12

A/N: Hello. I am sorry about the wait between chapters. I try to write long ones, and it takes some time for me to plot it well. I hope you can be patient. I really like writing this story. Sheila

Chapter 4

Doc hammered on the Gunsmith door for the fifth time before he could see movement inside. Festus used to joke that Newly was a sleeper. He said he once had to throw water on the younger man to get him up when they were on the trail. Hair stuck up on his head when Newly answered the door, as he struggled to keep one eye open at a time. There was some stirring behind him, and Doc thought he saw Louie on the Gunsmith store floor.

"Is that Louie on the floor?"

Newly turned his head around and regarded Louie while he considered the question. "Yeah. He was out of heating oil and it's cold. The mercantile was closed."

"Louie, you still sober? How you doing?"

Louie sat up. "I got the shakes but I'm hanging in there, Doc."

Newly squinted at Doc. "Is that why you're here? It's gotta be midnight."

"No, it's not why I'm here," Doc said as he pushed by Newly. "Where's your lamp?"

Newly stumbled through the dark and came up with an oil lamp. One match, and a soft light lit the small store. "What's going on?"

"Barney got a wire an hour ago for me." Doc stepped around Louie.

"Barney doesn't read the wire after 6 p.m," Newly said, his sleepy words running together.

"I know, but Ol' Barney is a gossip and he couldn't resist the potential news in a wire coming in so late. The telegraph is right next to his bedroom."

"What is it? Is it from the Marshal?"

"You tell me, Newly. I'm going to read this thing and you tell me what you think." Doc took the wire and stood it against the lamp. "It says, "Dear Galen, I wanted to let you know that the land you looked at is finally available. It's going at a good price and I want you to get a bid in. Please take the stage out of Dodge at 6 a.m. headed toward Denver. Get off at the waystation outside of Middleville come 10 p.m. tomorrow night. John Henry will meet you and bring you in. Regards, Mr. Russell."

Doc handed it to Newly. "What do you think of that?"

He shook his head. "It's clearly from the Marshal."

Doc nodded. "But he doesn't want anyone to know it's from him nor does he wanted anyone to know that it's me coming to meet him."

Newly sighed. "Something about it, I just don't like. I don't like the idea of you going alone."

"Nothing in this says I should be bringing anyone along."

"Nevertheless, I should go with you."

"Not a chance, Newly, and you know it. That farm killer is still out there. You can't just leave the area while that threat exists."

"You tell Miss Kitty?"

"Are you kidding? She would be on that stage with me no matter what I said. Do you see anything in this coded message about me needing to bring a woman?"

"No, but it's an odd message. Why would the Marshal need to use this kind of cover? I don't get it."

"It has something to do with Festus. I'm sure of it." Doc said, rubbing his mustache.

"You think there's something to hope for?"

Doc shook his head. "I can't invest in that, and I don't recommend that you do either."

"Yeah. You're right," Newly said softly.

Doc turned on Louie. "I wish you'd let me give you something for those shakes, Louie."

He shook his head. "Sorry, Doc. I want to do this on my own."

"Festus wouldn't want you to struggle. He liked you just fine the way you were."

"I know what I'm doing, Doc," Louie said as he lay down and pulled the thin, wool blanket over him.

Doc looked at Newly. "Well, I would tell you to watch over him, but you already got that covered. I gotta' go get packed for this trip."

Doc headed for the door and Newly called after him. "Hey Doc, we're going to be sitting on pins and needles, ya' know. Let us know what's going on, okay."

Doc nodded. "You keep on eye on Kitty for me. She needs a good friend right now."

….

Matt's eyes opened early morning to the sounds of bare feet patting on raw lumber. He blinked as the tiny Maggie roused her little sisters and then returned to a stove that dwarfed her. He turned to Festus and checked the man's forehead. He was still fevering, and it worried Dillon. An infection could take Festus even if Doc could get there in time. Festus felt the contact and started to stir. Matt patted his check. "Just rest, Festus. Everything is looking good. Just rest, old friend."

Matt sat up, his muscles complaining every inch. The girls, with the exception of Maggie, scurried into a corner and watched him carefully. Matt sighed. His size made him both a fascination for children as well as a caution. They weren't quite sure what to do with the giant in front of them. Matt rose and smiled at Maggie, "What are you making for breakfast?"

She looked up. "Just some cornpone and side meat. I was thinking the cornpone might be good for Mr. Festus. Easy to chew."

"That's a good idea, Maggie. Where are your brothers?"

"They're outside working on the plow." She went back to stirring corn mash at the stove with a spoon that was about the length of her arm. It rankled him that she could barely reach the top of the pot. None of these children were going to school, and while Matt could appreciate that they were trying to keep their family intact, it bothered him that there was no more room for childhood in this house. Even the wee one was trying to help with chores.

