BEST LAID PLANS  

By Rachel Zander

Beta Reader: Moira Purnell

Chapter 9 

“Are you sure you’re all right, Jess?” asked Slim, deep concern in his tone as he looked down at the young man who stood leaning against the wall next to Mort’s gun rack. 

Jess simply nodded his head and grimaced. “I just need rest, Slim. It’s nothing. Just a few cuts and bruises – nothin’s broken. ‘Sides, that ride back into town probably didn’t do me any good but I’ll be fine in a couple of days.” 

Slim crossed his arms and Tom frowned as they looked at him. Neither man seemed convinced. 

“I’d feel a whole lot better if you went to see the doc, Jess. You haven’t been lookin’ too good for a while now and I remember what was done to you,” said Tom softly. 

Slim rested his hand on Tom’s shoulder and shook his head. “It’s no use, Tom. Jess and I have had this argument before and I don’t often end up winning. As many times as he’s been clunked on the head, no one’s yet been able to knock any sense into him when it comes to doctors. That head of his is every bit as stubborn as it is hard.” He smiled as Jess scowled at him. He leaned forward and squeezed Jess’ shoulder. “Don’t worry, Pard. As soon as Mort finishes up with Sam, I’ll get you a nice comfy room at the hotel and you can get some rest. Besides, there are a couple of people who are already there who are real worried about you. Seems you gave them quite a scare.” 

Jess nodded and offered a lopsided grin. He looked up as Mort walked back into the small office carrying an armload of paperwork. Mort smiled when he saw Jess standing there. 

“Feeling better, Jess?” he asked, as Jess reached over and closed the door behind the sheriff. 

Mort set the papers down on his desk and walked over to open the door to the jail cells. He looked at his lone prisoner. 

“The judge will be here first thing tomorrow to take care of your case. It’s all fairly straightforward, though, so I doubt whether it will take very long to get you locked up permanently.” Mort smiled at the thought and walked over to join the three men who stood around his desk. 

Sam glared at the four of them from behind bars. He watched as Tom said goodbye to Slim and Jess and shook the sheriff’s hand then walked out of the office. Jess limped across the room and perched himself on the edge of Mort’s desk. He winced slightly as he propped his injured leg up on a chair. Sam could see that both Mort and Slim seemed very concerned about him but the bruised young man just grinned at them and folded his arms across his chest. The smile apparently produced the desired effect and the two men seemed to relax. Slim rested a hand on Jess’ shoulder and Mort leaned against the wall as they spoke quietly. 

Sam couldn’t hear what they were saying but he was furious – how could his plan have gone so awry? He hadn’t counted on Mort and Tom being so resourceful – Sherman seemed to have all the luck. Albeit injured, even Jess had made it out alive. Sam kicked the bars of his cell in frustration then sat down on the bed and angrily shoved his hands under the thin mattress. A wicked smirk crossed his face as he felt the key that his accomplice had unwittingly left there, a fact that Mort Cory was obviously not aware of yet. 

Keeping his eyes glued to the three men who spoke quietly next to the sheriff’s desk, he slowly stood up and turned the key in the lock. He was pleased to see that his loaded colt was still on the gun cabinet next to the door. He quietly opened the cell door and reached through the doorway for his gun. 

Mort jumped up when he noticed the movement. He reached for the rifle that was propped up against the wall, but Sam was faster. The sheriff crumpled as a shot rang out and Jess looked up in shock when he realized what was happening. Slim was fast on the draw but Sam had anticipated him and a carefully aimed shot knocked the gun from his fingers. Jess stiffly edged himself away from the desk and started to shuffle closer to where Slim was standing rubbing his bruised fingers. Jess stopped abruptly when he heard the unmistakable sound of the hammer of a gun being pulled back.  

“Don’t even think about it, Harper,” said Sam, pointing his gun at Jess. “You’re still not steady enough on your feet to do anything useful. I’d rather not have to waste any more bullets than I have to and I have something else in mind for you.” 

Sam kept his gun pointed at both men as he cautiously crossed the room. He waved his gun at Jess and pointed to the cell from which he’d just emerged. 

“Make yourself at home, Harper. You may be there for a while.” 

Jess grudgingly limped over to the cell and Sam slammed the door behind him. Jess turned to look at him and he gripped the bars in frustration, revulsion clearly evident on his face. 

“Okay, Sherman. You come over here and make sure that he’s locked up tight. Last thing I need is for him getting out and helping you. I want him where I can keep an eye on him.” 

