For copyright se first page. 

 

Chapter 13. A Long Night

Jimmy felt an intense pain on the left side of his chest and he knew he had been hit. I failed, he managed to think before he saw that the sky had turned a peculiar shade of purple, and he wondered vaguely why. Something in his chest was smarting and he raised his hand to it to see what was the matter. It felt wet and sticky and unaccountably his legs began to tremble. He saw Cody staring at him and he tried to say something, but the sky seemed darker now. It was nearly black, and the sun a great white ball that bounced about on it. His knees crumbled under him and he flopped down like a coat falling from a peg.

Cody watched in horror how Jimmy placed his hand on his chest and fell to the ground. Deacon grabbed his right elbow and dropped his gun, obviously wounded. In anger Cody let out a yell and ignorant of the gun aimed at him he threw himself at Dodgson, causing them both to fall. Dodgson lost his gun, but where soon on his feet. He kicked Cody in the stomach, before he started to look for his gun.

"This is it," he growled, "it's time to end this."

Ike too saw Jimmy fell and he doubled his efforts to get free. Deacon had been too occupied to notice that the rope which with he had tied Ike's hand was old and worned out and Ike had felt the rope give in when they were tied to the tree. He had tried to get his hands free and he was just about to get some result when Jimmy was shot. His wrists begun to hurt, but he ignored the pain and more or less hang himself in the rope, trying to get loose. Just as Dodgson kicked Cody, Ike felt the rope break and he fell to the ground. Quickly he freed his hands and rushed over to where Dodgson was picking up his gun. As Dodgson aimed the gun at Cody, Ike knocked him down from behind, grabbing at the gun. Cody managed to raise himself into a sitting position unable to do anything except watching. He stared at the two fighting and then he looked over to where Jimmy was laying motionless. Deacon was standing on his knees, trying to stop the bleeding, apparently stunned.

"Hang in there, Ike!" Cody called, feeling utterly helpless, struggling against the rope that tied his hands. He was still occupied with this, when a shot echoed through the valley. He immediately stopped what he was doing, holding his breath. To his relief it was a panting Ike that emerged from the fight, apparently unharmed.

"You OK?" Cody asked holding hid breath. Ike nodded and looked bewildered at him.

<He's dead.> he signed.

"Well, he deserves it," Cody muttered. "Help me loose, Ike!" The sound of a horse made they turn only to see Deacon high-tail out of there.

"Let him go!" Cody said as Ike cut him loose. "We better see how Jimmy is doing!"

Together they run over to where Jimmy was laying, face down. Quickly they turned him over and looked at him.

"Damn," Cody whispered when he saw the red stain on Jimmy's chest that rapidly increased. Ike immediately removed his bandanna and as Cody tore Jimmy's short open Ike placed the bandanna over the wound, pressing it hard against the wound to stop the bleeding. Cody looked at his friend's face and a dreadful fear that Jimmy was going to die set him trembling. He turned back to the horses and returned with the water canteen. Ike had already made an improvised bandage and Cody splashed some water into the pale face.

"Come on, Jimmy," he croaked. He repeated it when there was no reply. After a few minutes Jimmy moaned feebly and opened his eyes. Slowly, from vague wonderment, recognition crept into them.

"Cody? Ike? What happened?"

"You've been shot. You better not try and move - you'll loose a lot of blood." Cody replied.

"What about Deacon?"

"You hit him in the shoulder - he ran out of here with his tail between his legs."

"The other?"

"Dodgson? Ike fought him, and Ike won, Dodgson died." Cody smiled faintly.

Jimmy moaned, feeling extremely weak.

<How do you feel?>

"I don't know. How bad is it?"

"I think Ike manage to stop the worst of the bleeding," Cody replied harshly, trying to control his voice. The wound didn't look good and Cody felt Ike looking at him with worry in his face.

"He'll make it." Cody whispered to Ike as Jimmy moaned again.

"Teaspoon's salve," Jimmy managed to say before the pain caused him to wince. Ike was still applying pressure to the wound and now he looked surprised at Cody. Cody frowned and shrugged.

"What's he talking about?" he whispered. Ike raised his eyebrow, looking bewildered. Cody wrecked his brain - what salve? Then it dawned on him. "That salve with the gunpowder and horse liniment? To stop the bleeding?"

Jimmy nodded slowly.

"Well, we got the gun powder, but for the rest of it, I ain't sure we can fix that," he smiled faintly, when Ike asked for his attention.

<We need a better bandage.> Cody looked around but didn't see anything, so finally he sacrificed his shirt and tore large strips of it. Ike made it into a temporarily bandage and redressed the wound as Jimmy passed out.

"How do we get him out of here?" Cody wondered and watched as Ike's hand moved quickly in front of him.

