Kitty and several others waited at the Long Branch Saloon for word on the doctor. Wilbur Jonas and Newly O'Brien sat quietly at a table with Kitty while Sam pulled beer and poured drinks for the few men who reminded at the establishment.
"I sure wish there was some sort of word," Kitty said. "Matt was in such a hurry when he left. He barely said where he was heading."
"I doubt he knew, Miss Kitty," Sam offered.
Newly ticked his head, "I looked at Doc's buddy too. There sure was a lot of blood," the young deputy said.
"I hate to think what might have happened to Doc," Jonas said with a sigh. "He was only going fishing," he voice trailed off when he saw the look on Kitty's face. "Perhaps he cut himself badly and was hurrying to get back here for help," the store owner offered.
Newly shot Jonas a looked suggesting he stop talking about it, although Kitty smiled weakly at Jonas knowing he was only trying to make the situation less worrisome for everyone, including himself. The store owner looked down at the glass in front of him out of embarrassment. Kitty patted Jonas on the forearm, "Thanks for trying," she said. Jonas looked up and nodded slightly.
It was dark and the moon was higher in the sky when Matt and Festus arrived with Doc. They stopped in front of the general store where Matt quickly dismounted to survey the doctor in the lamp light - he was also trying to figure out how best to get Doc down off Festus' mule, with just the two of them. Matt's eyebrows knit together as he tried to think straight.
Louie Pheeters spotted the small group as he was making his way to the Long Branch Saloon from the opposite direction. He stopped at the swing-doors and peered over, "The marshal and Festus are here with Doc!"
Newly, Kitty, Sam and Jonas rushed out to the street and looked down the boardwalk.
Newly was the first to run toward Matt and Festus to help with Doc. Jonas and Sam quickly followed. Kitty walked to the edge of the boardwalk and stood in stunned silence as she watched the men lifting Doc down from the mule, "Easy does it," Festus cautioned from Ruth's back as he gently let Doc down into the outstretched hands. "Mind is head," he continued. Doc was completely limp.
As soon as the three men had Doc they began to move up the stairs, Kitty quickly joined them as Festus slid off the back end of his mule.
Carefully Matt held Doc with one hand and opened the door into the office with the other. The men gently placed Doc down on the examination bed, while Kitty lit some lamps. The room was silent as the lamps cast enough light to see Doc's injuries. Doc was waving in and out of a conscious state. Kitty gasped as she moved closer to Doc.
Newly looked up at the saloon owner, "we need hot water," he said.
Kitty nodded and quickly moved to the stove and began to light a fire, while Newly untied the doctor's black shoe-string tie and unbutton his shirt to examine the doctor's injuries further. Doc moaned. "Boy, oh, boy. This is bad," Newly declared as he then looked at Doc's face.
"What happened to him?" Jonas asked Matt while he watched Newly and Kitty.
"I don't know. Yet," Matt stated. His eyes never left the doctor.
Newly looked up from the doctor, "By the looks of this bruise on his chin, someone or something hit him, and the same with this wound here," Newly said as he gently rolled Doc's head sideways to look at his temple.
Matt made a face and he wasn't happy with Newly's observations.
"What about these marks?" Kitty asked. "It looks like he tangled with a cat," she said looking at the scraps and puncture wounds on Doc's shoulders, arms and back.
"I think ole Doc tangled with some hawthorns. The first sign of blood was in a grove of them. He must have moved from there to where we finally found him,": Festus stated.
"How'd he get into the hawthorns?" Kitty asked with an extremely concerned look on her face.
Matt shook his head, "I don't know that either," he said with frustration building in him. "I won't know anything until he comes to," Matt sighed.
Jonas walked to the door, "I sure hope he'll be all right," the store owner said. "If you need anything, please call on me," he said as he opened the door. There was little he could do at the moment but watch Newly, but he also knew that Newly and Kitty needed time to help Doc without interruptions. "Thanks, Jonas," Matt tied to smile as he watched the store owner close the office door behind him.
Newly cut most of Doc's ripped and bloodied shirt off once he was able to get his vest off him. With the older man's upper body exposed, more lacerations and puncture wounds were visible across his chest, amongst the greying hairs. It was a good thing that Doc was in as good of shape that he was for his age.
Newly's eyes moved to Doc's arms and lifted the doctor's left arm to studied the grazed mark across the limb, "This wasn't cause by hawthorn," he said looking up to Matt. "This was made by a bullet," he said.
Matt's eyes narrowed, "Who was out there with Doc?" he asked himself in a low and angry tone.
Doc groaned and his eyes slowly opened. A confused look swept over the doctor as he looked slowly around at the faces that were looking down at him.
"Doc? How do you feel?" Newly asked in a hushed voice.
Doc swallowed and tried to think, "What happened?" he whispered.
Matt leaned over the doctor and looked down at his friend, "I was hoping you could tell me," he tried to smiled.
Doc shook his head, "I can't remember," he whispered.
"Ole Popcorn brought your buggy home, Doc," Festus smiled down at the doctor hoping that it might trigger a memory.
Doc frowned, "He did?" Doc was even further confused as he tried to figure out why and how.
Festus smiled and nodded yes.
"I don't understand. I can't remember anything," Doc said wearily then blinked is eyes before he closed them again.
Matt looked over to Newly and Festus, "Damn," was all he could say. "I hope it comes to you, Doc." Matt said as he walked to the door. "Come on Festus. Let's give Newly and Kitty room to work on Doc," he said pulling the door open. Both lawmen stepped through and Matt closed the door.
Silently the marshal walked down the streets and surveyed the quiet dark street. Festus stopped beside Matt, "What if Doc can't remember?" he asked in a hushed voice.
Matt looked over to the hill man, "I investigate until I do. People don't go fishing and get beat up for no reason. I'll find out who did this, if it's the last thing I do," Matt said with a huff and stepped down off the boardwalk to cross the street.
"I'll be at yer side too," Festus said in a gentle voice. He doubt that Matt heard him. Festus slowly turned and looked up at the lit windows of the office, "If only you'd a listened, Doc," he said with a lump in his throat. Festus slowly turned and stepped down from the boardwalk and followed Matt across the street to the jail house.