Clarence adjusted his coat and trappings as he made his way up the street toward the boarding house. On the way the trapper noticed Wilbur Jonas' General Store. It seemed like a logical stop, in case he needed to place an order before the week's end. Cox stepped up to the boardwalk and placed his pack against the wall.

At first he just peered through the frosted windows and then curiosity grabbed him. Cox push open the door and quickly stepped into the warm room. He shivered.

Jonas looked up from his ledger, "I'll be with you just a minute," the store owner smiled.

"There's no hurry. I'm just looking right now," Cox said as he walked to the counter and examined the canned goods. Then his eyes were drawn to a hunting knife. Something was very familiar about this knife. Cox stepped closer and looked through the glass case at that carved wooden handle. He thought back and recalled Isaac Talbot owning one very similar, "Where'd this knife come from?" Cox asked.

Jonas looked over his glasses and then moved to the display case, "The big one?"

"Yeah," Cox pointed.

"Oh, that one was brought in by Festus. He found it out in the hills one day," Jonas smiled. "Do you want to see it? I gave Festus a few dollars for it and hoped to sell it long before now," Jonas pulled the keys from his waist coat pocket.

"I would like to have a better look at it, yes," Cox said trying to keep his temper.

Jonas happily opened the case and handed the trapper the knife.

Cox took his time and studied the handle and blade, "Found in the hills you say," he said but not asking.

Jonas nodded, "Yes. That's what Festus said," Jonas began to get slightly nervous. "Is there something wrong with it?" he asked while adjusting his spectacles.

Cox smiled, "No at all. It's a fine knife. Perhaps I'll buy it from you before I leave town," he smiled and handed the knife carefully back to the store owner. Jonas weakly smiled. He'd seen those kinds of looks before. "Fine," Jonas said as he quickly tucked the large hunting knife back into the display case and locked it. "I'll look forward to your business..." Jonas stammered.

Cox nodded, "I'll be back later for some other things too," Clarence smiled and walked to the door. However, before he left, he looked back at the knife, "Damn you Isaac," he said gruffly under his breath.

Jonas had returned to his work. Clarence held the door knob, "Excuse me, but what was that fellow's name again?" he pointed to the knife.

Jonas looked up from his books, "Festus. Festus Haggen. He's the marshal's deputy. Do you know him?"

Cox smiled, "Yeah, I think I do," he nodded with a wink and quickly left the store in search of the boarding house. Jonas quickly moved to the window and watched the man walk along the boardwalk - he wondered if he should tall Matt or Festus, but then he studied the man and he seemed to be the kind of fellow Festus would know quite well. He was satisfied to leave it as a surprise for the hill man. Jonas smiled. He didn't know the hill folks that well, but he trusted Festus fairly well, unless he had a get-rich scheme. Jonas' mind cast back to the advertisements in the newspapers as a fine example. "He's old enough to take care of himself," Jonas chuckled as he walked across the floor and back to his work.

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Doc pulled his coat off and placed it over the hook on the crowded coatrack. Clearly everyone was bundling up from the cold. Doc spotted Kitty and Matt across the dinning room of the restaurant, which seemed more busy than usual. Perhaps some folks were suffering from cabin fever and just need to get out of the house.

Doc shuffled across the floor and stood next to the chair he intended to sit in.

"Well it's about time," Kitty chirped as she looked up at the doctor.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I had second thoughts about sticking my nose out the door this morning," Doc grumbled as he took his place at the table.

"I don't blame you, Doc," Matt added. Kitty playfully swatted the marshal. "Well, he has a point, Kitty. This weather isn't fit for man nor beast," Matt added.

"Unless you are a trapper," Doc quipped as he sipped on the coffee that was just poured into his cup.

"Huh?" Matt asked.

"Oh, I just happened to be talking to Jonas when some fellow same down Front Street. He sure isn't from these parts, I can tell you that," Doc smiled and ticked his head in an all-knowing way.

"How so?" Kitty leaned onto the table.

"You should see his coat. I think," Doc paused in thought, "They call it a Hudson's Bay coat," he pointed his index finger into the air to make is point, as if he was trying to win a trivia contest.

"A Hudson's Bay coat?" Matt scoffed. "Doc, what are you talking about?"

"It's a kind os coat sold by the Hudson's Bay Company from Canada," Doc looked at Matt. "You know the ones with the stripes?"

Matt paused in thought and then nodded, "Yes, Doc I do."

"Well this fellow came down Front Street with a pace mule and he was wearing one of those coats," Doc stated.

"Well who is he?" Kitty asked.

"I don't know," Doc answered. "Looks like he was heading for the livery stable though," Doc added as he sipped again on his coffee.

"Should I be talking to this fellow of interest?" Matt finally asked.

Doc looked up from his coffee with a surprised look on his face, "He's just a man in a Hudson's Bay coat. Unless you have something against Canadians and Hudson Bay," Doc stated.

Kitty couldn't help but laugh at Doc's facial expression. Doc shifted his eyes to the saloon owner, "You know, I think he's getting paranoid in his old age," Doc thumbed toward Matt.

"Watch who you are calling old, Doc. One day you might have to depend on me to feed you," Matt stood from the table. "I'll see you two later," he said as he dismissed himself.

"He sure has a thorn stuck somewhere," Doc said to Kitty as he watched the marshal leave.

"Oh, he'll be alright. He had a late night with the ruckus at the Bull's Head," Kitty sighed.

"Well I haven't seen any fall out," Doc quipped.

"And you're not likely too. Both of them are over at Percy Crumps," Kitty sighed again. Doc nodded, "I see."

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Clarence Cox had just reached the door of the boardinghouse when Matt caught sight of the trapper. Indeed he stood out with a coat like that. From a distance he looked like a decent enough fellow so Matt decided to let nature take its course and see what the trapper was in Dodge for - maybe just a hot meal, a bath and a bed. But maybe more.