Artemus groaned as he opened his eyes. He tried to reach up to the sore spot on the back of his head when he discovered his hands had been tied around a pipe that ran the length of the cage. He surveyed his surroundings. He appeared to be in a large cage suspended over a rock floor. He tested his bonds and found them to be tight.
Artemus grasped the pipe and pulled himself up. He checked and was thankful that his captors, while they had removed his explosives and other assorted gadgets, had not removed his cuff links. He pried one loose with his teeth and placed it in his ropes. Using his chin he smashed the cuff link. Within seconds the rope began to smoke, then burst into flames. Artemus quickly worked the ropes around, twisting and turning his hands until the ropes fell away. He quickly dropped to the floor of the cage, rubbing his wrists. He went over to the door and examined the lock. He removed his remaining cuff link and jammed it into the lock and smashed it with the heel of his hand. It too began to smoke then flames shot out of the lock. The door popped open.
He squatted on the floor of the cage, grasped the floor and flipped himself out of the cage onto the rock floor below. He stood motionless for a few seconds to see if his progress had been noticed. When he heard nothing, he moved to the corner of the cavern-like room. He punched the lid of a small keg, gunpowder poured out. How careless of them to leave this stuff lying around, Artie said as he removed his shirt tail and tore off several strips. He made several small bombs, which he shoved deep into his boots. He had just found cases of dynamite when he heard approaching footsteps.
He hid behind the crates of dynamite and made his way to stand beside the door. He hid behind the door as he heard a key turn in the lock. The door opened and Artie quickly hoisted the keg of gunpowder above his head. When the figures entered the room far enough Artie threw the keg at the back of the tall man. He merely flinched and turned to face Artemus.
"Well, well, Voltaire, long time no see," Artemus smiled.
Artie pushed several cases of dynamite over toward him and ran for the door. He got out the door only to back into the room, his hands raised as two men with rifles pointed at him blocked his path.
"That was most unwise, Mr. Gordon. Brave to say the least but still most unwise." Dr. Loveless said.
"Well, you gotta give me credit for trying, Miguelito," Artemus spat his name.
"Oh I much prefer Dr. Loveless especially from the likes of you," he turned to Voltaire.
"Voltaire, take Mr. Gordon to the main chamber and…I think…make him comfortable on the table, yes, that's it…put Mr. Gordon on the table," Artemus was certain he wasn't going to like this if he read the evil gleam in Loveless' eyes correctly.
Jim woke and went downstairs only to find that Artemus still had not checked back in. He thought he might have stayed for breakfast so he ate and walked around town for a while. He had a nagging feeling something was not right.
When Artie failed to appear by lunchtime, Jim had come to the conclusion that something other than a lady friend had kept his partner. Jim pulled the note from his pocket and read it again, hoping to find some clue. He went back to the saloon to talk to the bartender.
"Yes, sir," the barkeep was saying, "I remember her. She's not one you'd forget easily. She was very pretty. She had long wavy hair tied up with a ribbon. She had a real pretty voice, when she left she was humming."
"Did she say anything about my friend?"
"Nope, not that I recall. I do remember her telling me she was in a hurry and had to get back before the doctor got upset or something like that."
"Well, that's a start. Where is the doctor's office?"
"That way about two blocks and across the street," Jim thanked him and left.
Twenty minutes later he emerged from the doctor's office with a deep frown on his face. He had spoken at length with the doctor who assured him he didn't know Artemus nor had he had him over to dinner and he wasn't even married. To further confuse him the doctor told him that he was the only doctor in this part of Kansas as the new doctor wasn't due to arrive for several more days.
Jim rode back out to the train thankful the workmen hadn't gotten to the varnish car yet. He looked in the sitting room and found nothing. He then began to search the various rooms. When he came to the lab he noticed the disarray. He stepped into the room and felt something under his boot. He bent and retrieved the object; it was Artie's tiepin. Jim pocketed the pin and was about to leave the room when he noticed Artie's hat. He scooped it up and ran his hand around the inside twirling the hat; his fingers found a small amount of dried blood.