"A travois? I haven't got a clue to how to make a travois."

<Then we better learn.>

An hour later Ike and Cody watched their handy work. It wouldn't win any prices concerning its look, but as long as it worked the boys didn't mind its look.

"You'll think it will work?"

<It better.>

They looked over where Jimmy was laying unconscious and pale. They knew that they must get him to a doctor, and that real soon.

"Let's do it then."

Cody walked over to Jimmy as Ike brought the horse with the travois. Together they lifted Jimmy to the travois, careful enough not to open up the wound that appeared to have stopped bleeding for the time being. Carefully the started on the road to Lichtfield.

A couple of hours later Ike halted the horse and went over to the travois. The wound had opened up and Jimmy was bleeding again. Cody was feeling as if he was in a nightmare, first Buck and now Jimmy. And it was all his fault. The sound of a wagon approaching made them draw their guns and to immediately put them down as the wagon came into sight.

"Emma! Sam!" Cody called out his joy of seeing the couple and Ike smiled happily at them.

"Cody? Ike? What are you doing out here?" Emma asked when she saw the travois. She immediately jumped down from the wagon and walked briskly over to the travois. She gasped when she saw the pale face of Jimmy, laying there motionless.

"What happened?" she asked again as she removed the blanket and saw the wound.

"He was in a gunfight---" Cody begun hesitantly.

"He challenged somebody, I bet," Emma said between her teeth as she with a deft hand checked the bandage. Before any of the boys could answer, she continued:

"Sam, get me the bag in the wagon." She looked up. "I suspected you were in trouble so I asked Doc for something useful to take with me," she explained. "Now, were you gonna tell me what happened?"

Cody and Ike looked at each other. Ike shrugged and offered to Cody to do the explanation.

"I sort of got in some trouble," Cody began, "and it got out of hands - and he didn't challenge anybody, Emma! He tried to save Ike and me!"

"Who shot him?" Sam asked as he handed the bag to Emma.

"A man called Deacon."

"Deacon? The gun-fighter? Then he's damn lucky to be alive."

<You know him?>

"Sort of. The rumor says he has killed more than twenty men. He's very proud of his ability and they say he's always bragging about it. Any one argues, he challenges him." Sam lowered his voice, so that Emma couldn't hear him. "A duel?"

Ike and Cody nodded concordant, and Sam pulled a face, but refrained from commenting.

"How is he Emma?" Sam asked and walked over to her. She had redressed the wound and cleaned it up. She sounded weary when she replied.

"He's lost a lot of blood, and the bullet is still lodged somewhere in side his body. He needs a doctor, Sam, and real soon too."

"Then we better get him to one. There must be one in Lichtfield, and since that's the closest town we better over there." Sam turned to the boys. "Help us get him into the wagon, boys!"

Soon Jimmy was wrapped in a blanket and laying with his head in Emma's knee in the wagon. Sam was urging the horses towards Lichtfield as fast as the road permitted, with Ike and Cody followed with the horses. The travois had been abandoned, looking even less than a mean of transportation than before. Emma sat in silence, gently stroking Jimmy's forehead, as if her presence would keep him alive. She knew that the boys had done a good job and almost managed to stop the bleeding, but as long as the bullet still remained in Jimmy's body, he wasn't out of danger. Nobody said anything, all of them feeling feared that they would be too late for the doctor to do anything. Seeing Emma sitting there, tenderly holding on to Jimmy, caused a heavy feeling on the boys riding behind the wagon. Cody knew that if Jimmy died, he would never be able to forget himself. Silently he sent a prayer for his friend to make it. Ike looked at the couple and thought about Buck. He wondered what had happened to his friend and where he was, when something in front of him made him look up. His eyes widened at the sight and he tapped his chest to get the others attention. When they looked at him, he rose in the saddle and pointed towards the horizon. Over Lichtfield hanged a large cloud of dark smoke.

 

Teaspoon looked bewildered at Lou.

"Fire?" he asked looking at her. But before Lou could answer he felt it in the air - the distinct smell of burning wood and furniture. "How the hell did they managed that?" he asked, knowing that it was of no importance. The fact was that the house was on fire and they had to get out. How they would manage that without landing into the hands of the lynch mob outside was beyond his imagination. He sat down next to Buck, who had sunk down by the window, trying desperately to stay awake despite the headache and weariness. Buck looked up at Teaspoon.

"I ain't going out there," he stated silently.

"We can't stay here, Buck," Teaspoon said. "We might stand a better chance out there."

"If they catch me, thinking I'm a murder, they'll hang me," Buck replied coldly. "I ain't gonna let 'em." Suddenly he felt as if he couldn't breathe and he started to gasp for air. Teaspoon helped him to straightened up as another call was heard from outside.

