THE DEPUTY: CHAPTER 6

XOXOXO

A/N: Several readers have messaged me about Bear root. It's easy to read about it online, along with lots of history on the Ute Indians. I didn't invent Bear root. It's not fiction. These people had no antibiotics, no antifungals, no antivirals, so they turned to herbals. Thank you very much for your interest and your comments.

XOXOXO

Five days later, Matt's first item of business was the mail stack at the jail. Between nursing her husband and keeping up with her work at the Long Branch, Kitty hadn't taken the time to sort it or bring any of it home. He hadn't been in any condition to deal with it anyway. The ague always hammered Matt Dillon, and this bout had been no exception. He quickly filled a trash can, made one small stack of mail to keep on his desk, and put one letter in his vest pocket to take home.

"Festus, after the rain quits you can hang these posters."

"Shore will, Matthew. I kin ride out ta' meet any new trail bosses this mornin' if'n you'd like ta' stay here an' stay dry."

"I'll go after a bit. They'll all be just holdin' herd today anyway with this weather. You hang around here. You've had enough of that for a while. I need to go to Doc's and get my saddlebags, then I'll head on out."

Ever the renaissance man, Galen Adams was curious about the root Matt had brought back from Trinidad. He'd always had an interest in herbals, and since he'd found many of them useful in his practice, he decided to see how this one might render into something he could experiment with. On this nasty, cold, rainy day, visitors to his office were almost non-existent. So he fished one of the tubers out of his drawer, peeled it as best its odd shape would allow, then cut fine shavings into a pile to dry so that he could make a powder. Others he immediately put in his mortar and mashed them into a gooey pulp with the pestle, then sealed the mash into a glass jar. He was just finishing up when the man responsible for all this nonsense showed up.

"Well! You're gonna take that stuff seriously, huh?" Matt pointed at the remains of the root Doc had shaved and mashed.

"Never said that. Just keeping an open mind. How about some coffee?"

"Frank has a helluva business with that root," Matt offered while Doc filled their cups.

"I remember him from ten years ago, Matt. He stopped through here on the way to somewhere up North."

"Surprised you do. Frank kind of blends into the scenery. He likes it that way."

"The part I remember is how close you two were."

"Everybody has a past, Doc. Before I came to Dodge, Frank was my past. We rode together in Arizona and Texas."

"Was he a lawman?"

"We were just kids. There was nothin' we couldn't handle. We took guard jobs along the border right after the war, then headin' off Mexican rustlers for a couple of cattle outfits. When they shipped out, there wasn't any more work, so I followed Frank to Odessa. Sheriff there hired him on as a town deputy. I rode up and got a deputy job in Tascosa. Figured that way I'd get to run into Frank pretty often. Right after Tascosa is when I came to Dodge."

"You're thinking he'd be the perfect deputy here." It was one of Doc's typical rhetorical questions.

"Never had it better than when we rode together, Doc. Those were some of the best years of my life! Man, did we play hard! But when we worked, it was like we were one guy with two horses, and two guns. You ride with a man long enough you get to know him and you sure do learn to trust him. He knew what I was thinking before I thought it. We took turns taking care of each other. We could just read each other. It was like magic. There's nobody I'd trust more than Frank."

"Hard to lose a friend like that."

"I didn't lose him. You never lose a friend like that. Not ever. Things just changed. We both have different lives now. He's off to himself in a cushy railroad guard job that pays next to nothin'. But he's got this root business on the side. He's buckin' a handful of women to buy and sell the stuff. Frank always liked women. Somebody's gonna kill him over one of those deals. When I laid that out for him he hit me. Guess I touched a sore spot. Last time we were together in Odessa I saved his life over a thing with a woman and some money. Thought maybe he'd remember some of that."

"From the looks of your jaw, he remembered."

"Yeah. He remembered." Matt paused a minute, re-living the moment. "Well, I came to get my saddlebags. Need to ride out and meet a couple of trail bosses."

And just like that, as was so often the case when these two friends sat together, the conversation was just over.

XOXOXO

"Hello Marshal,

You will get a telegram from the prison. They are letting me out early. Only if you agree to be my officer on parole for two more years. I am hoping you will say yes. I've done what you said to. I need to get out of here. Please show this to Mrs. Dillon as maybe she will help you decide.

