Chapter 24 – Another Fishing Trip as Nat Turns 12
Before I left for Meade with my prisoner, I made arrangements to meet up with Doc, Festus and Nat along Crooked Creek on a morning in mid-May about halfway between Nat's 12th birthday and my birthday. I picked one of my favorite spots, about an hour outside of Wilburn and four or so hours from Dodge, depending on how fast we traveled. We'd spend that day and part of the next fishing and then head home with fish to fry for supper. They'd keep in a bucket of water in Doc's buggy. I'd have Festus ride on ahead to send off a wire from Wilburn to let Kitty know we were on our way home.
I made good time getting to Meade, arriving late in the evening a day after I left Dodge. As a result, I was able to leave at dawn the next morning, two hours earlier than I'd originally planned. A day later, the early start got me to the spot I'd chosen, one Doc and Festus knew well, a good half-hour before we were supposed to meet, despite the leisurely pace I set for myself.
I'd started to swing my right leg over the saddle when I felt something small and hard strike the back of my head on the right side. It happened so fast that I still had my left foot in the stirrup when I was hit again on the same side of my head. This time farther up and more forward so the blow knocked my hat off. I started to fall and grabbed for my rifle, but only managed to hit my now bleeding head with it as I tumbled to the ground. I could see my forehead was going to strike a large rock if I didn't shift position, but was too dizzy to do anything about it. I reckon that last blow was what knocked me out completely because everything suddenly went dark. I must have come to myself a bit because I remember four men bending over me, stealing my things, but I couldn't move. Everything went dark again as they rode away, leaving me to be found or die right where I lay.
I'd come into town on Saturday mornin' cause Lionel had reckoned it would be good to have somebody on hand to help out if there was any trouble, what with Festus gone. Things were quiet, but then it was still afternoon. The two of us was sittin' and jawin' outside the jail when we noticed four raggedy lookin' men headin' down Front Street toward us. I thought maybe I was seein things', but Lionel saw it too; one of them was ridin' Mr. Dillon's horse just as free as you please. They came right up to us and tied off the four horses as if it was an everyday thing to bring a man's horse to his door when he was nowheres near.
"We been lookin' for kin of ourn an' reckoned he's been in this town long enough that even a lawman might jist know where he's at. His name's Festus Haggen," the oldest of the three stated.
"Sorry to disappoint you men, but Festus has gone fishing," Lionel replied with just a hint of suspicion in his voice. However, there is something you can do for us. You can let us have a look at that horse you rode in on and the gear that comes with him, Mister ….? What did you say your name was?"
"I didn't, but I reckon there's no harm in tellin' ya. It's Hector Haggen and these three are my brothers Homer, Heathrow and Harlan. As to my horse, I can't see no reason why the law needs to look him over. Fact is, we'd object most strenuously to it."
Now Lionel had been payin' attention to what Mr. Dillon had been teachin' him, so he was ready for them. He drew his gun and I picked up the shotgun beside me before they had a chance to go for theirs. Like me, he'd spotted the blood on Mr. Dillon's rifle boot and on the butt of the rifle stickin' out of it.
"That's just too bad because Albert and I are gonna look real close at everything there is to see about that horse. Now I want an answer as to how you came by that horse after you've sat in a cell for a spell. You're all under arrest. I'll come up with the exact charge after I know a bit more even if it means waitin' until Festus gets back. Albert, get their weapons and make sure you have all of them, including any hidden knives."
Lionel locked two of them in each cell, checkin' each one afore lockin' him in, while I held the shotgun on 'em. He found a knife or two I'd missed hidden in a boot, but no guns. We'd just closed the door to the cells and hung up the keys when Miss Kitty walked in.
"Matt, I didn't expect you back until…" she said before she realized he wasn't here. "Lionel, Albert, where's Matt and why aren't Nat, Doc and Festus here too? I saw Matt's horse, so I thought they decided to shorten the fishing trip."
"Miss Kitty, I don't know if there's anything to worry about yet. Albert and I haven't had a chance to look at the marshal's horse and gear yet or question the prisoners more closely. We were just about to do that when you came in. The four we've locked up claim they're related to Festus and there does seem to be a family resemblance."
Despite us tellin' her not to fret, Miss Kitty was plum worried and not just about Mr. Dillon. She was scared somethin' had happened to Nat, her son of only a couple of years, and Doc and Festus too. She left to sit and stare in the Long Branch, with Abby and Adam beside her, waitin' on whatever we could tell her.
