Doc pursed his lips before swiping his left hand across his moustache, "Oh, come on Burke! How long do I have to stand here?" he said as his patience waning, "you said there was a parcel here so how could it be missing with all this paperwork you keep harping about?"
Nathan Burke looked back over his shoulder as he ferreted through the stacks of boxes and parcels that awaited pick up, "I know Doc, but just bare with me a moment. I had to rearrange the storage yesterday to accommodate tomorrow's shipment. I know I put the box somewhere," Burke tried to explain but by the look on the doctor's face, it was doing little to help his situation.
Doc leaned onto the clerk's counter and watched, "I sure hope it wasn't perishable..." He said dryly.
"Funny, Doc. Really funny!" Burke continued further into the stack, "Do you know how difficult it is to keep track of all this inventory and people's parcels?" He grumbles as he finally found the package for Doc Adams. Burke pulled himself from the stacks and presented the town's physician with the rectangular box wrapped in brown paper, "You see, I told you it wasn't that big," he smiled weakly.
"Humph," was all Doc could muster as he looked at the small parcel and back at the clerk, "Good think I keep better track of my patients than you do of your stock. I could just hear it now, everyone whining about one thing or another..."
Burke's mouth fell open as ht was trying to think of something to say in defence, but nothing came as he watched Doc leave the freight office. Finally Burke spoke, "Dang! He did it again! He always has the last word..." he shook his head.
Doc tucked his regular mail under his arm as he walked up the street. He squinted at the label on the small parcel he held in his hands as he rotated it, "It's a liquid..." he mused to himself. Just as he stepped up to the boardwalk just down from the General Store, a rider on a tall black horse passed by. Doc took notice and watched the young man who was dress in fine clothes and rode smart - not your average cowboy.
The young man rode toward the livery and stepped down from his horse and adjusted his saddle. Doc continued to watch for there was something eerily familiar about the man but he couldn't put his finger on it. The hairs on the back of town doctor's neck stood which also caused him to take notice - he couldn't say whether the man was in town for gambling or for some other reason.
Doc slowly walked backward for a bit as he continued to watch the man when he bumped into Festus, "Doc, watch where yer going!" the hill man squawked as he was almost bowled over by the physician.
"Me? Why, I know where I'm going! You are the one that otta watch out for folks...you and your two left feet!" Doc tried to cover his actions.
"Not this time Doc," Festus warned, "You backed into me cause yer looking down the street at something..."
"I was not! I don't do such things," Doc tried to sidestep Festus.
"Not this time Doc. You had yer eyeballs on something and not yer feet..." Festus wagged his finger at the doctor, "In fact you look like you saw a spook."
"I do not. I just saw a fella who looked like he might be here on some serious business. In fact I'm going to even tell Matt about him, because he looks to be the sort that might be a hired gun or something. What do you think of that?" Doc barked.
Festus set the bushel of turnips down that he was helping to unload, "What fella?" he looked down the street showing concern for what Doc was saying.
"The one right out in front of the livery stable. He's wearing black..." Doc thumbed over his shoulder.
Festus peered passed his friend, "I don't see anyone out front of the livery stable Doc."
"What do you mean? He was just there adjusting his saddle, "Doc said as he turned just as small buggy pulled up to the very spot he watched the man with his horse. Doc turned to Festus who was now looking at Doc like he kittens crawling out his ears, "You sure you're all right, Doc?"
Doc made a face and ran his hand across his moustache, "Yes...now excuse me," he grumped as he left walking toward the Long Branch Saloon.
"Wall ya don't have ta be a grump-head about it!" Festus bellowed after his friend who shot a glaring glance over his shoulder. Festus made a grimacing face and chose not to say another word to the doctor all day, "Some people gist otta stay to themselves some days," he shook his head and went on about his business helping Jonas at the General Store.