Harvey Miller sat quietly in the furthest stall he could in the livery stable. There was just enough light to see what he was doing. However, before he ventured onward to tend to his infected hand, he pulled the cork from the whiskey bottle he stole from a crate he found at the back of the Bull's Head Saloon. Miller didn't care what proof the alcohol was, nor was he concerned about the taste. He just needed it to kill the pain and numb his senses before he lanced the wound open again.

With the bottle now half gone, Miller was sufficiently drunk enough to get to work on his hand. Miller poured a little alcohol down the blade of his knife. His hand shook as the knife got closer to the wound. Sweat beaded on Miller's forehead and he bit his lower lip. With a quick flick, he lanced the gash opened again.

Miller gasped and dropped the knife into the hey next to him. He grabbed his wounded hand and squeezed hard. The infection had spread and he tried to force out what he could.

Gasping in extreme pain, Miller fished around in the sack for the items he took from Doc's office. There was a bottle marked rubbing alcohol and it seemed to make sense to Miller that would be a logical thing to use to disinfect a wound. Miller's hands shook as he unscrewed the lid from the bottle. In his state measurements didn't matter or did the manner of application. Miller poured the bottle over the wound.

"Aaagggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" Miller bellowed in extreme pain and quickly placed the bottle down beside him. His head was spinning from the booze and the throbbing of his hand. Miller grit his teeth as he tried to hold back another scream followed by a wave of nausea. Finally he rolled over onto his side and passed out from the pain and alcohol.

Louise Pheeters was on the boardwalk outside the general store heard the scream. He stood looking at the livery stable just as Jonas and Newly where walking toward the general store.

"Newly!" Pheeters pointed toward the stable, "Someone just screamed. It sounded like someone is in a lot of pain!" he said excitedly.

Newly looked down the street, "Where did the scream come from, Louie?"

"It might have come from the stable," Louie stated.

The three men raced toward the stable and stopped at the door. Newly cautioned Jonas and Pheeters to watch out. O'Brien pulled his gun from his holster and slowly opened the door. It was dark, and yet with the three lanterns lit he was able to make is way into the building. Jonas unhooked one lantern and followed the part-time deputy - he held the lantern tight in his right hand favouring his left arm. Slowly the men made their way further into the stable.

Miller groaned again which caught the men's attention, "Back there," Jonas pointed to the back stall. Newly inched forward with Jonas holding the lantern over their heads. Louie walked several paces behind Jonas who was trying to keep the light for Newly as well as keeping back for protection. Lord knows what they were about to find, Jonas thought. Maybe it was that crazed trapper again.

Newly stepped around a stack of hey bales and found the semiconscious man. "It's Harvey Miller," Jonas stated. Newly pushed his gun back into his holster and knelt down next to Miller, "Bring the light closer," he asked Jonas.

Newly looked at Miller's face and then his hand, "He's in bad shape," Newly said as he looked up to Jonas and Louie. "We better get him up to Doc's office," Newly said.

"That won't do any good," Jonas said.

"Why?" Newly looked at the store owner.

"Cause Doc's not here, you know that," Jonas stated.

"Yeah, I know, but I can try to do something for him," Newly said as he pulled Miller to his feet and pulled his arm over his shoulder. "Guide me with the lamp, will you," Newly looked at Jonas who nodded.

"He sure was a lot more active this afternoon," Jonas grumbled.

"I'm sure he was," Newly added with a slight smiled. Jonas made a face and began to walk to the door which led out to Front Street. It was now almost completely night time, with only a hint of dusk behind the hills in the distance.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Matt sat in a chair opposite the hearth where Clarence remained seated. "Do you know how much trouble you are in?" the marshal asked the trapper.

Cox looked up and shrugged, "I guess it doesn't matter now. I likely won't find Isaac and I'll never get my money," he said with his voice filled with disappointment and yet there was something underlying in his tone. Matt couldn't put his finger on it just yet.

"Well, let's see. You assaulted Mr. Jonas and damaged one of his display cases. You assaulted Festus twice, who is a deputy under my employment. You assaulted Doc," Matt pointed to the doctor on the cot.

"I never layed a finger on him," Cox defended himself.

"He's right about that, Matt," Doc said from the cot. He had placed a cold damp cloth across his forehead trying to ease his headache.

"Then what did happen to you, Doc?" Matt looked over to his friend.

"As it happens, I was backing up and tripped over something and went ass over tea kettle. I'm lucky I didn't break my neck," Doc scowled.

"Why were you backing up," Matt asked as he eyed Doc with a puzzled look on his face.

"I was trying to get out of the way," Doc said as he glared over to Cox. Clarence went red in the face, "I didn't mean for anything to happen," he said while making a face.

Matt sighed, "And this doesn't even include two counts of kidnapping," he stated.

"Look marshal, I will sware on a bible, that your deputy is...was Isaac Talbot," Cox stood pointing at Festus.

"Don't you be pointing at me unless you want me to remove that beard of yer's with my knuckles," Festus warned as he slowly stood daring the trapper.

"Festus. Sit down," Matt growled. The deputy slowly lower himself back to the chair he was sitting in. "He deserves a good thumping," Festus sneered. "What he's done to Doc and ol' Jonas. And a Haggen," Festus grumbled more.

"Look," Matt said as he stood, "There won't be any more fighting tonight or tomorrow. We will go back to town in the morning ad get all of this straightened out," Matt warned.

Doc had already fallen asleep. Festus stood and walked over to his old friend. He pulled his coat off and gently covered the sleeping doctor, "You'd better be all right, Doc," Festus said in a hushed voice. The deputy then looked over his shoulder at Cox. The trapper leaned against the wall next to the hearth. His head was back and his eyes were closed.

Matt watched Festus for a moment, "It's best you get some sleep too, Festus."

The hill man nodded and took a spot near the cot. He pulled a ragged piece of cloth over his shoulders and drifted to sleep. Matt placed another log on the fire and sat in the chair. He folded his arms across his chest and lowered his head. So even the marshal was asleep.

Clarence opened his left eye. He scanned the room. The three men where sound asleep and snoring. Cox quietly stood and moved to the door. As quickly as he could, the trapper left the cabin into the clod winter night.