"You say you found this man on your porch? Do you have any idea who left him there?" The Sheriff questioned the doctor.
"I was passing the door on my way to my office when I heard the moaning. It was still dark so even if they were in the area I wouldn't have seen them."
"I wonder why they didn't knock on your door." The Sheriff muttered.
"I would like an answer to that myself. The man is pretty banged up…looks like he took a tumble off the one of the cliffs around here." The Sheriff grabbed paper and pencil and looked at the doctor.
"He's not been coherent enough to tell me that. He just babbles and in his feverish state I wouldn't count on much of anything he says to be very reliable."
"If you can give me a description I'll ask around and see if anyone knows anything. Do you know his name?" The Sheriff looked up when Edward hesitated.
"Something wrong, Doctor?"
"What…no. He's just difficult to describe with all the swelling and such. He appears to be a man in his late 50's or so. Graying hair and a bushy beard. Typical fur trader I suppose." The Sheriff's head snapped up.
"Fur trader you say. There was a fur trader fellow in here yesterday looking for a friend of his. I wonder if this is the man he's looking for."
"It sure would be a help to me if he was. It's hard for me to treat him when I don't know any of his medical history. And speaking of my patient I had better get back there. I left Hannah with him. I'll talk to you later Marc." The doctor rose and left wondering if he should have told the Sheriff what he knew about the strange patient in his care.
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Jim made his way to a table near the rear of the restaurant and asked if he could join the Colonel. Making polite small talk they waited until the waitress brought their food before getting down to business.
"Any news about Artie, sir?" Jim asked hopeful.
"None. I was hoping you might have some." Richmond pushed the food around his plate.
"Seems the only old man in town anyone recalls seeing is Jeremy. Artie HAS to be here somewhere." Jim pounded his fist on the table causing nearby diners to look in their direction.
"Calm down, West. We can't have people getting nosy. Maybe Mr. Pike has found something. He'll contact us when he can."
"Yes, sir, I suppose you're right." Jim sighed.
"I did make some headway into YOUR mission. You DO remember your job don't you?"
"Yes sir," Jim intoned, "I remember. What have you found out?"
"That the people in this town have mouths like steel traps. Whatever goes in doesn't come out easy!" Jim raised an eyebrow and Richmond continued.
"I slipped some questions into my conversations with the townsfolk. You know, asking about the town…who really runs what...why there's no telegraph yet. They talked my ears off on the first two questions but after that every single one of their mouths clamped shut tighter than the vault at Fort Knox!"
"You'd think people would have opinions on both sides of the issue. Usually citizens find it hard to keep their opinions to themselves." Jim mused.
"Not here…something has these people too scared to talk. Maybe Mr. Pike can snoop around and see what he might be able to overhear. I'll talk to him when I see him later. Right now I want you to scout around town. Ask the townsfolk about the telegraph. Use your government ID if you have to but get us some answers." Richmond and Jim sat quietly finishing their meal.
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Jim stepped out of the sparsely furnished telegraph office more frustrated than he had been so far. Mr. McKenzie didn't know what was going on in the territory. He had just been sent there by Western Union when they had taken over putting the lines through. McKenzie had told Jim the records that were still there had been badly burned and he was still trying to put them as well as the office back together. This case is getting more discouraging by the minute,I Jim thought as he pulled Blackjack's reins free from the hitching post and climbed up into the saddle.
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Hannah was just setting the last dishes on the table when Edward entered his home and hung his hat and jacket on the coat rack. He entered the dining room and walked over to his wife and kissed her on the cheek. Jeremy jumped to his feet and stood nervously by the table. Hannah pulled back from her husband.
"Dear, we have company." She nodded in Jeremy's direction. Edward did a double take when he took in Jeremy's appearance.
"I'm Edward Jones, sir." Jones extended his hand and he was somewhat shocked by the strong grip he received in return.
"Names Peters…Jeb Peterson. I came to talk to you doctor." Jeremy pulled his hand back and went back to nervously wringing the brim of his hat in his hands.
"If it's not too pressing, I'd like my husband to eat dinner first. He ran out of here like he was on fire this morning without getting his breakfast. And my offer to you still stands…please sit and join us." Hannah gestured to Jeremy.
