Louie rolled over onto his back. He had no idea how long he lay in the hay unconscious, but he knew it had to have been some time, because he was freezing. Slowly he opened his right eye, but for some reason his left eye wouldn't open. Pheeters lifted his left hand to his eye and felt the warm sticky congealing blood that covered most of the left side of his face. He could then feel the gash above his left eye.
Louie slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position and got his bearings as he knew he needed to get help, but he wasn't sure if he could make it to Doc's office in the condition that he was in. Louie used the hay bales and stall walls to aid him to his feet. He groaned as a pain ran through his right side. Carefully he made his way across the livery stable to the door.
Louie's open eye was blurry likely due to the alcohol and the beating he just received, but it was a mute point right now. He could see the faint light of the oil lamp in the jail house across Front Street. His feet felt like lead weights as he moved out of the stable and cross the street.
Louie made his way up onto the boardwalk before he stumbled to the door. Matt heard the noise outside and shook his head, "Sounds like Louie's having another bad night," he said to his deputy, Festus.
Haggen stood and opened the door and at first didn't see anyone. He was almost ready to shut the door again when Louie moaned at his feet. "Louie?" Festus reached down to help his friend to his feet, "You know Matthew has told you that you can stay at Ma's boarding house on nights like this," he scolded Pheeters not knowing his condition, until he had Louie on his feet.
Festus' eyes opened wide, "Matthew!"
Matt quickly stood up from behind his desk and moved to help Festus with Louie, "Let's get him to the cot," Matt suggested. Louie groaned.
"What happened to you, Louie?" Festus asked.
Louie rolled his head sideways and looked at the hill man, "They beat me up and took my lucky coin," he mumbled. Festus looked over to Matt as they lowered Pheeters to the cot.
"Go and get Doc," Matt ordered Festus. Festus nodded and then paused and took another look at Louie, "Wait til I get my hands on the fellas that did that," he growled and turned to the door, grabbing his coat off the hook.
Matt pulled a chair over next to the cot and sat down, "Louie?" he asked in a hushed voice. Louie slowly looked up at Matt. "Who did this to you?" Matt asked.
Louie's eyes watered, "I couldn't see them, marshal. It was dark," he stated. Matt pursed his lips and gently squeezed Louie's shoulder, "Festus has gone for Doc," Matt tried to smile. Louie gently nodded.
Festus charged up the street. His spurs could be heard up and down the quiet street. It was close to midnight, and very few people were out and about, and the ones that were stood and watched the deputy as he charged up the wooden staircase to Doc's office. Festus rapped on the door, "Doc!" Festus yelled at the door.
Doc's eyes fluttered open and he waited to make sure he wasn't hearing things, before he had to leave the warmth of his bed. He heard his name again and more pounding at the door. Doc sat up and pushed his feet into his slippers while he ran his right hand down over his face to try and wake himself up. Again Festus pounded on the door, "I'm coming," Doc grumbled as he picked up the oil lamp and turned up the flame a little more.
Festus could hear the doctor and waited. Doc finally unlocked the office door, "Festus? What are you doing here! What's all this commotion about in the middle of the night?"
Festus stepped into the doctor's office and looked at Doc, "We need you at the jail," Festus said in a panicked tone.
Doc scowled at the deputy, "Bill Hayton finally shot someone, didn't he?" Doc said as he sat the oil lamp down on his desk so that he could get dressed.
Festus shook his head no, "No. It's Louie," Festus said.
Doc stopped what he was doing and shot a look over his shoulder to Festus. "Louie?" he said straightening himself. "What happened to Louie?" Doc looked Festus in the eyes.
"He's been beat up really badly," Festus said with his voice filled with sorrow.
Doc quickly pulled on his trousers under his long nightshirt, "What happened?" he asked as he continued to dress.
Festus shook his head, "I don't know. Matthew's with him now," the hill man explained.
Doc was ready within a few minutes and grabbed his medical bag while placing his hat on his head. He didn't bother with his coat, "Lead the way," he said to the deputy. Both men stepped out onto the landing, Doc pulled the door closed before they began to descend the stairs where they were met with Kitty Russell and Sam Noonan, "We were told there's been trouble," Kitty stated.
Doc ticked his head, "There has been," he said as he moved along the boardwalk toward the jail house. Kitty looked up at Sam and the two followed along behind Doc and Festus. Festus looked at Kitty, "It ain't Matthew, Miss Kitty," he said in a caring voice. Kitty was slightly relieved but she still wondered what was happening.
The small group reached the jail house and quickly entered the room. Doc ordered Festus to get more wood on the fire in the little stove. Matt quickly stood and back out of Doc's way and the physician sat down in the chair. Doc fished his eye glasses from their case and quickly put the arms over his ears so he could better look at Louie Pheeters.
The doctor gently rolled Louie's head toward him as he examined the gash above Pheeters' left eye. Doc shook his head in disgust. "Has Louie complained of any other pains?" he looked up to Matt as Doc gently ran his hand up under Louie's shirt and vest.
Matt shook his head no, "He hasn't really been coherent at all," the marshal stated.
"Poor Louie," Kitty whispered.
"I think he might have one or two broken ribs," Doc said looking back at the town drunk, and loyal friend. "Whoever beat him, did a good job at it," Doc stated as he pulled a bottle of antiseptic from his black leather medical bag.
"Is he going to all right?" Kitty asked with a slight quiver in her voice.
Doc looked up at the saloon owner. "He's in rough, Kitty. Right now he's chilled to the bone. God knows how long he's been out in the weather," he sighed and began cleaning the gash. Louie didn't make a sound. Doc shook his head ever so slightly, "I can't understand why anyone would want to hurt him like this," Doc said in a hushed voice.
Festus heard the doctor, "Matthew? Didn't Louie say some thing about a lucky coin?" The deputy asked from across the room.
"Some lucky coin," Kitty stated.
Matt nodded, "I'm not sure what he was referring too, but I think you're right Festus."
Doc looked over to the two lawmen, "Well, it's going to be some time before he tells you anything about it," Doc then looked back at Pheeters.
"Yeah. And whoever is responsible, could very well be long gone now," Matt sighed.
"That's if there was a lucky coin," Kitty stated. "You know how Louie can get some notions after he's been drinking," she reminded the men.
Matt pursed his lips and nodded, "Yeah, I know."
