The Razzle Dazzle Medicine Show

by MustangSallie

The scheme was simple, dupe the people, rob the shopkeepers and get away. That is, until they met the Sherman-Harper family. Inspired by episode 10 season 2 " Drifter's Gold", this tale takes us into the world of fake medicine and a quack doctor. I don't own the rights to Laramie I just like to play.

The Razzle Dazzle Medicine Show

Summary: The scheme was simple. Dupe the people, rob the shopkeepers, and get away. That is, until they met the Sherman Harper family. Inspired by episode #10 Season 2, "Drifter's Gold, this tale takes us into the world of fake medicine and the duplicity of a beautiful woman and a quack doctor. I don't own the rights to Laramie or its characters I just like to play!

Chapter 1 – Aggie

Jess Harper and his best friend-brother Slim Sherman were just about to enter Benson's General Store that bright and sunny Saturday morning when they collided with a fair haired young lady whose arms were full of packages. As the packages began their descent to the wooden floor, the dazzling beauty breathlessly gasped, "Excuse me gentlemen, but could one of you help me?"

Slim blinked in surprise and without much thought reached down to pick up a brown wrapped parcel bumping into Jess whose quick reflexes had spared the mason jars from an untimely demise. A minute or two later, after fumbling awkwardly for their hats, the two ranchers smiled at the young woman in front of them.

"Our pleasure, Ma'am, "Jess spoke, "my name is Jess Harper and that is my partner, Slim Sherman. Can we carry those for you?" He gestured to the pile of packages that were once again in her arms.

The young woman nodded gratefully. " My name is Aggie," she said softly. "I'm staying at the hotel."

"Well now, how about we help you?" Jess slid his hat back onto his curly locks. Impetuously, he grabbed a couple of packages before she could say anything.

Slim grinned at his pard's romantic gesture. "What my friend is trying to say Ma'am, is that we'd be glad to assist you. It isn't often that a young woman, such as yourself, comes to Laramie."

Aggie looked up at the tall, lanky blonde haired man. "Thank you, Slim is it?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

She gestured to the crate of mason jars that she had placed to the side of the door. "Thank you for helping me," she murmured.

Slim and Jess carried her packages to the hotel and watched as she ascended the stairs. When she was out of sight, the clerk gestured to them. "Right pretty, isn't she fellas? "

Both men nodded.

"She's from ST Louis and is here to meet a Doctor Franklin. He's going to give her some medicine for her brother in Denver."

"Doctor Franklin?" Jess asked as he scratched his head. "Who's that?"

"She told me that Doctor Franklin is Doctor Sam's replacement. "

Slim shook his head. "Mr. Pitkin, Doc Sam will be coming back in a couple of weeks. He just went to Cheyenne for a doctor's meeting."

Mr. Pitkin looked embarrassed. This was his first week on the job. His uncle had hired him to man the desk and he desperately wanted to do a good job

" Well, that's what she said. Oh, and her brother is desperately ill and this doctor is going to make her some of his potions after he sets up his office."

Slim and Jess exchanged a look. No one knew that Doctor Sam was going to the conference since Sam had decided at the last minute to go. Also, he was only going to be gone for a couple of weeks, a month at the most, not long enough for a replacement. While there was no one sick at the moment, he was a reliable doctor and never went too far from town unless he had to treat someone. As the two ranchers tried to make sense of the young lady's remarks, she came walking down the stairs.

"Oh," she spoke when she saw them, "you waited for me. How nice! " She clapped her hands together. "We can go to lunch and get to know each other."

A wordless conversation began between the two men who silently stood at the bottom of the stairs. With a small smile, Slim moved his arm out, gesturing for her to take it. "We'd be glad to take you to lunch, Miss Aggie," he said gallantly.

The two young ranchers escorted their new acquaintance down the street and were soon seated at a table in Maud's Café.

"This is so nice," Aggie said as she batted her baby blue eyes at Slim.

He flushed under his tan and Jess took the opportunity to poke some fun at his unsuspecting partner. "Oh, wait until you really get to know him," he teased his buddy, " our Slim is quite the gentleman to women and all manner of female animals. "

Slim fumed. 'Sometimes Jess could go too far' he thought as he jabbed his boot into Jess under the table. He turned his attention to their luncheon guest.

"Doctor Franklin is giving me the ingredients to make the medicine for my brother. That's why I need the mason jars," she said confidently to Jess.

Slim saw the look on Jess' face and turned the conversation into a new direction. " Miss Aggie, it's none of our business, but why can't your own doctor in, wherever you said you were from, give you the medicine for your brother. Seems to me, if you somehow mixed the wrong amounts you might make him sicker." He paused, hoping he hadn't offended her.

" Oh, I am very adept at mixing the medicine, Mr. Sherman", she spoke, icicles dripping from every word, " My brother has been sick for a long while now."

"What my pard is trying to say Ma'am," Jess interrupted, "is that mixing medicines can be dangerous and usually only doctors do it for their patients, and no matter how you travel back home, those jars may break."

Aggie turned her head toward Slim as she pulled on her gloves.

" Doctor Franklin is coming into Laramie sometime tomorrow. You can talk to him then, if you wish."

"Is he coming in on the stage or by train?" Jess asked.

"You'll know when he's in town. He's going to be driving his Medicine Wagon."

"I don't rightly know what a medicine wagon is," Jess murmured.

"His is red with yellow wheels and has his name on the side. There will be a free medicine show on the first night and some testimonials. He'll be free to talk later." And with a flourish of her hair, she was gone.

Chapter 2 The Medicine Show

"Slim, did you get the feeling that there's more to her story?" Jess asked as they rode home. They had walked back to Benson's after Miss Aggie left and picked up some of the supplies that Daisy needed. Marcie Benson confirmed that the mason jars were indeed purchased to contain the medicine Doctor Franklin was to provide.

"Yeah, and I don't like the way she spoke about that doctor. Most doctors don't offer free medicine shows to get patients. "

Chores awaited them when they arrived home and they forgot the mysterious Doctor Franklin for about a week. Consequently, when they arrived back in town the following week they saw a new storefront on Main Street. The sign above the door of the tiny shop proclaimed "Doctor Maxwell Franklin, Potions for all your ills." In the alley, beside the building was the brightly colored wagon.

"Well, I'll be dadgummed ," Jess shook his head in dismay. "She wasn't joking, was she?"

"Let's go see what Mort has to say," Slim suggested, as he slung an arm over Jess' shoulder.

"He says he's from Boston and showed me his certification" Mort Corey, Laramie's sheriff, explained to Slim as he poured them both coffee. "While I don't personally like or approve of medicine shows I can't stop him."

Jess huffed and paced the entire length of the jail cells. "Mort, has anyone bought his worthless potion?"

"Several women swear by some potion that cures headaches," Mort answered as he sipped his coffee. "What is it that is making the two of you jumpy?"

"Doctors don't usually give out free medicine or advertise a show to get patients, Mort." Slim stood up, hands on his hips and glanced side ways at Jess. "She told us her brother was very ill, Mort. Yet she's still in town. "

"How'd you know?" Jess squinted up at Slim.

"Marcie told me."

"Aw." 'That explains it' Jess thought to himself. "If her brother is very ill and Doctor Franklin is here why is she still here? Shouldn't she be on her way back to ST Louis?" Jess' question hung in the air, as Slim nodded pointedly at Mort.

"That's exactly why we think something is wrong!" He glared at his old friend.

"Have the two of you ever been to a traveling medicine show?" Mort asked ignoring Slim.

Both men shook their heads. Slim began to wonder about Miss Aggie and the connection between her and this Doctor Franklin and Jess wiggled his shoulders feeling shivers of apprehension up and down his arms. Mort watched the two friends closely. They were brothers, in all but blood and closer to being his sons then they knew. He wondered if there was something going on that he had missed. "According to the schedule he had printed for me, his next show will be a 3:00 this afternoon. Why don't you book a hotel room, eat some dinner and go watch it. We can compare notes tomorrow before you leave for home. "

Slim slowly nodded. He glanced at Jess who was still fuming at his side. "Sounds good to me."

Jess, who knew by now, that he was outnumbered, just shook his head and headed out the door.

Jess heard, rather than saw, the loud drums and carnival music from across the street. Slim had been dozing on the bed when he felt Jess shaking him.

" Come on, Pard! The show is about to begin! " Together they slipped on their boots and grabbed their hats and gun belts and went down the back stairs of the hotel. They had decided to view the proceedings from the rear of the crowd. What they saw and heard next sent chills down their spines.

The brightly colored wagon had been pulled in front of the store and a man now stood on a large platform beside it. He was holding a bull horn and shouting to the crowd. "Step right up, folks. Witness the miracle of the far east. Doctor Franklin's Elixir of Good Health comes straight to you from St Louis, Boston and San Francisco! "

He paused and gestured to a young woman by the side of the wagon. Her gaudy dress sparkled in the sun and all the men gaped at her figure. Jess turned to Slim in surprise. "Ain't that Aggie?" he asked in shock.

Slim nodded and whispered back, "Yup and she's hardly wearing anything underneath that dress!" The two men were so fixated on her appearance that they failed to notice an older man near them. Hunched over and leaning on a cane, he was watching the spectacle with eagerness. When Aggie approached Slim and Jess they both fought to maintain their composure. She smiled lightly at them but fixed her gaze on the older man near them.

"You sir, Doctor Franklin would like to offer you a free bottle of our special remedy that is guaranteed to cure all ailments." She offered a glass of yellow looking liquid to the man who took it in his gnarled hands and gulped it down.

"Mighty tasty, Ma'am, " he murmured. For a moment nothing happened and then the man suddenly straightened up, threw away his cane, yelled at the top of his voice, "I'm cured!" and blended into the crowd.

The crowd instantly became a mob and as one lurched like drunken men toward the medicine wagon reaching out for the magic potion. Jess and Slim broke away from the crowd and watched as many in the crowd bought and paid for the potions. The prices of the small jars seemed extreme and as the din became roar, Slim motioned to Jess and they walked back to the hotel.

"So that's a Traveling Medicine Show!" Jess looked back at the melee behind him.

"What I want to know is, why is she still here?" Slim's question hung over Jess but between the two of them there seemed to be no answer.

Chapter 3 Daisy's Dilemma

It was a well-known fact , in the Sherman - Harper household, that when Daisy was in a cleaning mood no one dared entreat her to stop. She would start, invariably in the kitchen, taking down all the dishes and food stuffs. The dining table would be covered with the contents of the kitchen cabinets and drawers and unfortunately, lunch would be cold. On those days, Slim and Jess made it a point to either be away in town or work on fence repairs. On this particular morning, Mike had made himself scarce in the barn and Jess and Slim decided to paint shutters. At least they could talk about the current situation in town while sweating up a storm with "the blasted shutters" as Jess called them.

It had been several days since they had witnessed the medicine show. They both knew that the old man hadn't been crippled before he drank the "medicine" so they were astonished when he put on a great show of being cured.

"Maybe they paid him to lie," Jess whispered to Slim as he dipped his brush in the paint can. He was extremely agitated and began swishing the paint around in the can causing the black paint to fly through the air.

"Careful with that paint, Jess!" Slim warned sharply. " I don't want to be covered with it!" He spoke harsher than he meant to but it seemed to him that Jess was making too much of the whole affair.