Jim quickly searched the rest of the train and went out and talked to the workmen. He asked about the old man he had spoken with but no one seemed to remember him. One of the workers did remember seeing a rather large man riding away from the train with something thrown over the saddle of another horse. Jim headed out in the direction the man had pointed.
Artemus stared at the ropes holding him on the table. He lifted his head and looked around. Next to the table was a stool and a table with a tray filled with an odd assortment of knives, scalpels and other instruments. Probably meant to scare me, Artemus thought. He pulled on the ropes but they showed no signs of loosening.
"Come now my dear, Artemus, that's hardly a sporting attitude," Loveless said as he instructed Voltaire to place him on the stool by Artemus' head.
"Tying me up like a Christmas goose is hardly sporting either don't you think?" Artie's eyes flared with anger.
"Well, Artemus, that is the only way I can be sure you won't try to run away again."
"What if I promise I won't run?"
"Now, now, Artemus, you don't think me to be such a simpleton as to believe your lies do you?" Loveless shook his head.
"Why not, you're just enough of a simpleton to think that by now James hasn't figured out that something happened to me and is looking for me," Artie baited him.
"Oh but he has my dear Artemus, he has. But the wild goose chase I have arranged for him will keep him busy for another day or so while we have some fun of our own."
"Why do I get the feeling the only one experiencing any fun around here will be you?" Artie groaned as Loveless grinned from ear to ear.
"How very perceptive of you, Artemus, how very, very perceptive of you indeed."
"Mind letting me in on whatever fun and games your tiny little brain has cooked up this time?"
"Not at all. I thought I'd stat with a little subtle torture then move on to a bit more intense torture before I got into the really fun nasty torture."
"Be a bit more specific, Loveless, if you can manage it," Artie growled.
"One thing at a time, Mr. Gordon. One thing at a time. You are always so impatient."
"Just curious. You never know I might have had whatever torture you have in mind done to me last week, that would just bore me to tears," Artie yawned for effect.
"Stop it this instant, Mr. Gordon! Voltaire make him stop! Make him shut up!" Voltaire approached the table and put his hands around Artie's neck.
"Not too hard, we don't want to kill him just yet."
Voltaire pushed his thumbs into Artie's neck cutting off his air. His eyes rolled back and he sank into unconsciousness. Dr. Loveless checked him and smiled, satisfied that Voltaire had not killed him.
Jim stopped his horse and dismounted. He must have stopped by at least three-dozen farms and ranches. He pumped the handle on the trough and got his horse a drink. He left his horse to drink and he went up to the run down house and knocked on the door. The child that cautiously opened the door had a small, round and dirty face. She peered out from a crack in the doorway. Jim knelt down and asked if her parents were around. Just as the child nodded her head a man stepped out of the equally run down barn carrying a bucket. He handed the bucket to the child and told her to take it to her mother. Then he took in the fancy man before him. He sat on an upturned apple crate.
"Mister, ya lost or somethin?"
"No, just looking for someone. I heard my friend was out this way. We got separated and I'm trying to find him."
"Maybe he don't want to be found?"
"No, it's nothing like that. We just got separated and we need to get back together to go on a trip."
"Yer name West is it?"
"Yes as a matter of fact if is, why?"
"Then I got somethin fer ya."
The man rose and entered the house. When he returned he had an envelope in his hand, which he turned over to West. Jim tore the envelope open and his eyes scanned the letter inside. Hello Mr. West, if you are reading this then you have my congratulations. You stuck with the quest far longer than I would have. I assume by now that you have figured out that your partner did not go willingly with a lady friend. Quite the contrary, he put up quite a fight. It was all I could do to keep Voltaire from strangling him. But fear not, Mr. West, he is still alive or at least he is as I write this. Now as to your little role in our game you have until noon tomorrow to be at the weigh station about forty miles from where you are. The gentleman there can tell you how to find it. I suggest you hurry Mr. West, for this will not be your last stop and Mr. Gordon's life depends on your finding him in time. Dr. Loveless. Jim crumpled the letter and threw it on the ground.
"Where is the weigh station?"
"Follow this road till it forks…then take the left fork. And mister…"
"Yeah?"
"That little man what done give me that letter fer ya. He's not a nice man."
"Yeah, I know and if he hurts my friend I won't be either," Jim rode off at a gallop.