"Well, are you coming out?"

Lou replied by firing her gun outside the window and a yell told them she hit somebody.

"They've killed Evans!"

"They won't get away with that! Let's go in and get 'em!"

"I think that's done it," Teaspoon mumbled and fired his gun too. Buck sank down fighting for air and trying to stay awake, something that became harder and harder. Lou went over to the other window and started fire from another angle. The smoke from the fire came into the room as black clouds and made the air harder to breathe. Lou could even swear that she could feel the heat emanated from the hallway. Suddenly a gang of riders approached caught her attention, and she felt as if this was it - there were no way they could fight that bunch too. Something familiar about the first rider made her look again, and a ray of hope leaped through her heart. Kid!

"It's the Kid!" she called out in joy to the others. "He's come back!"

"And it looks as if he brought some friends," Teaspoon said when the newcomers started to fire at the sheriff and his men.

"Come on, Lou, we've got to get Buck out of here!" Lou put away her gun and came to Teaspoon's assistance. By united efforts they managed to help Buck to his feet and got him out in the hallway. The smoke was so thick that they couldn't see their hands in front of them, and it made them cough. For Buck it was a nightmare of smoke and heat, and every breath was causing him pain. He could see white spots before his eyes and he knew he was on the end of his strength.

 

Kid saw the flames emerge from the back of doctor's house and as soon as he realized that the major had the men under control he leaped of Katy and ran to the house.

"Lou!" he yelled. "Teaspoon, Buck! Are you in there?"

To his relief the door opened and in a hail of black smoke three persons stumbled out, coughing. He ran over to them and helped them away from the fire that seemed to have gotten a new force with the opening of the door. They stumbled on until there were at a safe distance from the smoke and the fire, then they more or less fell to the ground. When Teaspoon found his voice, he looked at Kid.

"Hell if I know where you came from, son, but your timing never been better."

"We saw the smoke and I suspected that you had something to do with it."

"Did you find Cody?"

Kid shook his head.

"No. But I ran into the army." He glanced over to where the major almost had finished rounding up the sheriff's men and was looking at them. "They were looking for Cody, but I managed to persuade them to come here instead. I told them that we could clear Cody of the charges. Can we?"

"Ain't sure, but at least we can try. Well done, Kid. Now, you and Lou take Buck back to the hotel. Make sure he gets into bed and this time stays there. I'll talk to the major." Teaspoon stood up, ready to meet the major that now was walking over to them. Lou and Kid hastily obliged Teaspoon's orders and half carried, half-dragged Buck to the hotel.

An hour later Teaspoon joined them in one of the hotel rooms. Lou was sitting next to a bed in which Buck was resting. Kid was sitting restless on a chair by the door when Teaspoon entered. He looked tired and sank down on a chair next to Kid before opening his mouth.

"How is he doing?" he asked silently with a nod towards the bed. Lou rose from the chair next to the bed and joined Kid and Teaspoon by the door.

"Doesn't look good, Teaspoon," she replied slowly. "I don't know how he managed to stay up during the fight, but it almost killed him. He's burning up with fever and he has a hard time breathing."

"Isn't there anything we can do, Teaspoon?" Kid asked.

"Fraid not, except praying." A silence settled in the room as Lou and Kid contemplated the answer. To feel this helpless when a friend was in need, was unusual for them, and they didn't like it.

"What did the army say?" Kid asked finally, more for having something to say rather than he was interested in the answer.

"The Major has a hard time believing in me, but at least he promised to question everybody involved. I told him to look for the saloon-owner, that Dodgson fellow."

"So Cody's still a suspect?" Lou asked.

"Yes. But I told him that Sam could vouch for him and he said he considered sending a note to him. He also said he will send up his army doctor to have a look at Buck. He should be here any minute now."

"You think he might be able to help?"

"I don't know Lou."

Somewhere in the distance Buck seemed to be aware of voices calling his name, asking him how he felt. But the voices seemed to come from far away and he didn't know how to answer them. He tried to tell them that everything would be all right, that the headache and the pain he felt breathing would pass. Or he hoped so. Every breath felt as a knife wound in his chest and caused him to wince, the pain keeping him from sleeping. Suddenly he felt the pain increase and he thought he would die. White spots danced before his eyes and soon he sunk down into a black fog, unaware of the world around him.

A soft mumbling from the bed brought Lou and Teaspoon back to the bed. Kid stayed where he was, not wanting to be in the way. Buck was turning and twisting, mumbling incoherent, mixing English words with those of his native tongue, Kiowa. Lou tried to calm him by dabbing cold compresses on his face when somebody knocked on the door.

"It must be the army doctor," Teaspoon said and stood up and opened the door. True enough, outside stood not only an army doctor but also the major.

