*Its been a rough couple of months for me but hopefully the worst is over and I can finally resume posting on a regular basis! Thanks to everyone for their patience!*
Abelia placed a freshly baked blue berry pie in the middle of the large wooden table that served as they're dinning table. "It was awfully nice of May Blossoms to let us use your ma and pa's old house, Festus," she said swatting his hand away from the warm pie. "That's for after super!"
Festus gave his wife a look before he looked around at the old wooden home that he'd been born in. "It saw better days," he mumbled. "But me and Feeder, we done got it fixed up a bit."
"Sure did," Abelia said looking around. "The last couple of months here have been real nice."
"Ya seemed a might more happier here," he stated observantly.
"Maybe, I have been," Abelia said with a smile. "But, I know you're ready to go back to Dodge."
"Just thinking bout my job, Bee," Festus said thoughtfully. "And Matthew, he'll have ta be leavin soon on the circuit."
"I know," Abelia replied with a wan smile. "And then you'll be going with him."
Marianne tucked the mail that she'd retrieved from the post office after school into the crock of her arm as she walked home. Passing by the stable, she caught some movement out of the corner of her eye and gasped when Cory Willard pulled her into an empty stall.
"Cory!" Marianne exclaimed pushing him away as she went to her knees. "You made me drop all my mail!"
"Don't worry bout it," he said pulling the sixteen year old girl to her feet. "You ain't given me an answer bout us courtin!"
"I already told you," Marianne replied hotly. "I'm not interested in courting you!"
"There's someone else then, isn't there?" Cory asked when Marianne bent down to pick up the scattered pieces of mail.
"No, Cory! I'm not interested in anyone right now!"
"I don't believe you!" Cory said angrily grabbing Marianne's arm. "Tell me who he is?"
"Let go of me!" Marianne said pulling away from Cory's firm grasp.
Louie Pheeters sat up and looked around. The commotion from the two arguing roused him from the spot in the freshly laid hay that he'd chosen to nap in. Getting slowly to his feet, the old man watched as the boy roughly pulled Festus and Abelia's daughter toward the door.
"What are you doing?" Marianne yelled as Louie stepped out of the shadows. "Let go of me, Cory!"
"You heard the lady!" Louie said stepping in front of the pair.
"Shut up! Old man!" Cory said shoving Louie out of the way.
Louie took a step back but lost his balance as he did so and fell backwards against a pile of hay.
"Mr. Louie!" Marianne yelled as Cory pulled her out the door.
Robert sighed as he and Newly walked down the boardwalk together. Newly was trying to explain his frustrations about not having Festus in town when Robert stopped and crossed his arms.
"Newly, I wish, I could tell you when they were going to come back but I don't know myself," Robert said evenly. "I've sent messages but they've never been answered."
"Just keep me informed if you hear from him, won't you?" Newly asked as Robert nodded before following the Marshal toward the stable. "I've got Sherif's wiring me daily about the Judges schedule and I can't tell them anything!"
"I know," Robert said stepping though the door of the stable next to Newly.
The Marshal shook his head at the site of Louie resting in the hay practically at their feet. "Look at him!" Newly said with a wink aimed toward Robert. "Not a care in the world!"
Robert's trained physician eyes narrowed as he noticed the ashen hue of Louie's face. Bending down, the physician nudged the older man gently. "Louie," Robert said as Newly bent down beside him.
"He ain't sleeping?" Newly asked as he watched Robert check Louie's pulse before running his hands over the older man's body. "What's wrong with him? I don't see no wound."
"That's because," Robert said pulling a bloody hand from under Louie's back. "The wound is in his back! It feels like he might have landed on a pitch fork!"
"Accidentally?" Newly questioned as he met Roberts eyes.
"I don't think so," the physician said looking around. "We need to get him to the hospital. He's losing a lot of blood but we're going to need a wagon."
"I'll get a clean blanket," Newly replied before heading into an empty stall where a fresh blanket hung over a divider.
Robert checked Louie's pulse again and shook his head. "Hurry, Newly, he's fading fast!"
"I got a blanket," Newly said absently as his attention turned to the letters scattered on the floor of the stall. "What's all this..."
"What is it?" Robert asked as Newly returned with the blanket.
"Take a look," Newly said handing the letters to Robert.
"This is today's mail," Robert said flipping though the letters before looking up at the Marshal. "I asked, Marianne if she would get the mail before coming home today!"
Newly nodded as he bent down to help Robert move Louie. "After we get him settled, I'll ride out to your house and check on her."
"Thank you," Robert replied worriedly before gently lifting the unconscious older man into the back of the wagon. "I just hope she's alright!"