"That is good news. For a change you haven't disappointed me." The man stared at his subordinate from behind his massive and ornately carved desk.
"Yes, sir. When will the next stage of your plan begin?" Jeff asked as he stood rigidly.
"Tonight. Tell Running Bear I want an attack on the town tonight." Jeff looked at his boss.
"The town…not settlers? Begging your pardon, Boss but that would be asking for trouble. Everyone knows Indians don't attack a town at night." Jeff began to nervously wring his hat in his hands.
"Oh they will not attack the town itself. I merely want them to find that loud mouthed Richmond fellow and silence him." The man had an evil grin on his face. "I will not have him come in here and take what I have been building up for so long. I need…no…I want this area and no eastern dandy will stand in my way."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Rutledge." Jeff stared in fear at his boss. "I mean yes boss."
"Jeff…we are alone so I won't take disciplinary action against you." Jeff turned to leave but the icy tone in Rultedge's voice made him stop. "Make that mistake again in public and I will cut you down where you stand." Jeff nodded and hurried out of the office.
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"This man was quite literally dumped on our doorstep." Jones spoke softly as they stopped in front of a door. "Of course in my examination I noticed some…irregularities, but I left things in place." Jones quietly pushed the door open and held it for the men.
Jim peered into the room and saw the patient in the bed. Before Richmond or Jeremy could react Jim pushed past them and made his way to the bed. Sitting in the chair Hannah had vacated when she had heard their arrival, Jim leaned forward and looked at his partner.
"Artie?" The "older" man's head turned toward the voice.
"J…Jim?" Artie tried to force his bleary eyes to focus.
"Yeah, pal, it's me. What happened to you?"
"A Sasquatch and I got into a fight with the mountain…care to guess which one lost?" Artie chuckled causing a fit of coughing.
"Take it easy, Artemus." Richmond said from his spot at the foot of the bed.
Recognizing the sound of the voice, Artie pulled his head up to look. Seeing Richmond he then scanned the other faces in the room. The doctor and his wife he figured out quickly…the old fur trader he could only guess was none other than Jeremy Pike. His head fell back against the pillows and Hannah leaned over with a damp cloth and wiped his forehead. Jim looked across the bed at her.
"Do you know what happened to him?"
"What exactly happened to him is anyone's guess." Edward interjected. "He has said some things…mostly ramblings…in his fever induced delirium, but nothing we could make any sense out of."
"He is going to be okay isn't he?" Jim asked.
"I'll be fine, Mother." Artie smiled up at his partner, "But before the doctor tries to give me something to put me back to sleep, there's something I need to tell you.
"It'll keep Artemus, you rest we can talk later." Richmond spoke quietly as Artie vehemently shook his head.
"No…now. There is something going on here. I saw…"Artie paused and Hannah stepped in and helped him sip some water.
"Artie whatever it is it'll keep." Jim spoke softly but sternly to his partner.
"The Sasquatch…" All eyes looked at Artie.
"The what?" Richmond asked perplexed.
"Artie that's a mythical creature." Jim intoned.
"If it's so mythical how come I saw one? I ended up in a fight with one on the top of a ridge not far from town." Jim's face lost all color as his mind drifted back to the tufts of fur he had found on the cliffs edge.
"I found a spot on a ridge where it looked like two animals had fought but Artie you weren't there." Jim sounded defensive.
"I was picked up by a couple of men. I suspect they were the same ones who carted the Sasquatch off." Even without the benefit of medicine Artie was quickly losing his battle to remain awake.
"The doctor says you were dumped on his doorstep."
"Yeah by the men…" Artie insisted. "they slung me over a horse and brought me here. They didn't know I was conscious." Artie was clearly fighting hard to stay awake. Jones looked at Richmond and shook his head.
"All right, all right, Artemus. Do you know what these men were trying to do?" Richmond wanted to get as much information as he could from Artie as quickly as he could.
"No, just that they seemed pretty interested in that animal. They didn't seem to care if I lived or died but they wanted to make sure there wasn't a mark on that animal. They left me there…"Artie shuddered at the memory, "to die. But something or someone must have changed their minds. They came back a while later and got me and I guess that's when they brought me here." Artie was sweating profusely and Hanna had to wipe his brow again.
"Gentlemen, Artemus needs to get some sleep. Maybe he'll remember what happened better after he's slept." Jones stated as he ushered them out of the room.
"Wait," Artie tried to rise, his head swimming, "It's just like I told you!" Jones pulled the door closed effectively cutting off any further protests Artie might attempt.
Artie flung the covers back and stumbled from the bed. Hearing voices in the hall he used the furniture to aid his way to the door. Leaning on the door more for support than anything else Artie heard their conversation through the door. They don't believe me! Artie thought as he rested his weary head against the door. I'm not delirious, why would I lie? I'll find that Sasquatch and prove it to them! Artie pushed off the door and half walked half fell toward his clothes Hannah had cleaned and repaired.
His leg nearly collapsed under him but Artie clamped his mouth shut to keep from crying out. After several attempts he had finally dressed himself leaving his left arm still tightly wrapped. Checking the door he could hear the hushed tones of conversation from the sitting room down the hall. Damn, you'd think at least Jim would believe me, Artie sighed as he turned to inspect the room.
Hobbling over to the window he looked out and noted the ground was quite close. Carefully opening the window Artie looked around the room one last time. Grabbing a small bag from his piled belongings in one corner, he filled it with the medical supplies and medicines that were on the nightstand. Dropping it out the window he stopped to listen to make sure no one had heard the bag as it hit the ground below.