"Thank you for coming, doctor," Teaspoon said letting the two men in. "You didn't have to come, major."

"I wanted to tell you that I haven't found anything that supports your story," the major said sternly. "You said the boy had some information. Can I talk to him?"

Teaspoon looked over to the bed where the doctor was examining Buck.

"He's in no condition to answer questions, I'm afraid. He's got pneumonia, or at least that what the town doctor said."

"But you don't believe him?"

"He was employed by Dodgson. Did you get hold of him by the way?"

The doctor cleared his throat and the men turned to him.

"Would you mind continue your discussion outside? Both for mine and my patient's sake?"

"Sorry, Doc," the major said. "Mr. Hunter, shall we?"

"S'pose so," Teaspoon nodded and looked at Lou and Kid.

"I'll join you," Kid said, but Lou hesitated.

"I think I'll stay with Buck, if that's all right?" She looked at the doctor and Teaspoon respectively.

"I suppose one of you can stay," the doctor admitted and Teaspoon nodded his OK.

Kid looked at Lou and whispered as he past;

"You gonna be all right?"

"Yes. I just need to be here."

"I know," Kid nodded and followed Teaspoon out the door. Lou went over to where the doctor was examining Buck. The army doctor was an elder man around the fifty with a gentle face, and Lou immediately felt that she could trust him.

"How is he?" she asked and sat down on the other side of the bed.

The doctor shook his head sadly before looking carefully at Lou.

"You're not his girlfriend are you?" he asked gently. Lou stared back at him in horror.

"How---" she started unbelievingly, "how did you know I'm a girl?"

"I'm too old to not see the difference between a young girl and a boy. I take it that they don't know?"

"Only the boys," Lou admitted, "but no one else."

"Then I'll keep your secret." The doctor smiled at her. "Are you ---"

Lou shook her head.

"No, I'm not a girlfriend. We're just good friends, almost like family. You didn't answer my question. How is he?"

"Well, he's got pneumonia, that's for sure. But there are some things I don't understand. You said he was in the fight with you earlier?"

"Yes."

"How did he seemed then?"

"Well, I was surprised he managed," Lou admitted. "He looked very weak before that, but then it seemed as if he just, well, forgot that he was sick." She looked questioningly at the doctor. "Is that bad?"

"I don't know. His symptoms are not the first you'd consider for pneumonia, but yet there is enough to say that it is pneumonia, or some form of it anyway."

"And there's nothing we can do?" Lou asked, looking at Buck who by now was thrashing wildly around, clearly delirious and rambling.

"Well, I can give him something to sooth him in this state," the doctor said, but as for the fever and the sickness, well, that's something he has to fight on his own."

"Will he make it?"

"That's more than I can say, I'm afraid. Being up took a lot of his strength, and he's gonna need every uns of it. All I can do, as I said before, is to give him something soothing to keep him calm. That will save him some strength. His fever is very high, and that keeps his heart beat faster. Here."

The doctor took Lou hand and placed it on Buck's chest. Through her fingertips she could feel what the doctor just had told her. Buck's heart was beating fast in a rate that almost felt scaring. She removed her hand, looking up at the doctor.

"What's going to happen?" she asked in a faint voice.

"That's hard to say." The doctor looked in his bag and came up with a small jar containing several pills. "Will you get me a glass of water?" he said as he shook a pill out of the jar. When Lou returned with the glass, the doctor was crushing the pill in a spoon into a powder, which he emptied in the glass.

"Let's see if we can't get him to drink this." With united efforts they managed to get the drink between Buck's lips.

"It ain't much more that I can do for him," the doctor sighed and closed his bag. "Will you stay with him?"

Lou nodded.

"Then try and keep him comfortable by dabbing him with those cold compresses as you've been doing and try to get him to drink as much as possible." The doctor prepared to leave, when Lou stopped him.

"You're not gonna tell anybody, are you?" she asked beggingly.

"Your secret is safe with me, girl", the man replied calmly. "Now just see to your friend and I'll be back to check on him later."

"Thanks."

The doctor nodded and walked out of the room. When he closed the door behind him, the calm and concerned expression on his face disappeared, replaced by a stern countenance. It would take nothing short of a miracle for the boy to pull through, he thought, but then he didn't have the heart to tell his friends. Ain't sure I'm cut out for this job, he mumbled as he started to walk downstairs.

 

Downstairs Teaspoon was trying to convince the major to drop the charges against Cody, but without any result. The major refused to budge, claiming there weren't enough evidence, despite the fact that Dodgson was missing, which in Teaspoon's eyes suggested that he was guilty of something. When Teaspoon stubbornly remarked that there weren't that much evidence against Cody either, the major looked sternly at him and said that the order to arrest Cody had come from a high ranked officer that were beyond any suspicions. Did, he, a simple station manager really thought that he could make accusations against a general of the US Army? Teaspoon was quickly loosing his patience when the doctor appeared and interrupted the discussion. Teaspoon gave up his efforts trying to persuade and turned to the doctor.