Slim walked to the cell door and tugged on it – the door was secure. Sam nodded in satisfaction and tossed a frayed rope at Slim. “Just to be on the safe side.” He grinned as he watched Slim reluctantly tie Jess’ wrists to the bars. 

“Good, now move over beside the desk.” He waved his gun toward the desk. 

“What’s this all about, Sam?” asked Slim, looking down at Mort’s motionless body and trying to think of a way of distracting the young man. 

“Well, it’s all fairly simple, Sherman. You see, my pa and I had a pretty good business going on. The stage you help run was ideal for us – best way to move things across the state without arousing any suspicion. And your little relay station was a perfect spot to work from – close enough to Laramie and Cheyenne yet far enough to keep the law away. We would send packages on the stage whenever we had orders for special currency and important documents that needed to reach other towns and buyers-” 

“Counterfeit currency and falsified documents, I assume,” interrupted Slim. 

Sam glared at him and continued, “Yes, counterfeit. But it was a good business, a clean business, and you’d be surprised at how many of your so-called honest friends and bankers appreciated our talents. No one was better than my pa at forging documents.” He grinned as he remembered the specifics. “And Sherman, do you know what the best part of this whole business was?” 

“I can just imagine,” came the sardonic reply from the jail cell. 

Sam turned slightly and aimed his gun at Jess and fired, the bullet neatly missing its target and imbedding in the wall behind Jess’ head. Slim looked up in alarm but Jess did not even flinch. 

Sam turned back to Slim and calmly continued, “As I was saying, the best part was that he learned his trade from the very man he went on to swindle. Yeah, pa was a smart man. He knew how to spot any man’s weakness and use it against him. He taught me everything I know.” He glared as Jess snickered at him. “I told you to shut up, Harper!” 

Sam looked down for a moment then took a deep breath to calm himself. “Don’t make me kill you, Harper. Pa said to never kill anyone who doesn’t give you cause – and my pa lived by that rule,” he said with pride. 

“And what cause did the stage driver give your pa for killing him? He was just doing his job, protecting the passengers, which included you at the time,” said Slim, trying to reason with the young man. 

“It was self-defence! After you figured out what we were doing, we needed to get away. The stage hold-up was a diversion so that we could get out of Wyoming. No one was supposed to get hurt until that trigger-happy driver pulled out his rifle and started shooting at pa.” 

“Your father shot him in cold blood, Sam. There were witnesses who saw everything. I was at the trial, remember?” asked Slim. 

“Oh, I remember well enough. I remember Cal Simpson and I clearly remember your testimony, Sherman. You went into that courtroom, all fired up and self-righteous, telling the judge how – now let me get this right - we ‘had used the Overland Stage line to further our criminal endeavours’. Very well said, Sherman. You even got my pa a hanging sentence for that.” 

“You can’t blame Slim for that. Your pa was bound to meet up with a noose sooner or later,” said Jess. 

Sam ignored Jess and waved the gun at Slim. “You might want to tell your friend to keep quiet or he is very likely to have a bad accident, just like your sheriff friend here.” 

Jess looked up, his knuckles white from gripping the prison bars, not daring to take his eyes from the gun barrel that was pointed directly at Slim’s chest. 

“It was perfect. I had old Sherman here right where I wanted him. And you, Harper; all you had to do was take the fall and you could have saved everyone a whole lot of trouble.” 

Slim stared at Jess from across the room, the anguish he was feeling evident in his eyes. 

“Do you have any idea how many hours I spent planning this?” Sam’s eyes blazed as he glared at Jess. “It was the perfect plan – all I had to do was find someone who looked enough like you and who was brainless enough to help me pull it off. Pa always said the only way to succeed was to have a good plan…he always had a good plan to follow…” he let the words drift, then he spun away from Jess and looked right at Slim, his gun never off his target. “But you ruined that, Sherman! Couldn’t leave well enough alone. No, you had to go and set the law on my pa and you got him killed. 

“It should have been so easy – one last job then we’d move across Wyoming on the stage and no one would ever suspect a thing. Set it up as a botched stage hold-up and pa and me would be in the clear with enough money to last us and no one would ever know what happened. But you had to go and get smart and warn that stage driver. It was self-defence!  No one would have known if not for you and your big mouth! You and that Simpson brat! Darn boy had to be on the stage just at the wrong time to see everything… 

“You don’t have to do this, Sam,” said Slim, pleading with the irate young man. “Just because your pa was a criminal doesn’t mean you have to be the same. He died because of what he did – you don’t have to die the same way!” 

