'd need some kindling and a match! >lasso cattle You drop a loop over a nearby steer. The steer obligingly ambles over and looks at you inquiringly. You unloop the lasso and give him a good rubbing behind his ears for his trouble. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >e There's nothing in that direction. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear a board shift in the hayloft. >e Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. >lasso trapdoor You consider lassoing the hayloft, but you can't see how that would help. >w Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. Off to your west, in the long stretch of open ground between you and the windmill, an ancient Conestoga wagon sits disintegrating in the sun. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >lasso wagon You twirl your lasso into an overhead loop and take the measure of the Conestoga wagon. You play a bit of extra rope into the loop to open up the circle, then throw. The loop settles neatly over the upturned tongue of the cart and slides past the yoke. You give a firm pull to close the loop. You've caught yourself a wagon! >* whew! Noted. >pull rope You spit on your hands, plant your feet and heave on the lasso. At the other end of the rope, the disabled Conestoga wagon groans as the pressure mounts. Though you strain until your muscles knot and sweat stands out on your forehead, the wagon doesn't shift an inch. Eventually, you admit defeat. You just can't get enough leverage to retrieve the cart! >put rope in block Quickly, you thread the unlooped end of the lasso through the pulleys, leaving some slack between the two ends. >pull rope You grip the free end of the lasso and heave on the lasso. Your force is multiplied by the block and tackle. At the other end of the rope, the disabled Conestoga wagon groans, then shivers, and finally begins creeping across the dirt toward the stable. Soon enough, you run out of slack, but you have the measure of the task now. You reset the block and tackle and repeat until finally the cart stands next to you! It should be safely out of range of the gunman on the windmill now. You retrieve your lasso before seeing what you've caught. >x wagon You've dragged the Conestoga wagon so that it sits near the stable. Up close the wagon looks a bit better. It's seen plenty of hard use, but the only thing stopping it from rolling is the left rear wheel, which is sitting in the bed of the cart, rather than on the axle. In the Conestoga wagon are a cartwheel and a broken board. >x wheel (the cartwheel) It's a large wooden wheel with an iron rim. It's about five feet in diameter, and permanently mounted on a one foot hub. A hole in the center of the hub allows it to be mounted on the axle. Normally, the hub would be bolted to the axle, but the iron band which holds it on is missing, and the hub itself has a crack through it. The wheel won't stay on without it. >* my game also had a wheel-repair puzzle! Noted. >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. An ancient Conestoga wagon sits nearby. Its canvas cover is missing, but the cart's tongue and yoke for two horses are still attached. The left rear axle is missing its wheel, and the cart leans back on that corner. In the bed of the cart you see a cartwheel and a broken board. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >x wagon You've dragged the Conestoga wagon so that it sits near the stable. Up close the wagon looks a bit better. It's seen plenty of hard use, but the only thing stopping it from rolling is the left rear wheel, which is sitting in the bed of the cart, rather than on the axle. In the Conestoga wagon are a cartwheel and a broken board. >x read wheel You can't see any such thing. >x rear wheel You can't see any such thing. >x wheel (the cartwheel) It's a large wooden wheel with an iron rim. It's about five feet in diameter, and permanently mounted on a one foot hub. A hole in the center of the hub allows it to be mounted on the axle. Normally, the hub would be bolted to the axle, but the iron band which holds it on is missing, and the hub itself has a crack through it. The wheel won't stay on without it. >x board It's a thin wood slat, about eight inches long and four high, jagged at both ends. It looks like it's been broken out of something larger with blunt force. Some writing is stenciled on it: "BEL'S." The word means nothing to you. >take board Taken. >put wheel on wagon (the cartwheel on the Conestoga wagon) You hop up into the cart bed and grab the cartwheel with both hands. Carefully, you lower it so that it leans upright next to the empty axle. You hop back out and lift the main bed of the cart up. Awkwardly, you manage to maneuver the wheel so that the hole fits over the axle. When you release the cart, it stands shakily on all four wheels. >push wagon If you'd like to try pushing the cart, you'll need to pick a direction. >push wagon w You won't be pushing the Conestoga wagon anywhere ? there's nothing holding the wheel on! >i You are carrying: a broken board a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >tie wheel What do you want to tie the cartwheel to? >hub I didn't understand that sentence. >x wheel (the cartwheel) It's a large wooden wheel with an iron rim. It's about five feet in diameter, and permanently mounted on a one foot hub. A hole in the center of the hub allows it to be mounted on the axle. You've wrestled the cartwheel back onto the axle, but there's still a problem with the hub. The iron band which would normally hold it in place is missing, and the hub itself has a crack through it. The wheel won't stay on without it. >x hub It's a large wooden wheel with an iron rim. It's about five feet in diameter, and permanently mounted on a one foot hub. A hole in the center of the hub allows it to be mounted on the axle. You've wrestled the cartwheel back onto the axle, but there's still a problem with the hub. The iron band which would normally hold it in place is missing, and the hub itself has a crack through it. The wheel won't stay on without it. >x band You can't see any such thing. >tie wheel to axle (the cartwheel to the axle) With the lasso? I suppose you could attach the lasso to something, but not that. >i You are carrying: a broken board a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >put board in hub That can't contain things. >e There's nothing in that direction. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you see some bits of wood. They'd make a nice hot fire, but you'd need some kindling and a match! Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >put board in brazier You put the broken board into the brazier. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >light board You need a source of fire to light the broken board. >light lighter You quickly repeat the steps to ignite a disc. The gray disc has caught fire. It's smoldering and giving off a trail of malodorous smoke. >light board You try to ignite the board, but you can't get it to catch without kindling. >break board You're a man of action when it counts. That's not now. >put lard on board There's no point in smearing the lard on the broken board. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? What am I missing in the stable? > How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? What am I missing in the stable? > How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? 1/4: It's kind of dim in here. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/4: It's kind of dim in here. 2/4: Especially the corners. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/4: It's kind of dim in here. 2/4: Especially the corners. 3/4: And the rafters. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/4: It's kind of dim in here. 2/4: Especially the corners. 3/4: And the rafters. 4/4: EXAMINE THE RAFTERS Press SPACE to return to the menu. How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > What am I missing in the stable? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get to the windmill? North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you see some bits of wood. They'd make a nice hot fire, but you'd need some kindling and a match! >n You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the windmill nearly puts a hole in you. Whirling around, you see the distant figure of a man poised on the windmill platform with a rifle to his shoulder. You dive back to cover. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. With a final burst of sparks, the glowing disc is fully consumed. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. An ancient Conestoga wagon sits nearby. Its canvas cover is missing, but the cart's tongue and yoke for two horses are still attached. You've replaced the cartwheel on the axle, but nothing's holding the wheel on. The bed of the cart is empty. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >ne Inside the Stable You've entered a high-ceilinged stable. The light from the archway to your southwest gives enough light to see a single stall, but leaves the corners and high rafters in shadow. A sorrel quarter horse mare occupies the stall, sticking her head over the half-height gate. She's dancing lightly and giving you doe eyes and whickering softly. The opposite wall has the usual variety of riding tack and grooming gear. >xx rafters That's not a verb I recognize. >x rafters You peer into the dimly-lit rafters. There's something up there... it looks like the handle of something. >g You peer into the dimly-lit rafters. You can see the handle of something sticking out. You don't see anything else up there, though. >whip handle You swing the whip back and snap it forward, sending the whip in the direction of the handle with a loud crack. The whip wraps neatly around the handle. With a jerk, you flip the object off the rafters to the floor. You can now see that it's a branding iron for the Crossed Keys Ranch. Well, it could be useful. You pick up the iron. Dancer gives a start at the crack of the whip, then gives you a disapproving look. >take iron You already have that. >s There's nothing in that direction. >w There's nothing in that direction. >s There's nothing in that direction. >w There's nothing in that direction. >sw Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. An ancient Conestoga wagon sits nearby. Its canvas cover is missing, but the cart's tongue and yoke for two horses are still attached. You've replaced the cartwheel on the axle, but nothing's holding the wheel on. The bed of the cart is empty. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >w You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the barn whistles past you. Jerking your head that way, you see Whitey's ashy face framed by the hayloft window. You leap back to safety. