Doc opened the door into his office and stepped into the room. Newly O'Brien as sitting in the doctor's chair at the roll-top desk - he looked up from the medical book he held in his hands, "Doc. How are Miss Kitty and Mr. Jonas?" he asked while standing and placing the book on the desk.
Doc closed the door and pulled off his hat and placed it on the top hook of the coat rack near the door. He placed his medical bag on the chair next to his desk and pulled off his jacket, "They'll both be fine. They got banged up in that rollover," the doctor said over his shoulder as he hung his coat on the rack.
"Well, that is good news," Newly smiled.
Doc turned and faced the young man, "Has Matt stirred at all?" he said as he walked toward the open door to the other room and peeked in.
"He came to about an hour ago and wanted to know how Miss Kitty and Mr. Jonas were," Newly replied. Doc nodded and then proceeded into the room.
Doc gently sat down on the edge of the bed and took Matt's limp left wrist in his hand while pulling his pocket watch from his vest pocket. This his right thumb, doc popped the cover open and studied the second hand. Satisfied that Matt's pulse was stronger, he set the marshal's hand back down on the bed and close his watch returning it to his pocket. Doc drew his right hand across his moustache in thought.
"Can you get the bullet out now?" Newly asked from the doorway.
Doc looked up and blinked. The physician was exhausted and yet he knew he had to get the lead slug out of Matt's chest - sooner than later. Doc looked down at the unconscious marshal and sighed, "I don't think I have the luxury of time," he said softly.
Newly frowned and looked down at the floor, "Is there anything I can do?' his eyes lifted slightly.
Doc looked over to Newly again, "Yes. I'd life for you to find a few other men to help me move Matt out to the examination table. I'd rather work on his while he's on a harder surface," Doc stated. Newly nodded, "When do you want us back here?"
Doc slowly stood and stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets, "Give me about a half an hour to prepare my instruments and get a pot of hot water ready," he said as he followed newly out into the office portion of the building.
Newly made his way to the door, plucking his white Stetson from the rack while he held the doorknob in his hand, "I'll give you a hand, if you want," he looked at the doctor which was looking back over his shoulder into the other room. Doc slowly turned his head and looked at the young deputy, "I'd appreciate that, Newly," he smiled slightly. Newly gave a sharp nod of approval and pulled the door open.
Doc followed the young man out the door and watched him briskly walk down the stairs and cut across the alley over to the Long Branch Saloon. Doc smiled to himself and then returned to his task at hand - the instruments he'd need to remove the bullet from Matt Dillon's chest.
Newly pushed through the swing-doors of the saloon and found Festus and Sam engaged in a conversation about the pending arrival of the army to investigate the stagecoach hold up. "What I don't git," Festus said while thrusting his index finger onto the bar top, "is, why Matthew didn't stop them yahoos from robbing the stagecoach ifin he knew abut the payroll, he orta been more prepared," the deputy shook his head.
"Perhaps the marshal didn't feel threatened by the troopers," Sam reasoned.
"Huh?" Festus looked up at the barkeep just as Newly settled in beside the hill man, "What Sam means, is that likely the marshal believed that the troopers were doing what they were ordered to do. They had to have had some reason to stop the stagecoach," Newly stated. Sam nodded and Festus continued the think about it.
"How is the marshal, by the way?" Sam asked.
Newly pushed his white Stetson back on his head, "That's one reason I'm here," he said.
Festus froze, "Matthew isn't..."
Newly smiled, "No, Festus. The marshal is still alive. But Doc wants a hand to move him out to the examination table in the office," the young deputy stated.
Festus sighed with great relief, "Phew," he shook his head.
Sam picked up a glass and set it in front of the hill man. He said nothing as he filled it with whiskey, "Looks like you could use this, Festus," the barkeep finally spoke as he nudged the glass toward the deputy.
Festus looked down at the glass and without a blink of an eye lifted it to his lips and the contents were gone in one swallow. Both Sam and Newly's eyebrows lifted. Festus shook his head and made a funny noise as the smoky flavour of the whisky burned his throat as he finished swallowing. He stopped his foot on the floor and cleared his throat - it was a routine seen frequently in the Long Branch.
Sam interrupted the sceptical, "I can help you Newly," he said placing the bar towel he had over his shoulder onto the bar.
"Doc would appreciate it," Newly smiled up at the barkeep. "He'd like about a half an hour to get ready, so there's no real rush," he stated then looked to Festus. The hill man looked less on edge.
"Wall of course I'll hee Matthew," he looked out of the corner of his eye.
Newly made a gesture to Sam to fill the hill man's glass again. Sam winkled and proceeded to do so, "You've been working too hard, lately Festus," Sam smiled.
Festus looked down at the refilled glass and then back up to Sam and over to Newly, "Ya think so?" Both men nodded with slight smiles on their faces. "You know, I think you are right," Festus lifted the glass a little slower this time, "and ifin I have a few minutes to spare, I'll just take my time with this," he smiled and leaned on the bar. He knew the half hour would go by quick enough, but he also now wanted to savour the second free drink.
Doc had his little wood-stove going and the pot of water was getting hot. He added a second smaller pot to the stove top, and then set some chrome plated instruments into the vessel. While they sterilized, the doctor changed the white sheets on the examination table to prepare for Matt's operation.