He stashed his bedding and grabbed his boots. Outside, there was already a bucket of water ready for washing. The sun was rising, the wind was warm, and his good friend, Festus, was alive. Yet, Matthew felt like this town was just beginning to unveil its meanness.

He watched the two boys struggle with the plow. It was an old machine that was probably holding together from a combination of wire and rubber bands alone. There seemed to be a crack in the blade, and Matt suspected that no amount of fiddling was going to help that plow move more than a couple of furrows. He stepped forward. "Boys, I think that plow's done the last lick of work it's going to do."

John Henry shook his head and kicked the plow. Louis winced. "John Henry, you know the sheriff offered to lend his plow to you. It's a darn sight better than this 'un."

"I ain't taking help from him. He wants to take you and the girls and put you in care and I'm not having it." John Henry took another swipe at the plow.

"John Henry, I got nothing but admiration for what you and your siblings are doing here, and the sheriff must have some faith in you because he's giving you this chance. I think you should take his offer. This old plow isn't fixable." Matt put his hat on his wet head.

"He could use it agin us," John Henry protested.

"I don't think he will. Besides, I don't see that you got a choice."

Louis nodded. "I agree with the Marshal, John Henry. The sheriff has been good to us."

"Looks like you need that plow," said Sheriff Dixon riding into the yard.

John Henry looked down, and Matt could see him struggling in his response.

"Accepting help is a sign of maturity," Matt offered.

The boy looked up at the Sheriff. "You see it that way?"

"I do. Go into town and tell Rip to pull that old plow. It's yours for as long as you need."

"This don't mean nothing toward your evaluating me, does it?" John Henry gave the Sheriff a sideways glance.

"It means to me that you know how to reach out when nothing else makes sense."

Done with the boy's suspicions, Sheriff Dixon turned to Dillon. "How's your deputy?"

"Still fevering. Tell me you got that wire off last night."

"Woke up the operator at midnight and stayed until he got through."

"Thanks."

"We riding for the farm killer today?"

Matt shook his head. "Not until I know that Festus is safe.

"Stevens doesn't know he's here."

"I want Doc to get here first."

"You sure? We don't want to get too far behind this monster."

"I know. I thought about it all night, frankly. The truth is that I need Doc to get here before I'm ready to chase that killer. It goes against my responsibilities. I know that. But I got this feeling of dread and I'll be distracted if he isn't good hands before we go after him."

"The deputy must be a friend of yours?"

"Yeah. A good friend. He's the kind that would never leave me if I was in a fix."

"I see. What about these kids?"

Matt pushed his hat back and stared out into the horizon. "If I left this house, and that killer came, I'm not sure I could ever forgive myself."

"Well, you can't hide out here forever."

Matt nodded. "Let's just wait until Doc gets here."

…

Festus felt the littlest one leaning against his arm. He opened an eye and found her leaning against him, playing with the thread worn doll. The pressure of her weight hurt him, but he didn't want to scare her off. These girl creatures seemed delicate and with the losses they had, he figured they needed a man who was kind.

"He's awake!" Pammy cried, pointing a tiny finger in his direction.

Festus blinked as four girls rushed him.

"Be careful," Maggie squealed. "He's very sick."

The girls stopped short of climbing on top of him. Sissy peered down at him. "Do you want to sit in the chair today?"

Festus shook his head slowly. "I don't think I am up to all that today, lil' Sissy."

Maggie looked down at his face. "You're flushed, Mr. Festus. Are you having a fever today?"

"I don't know, Darlin'."

"I'm making cornpone for you. Are you hungry?"

Festus stirred. "Golly Bill. Usually, I'm hungry all the time. But today, I don't think I can. My belly ain't sending me good signals."

"Well, you're going to eat anyway," Matt stepped back into the house. "You need fuel to fight that fever."

"Matthew," Festus raised his head. "Doc here yet?"

"I'm going to go get him tonight. We should be back about daybreak." Matt settled carefully into the old rocking chair.

Maggie came in with a bowl of cornpone. "Girls, you feed him slow and careful, you hear?"

The girls settled around Festus' head and started pulling pieces of the cornpone out of the bowl.

Festus stiffened. "Now you be careful, young'uns. Just feed me a lil' bit at a time, please."

…..

"For my own good! Did you just say that, Newly O'Brien?" Kitty's eyes flashed as she turned her red curls away from him.

Newly looked to Sam for help, but the tall man just returned a dead stare. Newly wished he'd gone with Doc.

She turned to him, holding the letter up. "It says he signed it as Russell. That suggests to me that I should've gone with Doc!"

