A super-short, but important update for our readers! Thanks to all who are actively engaged in this story. We are indebted to you.
Chapter 14
Milling outside Doctor Paul Martin's office, Issac was careful not to draw too much attention to himself. He concentrated on blending in, as he did not want anyone from Virginia City to recognize him from the trial that had sent him away to prison months ago. The criminal's stubble-free face and hair-cut did wonders for his appearance, but Issac did not want to test fate. Pacing back and forth, he waited patiently to intercept the doctor before any of the Cartwrights could drag him off to the Ponderosa.
After what seemed like hours to Issac and to Joe, who was playing the same waiting game inside the office, Paul's buggy came rolling down the street. The white-haired doctor barely stepped down before Issac hastily ran up to him. "Excuse me!" Issac called, disguising his voice by making it higher-pitched and changing his accent. "Are you the doctor around these parts?"
"Why yes," Paul answered, retrieving his bag after unhitching and tethering his horse. "I'm Doctor Paul Martin," he professionally introduced despite being tired after a long day of attending to his patients. "And you are?"
"M'name's Glenn. Dan Glenn," Issac responded, slipping in to his alias's persona. "Gee, I sure am glad to have found ya, Doc. I'm new in town and my wife is with child. It's still over a month early but I think her time's come! Please, can you come out to my place and help her? It's our first child!"
"Of course, of course!" Doc Martin agreed, too concerned with the fictitious wife to worry about the nagging voice in his head that he did, indeed, know this Glenn fellow from somewhere. "Show me the way," he beckoned, about to climb back up in his buggy.
"It ain't far," Issac lied. "But I'd sure like to get there fast. Can you ride double with me?"
Doc Martin hesitated, trying to process the reasoning behind the odd request. "But I-"
"We're wasting time!" Issac growled, his false accent slipping. Clearing his throat, he reverted his voice back to his Dan Glenn's persona and proceeded, "I'm just real worried about my wife is all."
When Issac mentioned the woman again, Doc Martin pushed aside all doubt and took his place behind Issac. In his haste, the older man failed to notice the Ponderosa branding marked on Chubb's rump. Once the Doc was sitting securely on the stolen horse, Issac took off in the direction of his hideout outside of town.