Jess looked sheepishly at the offending brush and put it down. Wiping his forehead with his sleeve, he paused and grinned at Slim. "You're right, Pard," he apologized, " how about we take a break?"

The two sat down by the bunkhouse and shared a canteen of water. Slim gestured with his head towards the house. " What's gotten into Daisy?"

Jess shook his head. "Beats me, Pard. But she's been in a mood since she got back from that sewing party the other day. She said something about being swindled again under her breath. "

"What?" Slim looked aghast. "Jess, she and her husband were swindled out of their life savings that's how come she ended up here, remember?" He ran his hand through his hair, sat his hat back on his head and stood up resolutely.

" Where are you going? " Jess sputtered.

"I'm going to find out what's wrong!"

Jess grabbed at his friend's arm. "Are you crazy? She's gonna take that rolling pin to you if you interrupt her!"

Slim continued walking and opened the front door cautiously. "Daisy, can we talk to you for a minute? " he asked politely.

"I only have a minute." Daisy came out of the kitchen and eyed her two eldest boys. She was not really mad at them, just herself. 'I know better. I just didn't want to be made a fool of and yet..' she thought to herself as she wiped her hands on her apron and gestured to her men to sit down.

"Daisy, " Slim began, "Jess and me, we're just worried about you. Is something wrong? Are you feeling alright?"

Daisy sighed. She never could keep anything from them They read her too well. She sat down and began her story, hoping that they wouldn't tear into town and wring Aggie Simpson's neck.

"Some of the women in my sewing circle were talking about the new doctor in town. Maggie Johnson told us that he has many more bottles of tonic than Sam and convinced her to try his elixir for her stomach aches that she gets during those times of the month," she began.

Jess frowned. "Women get stomach aches?" he asked.

"Why Jess, I thought you would know that," Daisy started to say.

Slim grabbed her arm and looked at Jess pointedly. "Jess, you remember what Millie told you, don't you?"

"Um, yes," Jess looked totally confused but thankfully kept quiet knowing that Slim would explain later.

"Well, " Daisy continued, " she swears by it and is trying to convince the other women to buy it. She says that Sam is too careful and relies on too many books. She told us that all Doctor Franklin did was pass a wooden stick over her belly and she knew she would be alright. "

"Daisy!" Slim's shock was totally evident.

"I don't think it works that way, " Jess sputtered.

Daisy clasped her hands together. "It doesn't," she acknowledged. "A doctor has to examine a patient, talk to them and then prescribe medicine or treatment. I trust Sam. Otherwise, I'd never let him near the two of you." She smiled at them.

"So, what's got you so upset then?" Slim asked softly.

" Willa Bently has trouble with her eyes like me. She wanted me to try this tonic from Doctor Franklin that worked for her. It tasted awful, like too much alcohol was in it. But she convinced me to buy a bottle. So I bought three bottles. The directions say to take two teaspoons every four hours, but look at this bottle!" She shoved the bottle at Slim. "If that bottle holds more than three teaspoons, I'll eat my hat! And each one cost me a whole dollar and it didn't work! There's a sweet, young lady who works with the doctor and she swears by it. She lied too!" Daisy wrung her hands. "I got duped again!" Suddenly, she dropped her head onto her hands and began to cry.

Stunned, Slim and Jess sat there aghast. They had never seen Daisy so distraught. Presently, Slim got up and gathered her in his arms. He held her against his broad chest while Jess fetched a couple of clean cloths and made some tea. When Daisy calmed down, she wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry boys," she spoke softly. "I'm so embarrassed. I know better than to trust a traveling medicine man. I just felt so betrayed by a medical man." Her voice was thick with tears.

Jess shook his head. He strode over to the wall by the door.

"Where are you going? " Slim inquired.

"Nobody makes Daisy cry!" His voice thundered. "That quack is gonna give me Daisy's money back and leave town!"

Slim left Daisy and grabbed Jess. " Don't go off half cocked! We both need to think this through!" His voice of reason finally getting through Jess' thick stubborn skull and for the moment, at least, tension flew out the window.

Chapter 4 The School Picnic

Mike was very excited. Miss Mason had proclaimed that the next day, Friday, the school was going on a picnic. All the merchants in town were supplying the food. He could hardly contain his excitement when he told his family. " Miss Benson is going to make her chocolate candy and Miss Aggie is supplying the lemonade. They'll be chicken and potatoes and carrots and all kinds of desserts! Oh I can't wait!"

Slim shook his head and Jess chuckled at their son's antics.

"Don't overdo, Mike. Leave some room in your tummy for dinner," Daisy told him as he boarded the stage in the morning. He and his classmates deserved a break. They had all been studying hard despite the devastating fact that a classmate had drowned during a flash flood several days prior. Having the merchants supply the food helped out the families so Daisy was all for it and thought nothing of it as she saw Mike off.

The family soon forgot the school picnic as ranch chores became paramount. Besides the normal work they had several stages that needed attention. For an unknown reason, many of the stage doors were refusing to open properly and customers were becoming upset. Jess was busy oiling them while Slim checked under them to see if there was an unseen problem. They were concentrating so hard on one stage that they scarcely took note of another that was traveling down the road toward the ranch. Jess became aware of the distant thunder of hooves hitting the dusty road and yelled to Slim,

"Hey Pard, the afternoon stage is comin' in hot!"

Slim slid out from underneath the stage carefully and Jess reached down around his shoulders to hoist him upright. After nodding his thanks, he reached for his hat and wiped his face.

"Kinda early, isn't it?"

"Yeah and I wonder why Charlie is in such a rush to get here!" Jess and the stage drivers had indulged in, what Slim called a "foolhardy and reckless " game for years now. Jess would stand in the yard, never flinching and dare the drivers to stop, if not on him but as close as they could get. This time, however, Jess just stood on the side and watched the swaying coach rumble into their yard.

"Got a very sick passenger for you, boys!" he shouted.

"Why not bring him to town?" the two men reacted as they simultaneously reached for the stage door.

"He lives here!" Charlie shouted.

"Mike!" Jess' shocked voice roused Slim.

They opened the door carefully and peered inside. Mike was huddled on his side, moaning in pain. His head was burrowed in the folds of his jacket. Jess hopped up and crawled up to Mike.

"Easy there, Mike," he crooned softly, "it's Jess and Slim. You're home now." He carefully turned their son towards himself and gasped. Mike's face was wet with sweat and he was breathing hard. He clutched at his belly and moaned loudly.

"Too many cookies?" Slim looked up at Jess.

"No, this is something else," Jess said with conviction. "Help me get him out?"

Slim turned and yelled for Daisy and then moved into the coach to help Jess ease their son out of the stage. " What happened, Charlie?"

"I don't rightly know fellas," Charlie's concerned face looked down at them. "Miss Mason contacted me and asked me to take several children home. She closed the school early as most of the children got sick, just like Mike."

"Oh, dear," Daisy had arrived. "Whatever is the matter?" Slim cradled the limp figure in his arms and with Jess' help, maneuvered Mike into their home.

Jess went back outside to see if Charlie had any other information but hearing none, said goodbye and bade Charlie a pleasant run.

They laid him on his bed and got his clothes off while Daisy got her doctor's bag. After a quick examination, she determined that Mike had eaten or drunk something that hadn't agreed with his tummy and he just needed to rest. Mike tried to tell her what he'd eaten but Daisy kept getting madder and madder.

"I'll stay with him," Jess told her. He wiped down Mike's forehead and drew the chair closer to Mike's bed. He looked up at her in surprise when he saw her putting on her "go to town hat."

"Daisy, where are you going? "

"I'm going to town and find out what happened," her tone booked no argument.

"Slim might have something to say about that and how are you going to get there?" Jess rose slowly, alarm bells going off in his head.

"I will take the buckboard," she murmured.

"But it will be dark soon," sputtered Jess still trying to convince her not to go.

"Then I will leave the wagon at Benson's and ride the stage home," Daisy spoke adamantly.

"At least wait for Slim," Jess reached out to her.

"I'm right here," Slim spoke from the doorway, " will someone tell me what is going on?"

"I am going to town to discover what happened. "

Slim blinked and reached forward to grab Daisy's arms. "But Daisy, it will be dark soon," he shook his head in confusion. " Why don't you wait until tomorrow? I'm sure Mike will be better than."

"Slim, you and Jess don't understand. Stomachache's are not something to ignore. I have to find out what happened. "

Trying to argue with Daisy was an exercise in futility and she soon was on her way with the promise that she would talk to Mort before she confronted Doc Franklin. Jess sat by Mike's side as he sometimes rolled over in pain but mostly slept. Slim kept the fire going and supplied Jess with coffee. Both men worried about Daisy but did not speak about it as they didn't want to alarm their son.

True to her word, Daisy returned later that day. Charlie was very courteous when he helped her off the stage. Although she acknowledged Slim when he held the door open for her, she said not a word, instead she marched into her room and shut the door. Jess exchanged a look with Slim but both men had no idea what was wrong or how to handle it. Presently Daisy emerged from her room. Her mouth was set in a firm line but there were tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," she murmured, looking embarrassed. "I just needed to find out what happened and I guess I got carried away. "

"That's alright, Daisy," Slim told her," we know sometimes you become a mother hen." He grinned at her, his eyes twinkled.

The tension broken, she inquired about Mike. Jess reported that he'd been mostly asleep all the while she had been gone. She pulled a small bottle from her pocket. "That sweet girl, I believe her name is Aggie, gave me this potion. She feels awful that Mike got sick."

"Daisy," Jess frowned and snatched the bottle from her hand, "if you were upset earlier, how come you're taking anything from Doc Franklin now?"

"He's the closest to a doctor we have now, right? Mike might get worse and it will take Sam more than a day to get back even if you telegrammed him tomorrow. It says to give the patient two teaspoons every four hours and if you miss a dose, double it."

Slim took the bottle and examined it. He wasn't too excited about giving any of its content to their son, but Daisy was right about Doc Franklin being the only doctor in Laramie at the moment. "Alright, against my better judgement, you can give it to him when he wakes up and we'll see how he fares."

Mike seemed better in the morning but Daisy insisted that he stay in bed for the rest of the day. Jess and Slim stayed close to the house, changing teams, cleaning out the barn anything to pass the time and still be able to check on their son. Around lunchtime, Daisy allowed Mike to get up and go outside to the outhouse.

Slim and Jess paused in their work and began to wash up for lunch. Suddenly they heard Mike screaming. They raced up the hill, with Jess arriving at the door an instant before Slim.

"Tiger, what's wrong? "

"There was no answer but the two men could hear Mike's muffled sobs.

"Mike, let us in. Let us help you," Slim tried to coax Mike to open the door.

"You can't help me," Mike moaned," I'm bleeding!"

"What?" Both men asked simultaneously, fear in their blended voices.

"I'm bleeding, " Mike moaned again.

Determined to find out what was going on, Jess yanked the door handle but Slim grabbed his arm. "Not that way," he whispered. "Mike, it's just us. We're all the same. Let one of us in." He stopped and waited. Then trying again, he said louder, " did some animal bite you?"

"No." Mike seemed calmer now.

"Please open the door," Jess was getting impatient as his fear ramped up.

The door slowly opened and Mike stood before them, naked from the waist down clutching his long john bottoms in his shaking hands. Jess gasped. They were covered in blood.

Chapter 5 Now what?