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you see some bits of wood. They'd make a nice hot fire, but you'd need some kindling and a match! >put iron in brazier (the branding iron in the brazier) You put the branding iron into the brazier. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > How can I get to the windmill? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > How can I get to the windmill? How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? 1/11: Do you have anything to burn? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: Do you have anything to burn? 2/11: Do you have kindling? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: Do you have anything to burn? 2/11: Do you have kindling? 3/11: Do you have a source of fire? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: Do you have anything to burn? 2/11: Do you have kindling? 3/11: Do you have a source of fire? 4/11: If you're missing some of these, try coming back later. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: Do you have anything to burn? 2/11: Do you have kindling? 3/11: Do you have a source of fire? 4/11: If you're missing some of these, try coming back later. 5/11: How about the staves from the barrel you broke? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: Do you have anything to burn? 2/11: Do you have kindling? 3/11: Do you have a source of fire? 4/11: If you're missing some of these, try coming back later. 5/11: How about the staves from the barrel you broke? 6/11: How about some hay? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: Do you have anything to burn? 2/11: Do you have kindling? 3/11: Do you have a source of fire? 4/11: If you're missing some of these, try coming back later. 5/11: How about the staves from the barrel you broke? 6/11: How about some hay? 7/11: How about that weird match thing you got from Ace? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How do I start a fire in the brazier? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs, a branding iron protruding from it. Inside, you see some bits of wood. They'd make a nice hot fire, but you'd need some kindling and a match! >put hay in brazier You can't see any such thing. >i You are carrying: a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief a large hoop two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >take hay You gather up an armful of hay from the feed trough. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs, a branding iron protruding from it. Inside, you see some bits of wood. They'd make a nice hot fire, but you'd need some kindling and a match! Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >put hay in brazier You put the hay into the brazier. >light wood Which do you mean, the broken board or the barrel staves? >board You need a source of fire to light the broken board. >light lighter You quickly repeat the steps to ignite a disc. The gray disc has caught fire. It's smoldering and giving off a trail of malodorous smoke. >light wood Which do you mean, the broken board or the barrel staves? >board The dry hay flares up instantly. The wood catches, and forms a slow-burning wood fire. As the flames spread, the remains of the Confederate dollars wilt and blacken into nothingness. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >put iron in brazier (the branding iron in the brazier) (first taking the branding iron) You put the branding iron into the brazier. >x iron (the branding iron) It's the branding iron for the Crossed Keys Ranch. Appropriately, the working end of the iron is two keys that intersect in an X. It's a bit over two feet long, and made of cast iron. It's currently heating in the fire. In the brazier, the branding iron begins to glow with a red heat. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. In the brazier, the glow of the branding iron rises from crimson to a searing white. With a final burst of sparks, the glowing disc is fully consumed. >brand cattle You can't brand anything now. You don't even have a branding iron! >take iron (the branding iron) You carefully pick up the branding iron by its cool end. >brand cattle That's impractical. And unnecessary. And cruel. >undo North of the Corral [Previous turn undone.] >undo North of the Corral [Previous turn undone.] >l North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs, a branding iron protruding from it. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? 5/11: A metal band? Like Rammstein? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? 5/11: A metal band? Like Rammstein? 6/11: Oh, that kind of metal. Have you seen anything like that? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? 5/11: A metal band? Like Rammstein? 6/11: Oh, that kind of metal. Have you seen anything like that? 7/11: How about the large barrel hoop? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >x hoop Which do you mean, the large hoop or a small hoop? >large The middle hoop from the barrel is a bit larger than the ones from the ends ? about a foot in diameter. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. An ancient Conestoga wagon sits nearby. Its canvas cover is missing, but the cart's tongue and yoke for two horses are still attached. You've replaced the cartwheel on the axle, but nothing's holding the wheel on. The bed of the cart is empty. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >put hoop on wheel Which do you mean, the large hoop or a small hoop? >large (the cartwheel) The large barrel hoop is almost the perfect size to secure the wheel hub! You jam it onto the hub, forcing the cracked portion together. It sticks out crookedly, half on and half off. This would fall apart if you moved the cart. You'll need to find a way to get it all the way on. >* Oh I really can't picture this Noted. >l Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. An ancient Conestoga wagon sits nearby. Its canvas cover is missing, but the cart's tongue and yoke for two horses are still attached. You've replaced the cartwheel on the axle and jammed a barrel hoop around the wheel hub, but this arrangement is too precarious to move the cart. The bed of the cart is empty. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >x rim It's a large wooden wheel with an iron rim. It's about five feet in diameter, and permanently mounted on a one foot hub. A hole in the center of the hub allows it to be mounted on the axle. You've wrestled the cartwheel back onto the axle and positioned a barrel hoop over the hub, but the hoop isn't secured in place. It'll fall off as soon as the cart moves. >i You are carrying: a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >tie hoop (the small hoop to the lasso) Tying the lasso to the small hoop won't help you any. >tie hoop to wheel (the small hoop to the cartwheel) With the lasso? I suppose you could attach the lasso to something, but not that. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? > How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? > How can I get to the windmill? How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? 5/11: A metal band? Like Rammstein? 6/11: Oh, that kind of metal. Have you seen anything like that? 7/11: How about the large barrel hoop? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? 5/11: A metal band? Like Rammstein? 6/11: Oh, that kind of metal. Have you seen anything like that? 7/11: How about the large barrel hoop? 8/11: PUT THE LARGE HOOP ON THE WHEEL Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? 5/11: A metal band? Like Rammstein? 6/11: Oh, that kind of metal. Have you seen anything like that? 7/11: How about the large barrel hoop? 8/11: PUT THE LARGE HOOP ON THE WHEEL 9/11: Still won't go? Do you have anything you could use to knock it into place? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: It looks like you just need to put the wheel back on. 2/11: PUT THE CARTWHEEL ON THE AXLE 3/11: Oh, it won't stay on? 4/11: What held it on before? 5/11: A metal band? Like Rammstein? 6/11: Oh, that kind of metal. Have you seen anything like that? 7/11: How about the large barrel hoop? 8/11: PUT THE LARGE HOOP ON THE WHEEL 9/11: Still won't go? Do you have anything you could use to knock it into place? 10/11: How about the fencing tool? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get to the windmill? > How can I repair the Conestoga wagon? How can I get into the bunkhouse? Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. An ancient Conestoga wagon sits nearby. Its canvas cover is missing, but the cart's tongue and yoke for two horses are still attached. You've replaced the cartwheel on the axle and jammed a barrel hoop around the wheel hub, but this arrangement is too precarious to move the cart. The bed of the cart is empty. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >hit hoop (the large hoop) You gently tap around the rim of the barrel hoop using the hammer head of the fencing tool, easing the hoop onto the wheel hub. In a few moments, you've got it firmly in place. You wouldn't want to take the wagon to the Territories this way, but it should hold for a bit. >push wagon w O.K. ? Let's see how this works! You brace your back against the repaired wagon and give it a powerful shove. The wagon grinds into motion, west into the open expanse that leads to the windmill. Now that it's in motion, the wagon moves more easily. Crouching behind the wagon, and pushing as you go, you slowly guide it west. After a moment, presumably filled with slack-jawed astonishment, bullets begin to thud into the wagon, but it's a sturdy wooden construction and none of them get through. A few tension-filled minutes later, you reach the vicinity of the windmill. From here, you can see a maintenance platform at the level of the blades overhead. You're invisible to the sniper there. You call out, "You! In the windmill! All I want is Rosa! Throw your gun down, and we'll call it a truce." Silence rules for several seconds. Then ? "Boots? Is that you?" "Don Felipe?" The man on the tower is Felipe, Rosa's accompanist! What is he doing here? In the time since he and Rosa came to town, you've come to know them both. As two musicians, you've spent a few evenings playing together, and Felipe has begun to teach you to play his vihuela, a big-bellied Mexican guitar with high, sweet tones. You'd thought he was a good guy, and he seems to worship Rosa. You can't believe he'd betray her. Felipe's voice drifts down from above. "You should go now, amigo. If you don't, I have to kill you." That's it, then. You don't know how or why Felipe was drawn into this, but Rosa is more important. Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, there's a large rotor to catch the wind and a tail that sticks out perpendicularly to direct the blades into the wind. Although there's a stiff breeze, the rotor is motionless; some sort of locking mechanism is preventing the pump rod from moving. Felipe is at the top of the windmill, perched on the platform there. Although he is mostly hidden, you sometimes see him peek over the side and try to sight his rifle on you. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. >* extra blank line here Noted. >x pipe A pipe leads out of the pumping apparatus and into the metal cistern. Presumably, it fills the tank when the windmill is operating. Don Felipe peeks over the edge of the windmill platform and awkwardly aims his rifle at you. You scurry back behind the Conestoga wagon, out of his range. He fires anyway, adding a new scar to the many already in the wagon. > I beg your pardon? >l Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, there's a large rotor to catch the wind and a tail that sticks out perpendicularly to direct the blades into the wind. Although there's a stiff breeze, the rotor is motionless; some sort of locking mechanism is preventing the pump rod from moving. Felipe is at the top of the windmill, perched on the platform there. Although he is mostly hidden, you sometimes see him peek over the side and try to sight his rifle on you. The Conestoga wagon you repaired sits nearby. The bed of the cart is empty. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. >pull pipe That's not going anywhere. >whip pipe You swing the whip back and snap it forward, sending the whip in the direction of the discharge pipe with a loud crack. Don Felipe's head pops into view briefly at the crack. He sees you holding the whip and withdraws it again. >climb pipe There's no point in climbing the discharge pipe. >l Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, there's a large rotor to catch the wind and a tail that sticks out perpendicularly to direct the blades into the wind. Although there's a stiff breeze, the rotor is motionless; some sort of locking mechanism is preventing the pump rod from moving. Felipe is at the top of the windmill, perched on the platform there. Although he is mostly hidden, you sometimes see him peek over the side and try to sight his rifle on you. The Conestoga wagon you repaired sits nearby. The bed of the cart is empty. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. >x cistern The cistern is large circular tank of galvanized metal, about four feet tall and eight in diameter. It stores the water brought up from underground by the windmill. A section of the top flips open for access. >open cistern You flip open the lid of the cistern and take a look inside. There are a few inches of stale water down there, but nothing of help to you. You close the cistern again. >enter cistern What on Earth for? >l Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, there's a large rotor to catch the wind and a tail that sticks out perpendicularly to direct the blades into the wind. Although there's a stiff breeze, the rotor is motionless; some sort of locking mechanism is preventing the pump rod from moving. Felipe is at the top of the windmill, perched on the platform there. Although he is mostly hidden, you sometimes see him peek over the side and try to sight his rifle on you. The Conestoga wagon you repaired sits nearby. The bed of the cart is empty. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. Don Felipe peeks over the edge of the windmill platform and awkwardly aims his rifle at you. You scurry back behind the Conestoga wagon, out of his range. He fires anyway, adding a new scar to the many already in the wagon. >enter windmill That's not something you can enter. >x rotor The windmill's blades are motionless despite a brisk wind. The locking mechanism next to the windmill's base prevents the windmill from operating now. >x lock The locking mechanism sits next to the base of the windmill, a bolt protruding from its side and into a corresponding slot in the windmill's pump rod. The mechanism's only other feature is a rusty X-shaped hole on the side. It's a couple of inches across. You guess that the hole is used to withdraw the bolt. It's probably not designed for security, but simply to stop the windmill from operating when the cistern is full. Nevertheless, you don't have the tool used to operate the mechanism. Don Felipe peeks over the edge of the windmill platform and awkwardly aims his rifle at you. You scurry back behind the Conestoga wagon, out of his range. He fires anyway, adding a new scar to the many already in the wagon. >put iron in hole You can't see any such thing. >i You are carrying: a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >e Don Felipe's still up there sniping at you! If you want to go back to the stable, you're going to need to bring the cart with you. >push cart e You awkwardly repeat your journey back to the shadow of the stable, this time dragging the old wagon behind you. Don Felipe fires a few more bullets into the thick wood of the wagon, but you both know you're safe as long as you stay behind it. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. > I beg your pardon? >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear Whitey snort wetly and spit. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs, a branding iron protruding from it. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >take brand You can't see any such thing. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >i You are carrying: a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x iron You can't see any such thing. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs, a branding iron protruding from it. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >take iron (the branding iron) You carefully pick up the branding iron by its cool end. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. An ancient Conestoga wagon sits nearby. Its canvas cover is missing, but the cart's tongue and yoke for two horses are still attached. You've repaired the missing cartwheel, and the cart looks ? barely ? fit for service. The bed of the cart is empty. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >w It's too dangerous with that sniper up there! >push wagon w You repeat your journey back to the blind spot beneath the windmill, pushing the old wagon before you. Don Felipe fires a few more bullets into the thick wood of the wagon, but you both know you're safe as long as you stay behind it. Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, there's a large rotor to catch the wind and a tail that sticks out perpendicularly to direct the blades into the wind. Although there's a stiff breeze, the rotor is motionless; some sort of locking mechanism is preventing the pump rod from moving. Felipe is at the top of the windmill, perched on the platform there. Although he is mostly hidden, you sometimes see him peek over the side and try to sight his rifle on you. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. Don Felipe peeks over the edge of the windmill platform and awkwardly aims his rifle at you. You scurry back behind the Conestoga wagon, out of his range. He fires anyway, adding a new scar to the many already in the wagon. The glowing tip of the branding iron fades from white to ruby. >x lock The locking mechanism sits next to the base of the windmill, a bolt protruding from its side and into a corresponding slot in the windmill's pump rod. The mechanism's only other feature is a rusty X-shaped hole on the side. It's a couple of inches across. You guess that the hole is used to withdraw the bolt. It's probably not designed for security, but simply to stop the windmill from operating when the cistern is full. Nevertheless, you don't have the tool used to operate the mechanism. >put brand in hole You can't see any such thing. >put iron in hole (the locking mechanism) Struck by inspiration, you hold the branding iron next to the x-shaped hole in the mechanism. Yes, the crossed keys of the working end are the same size and shape as the hole! You insert the tip of the iron into the hole and wiggle it until it slips into place. You strain against the rusty mechanism, but all your strength can't budge it. Panting, you pull the iron back out of the hole and peer into the mechanism. Water and disuse have not been kind to it ? it's locked tight with rust. >put lard in hole (the small compartment) That's just not going to fit. >put lard on iron There's no point in smearing the lard on the branding iron. >x mechanism (the locking mechanism) The locking mechanism sits next to the base of the windmill, a bolt protruding from its side and into a corresponding slot in the windmill's pump rod. The mechanism's only other feature is a rusty X-shaped hole on the side. It's a couple of inches across. You guess that the hole is used to withdraw the bolt. It's probably not designed for security, but simply to stop the windmill from operating when the cistern is full. Nevertheless, you don't have the tool used to operate the mechanism. >put lard on mechanism (the locking mechanism) Seeing the rust in the disused mechanism, you pull out the lump of lard in your bandana and smear a big glob of it into the hole. >put lard in hole (the small compartment) That's just not going to fit. >put brand in hole You can't see any such thing. >put iron in hole (the locking mechanism) You insert the tip of the iron into the hole and wiggle it until it slips into place. Straining against the rusty mechanism, you manage to rotate the branding iron a quarter turn. The bolt withdraws from the slot in the pump rod. Above you, you hear a mechanical groan as the blades turn to face the wind and begin rotating. There's an exclamation of dismay, then a long wail as Felipe plummets from the platform and thuds into the ground a few feet away. His face turns toward you, and his lips work for a moment. Then the life leaves his body. With your eyes stinging, you kneel by his body and touch his hand. "I'm sorry, friend," you say. "I wish I could have saved you both." >* geez, that got dark Noted. >x felipe Don Felipe's body lies face up below the windmill, his eyes staring emptily at the sky. Blood trickles slowly from the back of his head. One edge of a tattered sheet is visible in the pocket of his dungarees. >x sheet You'll have to pick it up first. >take it You don't like to mess with Felipe's body, but you have to know. You check through his pockets, averting your eyes from his face. In one, you find a tattered paper; in another, a key. You take them both. The paper is much-folded and falling apart at the seams. You run your eyes down it. The tattered paper turns out to be the last page of a letter. It begins mid-sentence: "?railroads will inhibit the movement of troops within the Republic. The trestle is the most urgent target, but any damage that slows or reverses progress on the railroad serves us well. "We have great need of gold and silver. Intercepting the tax will serve a dual purpose of impeding the invading forces while supplying our own cause with hard funds for the fight. "In addition, any other activities that generate funds are hereby approved. 