"How is he?" he asked anxiously.

"I don't want to like to you, Mr.Hunter," the doctor said sadly. "Your friend is really sick and in a very bad shape. I suspect he will have a fever crisis, and if he passes it he'll probably be all right."

"If?"

The doctor took a deep breath.

"You better have someone staying close to him," he said and looked at Teaspoon meaningfully. "I'm sorry," he added softly, when a turmoil at the end of the street made them turn around. A wagon and two riders were approaching them in a high speed. Teaspoon grabbed Kid by the arm when he saw who it was.

"I don't believe it," he said unbelievingly, "it's Emma and Sam!"

"And they got Ike and Cody with'em!" Kid added, regretting immediately the mention of Cody's name. But it was too late - the major responded immediately.

"Cody? William F Cody?" He didn't wait for the response, but called for his sergeant.

"Get your men ready," he ordered shortly, ignoring Teaspoon's objections.

"Damn it, major, the boy's innocent!"

Kid searched the wagon as it approached, but his eye failed to find the one he was looking for.

"Where's Jimmy?" he asked. Teaspoon turned from the major who was getting his men ready and looked at the wagon, suddenly feeling even more anxious than before, something that he thought was impossible an hour ago. But the bitter truth was there, right before his eyes. Jimmy was nowhere to been seen.

Sam saw the gathering of people outside the hotel and told Emma. She sat up next to him and saw Teaspoon and Kid among the soldiers. She pointed them out to Sam and he quickly decided that heading in that direction would be their best choice. He threw Emma a glance.

"How's Jimmy?"

"He's weak. Maybe we should go over to the doctor first?" Emma suggested, looking at Sam.

"I have a feeling we should get over there", Sam said calmly.

Cody looked at the soldiers and felt a twinge of discomfort. But then he saw Teaspoon and Kid standing there and thought that he might be OK after all. Besides he couldn't leave Jimmy's side now. So he followed the others towards the saloon.

When they came closer, both Kid and Teaspoon run up to meet them.

"Sam, Emma!" What are you doing here?" Teaspoon called as he reached them.

"I got worried," Emma replied and continued immediately, "Is there a doctor with those soldiers?"

"Yes, but why--" Teaspoon started, but Emma wasn't listening, Instead she walked briskly over to the major.

"Mr. Hunter said you had a doctor with you," she stated, "and I'd be grateful for his help." The doctor stepped up to her and offered his assistance.

"What happened?" he asked.

"One of my Express riders has been shot and is in a bad way. He's over in the wagon. If you could do anything for him, doctor--"

"It's just Doc, ma'am. Let's have a look at him then."

Teaspoon and Kid watched Emma walk away and looked surprised at Sam, who squeezed his lips together and nodded to the back of the wagon. Teaspoon walked up and looked over the edge, suddenly feeling as if a cold hand gripped his heart.

"How did this happened?" he asked in a strenuous voice.

"He was forced into a duel," Sam replied as Ike mounted and walked up to Teaspoon and Kid. Demanding their attention he quickly signed his question, consisting of only one word.

"Buck? He's here Ike," Teaspoon replied, hesitant to tell Ike everything when the arrival of the doctor prevented any further discussion. The doctor took one look at Jimmy and ordered them to help him get him inside.

"What are you going to do?" Emma demanded as Kid and Ike helped Teaspoon get Jimmy out of the wagon.

"We need to get that bullet out as soon as possible," was the short reply. The doctor looked at Emma. "I could use some help, ma'am," he added.

"I'll help", Emma promised. "And it's Emma, Doc."

"Come on, Cody," Sam said as Jimmy was carried away. "Let's tend to the horses, shall we?" He stopped dead in his tracks when an armed sergeant stopped him with a major standing beside him. The major turned to Cody.

"William F Cody?" You're under arrest."

"What the hell is this about major?" Sam asked angry.

"Mr. Cody is under the suspicion of been involved in activities directed against the order of the United Stated," the major replied strictly.

"That's rubbish," Sam said irritated.

"And who are you, if I may ask?" The major looked at Sam with an unimpressed glance.

"The marshal of Sweetwater, Sam Cain. And I know that boy. There's no way he should have done anything in the way you suggested."

"I believe you're outside your jurisdiction, marshal Cain."

"What are you going to do?"

"We'll give the boy over to the marshal until we can leave."

"There's no need for that, major. I'll vouch for the boy. We won't leave until this thing has been settled."

