"Stay where you are, Hardin!" "Artie" yelled as he raised his gun.
"Art…er…Bat…you're bleeding you need my help," Jim pleaded with his friend as he inched closer.
"I don't need the kind of help you'd give…now back off!" "Artie" pulled the hammer back on his pistol.
Jim stopped and glared at his friend not wanting to believe that he really meant the harsh things he was saying. He shrugged his shoulders, turned around and went back up to the top. I guess I can wait until this day catches up with him and he passes out then go down and help him, whether or not he wants it, Jim thought dejectedly as he leaned against the rock and sighed.
"Artie" leaned back against the rock, wishing fervently that he were in a soft bed in a hotel somewhere. Why did I let myself get talked into that damned contest in the first place? "Artie" thought.
"Now where did THAT come from?" "Artie" wondered, "I must be letting Hardin get to me. Come on Bat keep your wits about you or you could wake up dead in the morning, oh now I'm really losing it" "Artie" rubbed his temples trying to ease the throbbing.
As the sun dropped below the horizon, the air cooled down considerably and "Artie" began to rub his hands up and down his arms trying to keep warm. He thought about going to his horse to get his blanket but he didn't trust Hardin so he just stayed where he was. He pulled his fringed riding jacket tighter and pushed himself as far back against the rock as he could.
Jim watched and waited until he was certain "Artie" was sleeping before he ventured down to check on his friend. He carefully pried his arms away from his body to get a closer look at him. His head was oozing blood and infection, something that worried Jim, and his leg looked nasty. Jim went down to "Artie's" horse, which had wandered back down the hill in search of something to eat, to retrieve his canteen and blanket. He gave the horse a drink then went up to take care of his partner.
Jim carefully pulled up his pant leg and winced as he saw the jagged tear the rock had caused. That's going to be pretty painful by morning, Jim thought as he washed the dirt out of the cut as best he could. He tore the shirttail off of his shirt and used it as a bandage.
Next he went to work on his head. He stopped when Artie groaned, afraid of what might happen if he woke up while he was working on him. Artie muttered something about Hardin and Loveless and drifted back into unconsciousness. Jim just shook his head and frowned.
After he had cleaned him up and bandaged him the best he could, Jim wanted to take him back to Phoenix, but he knew that just wasn't possible. He couldn't risk waking him. It took all of his will power to get up and walk away from his best friend. I feel like a heel leaving him here like this. It's not right, Jim thought, but I know I can't stay here with him. If he wakes up and sees me here he might take it the wrong way and blow my head off and there's no way I could get us to Phoenix without waking him. Jim went back up the hill and settled in for the night.
The next morning dawned much like the previous one, hot, sunny and humid. Jim started, not realizing he had allowed himself to fall asleep. He looked around and remembered the events of the day before. He noiselessly stood and looked over the rock and down toward his partner.
Artemus still lay huddled near the rock where he had left him and even from this far away Jim could see the flush on his cheeks, Damnit, Artie's got a fever. I've got to talk him into letting me help him, Jim thought to himself as "Artie" began to stir.
"Artie" woke and forced his eyes to focus. He shook his head to clear it and decided that might not have been the best thing he could have done. His headache was worse than before and he hadn't thought that could be possible. "Artie" shook off the cobwebs gathering in his head and realized he was in trouble. Dang it, now I have a fever, can this day get any better? "Artie" grumbled as he remembered his leg, which was still throbbing in time with his heart. He reached down to check the damage and was shocked to find the bandage. He inspected it and found it to be a pretty good first aid job.
"Now how in Sam Hill would I know that?" "Artie" asked himself.
"Hardin?" "Artie" yelled up the hill, hoping his prisoner was still there as he really didn't feel like wandering all over the Arizona territory looking for him.
"Yeah, Bat…I'm still here…what can I do for you?" Damn, Jim thought, he still thinks he's Bat Masterson. This is not going to be easy.
"I see you were pretty busy last night…" "Artie" replied.
"Just trying to prove to you that I'm not the man you think I am," came the reply.
"Yeah, well don't get yer hopes up, Hardin. I still aim to take you in."