'Fellow patriots' "I know that the Republic that produced the Battle of Palmito and the Second Battle of Sabine Pass will not fail in our hour of need. Stay true, and we shall yet redeem our cause. "P. M." These sound like plans for a war! >take sheet You already have that. >l Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, the rotor is turning briskly with the wind and the entire mechanism occasionally rotates as the tail aligns it with the wind direction. The pump rod churns up and down next to you, and you hear water streaming into the cistern nearby. The battered body of Don Felipe lies at the base of the windmill. The Conestoga wagon you repaired sits nearby. The bed of the cart is empty. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. >i You are carrying: Felipe's key a tattered paper a branding iron a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x key This is the key you took from Felipe. Unlike the keys you're familiar with, this one has no wards. Instead, the shaft is a cylinder about a quarter of an inch in diameter. Along the shaft are fluted grooves. At the other end, the shaft expands into a large oblong handle rather like the key for winding a clock. Just at the top of the shaft is a thin ring of gold. >l Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, the rotor is turning briskly with the wind and the entire mechanism occasionally rotates as the tail aligns it with the wind direction. The pump rod churns up and down next to you, and you hear water streaming into the cistern nearby. The battered body of Don Felipe lies at the base of the windmill. The Conestoga wagon you repaired sits nearby. The bed of the cart is empty. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. >se You start the long journey across the cleared area to the ranch house. A shot from the direction of the barn whistles past you. Jerking your head that way, you see Whitey's ashy face framed by the hayloft window. You leap back to safety. >* well, some progress Noted. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? Under the Windmill The northwest corner of the ranch is dominated by the windmill which towers overhead. It's clearly for drawing up underground water. A pipe leads into a metal cistern next to the windmill. At the top of the windmill, the rotor is turning briskly with the wind and the entire mechanism occasionally rotates as the tail aligns it with the wind direction. The pump rod churns up and down next to you, and you hear water streaming into the cistern nearby. The battered body of Don Felipe lies at the base of the windmill. The Conestoga wagon you repaired sits nearby. The bed of the cart is empty. To your east, across a long open stretch, you can see the stable. The ranch house is to your southeast. >i You are carrying: Felipe's key a tattered paper a branding iron a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >e With Don Felipe no longer among the living, you can walk safely back to the stable without the cart's protection. Outside the Stable You're standing at the northeast corner of the Crossed Keys Ranch. There's a stable through the horse-sized archway to your northeast, judging by the smell. To your southwest is the center of the ranch, the main house. A long stretch of open ground to the west leads to a windmill. Closer to hand, just to your south, is a barn with a projecting hayloft. The overlook is back to your north, but you're determined to confront the Black Blade before you return that way. A sturdy iron eyelet, perhaps intended for suspending a lantern, is mounted alongside the archway. One end of the block and tackle is hooked into the eyelet. Soft nickering comes from inside the stable. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. The last traces of the red glow fade from the tip of the branding iron. >light lighter You quickly repeat the steps to ignite a disc. The gray disc has caught fire. It's smoldering and giving off a trail of malodorous smoke. >light lard The lump of lard melts from the heat, but doesn't catch. You hear boards creak as Whitey repositions himself, and see his rifle barrel jutting from the window above. You stay carefully out of his view. >i You are carrying: Felipe's key a tattered paper a branding iron a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >light hoop You can't get that to catch. You hear footsteps as Whitey changes position. >light lasso The rope seems more useful unburnt. You hear footsteps as Whitey changes position. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. 7/11: Do you have a source of fire? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. 7/11: Do you have a source of fire? 8/11: How about something that's just really hot? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. 7/11: Do you have a source of fire? 8/11: How about something that's just really hot? 9/11: Like a branding iron. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. 7/11: Do you have a source of fire? 8/11: How about something that's just really hot? 9/11: Like a branding iron. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >* Oh it's that close? Noted. >x hayloft The second floor of the barn is a hayloft. It projects a few feet beyond the main floor to aid in raising and lowering the hay bales. A large west-facing window gives Whitey a commanding view over the center of the ranch, and you occasionally see his rifle barrel probing out of it. With a final burst of sparks, the glowing disc is fully consumed. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >put iron in brazier (the branding iron in the brazier) You put the branding iron into the brazier. In the brazier, the branding iron begins to glow with a red heat. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. In the brazier, the glow of the branding iron rises from crimson to a searing white. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >take iron (the branding iron) You carefully pick up the branding iron by its cool end. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >touch hay with iron I only understood you as far as wanting to touch the feed trough full of hay. >throw iron into window You try to toss the branding iron into the hayloft's window, but you can't get a good angle without exposing yourself to Whitey's fire. >e Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. You hear Whitey snort wetly and spit. >throw iron into trapdoor You try to toss the branding iron into the hayloft opening, but you can't get a good angle without exposing yourself to Whitey's fire. The glowing tip of the branding iron fades from white to ruby. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. 7/11: Do you have a source of fire? 8/11: How about something that's just really hot? 9/11: Like a branding iron. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. 7/11: Do you have a source of fire? 8/11: How about something that's just really hot? 9/11: Like a branding iron. 10/11: Put the iron in the brazier and wait until it's white hot. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/11: You can't get into the hayloft. 2/11: And he won't come down voluntarily. 3/11: What's a hayloft full of? 4/11: Hay! 5/11: Extremely flammable hay! 6/11: And it's almost within reach inside the barn. 7/11: Do you have a source of fire? 8/11: How about something that's just really hot? 9/11: Like a branding iron. 10/11: Put the iron in the brazier and wait until it's white hot. 11/11: LIGHT THE TANGLE WITH THE BRANDING IRON Press SPACE to return to the menu. How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I kill Whitey? How can I kill Podge? How can I get into the bunkhouse? Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. >x tangle The upper level of the barn is a hayloft. A small opening provides access from the main floor. Through it, you can see the barn roof high above, but most of the hayloft is invisible to you. A tangle of hay trails through the opening, but it's still a couple of feet out of reach. You'd expect a ladder here, but it's missing ? probably Whitey has pulled it up after him. Whitey crouches somewhere above you, guarding the center of the ranch compound. You occasionally hear the soft rasp of his adenoidal breathing. You hear Whitey snort wetly and spit. >* oh, that tangle -- I had a hard time picturing that too Noted. >light tangle You need a source of fire to light the hayloft. >w Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >s Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way a safe distance from his vantage point in the barn. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >ne There's nothing in that direction. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >put iron in brazier (the branding iron in the brazier) You put the branding iron into the brazier. In the brazier, the glow of the branding iron rises from crimson to a searing white. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >take iron (the branding iron) You carefully pick up the branding iron by its cool end. >e You're careful to keep your head down until you're well away from the corral. Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >n Moving carefully to stay out of Whitey's sightlines, you work your way into the safe area under the projection. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. From beneath the overhang, you cannot see the hayloft window where Whitey crouches in wait for you. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. >e Inside the Barn The interior of the barn is cool and dim after the unrelenting sun outside. The normal ranch paraphernalia seems to have been cleared out. Overhead, through a square trapdoor, you can see a sliver of the hayloft. The ladder that would normally provide access is missing ? probably Whitey pulled it up after him. The occasional shift of boards and hoarse exhalations tell you that Whitey is still up in the hayloft. >light tangle with iron Well, you don't see any way around this. Reluctantly, you extend the glowing branding iron, and touch it to the dangling clump of hay. The hay smokes, then lights, and a small trail of flame creeps up toward the opening above. You hear shifting boards above; Whitey must be taking another peek out the hayloft window. Tense moments later, you see the glow of open flames reflected in the dark hayloft. "What in?? What are you doing, Boots?!?" Whitey's high tenor rises into a falsetto as he realizes his predicament. There's a rush of boots across the ceiling, then stomping and shifting shadows as Whitey tries to stamp out the growing fire. It's too late for that, though, and Whitey shrieks as he runs across the creaky hayloft toward the front window again. There's a whump from above, and suddenly the hayloft is engulfed. You hear a thud outside, then silence. Cautiously, you stick your head outside, then step out of the barn. Whitey's neck is bent at an unnatural angle ? he must have broken it when he jumped from the hayloft. You remove your hat for a moment as you contemplate the tragedy of a life lost. Smoke rises from Whitey's clothes, but there's no open fire. His rifle is nowhere to be seen; it's most likely back in the hayloft. You see the corner of a soiled sheet of paper peek from a pocket of his dungarees. Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. You can see flames dancing in the hayloft and smell the heavy smoke. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. Whitey's body is here. His neck is bent at an unnatural angle. >* geez, more death Noted. >search whitey You pluck the sheet from Whitey's pocket. A key falls out with it, and you absently pick it up as well. The sheet is singed and soot-stained. You scan it curiously. It appears to be one page of a longer letter. You read: "Recall the convictions upon which you entered this contest. Fight for them and die for them. When a nation forgets the principles which led her into revolution she ceases to be the same nation. Turn your gaze once more on the Constitution of your cou?" There's a gap here, then it continues: "?man resolve to do his whole duty, and renewing his vows of fidelity to the cause of his country, he will draw fresh inspiration from the urgency of the occasion. I tell you frankly that every man has a personal and individual interest in this struggle. Be not cajoled or deceived my countrymen by false hopes and fair promises. Look at the bloody and desolate tra?" Only a small section in the center of the back can be read: "Who would be free Themselves must strike the blow" You've heard something like this line of bullhooey before, but you can't quite place it. You'll have to think on it. The glowing tip of the branding iron fades from white to ruby. >think on it I only understood you as far as wanting to think. >think Less doing, more thinking! >save Ok. >l Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. You can see flames dancing in the hayloft and smell the heavy smoke. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. Whitey's body is here. His neck is bent at an unnatural angle. >i You are carrying: Whitey's key a sooty paper a branding iron Felipe's key a tattered paper a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >x key Which do you mean, Whitey's key or Felipe's key? >whitey's This is the key you took from Whitey. Like Felipe's key, it has no wards. Instead, the shaft is a cylinder about a quarter of an inch in diameter. Along the shaft are fluted grooves. At the other end, the shaft expands into a large oblong handle rather like the key for winding a clock. Just at the top of the shaft is a thin ring of bronze. >l Outside the Barn A sun-bleached barn stands to your east. Its door gapes open, darkness concealing the interior. The hayloft projects overhead here, creating a pool of shade beneath. The coolness provides a welcome change from the scorching of the Texas sun. You can see flames dancing in the hayloft and smell the heavy smoke. A feed trough filled with hay stands flush with the barn wall here. The ranch house is west of you, across a long stretch of open ground. To your south, you can see the bunkhouse. The stable is back to the north. Whitey's body is here. His neck is bent at an unnatural angle. >s Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see a corral filled with cattle. You can return to the barn to the north. >* well done to keep track of which key I first looked at! Noted. >w As you enter the area around the corral, you drop into a crouch to stay below the level of the herd. North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >i You are carrying: Whitey's key a sooty paper a branding iron Felipe's key a tattered paper a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >give sugar to cattle You hold out a sugar cube on a flat palm for the nearest steer. He wanders over and slurps it up, taking your entire hand into his mouth and leaving it slimed with saliva. Two more nearby steer wander in your direction, now interested. You back off before you're mobbed, wiping your hand on your trousers. >whip fence You swing the whip back and snap it forward, sending the whip in the direction of the corral fence with a loud crack. Some of the nearby cows stir restively, but most of the herd remain calm. They may be used to the sound of the whip. I'd be careful with louder noises, though. Podge's head pops into view briefly at the crack. He sees you holding the whip and withdraws it again. >se It's really not safe to go to other side of the corral, now that you've cut the fence. The sound of a shot on this side could cause a stampede! >whip podge He's out of range of the whip. >z Time passes. >hint > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? > How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? > How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? 1/7: Have you tried walking there? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/7: Have you tried walking there? 2/7: Oh, there are people shooting at you! Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/7: Have you tried walking there? 2/7: Oh, there are people shooting at you! 3/7: Maybe you can stop them from doing that. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/7: Have you tried walking there? 2/7: Oh, there are people shooting at you! 3/7: Maybe you can stop them from doing that. 4/7: And there's also the Black Blade to worry about. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/7: Have you tried walking there? 2/7: Oh, there are people shooting at you! 3/7: Maybe you can stop them from doing that. 4/7: And there's also the Black Blade to worry about. 5/7: Maybe you should investigate some of the other areas. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? > How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? 1/6: Have you examined the door? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/6: Have you examined the door? 2/6: I bet those three keyholes have something to do with it. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? > How can I get into the bunkhouse? How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? > How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? > How can I kill Podge? 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. 2/16: Have you noticed how the cattle react to Podge's shooting? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. 2/16: Have you noticed how the cattle react to Podge's shooting? 3/16: They try to get away from it. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. 2/16: Have you noticed how the cattle react to Podge's shooting? 3/16: They try to get away from it. 4/16: If only you had some bullets? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. 2/16: Have you noticed how the cattle react to Podge's shooting? 3/16: They try to get away from it. 4/16: If only you had some bullets? 5/16: And a way to fire them? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. 2/16: Have you noticed how the cattle react to Podge's shooting? 3/16: They try to get away from it. 4/16: If only you had some bullets? 5/16: And a way to fire them? 6/16: And if the cattle could get out of the corral. Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. 2/16: Have you noticed how the cattle react to Podge's shooting? 3/16: They try to get away from it. 4/16: If only you had some bullets? 5/16: And a way to fire them? 6/16: And if the cattle could get out of the corral. 7/16: Have you looked at yourself? Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. 1/16: He always manages to be on the other side of the herd of cattle. 2/16: Have you noticed how the cattle react to Podge's shooting? 3/16: They try to get away from it. 4/16: If only you had some bullets? 5/16: And a way to fire them? 6/16: And if the cattle could get out of the corral. 7/16: Have you looked at yourself? 8/16: You're wearing a bandolier full of bullets! Press SPACE to return to the menu or H to reveal another hint. How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? > How can I kill Podge? How do I get to the ranch house? How can I get into the bunkhouse? > How can I kill Podge? North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. A herd of Texas Longhorns packs the corral, oblivious to the cut fence to their south. Although you cannot see him, you know that Podge is somewhere beyond the herd, surveying the area from hiding. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >take bullet With a practiced motion, you pluck a handful of bullets from the bandolier. There are plenty more. Another shot zings over your head, and you jerk your head involuntarily. You're going to have to deal with Podge sooner or later. The steer in the corral are momentarily spooked by the shot. They surge away from Podge and the cut fence to their south and against the wooden gate. It holds, though, and after a minute their panic subsides. >* Oh, I thought bullets weren't separately implemented Noted. >put bullets in brazier Staying below the level of the brazier, you toss the handful of bullets into the fire. Instantly, the paper cartridges detonate, filling the corral with the sound of gunfire! The Longhorns heave away from the explosions! The next few moments are chaos as cattle surge toward the south end of the corral. The leading cattle discover the gap you've cut in the fence and gallop through. More cows follow them, building in momentum, until the entire herd is racing in that direction. With the thunder of hooves, the exodus turns into a full stampede, trampling everything in its path! Above the din, you hear a gruff voice cry out, but it is cut off in mid-bellow. For long minutes, you hear the roar of the stampede recede. Finally, silence reigns. Cautiously, you raise yourself erect and move around the corral to see the aftermath. South of the Corral You pause on the south side of the corral. A gap in the fence to your north leads into the corral. The herd of Longhorns is long gone, though. The tracks of their stampede are imprinted in the ground, and its dust still hangs in the air. Podge's broken body lies in the tracks. His rifle, shattered beyond repair, lies nearby. There's a weathered hitching post just south of the corral. You could follow the fence around the corral to the northeast or northwest. You doff your hat, and silently contemplate Podge's body. He was a bad hombre, but no one should go like that. After long moments, you put your hat back on. You move your eyes to Podge's shirt pocket. A sheet of blood-stained paper sticks out of it. >x post There's a weathered hitching post just south of the corral. >x blood-stained You'll have to pick it up first. >take it You gingerly slide the bloody page from