The major hesitated and looked from Sam to Cody and then back again.

"I'll listen to what he has to say," he decided. "Then we'll see."

"Thank you major. Can your men see to our horses?"

"I'll see to it. We'll use the hotel owner's office. He won't mind." The major turned and started to walk over to the hotel. Cody walked up to Sam.

"What happens now?" he asked.

"You'll tell him what happened, and we'll see," Sam replied.

"But what about Jimmy? And the others?"

"We have to clear this out first, Cody. Come on."

 

Emma followed the Doc and the others into a room where Jimmy was placed on the table. The doctor gave out orders and despite her worry, Emma felt that Jimmy was in good hands. This man knew exactly what he was doing. For a brief moment she wondered were Sam and Cody where, but assumed that they took care of the horses. She hadn't seen Lou or Buck either she realized, but she had no time to winder about their whereabouts. She guessed she would find out sooner or later. Right now she was more concerned about Jimmy. With Teaspoon's help she ushered the worried riders out of the room as the doctor started to examine the wound. It was with some difficulty the riders slowly strolled outside of the hotel to wait for news.

"Where's Cody?" Kid looked around him without seeing their friend.

"He and Sam are probably tending to the horses," Teaspoon replied casting a glance at Ike. As he suspected Ike returned to his previous question.

<Where's Buck?> he asked again.

Teaspoon took a deep breath and Kid looked down on the ground. Ike looked anxiously at them.

<What's wrong?> His hands moved so fast that Teaspoon had difficulty following him. Not that he needed to read the signs, he already knew what the boy wanted to know.

"Buck is---," Teaspoon hesitated seeing the desperation in Ike's eyes, "Buck's not well, Ike."

<Where's he?">

"He's resting in room 12."

"Lou's with him," Kid added as Ike rushed back into the hotel and up the stairs. Kid looked at Teaspoon and followed Ike into the hotel.

 

"Buck?" Lou dabbed Buck's forehead, hoping that it would bring him some comfort. Whatever the doctor had given him at least it had calmed him down. But he was still rambling and she couldn't reach him. His breathing was still labored and he breathed in short gasps, each one seemed to cause him a tremendous effort.

"Come on, Buck," she pleaded with no result. She wished that he would show some sign of waken up or just some sign that he could hear him. She sighed and tried not to cry. She was tired of all this and wished that all of them could be back in Sweetwater, when a sharp bang made her jump up from the chair.

"Ike! Don't ever scare me like that!" she said strained when she saw whom it was that had entered. Then she suddenly realized something.

"How did you get here? Where's Jimmy?" Did you find Cody?"

But Ike didn't reply. Instead he walked up to the bed and sat down next to his friend. He turned to Lou.

<Tell me what's wrong.> he pleaded and Lou did her best to inform him about the situation when Kid walked in. He stopped and listened to her recapitulation of what had happened especially when she came to what the doctor had said, since he didn't know about that. When she finished, she quietly let Ike sit by Buck's side and walked over to Kid.

"When did they come back? Was Cody with 'em?" she asked him.

"Yes. And not only Cody. Emma and Sam were with 'em." Kid hesitated for a few seconds before he continued. "There's more, Lou. They got into trouble, and---. It's Jimmy, Lou. He's been shot."

Lou trembled and felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Jimmy's been shot?" she repeated. "How bad?"

"I don't know. The doctor's taking out the bullet right now. He didn't look good when they brought him in Lou."

"Can I see him?"

"We'll have to wait. Emma's with him, helping the doctor."

"So what do we do?"

"We'll wait."

"I hate waiting," Lou stated with a trembling voice, which caused Kid to dragged her into a tight embrace.

"It's gonna be all right, Lou," he said with a certainty he wasn't feeling. "Everything's gonna be all right."

Teaspoon waited for Sam or Cody to show up, but when nothing happened he turned to the nearest soldier.

"I'm looking for the marshal that came in here half an hour ago?"

"He went with the major and the prisoner, sir."

"The prisoner? Who?"

"A wanted by the name of Cody, sir. He's wanted for---"

"Thank you, I know. Do you know where they are?"

"They're in the hotel manager's office, sir, but you can't go in there."

"I just wanted to know where they are," Teaspoon smiled at the soldier. "For now," he mumbled to himself as he entered the hotel. He looked at the closed door behind which Jimmy was fighting a battle where the outcome was uncertain. Upstairs another battle was fought, its outcome equally uncertain. Teaspoon couldn't believe how a simple errand could have such a disastrous development. And he couldn't do anything about it. The only thing he could do as to get Cody out of his trouble, and that was what he was going to do. He was just going to check on Buck first.

It was three anxious and tired riders that met Teaspoon when he silently entered the room. Any questions were unnecessary, they all realized what he wanted to know.