Me and Luke Brice, who helps out Hank Peterson, took the horses over to the livery. I took care of Mr. Dillon's horse myself, notin' the blood on the saddle as I took it off. When we was done, I went back to the jail to learn what Lionel had found out by lookin' through the rest of Mr. Dillon's belongins. They'd taken everythin' from him ceptin' what he was wearin', includin' his change of clothes, bedroll and fishin' gear, along with his rifle, gun and gun belt, badge, billfold and new pocket watch with the picture of his whole family that Miss Kitty gave him for Christmas. We both knew that Miss Kitty had some real worryin' to do. Course the four Haggens in the cells kept insistin' that they found everythin' along the trail and that they'd got the horse from a man who claimed he didn't need it, but they didn't have no bill o sale.
When I went to the Long Branch to tell Miss Kitty what we knew so far, she asked me to stay for supper. I went back to Mr. Dillon's office to tell Lionel that I reckoned I could spell him as soon as I finished eatin'. That never happened. Fact is, I was just headin' back to the Long Branch when I spotted Doc's buggy and Festus drivin' a wagon up behind him. They was stoppin' in front of the saloon. Once I was close enough I saw Nat sittin' in the back of that wagon, holdin' somethin' real careful like.
For an old man Doc can sure move fast when he has to. He moved fast now. He'd spotted me, Burke and Mr. Lathrop comin' toward him and the wagon and begun orderin' us about.
"Albert, Burke, Woody I need your help getting Matt upstairs. Festus can take care of telling Lionel what's happened. I'll leave it to the two of them to take care of getting the wagon and my buggy to the livery while I see what more I can do for Matt."
Doc was so busy he almost didn't notice Miss Kitty come through the swingin' doors of the Long Branch with Abby and Adam. We all got to the wagon at the same time. It was then that I saw what Nat was holdin'. It was as if he was froze, 'cept for the tears runnin' down his cheeks.
"Nat, you can let your father go as soon as those three have him firmly in their grasp," Doc continued. "Albert, you take over holding Matt's head. Make sure you hold it steady. The less movement the better. Nat, it's your job to tell your mother, sister, even your baby brother and whoever else is interested just what happened, though you might want to wait until Lionel gets here so you don't have to tell your tale twice."
We carried Mr. Dillon upstairs and ever so gently laid him in his bed afore filin' out, leavin' only Doc, Miss Kitty and the kids by the bedside. I looked back at 'em as I left. The kids huddled close to Miss Kitty next to the bed while Doc bent over Mr. Dillon. They seemed to be clutchin' each other, graspin' for whatever strength and hope they could. Even little Adam, who was just beginnin' to walk, was quiet, buryin' his face in his ma's skirts. I closed the door behind me, not wantin' to intrude even if they do treat me like family.
Nobody went far, just to the saloon downstairs to wait for someone to bring us the news. By the time Lionel and Festus arrived, all but Doc were there. That is 'cept for Luke. He was left at the jail to guard the prisoners with a promise they'd let him know all that happened when Lionel relieved him. Fact is, it was so quiet, a stranger passin' through and stoppin' in at the Long Branch would have wondered ifn he was really in Dodge City on a Saturday night.
"Matt's resting as comfortably as he can with a cracked skull," Miss Kitty said. "Doc says it's too early to tell if he'll be the same man when he comes to or even if he'll wake up. Nat, I know Doc asked you to tell everyone what happened, but if you don't think you can do it, let Festus do the telling."
"I can do it, Ma. I reckon I'll start with how I found him and shouted for help from grandpa and Uncle Festus. We were about 30 feet from the trees where we planned to set up camp along Crooked Creek before settling in for an afternoon of fishing when I decided to ride ahead. I rode up to a tree and started to dismount, but my horse shied. I got down anyway and tied him off. Then I looked around to see what spooked him and saw I was standing not two feet from a pool of blood and more joining it. Pa was lying on his back, his head in the middle of the pool, still bleeding something fierce. Grandpa and Uncle Festus rushed up when they heard me scream for them."
"When they got to me, I was kneeling down next to pa on his right side, the one closest to my horse. Grandpa joined me on pa's left to examine him. He showed me the two spots where pa was hit on the right side of his head, knocking his hat off and where the left side of his forehead had struck the rock on the ground next to him as he fell. The blows cracked his skull on both sides, but Doc doesn't think either crack went all the way through, although the one on the left side came very close. Meanwhile, uncle Festus looked for signs of what happened and found two much smaller rocks nearby. He can tell you a lot better than I can about what he found out."
