Chapter 3 – Matters Are Postponed
When Doc Newly left Doc and Mr. Dillon sittin' with Miss Kitty, his mind was troubled, or so he said whilst recolletin' about it to me. He was plum tuckered out and would have gone to his room over his closed gunsmith's shop so's he could get some sleep after takin' the second bullet out of Miss Kitty, but he couldn't. Instead, he stopped off to tell Festus how she was doin' on his way to the livery. Miss Paula, his future bride, and her pa needed to know what happened seein' as how Miss Kitty was to be maid of honor at their wedding. He rode west out of town for a mile toward the Sanderson ranch, her pa's spread, to tell them the sad news then turned back cause of how late it was.
Now Mr. John Sanderson, Bear, as he's known, is real important round these parts havin' opened up the territory afore Dodge even existed and was the one who saw to it that Mr. Dillon became marshal. He had some pretty strong objections to Miss Paula marryin' up with Cyrus Wolfe, the man who defended the Injuns Bear thought had killed her ma and then took his leave to be a lawyer in San Francisco, before givin' his blessin' to Doc Newly. Doc Newly began sparkin' her after a suitable time had passed after the passin' of his first wife Patricia to a blood disease. Course he didn't have much time what with keepin' his promise to himself and Doc to learn doctorin' so he could find a cure for what caused Miss Patricia to pass at such a young age, gunsmithin' and bein' a part-time deputy to Mr. Dillon. Still, since they shared lost loves and schoolin' back east, it seemed only natural that they should get hitched.
He set out, after a few hours sleep, before the sun was up and then come back to watch over Miss Kitty and sit with Mr. Dillon that first mornin'. Since I had no part in it, I reckon Mr. Dillon ought to tell the rest of it.
"Newly, if you want to ride out and tell Bear and Paula what happened, I'll understand. I don't plan to move from Kitty's side and Doc should be back directly."
"I've already been there and back. Since we'll be stuck with each other's company, I'll tell you about it just to pass the time. You already know how Paula feels about Miss Kitty and Bear about you, so it's not exactly surprising that Paula said, 'Newly, Papa, I can't think of any other woman I feel as close to as Kitty, but as bad as we feel in this room, the Marshal and Doc must feel even worse. I know how I felt after mama was killed and Papa, you were nearly beyond reason.'"
"Bear, for his part, speculated about how you must feel, saying, 'The last time Kitty was in a bad way like this Matt cared about nothin' 'cept killin' the man who ordered it, but it's got to be worse this time. He watched it all happen and didn't even get a chance to kill or even arrest any of them. Newly, you and Festus took that away from him. As for ole Doc, Kitty is the closest he'll ever come to havin' a daughter.'"
"Matt, if the worst happens, do you think Doc will still want to be my best man? Would you still want to be part of the wedding party? It's a sure thing the wedding will have to be postponed. We can't get married April 10 like we originally planned. I hope you don't mind, but I've already told Festus. It won't take long for the rest of the town and everyone else within 20 miles to know."
I didn't want to think about Newly and Paula's wedding. I couldn't let myself think about Kitty not being around, so I put Newly off and he understood. I kept telling myself she was going to live. As that first full day faded into day two, Doc spent more time with his other patients and Newly tended to his gun shop. As for me, I barely left her side until she came around while I was alone with her.
On the second afternoon after she was beaten and shot, I was holding her hand and leaning over to kiss her forehead when she came around briefly. Kitty was very weak, but managed to whisper a whole speech.
"Cowboy, I believe you were asking a question I've been waiting to hear from you for years when you were unavoidably interrupted, but you managed to complete it later. My answer is yes, and lets make it as soon as possible after Newly and Paula get back from their honeymoon. Somehow, I think you won't have a problem with that."
Her words gave me hope, but I tried to put her off and replied, "Now hold off with your yes until after I tell you what happened between then and now. It might make you change your mind about me, you know. When you've heard everything I've got to tell you and still want to say yes, that will be fine by me. By the way, how'd you know I asked you again while you were unconscious and to set the date for as soon as you felt up to it?"