“SHUT UP!” yelled Sam, breathing hard. He seemed to calm slightly as he continued, “No Sherman, you’re gonna pay for your part in this, same way I made Cal Simpson pay. Killing him was easy, though – the boy was a coward and he was soft.” 

Sam looked up at Slim. “But you, Sherman, you weren’t so easy to figure. Then, when I saw you with Harper, I knew what I had to do.  I could get both of you in one clever move with very little risk to myself.” 

‘Here I thought I was helping Sam by becoming his friend. How could I have been so wrong about him?’ thought Slim. Although he didn’t understand everything that the young man was ranting about, he could see that Sam was deadly serious. He’d done his civic duty as an officer of the stage line when he testified against Sam’s father and he had even tried to help the devastated young man get back on his feet when his father was sentenced to hang. Slim now wished he had listened when Jess warned him to be leery of Sam Milton. Jess had been right – Slim could see that Sam was every bit as corrupt as his old man had been. Now, he and his two best friends were paying for his costly error in judgment. 

“Why drag Jess into this? This is between you and me. It has nothing to do with him.” Slim tried to sound confident but his words lacked conviction as he stared at the gun. 

“’Why drag Jess into this?’” mimicked Sam sarcastically, mocking Slim. “Well, why do you think? The two of you are all but joined at the hip. Best way to get at you, Sherman, is to get Harper. Course, that sheriff of yours is no walk in the park either. He wasn’t supposed to catch on like he did. But I’ll take care of him, too. Just like I did the Simpson brothers. Never leave any loose ends is what my pa always told me.” He pointed at Mort, who still lay unconscious on the floor. “Never counted on him being so close to you.” 

“Kinda puts a damper on things, huh, Sam?” sneered Jess, his eyes blazing. “Shooting a lawman’s a hanging offence. You’re going to go down just like your old man. How does that fit into your ‘perfect plan’?” 

‘This isn’t the time to be getting him even angrier, Jess!’ thought Slim, but he couldn’t help but understand how Jess felt. 

Taking his eyes off Slim for a moment, Sam glowered at Jess then looked over at Mort, slumped in the corner. Seeing a chance to escape, Slim moved across the room like lightning but Sam was ready for him. Jess yelled for Slim to look out even as the shot rang out. Slim reared back as the bullet hit his chest and he collapsed, a bright red stain spreading across his shirt. 

“NO!” yelled Jess, straining against the ropes that bound his wrists to the prison bars. He glared at Sam. 

Sam just laughed. “Looks like Sherman ends up losing this time. Would have been nicer at the end of a hanging rope like my pa but I reckon I can’t be choosy.” He grinned wickedly. 

Jess’ brows furrowed as Sam walked over to Slim and kicked him in the ribs. Slim did not move. 

“Slim…” The name was spoken barely above a whisper. Jess’ legs buckled under him as Sam aimed his gun at Slim’s blond hair and fired. 

Jess closed his eyes as the second shot rang out.

 Chapter 10 

The shot echoed through the room as Jess collapsed to his knees with a moan and pressed his forehead against the cold bars of his cell. Sam looked down in satisfaction at the sprawled figure lying in a pool of blood at his feet then he glanced over to see Jess’ reaction. Sam laughed cruelly when he saw the heart-wrenching agony on the young man’s face. 

“Well, what do you think about that, Harper? Not bad, huh? Just like I planned.” There was no response from the jail cell. “What’s the matter? Your legs not holding you up anymore?” 

Jess closed his eyes as the pain he was feeling changed to white-hot rage. Supporting himself by gripping the bars to which he was still bound, he slowly pulled himself to his feet. When he raised his head, the unabashed look of intense loathing on his face sent chills down Sam’s spine, causing him to wipe the grin from his face. He swallowed a couple of times and tried to regain his composure while he reloaded his gun then he walked over to the cell and pointed it at Jess. 

“Now you’re going to be a good boy and not try anything stupid, isn’t that right?” 

Jess clenched his jaw and glared at him. “Are you gonna kill me too? Just like you killed Slim?”  

“Now why would I want to go and do something like that? That would be a waste. Remember, I said I had something else in mind for you. You see, Harper, you are my ticket out of here. Like you said a few minutes ago, people don’t take too kindly to folks who shoot lawmen and their useless friends and I don’t plan on letting anyone stop me until I’m clear out of Wyoming. I hear that Canada is a nice place to live and you’re going to help me get there safely.” He smiled coldly at Jess. 