"Seein' as how whoever it was done it had got the drop on Matthew, I looked about me real careful like. I also had my ears tuned up high. I saw two rocks lyin' aside Matthew with blood on em, so I knowed he'd been hit afore he could defend hisself. I also saw the tracks of three horses comin' in behind Matthew, one o them deeper like it were carryin' a double load and four sets comin' out. The fourth were Buck's tracks. I also saw sign o four men walkin' about takin' up Matthew's belongins and turnin' him over so they could get to everythin'. They hadn't been gone long. Fact is, I thought I heard 'em ridin' off and might have spotted 'em in the distance if they hadn't kept to the trees and Doc, that ole scutter, hadn't stopped me from ridin' after 'em. 'Stead he sent me to find a wagon so's we could git Matthew to someplace where he'd be more comfortable. I were lucky to find a feller, a farmer by the look o him, bout a mile away with his wagon still hitched from bringin' in supplies from Wilburn. He come back with me and the wagon."
"After the farmer helped me and Uncle Festus get pa into his wagon, the one Uncle Festus drove into town, the way grandpa wanted, he was willing to drive us into Wilburn, but grandpa told him no," Nat continued. "He thought it best that we head home even though it was farther, so pa could wake up in familiar surroundings. He also didn't want to move him from place to place any more than absolutely necessary. Anyway, the farmer and Uncle Festus unhitched his horses and hitched up my horse and Ruth, so he could take his own horses back to his place. Once the farmer was on his way, Uncle Festus climbed up onto the seat of the wagon while I sat in back holding pa's head to keep it still while Uncle Festus drove us home with grandpa leading the way in his buggy to set the pace. I reckon it took us about seven hours. Then Albert, Mr. Burke and Mr. Lathrop helped get pa into bed. That's all I have to say until pa wakes up."
"Well I have I bit more to say," Festus broke in. "Lionel and Albert told me that they got the four who bushwhacked Matthew. They rode into Dodge, right up to the jail, one o them on Buck. Seems, they was lookin' to visit with me. I'm sorry to say, they's Haggens."
That's the only good news right now," Miss Kitty added. "The men responsible are locked in the jail. Festus, I know you can't expect me to be thinking about you at a time like this, but I know it's eating you up inside now that you've learned that four of your people are responsible."
"Yes'm, but don't fret yourself none about me. The main thing's for Matthew to come out o this. I reckon I kin deal with my own kinfolk. I've did it before when me and Matthew went out after my Uncle Jack."
Doc didn't want Mr. Dillon to be left alone at all for the next 24 hours, so although I knew Miss Kitty would be in no mood to cook up supper, I said I would stay and help out. I'd stay as long as she and Doc wanted me to and then head on down to sleep on the bed in Mr. Dillon's office. That way Festus and Lionel could go home to sleep and not have to fret about the prisoners escapin'. It turned out that instead o takin' turns, I brought everyone their plates from Delmonico's and we all sat around Mr. Dillon's bed keepin' watch while we ate. I have to say nary a one of us ate very much.
It was well past midnight when I left. Mr. Dillon was still lyin' in his bed, not movin'. Miss Kitty had sent Nat and Abby to bed about an hour before that, promisin' to wake them up should there be any change in their pa. I didn't notice no change and I reckon neither did Doc 'cause he told me to go catch some sleep. He told Miss Kitty to do the same, though I reckon we both knew she wouldn't even if he gave her somethin'. Instead he allowed as she should keep the watch durin' the rest of the night. Doc made her promise to send Nat to get him at the first sign of anythin' different. Then we both left together. I left him at the steps to his office and continued on down Front Street to Mr. Dillon's office.
"Albert, is there any news?" Lionel asked. "I don't know why I asked, I can see by your face that nothing's changed since earlier tonight."
"Your right about that, Lionel. I just come by to sleep on the cot here so you and Festus can get some rest. I don't reckon the prisoners will give me any trouble tonight."
"You're probably right, but Festus or I will stop by sometime in the early hours to make sure. You're still deputized anyway since the marshal wasn't due back until tomorrow."
"You be careful around them. Don't try to hep them out if they yell for somethin'. It just means they want to try to escape. I know I wasn't 'sposed to git back 'til tomorry, but I feel kind of responsible for what's happened to Matthew, seein' as how it were my kin what done it. I'll come back here bout sunup so you can go home and tend to Matthew's cattle and horses. Lionel can spell me after he's had some breakfast."