Getting his injured leg out the window was no easy task and Artie was soaked in sweat by the time he had finally managed to drop to the ground. It's a good thing Jim isn't here he'd never let me hear the end of this…I must look like an idiot, Artie thought as he scooped up the bag and headed for the small out building behind the doctor's home.
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Jim and Jeremy leaned forward in their wing backed chairs in the parlor of the doctor's home telling their parts in the current mission. Jones had forced Colonel Richmond to lie on the settee with an ice pack on his head. Hannah was in the kitchen beginning supper leaving the men to talk freely.
"And you're sure someone is trying to buy up all the land just so they can control the miners over in Idaho?" Jones asked skeptically.
"Yes and no." Richmond replied from the settee. "Yes someone is buying up all the land in this area but no not to control the miners so to speak. It's more to control the resources this area has to offer." Jones raised an eyebrow at them.
"Doctor Jones, what our superior is trying to say…" Jeremy took up the conversation, "is that the miners have to stop here to get their supplies on the way to Idaho right?" Jones nodded and Jeremy continued.
"Well someone has been buying up not just the land but farms, fruit orchards, vegetable farms, virtually all of the supplies the miners need. Someone is trying to corner the market and they don't care who they stomp on to get what they want. That is why it is imperative that the government finds out who this person is and puts a stop it."
"Monopolies have broken more towns than they have ever helped." Richmond added. "And from all reports whoever is behind this will stop at nothing to achieve their goal." Jones shook his head and sighed in disgust.
"So that's why Mr. West was sent in…to investigate the attacks against the company putting the telegraph lines in." Jim nodded. "But that doesn't explain the rest of you."
"Well, the information about what the culprit was really after had come to light and there was no way to get the information to James so I came in as a land speculator. I was hoping to draw the man out into the open…" Richmond chuckled and adjusted the ice pack.
"Seems like you did a fine job of that, Mr. Richmond." Jones grinned.
"Yes it sure seems that way doesn't it." Richmond commented. "And now whoever is behind all this knows we're all together." Richmond looked downcast.
"It was bound to come out sooner or later, sir." Jim told him.
"What about what Artemus said?" Jeremy spoke quietly as he glanced down the hall.
"Oh he's delirious from fever." Jones intoned. "I wouldn't put much stock in what he says just now." Jim shook his head.
"If there's one thing I know it's my partner. If Artie says he saw something I think we should look into it." Jeremy nodded and Richmond looked between his agents.
"Gentlemen, need I remind you I live here and I know the legends. That beast your friend talked about is a myth. Oh, of course the Indians believe in the Sasquatch as they call it…they believe in a lot of things we haven't been able to prove." Jones shook his head.
"Well, I believe Artie saw something. And we owe it to him to investigate it. If Artie's right it just might be the break we need." Jim spoke sternly.
"I left him a sleeping powder…he should be sleeping for a few hours yet. I'll let you talk to him when he wakes up and you can decide what to do then." Jones told them, eliciting nods from the men.
Hannah entered the room with a tray containing a coffee pot and several cups. She thought they might like a cup of coffee while they waited for supper. She began to pour as the men speculated on what Artie might have seen.
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Artie entered the small building that served as a stable for the doctor's horse and buggy and also served as a storage shed and looked around. He eyed the buggy longingly, knowing there was no way he could hitch the horse to it, he turned his attention toward the storage side of the building. He crossed the space and set his bag down on a stool sitting in front of a long counter attached to the wall.
Looking again at the buggy, Artie pushed himself off the counter and stumbled toward it. Closing his eyes he said a silent prayer of thanks, the doctor had left his traveling medical bag in the seat. Artie picked it up and made his way back to the counter.
Selecting some tools he began to fashion some items he thought he might need. He had seen some of the wounds the Sasquatch had gotten and he added some bandages and antiseptic to the bag. He tossed the items he had made into the bag and picked it up. Turning quickly he lost his balance and fell.
Shaking his head and cursing, Artie pulled himself up and stopped to listen. His commotion had not been heard so he made his way to the door and quietly let himself out. With a last look toward the doctor's house and a whispered I'm sorry, Jim, Artie headed into the wooded area just behind the doctor's property.
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"There…you've seen your precious beast. Now send your men to do what I asked." Rutledge snapped at Running Bear. The chief glared at him.
"You said the Sasquatch would be tended well. He does not look happy."
"Chief, he is safe and sound that is all I can do. If you and your men would cooperate with me this would all be so unnecessary." Rutledge smirked.
"We will do as you say, white man…but know this…once we have our sacred animal back you stay away from my people." Running Bear scowled and turned his back to Rutledge and turned to leave.
"Chief…I want that man taken out tonight. Do not make me harm your sacred animal." Rutledge smiled evilly as the Chief muttered something in his native tongue as he left.
WWWWWWWWWW
Dropping his bag, Artie slumped to sit on a large rock. He was heaving for breath and sweating profusely. He pulled the canteen from the bag and took a long drink. Sighing, he looked around him. Yes, he had managed to find the spot where he and the Sasquatch had fallen. He saw all the blood and bits of fur scattered around the area and hoped the animal was all right.
He was thankful this was an area not frequented by man or beast. He quickly spotted the trail the men had taken when they removed the Sasquatch. They sure didn't care about covering their tracks, Artie thought as he picked up his bag headed off on the trail.
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