"Doc thought differently, Miss Kitty," Newly said.

"Well, it stinks!"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am."

Sam leaned over the bar to Newly. "Calling her ma'am doesn't help, Newly."

"What does this letter mean?" Kitty said, waving it at Newly.

"I don't rightly know, Ma'am."

"Quit calling me Ma'am!"

"Um, Miss Kitty, I think there are many ways to read that letter, but it was addressed to Doc and it made sense for him to go."

She glared at him, hands on her hips, for a long moment. "You said he would wire?"

"As soon as he knew anything."

"You all are guilty of thinking women are of no account."

Newly took in breath. "That's a pretty big accusation, Miss Kitty."

"The moment you prove me wrong I'm ready to apologize." She grabbed her books and headed for her office.

Newly sighed and sunk into the barstool. "That was rough."

"Yeah," Sam leaned over the bar. "I feel bad for her."

"What about me? I had to carry the weight of other's decisions."

"She's been powerful sad, Newly. She could use a distraction."

"Yeah well, Sam, I gotta feeling that whatever is going on in Middleview is a sight more serious than a distraction."

…..

"Why aren't you moving faster?" Doc said as he clung to the rail of a buckboard. The horses were straining at the end of the reins. Along the horizon was the first sign of the day breaking.

Matt urged the horses faster. "We're almost there."

"I can't believe this. They hanged the wrong man. And our Festus is sitting in a house full of children fevering from an infected gunshot wound because he got bushwacked. And then, there is crooked rancher named Stevens who was the one to hang fake Festus. Is that the pile of facts you want me to swallow?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Yup. That's what I've been telling you for the last 25 miles."

"He's been alive this whole time?"

"And I wired you as soon as I knew."

"I should've come with you from the beginning."

"Well Doc, who would've imagined…" Matt steered the team into the farmyard.

"Whoa! Whoa! Let me down!"

"We still have another 200 yards, Doc. Settle down."

"Let me off! Let me off!"

Matt sighed and brought the team to a halt. Doc hoped down, retrieved his bag, and set off for the house. Doc had been barking impatiently at him from the moment Matt told him Festus was alive. When they got stuck in the creek for half an hour, Matt was sure the old man would have a heart attack as he stomped up and down the creek shore yelling about the importance of getting to the farm quickly. Matt tuned him out as he worked to get the wagon out of the hole.

Matt got to the house with the team at about the same time as Doc. Doc headed straight into the house as if he'd owned it the last fifty years. Almost immediately, cries sounded from within. Matt abandoned the team and headed for the house. He entered to find Maggie holding off Doc with a shotgun that was easily as tall as she was. The three little girls were clinging to Festus and caterwauling about family farm killers.

"Maggie, it's okay. This is Doc Adams. He's come to treat Mr. Festus."

"You sure, Marshal?" The shotgun was quivering in her small arms.

"It's okay," he said as he reached over and pushed the shotgun to the ceiling, sliding his arm down until he could pull it from Maggie's hands. "Good job, Maggie. I can see that the girls are well cared for with you around."

She beamed and he knew he'd delivered the most potent of compliments to a girl who wanted nothing more than to prove she was capable in the home.

Doc brushed past and glared at the little girls draped around Festus. He turned to Matt. "This will not do, Matt. Not at all. We want him to live, don't we?"

Matt leaned over Doc. "We do, but they have cared for him for three days. We have to show a little respect. This is Maggie. Communicate with her, and everything should be fine."

Doc took a breath and turned to the little girl, kneeling down. "I'm a friend of Mr. Festus. A good friend. I'm also a doctor, and I am probably the only man in Kansas that can save him right now. Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"I know you and your sisters have nursed him for a good while. Now, it's time for me to take over. Okay?"

"Can we still help, Mr. Doctor?"

"Yes," he said, patting her cheek. "I understand you are very good at feeding him. What I need now is to have access to him. Can you get the little ones off him?"

She went over and gathered the girls into her thin skirts. Doc moved past them and knelt in front of Festus. "Hey Festus, can you hear me?"

Festus groaned and moved his head, but his eyes didn't open. Doc looked at the wound, touching it softly, but any touch was too much. Festus' eyes opened and he howled his discontent. The blinking eyes surveyed the room and settled on Doc. "Is it you, Doc? Can you help me?"

"It's me." Doc patted his face. "Festus, old boy, I think we're going to have to do a little surgery. We have to get that bullet out."

"I know." Festus' eyes were tearing. "Doc, I don't figure I'm going to make it. The infection has been in there too long. I know you gotta' try but surgery ain't going to help. Can you tell everyone what they meant to me? I figure you, more than anyone, knows what I feel for folks."