I woke up in a large brass bed with the worst headache I could imagine. I'd say it was the worst in my life, but I can't remember anything before this moment. Just moving my head slightly to see more of my surroundings sent waves of pain through my entire body. It also made me sick to my stomach and dizzy. Besides, what I could see was none too clear. All I knew for certain was that it was daylight and I'd been hurt bad. I was also very thirsty. I lay there wondering how long I'd been out, and who brought me from where. I didn't bother to say anything because I wasn't sure if I was really seeing this beautiful redheaded woman sitting by the bed looking very worried. Besides, what could I possibly say to her since I didn't even know my name or where I belonged except that I found myself very attracted to her.
She seemed to be sleeping in her chair, but stirred when a baby began to cry. She walked out of my field of vision, but was back in the chair in a matter of minutes holding the baby, who had the same color of red hair as her. She began to nurse him as if I wasn't there, which seemed kind of strange even if she thought I was still asleep.
I heard two other doors open. Soon a boy of 12, whose hair was a dark brown and a girl of around eight or nine, who also shared that beautiful shade of red hair, joined the woman at my bedside. By this time, she'd finished nursing the child, who was squirming in her arms, and covered herself. She put him down on the floor where he stood clutching her skirts and peering at me shyly past them.
"Ma, is there any change since last night?" the boy asked. "He seems to be looking a bit better than when we first got back to town two nights ago."
"He's still the same, Nat, as he was when I sent you and Abby off to bed. Go unlock the door. I expect Doc will be stopping by in a few minutes. Abby, could you sit here while I start breakfast? I'm not very hungry, but you two need to eat a little something. The baby's gonna have to content himself with my milk. I just don't have the energy to mash anything for him. While I'm busy at the stove, I'd like both of you to help keep an eye on Adam. The last thing we need is for your baby brother to get hurt."
The two kids sat down by the bed, both shifting their gaze, the boy more often than the girl, from me to the baby and back again. The girl had taken her mother's chair so that I now found myself looking through half closed eyes at a younger version of the woman who'd just risen to make breakfast. The girl had the same worried expression as far as I could tell with my blurred vision. She kept her gaze fixed on me except when she occasionally looked about the room to see where her little brother had got off to. He didn't move much, seeming to want to stay and be with his ma at the same time. However, all four turned their attention toward the door in response to a sharp rap.
"Come on in Doc. It's open," the woman responded.
An old man came into the room and walked directly to the bed. Since he was carrying a doctor's bag and had been addressed as Doc, I decided it was time to let them know that I was awake.
"Water," I croaked. "How did I get here?" I asked once I'd taken a sip from the glass the woman held to my lips. "Have I been here long?"
"Welcome back to the world, Matt. It was a couple of nights ago that we brought you in. I need to ask you a few questions before you add any more of your own so I can determine your condition. First, how do you feel? Any nausea or dizziness?"
"I've got the most awful headache, which only gets worse if I try to move my head, you know. Also, I'm very dizzy and sick to my stomach. No reflection on your cooking ability, ma'am, but the odor of frying bacon makes me want to ask for a basin."
"How you're feeling isn't surprising considering the damage the blows to your head inflicted. I just have one more thing to ask you before the rest of the people in this room bombard you with questions and everyone, including you, gets answers. How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Three," I replied. "Does my answer tell you anything?"
"Yes, it does. Coupled with your amnesia, it tells me you have a severe concussion. I don't want you getting out of this bed for at least another 48 hours. I'll decide just how long when I come back this afternoon. As a matter of fact, I want you to move as little as possible even after your vision clears and the nausea and dizziness eases up. If you weren't so hardheaded, your skull would be cracked clean through to your brain, although I don't see that it matters. You don't seem to use it as often as you should, like remembering you need time to heal. Kitty, you and the kids have to make sure he obeys. I suggest you sit on him."
"Look, doctor, I know you mean well, but I can't impose on these people, especially since I don't know who I am. I'll be on my way as soon as the room stops spinning. I might be someone with a price on my head who'll only bring grief to this family. I know you called me Matt and act as if you know me well, but for all I know that could be some name you agreed on, since you have to call me something and the rest is try to make me rest easy."
