Chapter 5

"Well, if you can't tell me your name, tell me where you're from," the woman requested.

Once again Newly could only stare blankly. He couldn't give an answer. "Okay, how did you fall off your horse?' No answer. "Look, what I'm getting at is are ya wanted?"

Newly was trying his best to answer. "I don't know."

"You don't remember how you fell off your horse?" the woman asked.

"No," said Newly, the only answer he could give.

"You don't remember none of nothing?" the woman asked, not quite believing what was going on.

"I guess not," replied Newly.

"Wow, I've heard of this before, but didn't really believe it. Ya don't recollect anything. It's like they put you in a box and raised the lid in another time."

"I'm sorry to have bothered you, ma'am. I'll be leaving," said Newly as he tried to get up to leave.

"If you try leaving, you'll have to crawl. You also injured your right ankle. It's mighty swollen. You don't remember that either?"

"No ma'am." Newly's mind was a blank piece of paper.

"My name's Mike," said the woman.

"Mike?" Newly questioned.

"I was supposed to be a boy. Mom wanted Peggy, but my stubborn dad wanted Mike, so Mike it is. I'm going to call you Dan 'cause Daniel came into the lion's den and that's what you'll be in if you take advantage of the situation you're in. Now drink that."

"Yes ma'am," said Newly as he took the mug of alcohol juice and liver soup she had given him. "How did you get me here?"

"Your horse came galloping onto my ranch. My dog Sutler and I did some backtracking and we found you. Gotcha on my horse…"

"You got me on a horse?" Newly interrupted?

"You were some help, but it probably would've been easier to push a grizzly over the rafters. Drink that," said Mike

"Yes, ma'am," said Newly, taking a drink from the mug.

"It's Mike, not ma'am," said Mike with authority in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am. I mean Mike," Newly corrected himself. "You know I may not remember who I am or where I came from, but I know I've never known anyone named Mike that looks as good as you do."

"I should've never picked you up, never," said Mike questioning the choice she made.

Two weeks had passed with no signs of Newly. Matt, Kitty, and Doc were sitting around a table in the Long Branch, when Festus walked in. The look on his face said it all. He was extremely worried about his friend. He would go to the telegraph multiple times a day to see if any wires came through.

"Anything?' Kitty asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, Miss Kitty."

"Matt, I'm really worried. He's been gone for two weeks," said Kitty, angst in her voice.

"Kitty, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried," said Matt as he put his hand over hers.

"Then we should go out searching for him," said Festus, not thinking logically.

"Where would you go? You can't just go traipsing around the prairie," said Doc. He was thinking logically.

"Doc's right. We have no leads to follow. If we head west, he could be east. If we head east, he could be west," said Matt. "Newly is self-reliant. I have faith that he'll be back."

While Newly's friends were worrying about him in Dodge, Newly seemed to be starting a new life in Arizona. One early morning he was out in Mike's yard chopping wood. Mike had been asleep in her bedroom, when she heard the noise. She got out of bed and looked out the window to find the source of the noise. When she did, she saw Matt chopping wood. She put on her robe and walked outside.

"Just what do ya think you're doing?" Mike asked. She still had that no nonsense sound in her voice.

"Good morning," said Newly. He stopped chopping the wood.

"I asked you a question."

"I've been here for a week. I figured it's high time I started earning my keep," said Newly.

"What makes you think I plan on keeping you?" asked Mike.

"Just a figure of speech, ma'am uh Mike. I'm sure I've been enough of a burden on you. I'll be leaving in the morning."

Leaving? You can barely walk. How do ya expect to ride on out of here. I'll tell you when you're a burden and when you're fit enough to ride on out. Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes. I won't be calling you again," said Mike as she walked back into the house. Newly could only look at her with amusement.

Matt, Kitty, Doc, and Festus were apprehensive in Dodge, Newly was starting a new life in the Arizona Territory, and Les Dean was wandering about in the desert on his horse. He was singing to himself and talking to his horse, when he realized he had happened upon Hasty Starcourt's land.

"Swift," he said to his horse. "It seems as though we've trespassed onto Starcourt's land. He's one rich, selfish man. I swear he can't tell his heart from his rear end. Nevertheless, maybe he'll give us a place to roost. Daddy used to say opposites attract. He's rich. I'm poor."

Hasty Starcourt had been talking to Judge Cordelius. He was trying to convince the judge to give him Mike Yardner's land, but the judge told Starcourt he just couldn't give him the land. Judge Cordelius told Starcourt that he had respect for the way Mike Yardner was taking care of the ranch on her own.

Knowing the judge was going to be of no help, Starcourt decided to take matters in his own hands. He heard a commotion up in the front of his house and went to investigate. When he arrived, one of his helping hands was on the ground and a stranger a longarm.

"What's going on here?" another one of Starcourt's helping hands demanded.

"This stranger here just came up with his horse and without asking let him drink," answered the man on the ground.

"I didn't mean to cause any trouble, Starcourt," said Les.

"It's Mr. Starcourt. Now water your horse and get out of here," said the helping hand who had previously asked what was going on.

"Hold on, Monte," said Starcourt. "Where are ya from? What's your name?"

"Right now I'm Lester Dean. I'm from no place particular. I just go where the spirit takes me."

"What can you do?" asked Starcourt.

"Anything I set my mind to," Les answered.

Starcourt looked at the gun Les was holding. "Any good with that gun?"

Les didn't answer with words, but with action. Starcourt liked what he saw. He told his helping hands to leave, so he could talk to Les. He wanted to hire him to get rid of Mike Yardner. He would pay him two hundred dollars to do so. Les thought about it. He really wasn't a killer. But he was poor, and two hundred dollars was very tempting. He cheated at poker to try to earn some money, and that didn't work. Not being able to resist the temptation, Les accepted the job and rode off to Mike's ranch.

TBC