Jeremy knew if he was to get any information out of the good doctor he would have to play this out so he walked over to the side board Hannah had indicated and washed up in the basin placed there. As he took his seat he noticed the doctor staring intently at him. Jeremy tried not to fidget as he accepted a plate form Mrs. Jones.
"Mr. Peterson may I ask how you came to our little town?" Edward started a conversation.
"Jus in the area trappin and lookin ta sell my pelts. I was ta meet my freend here but so far I ain't seen him." Jeremy tried to sound anxious.
"What does your friend look like?" Jones asked exchanging looks with his wife when they heard a noise from one of the other rooms.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, I think our patient needs to be tended to. I'll be right back." Hannah jumped up and left the table. Jeremy stared quizzically at her quickly retreating back.
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"Shhh," Hannah whispered to the feverish man as she applied another cold compress to his forehead. "Just conserve your strength and relax."
"That voice…" Artie's eyes stared vacantly. "That voice…"
"Shhh it's going to be all right. That man is leaving soon you don't have to worry about him." Hannah dabbed his face with the cool cloth and Artie succumbed to its numbing effect and drifted off into a restless sleep again.
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"Ahem…" Edward cleared his throat bringing Jeremy back to the conversation. "We were talking about your friend…"
"Oh yeah…well he's…uh…he's old like me. His clothes has seen better days I'm sure." Jeremy wished again that he had some idea of what Artie's disguise was. "I ain't seed him in a while soses I can't really tell ya. We just agree ta meet up at least once a year and this year it was here." Jeremy noted the nervous glances being passed across the table.
"Well, Mr. Peterson, I wish I could help you but we've not seen anyone matching that description. Where are you staying? If I see or hear anything I'll get in touch with you." Jones looked at Jeremy, studying him intently.
"I have a campsite just past the edge of the other side of town." Jeremy motioned with his thumb in the direction of his camp.
"Very good then, if we hear anything I'll get word to you out there if I don't see you in town. Do you plan on staying long?"
"Well, I didn't intend ta stay very long but now well I gotta stay till my freend is found." Jeremy thanked Mrs. Jones for the fine meal and let himself out.
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Jeremy slowly made his way through the saloon to the table near the back when he looked through the doors and saw Jim talking to men who appeared to be cowhands. He stood silently nearby waiting to be acknowledged. Finally as he finished his conversation with the men Jim turned around.
"Something I can help you with old timer?" Jim smiled at him.
"I'd like a word with ya, sonny." Jeremy replied as Jim excused himself and rose to face the old man.
"Sure, why don't we take this table and leave these men to their beer?" Jim gestured to a table out of earshot.
They took their seats and Jim signaled for some beer to be brought over. They engaged in small talk while they waited. Jeremy, keeping in character as the old fur trader, asking how Jim's investigation was going and if the government was going to do anything about the hostilities in the area and Jim reassuring him the government would assess the situation and act quickly.
"What's up I thought we had arranged a meeting for tonight?" Jim spoke softly as he looked around to see if anyone was watching them.
"I didn't think this could wait. Jim, I've just come from the doctor's home. I think he knows more than he's telling. He and his wife looked like they wanted to make a run for it when I described Artemus to them and asked if they had seen him." Jeremy took a sip of his beer.
"You don't say, old timer?" Jim commented loudly, "I'd be very interested in hearing more about your travels." Jim went on as he noticed a couple of men staring at them, the men went back to their beers. Jim and Jeremy returned to their conversation.
"I'll go talk to him in my official capacity maybe that'll get something out of him." Jim tossed some coins onto the table.
"Thanks for the interesting conversation, old timer. Here get yourself something to eat on me. I'll be around for a few days if you'd care to share more of your stories with me. I'd be especially interested in the one about the beast." Jim said loudly as he rose to leave, feeling several pairs of eyes on his back as he made his way out of the saloon.
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Hannah returned to the dining room and began to clear away the dishes. Edward was sitting at the table sipping his coffee deep in thought.
"Edward, your patient heard Mr. Peterson. He knows that man I'm sure of it. Why didn't we tell him his friend is here?" Hannah wanted to know.
"I'm not sure…I…I just know there's more going on here than meets the eye." Edward spoke solemnly. Standing up, he excused himself and went to check on his patient.
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