Sorry this chapter has taken so long it took some time to puzzle out how to work Buck into the story apart from when Matt rides to Professor Bone's camp and the Stooler farm.
Buck stood at the water trough he raised his head from taking a cool drink his ears pricked as he heard the banjo playing. His ears went flat back on his head he did not like that music. He liked hearing the guitar that had a much softer sound he'd once heard a cattle drover in one of the camps playing it. Chester had asked him about it the young man had said it was a tune written by someone called Vivaldi from Europe. Whatever it was it had still sounded better than the banjo being played by Wellington who Buck remembered was the companion of a man called Lute Bone who ran a medicine show Buck didn't know what to make of it. Bob came to take a cool drink his ears too reflected what he thought of the noise.
"For the life of me I can't see what they see in that racket. Honky-tonk pianos I've got used to. I don't think I could ever get used to a banjo."
"You would if you heard enough of it. Personally, I'd like to trample it into the ground. I just bet Chester is enjoying it."
Moss's old horse was shaking his head a lot his ears flicking back and forth.
"What's the matter Ned?"
"Oh it's that dad-blasted music it hurts my ears."
Chester brought Doc's buggy to the stable. Buck's ears pricked seeing the heifer tied on the back.
"What on earth? Where did Doc get the heifer Tom?"
"That immigrant family north of here the Ringles'. My human is treating their baby for something he called Bronchial Pneumonia. They followed his orders but then they got some of that swill Lute Bone is selling and gave her that too. She nearly died couldn't breathe properly. He told your human that he was fed up of getting paid in livestock or vegetables while that Professor gets all the hard cash."
Buck nodded sagely it would be just like Doc to react like that he could be such a grumpy Gus at times.
"Did I hear that old fool Lute Bone announce that Chester had been cured by his medicine?" Bob asked.
"Hah you know what Chester's like he imagines himself ill every time someone comes down with even the most minor illness. He usually says he'll have to be spoon-fed for a whole month. As if they'd have the time or patience to do that," Ned said scowling at the thought that Chester was so gullible.
"Your Human, Buck, told him to get down from the wagon. They were about to go into the office when Hank Stooler asked Professor Bone if that stuff would help his father. The professor said it would but Hank said his father had a hate against taking medicine. Professor Bone said he'd be happy to explain the curative to Hank's father. Doc got real mad at that. Hank's father is flat on his back because Doc told him to stay there because he was worn out and he has a bad heart.
"When they did go in the office I could see through the window Doc was examining Chester thoroughly. Chester said he'd made a deal with Professor Bone. The professor paid him $2 a day and all the medicine he could drink free if he in turn gave him his honest testimonial. Doc said he was going to test the rest of what was in the bottle he got from the Ringles and if what he suspected was in there he would blow that flannel-mouthed swindler in half."
Matt came into the stables later he fetched Buck from the corral and saddled up. They rode out to where Professor Bone and Washington, his colored assistant were camped.
"Ah evening Marshal," Professor Bone said warmly.
"Hello, Professor."
"Come in rest yourself a while."
"Professor I'm not going to waste words with you. I'm here to ask you to be on your way."
"Why? What have you against me?"
"Well nothing against you just your medicine."
"You're talking for Doctor Adams, aren't you?"
"I'm talking for myself."
"You wouldn't be so quick to side with the good Doctor if you'd witnessed the cures it's been my privilege to see. You'd believe in my Universal Curative with all your heart and soul."
"Well, Professor if you really believe in this curative of yours and its benefits why'd you peddle it from the back of a wagon like a quack medicine man?"
"I don't understand what you mean."
"Well this morning you had Chester up there testifying to a lot of lies. There wasn't a thing wrong with him but you still had him believing that he needed your curative."
"It's true I've resorted to somewhat shady means frontier salesmanship. It's equally true I knew that young man had no ailments, but it was a harmless deception."
"It's not harmless if people believe those lies."
"Out here people have become to expect that kind of thing had I merely come to Dodge and set up a store nobody would have paid any attention. I deplore the methods I have to use to sell my wares but I feel that the means is justified by the end."