Just then Doc returned from downstairs with a bottle of rye whiskey for us and was pleased to find Kitty awake. He put the bottle down on the table and went to check on his patient and let her know just what he thought about the change.
"I step out of your room for a bit just to get away from that overgrown public servant of yours gloomy face, and you go and change his expression to a grin. If I didn't know better, I'd say you could perform miracles. Let's see if you're making as much progress as his face indicates."
After examining her, he announced, "Congratulations Kitty, you'll be back to throwing unruly cowboys out of the Long Branch in about a month, but if you want that to be true, you'd best get some sleep now. Just drink some of this while Matt and I sample a bottle of your finest whiskey."
As soon as Kitty fell asleep, Doc sent me to get beef broth from Delmonico's so it'd be ready when she awoke. "Oh, Matt, when you get the soup, just tell them it's in case she's hungry when she wakes up. I want to hold off on telling people she'll fully recover until I'm more certain and that won't be until after she has some nourishment in her."
When I returned with the soup, Doc told me that I might as well get some work done in my office because she'd be out quite a spell. "There's no need for you to stay here. As a matter of fact, I'm going to get a little rest and maybe check on Hank Miller's sprained wrist, so ask Newly to take over for me when you pass his shop."
I reluctantly agreed to return in a few hours and to bring supper for Doc, Newly and myself when I did. When I reached my office, my desk was buried under a mound of paperwork.
"Festus, I'll take over for now. Why don't you go get something to eat and then meet Lionel's train. I believe he's due in on the 3:20. Maybe by the time you get back I'll be able to see my desk."
After Festus left, I checked the prisoners. They were still willing to plead guilty before Judge Brooker, who had returned to town that morning, and then barely finished half the pile when my two deputies turned up. I continued to work until three hours had passed and I could see most of the wood on my desk.
"Lionel, I'm sure Festus already told you what happened while you were gone. Now that you're back, the two of you can take shifts watching the prisoners. I'm gonna check on how Kitty's doing."
That said, I left for Judge Brooker's office to let him know to expect a guilty plea on whatever the charges turned out to be. Then I walked over to Delmonico's to pick up the supper I promised Doc.
When I awoke again just long enough for him to have a short private chat with me, Doc had returned to my bedside. That gave Newly time to finish off an order for a new holster for Lionel.
"Doc, do you think Matt's trying to back out of marrying me? I told him yes when I came to earlier, but he wouldn't accept it. He's says I might change my mind after I hear everything that happened that night."
"No Kitty, Doc replied, "he took too long deciding to ask for him to change his mind now. You know how he gets when he can't prevent the people he cares about most from getting hurt. He's just feeling sorry for himself. He feels he's the one who should be lying in bed, not you because of some foolish notion that being forced to watch what they did to you instead of trying to take them down before they struck even one blow makes him less of a man in your eyes."
"Curly, sometimes that man's too proud for his own good. I've always thought he takes too many chances with his life while protecting everyone in this town, especially me."
As Newly opened the door, Doc replied, "You know you're right about that, but Newly's back and Matt will be here soon, so try to get some more rest."
When I stepped into the room, Kitty was asleep again and Doc and Newly were playing checkers. While we ate, the broth for Kitty was heating up on Kitty's stove. That would give it time to cool down enough so she could take some when she awoke. It didn't take her long, probably because she smelled our supper.
We knew she was awake because she asked, "Did you happen to remember to get any food for me? I'm famished."
"I'm glad to hear you say that. It just so happens Matt got some soup for you earlier, but right now it's just a little too hot for you to eat. As to eating steak, you'll just have to wait a bit longer. It's your punishment for scaring us into thinking you might let Matt off the hook by dying on us."
The three of us talked softly a bit longer about when Newly and Paula would hold their wedding while we men finished our meal. Then Doc pushed Newly out the door, leaving us alone and assuring me that Kitty was now well enough to do without a couple of Docs hanging about for a time.
However, just before the door closed Doc stuck his head back inside and said, "You can go home to sleep tonight too Mr. Marshal. I'll ask Ma Smalley to spend the night with her in case Kitty needs anything. Meanwhile, get as much of that soup into her as she can get down."