To my surprise, both of the older children responded vehemently to my statement, "Your name is Matt Dillon and this is where you belong, Pa. How can you not remember us, or ma and grandpa, especially?"
"You've convinced me, I'm Matt Dillon and you're my family. I'm sorry nothing and nobody seem familiar. If I am who you say I am, then my not knowing you must hurt you something fierce. Kitty, do I have your name right? How long have I known you and this room?"
"We've been a couple for over 20 years, Matt. This room has changed some during that time, but you're certainly no stranger to it."
"If I'm no stranger to it, why isn't it in the least familiar? Even worse, how could I not remember someone as beautiful as you and the children we produced?"
"Kitty, don't tell him too much," the Doc broke in before she could say anything more. It's better if his mind gradually discovers the man he is and the place he calls home. I'll just add this before I go, I'm Doc Adams, the two kids who just called you pa are Nat and Abby and the baby's Adam. I've known you even longer than Kitty. Also, don't be surprised if some of the upstanding citizens of this town come to pay a visit if only to find out if you're still alive, although I plan to discourage them as long as I can. One final thing; in addition to the cracked skull from the blows to your head, you've lost a lot of blood; so don't fight it if you feel like sleeping. It will help you gain your strength back."
"I admit I feel weak and tired, Doc, but I'd like it if you folks could do one thing for me before I go back to sleep. Could you bring me a looking glass? There has to be one handy, what with two females living here."
The girl went across the room and brought back an oval looking glass with a gilded handle and held it in front of me so I could see my reflection. It wasn't a bad face I saw, even allowing for the bruising and stubble. From what hung outside the bandage, I could tell I had dark brown hair that was about the same shade as the boy. For his part, the boy looked at me like I'd betrayed him in some way by not recognizing him.
I must have fallen asleep because the light in the room had changed to late afternoon. I awoke to another knock at the door. This time the doc came in with a scruffy looking man wearing a pistol on his hip and carrying a bunch of stuff in his arms. They both came over to the bed.
"Matthew, Doc thought it would be all right if I brung you some things to try and fetch your memory back. It's what were taken from you out by Crooked Creek. Doc's not too happy about this first one, and I reckon neither is Miss Kitty, but I'll give it to you anyhow. He thinks you don't need it until you're well, but gave in when I tol' him what he thought was no never mind. That ole scutter can't be sure what'll do the trick. Anyways, here's yer gun belt and pistol."
Sorry, but it doesn't mean anything to me. I reckon I must have worn it regular if you're showing it to me first and I do feel like I have some familiarity with guns. What's the next item, Mr….?"
"Haggen, Festus Haggen. Yeah, you've been totin' that there pistol purt near every day since you was near full-growed. I reckon this next thing should really be given to you by Miss Kitty seein' as how she give it to you for Christmas, but since I brung it with me, I'll show it to ya. That's all right, ain't it Miss Kitty?"
I couldn't see, but she must have nodded because he handed it to me. It was a gold pocket watch, the kind a loving wife would give her husband for Christmas. It was engraved, but I couldn't quite make out what it said with my eyes they way they are. When I opened it up, I saw a picture of me, or of someone who looked enough like me to be my twin, framed in the lid. I was with the redheaded woman, whose name was beginning to stick, and the three children, although the baby was smaller. A personal item like that should have brought a flood of memories, but it didn't. All it did was confirm that I was indeed who they said I was. I noticed Kitty, who'd come up to the bed when Haggen gave me the watch, turned her head away quickly to wipe away a tear. Even though I couldn't remember what we'd shared over the years, I wanted to take her in my arms and comfort her, but I was in no shape to do it. I sensed I'd done just that many times before.
"Matthew, I brung one more thing with me. It's rather small but it's been yourn since you've been here in Dodge."
He handed me a tin badge with the words US Marshal engraved on it. I couldn't read the watch, but those words were in large block letters so even with my blurred vision they registered. Something began to stir in me as soon as I took hold of it. I began involuntarily to roll it with my fingers and as soon as I did memories began to flood back into my brain.
"I know who I am, now," I fairly shouted. "I'm the marshal here in Dodge City, Kansas and this room is upstairs in the Long Branch. Thank you Festus. And Kitty, you know I've loved you from the moment I first saw you eating breakfast the day you arrived in town. I'll try to ease the pain I must have caused you today, especially when I didn't recognize you and the kids even after Festus gave me the watch. Nat, I noticed your hurt look earlier when I first woke up. I'm sorry, son, that I didn't know you then. Later, you can tell me your part in getting me home. That's part of what was troubling you, I'm sure."