“Why do you need me?” asked Jess, though he already knew the answer. 

“No one’s going to shoot at an innocent man and I’m planning on making sure to keep you between me and any bullets that happen to come my way.” 

“I make a pretty easy target and I don’t reckon too many people are going to mind hitting me if that means getting at you,” sneered Jess, a wicked grin on his face and his eyes wild. 

“I guess we’ll just have to see.” Sam tossed Mort’s keys to Jess and watched as he unlocked the cell door. Jess dropped the key ring then shrugged his shoulders and held up his bound hands. 

“Don’t give me that, Harper. I know Sherman used slipknots so you can stop trying to fool me. Untie yourself and make sure to move very slowly.” 

Jess pulled the ropes loose and stepped out of the cell, looking over at his best friend’s still form as Sam prodded him with the barrel of his gun, urging him across the room. As Jess neared Slim’s motionless body, he bent over to try to get a better look at him. Sam kicked him in the back, causing him to lose his balance and he pitched forward and landed with a grunt. Sam walked over to him and used the tip of his boot to push him away from Slim then he grabbed his shirtsleeve and roughly pulled him to his feet. 

“I told you not to try anything, Harper!” yelled Sam, jabbing him in the back with the gun. “Now get your hands up and walk to that door and don’t do anything stupid.” 

Jess opened the door and stepped out into the bright afternoon sun, squinting while his eyes tried to adjust to the glare. He turned to look back over his shoulder at Sam but the man only smiled at him and pushed him toward the horses that were still tied to the hitching post. 

“Mount up. We have a hard ride ahead of us so make sure you’re comfortable,” said Sam, laughing as Jess painfully limped over to Traveler and winced when he pulled himself into the saddle. 

Sam swung himself onto Slim’s horse and grabbed Traveler’s reins from Jess’ hands. “Wouldn’t want you trying to get away,” he said, tossing a rope over Jess head and tightening the knot until Jess could no longer move his arms. Satisfied that Jess would not be able to free himself, he tied the other end of the rope to his saddle horn and urged his horse forward, with Jess trailing less than a couple feet behind him. 

 Chapter 11 

Hearing the commotion and distinct sound of gunfire coming from the sheriff’s office, Tom ducked behind a stack of crates and barrels, waiting for his chance to help. Although he carried a loaded gun on his hip, he couldn’t afford to be impulsive and he knew that he did not stand a chance if he simply burst into Mort’s office alone. He had no idea what he would find behind the closed office door and he cursed himself for not being a good enough shot to be of any real use. 

He watched silently as Jess limped out onto the street with his arms raised. Sam stepped out behind him, his gun pointed at the small of Jess’ back. Tom wished that he knew how best to help his friend. He could see that, without a gun, Jess was powerless against Sam. Tom was also very concerned that Slim and Mort were nowhere in sight. 

He cringed as Jess hobbled over to his horse and struggled to climb into the saddle. Sam smiled as he climbed onto Slim’s horse and threw a rope around Jess’ waist, pinning his arms to his sides. Tom stayed hidden as he watched them ride out of town and he waited until the men were almost out of view before he ran back to the sheriff’s office. 

Despite the blinding sun outside, Mort’s office was quite dark and Tom had to stand in the doorway and wait for his eyes to adjust to the shadowy interior. Hearing a moan, he pulled out his gun and looked around, trying to locate the source of the sound. Seeing the sheriff slumped against the far wall, he rushed over to Mort’s side and softly shook his shoulder. The sheriff appeared to be coming to and Tom could see a dark crimson stain on the man’s thigh. He leaned over and helped Mort sit up. 

“Oh, Tom, am I ever glad to see you,” said Mort, wincing as he pressed his hand against the wall and tried to stand. 

Tom reached out for his arm. “Here, Sheriff, let me help you.” 

With Tom’s help, Mort hopped over to his chair and sat down, rubbing his hand along his wounded leg. As he tied his bandana around his leg, he glanced around the room and seemed surprised when he realized that it was empty. He looked up at Tom. 

“Where are Slim and Jess?” he asked, concerned. 

“Sam has Jess. They just rode out of town a minute ago. I came right here to check on you and Slim…” His words hung in the air as both men looked around the dark room for Slim. 

Tom frowned when he noticed a dark figure sprawled on the floor next to the doorway to the jail cells. 

