Chapter Two: Cimarron
Matt knew that finding Carfax wasn't going to be easy. He knew that Newly would've gone after him but that would have left Dodge in the hands of Burke. Well-meaning as he was Burke could make the most idiotic mistakes. He rode steadily westward his eyes scanning the trail. Matt wished fervently that Festus were with him instead of lying comatose in Doc's backroom. Late in the afternoon he rode up to the Wayfarer's Inn. He was hungry and tired, unsure he could keep his eyes open much longer.
"Well hello Marshal Dillon. What brings you to these parts?" MacGregor asked.
"A manhunt. Is Jim around?" Matt asked.
"Oh aye. He's over in his office."
Matt thanked the big bluff Scot and walked over to the door. He entered finding Jim attending to his paperwork. Jim rose and came to shake his hand.
"Matt when did you get here?"
"Just now. I'm trailing a man called Ed Carfax. He raped and murdered one of Kitty's girls. She was barely eighteen."
"Damn that's even younger than Dulcey," Jim said.
"Yeah, but that's not all. Before he left he shot Festus three times."
Jim felt Matt's pain. He knew just how Matt felt about his deputies especially Festus.
"You look dead on your feet," Jim said. "Come on, I'll buy you a beer. When did you last eat?"
"Last night on the way back to Dodge from Leavenworth."
"Dulcey will fix you something to eat and a room for the night. You need to sleep."
Matt followed Jim back to the bar.
"Can I have two beers down here?" Jim asked.
MacGregor produced the beers then they found a table.
"I don't know Carfax's age but one of the witnesses said he looked like he'd been in a fire. Newly said it looked like his flesh had melted over his face and set again."
Dulcey came in to see if Jim wanted some coffee.
"Hello Marshal Dillon. When did you get in?"
"Not long ago, Dulcey."
"You look just about done in, Marshal."
"Reckon I am."
"Dulcey can you get Matt something to eat?"
"Of course. I'll get you a meal directly, Matt. Then I'll get a room ready for you while you eat. You should sleep."
The telegraph operator came and handed a wire to Jim.
"Hm. It's from Newly to say you were heading in this direction. Who's Newly?"
"Newly is one of my temporary deputies and a gunsmith. He's studying medicine with Doc. If Doc had to go visit a patient Newly might spell him watching over Festus."
Matt drank his beer down. Dulcey came back with a tray of food and some coffee. She set the tray down in front of Matt.
"Thanks Dulcey, that'll hit the spot alright."
Dulcey went upstairs leaving Matt to his food.
"Matt, I've got rounds to do. While I'm at them I'll ask around to see if anyone has seen Carfax and knows what direction he went."
"Thanks Jim."
Matt tucked into the meal Dulcey had provided. Meanwhile Jim went from business to business, but failed to get a line on Carfax until he met up with a farmer getting supplies.
"Marshal, I saw a man that fit that description. He was heading Southwest towards Texas. What'd he do?"
"He murdered a young woman and shot a deputy US Marshal."
"Where'd he come from?"
"We don't know. He committed the murder in Dodge City. Marshal Dillon rode in this afternoon. He'll rest up tonight and go after Carfax tomorrow."
Jim returned to the saloon. He immediately noticed Matt was nowhere in sight. He looked at Dulcey, who pointed to the stairs.
"Good, he needs the sleep. I'll tell him what I've discovered tomorrow."
Up in the room Dulcey showed him to Matt stripped down, piling his clothes neatly on a chair. He climbed wearily into bed, falling into a deep sleep filled with images of Festus – on the trail with him, fishing with him and Doc and bickering with Doc.
Matt woke refreshed the next morning. He dressed quickly and went downstairs.
"Take a seat Marshal. Breakfast will be ready directly," Dulcey said.
"Thanks Dulcey," Matt replied.
Dulcey returned from the kitchen shortly with a breakfast tray of ham, eggs, biscuits and coffee and a packed lunch. Matt smiled, thanked her again and tucked in. Matt smiled and thanked her again and tucked in. Jim joined him shortly after.
"Matt last night a farmer recognized Carfax's description. He said he saw him heading southwest towards Texas, probably the Panhandle."
"I'm hoping that he'll make a mistake. He may figure that being a day ahead of me means he can relax."
"I had Frances take your horse to the stables last night," Jim said. "He said he'd go get your horse ready."
Frances came in just then.
"Marshal, I've brought your horse he's outside."
"Thanks Frances," Matt said.
Breakfast over, Matt rose, gathered up his rifle and packed lunch, and then walked across to the general store. There he purchased coffee, bacon and bullets for both his gun and rifle, enough to last him for a long haul on the trail.
"That'll be $3 sir," the young clerk stated.
"Thanks, son," Matt replied.
He left the store and packed everything into his saddlebags. Jim stood silently by the hitching post watching one of the best, if not the best lawmen prepare when the telegraph operator handed him a wire.
"Matt wire's from Doc Adams. Festus is awake and really angry that he isn't with you."
"Thanks Jim."
Matt grinned in relief as he mounted and rode off toward the southwest. He stopped around lunchtime to make some coffee and eat the packed lunch that Dulcey had provided. Dousing his fire, he set off again for the relatively new town of Liberal near the Oklahoma border. Matt decided to stay there overnight and go on to Spearman in Texas where he'd visit the nearest ranger station. He'd make enquiries there and hoped that someone might know where Carfax had gone.