"He's not any better," Kid said silently. "The doctor gave him something to calm him down, but his fever is still high."

"Sometimes that ain't so bad," Teaspoon told him. "The worst thing is a fast drop of temperature."

"How's Jimmy doing?" Lou asked with a pale face.

"I don't know. The doctor is still taking care of him."

"Is that good or bad?" Lou wanted to know.

"Hard to say, but I think it's a good sign", Teaspoon assured her. "I can need some help," he added.

"With what?" Kid wanted to know.

<I'm staying here.> Ike stated.

"I know, Ike. But Cody's been arrested, and we need to convince that major that he's barking up the wrong tree. I wish they would have got hold of that scoundrel Dodgson."

<He's dead.>

"Who?" Teaspoon looked surprised at Ike.

<Dodgson. I shot him.>

"Where is he?"

<We left him over by a ravine some miles to the west. Is it important?>

"Might be. Thanks, Ike. Kid, you feel like joining me in a chat with the sheriff?"

"I'm with you, Teaspoon."

Teaspoon looked at Lou.

"You should get some rest, son," he said in a friendly voice. "You look exhausted."

 

Emma wiped the sweat of her forehead. Assisting the doctor had been worse that she thought and her worry for Jimmy had increased the burden. The bullet had been stuck between two ribs and it had taken the doctor some time to get it out. During his efforts, she had tried to keep Jimmy sedated with the help of laudanum. She had listened to his every breath, fearing that they would seize or change.

"That's it then." The doctor laid the last hand on the bandage around Jimmy's chest. "You did a good job, Emma."

"Thank you, Doc. I just hope I never have to do it again," she sighed. "Will he be all right?"

"He lost a lot of blood."

"What does that mean?" Emma demanded.

"That we'll have to wait and see. I wish I could give you some hope, but I'm afraid ---"

"That's OK, Doc. I appreciate your honesty."

"Well, I get you some men to help carry him to a bed, then I'll get some rest. I haven't had this much work to do in a long time, and I'm an army doctor. Does your riders always get in this much trouble?" He smiled tiredly and washed his hands.

"Riders?" Emma looked bewildered at him. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about the young half-blood that I attended to earlier. To be honest, I think this one stands a better chance than him." He nodded towards Jimmy. When he looked back at Emma, he saw that she had turned pale.

"What's wrong?" he asked when it dawned on him. "You didn't know."

Emma swallowed trying to find her voice. Was Buck wounded too?

"No, I didn't know. What's wrong with him?"

"He's got pneumonia - and I'm afraid he's in a bad way. He exhausted himself even though he had a fever, and now it's taken its toll on him. If his temperature starts falling rapidly, I don't think he's got the strength to make it."

"Where is he?" Emma seemed to have a hard time finding her voice.

"In room 12. If you want to see him, I'll see to it that my men carries this one, Jimmy ain't it, up to room 10. Then you can keep an eye on both of them. I'll get some rest then I'll come back and check on 'em."

"I'd appreciate that, Doc."

"It's the least I can do."

 

Lou sat silently by the bed, now and then wiping the sweat beads of Buck's face. She wasn't sure it was helping him, but it kept her occupied. Ike couldn't sit still and would occasionally get up and pace around the room. Lou was starting to get irritated even if she knew the strain Ike was feeling. Hell, she felt it too. She wondered how Jimmy was doing. No one had been up since Teaspoon and Kid left and she tried to comfort herself with the old saying that no news is good news, but she had a strong feeling that it didn't fit in on this situation. Therefore it was with some expectation she heard somebody outside the door. Ike stopped pacing around as the door opened and a very tired and pale Emma entered. Lou stood up and rushed over to her.

"Emma!" she said relieved and gave Emma a hug. "I'm so glad you're here! How's Jimmy?"

"Take it easy, Lulubelle," Emma said soothingly, "one thing at a time." Emma looked at Ike and gave him a hug too, before she turned to the bed. She looked questioningly at Lou, who let her know what the doctor had told them. Emma had already figured most of it out from what the doctor had told her, but she knew that Lou needed to tell her, so she sat in silence by Buck's side, listening to Lou. Ike sat down next to her and she wished she could tell him that Buck was going to be all right. She had never seen the Ike so pale and desperate before, not even when he got robbed and was unconscious for more than a day. She took his hand and squeezed it gently.

When Lou had finished, Emma let them knew about Jimmy.

"So the Doc is seeing to it that he'll be resting in the next room," she ended. "Lou, why don't you see if we can't get some coffee and some sandwiches up here. Then I want you to get us the room across the hall. We can't all sit here all the night, and you need to rest to. Ike and I will stay with Buck, and I'll check on Jimmy as soon as they bring him up."