Your friend Tipton Dooley"

"Matt, this is wonderful!" Kitty said after she'd read the letter. "He and I have written back and forth the whole time he's been in. He hasn't changed a bit, he's just a nice kid. You're going to say yes, you know you are."

"I will. Just got to figure out what to do with him. He can't have access to guns. Have to work at Hank's or Jonas's or something like that."

"You've been wanting somebody besides Louie to clean the jail."

"He'd be good at that. The rifles are always locked up. But it's not a full-time job." Then he grinned and took Kitty's hand. "I like how he weaseled your name into the letter. He's workin' it."

"I've got more good news for you. We're now the proud owners of ten shares of railroad stock. Look at this!"

She laid the stock certificate out so Matt could read it.

"A thousand dollars!" Matt blew a whistle through his teeth. "We really had that kind of money?"

"We had more, Matt. I put part of it in savings. We talked about it, remember?"

"How does that work, then? Do we sell it some day?"

"Well, we can if we want. But while the Long Branch and the mine are doing so well, I'll just buy more as we go along. If you're right about the railroad, it'll double in value before you retire. But the other way it works is that it pays a dividend every quarter. We're part owners of the railroad with this. So, when the railroad makes money they pay us some of it."

"So we make money while we sleep. Just amazing what a guy learns when he marries a smart woman!" He picked up Kitty's hand and studied it, then put it to his lips. "Maybe we'll earn enough to go back to Colorado for our anniversary?"

"I can't wait! Why, think of it. We can take the train again!" The smile that crept across her face had Matt wishing the trip was tomorrow.

"That beautiful lodge up in Morrison! Did I tell you I dreamed we were back there while you were in Laramie? Promise you'll take me, Matt!"

Matt nodded and took a deep breath. He knew it was time for a change of subject. His eyes were starting to glass over remembering how they'd spent their time in Morrison. That, or he'd have to take Kitty home in the middle of the day.

"What's Jenny Glover doing working here?"

"Ohhhh!" Kitty had that famous smirk on her face. "You finally recognized her."

"I had an excuse last week. I was a sick man."

"Lily hired her. Thought you liked the idea."

"Of hiring Jenny? No possible way. She's nothing but trouble."

"No, Matt. You liked the idea that Lily could hire the floor girls. She hired two while you were gone. And Jenny has a special skill."

"Yeah, I'll just bet she does. I can't help but wonder why she's back in Dodge. We're a big step down from St. Louis. And that's pretty brazen, asking for work at The Long Branch. She knows you still own it. It's not exactly a secret that you're my wife."

"You just sit right here while I go get her. You two can't very well hide from each other in a place this size. She can tell you all about it. Afterwards you can fire her and send her on her way. How's that for a deal?"

Matt stood immediately when Kitty led Jenny into the office, but he offered no handshake.

"Hello again Jenny. Never got on that stage to St. Louis, eh?" His expression was blank.

"Hello Matt." She had a warm smile. "Quite the contrary. I've been in St. Louis for over four years."

"What brings you back this way?"

"If I said YOU, would you throw me out?" She had a coy smile on her face.

"Kitty would."

"Okay, okay, I was joking! You still don't have any sense of humor! C'mon, I was joking! I thought this might be a real good place for my new business."

Before she could go on to explain, Lily walked in.

"Hi Matt. Kitty said I should join you. I didn't know you already knew Jenny. Apparently, there's quite a backstory to go with that."

"Sure is, and if she wants to tell it she can. It's all water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned. I'm here to listen." Matt said.

"I have my own business. No partners, no front man, just me. I deal now, Matt. You remember Zel. Well, he may have taught me the basics, but I was just a green kid then. I hooked up with a guy in St. Louis who taught me poker and faro the right way. I'm real good at both. Finally got tired of splitting my take with him. Word was out all over Missouri and Kansas that Dodge City is the next boom town. What did I have to lose? Figured I'd be able to find at least one friend here from my time in Kansas. Kitty and Lily said it's okay if I set up a table in the Long Branch. So . . every night at eight I start dealing. Tonight's the third night. The word's out. Should be a good crowd."

"And this is all on the up and up?"

"Matt!" A big smile crept slowly across her face. "How could you doubt that!"

Lily immediately noticed Matt's trepidation.