"And that's having people buy your medicine?"
"That's right Marshal. It's restored health to thousands of ailing people."
"Yes Sir," Washington said, "right from Sonora clear to the Canadian Line."
"I just want you to know Professor that if you stay around Dodge I'm going to have to find a way to run you out."
"That puts me square against you Marshal. I've already made arrangements to rent a store on Front Street. A place in a growing community where I can bottle my medicine and sell its benefits to one and all."
"I see."
"I hope you're not going to try to stop me."
"Well in your own words Professor this puts me square against you. Don't do it."
Professor Bone and Washington watched as Matt remounted Buck and rode back to Dodge. When they got back Buck filled Bob, Ned and Tom in on what had happened.
"So now it's up to Professor Bone do as Matt wants and leave quietly or he'll have to find a way to make him go," Bob said.
"I don't think he'll go. If he has rented a store he'll want to recoup his money at least," Buck said, "you know how humans are about that kind of thing."
"Yes," Ned said. "Except for our humans they put us and their friends first."
"Yes, Matt has Doc, Chester and Kitty to turn to if he needs help from humans as well as us."
"Hello Kitty," Matt said smiling.
"Matt that old fool Professor Bone's rented that store down at the end of Front Street and he's put up a sign with his name on it."
"It's not that I'm worried about. It's Doc."
"Why?"
"He saw the sign too. He took one look at it and headed for his office. He said he was going to get a gun."
"Get a gun?"
"Doc's mad enough at Bone to shoot him Matt. You got to do something about it."
"I will."
Matt grabbed his hat and left the office followed by Kitty. Buck and Bob watched them go wishing they could follow behind. Pretty soon they were back and heading for Professor Bone's store.
"Let me handle this, Doc."
"Oh no, Matt, I told you whether you like it or not you've got a deputy."
Matt grunted it certainly wasn't any use persuading Doc when he was in this kind of mood. Professor Bone watched them approach.
"Professor, I'm closing you down for selling opium."
"You can't say that to me Marshal it's not true."
"It's about time you faced it Professor. You're selling opium."
"Selling opium! It's true there's an infantessimal quantity of it in there but only for theraputical purposes. Not to harm an infant."
"Well it almost killed one that I know of," Doc protested.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Buck and Bob stared dumbfounded down the street. Why Doc even knew how to cure horses too. He'd saved Bob once when he got the colic. Mind you Bob had brought that down on his own head sucking in wind the way he did.
"The Ringle baby," Doc said. "I spent one whole night putting life back into that little body that was all doped up on your cure all."
"There must have been something else wrong with the child. I refuse to believe…"
"I don't care what you believe Professor. From now on the label on your medicine is going to say that it contains a dangerous habit forming drug."
"You can't do that to me."
"Just as long as you remain in Dodge that's the way it's going to be."
"That's like trying to run me out of business."
"Now you're getting the idea."
"I'm not going to do it gentlemen. My medicine has helped too many people you can't force me away from Dodge when people here might need me."
Buck turned his head to see Hank Stooler ride up with his shotgun cradled in one arm.
"No sir," Professor Bone said. "I'm going to stay."
"You better think it over," Matt said in an even tone.
"I know I'm right and you're wrong. I'll take my case to the law."
"There's the man I'm looking for," Hank yelled.
Matt whirled around to face him.
"Hold it Hank. What's the trouble?"
"This crazy lying professor. I'll kill him."
"Calm down quick."
"You better get out of my way Marshal lest you want to get full of holes."
"Don't make me draw, Hank."
Hank eventually lowered the shotgun he'd pointed at Professor Bone.
"You wouldn't stop me if you knew what he'd done."
Matt walked up to him and took the gun.
"Now what's this all about Hank?"
"His medicine. He talked my Daddy into buying a batch of it. He started taking it and he fell down dead."
"My medicine…my medicine wasn't responsible."
"You dirty murderer," Hank said. "Liar!"
Hank started towards him.
"Hold it Hank. Chester take Professor Bone over to jail. I'm looking you up for practicing medicine without a license Professor. That'll be the charge until I get up from the Stooler place."
