Matt, Newly and the town's men had placed Festus on the examination table in the doctor's office. Newly set to removing the hill man's coat, vest, and shirt, to get a better look at the bullet wound.
The marshal tanks the men an ushered them to the door, just as Kitty and Doc arrived. The doctor said nothing but the look on Matt's face was enough to know that the situation was grave.
Newly looked up to Doc and then stepped aside to allow the doctor to have a look. Doc picked up his stethoscope and placed the headset around his neck before putting the ear pieces in his ears. Carefully he placed the diaphragm on Festus' chest; he listened carefully as Matt, Newly and Kitty watched on. Doc shook his head, and then pulled the ear pieces from his ears. He looked down at the blood-soaked undershirt; he gently lifted the bandana that Newly used to stop the bleeding. The doctor swallowed hard, "Kitty get some water on the stove, I'm going to need lots of it," he quickly looked over to the saloon owner.
Matt stepped closer to the examination table, "Doc?" he asked as he watched the doctor cut the undershirt open.
"It's very bad, Matt. He could be bleeding inside," Doc blinked as he looked up at the marshal.
Matt pursed his lips and looked over to Newly, "You treated that buffalo hunter, didn't you?"
O'Brien nodded, "Yes. He was shot in the back. And one of his friends vowed to get revenge," he stated.
"So this just wasn't an accidentally shooting. They egged Festus into it," Matt growled as he looked over his shoulder to the unconscious deputy.
Doc looked over to Matt, "Those buffalo hunters should be tarred and feathered," he snapped. "It wouldn't have killed them to bring us into town yesterday," he growled and turned his attention back to Festus.
"There's nothing more I'd like to do but to run them out of town," Matt stated.
Doc stopped and turned to the marshal, "This is wound is one of the worst I've seen in a long time. The man that did this could very well be facing a murder charge," he stated.
Kitty's mouth dropped open slightly as she attended to the water and the wood stove. She looked over to Matt who remained expressionless. Slowly the marshal wet his lips and nodded, "I'll check back in a while," he said as he left the doctor's office; his was blood boiling with anger.
The marshal marched down the stairs were Wilbur Jonas was placing out some new brooks, "How is he, Matt? What happened?" the store owner asked.
"Not good, Jonas," was all Matt said before he stepped down and cross the street to see if he could dig up anymore about what the buffalo hunters had been up to. Jonas watched the marshal and then looked up the stairs, "I bet it was those mangy buffalo hunters," he huffed and rubbed his chin and went back into the store.
Matt entered the jailhouse, walked to his desk and pick up the wanted posters and sifted through them, not one of the men showed up there. He then picked up the telegraphs that Festus had delivered earlier in the day. He'd gone through a few when one stood out. The marshal read it twice then folded the piece of paper and shoved it into his shirt pocket; this was one he'd have to think about before he acted upon it. His eyes narrowed as he took off his coat and draped it across the desk; he placed his hat on top. Matt then walked to the window and looked across the street to the doctor's office.
Newly watched Doc as he slowly inserted the bullet probe, he wanted to make sure that the doctor was going to be all right considering he hadn't slept much in the last twenty-four hours, and still seemed to favour his leg. Doc ticked his head, "I just can't seem to locate the bullet," he sighed after a half hour search.
"Would you like me to try?" O'Brien asked.
Doc shook his head no, "I'm afraid not, Newly," he paused. "This one's tricky," he went on, "In fact, I may have to open him up, if my suspicions are correct, that bullet went through his lung, and that's why his breathing is laboured," Doc looked down at this friend. He closed his eyes in silent prayer and then drew a deep breath before starting another search for the bullet.
Newly looked disappointed that he could help further; his brown eyes lifted to Kitty's watery blue eyes, "I'll see what Matt's doing," he said as he walked to the door. "If you need me, Doc, just holler," the young deputy stated before he left the doctor's office. "Keep an eye on Doc, Miss Kitty," he whispered. Kitty nodded and a lump formed in her throat as it seemed no one really knew what to do; she continued heating the water and tending the stove.
Newly was now at the bottom of the stairs and looked across to the jail house. It wasn't often that the young deputy got so riled but when his dander got up, his nostrils flared. Newly looked up the street, knowing full well that the buffalo hunters were laughing this up. He drew his hands into fists and huffed.
Jonas spotted Newly and quickly went to the door, "Newly? How's Festus?"
O'Brien seemed slightly startled as he was self-absorbed in his thoughts about the three men at the boarding house up the street. "Oh, sorry Mister Jonas. Festus isn't in good shape at all," he sighed.
"It was those buffalo hunters, wasn't it?" Jonas curtly asked.
Newly nodded, "Seems they provoked Festus into a gun fight," he stated.
"They have to be stopped! First they steal Doc's buggy wheel stranding both him and Festus in this hellish weather and then come here and deny it. Then they think I'm Doc and beat me, and now this!" Jonas was also getting more furious.
Newly nodded, "We'll get them," he smiled. He realized during Jonas' mini rant that he was in a position to help. "You just stay clear of them," the young deputy stated. "And could you get some more fire wood up to Doc's office. Miss Kitty and Doc will need it," he refocused the store owner onto something that was helpful and positive than stewing about the hunters. "Sure thing, Newly," Jonas nodded and quickly headed to the back storage room.
Newly drew a breath and walked over to the jailhouse. Matt was sitting at his desk, re-reading the telegraph. He looked up at Newly, "How are things?"
O'Brien shrugged, "Doc still hasn't found the bullet," he stated.
"Read this," the marshal said handing the telegraph to the young deputy. Newly read it and looked up at Matt, "We have to stop them," he stated.
Matt nodded as he stood, "I know, but I don't want to spook them. Hopefully they can't go far with that one that's been shot and they will need to get a proper wheel for that wagon," he said as he walked to the window and looked out onto the street. "I need to keep an eye on them here until Festus recovers," he said looking over his shoulder. The look on O'Brien's face didn't give him a sense of ease.