Doc shook his head. "I can't go into surgery with you thinking you're a goner. That's no good. You're going to have to tell all these good folks your feelings all by yourself. I won't have it any other way."

"Why, you ol' scudder! I knew you were going to be ornery. You always are." Festus' parched voice could only manage a growl.

"Yeah, I am ornery. And you are going to be okay. I'm going to make sure you walk out of this house. You hear me?"

Festus smiled out of a corner of his mouth. "I hear you, you old scudder. You always gotta' show off, don't ya?"

"You bet I do. Now, you listen up. I need you to be a fighter for this surgery. Can you do that for me?"

Festus swallowed and nodded. "Sure is good to see you…"

"You rest, old friend. In a couple of days, we'll scare up a checker board and show these little girls what a good game looks like."

Festus' eyes closed and his head rolled away from Doc. Doc squeezed his good shoulder and turned to Matt. "I know you haven't slept, but I need you to assist."

Matt nodded and took off his hat. "I'm ready."

…

Tom Stevens dropped his hat on the longboard in the entry and headed for the parlor. Pa was there drinking bourbon. One of the best things about being a Stevens was having a Pa that brought fine Kentucky bourbon across the plains for the Stevens family only. He took a tumbler from his Pa and poured two fingers. He liked acting the way genteel families might act in the East. He sat down and took a long draw of the bourbon. "Hey Pa, I heard from Monte at the Telegraph that ol' Dixon sent a wire out at midnight a couple of nights ago. I brought a copy of it out with me."

He reached over and handed it to Jack Stevens. Stevens looked it over and said, "He's up to something. I don't know what, but he's a shifty one."

"It's that Marshal, I bet. I'm sure he wants to void that deputy hanging we had to do."

"It's not going to happen, Tom."

"I know. We had to do it to protect Andy."

Jack turned his head sharply. "We did it so we could stop the farm family killer."

"Pa, I know that Andy is the farm family killer. I've known it since he disappeared three months ago. I've always known that my brother was dangerous."

"You're wrong, Tom. Andy is a good person, not a crazed killer."

"If he's so innocent, why have you had two parties of hands out looking for him this whole time. You know what he's capable of. That's why you sent him out East. You didn't want him torturing the farm animals anymore. Then there were those weird murders in Philadelphia. And suddenly, Andy is back with us again. You can't keep lying to me, Pa."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Jack said, peering at the wire again. "I think the John Henry they reference in here is John Henry Tompkins."

"The kid that's trying to keep his family together? They live under the bluff at Miners Creek., don't they?"

"Tomorrow, why don't you ride over there and see what's going on? Particularly, I'm wondering about Marshal Dillon being there. See what you can find out."

"I'm not done talking about Andy, Pa."

"Well, you're done tonight." Jack picked up the newspaper and disappeared into its depth.

….

A boy came riding into Dodge City late in the afternoon. He was winded and dropped off his mount, standing at the side trying to regain his breath. Townsfolk started to mill around him, silently watching him recover.

Burke knocked on Newly's door and gestured to him when Newly looked out the window. Newly locked the door of his store and came running. The crowd parted and let Newly through. He reached the boy and patted him on the back. "Take your time, Son. We're here to help."

"Farm killer…our ranch…my family…"

Sound rose up in the crowd around them. Newly grabbed the boy around the arm and herded him into the Marshal's office and shut the door behind them. "What are you saying, boy? Did the killer come to your place? What happened to your family?"

Louie got up from the chair at the desk. "I was just coming to get you, Newly."

Newly looked up. "Go get him some water, Louie."

Louie rounded the desk and went out the door. Newly knelt next to the kid. "Tell me what happened."

The boy was heaving emotion. "The killer came this morning…He got Dad, but Joe was up in the hay loft and he pegged the killer in the side with Dad's pistol…Killer took off to the north…he's wounded for sure…Dad is wounded bad…Can Doc come?"

"What's your name?"

"I'm Cody."

"Doc's out of town, but I think I can help. I've done some doctoring. You and I will go out, tend to your Pa, and then I'll track him."

Louie came back. Newly looked at him. "Louie, I need my horse and the saddlebags I keep at my store. Plus, we need a fresh horse for Cody. Also, I need the medical bag that Doc got for me. I want to be ready to go in ten."

Louie nodded. "You want me to watch the jail?"

"Yeah. You'll be working for Burke."

"He doesn't like me."

"I'll tell him to behave. Now, help me get ready."

Louie ran out again.

"Let's get some water in you and some jerky. We're going to have to ride again. Can you do that?"

The boy nodded and Newly went off in search of Burke.

…

TBC