Artie ran into Don just past the bottom of the stairwell. He immediately took in Artie's disheveled appearance and came over to him. Jim was still on the stairs so Artie drug him away while telling him about the change of plans. When they got out of earshot as well as line of sight, Artie clutched his side and doubled over in pain. Donovan grabbed him and held him steady.
"Artemus, are you okay? Do you need to sit down?"
"No, what I need is to get out of here before Jim sees through my act and comes looking for me." Artemus groaned and Donovan put an arm around his waist to help him.
"ARGH, Don, let go!" Artemus groaned, Donovan removed his and saw the blood.
"Artemus! What happened?"
"Someone didn't like me getting a look at that note. Come on, we've got to get back to the hotel. We'll use your room. Jim's a damned blood hound, he'll smell it if we use ours."
Donovan helped Artie get up on his horse and they rode away. Jim stood at the window watching. He knew something was up he just couldn't put his finger on it. He watched until they turned down a side street.
As soon as Artie was sure they were far enough from the capital building he slumped forward in his saddle. Don pulled the horses up and got off and ran to Artemus. He lifted him upright.
"Artemus, are you okay?" Donovan asked.
"Yeah, nothing a nice case of death wouldn't cure." He groaned his reply. Donovan looked around.
"Hey look, a doctor's office! We can get you fixed there, I'm not sure I know how to fix a knife wound," Donovan headed in that direction.
"No…can't go…there. He might…tell Grant."
"Mr. Gordon, waiting till we get back to the hotel isn't an option. You're bleeding like a stuck pig. I think this is going to take more attention than I know how to give," Artie nodded and Donovan caught him as he fell out of his saddle.
He half carried Artemus up the stairs and into the doctor's office. The nurse jumped up and helped Donovan take him into the examination room. She told Donovan she had to go next door to get the doctor. She left and Donovan looked at Artemus. He appeared to be in a lot of pain. Donovan turned his head as a middle aged man entered the room at a run. He took his coat off and hung it on a coat rack in the corner. He walked over to Artemus and gently peeled back his shirt. The doctor grimaced.
"Can you stitch me up quickly, doctor, I've got to get going," Artie hissed as the doctor wiped at the wound.
"Mister, I can sew that right up for you but you can't be going anywhere. You need at least two or three days bed rest. And unless I miss my guess I'd say you're suffering from extreme exhaustion and mal nutrition. In my opinion, sir, you belong in a hospital," the doctor stated
"Try telling that to the President," Donovan whispered, the doctor stared at him.
"Just sew me up, doctor, please. Believe me I would love to check into the nearest hospital but right now that is not an option. I have a job to do and I have to get back to it. Maybe in a couple of days when this mission is over…" Donovan snuck a look at Artemus, knowing he would never make a slip like that. Artie let out a yelp when the doctor touched the wound with a cloth soaked in disinfectant.
"A couple more days and the only place you'll be headed is Boot Hill."
"I know, I know. But this is import for the country. I can't let Grant down."
"Is he talking about President Grant?" the doctor asked Donovan.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Gordon is…"
"Gordon…he's a government agent isn't he?"
"Yes sir," Donovan replied almost as a question.
"Tell me he's not the one I was warned about…"
"Uh yes, sir, he is, one of them anyway. You don't have to tell the President about this just yet do you? He doesn't want him to know until the mission is over."
"Let me get this straight…he's Artemus Gordon right?"
"Yes, sir. But we stumbled on something that can break the mission wide open and unfortunately he never got a chance to tell anyone. So we need him."
"I've read all about him and his partner. Can't say that I envy the hospital that gets him. I should have my head examined, and I could have my license revoked if Grant finds out if I don't inform him," the doctor said skeptically.
"Doctor, if you promise to fix him up and give me enough supplies to take care of him for the next two days I swear Mr. West and I will see to it he checks into the hospital first thing day after tomorrow and I am pretty sure I can get Mr. West to swear we were never here."
"In fact I think I got stitched up by some local horse doctor, didn't I Don?" Artemus tried to help; he just wanted this over.
"Yeah, yeah, Artemus, you did," he smiled.
"I can see why Grant wants to keep track of you, Gordon," the doctor shook his head and laughed as he got ready to begin.
"All right, against my better judgment, I'll go along with your story just to get him patched up. But I'm warning you, if you don't get to a hospital soon your body won't give you a choice. It'll just shut down on you."
"Doctor, all I need is another forty eight hours. Then I will gladly collapse."
The doctor finished cleaning the wound and sewed it closed. He gave Artemus only a mild sedative so he could be on his way as soon as possible. He taped the bandage to Artie's side and told Donovan he made it extra thick to help hide it. When he finished he told Donovan to let Artemus sleep for at least half an hour so he wouldn't tear his stitches.
They left the room and Donovan followed the doctor to get the supplies they would need. The doctor grabbed a small bag, handed it to him and began putting items into it.
"I'll give you plenty of bandages…the more active he will be the more he will need to change them, he'll still have some blood leakage until he gets some damned rest. And something tells me he's planning on being far too active."
"Yes, sir."
"Here are some medicines he'll need. The powders in the blue envelopes are for putting on and around the wound to cut down on the risk of infection. He needs to do this at lease twice a day. The yellow ones are for pain, he can take them as needed," Donovan started writing it down.
"These green ones…see to it he takes them every morning. They will help increase his appetite. He needs food as much as he needs sleep right now, maybe more."
Donovan wrote down the other instructions the doctor had and carefully tucked the paper in his pocket. He asked how much they owed him but the doctor told him to keep his money and pay him when Artemus checked into the hospital, that way he could tell the President he received no money so no service had been performed if he was asked.
Donovan went back to the examination room and look in. Artemus appeared to be sleeping. Donovan hated to wake him but they had to get moving or Jim would beat them back to the hotel and they needed to get rid of Artemus' bloody shirt. He felt guilty but he gently shook him. Artemus' eyes opened and he struggled to sit up then tried to stand. Donovan steadied him, Artemus tried again and then this time he stood on his own.
They left the doctor's office with Artemus leaning heavily on Donovan. They walked their horses back to the hotel and by the time they reached it Artemus had filled him in on the strange symbol he had seen. Artemus was positive he had seen it before and he was sure it was Russian.
"I've got to get my hands on some more of those notes, to be sure," Artie said, "We need to go back for the afternoon session."
"Oh no you don't, Artemus. I've got to find a way to get you out of everything this afternoon."
"Not going to work, Don. We can't tell Jim and you can't do this on your own or we tip our hand to them. I'll be okay. We need to wrap this up and I'd like to do it tonight."
"We have a couple hours before the afternoon session. I'm going to lie down for a bit. You come get me in an hour or I swear I'll shoot you," Artie grinned as he slowly went up the stairs.