Jess took a step back and fell against Slim. His body stiffened so much that Slim felt as if he just touched Jess that his body would break into pieces. Slim, for his part, opened and closed his mouth in rapid succession as he stared at Mike's undergarment. But as he tried to focus on the long johns, an idea began to take shape in his head. This did not look like blood!

Both he and Jess had been stabbed and or shot many times. They both knew what blood looked like. It wasn't bright red. It didn't look bubbly. It wasn't oozing out in clumps. More importantly, Mike did not seem to be in pain.

"Mike," Slim spoke as gently as he could, "what did you eat at the picnic yesterday? "

"I tried to tell Daisy yesterday, " Mike stammered, "she wouldn't listen."

"She was worried about you. We all are. But Mike," Slim paused and looked at a visibly relaxing Jess, " I don't think that's blood."

Mike looked skeptical, but forged ahead. He trusted Slim. " I had some chicken and roasted potatoes and corn. I ate a lot of sugar cookies. Oh, and I drank lemonade. "

"Do you know which store keepers brought what?" Jess asked.

"Miss Mason supplied the sugar cookies and Miss Benson brought the corn. Caleb from the livery brought the chicken. Miss Simpson gave us the lemonade."

Slim slowly nodded his head." Did the lemonade come in jars?"

Mike shook his head. " No, she had a huge barrel of it and men just filled up the jars with it for us."

Jess looked at Slim perplexed. "What's going on?"

Slim put his hands on Mike's shoulders. " I can't be sure, Mike, but I think all of your school mates were made sick on purpose. Your lemonade may have been poisoned," but he hastened to add," I think I know how to cure you – water. Lots and lots of water!"

Jess grabbed Slim and began to shake him. "What kind of man says that to his son! You want to scare him half to death!"

Mike thrust his body between his fathers. "Stop! Slim might be right!"

They both stopped their shoving instantly and focused again on Mike. " Why do you think that?" Jess demanded.

"Because it doesn't smell like blood," he said looking embarrassed. "The medicine, Daisy gave me was red."

Confusion reigning, anger boiling, and fear topping it all led the trio down the hill. Slim went first, followed closely by the half-clad Mike and Jess fell into step behind. They opened the kitchen door and faced a confused Daisy who gasped in dismay at Mike.

"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded.

"Slim can explain," Both Mike and Jess said hurriedly as Mike was herded back to his room to change. Slim, left holding the proverbial bag, began to explain his suspicions. " Daisy, I think Miss Simpson and Doc Franklin, if that's their real names, tried to poison the children and townspeople and then gave them worthless remedies to cure their illness. Do you still have any of that potion for Mike left?"

Daisy handed the bottle to Slim who first sniffed it and then poured a small amount of the liquid into his palm. " Smell this," he held out his hand to her

"It smells awful," she said wrinkling her nose.

"Now taste it," he held out his hand to both Daisy and Jess. Their twin reaction confirmed Slim's idea.

"What is it?" Mike asked now clad in clean dry long johns. He walked up to Slim who put his other arm around him.

"Mike, this is going to be hard to hear, but that tonic has beet juice, water, some sugar, I think and laudanum in it. That's why it's red and made you sleepy."

For a minute, Mike just stood still. Then he buried his head into Slim. "Why?" his shoulders shook in fright.

Jess grabbed him and held him close. "We're gonna find out right now, right? He looked pointedly at Slim who nodded back.

"Daisy, the best medicine for Mike is water, lots and lots of water. If you wouldn't mind putting that bottle on a high shelf, we'll get Sam to examine it when he gets back. We're going to ride into town, talk to Mort and try and find out what the scheme is, 'cause it is a scheme. Don't wait up." Slim gave Mike a reassuring hug and the two men went to saddle their horses.

Chapter 6 Try Convincing me of that

They rode swiftly towards town, each man lost in his own thoughts. Slim kept remembering the day he struggled pretending to be a crook and nearly got shot trying to save the town and stop the bank's safe from blowing up and Jess kept remembering Mike's face when he showed them the blood. Finally, Jess reined in Traveler and sat patiently waiting for Slim to realize that he wasn't next to him. Sheepishly, Slim rode back to Jess a few minutes later. Silently, they just looked at each other.

"I'm so angry right now, I could kill them with my bare hands and walk away laughing. "

Slim had seen Jess in many moods, heck he'd been the recipient of more than one knock out by his Pard, but this, this was way beyond anything he had ever seen. Jess was shaking with anger and as white as a sheet. "I want to wring their necks!" he growled.

Ever the source of reason, Slim ran his hand over his aching neck muscles. He was extremely upset with everyone and everything and yet he knew instinctively that he had to keep his head about him for both their sakes. "Jess, we need a plan. We can't just attack first and talk later. "

Jess continued to sit and stare at his friend. His forehead creased in frustration and his fists curled over the reins. He pulled them impatiently and then finally after several tense moments relaxed. "Okay, what do you think we should do?"

Slim turned his horse around and the two headed for town again. "First, we need to talk to Mort. Hopefully, he didn't drink any of that lemonade. Then we have to talk to Mr. Botkin, the bank manager. One of us needs to send a telegram to Sam urging him to return hone as fast as possible. And then, we need to find a way to keep Doc Franklin and Aggie in town and not give them a means to escape."

"So not too much to do then," Jess smiled for the first time that morning.

Slim just smiled back glad that tension was broken and that the two of them were alright.

'It feels like a ghost town,' thought Slim, as they rode down the normally busy street. There were a few horses tied up and Windy 's was shuttered.

Jess shook his head in alarm. If this was an omen of things to come then they were in for a nasty time of it. "Did they manage to poison everyone?" He asked as quietly as possible.

Slim just shook his head as they reined in at Mort's front door. The jail door was locked. Slim peered through the dusty window and saw a rumpled Mort stretched out in his chair behind his desk. He knocked loudly. The sound seemed to echo down the street.

"I'm coming!" yelled the muffled voice of Laramie's sheriff. "Keep your shirt on!"

Both men gasped at their friend's appearance. Normally shaved and washed up with clean clothes and a neatly pressed vest, this version of their sheriff was something out of Mike's dime store novels. Unshaven, hair askew and rumpled clothing, Mort seemed unperturbed. " This better be good, fellas. I'm a sick man, ya' know."

Slim's heart sank. Any action they took would not involve Mort. They had gotten to him too.

Explaining their suspicions to Mort took a long time because Mort was skeptical that first that many people were sick and that anyone would try and poison children. He also could not comprehend what the motive was. The conversation was broken by Mort suddenly shaking in pain.

"I'm sorry, Slim, but this pain comes and goes and right now it's coming at me like a herd of buffalos. "

"You need to be in bed," Jess said and he gently grabbed Mort by his shoulder and helped him to his feet.

"Wait for me," he murmured to Slim, as he half-dragged , half - walked Mort to the back room bedroom.

Slim heard the bed springs squeak and Mort groan and his innards clenched in sympathy. Suddenly he heard Jess shout,

"You're not gonna believe this! "

Slim raced into the room and saw barrels next to the back door. "What are in those barrels and what are they doing here?"

"I've got a pretty good guess," growled Jess as he started prying up a lid with his knife. "My only question is did you know about this?" he questioned Mort.

The lid came off with a pop and Jess dipped a finger into the liquid. " It's the lemonade, Slim."

Both men eyed Mort who by now was sitting up in bed, his eyes wild, his face unreadable.

"I had no idea," Mort mumbled. " Miss Simpson told me that it was so popular with the townsfolk that they needed a place to keep it safe until they could make more."

Jess let out a cuss word under his breath and stomped out of the room. Slim patted Mort on the shoulder. "Drink lots of water, Mort. We'll be back." He hurried after Jess.

"Slim, Jess, " gasped Mort, "take deputy badges with you or Botkin will never listen!"

Chapter 7 – Out smarting thieves, maybe?

Although Jess hated waiting for anything, he agreed to wait outside the jail while Slim walked quickly behind the buildings to the Telegraph Office. They both knew that the Medicine Show culprits knew they were in town but they didn't have to know where and what they were doing. Slim's telegram was short and to the point. " Urgent you come back to town. STOP. Towns folk poisoned. STOP. See Slim at ranch first. STOP. URGENT. Signed Slim Sherman.

He arrived back at the jail to find a very impatient Jess waiting for him. "Now what, Pard?" Jess arched an eyebrow at his friend.

"Now we go see Mr. Botkin and hope everyone is alright."

The two ranchers strode down the street as nonchalantly as they could. No sense in drawing attention to themselves. Slim's heart was thumping painfully in his chest as he relived the long ago bank heist.

" How do you want to handle this? We both know that Botkin hates us both!" Jess hissed.

"I 'll talk to him," Slim said resolutely, "after all, we're only trying to save the town."

To their surprise the bank was open and although there were no customers, the clerks all seemed to be working. Mr. Botkin was in his office and with some dread, they were ushered into the ornately decorated office.

"What can I do for you two?" Mr. Botkin inquired. He wasn't fond of the residents of the Sherman-Harper ranch but he had to concede sometimes that they did have the interest of the town.

"I'll get straight to the point, Mr. Botkin," Slim began as he stood in front of his chair. "We believe that your bank is going to be robbed."

Mr. Samuel Botkin disliked Slim Sherman and his partner. He thought, privately, that Sherman needed to be taken down a peg or two. Harper, he thought was a hired gun and despite all the years he'd been in Laramie, would always be a gunslinger. His predecessor been a fool, allowing the vault to be breached. He had changed all the old ways of doing business. He wasn't liked but he hadn't been hired to win a most liked banker contest. As a result of his predetermined adverse opinions of his visitors he only half listened to their explanation about the impending robbery until Mr. Sherman, in his ignorance, said that the medicine man had dynamite in his wagon.

"Mr. Sherman, Mr. Harper, allow me to explain to you why this vault behind me can't be robbed. You see, the prior vault had a time lock. That's why there were a lot of bank robberies in the daytime. The robbers had tools that were meant to lever the door open. They intended to open a crack between the vault door and the frame. As the crack widened, the cracker would lever the door open and pour gunpowder in and blast the vault open. That's why they needed the gunpowder in the store room. However, after several banks were robbed that way, vault makers made a series of stair grooves in the door frame so the door couldn't be opened. "

He paused and lit a cigar, knowing full well that one or both of the men in front of him would object. He just didn't care. He was the important man in the room anyway.

"It seems to me, that Doc Franklin and his assistant and whomever is their cracker may, and I repeat may, make up a batch of nitroglycerin. You say they have mason jars and a kettle? Well, all they have to do is boil the dynamite in kettles of water and skim the nitroglycerin off the top. Then they can try and pour the liquid into the grooves and destroy the door."

Jess had risen now, and gestured to Slim frantically to open the door.

Mr. Botkin, can we open a window?"

Satisfied that he had the upper hand, Mr. Botkin opened the window by his desk and as the air wafted in, Jess began to breathe better.

"So, with all the people missing in town, and not only a hotel room but a whole store, they can mix up the nitroglycerin to their hearts content. " Slim fumed.

"Not quite," Mr. Botkin smiled, " this is a new vault. It looks just like the old one. But when I came here, I had it replaced. The door is closed with a thick, smooth tapered plug that fits so tightly that there's no room for the nitroglycerin or any other liquid to fit." He gleefully patted his rotund stomach and stared into Slim's eyes as if daring him to object.

