Calamity Hitch
Chapter 9
Virgil walked in after complimenting Allie for ten minutes or so on the wonderful array of breakfast treats. When he found Hitch, the man was lying sideways on his bed. He was still fully clothed and his gun was wedged between the bed and his leg. Hitch was ready to shoot himself if he moved to quick one way or the other. Virgil grabbed Hitch's legs and pulled them straight to the end of the bed. Half awake, his friend moved himself to a stray pillow, and didn't protest when Virgil unbelted his gun and pulled it off.
He uncocked the colt and set it on his chair. He sighed as he watched his closest friend try and sleep. He knew the doctor had to come and look in on him. Having delusions about would-be killers is bad enough, but the fever Virgil felt had him concerned.
"I don't want grits."
Virgil looked down at his friend.
Hitch had rolled over, clutching a pillow. His head rested on nothing. He was murmuring to no one in particular. It's exactly what got him kicked out of the bar. Cato and Rose both agreed Hitch looked poor. Then when he started talking in his sleep and fidgeting like a mad man, Rose wanted to take away his gun. Instead Virgil offered to drag him home. Cato went along to give Pony a break.
"God, Virgil, just take the shot!" Hitch muttered, fighting his imaginary demons.
"Where's Cole?"
"He's just through there, trying to sleep." Allie said.
"That's fine. Where's Hitch?"
"In there too."
The doorway blocked off a minute and the doctor walked through. He nodded a greeting to Virgil. Virgil nodded back.
"How's he doing? Getting around today?" Doc asked.
"Some." Replied Virgil. "Last night he made it to the Boston House. Almost. Carried him back a bit ago. He's got a fever, and he's been saying some things out of sorts."
"Things?" Doc said.
"Crazy things. Made up some gunfight I'd never been in, with some guy we never knew and said it all happened last night." Virgil laid it all straight and plain for him. No use in covering up facts. Doctors didn't care.
"When did he fall asleep?"
"'bout a couple minutes ago."
The doctor nodded and said no more. He took his time inspecting Everett over. He pulled out his thermometer and some various injections, liquids, and potions. Virgil looked away while he worked. Some things would always bother him. Doctoring was one of them. Speaking improper English was another pet peeve that he couldn't help but occasionally do himself. Allie's cooking was also on the list someplace.
Instead of the doctor, his eyes were focused out the window. The sun had crested in the distances and was making long dark shadows off the homes and saloons in town. The red and orange dust was blowing into dust devils in the distant scrub land as clouds had already begun to form monstrous mountains in the sky over head. Bad weather was coming. Probably be in town that afternoon. Maybe Virgil and Hitch would take the horses out for a run before the storm came to keep their wind in them.
Virgil winced and looked down. No, Hitch wouldn't be running the horses. Maybe Pony would but not Hitch. He turned back to the doctor.
"Its infection." The man said. "Caught hold in the bullet wound. He should have been treated sooner, not gone gallivanting after some armed men. Nothing I can do to prevent it after so long. I'll send one of the China men by with some antibiotics. I have to get them from the office. Don't let him move about, and keep him cooled off with rags and drown him with water if you have to. I'll be back later to check on him."
He packed up his bag and headed out of the room, tipping his hat to Laurel on his way by the door.
Laurel looked from Cole to Hitch.
"He'll be all right." Virgil told her. "Just do like the doc says and keep him quiet. Get me a bowel of water."
She went away to fetch it.
While Virgil wasn't looking, the doctor had removed Everett's shirt and left it folded on the chair. He could see it had stained a strange muted red from the seeping of his wound. His side had been re-bandage. The off white strips circled his chest and were already beginning to stain as well. Virgil stood staring. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do.
Laurel came in behind him with the basin of water. She set it down on the chair with Everett's shirt and started dunking the rags in it. After ringing one out, she stretched it over Hitch's forehead. She repeated this a few more times, putting a rag over his chest, or arms, or whatever was left exposed. Hitch had stopped fidgeting and seemed to have gone to sleep.
Virgil just stood and watched.
