Festus hurried into the Longbranch and over to the bar. "Sam, you got a minute?"
The saloon was packed with drovers and the bartender wore a harassed expression. "What'll you have, Festus?"
The hillman shook his head. "Nothin'. Sam, I got to jaw with you private like."
Sam's eyes widened as he cast a glance around the room. "I can't talk right now, Festus! Come back later." He poured a shot of whiskey and set it on the bar. "This one's on me."
Festus leaned over and lowered his voice. "I tell you we got to jaw. There's this feller called Charlie Barton..."
Kitty looked over at the crash. Sam had dropped a mug on the floor and was leaning on the bar, his face white. She hurried over. "Sam, what's wrong?"
The bartender took a deep breath and wiped his forehead with an unsteady hand. "I'm sorry, Miss Kitty. I guess I'm not feeling too good."
Kitty looked concerned. "Maybe you'd better go see Doc." She turned to Festus. "Will you please take him?"
The hillman nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He went around the end of the bar and took Sam's arm. "C'mon, Sam. Prob'ly just need some of them little pink pills to perk you up..."
Kitty watched them go and was strongly tempted to follow, but two cowboys started a quarrel over one of the girls and in settling them down she forgot about Sam.
Outside, Sam pulled away from Festus and went down an alley. The hillman followed, waiting patiently while the other man collected himself. Finally the bartender asked, "What's this about Charlie?"
"You know I went huntin' last week?" Sam nodded. "I wuz on my way back when I found this young feller layin' on the prairie."
Sam cut in, his face agitated. "He's hurt?"
Festus said reassuringly, "He's hurt but it ain't too bad. Looked like he caught some lead in his arm but it went clean through. He tolt me his horse stepped in a gopher hole and broke his leg...he shot him and kept goin' afoot but he warn't in no shape for that." The hillman saw the question on Sam's face. "He's at that little shack down by the river. I wanted to get Doc for him but he said not to." He shook his head. "That boy's nerveeous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rockin' chairs, but he tolt me his name and asked for you."
Sam gripped the hillman's shoulder. "You didn't tell anybody about him, did you?"
"Nary a soul," said Festus. "Who is he?"
Sam walked away a few steps, his head bent. "He's my nephew."