Ruth sat in a chair next to the cot and tried to soothe him. Oh the things you must have seen in the War, she thought as he continued to moan. Ruth brought cool water and placed a cold compress on his forehead.
Torn, battered bodies littered the battlefield…cannon fire and rifle fire filled the air with smoke. As he stumbled across the battlefield taking in the devastation, he felt sick to his stomach.
"Mr. Pike, hand me that wash basin, please. I think he's going to be sick."
Jeremy handed Ruth the basin just as Artie began retching violently. Ruth was somewhat alarmed when she noticed Artie had not woken and seemed trapped in his dream state. Whatever's happening inside that head of yours, I hope you can realize it's not real, she thought.
Artie looked out over the sea of bodies. 'This can't be happening, not again", he thought. He reached for the body in front of him, clad in clothing that looked eerily familiar. The body tumbled off the waist high pile and landed face up at his feet.
He looked into the eyes and froze...the vacant, far away stare of a man no longer living...he'd know those eyes anywhere. The eyes cut into him as if they were pleading…imploring him help. The man's face stared blankly at Artie and he could only stare back as he fell to his knees.
"No, Jim…nooo…" Artie softly moaned, "this isn't right I know you're not dead."
"James, Artemus is having dreams…you better trade places with me. I think you might be able to help him." Jeremy called to Jim.
Jim entered the room and looked at his partner. Artie's face was twisted in pain and anguish, his head tossing from side. Jim took the chair vacated by Ruth who returned to the window as Jeremy left to take Jim's post in the kitchen.
He sat down next to his partner not sure what to do. Ruth told him to just let Artie know he was there. Jim reached out and placed his hand on Artie's arm. Jim wished he could be wherever his partner was so he could help him through this.
"Artie, I'm here, partner. You aren't going through this alone." Jim told him. Artie seemed to be responding albeit not in the way Jim would have liked.
"No, Jim, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You deserve a better partner than I can ever be."
"That's not true, Artie. Listen to me…you've got to listen to me! There are people out here that want to help you with this."
"I failed my friends…I failed my country…I failed my brother…I'm no good to anyone like this. I might as well be dead."
"Mr. West, I've been reading those papers Mr. Pike brought back. This is part of the withdrawal process." Ruth told him.
"Part of the process? The man is one the verge of being suicidal."
"Yes, Mr. West. It says here severe depression and I believe that he is at that stage."
"How many stages are there?" Jim wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Near as I can tell he's in the end stage of the withdrawal process. He just has to make it through this and he'll not be out of the woods but he should survive."
"Should? That's not good enough." Jim stated emphatically.
"Well, Mr. West, it's not up to you. It's not even up to Mr. Gordon. It's in God's hands now." Ruth told him sympathetically.
"I know that. I just wish there were some way to get through to him. Let him know he's not alone."
"He knows, Mr. West. He knows."
Jim spent the remainder of the night alternating between standing watch at the window and watching his partner. As morning approached, Jim felt a renewed sense of hope. They had seen no evidence Jackson's men were trying to advance on the farmhouse and Artie made it through the night. He was staring out at the barn looking for any man trying to sneak closer to the house when he heard Artie begin to stir.
He turned to look at his partner when Artie opened his eyes. He looked around the room and saw Jim. Artie smiled weakly at him and moved to get up when he froze. His eyes frantically scanned the room…not seeing a gun close to hand, he shouted to Jim.
"Jim! Behind you!" Artie shouted.
Jim whirled around in time to see one of Jackson's men toss something into the bedroom. Jim fired his pistol, not missing at this range, and a red stain formed in the middle of the man's chest as he fell to the ground.
Artie rolled off the cot pulling the blanket with him. He tossed it over the torch the man had thrown in the window and patted it with his hand. The room quickly filled with smoke and Jim, Ruth and Artie began gasping for air. Artie grabbed Ruth and shoved her out of the room and slammed the door. He and Jim broke the glass out of the windows and used folded blankets to fan the smoke out the windows.
Out in the other room Wade fired as several men advanced on the farmhouse. He didn't look away as Ruth put her rifle in the window and took up a position next to her husband. She fired her weapon, taking out a man who fell into the watering trough.
In the kitchen area Jeremy placed himself behind a cupboard and took aim felling his man. He risked a glance at the grandfather clock and shook his head. They still had to hold them off for several hours before help would arrive. His anger rising, Jeremy took aim and quickly felled two more.
"How many men has Jackson got?" he asked no one in particular.
"I'd be guessing he has close to 100 men working for him in his various businesses interests, so it's hard to tell how many are out there." Wade informed him.
"Oh nice," Jeremy commented, "Nothing like fighting a small army to make your day."