" Also, neither I nor my clerks were at the picnic so no one is sick. So there will be no robbery! "

Chapter 8 – What's next?

"Mr. Botkin, does anyone know about this?" Jess wondered aloud.

"No, Mr. Harper. No one knows except your sheriff."

Stunned that Mort hadn't shared that important piece of information with them, both ranchers stared at the smug banker.

"So, if that's all, gentlemen? " Mr. Botkin rose from his chair slowly. 'Round one to me!' he thought gleefully.

"Actually, no," Slim said, not rising to the bait. " "There's still the matter of the attempted robbery."

"But, we just went through all that!" sputtered Mr. Botkin, his patience wearing thin.

"It seems to me, that if Doc Franklin doesn't know about the vault, he will still make a try for it. Why try and get rid of everyone in town just for the fun of it?" Slim persisted, remembering the last time.

"Slim's right, Mr. Botkin, " Jess chimed in, defending Slim. "There's something up their sleeves and it's gonna happen soon, maybe today."

Mr. Botkin blanched. 'They weren't just there to annoy him; something might actually happen.' His anxiety level rose.

"What do you propose?"

"All your clerks are well, right?" Mr. Botkin nodded. " So," Slim continued, "you send them home. Tell them to act sick when they leave. This way, the thieves will think that the way is clear to rob the bank. You lock up the vault, maybe leave a couple of bills lying on the floor or stuck in the door. You need to hide somewhere. I think they are going to break into all the shops and steal money boxes or whatever is of value while one of them breaks into the vault. They think they have all the time in the world but they won't."

"Slim, what's our part in this?" Jess asked very confused.

"With everyone out of town and on their sick beds and no doctor, they are free to ransack our town and get away. We need to sit tight and watch them without interference. When they try and get away, we corner them."

The idea, as put forth by Slim, shocked both Jess and Mr. Botkin. To Jess, it made perfect sense. He just couldn't figure out how they were going to stop the thieves. "How do you propose to do that, uh?"

"We'll stop them as they try and leave town. They'll be so happy and excited that they accomplished the thefts that they won't be thinking about their getaway. Jess, you walk down the street towards the hotel. I'll walk down towards Benson's. We need to find out how many men we can count on."

"When do you think they will begin?" Mr. Botkin was now an interested party and uncharacteristically anxious to help.

"Oh, they've been planning this for a long time," Slim said thoughtfully. "We just have to lure them into a trap. Why don't you get your people out of here and go over to Mort's office and wait for us."

Mr. Botkin and Jess left and Slim began walking casually towards Benson's. He knew that Jed would gladly help but he didn't want Marcie to be involved. She had already played a huge price in the previous robbery and the memory still haunted her. He neared the store and saw Jed just coming out to bring in one of the apple crates. The two men greeted each other and Slim slipped inside the store.

After explaining the impending robberies, Jed and Marcie decided to leave some coins in an old cash box on the counter and take the ledgers and other important papers and paper money home. Jed would come back and join Slim, Jess, Mort and Mr. Botkin at the jail.

As the afternoon dragged on and the tension grew, it became agonizingly obvious to Mort, that when the robberies started the itchy fingers of each Laramie defender would start shooting. Keeping all of the men, now amounting to eight, calm was slowly failing. They were all hungry and thirsty and tired of waiting. Jess had checked and rechecked his pistol while carrying on a silent and then very vocal conversation with Slim. Mr. Botkin was engaged in a heated conversation with Mr. Firth from the hotel. Jed, for his part, darted from window to window almost afraid of missing something.

Finally, around three, Jed saw movement. Aggie Simpson, dressed for traveling, left the hotel carrying a sack that appeared to be heavy. As the men watched, she strode down the street, every now and again glancing over her shoulder. When she reached Doc Franklin's store, she knocked and went inside.

"So they are together now. Shouldn't be long now," Mort murmured. He rose to get another drink of water. He was starting to feel better but he ached inside thinking of his god son who not only drank the lemonade but drank the supposed cure too. He didn't fault Daisy of course but he wished that Sam had an assistant that he could leave in town. Carrie, his daughter, was going to get married and probably move away. The town was growing, maybe it was big enough for two doctors. His reverie was interrupted when Jed spoke excitement in his voice.

"Anyone know those two?"

The men rushed to the windows. Two scruffy looking men were riding down the street. The tell tale giveaway was evident when they reined in at Doc Franklin's store and went inside. Mort shook his head. "And then there were four!"

"We need to get into place now!" Slim spoke with quiet determination. He glanced at Jess, gave a little nod to his best friend-brother and slipped out of the jail. He walked swiftly towards the end of town. Mort took up his position near the front window and Jed walked behind the buildings to the other end of town. Mr. Botkin had been chosen to supply Mort and with ammunition as they were are afraid that the thieves would make him open the safe. Jess positioned himself near the Doc's wagon out of sight. Mr. Firth, who everyone thought was incapable of firing a pistol, much less holding one, offered to stay in the alley near the hotel and Frank, the bartender at Stockman's, took a position in an alley opposite Jess. The last man, Caleb, took his position near the livery. Not only was it his place of business, but if they needed a distraction, he could get the horses out of the livery faster than any other defender.

Mort stiffened, as he warily watched the doctor's door open and the two newcomers walked out onto the sidewalk. "Get ready," he said to Mr. Botkin, "now it begins."

Chapter 9. – The Waiting Game

Author's Note: This chapter conveys the thoughts and emotions of each Laramie Defender. Their POV determines the actions that follow.

Mort watched Slim carefully as he let himself out of the jail and walked to his self - appointed spot. Of all of them, he had known Slim the longest but the man who claimed part of his heart was the man who would be near the get away wagon. He briefly wondered what Slim was thinking:

Slim: 'Mort's been eyeing me most of this afternoon. He wasn't here when Bedloe and his gang tried to blow up the safe. He's gotta be wondering if I know what I'm doing or am I just angry over Mike and not thinking clearly. Sometimes, I just latch onto an idea and ride with it. Thank goodness, Jess is here. He might not be right beside me but he knows how I think; what I'll do and he's gotta know that even if I'm mad as heck about Mike, I'm not about to let the town down. I wish he hadn't decided to wait near the Medicine Wagon. This plan just has to work for Marcie's sake. It's kinda funny, but until that day, I had never really noticed her. But that day, she was funny and sweet and loving and strong. I never knew she was adopted. Come to think about it, she doesn't look anything like Jed. Anyway, she saved our lives that day and in her grief saved the town too. I never told her secret to anyone not even Jess. Their store means everything to them. This plan has got to work.'

Jess: 'Mort's been watching me most of this afternoon, well since I helped him get back in bed anyways. I wonder if he thinks my Pard's plan is gonna work. It's just gotta! Slim told me about what happened that day. I was mad as heck that he forgot the yeast; I had had my heart set on mouthwatering bread dripping with butter, but no yeast! I was sure grateful that he came home in one piece though. Even now, when I think on it, he doesn't look anything like a criminal! He's got the most honest face. I rechecked my gun. I just gotta hang tight. After they rob the stores, they have to come here first. I just have to stay alert. I hope Slim is careful and he don't get shot.'

Mr. Botkin: ' The sheriff has been watching me all afternoon. He should be in bed but he stubbornly sits in his chair and listens to Sherman and Harper telling about their plans. Why can't they listen to me? The bank is safe, far safer than those dinky shops down the street. I wish I didn't keep dropping bullets on the floor. They seem to think I can't handle myself, so they gave me the job of loading guns and rifles. I handle hundreds of dollars every day. The bank funds this godforsaken town! When they aren't looking, I shove my hands in my pockets. They keep shaking. Why am I so nervous?'

Jed: 'Sheriff Mort, as Mike Williams calls him, has been watching me for the better part of this afternoon. He wasn't here that day when Slim tried to play a gunfighter. I kinda ruined it when I told the robbers who he really was. And then Marcie saved us by revealing who she was. It was a shock to me that she knew she'd been adopted. But the bigger shock was that her real Pa was an outlaw. My sister and I built that store from nothing. I'm glad we took the money home though. There's nothing really valuable to steal it's just the idea that someone could walk in there and rifle through those goods, toss them around like they didn't matter and leave without a thought of decency. What will they do when they don't find any money? We left about twenty dollars in coin money in the money box. Would they smash the counters? Will I walk in afterwards and feel glass crunch beneath my boots? I feel really helpless now. I want to help the town. Will I be able to stop the thieves if they get by Jess?'

Mr. Firth: 'That blamed sheriff has been looking at me all afternoon! I run a clean, dry hotel. I don't allow violence in the rooms. Well, there was that one time when Mr. Harper was beaten half to death and Mr. Sherman half dragged him to his room. Anyway, at least he had the decency to remove his spurs. Those bedspreads cost a lot of money. I sure hope that the outlaws don't hurt the hotel. What if Miss Simpson ruined the carpet or broke one of those bowls? I will have to inspect all the rooms for damage. What will the townsfolk think? I wonder if they'll want to stay there again? I'll have to hide the fact that Miss Simpson used room #21. I know how to fire a gun. I just don't want to.'

Frank: 'The sheriff keeps watching me. I can't understand why. I may just be a bartender, but I hear some many things about the people here. Slim Sherman and his partner are well thought of in this town. Lots of men like him. They were real surprised when he hired Jess Harper to work for him, but I've seen him in action and he's fast with that gun. I just hope that none of those outlaws go into the saloon. I hid the beer barrels and the money box but what if they break that mirror or the bottles of liquor? I will need to double check all the windows and doors every night now. I'm going to need a drink when this is over. I hope I can stop them. I haven't shot at anyone in a long time. Maybe Mr. Harper will get to them first.'

Caleb: 'The sheriff keeps watching me. I may work with horses all day at the livery, but I know when a man doesn't trust you. I can stop anyone with a rifle. I may not be a fast as Jess Harper but I did alright in the turkey shoot last year. I'm afraid for the horses though. What if they start a fire? Who will save them? The building could burn to the ground? I gotta stop those crooks no matter what!'

Mort: 'I am so sick. All I want is my bed. But there is no one else to carry this load for me. Slim's plan is a good one and if it works, everyone will get their things back and the outlaws will be in jail. I just don't want anyone to get hurt. Oh, I'm not worried about Jess or Slim but Caleb or Frank? I hope those crooks don't set fire to any buildings. They all could catch fire.'

Each man watched as a thief entered their place of business. Their skin crawled as they thought about the damage the thieves could cause when they didn't find any money to steal. What would they take and what would they destroy? Some things were irreplaceable, others could be bought again. The feeling of safety was being stolen from each of them. Would they ever be the same again?

Chapter 10 – How to Rob a Bank

Slim Sherman had managed to drag several crates across the street to serve as a barricade. He found a spot under a large tree to serve as cover. It seemed to him that time had slowed to a standstill but then again he realized that the would-be robbers were probably having difficulty with the bank safe. He grimaced when he thought of Botkin. 'What an obnoxious man,' he thought to himself. 'Serves him right to have something stolen!' He shook himself as he heard his Mother's voice in his head admonishing him not to be angry at people.

Jess saw the robbers come out of the door and start walking down the sidewalk towards him. He ducked behind some crates just in time and curled into a ball behind one.

"This kettle is heavy," he heard one grumble to the other.