When Lou hesitated, Emma continued.

"Now go on, girl. We all need something to eat and a rest."

Lou nodded and quietly slipped out the room.

"Where are the others?" Emma asked and looked at Ike.

<Cody's under arrest and Sam's trying to help him. Teaspoon and Kid went to talk to the sheriff. I think they're hoping that he'll testify.>

"Cody has been arrested?" Emma looked incredulous on Ike. As if things couldn't get worse, she thought. Well, she trusted Sam and Teaspoon to get Cody out of trouble. She hadn't the time to deal with that now. A sound from the hall told her that Jimmy was being brought up and she turned to Ike.

"I'm just gonna check on Jimmy," she said, "are you gonna be all right?"

Ike nodded and Emma left the room.

 

"Dodgson's dead, sheriff," Teaspoon looked coldly on the man behind the desk, "and you're only getting yourself deeper into trouble. When Dodgson ain't here to cover up your tracks, the army will have no trouble finding out the truth, and then they'll probably hang you. If you come clear now, you stand a much better chance."

The sheriff nervously licked his lips.

"How do I know you're not lying?" he asked.

"Why would I?"

"If Dodgson ain't dead---"

"Dammit man, what do you need to be convinced. I told you the man is dead, and I've got two witnesses that will testify to it!"

The sheriff merely looked at him and made no indication on that he was going to move. Teaspoon looked at the man in disgust and turned to Kid.

"Let's get out of here," he said, "the hangman will deal with him."

"Wait!" The sheriff rose from his chair. "You're saying that the army knows?"

"Yes." That wasn't completely true, and Teaspoon knew it, but he hadn't the time for being squeamish.

"Then I'll go with you."

"And you tell the major the truth?"

"Yes, but I wasn't involved - Dodgson forced me---"

"You can tell that to the major," Teaspoon interrupted. "Let's go."

Teaspoon knocked on the door to the office and without waiting for an answer, he opened and entered followed by the sheriff and Kid. Cody sat next to the window, unarmed and with two soldiers by his side. Sam sat opposite the desk behind which the major had placed himself, the two of them obviously involved in a discussion.

"What are you doing here?" The major looked irritated at Teaspoon. "This is a closed meeting."

"Sorry to interrupt, major, but I believe this man has some information concerning the matter." Teaspoon ushered the sheriff forward.

"And who is he?"

"He's the sheriff of this town - the one you saved us from earlier. He's been acting on behalf of Dodgson. I think you'll find his story interesting."

The major looked in surprise at Teaspoon and then his eyes darted over to the sheriff, who had removed his hat and now stood a pitiful figure before him.

"You have some information concerning the activities that's been going on in this area?" he asked. The sheriff cleared his throat.

"Yes, major."

"Then let's hear 'em."

As the sheriff begun to talk, Kid walked up to Teaspoon.

"I'll go and see how the others are doing." Teaspoon nodded.

 

Emma sat down next to Jimmy. He was still pale, but she knew that was from the loss of blood. What was more scaring was he's barely not audible breathing that revealed that he was in no way out of danger. If had a slight fever due to the wound and Emma gentle stroke the hair out of his face. He mumbled something and she took it as a good sign.

"You can do this, Jimmy," she mumbled. "Remember when you got shot at Fort Reunion? If you could make that, you'll make it this time too." She sat silently hoping for some sign that he had heard her or that he was fighting the fever. But nothing happened, except perhaps a slight change in his breathing, increasing the pace. Probably the fever, she thought morosely, when a knock on the wall disturbed her. At first she wondered what it was then she realized that Ike must have knocked on the wall. She kissed Jimmy on the forehead and mumbled;

"I'll be right back," before she hurried over to the other room. Ike met her in the door.

"Calm down, Ike," she said calmly unable to follow the motion of his hands. Ike stopped signing and brought her over to Buck. She instantaneously saw what has caused Ike to be so upset. Buck had every muscles tensed and his breathing was shorter and more labored than before. Emma sat down on the bed and tried to calm the boy, without any visible result. She put a hand on his forehead and realized the reason behind the change. Buck's temperature was falling fast, causing his muscles to tense, and straining his heart. Whatever Doc had given him, it was no longer working.

"There's nothing we can do, Ike," she said sadly and stood up. "All we can do is pray." She saw tears falling down from Ike's eyes and she embraced him.

"I know, Ike," she whispered, knowing in her heart that it words wouldn't bring Ike any consolation.

When Kid entered the room, Emma rose and walked up to him.

"What's going on?"

"I think the army are letting Cody go. The sheriff decided to talk. Where's Lou?"

"I sent her after something to eat and some coffee. I asked her to see that we get the room across the hall. I have a feeling this gonna be a long night."