The Night of the Blind Beggar

A Wild, Wild West tale by Roniyah Gabrielle Caitrin Bhaer

Author's Notes:

I first wrote this story in 1979-80, and sent it to a fanzine of sorts, being put together by the Clarion writing workshop, at that time 'housed' at Michigan State University. I checked that and as of this year, Clarion is moving west to a new home at University of California San Diego. Theirs is a wonderful program, encouraging writers of Science Fiction and Fantasy, since 1968, including, luckily for me, fanfiction, too.  In any case, I was greatly honored to have this fanfiction accepted by Clarion that year, and a wonderful artist named Signe Landon did some spectacular artwork for it, too. If I can talk a friend into scanning it, I will share that with the forum too.

In any case, I thought the kindly readers might enjoy this story, which never got widely published, and besides, who reads hard-copy fanzines anymore? I should mention though that as far as I know the second fanzine that pubbed TNOTBB, 'Spies in the Old West' #2, is still available from: Live Oak Manor Press, Gail M. Paradis, 237 Simmonsville Avenue, Johnston, Rhode Island 02919-5823 This story should probably come with a high-angst warning. It really puts 'our guys' through the mill. That being said, I wouldn't give it a higher 'rating' than PG but some might think it rates PG-13. If you've read this fic before now; Please be advised, I've been writing stories since I was ten, and I will always try to improve them, when the chance arises. So you will find changes in this version of TNOTBB. Hopefully they're for the better. J

Roniyah Gabrielle Caitrin Bhaer, summer, 2007

Disclaimer:

I don't own rights of any kind to the characters or storylines of the classic series The Wild, Wild, West, and that's a darned shame. James T West, Artemus Gordon, Colonel Richmond, Jeremy Pike, Frank Harper and 'Miguelito' Loveless do not belong to me. Dang it anyway. Those rights belong to the late Michael Garrison's estate, to Leonard Katzman, Bruce Lansbury, the other producers of W3 and possibly still to  the Columbia Broadcasting System CBS. No copyright infringement or profit taking of any kind is intended by this work of fiction. So please, don't sue me, it would be a huge waste of attorney-billing hours.

On the other hand; Jacques D'eglisier, Thomas Macquillan, Stephen Anthony West, Liesl Branoch, Stephan Aynsley, Jean Stuart, Daniel West, and Remiel Julien Boudin, as well as their supernumeraries herein, are my thought-children. So I will ask the gentle reader to ask their 'mother' me before inviting them to play in your sandbox fanfiction thanx. 

This story is dedicated to three gifted actors, in alphabetical order Michael Dunn, Robert Conrad and Ross Martin who, with their incredible creative talents of contributed so very much to the series which inspired this story; Michael Dunn, Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. It is my thank you to them all for the fun, the fantasy and the terrific 'ride' they gave so many others and me, by letting us come onboard the Wanderer, and share their adventures.

Sadly, Michael Dunn and Ross Martin are no longer with us, so I can't thank them in person, now. Nevertheless I want to say that W3 would never have been the marvelous show it was, without both of them and their boundless talents. What they shared with all of us was manifestly their great passion for acting, for characters, and for story telling on a grand scale. We were and we still are very lucky to have shared the world with them. And if the opportunity arose I would want to say this to Robert Conrad, thanks so very much for bringing James T. West so vividly to life, and for all of your other incomparable work. That is a tremendous gift of yourself, which we can never repay.

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Cast of Characters: Night of the Blind Beggar

Robert Conrad                                                                      as James Torrance Kiernan West

Ross Martin                                                                         as Artemus Alastair Lachlan Gordon nee Adamech Auriel Elisha Gorniak

William Schallert                                                               as Benjamin Franklin 'Frank' Harper

Stephen Nichols                                                                        as Stephan Johannes Aynsley

Alyson Hannigan                                                                          as Liesl Marguerite Branoch

Joseph Cotten                                                                       as Remiel Julien Boudin.

Martin Sheen                                                                           as Ulysses Simpson Grant                    

John Spencer                                                                 as Thomas Kieran Anglim Macquillan

William Shatner                                                              as Jacques Etienne Merlion D'eglisier

Charles Aidman                                                                          as Jeremy Tobias Pike

Stephen Nichols                                                                        as Stephan Johannes Aynsley

Michael Dunn                                                                as Miguel Raul Enrique de Olvidado y Sin Amor de Cervantes aka Miguelito Loveless

Arthur Hill                                                                                        as Stephen Anthony West

Joanne Woodward                                                                             as Anne Randolph West

Arthur Kennedy                                                       as James Torrance Kiernan 'Jimmy' Randolph      

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Part One, Night of the Blind Beggar

 Scene One:  Washington, DC December, 1872

James T. West stood in the doorway, grinning at his partner. Artemus Gordon lay on his back, one leg still in a cast, grinning feebly in return. West didn't say he was glad to see Gordon. And Artie didn't chide Jim for that omission. Artie had gone missing for nine days, prior to being admitted to this hospital, two nights ago with all the telltale signs of a severe beating. So Jim entered the ward again, with real concern in his clear, green eyes.

''Absent without leave, Artie?'' Jim chided him solemnly. ''For nine days, Artie? I'm surprised at you. You could at least let me know where the holiday party was!''

Artie laughed, coughed and shifted on the bed, in deference to his tightly bound broken ribs. ''How could I, James? The actor-agent demanded. '' I still don't know where I've… hold on there! Did you say for nine days?''

''Nine, Artie,'' West nodded. '' Starting with the night you took up the watch position across the city, and sent Hildy back to the train.''

''Aw, how are the dear, sweet ladies?'' Artie asked, smiling at their private joke.

''Well, Hildegarde is fine, now that she's sure you're back and you're going to be okay. But Loretta, Genevieve and Charlotte haven't spoken a civil word to me all week. And Henrietta, Marie, Antoinette, Maude and Therese won't even come out to eat! They miss you, Artie. They can't bear these long separations.'' Jim said, winking and cracking a smile.

''Poor ladies!'' Artie exclaimed, his dark eyes full of laughter.

'' Poor ladies?'' Jim answered. '' What about poor me? Artie, do you want to see my scars? Do you want to see where Charlotte almost took my left ear off?''

''No, no, James, Please.'' Artie now laughed aloud.

''Well, all right. I just came by to tell you I wouldn't be around for a few days, myself. Frank will be at the train if you're worried about the ladies. They seem to really take to him.

 I've got to go. Colonel Richmond AND the Man both want to know who's killing off the beggar population of Washington, and why. And, as usual, they want to know as of sometime last week! See ya, Artie, see ya.'' Jim turned and left.

''Yeah, sure. See ya, Jim.'' Gordon said, and shuddered, without knowing why he felt a sudden, brief chill. The windows in the ward weren't just closed, they were painted shut, and likely years ago. Maybe he was developing a fever. Maybe he just didn't like the idea of being stuck in bed while Jim went out on what was becoming a bewildering case.