Kitty wasn't completely out of danger. Both Doc and the soon to be licensed Newly wanted her not to move around to prevent her starting to bleed again, so I gladly played nursemaid and started to spoon-feed her. That's when she noticed I wasn't hurt.
"It appears I'm a captive audience Cowboy, so now's as good a time as any to tell me what happened after the beating knocked me cold. The last I knew, Papa Steifer had a gun pointed at you even though you were no threat to him at the time because the two with him had dragged you unconscious to the foot of my bed and tied you to it while Papa pointed his gun at me before they threw the water from the ewer on my washstand at you and the two began using me as a punching bag. That was right after Papa told me that if I moved even one inch, both of us were dead and I knew he meant it."
"I should have found a way to stop things before it got that far. They should never have knocked me out and tied me to the bed, but once they did, I should have been able to loosen the ropes and stop them from shooting you twice. The second bullet came within an inch of your heart. That's why you're so weak. Steifer was taunting me about how he was going to kill me slowly, starting with a bullet in my shooting arm and then one in each leg when Newly and Festus burst into the room. Festus killed Steifer and the other two gave themselves up to Newly and Festus. All I did was carry you to your bed. At least you won't have to go through a trial, they're willing to tell Judge Brooker everything. That will probably be sometime tomorrow. Once Judge Brooker sentences them, I'll telegraph Dawson in Ballard to come get them and the prison authorities to pick them up from him."
"I'm glad you won't be leaving me to take those two to prison, but I don't want to talk about what's going to happen, I want you to tell me the rest of what's already happened to help me to try and understand it all. I know why Papa Steifer wanted to do what he did, but why did the other two beat and shoot me?"
"Some of Steifer's men were holding that girl from back in Ballard. You know, the one he jailed me for assaulting until you caved into him. She's the sister of one and the soon to be wife of the other, but they weren't entirely unwilling at first. Kitty, that's the whole sorry mess. Now that you know how badly I messed up, maybe you think I'm not the same man you've wanted to ask you to marry him for all these years."
"Matthew Dillon, just by saying that, I've no doubt you're still the same stubborn, proud man – the kind who thinks he's failed because he hasn't done the impossible. You were tied up when they shot me and both of us would be dead if either of us had tried to get to your gun. Of course the answer's still yes, but let's not make a general announcement until after Newly and Paula get married. I don't want to take anything away from their special day, but I have told one person. I asked Doc to walk me down the aisle as a substitute for my father. Since Althea Dorf and her mother moved away, I think he might even still have that wedding ring he won to give to you. I can't help but think that Doc walking me down the aisle of the church at Newly and Paula's wedding is a rehearsal for our wedding."
"There's no problem with Doc knowing. I talked with him about asking you before I rode down to Ballard to convince you to come home. He's a schemer, don't you know. Since you were shot, he kept finding convenient ways for us to be alone. Now that we have one member of the wedding party settled, who else should be in it? First, though, I have something that I want to give to you that I've been carrying around in my pocket since that night Papa Steifer busted in on us. Kitty, I bought this for you when I first thought about asking you to marry me. It's called an engagement ring and it seems everybody back east is giving them to their brides to be. At the time I had no idea our engagement would be as short as this, but I wanted you to be able to show everyone how serious I am about us building a life together."
"Cowboy, I can't wait to show it off, but let's get back to more practical matters. We have a wedding to plan and after all the years we took getting to it, people are expecting something really special and that's a fact. I'd like Claire to be my matron of honor. By the way, Matt, have you thought about who you want as best man?"
"You've already got Doc's part lined up. If I choose either Festus or Newly, the other would get mad at me, so it will have to be Chester. He's known both of us since we first met. I only hope he's willing. It's been quite a spell since I've heard from him about his farm, wife and boys. I'll write to him right away."
"I think Chester would be more than happy to do it. He'd be flattered that you think that much of him. That takes care of most of the people we need to tell before we announce it. The only other people are Newly and Paula, especially if we want to make the announcement right after their wedding. I'm thinking June 3rd would be good. It's over two months away and will give us plenty of time to get everything ready."