"Artie, you okay?" Jim asked as the smoke began to dissipate.
"I've been better," Artie coughed and sputtered as he wiped soot from his clothes with a glare.
"Your hand is bleeding, Artie. Go let Ruth take a look at that." Jim told him as he grabbed more shells for his rifle.
"It's just a scratch, Jim. I must have cut it when I broke that window. I'll be fine." Artie replied as he tore a piece of cloth off his shirt and wrapped it around his hand. Jim glared and sighed.
During the next lull in the fighting Jim called Ruth into the room and she took care of Artie's hand. Ruth didn't like how pale he looked but Artie vetoed both her and his partner by grabbing a pistol and extra ammunition and placing himself in the nearest window. He suggested Ruth take the opportunity to make some food and she agreed. Gathering up the medical supplies, Ruth headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal.
"You in the house!" A man somewhere near the barn shouted.
"We don't want to harm you. Send West and Gordon out and we'll leave you in peace!"
"Sorry, gentlemen, but you'll have to tell your boss no. I'll not send these men to their deaths!" Wade shouted back.
"That's not a wise decision, friend. We outnumber you…we could rush you or we can burn you out. Just give us West and Gordon and we'll leave!"
"I'm not sending Gordon back to that man. He's sick…might not even make it. Tell your boss the answer is still NO!" Wade watched as a man rode away at top speed.
"That ought to buy us some time," Wade said to his wife, "You aren't upset by all this are you, Ruth?" He asked her.
"No, Wade, not at all. I think what the Colonel did was unforgivable and these boys need our help."
"Besides, the Army will be here soon. We've held them off this long a little longer won't hurt." Ruth smiled at him.
The rest of the morning passed slowly, both sides waiting for the other to make the first move. Jim forced Artie to lie back down and he was sleeping somewhat comfortably. Jim hoped the worst was over. Shortly before noon Jeremy saw a lone rider approaching.
"James, rider's back!" Jeremy shouted toward the bedroom.
"Can you take him out?" Jim asked.
"No, I can't get a clear shot at him, he's staying pretty low in the saddle."
"All right then…let's hope the Army gets here soon."
Artie woke up and shifted positions to lay on his side as he listened to the conversation. All of this fuss on account of me? What could Jackson want me so badly for? Maybe I should just give myself up. Thinking quickly, Artie slipped off the cot and into the kitchen.
He snuck up behind Jeremy and hit him over the head with the butt of his pistol. Catching him as he slumped, Artie gently leaned him against the wall and quietly stepped outside and made his way around to the front of the house. Jeremy came to and stumbled toward the main room. Ruth saw him and ran to him.
"It's Artemus, he hit me on the head and he left." Jim heard Jeremy's proclamation and came running.
"Gentlemen, I suggest you take a look out there," Wade said as he pointed toward the window.
"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Jim started after his partner but Wade held him back.
Artie strode across the yard toward the barn, his hands held high. If they want me so bad I'll go willingly. I'll not let them harm anyone on my account. Artie stopped midway, his body shaking.
"I'm the one you want. I'll go willingly…just let my friends go."
"That's all well and good friend, we will take you. But we can't leave here without Mr. West too."
"I'm willing to go why can't that be enough? There's been more than enough bloodshed here already."
"No can do, Mr. Gordon. Orders is orders. And no one crosses the Colonel and lives to tell about it and I for one would like to go on livin."
"What is he trying to do get himself shot?" Jeremy voiced the thought that was running through Jim's mind.
"That might not be a bad idea." Wade said, getting glares from Jim and Jeremy.
"Sorry, Mr. West, but think about it. If we shoot him they aren't going to make a move to take him."
"I can't shoot my partner and I will NOT stand by and let you shoot him." Jim's stomach turned at the thought.
While Jim and Jeremy tried to talk some sense into Wade, Artie continued to plead their case. Jim was certain there had to be another way to get the men to hold off until the Army could show up. Jeremy agreed and pled their case to a rather insistent Wade. All eyes turned when a single shot rang out.
Artie jerked forward, a look of surprise and shock on his features. He turned around to stare back at the farmhouse and his body kept turning like a corkscrew as he toppled to the ground. The man that had left the barn to apprehend Artie made a mad dash back to the relative safety of the barn.
In the dead silence that followed both sides looked at the man on the ground weighing their options. The Colonel's men not wanting to get shot trying to get what could be a dead man and those in the house not wanting to put anyone else in jeopardy trying to rescue their fallen comrade. Jim's eyes were glued on the figure on the ground, the rest of his body frozen.
"What did you do?" Jeremy finally found his voice.
"What needed to be done." Ruth sighed.