"Matt, you know Kitty and I won't allow anything but an honest game here. The Long Branch gets ten percent off the top. Jenny keeps her tips and the rest of the take. If we need her, she'll fill in on the floor, too. If there's anything about this you don't like, we'll stop it."

"A house dealer, huh? Seems like change rules my life these days. No, go ahead Lily, I have no objection. If Kitty thinks it's good for business, then it's okay by me."

XOXOXO

Matt and Kitty walked into the Long Branch at 8:30 and headed for the back table. Bear smiled and tipped his hat when they walked in but offered no other acknowledgement that he knew them. He was glad to see Kitty on the marshal's arm. For this busy night, he wouldn't have to worry about her. Marge was at the table immediately for drink orders.

"Just a beer, Marge," said Matt. "Kitty?"

"No. Nothing. Thanks, Marge."

"That's not like you! I'm the one who has to do rounds, remember?"

Kitty didn't answer. She just gave him a wink and that look of love that he'd learned to read without a single word being said.

Marge had no sooner gotten to the table with Matt's beer when Doc showed up and ordered another.

"Matt, I tried that root on a patient today."

Matt's eyes got wide. He knew Doc a LOT better than to believe he was telling the truth. Doc read him like a book.

"No, really, I did," he offered before Matt could say a word. "I was out at Owney Wilson's place to see his wife. He had a dray gelding there that had run a piece of wood up in his forearm. Anyway, he asked me to look at the horse, so I figured neither of us had anything to lose."

"He couldn't find a good veterinarian, huh?" Matt just wasn't able to resist.

"Clever. I expected that."

"You hang around long enough to see if the horse died?"

"Equally funny, Constable. Horse will probably die anyhow in Owney's filthy barnyard. I dug the wood out, flushed the daylights out of the tract and packed it with root powder. By thunder if that thing doesn't get infected you might just make a believer out of me."

Doc lost interest in the banter and scanned the room.

"Came in to see my new girlfriend tonight."

"Oh, you're going to hit the faro table then?"

"NO! Not Jenny! I remember her too well. I'm talkin' about Lily."

"I gave her the night off, Doc." Kitty jumped in. You'll just have to sit here with me while Matt does rounds. Sorry to disappoint you."

"Kitty, you finally get another gorgeous, smart, single woman in here and you give her the night off. The one night I finally have time to sit here and enjoy myself."

"Well Doc, you'll just have to sit here with this gorgeous, smart, married woman," Matt grinned at his friend. "Just don't be forgettin' she's mine, and I'll be back to pick her up."

Matt slid his chair back, stood up, and squeezed Kitty's hand. "See ya' later, Kitty."

He walked to the door and stopped to watch Jenny's faro game for a few minutes. There was a waiting line for the table. It was hard to decide if the draw was the busy game or Jenny in her tight-fitting bangled dress. Judging from the men standing behind Jenny waiting for a place, he bet on the latter. When he walked through the batwings he was sure. There were a dozen cowboys hanging around outside just waiting to risk their pay at Jenny's game.

Festus took Matt's place at the table before the chair was even cooled off.

"Golly Bill, Miss Kitty! That Jenny's shore got a draw to 'er! Look at all them cowboys jes' a droolin' all over theirselves."

Marge always keyed on Kitty's signal when Kitty was on the floor, but Festus completely missed the silent exchange. He was still babbling on about Jenny when Marge served his beer.

"Waaal, Miss Marge, I'm obliged ta' 'ya!"

Festus fished in his pocket and put his money on the table. Just as quickly, Kitty put her hand over it so Marge couldn't touch it.

"On the house, Festus. On the house with my thanks for covering for Matt all the while he was sick. It's the least I can do."

"Aw, fiddle Miss Kitty, thank 'ya. Jes' doin' my job. Shore was hopin' he'd have another deppity by now."

"Oh, you want to quit, do you?" Doc just couldn't resist.

"I woutn't never quit no ways, Doc. They's plenty a work 'round here fer three of us, 'ya know that. Why if it warn't fer th' Comanche helpin' out . . ."

"Oh, drop it Festus. I know that." Doc took a scrub of his mustache. He wouldn't admit it, but Festus was right. Matt had been gone ten days on a wild goose chase after the deputy of his dreams, then he'd been sick for another five days when he got home. There was more than plenty of work in Dodge for three lawmen.

tbc