Royce McClellan held his left hand to his lower back and rode as hard as he could to catch up with Hatton and Fowler who waited at the little shack.

Hatton frowned as he watched McClellan approach, "Something is wrong with him," he said as he stuffed the finally bag of supplies into his saddle bag. Fowler watched on.

The day was growing old and a wind was picking up snow and swirling it around. Hatton shielded his face with his hand as he walked over to meet Royce McClellan, "What's wrong?" he asked as McClellan clung to his saddle.

"One of the bastards shot me in the back," McClellan groaned. "I guess they don't learn very good in Pratt," he huffed and pulled his bloodied hand away to look at it.

Hatton had a quick look at the wound, "It looks bad," he stated. "Well we can't stay here. They will be after you in no time," he stated. "And I can't have them find us together."

"We've got the weather and the night going for us," McClellan said through his clenched teeth placing his hand back over the wound.

Hatton looked back over to Eric Fowler, "Do you know of any places we can stay?"

Fowler thought for a moment, "Old Dodge Town. It's out side of Dodge City aways and Dodge has that doctor," he smiled.

Hatton made a face, "I'll have to think of how we can get that old sawbones out to look at Royce without getting Dillon all in a knot," he stated. "If that old pill-pushed is still alive, he'll recognize both of us," Hatton stated.

Fowler climbed up onto his horse, "Not if we have the upper hand," he stated.

Hatton looked sharply over to his friend, "I'm not in the mood for jokes," he growled and pulled himself up onto his mount.

"Its no joke," Fowler stated. "We just need some leverage against that marshal," he smiled.

"Come on! Out with it!" McClellan barked.

"That marshal was always pretty partial to that saloon owner...the one that owns the Long Branch. Well make sure she's along for the ride and that old doctor wouldn't let that pretty thing get hurt," Fowler smiled. "Especially because they're friends too," he laughed and spurred his horse forward through the falling snow. He was heading to old Dodge Town and Hatton and McClellan where on his trail.

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Deputies Burt Morrison and Charlie Stewart stood over the body of their boss at the doctor's office, "What are you boys going to do now?" the old doctor asked as he sat down in the chair near his desk.

Throngs of Pratt's town people hovered outside and peered through the window to see what they could - if anything. The doctor had pulled the heavy curtains.

"I'll wire the towns around to watch for a man dress in black and who might be wounded," Morrison stated. "And then I'll organize a posse," he said.

The old doctor looked up at the young man, "The weather is against you," he said.

Morrison frowned, "I know that. But I have to find that gunslinger," he stated with an unusual edge to his tone. "I'm sure I hit him with that bullet," he grumbled. The barkeep from Rosie's Saloon pushed through the crowd and through the door into the doctor's office, "I found this outside of town, before the snow really started to come down," he held out a bar towel with a chunk of bloodied snow held in it.

"I did hit him then," Morrison stated and looked over to Stewart, "Get out horses ready," he ordered.

"We can't go out in that!" Stewart stated. Morrison's jowl muscles tightened, "I'm not going to let a little snow slow me down!" he stated.

The old doctor stood up and faced the young deputy, "If he's bleeding that badly, he won't be hard to find come morning. You won't do any good this afternoon," he stated.

Morrison was sickened with the thought that the doctor was right, "Find. Be ready to right at first light then," he growled and took one last look at his dead boss before he left the doctor's office. Both the doctor and deputy Charlie Stewart watched Morrison storm out of the office. The could see him flailing his arms at the crowd as he tried to tell them to get on with their business or go home.

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Hatton, Fowler and McClellan did reach old Dodge Town, "If I remember, there's an old general store just over there that seemed like ther most sound building," he pointed.

"Get us there quickly," Hatton stated. "Royce needs that doctor from Dodge and soon," he said. Fowler lead the way through the snowy night until he found the building he was referring to, "Here it is," he said and quickly dismounted.

"Go inside and check it out. I don't want Royce to be moving any more than he needs to," Hatton ordered. Fowler compiled and pushed open the door. The room was dusty and cold. Fowler light a match and walked further into the old store. Quickly he put the match out before he burnt his fingers and relit another one, finally he found the little stove.

Fowler check the pipe and the stove and deemed it usable. He quickly walked back to his friends, "It's good," he smiled.

"Fine," Hatton said as he slid down off his horse. "Help me with Royce," he motioned as the gun fighter clung, just barely to his saddle. Both Hatton and Fowler assisted McClellan down off his horse, "Easy," Hatton said as he and his friend guided the gunfighter into the abandoned store and lower him onto a chair.

"Get the fire going if you can," Hatton ordered.

"But the smoke..." Fowler cautioned.

"Those deputies won't leave Pratt until morning with this weather. "He needs the warmth," Hatton said as he pulled his blanket over McClellan's shoulders.

Fowler shrugged, "If you say so," he went about getting a fire lit inside the wood stove.

"And once you are finished with that," Hatton looked deeply into Fowler's eyes, "I want you to bring that Mrs. Russell and that old saw bones out here," he smiled. "Royce isn't going to do us any good otherwise," he smiled wickedly.

Fowler's mouth slowly dropped open, "How am I supposed to do that my self?" he said as he flicked the lit match into the stove.

"You're a clever fellow and you have all the way to Dodge to figure it out. So, hurry along," Hatton motioned. Fowler frowned, "Sure. But you remember this," he grumbled as he headed to the door.

"We're partners, aren't we?" Hatton smiled.

Fowler nodded, "Sure we are," he said looking down at McClellan, "I'll bring the lady and the doc. Just be sure you are still here when I get back," he warned.

Hatton's eyebrows knotted at the comment, "Hey. Someone has to care for Royce until the pill-pusher gets here," he stated.

Fowler huffed, "I suppose you are right. I'll be back as soon as I can," he said as he stepped back out into the cold snowy night. Fowler shivered as he pulled himself back up onto his horse and headed to Dodge City.