“Oh, no,” he said, lighting the lamp from Mort’s desk and running over to get a closer look. 

Eyeing the pool of blood in which Slim lay, Tom feared what he would find on closer inspection. He placed the lamp on the floor and knelt next to Slim then cautiously rolled him onto his back. He gasped when he saw the small hole on the front of his blood-soaked shirt. Leaning over, he pressed his ear to Slim’s chest, hoping to hear a heartbeat and feel the expected gentle rise and fall. He cringed when he heard the unmistakable gurgling with each ragged breath. 

Looking at Slim’s ashen face, he gently moved a strand of blond hair from Slim’s forehead and grimaced as he saw the dark blood that was flowing from a deep gash on his temple. ‘Thank goodness whoever shot you is a bad shot, Slim. Let’s just pray you have a hard head like your friend Jess,’ he thought as he tore off his shirtsleeve and firmly pressed the cloth to the head wound, trying to stem the flow of blood. 

Tom looked up as Mort limped up behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder. Mort leaned over to look at Slim. 

“How is he?” he asked with a frown. 

“Not good – no blood on the back of his shirt so I reckon the bullet’s still in him and it sounds like he’s got marbles rollin’ around in his chest each time he breathes.” He looked down at Slim and sighed. “I hope you have a good doctor around here, Sheriff. He’s gonna need it bad,” he added, looking over his shoulder at Mort. 

“Right about now, I’d be willing to take just about any doctor I can find but Doc Burns is a good man. His office is across the street from here. I’m in no shape to go get him so you’d best get a move on, son, if you don’t want poor Slim to bleed to death on the floor,” said Mort, settling back onto his chair and frowning at the blond man on the floor. 

“I’ll be right back.” 

Tom ran out the door and Mort let out a heavy sigh. Seeing Slim sprawled and bleeding on the floor, he could just imagine how Jess was feeling right about now. He did not want to be in Sam Milton’s place when Jess did manage to free himself and get hold of a gun.

 Chapter 12 

The sun was just setting as Sam slowed his pace and looked over his shoulder, snickering as he watched Jess struggle to stay in the saddle without the use of his arms. The binding that he had tied around Jess’ waist had continued to tighten with the steady rocking motion of his horse’s movements and the fabric of the young man’s shirt was now tightly bunched up around the rope. Sam grinned as he imagined the discomfort Jess was feeling. 

“You sure have been quiet since we left Laramie, Harper. Something wrong? Maybe feeling a little gloomy?” asked Sam sarcastically. 

Jess looked up at him in disgust, refusing to give him the satisfaction of an answer. He kept replaying in his mind what had happened in Mort’s office and wishing that he could change the outcome. He felt sick as he recalled seeing Slim lying in a pool of his own blood and the pain that he was feeling at the thought of his pard’s death was overwhelming. 

“You just wait, Milton,” he muttered through clenched teeth. 

Sam just looked at him and laughed, tugging roughly on Traveler’s reins and causing the horse to pull back sharply in response. As the stunned horse reared up, Jess tried to use his legs to keep himself in the saddle but his injured knee rebelled at the effort and he fell backward. Unable to use his arms to break his fall, he cried out sharply as he landed on his side and remained still, his eyes closed. 

Sam looked down at the unconscious man in annoyance. He dismounted and walked over to Jess’ horse. 

“Damn horse!” he muttered as he roughly jerked Traveler’s bridle. 

Unaccustomed to such harsh treatment, the irritated horse recoiled at the touch. He tossed his head in displeasure and stomped his front legs. Sam let go of the bridle and walked over to where Jess had fallen. He shook his head as he looked down at him. 

“I guess it’s just not your day, Harper. Not much longer now. Only a couple more days and I’ll be able to put you out of your misery.” 

As Sam knelt down next to him, Jess rolled onto his back and thrust out his good leg with as much force as he could muster, kicking Sam in the chest. Stunned, Sam fell backward with a grunt and pushed himself up on his elbows. Jess was instantly on top of him, wriggling himself free of the rope that had loosened from around his arms and waist. Sam tried to roll away as Jess pummelled him with his knuckles, the strength of days of pent-up frustration and pain making its way into his fists. 

Desperate to get away from the crazed man, Sam raised his arms to protect his face and kicked out wildly. Through sheer luck, he connected with Jess’ injured leg and Jess cried out and rolled away, gasping and clutching his throbbing knee. Seeing his chance to get away, Sam pushed himself onto his hands and knees and started to crawl away as quickly as he could. He fell to his stomach with a grunt as Jess landed on his back.  He closed his eyes, fully expecting Jess to finish what he had started. 

