Festus briskly walked to the marshal's office and pushed open the door. Matt was in the process of organizing his saddle and guns. Festus paused for a moment, "You gonin' somewhere, Matthew?"
Matt nodded, "I got a telegram of a murder up in Spearville. I'll be gone for a few days," Matt said as he continued with this packing.
"Anyone I know?" Festus asked.
Matt looked up from what he was doing, "How should I know?"
Festus shrugged and walked to the coffee pot and lifted it with the small rag he wrapped around the handle, "Matthew?" he asked as he poured a cup full of the over roasted coffee.
"What, Festus?" Matt stopped, and looked at his deputy.
"Have you seen ole Harvey Miller in town?" Festus asked.
Matt shook his head no, "Should I have?"
"Wall it's a puzzlement," Festus walked over to the front of Matt's desk.
"How so?" Matt quickly looked up.
"Seems ole Harvey cut himself and was to come into Dodge to see Doc. But Doc ain't seen him neither," Festus sipped on his cup of steaming coffee. "Ma Miller asked me to find him seeing he's been gone now fer two days," Festus concluded.
"Maybe he just hasn't reached Doc, yet," Matt offered as he lifted his belongings off his desk.
"Nope. Ol' Doc hasn't seen hide nor hair of him either," Festus said over his cup.
"Well, Festus, I guess you'll have to look for Harvey Miller. I have to get to Spearville," Matt said as he walked to the door of the office. "Maybe you should have a good look around. He may have just wrapped up his cut and bought a bottle," Matt said as he opened the door. "I'll be back in a few days," the marshal said closing the door again.
Festus made a face, "Wall a fine heap of help that was," he muttered.
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Clarence finished with this bath water and felt much better in his change of clothing. He gathered his other belongings and headed to his room before he ventured out onto the streets of Dodge in search of Isaac Talbot, or this Festus Haggen fellow. Cox was certain they were the same.
Clarence quickly stashed his laundry in his room and grabbed his distinctive coat and floppy fur hat. He pulled the heavy Hudson's Bay coat on and pulled his hat down onto his head before he headed to the door. He was eager to meet up with his "friend" again.
The air was fresh, but not nearly as crisp as it was the night before. He almost sensed a mild spell coming on, a late January thaw.
Clarence stepped out onto the boardwalk in front of the boardinghouse. His eyes scanned the busy street as he looked for Isaac. He didn't see anyone that fitted Ma Smalley's description of this Festus fellow either. Cox made a face, "I hate everything," he grumbled hoping to resolved the issue of finding Isaac sooner then later. Clarence stepped down and crossed the street keeping a watchful eye. There were too many people for his liking.
Almost every building and story he passed he looked in to see if he could spot Festus or Isaac or both. None-the-less he was set in his mind that they were one and the same man who owed him two hundred dollars and a big explanation, before he split the man's lip with his fist.
Cox reached the Long Branch saloon. One of the places that Ma Smalley indicated that Festus might be found. The trapper pushed through the doors and stood on the little landing inside the establishment.
His unique appearance and this stance was enough to cause the few men in the saloon to turn and look. Kitty lifted her head from her books when she heard the room go quiet. See could see now what the doctor was talking about - the man did appear not to be from Kansas, not with a coat like that.
Kitty stood and walked to the bar just as the stranger approached, "Howdy," Clarence nodded. "Do you work here?" he asked Kitty.
"I sure do. In fact I own the place," Kitty said while studying the man. "You aren't from these parts are you?" she smiled.
"No, ma'am I'm not," Cox smiled back. "And that's what I was hoping to get help with," Clarence looked over his shoulder and around the room again. Slowly his eyes came back to Kitty's, "I'm looking for a fellow named Isaac Talbot, and he might also go by the name Festus Haggen," he smiled.
"Festus goes by a lot of names, but none like Isaac Talbot!" Kitty laughed. "If you are looking for Festus, check at the marshal's office down the street, on the other side," Kitty smiled.
Clarence pushed off from the bar, "Much obliged," he smiled and left the Long Branch.
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Festus left the jail house and watched the marshal walk over to the livery stable to saddle his buckskin horse, Buck. The deputy twisted his mouth in thought and decided to find the town doctor to see what he'd discovered. Festus quickly crossed Front Street to the general store.
The deputy stepped through the door and found Doc and Jonas talking. Jonas was busy moving one thing or another, "As I said before, Doc. Harvey Miller doesn't usually come to me for supplies. You better check with Angus McTabbott or Woody Lanthrop. They seem more like the kind that would attract Miller's type," Jonas finally stopped and looked at Festus, "Where yo born in a barn?"
"Of course not!" Festus grunted.
"Then close the door," Jonas motioned before he went on to something else. The hill man grunted at Jonas' comment, "Born in a barn, my foot," he mumbled.
"Festus? What did Matt have to say?" Doc asked.
"He ain't seen Harvey Miller neither," Festus grumbled.
"Hasn't" Jonas corrected the hill man.
"You might as well give up on that, Jonas. Festus "ain't" never going to change," Doc nudged the store owner who finally caught the joke, "Right, I got it Doc," Jonas smiled.
"You too otta go in the road like one of them travelling shows. You're real crack ups you are," Festus grumbled and turned to leave. But instead he bumped right into Clarence Cox. Doc and Jonas watched with interest.
"It's been quite a spell, hasn't it Isaac?" Cox looked down at the deputy. Festus looked over his shoulder assuming that the man standing in his way was talking to someone named Isaac who was standing behind him. The only other two in the store were Doc and Jonas. Jonas moved closer to the counter.
"Who you talkin' at?" Festus grunted.
"You," Cox poked his finger into Festus shoulder which moved his back into the store.
"I don't have the foggiest idea what er jawin' about," Festus tried to sidestep the man, but Cox caught him and whirled him around toward the counter next to the display case with the knife. "Maybe this will remind you," Cox said using his elbow to break the glass so he could reach the knife.
Festus' eyes were wide open, "Yer mad!" he yelled.
"Now just one minute!", Jonas growled as he pulled the shotgun out from under the counter and pointed it at Cox.
"You better put that down, mister," Cox warned.
"You drop the knife and let go of Festus!" Jonas held his ground.
Cox pursed his lips. He didn't want anyone else involved, but the store owner didn't seem to be backing down. Cox took one long swift stride and struck his free right fist across Jonas' left forearm causing him to drop the gun.
Festus used the opportunity to bolt and out into the street he ran. Matt had just pulled Buck from the livery when he saw Festus run out into the street, "Matthew! Thar's a mad man in the store!" he pulled his gun in case Cox came after him.
Clarence stepped out onto the boardwalk, "I aim to get you Isaac. I want my money!" he glared at Festus.
Matt looked at both men. "What's this all about?"