"As long as Doc and Newly say you'll be able to handle everything, such as being Paula's maid of honor, June 3rd it is. I don't like keeping secrets from all but three of our friends here in Dodge, well four, because Paula would naturally tell Bear, but it's the only way to make sure our announcement doesn't overshadow Newly and Paula's wedding."
"Matt, Newly and Paula will be the first usher and bridesmaid, but what should we do about Festus and Ma Smalley? They'll be the only people we want in the wedding party who won't know about it well in advance. If we tell Festus, he'll have the whole town knowing about it in an hour, he'd be so happy for us. If we tell Ma, she'll tell him and we'll have the same problem. I'm also worried that Claire might not have enough warning if there's a delay in her getting my letter."
"Don't worry about Claire, John Dawson will be here in a couple of days, don't you know, to pick up the prisoners. I can tell him what we're planning and that Claire should be expecting a letter from you as soon as you feel strong enough to write"
"I think that would give Claire more of a chance to think about her answer, what with the twins and all."
"Alright then, let's tell Newly as soon as he and Doc get back here. We can let Ma and Festus, know right before we make the official announcement."
"Matt, what do we do if Ma's with them? I suppose she might accept it if Doc and Newly asked her to wait outside while they discuss how long it will be until I can start walking around a bit. You'd have to be included in that because, of course, it will be your arm I'm leaning on when I take my first few steps from this bed."
Just then Doc and Newly came in. It happened that Ma had a few things to take care of in her rooming house before she could tend to Kitty for the night. The two men took one look at Kitty, who was beaming, and agreed that she was going to be fine. They learned the reason for her broad smile soon enough when she showed off the new ring and we told them the reason for it. The rest of the town wouldn't notice it among Kitty's other jewelry.
"Newly, do you want to tell everyone tonight when the new date for your wedding will be?"
"No, Matt, tonight let's simply celebrate Kitty's recovery. Besides, I'd have to discuss things with Paula first, but I think the date will probably be April 30th. By the way, who's going to tell Floyd to open up the Long Branch?"
"Nobody, I have keys. It won't take long for everyone to know once they see me standing in front of the open doors. Why don't we all go downstairs and wait for Ma to get here."
We three men then prepared to leave, but Doc hesitated. "You two go on down, I'll wait here until Ma arrives. By then there should be a crowd to help us with our celebration."
"Doc, just why are you staying behind? I thought you and Newly agreed that I'll be fine and am now well enough to be left alone for the few minutes it will take for Ma to get here."
"Since you asked me to walk you down the aisle, I thought I might be able to give you some fatherly advice. Did you and Matt set an absolutely definite date or just a tentative one of June 3rd? He's one of the finest men I know, but the only way to keep him from postponing things until after he retires, and he'll probably keep putting that off too, is to have Chester and Claire already on their way. He may think about retiring, but being marshal is so much a part of who he is, that it's hard for him to let go of it. I'm sure you remember when he quit after killing his friend from his army days, in the line of duty. He still acted as if he was marshal. All it took was endangering the peace of his town by an overzealous bounty hunter for him to pin that badge back on."
"Don't worry Doc, the date's set in stone. The only thing we don't know is exactly when we'll announce it, but that's only until after Newly talks to Paula."
Just as we finished talking Ma came upstairs. Doc greeted her and headed downstairs to join our friends and neighbors.
Starting with Floyd, everyone entering the Long Branch got the good news. The citizens of Dodge City found Doc looking relieved, Newly looking like a man whose wedding was back on and my grin was so wide, I could hardly drink the rye whiskey Floyd had poured for me. I decided to get the official business over with. I took one sip and announced "She's going to be fine, drinks for everyone on me!"
After ordering a second round, and Doc announcing that the third round was on him and the fourth on Newly, the three of us left for my office to talk over how best to make arrangements for two weddings in the near future. As soon as we got to the office and Festus saw our faces, he knew that Kitty was going to be okay.
"Festus, as soon as I have this telegram written to arrange for John Dawson to come here to escort our two prisoners to Ballard for transport to state prison or wherever Judge Brooker decides to send them tomorrow, you can drop it off on your way to the Long Branch. I believe you're due at least four free drinks."
"I'll do her Matthew. It will be a pleasure to drink to Miss Kitty's health."