Panting, Jess pushed himself away from his opponent and stood up. Surprised, Sam carefully rolled onto his back, wondering why Jess had not continued to hit him, until he noticed the gun in Jess’ hand – his gun. 

“What are you going to do with that, Harper?” he asked, trying to sound calm, despite the fact that he was terrified at the thought of what the enraged man who stood above him was going to do to him.    

Although Sam could see that Jess was breathing hard and trembling from pain and the exertion of the fight, his gun hand was steady as he kept the colt pointed at Sam’s chest. 

“How does it feel bein’ on that end of a gun barrel?” asked Jess with a smirk, his deep voice sounding raspy and hollow. 

Sam wiped blood from his lip and smiled back at him as he very slowly reached into his boot where he kept his loaded Derringer. Jess noticed the movement as Sam yanked the small gun out and pulled the trigger. The last thing Sam ever saw was Jess’ smiling face as a single bullet hit him in the chest and he fell back, the Derringer dropping from his lifeless fingers. 

Jess stood holding the smoking gun for nearly a minute before he slowly pivoted on one leg and fell backward. As he fought the darkness that threatened to envelope him, he looked up at the darkening sky and noticed a single twinkling star, the first in the clear evening sky. He laughed mirthlessly as he recalled a nursery rhyme that his mother had sung to him so many years ago. ‘What the heck? It can’t hurt,’ he thought, as he silently made a wish and closed his eyes. 

He smiled when he felt Traveler’s warm breath on his face. Rolling onto his side, he slowly got to his knees and stood up, reaching for his trusty friend’s reins to steady himself. Traveler stood completely still as the exhausted young man painfully climbed into the saddle and slumped forward, his head resting on his horse’s dark mane and his arms dangling at Traveler’s sides. 

The horse looked down at the dead man on the road and snorted loudly before taking off at a gentle gallop toward Laramie with Slim’s horse, Alamo, trailing a few steps behind.

 Chapter 13 

Tom had just stepped out of the doctor’s office for some fresh air when he heard the sound of horses galloping into town. Looking up, he watched as one of the horses slowed its pace, trotted up to the sheriff’s office, and stopped in front of the hitching post, gently nuzzling the worn wood. The taller horse stopped less than a foot away and did the same. In the pale moonlight, Tom could make out the dark outline of a slumped rider on the shorter horse’s back. Crossing the street, he cautiously approached the horses and gasped when he recognized the unconscious man. 

“Jess!” he cried out, rushing closer. 

Traveler rubbed his head against Tom’s shoulder as Tom carefully lifted Jess’ head and felt the man’s fevered brow. He gently leaned Jess’ head back against his horse and ran over to the saloon for help. 

Less than a minute later, Tom came running out of the saloon with Freddy, the saloonkeeper, and two others close behind. Neither horse had moved. The three men carefully lifted Jess off Traveler’s back and carried him across the street to Doc Burns’ office with Tom leading the way. 

As Tom opened the door, the kindly doctor looked up in surprise when he saw the four men and recognized the unconscious young man they carried. 

“Jess, too?” he asked, as he directed them to a small room at the back of his office. 

Gingerly placing the injured man on the small bed, Freddy looked up at Tom, concern on his face. 

“Do you need me for anything else, young man? I can’t stay away from the saloon for too long…” 

“No, I don’t reckon so. Thanks for helpin’ me with Jess,” said Tom, glancing down at his battered and dust-covered friend. 

As the men stepped out of the room, Doctor Burns walked over and looked down at Jess. He shook his head and frowned. 

“I really don’t understand what’s going on around here. I go for weeks with almost no patients and now, in one day, I have three very injured men to take care of.” 

“Can you help him, Doc?” asked Tom, noticing the odd angle at which Jess’ leg was bent and the sheen of perspiration on his very pale face. 

“Oh, I reckon so. I took care of Slim and this doesn’t look nearly as bad.” He rolled up his sleeves and started to wash his hands. “Do you want to help me again?” he asked. 

Tom nodded and walked over to the small stove to heat some water and prepare more clean bandages. 

Looking at the doctor, he smiled ruefully and said, “Looks like I’m gettin’ a lot of practice tonight. Next thing ya know, I’ll be doctorin’ too.” 

The doctor just smiled and watched him, deep in thought.