"Just be careful with it. Its got nitroglycerin in it and if we drop it.." he stopped speaking and looked warily at his partner.

"Don't worry about me," he grumbled. " I aim to blow up that safe, rob the stores and get away as fast as possible. I don't trust Franklin or his wife!"

'Wife!' Jess almost dropped his gun. He shook his head in disbelief. 'I never saw that coming!' he thought, as he watched the would-be robbers walk slowly down the street towards the bank.

Jed held his breath as he watched Miss Simpson break open their store's door and enter it. She was carrying a sack evidently looking for lots of money and goods. His breath quickened a minute or two later when he watched her come towards the wagon. The scowl on her face said it all. They had fooled her, thank God!

Frank saw Doc Franklin enter Stockman's with a box, evidently looking for whiskey bottles but he didn't look happy when he returned to the street a moment or two later. The box appeared heavy but the man wasn't happy so whatever he was going to steal wasn't available. Frank looked across the street at Jess and nodded.

A sudden boom sounded and Mr. Botkin jumped a mile. "My bank, my beautiful bank!" he moaned. "Is it still standing?" he asked Mort who was peering out the window.

"Yup, it is." Mort's voice was strained. "Of course we have no idea what the inside looks like." A minute or two later, the thieves came out of the bank and high tailed it back to the wagon.

Franklin appeared flustered and angry as he swung open the back door of the wagon. "What happened," he hissed to the henchmen.

"New lock; new door. Unbreakable." One man panted. "We got some bills and coin money anyway. The dynamite went off by accident, boss."

"Let's get this loaded and get on our way. We'll add up the loot later, once we are out of this crummy town."

Jess stayed hidden as they moved the wagon from the alley to the street. The contents from the bank, general store and hotel were soon loaded and after giving the town a last once-over, the robbers drove down the street. Caleb sneaked around the corner of the livery and saw the look of frustration on Franklin's face. Despite the fact that dynamite just went off, they continued to drive down the street in a leisurely manner, trying not to call attention to themselves. The bank robbers had used their horses to haul the wagon and then hid themselves in the back. 'Very clever' thought Caleb, almost admiring their ingenuity.

The quack doc suddenly pulled up short. Slim stood, rifle raised in their direction, and in a voice that was quiet but menacing yelled, " Stop! You're surrounded! "

"Don't make me laugh," sneered Aggie as she fumbled for her pistol hidden in her baggy pants.

"You don't have to do this," Slim yelled again, in warning.

Aggie raised her gun, aiming directly at Slim's head.

"Stop!" yelled Caleb, as he aimed a gun at her. "Stop lady or I'll shoot!"

"You're gonna have to kill us," Franklin yelled at Caleb, " we're going through. "

"You're not going anywhere! " Mort walked up to the wagon. " Put down your guns and climb down from there. You're under arrest!"

"Not likely, " A voice sounded from the rear of the wagon. One of the robbers, holding a mason jar of clear liquid, slowly climbed down and faced the surrounding men.

"This here is nitroglycerin. I'm sure you know what it is and what it can do. So, if you value your life and your crummy, worthless town get out of our way. "

Mort motioned everyone back. Slim's skin crawled in frustration. His whole plan was going up in smoke. The wagon, minus the man holding the nitroglycerin, moved forward. Slim grimaced as soon as they passed him, his rifle useless in his hands.

"Get your horses!" yelled Mort, "we're going after them!"

Chapter 11 From Chaos to ….

It took awhile for the Laramie Defenders to get the posse together mainly because only a few of them had horses. Jess and Slim had left their horses tied up in front of the jail and had mounted almost instantly. Mr. Botkin, predictably, ran towards his beloved bank and shut himself inside. Jed had his horse in the livery so with Caleb's help, found his saddle and was soon at Slim's side. Mr. Firth had a conversation with Frank and they both decided that they were needed by the sheriff so they rented a buggy from Caleb. Caleb, after taking care of everyone, finally got his own horse ready to ride and followed after them.

About two miles out of town they pulled up short. In a tight circle surrounded by sticks of dynamite and kettles full of nitroglycerin, were everyone's belongings. The men looked in dismay at the smashed money boxes, broken lamps from the hotel, and linens from the general store. Not surprising, the whiskey bottles were missing. Frank shook his head.

"I hope they get the worst hangovers!"

Everyone except Slim and Jess had dismounted and were trying to figure out how to bypass the circle of destruction. Slim cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, while you decide how to get your things back, the robbers are getting away!" No one moved to their horses, so he changed his tone slightly, " we can come back, you know."

The reminder of why they were out on the prairie in the first place firmly in place again, they set off following the sheriff at a good clip. It was getting dark and they knew they would either have to go back to town in defeat or make camp. Finally, they pulled up to a somewhat hidden spot that Jess could see offered some cover and they made camp. Slim figured that the Doc and his compatriots were too far ahead so they wouldn't see a fire so he instructed Jed and Frank to gather wood. After they stripped the horses, Jed brought out cans of beans and some jerky that he managed to snag before they left town. There was not much water, but Slim and Jess trickled some from their canteens into their hats for their horses. What happened next surprised them. Mr. Firth offered to stand guard for the first watch.

"I should do this," Firth argued with Jess. "I have to stay awake for guests all the time."

Jess didn't have the energy to argue so he just told Mr. Firth to see Mort for instructions.

After Jess and Slim carried their saddles near some bushes and turned them over, Slim got their bed rolls. Jess spread his out next to Slim and then sat, Indian -style in front of his Pard blocking them from the rest of the posse. "How do you think its going?" he whispered.

Slim ducked his head in embarrassment, "I never saw it coming, Pard; I wouldn't be surprised if they were laughing at me behind my back. "

"What?" Jess yelped in surprise, and then grabbed Slim's forearm hard. "You can't possibly think you're to blame!"

"Why not?" Slim sputtered. "There're gonna get away with the robberies because I didn't plan on them making fools of us."

"Now, you just wait a garl darn minute! This ain't over yet! They're not that far ahead and that wheel has probably come off by now!"

Slim's head shot up and he fixed his eyes on Jess. He slowly smiled. Sighing, he clasped his own hand down on Jess' arm. "I forgot about that! I'm glad you're here to set me straight."

Jess grinned in relief. They were both alright again. "How about I scout about first light? I won't get too close to 'em."

Slim nodded and then whispered, "wake me when you go, Pard." He pulled the blanket up to his shoulders and snuggled into his saddle. Jess lay awake for awhile listening to the night sounds around him and soon drifted off to sleep lulled by his Pard's soft snores.

Chapter 12 – Playing the game

True to his word, Jess was up before daylight kissed the wispy trees surrounding the camp. He tapped Slim and waited until their eyes met. "All set to go," he whispered and mounting, he gave Slim his usual salute and rode off. Awhile later he returned just as the men had broken camp. Slim could tell, just by Jess' eyes that what he had found was not good. The men crowded around him and all began throwing questions at him. Mort suddenly shouted, "stop! Give him time!"

Jess slowly dismounted and hung onto the saddle horn as he slowly slid down. As he turned towards them, he could almost feel Slim's hand on his shoulder in his show of support. "How many of you have ever seen a dead body?"

There was an audible gasp and the men shifted uncomfortably. No one acknowledged or answered his question. Slim's eyes narrowed and he side glanced at Mort. 'Whatever happened is not what we expected' he thought as he walked slowly to his Pard's side. "Jess?" he asked gently.

Jess took off his hat and wiped his forehead. "I decided not to get too close, so I can't give you any particulars. I can't rightly tell when it all happened, but it seems to me that one fella wanted out and he got shot in the back for his troubles. His horse is nowhere to be found." Jess took a breath and reached for his bandana. After wiping his face, he continued in a somber tone. "There was a person underneath their wagon. I was just about to pull him out, when I saw this thin rope. It was strung from a bucket of nitroglycerin in the wagon to the body. If I'd pulled him out, I'd be dead by now."

Slim stared as Jess' eyes turned from his usual blue to a dark, haunted black in mere minutes. Trembling slightly, he reached his Pard's side in seconds and both men acknowledged each other with a slight nod.

"It was another setup, Mort!"

Mort sighed. "Who was it?"

"Franklin."

"Oh, no," moaned Slim, "just the man we needed alive."

"Well, they probably saved him from a long prison sentence, " muttered Jess.

"Anything else we need to know? " Mort inquired. He hated being played and he secretly felt as though they were up against a master of the game.

"The horses were gone; tracks everywhere but I think I have an idea where they went."

There was an audible intake of breath from the men. Mort gave Jess a sharp look and Jess continued his report.

"I followed one set of tracks for about a mile up into a dense patch of trees and bushes. It's funny that we never noticed it before, but there's a shack right plumb dab in the middle of the clearing below the hill. I checked it out carefully. It was deserted but someone has been living there cause there were cups and dishes all around. The logs were fairly new too. There's only one problem getting in. There's buckets of nitroglycerin all around the property, so you gotta step carefully. When we go in, we're gonna have to surprise them and there's not a lot of cover." He met Slim's eyes for a long, unspoken moment.

Slim grimaced and ran a hand behind his neck. They had come this far; they couldn't go back now. " The first time, I saw a dead body was in the war." Slim spoke, his eyes downcast, his voice wavered as he remembered the battle. "There was blood everywhere and I have to tell you that I got sick. It's a natural reaction, I'm told. What matters next, is what counts. You want to run away but if you're there because you're righting a wrong then you are obliged to stay and fight the fight. When I rode into town, I was out for revenge. Our son, Mike was poisoned and then given a useless tonic to supposedly help him. The problem was that the tonic was dyed red and had laudanum in it."

"What kind of man gives laudanum to a child?" Mr. Firth questioned. He frowned and gestured wildly. " I don't blame you for wanting then to die!"

Slim nodded in gratitude. "The only thing is, "he paused, " I can't let revenge rule how I act today. If I do, I may not think right. I won't plan how to keep myself safe and I might get someone killed. Revenge is a good idea to keep you going but not to use to defend yourself and others. There will be a lot of noise and fear and shouting and there will be plenty of pain if one of you gets shot. The best thing you can do is aim and shoot from cover. Now, I think surprise is our only option. They have no idea that we are behind them. If they did, they would have hidden their tracks. Mort, where do you want us?"

Mort looked at the men in his posse. The Laramie Defenders were ready and willing. "Are there any trees or rocks for cover, Jess? "

"There's a well-marked trail which we can follow and then we're gonna have to leave the horses and the buggy. We can spread out. There's a hill, pretty steep you have to go up and then down to get to them. We could shoot at them from cover at the bottom of the hill. and then surround the shack. One of us would probably have to get down there and draw them out." Mort nodded and added,

"Men, I know you are all anxious to get 'em so I'm not going to dwell on what we need to do. I'm only going to ask you to try and keep that lady alive. We need to know what the recipe was that they used to mix the tonics and who the fella is that told them that Sam was gone. They have committed crimes, gentlemen. But when you shoot back at them, aim for legs or arms not heads, okay?"

The men nodded, united in solidarity. They would do their duty. They were ready. At least, that's what they told themselves.

"Mort, where do you want us?" Jed asked.