Podge's pocket. It's a single sheet, wrapped around a small object. You unfold it and discover a key, which you pocket. You turn your attention to the sheet. A broad, sprawling hand has written: "I'm also sending you a portion of the funds I brought with me, in the hopes that it will help you. True patriots will still?" Blood obliterates everything else. You refold the sheet. >l South of the Corral You pause on the south side of the corral. A gap in the fence to your north leads into the corral. The herd of Longhorns is long gone, though. The tracks of their stampede are imprinted in the ground, and its dust still hangs in the air. Podge's broken body lies in the tracks. His rifle, shattered beyond repair, lies nearby. There's a weathered hitching post just south of the corral. You could follow the fence around the corral to the northeast or northwest. >s There's nothing in that direction. The last traces of the red glow fade from the tip of the branding iron. In the back of your mind, you've been turning over the clues you've seen today. Suddenly... Everything clicks for you at once! The taxes, the sabotage, the dozens of other crimes and misdeeds that the Black Blade's men have committed in El Crucero! The worthless ashes of Confederate money! Palmito and Sabine Pass! The scattered remnants of the country's traitors are trying to regather, and planning for war ? and as always, they're doing it under the guise of patriotism! And "P.M.!" It's Pendleton Murrah, that rabid polecat of a governor that got kicked out of Austin at the end of the war. Come to think of it, you know that letter you found on Whitey. It's the letter Murrah wrote to Texans as he was preparing to flee to Mexico. "Fight" and "die," indeed. But you heard that skunk died of consumption down Mexico way. Even that must have been a lie. He's cowering there in safety and planning to rekindle the war. The traitors were always wrong to have fought a war to protect the Peculiar Institution. Patriotism is all well and good, but no man has a right to enslave another! Now they're doubly wrong to continue to fight a war that's already lost! Seething, you turn your head to the ranch house at the center of the ranch. The Black Blade must be there. It's time to put paid to his account. >n In the Corral The inside of the corral is deeply marked by the cattle's hooves. Motes of dust still linger in the air, thrown up by the force of the stampede. Generous leavings of manure litter the ground, souvenirs of the corral's former occupants. > I beg your pardon? >s South of the Corral You pause on the south side of the corral. A gap in the fence to your north leads into the corral. The herd of Longhorns is long gone, though. The tracks of their stampede are imprinted in the ground, and its dust still hangs in the air. Podge's broken body lies in the tracks. His rifle, shattered beyond repair, lies nearby. There's a weathered hitching post just south of the corral. You could follow the fence around the corral to the northeast or northwest. >x post There's a weathered hitching post just south of the corral. >s There's nothing in that direction. >e There's nothing in that direction. >ne North of the Corral You've circled around to the south end of the ranch. To your north, across a patch of open ground, the two-story ranch house looms over the landscape. To your south, a wooden gate leads to a large corral. An imposing padlock holds the gate closed. The Longhorns are long gone, returned to the open range. You could follow the fence around the corral to the southeast or southwest. The bunkhouse is back to the east. To one side of the gate, a cast iron brazier stands on three stubby legs. Inside, you've kindled some scrap wood into a nice hot fire. >e Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door blocks entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see an empty corral. You can return to the barn to the north. >s (first opening the oak door) You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >unlock bronze What do you want to unlock the upper keyhole with? >bronze I didn't understand that sentence. >unlock bronze door with bronze key I didn't understand that sentence. >unlock bronze lock with bronze key Whitey's key slides neatly into the keyhole until its bronze ring touches the matching bronze rim in the keyhole. You give it a firm twist and hear a tiny click. >unlock gold What do you want to unlock the lower keyhole with? >gold I didn't understand that sentence. >unlock gold keyhold with gold key Which do you mean, the lower keyhole, Felipe's key or the gold casket? >lower keyhole I didn't understand that sentence. >* argh Noted. >* would be nice to be able to just go S now Noted. >s (first opening the oak door) You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >open door You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >unlock door What do you want to unlock the oak door with? >keys You can't use multiple objects with that verb. >unlock door with bronze Which do you mean, the upper keyhole or Whitey's key? >key (first taking Whitey's key) Whitey's key seems to have locked in place. >* hrm? Noted. >unlock door with silver key You can't put things into the door itself. Maybe take a closer look at it first. >unlock lock with silver key Which do you mean, the upper keyhole, the middle keyhole or the lower keyhole? >middle Podge's key slides neatly into the keyhole until its silver ring touches the matching silver rim in the keyhole. You give it a firm twist and hear a tiny click. >unlock bronze keyhole with bronze key (first taking Whitey's key) Whitey's key seems to have locked in place. >i You are carrying: a bloody paper a sooty paper a branding iron Felipe's key a tattered paper a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >s (first opening the oak door) You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >open door You give the door's handle a good pull, but it doesn't move. Maybe you should take a closer look at the door. >x lock Which do you mean, the upper keyhole, the middle keyhole or the lower keyhole? >upper The key you got from Whitey has been inserted into the upper keyhole. Its ring of bronze is precisely flush with the rim of bronze around the keyhole. >x gold keyhole The lower keyhole is about a quarter of an inch in diameter. A thin rim of gold surrounds it. >put gold key in gold keyhole Felipe's key slides neatly into the keyhole until its gold ring touches the matching gold rim in the keyhole. You give it a firm twist and hear a tiny click. A moment later, you hear a sliding sound as the bolt retracts. >save Ok. >s (first opening the oak door) Inside the Bunkhouse The bunkhouse is a dark, airless, low-ceilinged room with a dirt floor. A half dozen bunkbeds have been stacked to one side, making room for storage. The other side is filled with crates. The bunkhouse looks to be a former slave quarters. Slaves weren't used as much in ranching as they were in cotton, but you know it happened. You're happy that's all over with, anyway. >x beds There's a stack of uncomfortable looking bare bunkbeds broken down and stacked higgledy-piggledy against one wall. >x crates The crates are neatly stacked against one wall. You examine the closest one. There's writing along one side, scarred by a broken slat. It says: "NO??SAFETY POWDER" You check more crates until you find an intact crate. It says: "NOBEL'S SAFETY POWDER" You have no idea what "safety powder" might be, but a chill runs up your spine all the same. Behind the crates, you spot a patch of color. >search bunks You check on and under the bunkbeds, but find nothing new. >open crate They've already been opened. You peer into the nearest ones. They're empty. >search crates You peer into a couple of nearby crates and kick the others. They're all empty. >l Inside the Bunkhouse The bunkhouse is a dark, airless, low-ceilinged room with a dirt floor. A half dozen bunkbeds have been stacked to one side, making room for storage. The other side is filled with crates. There's a patch of color behind the crates. >x color You can't tell what it is. You'll have to move the crates. >move crates Putting some muscle into it, you slide a stack of crates to one side. Now you can see some sort of advertising poster propped against the wall. >x poster In between two stacks of "Nobel's Safety Powder", you see a colorful advertising poster for Rosa's act. Rosa is shown in a dancer's leap against a brilliantly painted sunset, rose clenched between her teeth. In one corner of the poster, large script urges you to "SEE THE ENTICING ROSA AND HER AMAZING SWORD-DANCE." But what catches your attention is the way she's dressed. She's wearing tight black leather from head to toe. On her head is a flat, wide-brimmed black hat. On her feet are shiny black boots with high chunky heels for stomping. Silhouetted against the painted sun, she is brandishing a long sword. A bolt of lightning goes off in your head. You've seen Rosa like this before, riding away from the stage robbery with a crowd of men behind her. Rosa is the Black Blade! >i You are carrying: a bloody paper a sooty paper a branding iron a tattered paper a lasso a few lumps of sugar a whip a lump of lard wrapped in a red calico kerchief two small hoops a fencing tool a gold casket your regular duds (being worn) a gun belt (being worn) a bandolier (being worn) your faithful guitar, Lulabelle (being worn) >l Inside the Bunkhouse The bunkhouse is a dark, airless, low-ceilinged room with a dirt floor. A half dozen bunkbeds have been stacked to one side, making room for storage. The other side is filled with crates. You've shoved some of the crates aside to reveal a poster of Rosa. >take poster The poster is life-size, and pasted onto a wooden panel. It's too bulky to carry around, and there's no need to. >x floor Inside the Bunkhouse The bunkhouse is a dark, airless, low-ceilinged room with a dirt floor. A half dozen bunkbeds have been stacked to one side, making room for storage. The other side is filled with crates. You've shoved some of the crates aside to reveal a poster of Rosa. >search floor You glance around the bunkhouse to decide where to search next. Inside the Bunkhouse The bunkhouse is a dark, airless, low-ceilinged room with a dirt floor. A half dozen bunkbeds have been stacked to one side, making room for storage. The other side is filled with crates. You've shoved some of the crates aside to reveal a poster of Rosa. >search floor You glance around the bunkhouse to decide where to search next. Inside the Bunkhouse The bunkhouse is a dark, airless, low-ceilinged room with a dirt floor. A half dozen bunkbeds have been stacked to one side, making room for storage. The other side is filled with crates. You've shoved some of the crates aside to reveal a poster of Rosa. >search beds You check on and under the bunkbeds, but find nothing new. >w