 Chapter 14 

“Ohhhh, my head,” moaned Jess, massaging his aching temples and closing his eyes at the bright sunlight that was streaming through the window and shining on his face. 

Tom looked up from where he’d been sitting and trying to read some of Doc Burns’ medical journals by the window. He hurried to Jess’ side and firmly placed a hand on his shoulder as Jess tried to sit up. 

“Take it easy, Jess. Doc says you ain’t,” he paused to correct himself, “Aren’t supposed to move.” Tom looked at him and smiled. 

Jess seemed confused as he looked around, not recognizing his surroundings. 

“Where am I?” he asked, frowning. 

Tom sat down next to his bed. “In Doc Burns’ office. He calls it a ‘recovery room’ and I’m not surprised at you not recognizin’ it. Doc says you’re not usually one to spend much time in here if you can help it.” He chuckled softly. “But you couldn’t avoid it this time – you’ve been out cold for almost three days.” 

Jess seemed surprised then he frowned slightly and sniffed the air. His eyes watered and he sneezed loudly, groaning at the pain it caused. 

“What’s that smell?” he asked, sniffling as he tried to stifle another sneeze. 

Tom stood up and walked over to a large bouquet of wildflowers on a small table across the room. He pointed to it and said, “Oh, that would be these flowers. A real nice lady named Mrs. Cooper brought these in for you. She said she knows how much you hate being laid up in bed in the doctor’s office and she thought they might make you feel better.” 

Jess smiled and sneezed again, moaning as the movement jarred his head. 

“Do you want me to get rid of ‘em?” asked Tom, concerned over his friend’s discomfort. 

Jess held up a hand and wiped his watery eyes, smiling. “No, Tom. Daisy’s right, they are nice to see.” His smile slowly changed to a frown as he thought about having to tell Daisy about Slim. He couldn’t bear to think about how she would take the news. It would be even worse trying to explain it to Mike and Andy… 

As Tom walked back to Jess’ bedside and handed him a handkerchief, he noticed Jess’ grim expression. 

“What’s the matter, Jess?” he asked softly. 

“Where’s Daisy, er, Mrs. Cooper, Tom? There’s somethin’ I have to tell her and it can’t wait.” 

“Oh, she’s with Slim right now but I can go get her for you. She was in here with you until Slim started to wake up,” said Tom, watching Jess’ reaction. 

In his wildest dreams, Tom could never have imagined the reaction his words would have on his friend. Jess sat bolt upright in his bed and flew out from beneath the covers, hobbling out of the room as quickly as his injured leg would allow, dragging most of the bedding with him and holding his bandaged head with one hand. He nearly took the door off its hinges as he threw it open and rushed into the room where Slim lay resting. 

Daisy looked up in surprise as Jess staggered in and fell flat on his face as his feet tangled in the blankets that were wrapped around his legs. Completely undeterred, he pushed himself up with a grunt as Tom rushed to his side and helped him to the chair that Daisy had just vacated. As the ecstatic young man settled into the chair, Daisy wrapped the blankets around his shoulders and held his head against her chest, gently running her fingers through his dark hair. Jess just sat smiling as he stared at his best friend’s pale face, propped up against a mound of soft pillows. 

“Well, Pard, I take it that’s your way of saying you’re happy to see me,” said Slim with a grin, his weak voice barely above a whisper. 

“You have no idea, partner,” replied Jess softly, the smile never leaving his face as he massaged his sore leg. 

“What is all the commotion?” asked Doc Burns, as he stepped into the room, a frown of concern on his face. Then he noticed Jess. “Young man! What are you doing out of bed?” 

Jess looked up sheepishly and hung his head but the doctor simply chuckled. 

“I know how you feel, Jess. The sheriff warned me that you might not be the most cooperative patient, especially once you found out about Slim, and I now see that he was right. I’ll give you a couple more minutes with your friend but then it’s off to bed with you. You’re still in no condition to be up and Slim needs his rest. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you he’s been through a lot and he can’t possibly hope to get the rest that he needs with you sitting there gawking at him,” said the doctor, resting his hand on Jess’ shoulder. 

Daisy reached out and took hold of Tom’s arm. 

“We probably should give them a few minutes, Tom. Come with me,” she said quietly, leading him out of the room after the doctor. 

As the door closed, relief flooded over Jess as he looked at Slim, and a few stray tears welled up in his eyes. Slim frowned at him and inclined his head slightly as Jess quickly wiped his eyes. 