"I want an experienced man with an inexperienced one, so Slim you partner with Frank and go to the right; Jess, you take Mr. Firth with you and head over to the left so you'll be facing Slim; Jed, you take Caleb with you and get around them so that you'll be coming at them from their front; and I'll stay on top of the hill until you are all in place coming at them from their rear. We'll circle the wagons, so to speak. Use trees, rocks, gullies as cover. Make that first bullet count. Watch your steps when you get near the shack. They probably thought they fooled us by leaving our goods back there, so they're not counting on us to have followed them. We'll wait until they come back, get settled and then hit them. Good Luck!"

They rode out, following Jess. When they left the road, they tied up their horses and each man walked single file up the hill. The men were solemn, each girding themselves for the gruesome task ahead. Jess strode down the hill, pointing out the trees and boulders to the men. There was still no sign of the outlaws. An hour passed then two. Just when Slim couldn't stand the suspense any longer he saw Mort gesturing wildly. Slim took his field glasses and adjusted them. "So much for shooting fish in a barrel," he moaned to Frank," now there are four!"

"What!" hissed Frank.

"Somehow, there are two more men down there. Here," he handed the glasses over, " take a look for yourself. "

Frank anchored himself near a boulder and gazed downwards. There were indeed four men roaming around the shack. " How did they get there?" he asked, fearfully.

Slim shook his head in dismay. The odds were getting steeper. The outlaws still didn't seem to notice them yet. He looked in the direction that Jed had gone. They would be walking into more men than they expected. He gestured to Mort, but Mort just shook his head. Slim swallowed hard. It was early morning but sweat had begun to travel down his neck.

The outlaws were having a heated argument. Caleb could hear the heated words and see the angry gestures but had no idea what they were saying. One of the men suddenly barreled into another and threw a punch. Chaos ensued and the men from Laramie watched in grim fascination as the outlaws punched and clawed at each other until the sound of a gun shot stopped them. The shooter stopped the fist fight by dragging one of the men into the shack. The rest of the men filed sheepishly behind him. The flimsy door shut with a bang.

Chapter 13 – You all want to die?

Slim carefully edged himself along the side of the shack, gun in hand. He listened intently, his long frame stiff as a bow. There was hardly any noise from within the shack. It puzzled him. There were four men. Were they all holding their collective breath? He had been in far too many situations like this before, and yet this was different. He had an inexperienced man with him. He had to keep his wits when all he wanted was to charge. "Steady, aim, shoot," he heard his Pa's words in his head. He tightened his grip on his rifle and looked for Jess. Their eyes met and their creed blazed forth, "We stand together or not at all."

Mort watched the men below him as he carefully descended the hill. Too many men had faced a fate like this. He trusted them to do what they pledged to do. He admired them all.

Jed and Caleb sought cover behind a boulder near the front of the shack. Jed's thoughts were of his sister. He knew that Marcie would be protected if something happened to him. Slim was courting her, after all. He checked the bullets in his gun and looked over at Caleb. He seemed awfully nervous.

Caleb wiped his gloved hands together. He wished people were more like horses. Horses were easy to read. He cast his mind back to what Jess had instructed "duck and roll". He could do that.

Frank watched Slim out of the corner of his eye. His throat was dry. At first when this all began, he had seen in his mind's eye, dollars burning, smoke engulfing his saloon. Now, after hearing about the misery caused by Franklin, all he felt was red, hot anger. It was sheer determination that kept him from barging into the shack, guns blazing.

Jess kept seeing Mike's face and Slim's determined one staring at him. Stone cold fury mixed with impatience swirled inside his body. For an instant, he wished that Mr. Firth was back in his hotel. He wanted Slim by his side. He knew that he was being selfishly childish by he couldn't help it. This waiting was gnawing at his back bone. He glanced at the object of his irritability.

Mr. Firth had been initially untouched by Franklin and his quack medicine. His only contact was Miss Simpson who had been a paying guest in the hotel. The morning he had seen all the school children sick had unnerved him and now he knew the reason why. He wanted to wring the necks of Simpson and Franklin but he knew that for all his lofty thoughts, he had no stomach for violence. He had seen a dead body before, although he wouldn't tell anyone. Years ago, when he was a young man, managing his first hotel, a man had died in his sleep. He had found the body. He was ashamed to admit, even to this day, that he had gotten sick. Of all people to be paired with, Jess Harper! He knew that most of the town folk thought of him as a coward but somehow, in the last few hours, he had developed a sense of outrage. He wanted to avenge the children and he was somehow going to share in the destruction of Franklin's gang.

The shack door creaked open. Slim froze, his back against the side of the shack. Suddenly a gun was fired, the blast so loud that Slim's ears began to ring.

"Stop! You're surrounded! You're under arrest!" Mort yelled as a volley of bullets began to fly. Mort fired back and the gun battle began. Mort dropped to his belly and fired at the window. A bullet missed Jed by inches. He fired back but his bullets missed his target. Jess frantically searched for Slim and saw him being pulled over to a boulder by Frank. The large man practically threw Slim behind him as he aimed at the wall beside the window. Bullets splintered the wood and shards broke apart sending them towards the backs of the assailants. There was a howl of pain and then silence.

"Give it up!" yelled Mort. "We can keep this up all day, or do you want to die today?" It was a bluff on his part but they had no way of knowing that. A new volley of bullets whipped towards the defenders and one swung dangerously close to Jess.

"Jess, look out," screamed Firth in a voice he scarcely recognized. He shoved Jess out of the way and rose up, his arm steady. He pulled the trigger towards the outlaw. The bullet hit the outlaw in his stomach. He fell over onto the ground, his gun flying out if his hand.

"We're coming out. Don't shoot!" yelled a voice from inside the shack, moments later.

"Throw out your guns and come out with your hands in the air," Mort shouted.

The guns were hurled and two figures emerged slowly. The shack door was riddled with bullets and swung once and then dropped to the ground. Dust fell everywhere. Mort and Slim reached the outlaws first. One of them was tall with sandy colored hair but the other looked rather familiar. Jess, who had recovered from his unexpected tumble, walked around the shorter outlaw. Suddenly, without warning, he pulled off the person's hat and wig and there in the bright sunshine stood Miss Simpson.

"Mrs. Franklin, I presume, " Jess snarled in disgust.

"What!" exclaimed the posse.

"Yup, "Jess smirked. " Allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Franklin who I dare tell is the mastermind of this little group. Am I right?" he sneered at her.

She eyed them all in disgust. " He was the most obnoxious man. Never could do anything right. I had to kill him. He would have ruined everything. "

Mort had heard enough. He sighed and after tying them up, had the posse gather the evidence they needed, checked them all for wounds and walked up the hill once again. Miraculously, other than skinned knees and Slim's hearing, no one had been injured. Jess grabbed his arm as they ascended the ridge and told him what Firth had done.

"He saved my life, Mort. Ya gotta tell him something!"

Mort nodded and as they all took a collective breath of relief, he motioned to Firth. He looked at the group of men in front of him. " I'm so very proud of all of you. You've defended our town against impossible odds. You should be proud of your efforts. Except for Jess, who sometimes serves as my deputy when I'm out of town, and Slim the rest of you are what the town calls ordinary citizens. But today you became men I would gladly ride with anytime. You really did earn the title Laramie Defender."

Embarrassed, Frank shuffled his feet. "Aw shucks Sheriff, we just did what any other ordinary man would do."

Mort shook his head. "Nope, that's not true. Except for Jess and Slim, you all don't carry a rifle or gun when you pour a beer, saddle a horse, tend to customers or run a hotel. Now, there's one more thing I have to say. Mr. Firth," he motioned to the embarrassed hotel manager," nobody in town will think you're a coward after they hear what you did today. You see fellas," he gestured to the group, "there's a difference between being scared and being a coward. Being scared makes you think before you do something dumb, like run into a shack with your guns blazing like I know you all wanted to do. A coward closes his eyes and pretends he can't help somebody that needs help when he can. He runs away. You saved Jess' life today. Remember that the next time someone tries to tell you off in your hotel. . Your actions helped us all." Mr. Firth blushed as Jess shook his hand.

"Time to go home men." Mort said as he led the group off the hill. He knew that each man would be holding their head up high. Except for Frank, they all got their possessions back and were all, except for Slim, relatively unharmed. He knew Jess would take Slim to see Dr. Sam as soon as he got into town. It was going to be interesting to discover what was in the lemonade and the rest of the tonics. He was determined to find out who tipped off the gang as to Sam being out of town and one final piece of the puzzle what was Mrs. Franklin's real name and was she in fact, the master mind of the gang. He was in for a long night of questioning.

Chapter 14 – The Escape

When Jess and Slim finally made it home, Daisy and Mike greeted them with exuberance. Mike was swung back and forth by both his fathers and Daisy served a celebratory dinner fit for heroes. Slim's hearing gradually returned and ranch chores consumed both of them. They rarely talked about the incident, as they called it, until one day when everything changed.

They each were enjoying a cold beer in Stockman 's on a warm Wednesday afternoon. The saloon was relatively empty. Amos Johnson, sat in the back slowly falling asleep. He was one of Frank's regulars, a mild-mannered older farmer who spent his days trying to farm a worthless piece of dirt and his nights in a boisterous saloon, getting drunk.

Slim tipped his glass and drank slowly. As the cold brew slid down his throat, he heard Jess laugh.

"What?" he wiped his lips with his tongue.

"You're enjoying that beer a bit too much!" grinned Jess as he playfully nudged his best friend.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Slim agreed, grinning back and leaning into the hard packed muscled arm. "We usually don't come in here when it's quiet like this." He looked around the room appreciatively. Frank was behind the bar counting money. Every once in a while they could hear the distinct clang of coins against the metal box. Amos was now slumped over, his head on his arms. The cool darkness had drawn them in away from the blistering heat and their sweaty soaked shirts had dried already. They had come into town to pick up more nails to finish another "little project" for Daisy but now it was time to go.

As Slim contemplated ordering another beer, he saw the bat wings open suddenly. Mort's deputy, Lon stood in the middle of the room. His hands were on his hips and he aimed his plea right between the eyes of Jess and Slim.

"I need help!" he shouted. "Mort needs a posse!"

Slim and Jess looked dumbfounded at him. The only prisoner that they knew of was Mrs. Franklin. Her trial was due to be held in the next few days as Judge Adams was coming in from Colorado.

"What happened? " Frank asked, shutting the box with a snap.

"Mort told me he was going to lunch at Maud's and to look for Carrie or Doc Sam. Mrs. Franklin had complained about woman problems last night and he had sent for the doctor. Well, Carrie came and asked me for some water so I went out to the well. I heard a commotion in the cells and as I entered, I saw Mrs. Franklin push Carrie onto the floor. She rushed out the door. Jess, she had a gun!"

Slim stood up so fast that his hip connected with the wobbly table and the last dredges of beer spilled onto the table top. Jess automatically spun the cartridges of his pistol and Frank lumbered out from behind his bar. Slim was out the door first, followed by Lon. As Jess turned to leave he heard Frank yell, "Wait for me!"

Jess watched in amazement as Frank pleaded with Amos to leave but his words had no effect until he shook the man awake by telling him that the next time he came into the saloon, his beer was free. Jess never saw a drunk move so fast! Together they reached the sidewalk just as Mort rounded the corner towards them.

It seemed like mere minutes before the posse was formed. Mort was astounded. 'There were eight men in front of him, eight men who were eager to help, eight, whoa? ' he counted them again. Frank and Firth in a buggy, Caleb and Jed, Slim and Jess, the dress maker's husband and him. "Tom, you don't have to do this!" he looked over at the newest recruit.