"Matt, I didn't learn it that first day, but it wasn't long afterwards. It's not surprising that that badge of yours brought your memory back. That piece of tin and all it stands for is your life. Everything else is extra, even me and our children. You don't owe me an apology at all. I'm just happy to have you back, not just a live stranger in your body. But I hold you to the promise you made to Nat just now."
"Let's see what other improvements there are," Doc said. "I've got the same questions I had this morning. Any dizziness or nausea? Has your headache eased? How many fingers am I holding up?"
"I'm still a bit dizzy, but, now that the room isn't spinning as much, I'm ready for some of Kitty's cooking. Suddenly I feel very hungry, don't you know. You'll tell me if I'm wrong, but I'd say you're holding up two fingers. As to the headache, it's still bad, but much better considering I was hit by three rocks."
"Don't you go getting flippant with your personal physician, Mr. Marshal. I have you know you're not as far along on the road to recovery as you think. I only held up one finger. You're seeing double instead of triple despite starting to remember what happened to you two days ago. Also, I don't care how hungry you are. All you're getting to eat is a bowl of beef broth. If you can keep that down and are still hungry later, you can have a couple of eggs and toast."
"Doc, you were less crotchety when I couldn't distinguish you from any other cow-town doctor, you know. Restricting my diet is just another way for you and Kitty to keep me in bed. How can I regain my strength eating only broth, eggs and toast? Well at least I can tell Festus what I remember without you objecting too much. There were four men. I was awake enough to see them taking what they could from me, but too stunned to do anything about it. Although my vision was a bit blurry, I could see them well enough to recognize them if I saw them again. I reckon it's too much to hope for that they've all been caught, but since you recovered my watch, gun and badge, maybe you've got one of them locked up."
"Lionel and Albert arrested all four of 'em Saturday afternoon when they come ridin' down Front Street right up to the jail with one of 'em proud as you please atop Buck. Seems they come to town to see me after robbin' you. They's Haggens I'm sorry to say."
"I'm ready to walk over to my office to identify them. Just give me a minute to sit up and get my boots on."
I wasn't able to get past sitting up. Kitty, Nat, Abby and Doc all pushed me back down in the bed as soon as I tried. I didn't fight them too hard because my headache came back worse than ever and so did the dizziness. At least I was no longer nauseous.
"That'll teach you to disobey your doctor's orders. Now you're gonna have to stay in bed for 72 hours, not 48. In about a week I just might let you leave this apartment to go downstairs, but don't count on it. Meanwhile, if you must identify your attackers, Festus and Lionel can bring them to you."
After Festus left, Doc and Nat filled me in on how they found me and brought me home. I was propped up with pillows in the bed, finishing my soup, when Festus and Lionel returned with the four Haggens. They were the men who attacked me. I had no doubts once I saw them. However, I had no desire to put Nat through yet another trial, so I chose not to formally press charges. Although this time I could identify my attackers and just how they managed to ambush me, Nat was the one who found me unconscious and bleeding. Still, I didn't want him to know I was protecting him.
Instead, I said, "There's a very strong case against you. If I were to insist that my deputies continue to hold you for trial you'd probably get 15 years for assault and robbery. However, I'm prepared to make a deal with you for Festus' sake and because I got everything you took from me back, you know. You four get to stay in jail for as long as Doc manages to keep me here at home. Once I'm released, you'll be let out to work off the price of a horse and the board you four already owe, but will have to come back to your cells for meals each night. Once you have four horses, you're to get out of Dodge and stay out. In fact, you're to stay out of Ford County. If you have a hankerin' to see your cousin Festus, he can come to you if he's of a mind to."
I was back in my office three days later despite Doc's objections. Kitty knew me too well to side with Doc. She figured if I was well enough to defy him, I was well enough to walk the couple of blocks to my office. When I started out, I found it wasn't quite true. I nearly fell over as I left the Long Branch, grabbing one of the posts holding up the balcony just in time to prevent me from falling. I stuck close to the buildings so I could reach out to them for support, walking as slowly as I could the entire two blocks. Somehow I managed to cross the street without falling over. Two weeks later Hector, Homer, Heathrow and Harlan Haggen had earned enough to buy a passable horse. I stood in my office door and watched them say their goodbyes to Festus, then take the west road out of town. I was still not 100%, but their leaving had brought me very nearly there.