There's nothing in that direction. >n Outside the Bunkhouse Just to your south is a dilapidated bunkhouse. A new-looking door allows entrance to the building. A disused water trough, clogged with algae, stands in front of the bunkhouse. The remains of the barrel you smashed are here: a gelatinous mass of lard, slowly liquefying in the Texas sun. The main house dominates the view to your northwest. Off to your west, you can see an empty corral. You can return to the barn to the north. >save Ok. >nw You stalk towards the ranch house, angry and conflicted. Rosa isn't a hostage ? she's the ringleader. She's fooled you and afflicted the town with a plague of murder and fear. But, somehow, you still love her. It's been a long, hard day, and the first golds and crimsons of sundown begin to appear in the sky to the west. As you approach the house, Rosa steps slowly from the house and faces you. She's dressed as you last saw her, in a gown of red flame with a long ruffled skirt that twirls when she dances. Her lips are dyed with carmine and long bangles hang from her ears. A single red rose is pinned to her bodice. You want to be hard, but your voice comes out as a question. "Rosa?" "Boots." Her eyes well with sadness. "You shouldn't have come." She answers the question in your eyes. "Yes, I'm part of this. But then the boys decided you needed to be killed. I wanted to get out? I meant to tell you and give myself up last night. But the boys stopped me. And now it's too late." This isn't right! You and Rosa have too much together. You still love her, even after this! You touch Lulabelle's strap. You're not a hero. You're just plain old Boots Taylor, singing cowboy. It's time to do what you do best. Ranch House The ranch house's three stories tower over you. Traces of white paint remain, but the prairie wind has stripped most of the building to the same drab brown as the land. A widow's walk surrounds the top floor. Rosa stands at the railing, patiently waiting for you to say your piece. >x rosa Rosa is standing on the widow's walk on the third floor of the ranch house. She's still dressed in her stage costume: a long ruffled gown made from crimson crêpe. She's made up and bejeweled as if she were about to step onto the stage, and a single red rose is pinned to her bodice. Despite the heat of the day and the tension of your standoff, she looks as cool as if she were strolling the beach on a spring day. >talk to rosa You're a singing cowboy, Boots. It's time to do what you do best. >sing You search your memory and summon a song that matches Rosa's beauty. You strum a D chord, and begin to sing a song of love: She wore a wreath of roses The night that first we met, Her lovely face was smiling Beneath her curls of jet; Her footstep had the lightness, Her voice the joyous tone, The tokens of a youthful heart, Where sorrow is unknown; I saw her but a moment- Yet, methinks, I see her now, With a wreath of summer flowers Upon her snowy brow. When you finish, Rosa gives you a gentle smile. "Boots, I do love you! If only we could be together! But you don't know what I've done." Rosa averts her eyes from yours. "The last governor, Murrah ? he hired me and my boys to foul up things up with the Union. The pay was good! We were supposed to be sand in the gears?" You nod to show you understand. "He sent money, and," she hesitates, "other things to help." Around you, the landscape dims as the sun lowers. On the balcony above you, Rosa remains brightly lit, as if in limelight. "I didn't plan the killing. It was just supposed to be a lark. But the boys got away from me. And then the excitement. And the danger. And then I was too far in." Rosa averts her eyes. "I've done too many bad things. You don't know them all." You know some of them; there'll be no hiding Rosa's crimes after this. To be together, the two of you will need to flee. And for something like this, you'll be on the run for the rest of your lives. You decide in a flash ? you want to go with her. But you'll need to convince her that the hurt will be worth it. Once more, you gently touch Lulabelle's strings. >sing You gently set your fingers to the strings and begin a new song, one of pain. Just like love is yonder rose Heavenly fragrance round it throws Yet tears its dewy leaves disclose And in the midst of briars it blows Just like love Culled to bloom upon the breast Since rough thorns the stem invest They must be gathered, gathered with the rest And with it, with it to the heart be pressed Just like love And when rude hands the twin buds sever They die and they shall blossom never Yet the thorn be sharp as ever Yet the thorn be sharp as ever Just like love A wry smile flirts across Rosa's face. "No, Boots. I won't wish a life of pain on you. And as for me, my only hope is for peace." As Rosa falls silent, you're dismayed to see a tendril of smoke wafting from the doorway behind her. She sees the alarm in your eyes and glances behind her, seemingly with indifference. "Boots, it's time for you to go. You must have seen the crates in the bunkhouse. They were a gift from Murrah." You flash back to the empty boxes you saw. 'Nobel's Safety Powder,' was it? "I had the boys pack that stuff up here. They didn't know why ? I told them I'd use it on you." Her hands grip the railing urgently, and she sharpens her tone. "It's something called 'dynamite', Boots! It explodes like gunpowder, but it's much, much stronger!" The mysterious cylinders that Ace threw at you! That must be this thing, this dynamite! It's in the house? Rosa speaks once more, "Go now, Boots! It has to be this way. Even if we run, even if we somehow escape?" She briefly covers her eyes and her face distorts in anguish. She whispers, "I'll still have blood on my hands!" Tears stream silently from Rosa's eyes. A belch of heavier smoke streams from the doorway behind Rosa ? the fire is spreading. Inside, you're panicking, but the only way to save Rosa is through persuasion. You set your fingers once more to Lulabelle's strings. >sing Oblivious of your danger, you begin a third song, a song of hope. Leaf by leaf the roses fall Drop by drop the springs run dry One by one, beyond recall Summer's beauties fade and die But the roses bloom again And the springs will gush anew In the pleasant April rain And the Summer's sun and dew Some sweet hope to gladness wed That will spring afresh and new When grief's winter shall have fled Giving place to sun and dew Some sweet hope that breathes of Spring Thro' the weary, weary time Budding for its blossoming In the spirit's silent clime You slide Lulabelle back onto your shoulder once more ? there's no time for more debate. You gesture for Rosa to leap down to you. She reaches one hand out, and places it on the railing. For one breathless moment, you think she will take the leap. Time halts. The westering sun floods Rosa's eyes with violet. Then, she plucks the rose from her breast, and silently drops it over the railing. You reach up to catch the rose, and as it touches your hand? B-O-O-M !!! With a sound like a thunderbolt, the ranch house explodes! Your world becomes a kaleidoscope of impressions: a fireball engulfing the house, shards of wood like knives, a wall of burning air striking like a locomotive... Your last memory is flying through the air. As you land, you feel Lulabelle shatter to fragments beneath your back. Then darkness wraps you. Epilogue The long dark road back to El Crucero stretches before you as Dancer carries you homeward. Your whole body is a bruise, but you welcome the pain as a distraction from the tragedies of the day. The rebellion in El Crucero was a delusion by a consumption-raddled fool and some young guns with too much pride and not enough sense. The sheriff will send a messenger to the military government in New Orleans, and President Johnson will snuff out the embers of the revolt. But that's for the future. Tonight, you want to think of the past. You reach for your belt, and gently touch the remains of your guitar ? a brightly-painted fingerboard. In the dark, you can just make out the name, Lulabelle, embedded in mother-of-pearl. Perhaps, one day, you can make her whole again. You stop to mop your brow and stare back into the darkness behind you. Somewhere in the night, you hear a lonely mockingbird's serenade. You reach into your hat brim and pull out the harmonica you always keep there. Then you continue your long ride home, playing a sad song. When the charms of spring awaken, awaken, awaken. When the charms of spring awaken, And the mocking bird is singing on the bough I feel like one forsaken, forsaken, forsaken, I feel like one forsaken, since my Rosa is no longer with me now. Listen to the mocking bird, Listen to the mocking bird, The mocking bird still singing o'er her grave; Listen to the mocking bird, Listen to the mocking bird, Still singing where the weeping willows wave. *** The End *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT, UNDO the last command or read the NOTES? > notes > Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Thanks for playing The Song of the Mockingbird! For anyone interested, I have a little background about the game. Feel free to skip it ? nothing in this postscript will affect your enjoyment of Mockingbird. A few years back, I wrote my first game: Dynamite Powers vs. the Ray of Night! (Why not add it to your playlist now?) It purported to be a single chapter of a space adventure serial. The serials were weekly chapter plays that were popular from 1912 To 1956. Each week, zillions of (mostly) kids would plunk down their pennies to see a rousing adventure story, topped by a cliffhanger to bring them back the next week. For my second game, I decided to revisit the world of the serials. This time I've picked the most popular genre, the Western. I've tried to correct some of the flaws of the first game. In particular, Dynamite Powers was intended to be an episode from the middle of the serial. It ended with a cliffhanger, and some players were unsure if they'd reached the end, or if they'd won. I think it's clearer here, but if you're reading this, you've reached the one and only true ending of The Song of the Mockingbird. If you're interested in the serials, take a look at some of the Western-themed shows that served as the inspiration for this game. The Phantom Empire is the only "singing cowboy" serial that I know of, and it's a hoot. I also recommend Zorro Rides Again, Zorro's Black Whip and The Lone Ranger. They're all easily available on-line. Once more, thanks for playing, and please come back for the next installment, tentatively called The Phantom of the Palace! Please press SPACE to continue. > Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird > Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript > Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript > Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Pendleton Murrah may be the perfect villain name, but he was a real person. He was the governor of Confederate Texas when Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union forces on April 9th, 1865. Even then, Murrah encouraged Texans to continue to fight; on April 27th, he wrote the letter that you found on Whitey. (The complete letter is an interesting read; search for Murrah and "My Countrymen" to find its full text.) The other letter fragments from Murrah are my own invention. Texans did continue to fight until at least May 12th, when the Battle of Palmito Ranch was fought. It was the last land battle of any significance in the Civil War. Texas was also the last state with which Andrew Johnson officially proclaimed peace, and the last readmitted to the Union (though Georgia muddied the water on this last claim by being kicked out and readmitted a second time). Murrah only continued to fight until late May, when he fled to Mexico before the arrival of the Union army. He died there on August 4th, from tuberculosis, then known as consumption. In The Song of the Mockingbird, Murrah has faked his death and continues to try to reignite war with the Union. As far as I know, this is not true. It would explain a lot, though. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript > Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript > Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah > Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah > Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird The Song of the Mockingbird takes place in 1867. The Civil War has been over for two years, but Texas has not yet been readmitted to the Union. All of the former Confederate states are, in essence, under a military occupation. Texas and Louisiana are part of the Fifth Military District, which is headquartered in New Orleans and presided over by General Philip Sheridan. The state government and local governments continue to operate during this period, but their decisions can be countermanded by the military government. Sheridan's decisions are law, including removing Texas governor James Throckmorton and replacing him with Elisha Pease. This is why Boots looks to New Orleans for help, rather than Austin. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah > Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah > Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government > Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government > Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Bills printed by the Confederacy were known as Greybacks, and were to be redeemable in gold or silver after a peace was declared between the Confederate States and the United States. After the war began to turn against the Confederacy, the currency lost value rapidly. It was essentially worthless by the end of the war. It's not surprising that Pendleton Murrah has bushels of it to give out, but Rosa and her gang are right to burn it. On the other hand, if she had saved it, someone would have had a nice payout; these bills would be worth a fortune in the collectible market now. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government > Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government > Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money > The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money > The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird "The Peculiar Institution" was, of course, slavery. Slaves in Texas were primarily used for farm and plantation work. I've placed a former slave quarters on the Crossed Keys Ranch based on the paper "Slavery and Cattle in East and West Texas," by Debbie Liles. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money > The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money > The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution > Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution > Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird The gold casket in Mockingbird is likely the hardest puzzle, but it is a real contemporary lighter. You can see the specific lighter I modeled mine after by searching for "ED' ARGY" (which seems to be a mistake for "E D'ARGY", the manufacturer). This lighter was manufactured in Belgium around 1850. I don't know how it's migrated from there to Ace's pocket, but it has had seventeen years to do it. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution > Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution > Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter > Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter > Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Barbed wire was patented in the United States in 1867, so the Crossed Keys Ranch is an early adopter. Prior to its invention, cattle grazed at will, since they were able to push easily through most fences. The shift from the open range to largely fenced-in farming and ranching was contentious. Barbed wire was nicknamed the Devil's Rope for both its effects on the open range and its physical danger to animals and people. If you're a city boy, like me, the fencing tool Boots discovers will be new. A search for "vintage barbed wire fencing pliers" will bring up pictures of this odd toolbox chimera. You can still buy them at Lowes, though. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter > Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter > Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool > Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool > Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Dynamite was patented by Alfred Nobel in 1867, and was much more powerful than existing explosives, such as black powder. Nobel originally planned to call his invention "Nobel's Safety Powder." He eventually settled on "dynamite", after the Greek word for power. It's no wonder Boots has never run into it before! Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool > Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool > Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite > Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite > Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird The lock on the bunkhouse door is modeled after the Yale Double Treasury Bank Lock, which required two keys to operate. Yale never manufactured a lock that required three keys. I can only speculate that this one was custom-made. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite > Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite > Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock > Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock > Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird All of Boots" songs are real and period-appropriate. The five featured songs are: The Yellow Rose of Texas, author unknown She Wore a Wreath of Roses, by Thomas Haynes Bayly Just Like Love is Yonder Rose, by Luís de Camões (translated by Percy Smythe) Leaf by Leaf the Roses Fall, by Caroline Dana Howe Listen to the Mocking Bird, by Septimus Winner (as Alice Hawthorne) Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock > Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock > Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs > Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs > Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Lulabelle was made by C.F. Martin in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The company he founded is still there today. She is based on a Spanish six-string guitar made in the 1840s. I like to think that Boots bought Lulabelle from him personally. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs > Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs > Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle > Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle > Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Boots' lasso tricks (performed with SWING LASSO) are taken from the book "The Lasso ? A Rational Guide to Trick Roping," by Carey Bunks. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle > Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle > Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks > Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks > Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Singing cowboys were a staple of movies in the 1930s and 1940s, with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers being the best-known. Boots' idiosyncratic clothing is based on theirs. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks > Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks > Singing cowboys Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys > Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys > Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird The cartridges for Boots' missing revolver (a Colt Army Model 1860) are wrapped in paper. Metallic cartridges existed, but did not become common (especially for revolvers) until the Colt Single Action Army "Peacemaker" in 1873. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys > Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys > Paper cartridges The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges > The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges > The Texas Mockingbird Mockingbirds are common in Texas, and one variety is Boots' eponym, the Texas mockingbird. At night, lonely mockingbirds sing to attract a mate. Please press SPACE to continue. Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges > The Texas Mockingbird Postscript Pendleton Murrah Military government Confederate money The Peculiar Institution Lighter Barbed wire and the fencing tool Dynamite Yale lock Boots' songs Lulabelle Lasso tricks Singing cowboys Paper cartridges > The Texas Mockingbird Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT, UNDO the last command or read the NOTES? > undo Ranch House [Previous turn undone.] >about This story was written by Mike Carletta for the 2021 Interactive Fiction Competition. The Song of the Mockingbird is Merciful on the Zarfian forgiveness scale. In addition to the usual actions, you may wish to READ and SEARCH things. Hints are available via HINT. Finally, you can display the cover art using ART. Thanks to my wife and muse, Kathy. She is my sounding board, editor and chief tester. She deserves much of the credit, and none of the blame. Thanks to my All-Star team of beta testers: EpicIFer, J. J. Guest and Linus Åkesson. They patiently, thoroughly and ruthlessly tore my game apart. Many thanks to Crystal Rain, who created the beautiful cover art. You can see more of her work at https://www.deviantart.com/crystalrain272. You may use The Song of the Mockingbird and its characters in interpretive dance, scrimshaw and porn parody. In fact, please do. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA. >