"I do, sheriff. She's on the loose, desperate, fleeing for her life and she's armed!"

Mort quickly nodded, "Let's go men!" and the Laramie Defenders plus one rode out of town. After about a mile, Jess pulled up short and dismounted. He stood, hands on his gun belt and looked around.

"What's up, Jess?" Mort frowned slightly, 'were they going in the wrong direction?' he wondered.

"Anybody think this looks familiar?" he asked the men. Slim stood up in his stirrups and smiled grimly.

"Yup," Slim nodded and looked over at Jed who nodded also. " She's headed for the shack!"

"I don't understand, " Samuel Firth climbed out of the buggy and looked up at Slim. "The shack is gone, right? It burned to the ground, we watched it."

"Yeah," Slim replied, "but as far as we know, the wagon is still there."

Mort could see the questions in each of the men's eyes and he motioned them closer. " Gentlemen, she can't get far if she only has one horse. We've got plenty of daylight left, let's just keep going. When we reach that hill, we'll go up and down it like before. Tom, you follow Jed's lead."

They found the campsite they had made a few weeks before and decided to rest the horses. Jess rode on towards the hill and reported back that Mrs. Franklin was indeed inside the wagon as her horse was tied to it. The shack was a burned out ruin. Mort decided to make camp and rest for the night. They were all tired and hot and he got no argument. As before, Mr. Firth took first watch with Lon being last. Mort was awakened with a hard shake just as the early morning sun started to rise.

"Mort, Tom is gone!"

"What?" Mort scrambled out of his bed roll. "Did you see him go?"

Lon shook his head. "Maybe he got scared?" he spoke softly to his boss.

Mort shook his head. He'd seen this type of behavior before. He really couldn't fault the man. " Well, let's just get on with it. It just makes us one down but we'll be alright. Best wake the others." They broke camp and rode until they reached the hill. Not much had changed so they knew where to walk. Jess slid down the grass covered hillside to take a look around.

"She's arguing with someone! " he reported when he returned.

"That will make it easier;" Mort said, "they won't hear us coming."

They split into pairs before they descended the hill and as quietly as the could surrounded the wagon.

"But I helped you!" The unknown man's voice was desperate. " I got you the gun, I love you, don't you understand that! "

"My plan would have worked, but you were too scared to kill him!" The woman screeched. Jess shivered, the woman's voice struck him like glass shards. 'Iffen he listened much longer, he'd probably have a headache' he thought to himself.

Slim grimaced. He wondered about Tom. ' How much had he told Mrs. Franklin about their town?'

Mort motioned to the men and they all took positions near boulders or trees for cover. "Come on out Mrs. Franklin. You're surrounded. "

A shot rang out in defiance and Mort fired back. A volley of bullets traveled back and forth never hitting anything or anyone. Finally, Tom yelled from inside the wagon, "Don't shoot; I'm coming out!"

A moment later, hands raised, Tom Hansen emerged." Don't shoot me, I'm coming out," he said.

"You'll not get away with anything! " Aggie Franklin screamed as she shot Tom Hansen in the back. Lon and Mort aimed and fired together and all was still. Jess and Caleb dragged the nearly lifeless body away from the wagon. Frank saw movement out of the corner of his eye. "Sheriff," he yelled. "She's getting away!"

"Not again!" yelled Mort in frustration. He turned in the direction she had gone. Suddenly there was a horrendous burst of sound and the Laramie Defenders heard an agonizing scream and saw the explosion rip away everything in its path. Beside him, Slim saw Jess' face crumble and his body sway. He reached for him and grabbed his shoulders. Without saying a word, he supported Jess and laid him back against a tree. Jess was lost in the memory of the fire that killed his family. As the sights and sounds faded away, his eyes fell on his best friend. Slim was crouched in front of him, blocking the sun's rays and the men's curious glances.

"You want some water? " Slim asked softly as his gloved hand squeezed his shoulder in support.

Jess shook his head. "Sorry," he mumbled softly.

Slim supported him as he rose but said nothing. Together they walked over to the men who had gathered around Tom. Mort was kneeling beside him. Jess' questioning look received a firm head shake and after a few more minutes, he straightened. Tom Hansen was dead.

Chapter 15 – Closer to the end

After much discussion, it was determined that Mort and Lon would bring the body of Tom Hansen back to Laramie. While no one wanted to tell Mrs. Hansen that her husband was the one who had told Franklin about Dr. Sam being away and that he had given a gun to Mrs. Franklin, she should be told the truth. Mort, especially did not want to divulge the fact that Tom Hansen had made a dying confession to him that he had known Aggie since ST Louis and had followed her from town to town, eventually taking up residency in Laramie. He had loved her and had believed that her husband had mistreated her. He had gone along on the posse to try and save her. He had not known about the disastrous potions that made people sick. He died while telling Mort what her real name was.

During the discussion, Slim noticed that Jess was missing. He was slightly worried about him and his earlier memory episode. 'It was strange what could trigger his dark memories' thought Slim as he looked for Jess. Not willing to expose the vulnerable side of his Pard, he continued to search discretely for his missing friend. While walking by the wagon, he looked down and saw Jess' boots underneath the wagon.

"Hey, Pard," he called down to Jess," whatcha doing ?"

"If you crouch down, I'll tell you. No need to shout about this."

Intrigued, Slim folded his long legs down and kneeled by the wagon. The last thing he wanted to do was squat with his spurs on. 'Sometimes he hated being so tall.' He thought to himself. "Okay, I'm here now," he spoke softly, what's got you so excited? "

"Remember when I went to bury Mike's parents and found their Bible and the wedding rings and um," Jess paused. He didn't want any listening ears to know about Mike's inheritance. " other things," he finished talking.

Slim nodded and peered into the dark space."Yeah,"he slowly acknowledged.

"Well, I got to wondering what was so important that she would come back here. There had to be money or something important to her to risk it all. And here it is!" he chortled , impressed with himself.

"What is it?" Slim still didn't understand.

"This box, Pard." Jess pushed the heavy box towards Slim. "It's heavy, like a book inside I think."

"Well, let's get you and it out of there; I am not comfortable with you underneath that wagon. It could tip over any time, " he warned.

"You win," Slim could hear the smile in Jess' gravely voice.

"Give me your hand," instructed Slim. He proceeded to pull his friend out from under the wagon. At last Jess was out and as Slim was reaching for Jess' hat, the wagon gave a might roar and fell over on its side like a drunk cowboy. They heard glass breaking but nothing else. Jess clutched the box to his chest and they suddenly became aware of the rest of the posse staring at them.

"What did you find Jess?" Mort asked as he walked closer to the pair.

"This," Jess showed the box to Mort.

"Did you open it?"

Jess shook his head. " Not up to me," he motioned to Lon, "You're the law ."

Mort took the box and noted the heaviness of it. He jiggled it and they all heard the sound of coins. "This could be the money they swindled from townsfolk, " he wondered aloud.

"Why don't we just open it?" Lon asked.

Mort nodded and together they lowered the box to the ground. Lon took the butt of his gun and smashed the lock. The ruined lid opened to reveal a book nestled in a nest of paper money and coins.

"That's a lot of money," Caleb said in awe.

Mort picked up the book and opened it. " Do any if you read French?" he asked.

"Wa, what?" Jed stuttered.

"The first part of this book is written in French and oh, it's not just a book, it's a diary. The back of this diary is in English. This could hold all the answers we seek."

"Seth might know someone," Slim offered.

After a brief discussion, they mounted up, draped Tom Hansen over his horse, and with Mort holding the diary and money, rode back to town. Each man was somber. They had defended their town twice now, but one of them was dead and they still were not any closer to understanding Franklin's motives.

Tom Hanson's funeral was small in attendance. Most of the merchants were there at the cemetery out of respect for his family. Mrs. Hansen, a soft spoken woman and her daughter decided to stay in Laramie despite what her husband had done. They both liked the town and the business was doing well. Mort had turned over the diary to Seth because he had a woman friend who had been raised in a French Catholic Home for Girls. She was almost through with the translation.

The invitation came two weeks later. They were invited to a meeting to review the circumstances of Doctor Franklin's Medicine Scheme and the subsequent deaths of Franklin, an outlaw by the name of Brown and Tom Hansen. The diary had been translated. The loose ends could now be tied up.

The Laramie Defenders including Mr. Botkin, met on a warm Monday night. The only room big enough to hold them all was a storeroom in the hotel. Samuel Firth had offered it to Mort and said he'd clean it up personally. While the room had several large chests filled with linens, there was plenty of room for chairs and one long table. After a long day working on fences, the last thing Jess wanted was to attend a meeting but the issues were important and he wanted to know about the money. Slim, for his part, had wanted a long shower, a good meal and his bed, but he wanted to know what the diary contained and why it was written in a different language so he reluctantly got dressed in his best shirt and trousers. He stopped at a tie. No need to get "duded up" as Jess was fond of saying.

Chapter 16 -Revelation

Mort called the meeting to order. He introduced Judge Adams and Madame Angelique Duboise to the men The Judge was younger than Slim thought he'd be and had a pleasant air about him. Slim's experiences with prior judges except for Judge Allen had been pleasant. Jess was mesmerized listening to the melodious voice of the pretty brown haired woman standing next to Seth. He was instantly smitten and as Seth introduced her, his heart rate sped up. He scarcely felt Slim punch him slightly in his arm. "Jess," he hissed, " pay attention! "

Jess shook himself mentally. Slim was right, like he always was. The answers they sought and fought for were about to be revealed.

"Gentlemen, this diary is written by two women years apart but from the same family. I will read the parts that are important to you. Some of things that are written about are, shall we say, not important like the weather or trips or houses. But first you should know that the title on the cover is Avec mes mots which means In My Own Words. She picked up a paper by the book and began to read:

" On a warm day in April in 1784 in Quebec, Canada, a beautiful baby boy was born. His father was Joseph Larame`e and his mother was Jeanne Monde. They named him Jacques. The new family was very happy. Two years later, Joseph was born and the family was complete. The father was a hard worker and taught his boys the values of kindness and honesty. The boys grew up and went their separate ways traveling far away from Canada. Joseph, however, missed his brother and moved to a territory called Missouri to work for a company called the North West Company. Having learned how to trap and hunt at an early age, Jacques soon became interested in hunting, trading and becoming a full-fledged frontiers man. Jacques was soon very successful. He organized a group of independent trappers who set out in 1815 to find the headwaters of the North Platte River in a western territory.

The brothers traded with many Indians. Every May, the trappers met to exchange pelts which after inspection, were transported to ST Louis. Jacques took care of the distribution and the routes, while Joseph took care of supplies that came into their town from ST Louis.

One evening, when Joseph was out walking, he met a beautiful young woman whose name was Jacqueline. After some time, he courted her and when they got married, Jacques stood up with him. Jacques, who never married, gave his brother some land to build a beautiful new house."

Madame DeBoise paused and asked for some water.

"Gentlemen, this part of the diary was damaged by water so some of the writing is hard to read. Apparently, Jacques went out hunting and trapping along a river around August 1820. Joseph and Jacqueline were away at the time, visiting relatives in Canada and did not know of his brother's disappearance. When they returned from their trip, Joseph left immediately to find his brother leaving his wife and baby in a strange town on the prairie. Although Jacqueline had a hard time while he was gone, he managed to start the business again. And , through his hard work, grew the business and became wealthy. The family suffered through some lost babies but when I was born, Mama said I was a joy to take care of."