"How bout I volunteer to go in peacefully if you let me help you?" Secretly Jim hoped this would work but in his heart he knew it wouldn't. Masterson had a reputation for bringing just as many fugitives in dead as alive.
"We went through this yesterday. Today ain't no different I still don't trust you. There's only one way to take you in, Hardin and that's over my saddle."
"That's just it…if you could just remember who you really are you'd remember that you trust me implicitly."
"Implicitly…where'd you learn a word like that, Hardin?"
"Like I've been telling you…I'm not John Wesley Hardin. I'm James West…"
"Yeah…yeah and you think I'm some guy named Artie. Who in their right mind would name their kid Artie?"
"I call you Artie…you're full name is Artemus…Artemus Gordon."
"Heh, not much better if you ask me. You're gonna have to do better than that Hardin if you want me to believe you."
"Artie" struggled to his feet and using his rifle as a crutch, he began the long climb up toward Jim. Jim leapt from behind his rock and looked around. He couldn't let "Artie" get up there or he would have the drop on him if Jim tried to go down the hill. Jim took several deep breaths and exhaled with a burst. It's now or never, he thought as he leaned around the rock.
"That's far enough, Masterson! Don't make me shoot you!"
"And I thought you wanted to be my friend," "Artie" sneered.
"I AM your friend. But until you return to your senses I can't allow you to get up here and get the drop on me. Sorry, Art…Bat…but if you take one more step I'll have to shoot."
"I can tell when you're lying, Hardin. You always look away," "Artie" said as he took another tentative step up toward Jim.
"Artie" was forced to dive for cover when Jim proved true to his word and he fired a shot just above his head. "Artie" slammed to the ground, dropping his rifle in exchange for his smaller and easier to use pistol. "Artie" rose up and fired a shot. Jim ducked back behind his rock.
"I thought you wanted me alive, Bat."
"Maybe I changed my mind. The posters don't say nothin bout you needin to be breathin when I bring ya in."
"No I guess not but if I have to go in I'd prefer to be breathing not slung over a saddle."
"Makes no nevermind to me how you get there…" "Artie" yelled back as he fired again.
"What is the delay, gentleman? I told you I wanted to be headed back to Washington TODAY not tomorrow, not the next day…TODAY! Grant's shouts thundered through the train.
"Sorry, Mr. President. It seems Mr. West and Mr. Gordon have not arrived yet."
"Not arrived…I gave them explicit instructions to return no later than last night."
"Well, sir, they didn't arrive last night and they have yet to check in this morning. Do you want me to send out a search party?" The soldier timidly asked.
"Search party? Yes send one out at once! You should have sent one out last night…no, wait belay that order. Saddle me a horse…I'll go look for them as well. I seem to remember the lake Mr. Gordon said they were going to be going to."
"But, sir, with all due respect…" the soldier started only to be interrupted.
"Your objection is duly noted, Captain. And has been duly rejected. I fully intend to join in the search for Mr. Gordon and Mr. West. Now, you have two choices…you can either saddle me a horse and get a group of men to join me OR you can rediscover life as a private AFTER I've saddled my own horse and found my agents!" Grant thundered as he stared down the now shaking Captain.
"Yes, sir…right away, sir!" The Captain saluted and ran off to comply.
"Those two need to be secured in some kind of bubble!" Grant mumbled to himself as he prepared to leave, "We're only going fishing, sir…what can happen on a simple fishing trip, sir…when I get my hands on Artemus…" Grant was grumbling to himself when an approaching soldier interrupted him.
"Mr. President, sir, your horse and the men are ready. We've packed some provisions as well just in case this takes longer than we think."
"Good thinking. Where these two are concerned I am fairly certain it will take longer than we think," Grant groaned and rolled his eyes.
Grant exited the train and mounted his horse. God, it felt good to be on a horse again! The Captain had insisted that Grant not take point so he grudgingly allowed the Captain to take the point and the soldiers brought up the rear with Grant safely tucked away in the center. What a picture this must make, Grant thought, a troupe of cavalry and the President of the United States going in search of a couple of fishermen!