Wilbur Jonas was now about a half a mile away from the stagecoach. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of the horses, however, by the looks of the tracks they may be slowing down. Jonas held his handkerchief to his forehead trying to stop the blood – it seemed to be working. He stood in the middle of the road and looked around - still no horses. Jonas decided to sit on a large rock at the side of the road and catch his breath and rest a few minutes.
Jonas looked back up the road and wondered how Kitty was, and Doc and the marshal as well. Then he wondered if he had made the right choice to go after the horses. It seemed logical at the time, because without horses they would all be stranded for God knows how long and with no supplies, someone would have to find help sooner than later.
Jonas' head throbbed and he constantly tried clearing his eyes. He wondered if he had sustained a slight concussion.
There was a snapping noise in the woods behind Jonas, which caused him to jump. Slowly he turned and looked over his shoulder. He squinted into the woods – through the tree to a clearing. He could see the horses, which were still hitched to the tongue. The animals seemed unfazed by the recent events as they ate the tall prairie grass.
Jonas pushed himself up and carefully made his way along the road for another thirty feet before he found the opening into the clearing. Jonas wasn't one for horses, so he was even more cautious and hoped not to spook the animals, "Easy now," he talked to the lead horse as he carefully approached the team. The lead horse moved and the others had no choice but to follow.
Jonas spotted the line leather reins trailing the horses through the grass and quickly picked them up. The horses jerked slightly and the notion that someone was controlling them again. Thankfully for Jonas, the animals calmed down and became responsive to his presence. "That's it," he said as he walked closer to the horses and then took the lead animal by the bridle. "Come on," he said as he walked the team back to the road and began the journey back to the stagecoach.
Jonas was tired and hurting, but he knew he had to get back to the stagecoach to help Miss Kitty in any way he could. He pulled the reins a little harder and the team followed behind. The store owner's feet began to feel like lead weights and his knees like jelly as the seriousness of the situation began to sink in - Jonas was most certainly fighting off shock and the concussion he assumed he had.
Matt and Doc continued along the road when Matt paused and looked up the road. Matt's eyes carefully scanned the ground and noticed the irregular wheel marks, "Those horses were out of control," Matt stated as his eyes lifted and scanned the area. "Without a driver that coach had no chance of staying upright," his voice held a grim tone.
"I can't imagine Jonas would be the one to climb out the window and pulled them to a stop," Doc said.
"At the rate the stage was travelling and on his road, I doubt that he'd have much of a chance to stay seated let alone try to climb out the window," Matt said. "Let's keep moving. Kitty and Jonas likely need you," Matt looked at the doctor. Doc's eyes were fixed onto the road ahead. He didn't want to believe the stagecoach had crashed, yet with Matt's reasoning, he couldn't think of anything else. Without another word he walked forward with Matt silently at his side.
The marshal and the doctor walked along the road for another half mile. Doc knew Matt was suffering, but wasn't going to complain and just remain quite. The doctor wished he'd at least had his medical bag on this trip to administer some laudanum or something else to take the edge off the wound.
Matt stopped, and surveyed the road again. He noted that the wheel marks shifted again, "That stagecoach has to be pretty close," Matt said looking over to Doc who was several yards ahead of the marshal. "Look," he pointed to the ground and saw the arrows etched into the dirt.
Matt moved forward and immediately his height allowed him to see what Doc couldn't. It was the coach. "Doc!" Matt said as he quickly moved to the toppled stage. Doc rushed to Matt's side, "You stay put," Doc ordered as he climbed up onto the coache's side and peered down into the cabin. Doc gasped at the sight of an unconscious Kitty Russell.
"Doc?" Matt asked as he tried to look over the edge.
"It's Kitty," Doc said as he carefully lowered himself into the cabin next to Kitty. Doc looked around and didn't see Jonas, "I don't see Jonas. Check around to make sure he didn't tumble out somewhere," Doc said as ht looked up to Matt.
"How is she, Doc?" Matt asked.
"I don't know yet. Look for Jonas, will you," Doc said gruffly as he turned his attention to Kitty. Matt sighed as he pushed himself away from the stagecoach, "Jonas?" he called out and there was no answer back. Matt pursed his lips and walked back to the road looking through the tall grass as he went. He hoped he didn't find the store owner sprawled out and mangled. He was finally beginning to appreciate the man and he knew Doc felt the same.
Matt reached the road and was relieved that he didn't see the store owner, but now Matt wondered what the man had gotten too. "Jonas?" he called out again. Matt then looked down at the road and noticed the second arrow, which lead down the road. With a heavy sigh and uncertainly about what he was going to find, Matt began to walk in the direction of the arrow. The marshal had walked for only ten minutes when he spotted a very weary Wilbur Jonas leading the team of horses back to the over turned stagecoach.
Jonas had given up on trying to hold his handkerchief to his forehead and lead the horses. The horses were far more important. When Jonas finally looked up, and he saw Matt and stopped in his tracks. It was as if whole body had just gave in. Jonas wavered on his feet and then tipped over to the ground.
Matt swiftly as he could reach the store owner's side and clutched the reins, "Jonas?" Matt called. There was no response. Matt looked back at the stagecoach, "Doc! It's Jonas!"
Doc poked his head up through the opened door and looked down the road. He cursed under his breath as he was still trying to determine the extent of Kitty's injuries. Now he had a third patient and by the look of the blood down the man's face, he needed attention soon.