"Let's go, Professor," Chester said embarrassed that he had been duped by the man.
"I guess we'll need you Doc?"
"This is one inquest I'll be glad to do without charge."
"Come on Hank," Matt mounted Buck he waited for Hank and Chester to do the same and they both waited for Doc to fetch his buggy before riding out to the Stooler farm.
While Doc was examining Hank Stooler Sr's body Hank looked after his mother while Matt and Chester got rid of the curative. Matt poured the stuff down the sink and then smashed each bottle dropping the remains of the bottles into the sink. Mrs Stooler came to stand between Matt and Chester she looked worn out. She stared into the sink and reached for one of the smashed bottles. Matt wasn't really sure what he should say.
"It's better to get rid of the stuff Mrs Stooler."
"Tain't no use talking to her Marshal. Not a word come out of her since Daddy keeled over dead out there in the field. She's been married to Daddy nearly fifty years. Can't understand nothing except that he ain't here no more. There's a law against fakers like Professor Bone, ain't there?"
"No I'm afraid not Hank."
"Well you're the law you can't stand by and let them crowd people into their grave before their natural time. If you're not going to do nothing about it then I…"
"Hank take your mother into the other room, will you? I want to talk to Doc alone."
"Don't think that I'm just talking. I…"
"Do like I say, will you?"
"Well I looked at him. If you want my verdict nothing short of murder. Like Hank said he started to guzzle that stuff by the bottle. It made him feel so good he thought he was forty years younger. Went out and tried to plow a field. His heart just couldn't stand it."
"Well that's clear enough."
"Well what are you going to do about Professor Bone?"
"I'm going to run him out. Get rid of him for good. Chester, stay here and help Hank bury his father."
"Yes sir, Mister Dillon."
Buck couldn't understand being with another for that length of time. He was sad for Mrs Stooler as he watched her as she watched Hank started digging the grave near an apple tree. Matt and Chester remounted and returned to Dodge with Doc.
Buck listened from outside the office as Matt talked to Professor Bone.
"Well your medicine caused Mr Stooler's death."
"You're calling me a murderer Marshal," Professor Bone's voice sounded strained.
"Be honest with yourself for once, Professor, you killed this man."
"Well I only wanted to help."
"Nobody gives a hoot about your good intentions," Doc said. "You're just lucky the law doesn't make what you did a hanging offence."
Professor Bone rose to his feet from the chair at the table.
"It's strange only yesterday all I wanted was to win your respect and to find a place for myself to spend the rest of my days. Well now there's nothing."
"You're free to go Professor as long as you put a lot of distance between you and Dodge."
"Go. Go where?"
"Well if you had any kind of a conscience there'd be no place for you."
"I'll be out to the grove this evening Professor just to make sure you're gone."
"Sure, sure Marshal. You don't have any reason to trust me."
Matt opened the door and let him out. Later he rode out to the grove on Buck finding Professor Bone and Washington standing by the burned out remains of the wagon.
"You don't have to worry Marshal I'm leaving."
"Did you have to do that?" Matt asked.
"It saw its day as I've seen mine. I've been deceiving myself."
"You can still find a place for yourself somewhere Professor."
"Where I can live with my conscience? Well goodbye Marshal you gave me a fair shake all the way down the line. You're feeling pity for me, aren't you?"
"Ready?" Matt asked.
"That's the way it is someday there won't even be room for a gunfighting marshal and you'll be riding off just like me."
"Well when that time comes I'll be the happiest man in Dodge. But in the meantime, somebody's got to be here because of people like you."
Matt and Buck watched them go leading their mules one bay and one buckskin. Matt remounted and returned to Dodge he took Buck straight to the stable, unsaddled him and made sure he had enough feed and water before leaving and heading for the Long Branch.
"Were they gone, Buck?" Bob asked.
"Not quite."
Buck explained what had transpired.
"Hah!" Ned snorted. "I don't see the sense in burning a perfectly good wagon. He could have sold it on instead."
Buck agreed that Professor Bone could have done that but thought that the burning wagon was symbolic of the passing of Professor Bone's old life and the start of his new one and said so.