"Gentlemen, here is the part written in English.

"My name is Agathe Pelletier but my friends call me Aggie. I live in a big house in a town called ST Louis. Mama says that one day it will be in a state called Missouri. My Mama is very smart and very strong in her faith. She says it's because of what happened to her that makes it so. I hope that when I am older I too will be strong. I am 10 years old. I like to read and play the piano. Mama is trying to teach me how to sew but it so boring. Papa says I should write down what I am feeling instead of saying bad words to mama so I will try and write every day."

"Gentlemen,"Agathe Pelletier did not write every day because the next entry is written five years later."

"I tried to write every day, but my life was the same all the time so I had nothing of interest to say. The reason I am writing now is that if I don't I won't remember and that would make me sad. My beloved Mama is very sick. The doctor told me to sit by her side and let her talk about her life and so I have and the longer she talks the madder I get. Can one be mad at an entire town? Of people I have never met? They should have praised my Grandfather' s brother ( I'm not sure what that relationship is) but He made the place into a town and they forgot about him.

Jacques Larame`e was famous and they forgot about him! I am so mad but I am madder still at what the town did to my mama and her family. I have to go outside to calm down or I will tear the paper to shreds."

"Gentlemen, it appears that Agathe was very upset when she wrote this and the paper is wrinkled and torn but I can make out some of it."

"When my Grandfather, Joseph, went away to look for Jacques in 1820, he left my Mama and her family alone in the territory. At first they had money for food and they lived in a small house but the money dwindled away and as the months went by and her Papa did not return, the family asked for help. At first, they went to the Bank, but the banker would not lend Mama any money. Then the man at the Livery sold their horse to make up the money they owed him. Then, the manager at the general store wouldn't give her any material so she could make clothes for her children. Mama remembered collecting eggs for the store for pennies. The children called them names. Finally, Mama's Mama began to sew clothes for the rich people in town and washed their laundry. Finally Mama's Papa returned and then the family moved to ST Louis to the big house where we now live."

"The diary is blank for several pages and picks up again after her Mama's death and her wedding. "

"I am getting married. My husband to be is Henry Franklin. We met at a party. He is very handsome and dresses nicely. Even though he isn't a real doctor, he can make up medicine for the doctors we know, so we will be alright. Papa is not happy but I can not live like this any longer."

"Gentlemen, the next entry is written when Agathe meets a Hansen. "Mr. Hansen says he comes from money and has a successful ranch. He has swept me off my feet. I have to hide my feelings from Henry and plan how to be together with Tom."

Jess, had been listening intensely and suddenly pulled Slim's arm. "That's what brought her to Laramie!" he said.

But Slim shook his head. He looked around the room at the shocked men. ""Agathe Franklin didn't come to Laramie to find love with Tom Hansen, she came to destroy our town because of what happened to her mother! "

The air was suddenly sucked out of the room as the realization of the truth of the scheme came to light. Before they errupted , Mort stood among them and loudly exclaimed, "Enough! Madame Duboise is not finished. Gentlemen, where are your manners?" he thundered.

Sheepishly, they all quieted down and Mort nodded to Madame Duboise to continue.

"What follows, Gentlemen, is her plan to, as you say, destroy Laramie. She asked Tom to hire some men to help her. They would break open the Bank's safe. Then they would rob the Livery, the General Store and the Saloon. She had her husband mix up a potion to get the children and the people sick so that there wouldn't be people in town, and the plan was to set fire to the town but some of Hansen's friends got greedy and when they couldn't rob the bank, her plan fell apart. She never loved Tom Hansen, she just used him. Her last entry was written the night before you tried to capture her. She wrote: "They may have called the town after us but they all must die!"

Chapter 17 – Aftermath of a Nightmare

He was rooted to the spot and the fire's heat was suffocating him. He tried to move but he was stuck. He could hear branches cracking, falling to the ground. Smoke was everywhere and everything he thought he knew was disappearing in clouds of thick smoky fog. He was doomed. He was shivering despite the searing heat and he felt his boots melting. All around him, the leaves danced in the glowing orange and red embers and then he heard a voice calling out his name. It seemed far away and then it grew closer, rising in its intensity. He wanted to tell the person to leave him. ' Don't save me, I'm dying' he struggled to shout, but his throat was burning. And then he opened his eyes and saw a hand coming towards him through the thick dark smoke, he heard " I'm here. Don't be afraid. Grab my hand." He didn't have a choice so he reached out and suddenly he heard his partner say his name, softly in his ear, "I'm here, don't be afraid. We'll get through it together."

And Slim cried in relief.

He woke slowly, in the early morning light. Usually an early riser, he was surprised to see Jess' bed already made and the smell of breakfast coming through the door. As he shook himself awake, he was aware of his rumpled blankets and damp long johns. 'Darn it!,' he thought to himself, 'I had that dream again!'

"Morning, Slim," Jess appeared in the doorway holding two cups of coffee. " Thought I'd let you sleep in this morning, you had a busy night of sawing logs." He offered him the cup.

Slim grimaced. " I had that dream again," he looked over at Jess, wondering what his reaction was going to be.

"Yup." Jess sat down on the edge of his bed and faced his best friend.

"Did I wake you?"

Tempted to say 'no', Jess just nodded but hastily added, " it wasn't too bad, this time."

"I'm sorry, Jess."

Jess reached out his hand and caught Slim's arm. "Don't be. Nothing to be sorry for, Pard. How many times have you helped me?"

"Still, I" Slim started to say but Jess shot him a look.

" Look, that experience with Aggie and the fire was real bad and the way she died was worse but neither one of us could have prevented it. We had to stop her from hurting anyone else." He rose from his bed. "If you want to talk about it, you know where to find me." He walked out of the bedroom towards the table.

'It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about it, it was just that life seemed to go on as usual' thought Samuel Firth as he stoked the fire in the lobby of his hotel. Every time he came near fire he saw the explosion and couldn't think straight. He thought maybe he was going crazy.

He was becoming more agitated every day, thinking that his cash box was going to be robbed or that he wasn't safe even in his saloon. 'I have nothing to fear,' Frank told himself every morning when he shaved,' but nothing seemed to work.

He had trouble getting to sleep but he didn't want to take the sleeping potion that Dr. Sam offered him. 'I just wasn't used to seeing flames like that,' Caleb reminded himself every morning when he groomed the horses.

"Jess, they all need you, not just Slim," Mort implored Jess one Thursday. Jess had come to town to fetch Mike home and had stopped for coffee as he was several minutes early. When asked how Slim was coping, he had acknowledged that his best friend was having trouble sleeping. He was shocked to discover that Firth, Frank and Caleb had been having dreams too. Although not willing to expose his own past and Slim's current state of mind, he wrestled with the fact that none of them had seen fire up close and personal like him and how he had suffered for years with night dreams. The only one who had listened and helped him through them all was Slim.

"Just think about it," Mort said.

Jess struggled with the knowledge that the Laramie Defenders were having dreams and trouble getting through their days. It was easier with Slim as they were like brothers and lived together. They shared many life experiences and knew instinctively how each other would react and feel . Although it had only been a few weeks since the explosion, Slim's night dreams had almost stopped. But what about the others, he wondered. He knew he wasn't doing anything special to help Slim, but still the rest of the posse were just ordinary men, shop keepers who saw something horrendous. He needed to help them too.

Mind made up, he suggested to Slim and Mort that they invite the rest of the Defenders to a dinner at the ranch. Daisy cooked up a real fine meal and then took Mike to visit their nearest neighbor. Slim had no idea what the real purpose for the dinner was and Jess was determined not to tell him.

After pleasantries were exchanged and the meal eaten, the topic of conversation was about Aggie and the fire. Slim got up from his seat and walked to the fireplace. He leaned against the mantle and courageously told his friends that he had been having night dreams. Jess was astounded that Slim was so open about his dilemma. Little by little, the rest of the men began to share their experiences too.

"Jess, why don't you share how you conquered your night dreams?" Mort suggested.

Slim watched as Jess rose from the table. Their eyes met and held in mutual support. Jess told the men about the Bannisters and the fire that took his family. When he finished speaking, no one said a word.

Finally, Frank asked aloud, "you were so young, Jess, what did you do when the dreams came?"

Jess stood and looked out the window for a long time remembering his time on the drift. " I spent a great deal of time searching for them. I ate, slept and thought of revenge ever day. I wanted to drive the feelings from my soul and finally I found someone to take the place of all that revenge. It was Slim and his family that became my family. But I was still suffering from night dreams."

'Now I am coming to it' he thought as his eyes sought his own personal savior. Slim swallowed hard. He was so proud of his best friend; how far he'd come; how deep the stakes were and how willing he was to bare his heart to them.

" When I first came here, I kept everything hidden. Some of you thought I was a gunslinger, but I never was. I just wanted a place to hang my hat and thought that I'd do it for a couple of months but as the months turned to years and Andy grew up and went away to school and Mike and Daisy came, well you could say my traveling days were over. The Big Open didn't have a hold over me. The only thing that still could grip me was the Banisters and what they had done to my family, to me." He took a breath and seeing the look of brotherly love in Slim's eyes, continued, his voice taking on more of his Texan drawl as he spoke.

"In the beginning, I used to have night dreams a lot and woke Slim up. Although he never mentioned it. And, you should know, I usually didn't remember the dreams the next morning. However, when I was sick or hurt or worried about something, that's when I had the dreams again. Now, what happened to me might not happen for you but this worked. Slim and me, we talked about how I felt when I saw the devastating results of the fire. Slim made me talk about how I wanted to kill the Banisters for taking away my family and my life. When I cried, he consoled me. He never, ever, walked away even if he was exhausted or it was the middle of the night. His support and caring is what got me through it. " Jess took a deep breath and closed his eyes against the strong emotion that swirled around him.

"I don't know who you all have in your life to console you, but you need to find that person and tell them how you are feeling. I can guarantee you, that if you tell your story, even if it's to Doctor Sam or the preacher or even me, that you'll feel better. We all saw what Aggie did and what happened to her. We can't forget about it or change any of it. We can't find out what made her decide to poison our children because she is not alive. But you need to forget about revenge. All you do, is feel angry and get bitter and if you're looking for a friend, you might not find him. I decided to stop, if I could, and I found a new family and a new home and a man who listened without judgement and cared about me anyway. "

The silence was deafening until one by one, the Laramie Defenders rose to thank the man who would lead them out of depression and into the land of the living. They would meet again to express their feelings and continue to help defend their town and in the dark of night, each give thanks to Jess Harper who saw their needs and showed them the way home.

"You ever think of becoming a lawyer, Jess?" Slim asked as they got ready for bed later that night.

"Nah, " grunted Jess, "I gotta do so many other things with my life. Sides," he paused and looked solemnly over at his friend/brother," iffen we're gonna help Mike grow and survive our old age, I gotta keep on doing what I do best."

"Which is?" asked Slim dryly.

" Takin' care of my best Pard.," Their twin blues met and held. Their bond was stronger than ever and they knew that although some folks might try, a bitter resentful woman and a quacky doctor would never get the best of Laramie and its town folks again. After all, there was a band of defenders now and law enforcement would never be the same again.

"