“Jess-,” he began quietly, but Jess interrupted him. 

“It’s nothin’, Slim. Daisy brought me a bouquet of wildflowers and dad-gum if they didn’t make me sneeze like crazy. Must be allergic to ‘em,’” he said, his deep voice breaking as he smiled despite the now steady flow of tears streaming down his face. 

Slim winced as he reached over to touch Jess’ arm. 

“It’s okay, Pard. I understand,” he said softly, then paused to catch his breath. He grimaced as he carefully pressed a hand to his injured chest then smiled as Jess looked up in concern and struggled to control the sobbing that shook his body. “Wildflowers will do that to you sometimes.” 

There was nothing else to say. The expression on Jess’ face said it all. 

As Jess fought to regain control over his emotions, the two friends sat in silence, contemplating how close they had come to losing each other. Jess started to sag in his chair and Slim gently squeezed his arm. 

“You better get back to bed, Jess. I’m not feeling too hot today and I don’t think I have the strength to carry you to your bed if you pass out in that chair,” he whispered gently. 

Slim’s words struck a chord deep within Jess and the tears started to flow again. He sniffled and angrily wiped them away with the back of his hand. 

Slim smiled at him sympathetically and winked. “I’ll tell Daisy to take the flowers out of your room. Can’t keep having you getting all teary-eyed like this or you’ll never get any rest. And you look like you need it, Pard.” He yawned and rubbed his eyes, fighting to stay awake. “Besides, you’re going to have to do all the work while I’m on the mend...” Still smiling, Slim leaned back and closed his eyes. 

Jess waited until he was sure that Slim was asleep then he slowly stood up and limped to the door. Reaching for the knob, he looked over his shoulder at his closest friend, a grateful smile on his tear-stained face. 

“Sleep well, Pard.”

 Epilogue 

“You sure you don’t want to reconsider ranching? Slim and me have plenty of work for you, what with the two of us being laid up and all,” said Jess, rocking himself on his crutches. He slapped Tom on the back and grinned at the well-dressed young man. 

Tom very pointedly straightened his new necktie and brushed his sleeve with the back of his hand. 

“Doc Burns says I’m too smart to spend all my time with cattle,” he said with an air of superiority, and then he burst out laughing when he saw the shocked expression on Jess’ face. “No, Jess. Doc thinks I could make a pretty decent doctor in a few years, with a lot of book learn-, er, I mean, studying,” said Tom with a grin. 

“I don’t know why you want to go spending all that time in school,” said Mike, shaking his head, confusion on his face. 

Slim looked down at the little boy and smiled. “Well, not everyone is cut out for this kind of manual labour, Mike. Besides, Tom is too smart for ranching.” He winked at Tom and the young man blushed. 

Mike looked up, deep concern on his face. Slim noticed his expression and frowned. 

“What’s the matter, Mike?” he asked, leaning against the fence post. 

“If being smart means I have to leave home and go to school for a whole lotta years and become a doctor, I’d just as soon live right here and stay dumb like you and Jess,” he said seriously, disgusted at the thought of having to stay in school any longer than he really had to. 

Slim’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Jess pulled down his hat and bowed his head while he tried to hide his face with his hand but Slim could see his shoulders shaking as he bit his lip and tried not to laugh. Daisy put her hands on her hips and tried to look shocked as she heard the little boy’s words. 

“Mike! I think it’s time for you to come into the house and help me with supper, young man,” she said to the flustered little boy. 

“Aw, but Aunt Daisy, I want to say goodbye to Tom. Can’t I stay outside until the stage leaves?” he pleaded. 

Daisy just nodded her head and smiled at him, knowing that there was no point in trying to argue. Turning to Tom, she reached up and hugged him tenderly. He kissed her cheek softly and she patted him on the shoulder then she turned and walked back to the house. 

Tom sniffled and wiped away the single tear that ran down his cheek as he watched her walk away then he picked up his small travel case and turned toward the stage. As he reached the step, he stopped and looked over his shoulder at his new friends. 

“I was never really good at saying goodbye,” he said, pausing. “Well, I reckon I may not be too smart yet, but I know when it’s time to make a hasty retreat,” he said as he hurriedly took a seat in the stage before his friends could see his tears. Looking out the small window, he watched Jess and Slim lean against each other as they smiled up at him. 

Tom waved goodbye and the stage took off in a cloud of dust. Slim and Jess just stood and watched until it rounded the bend and was finally out of sight. 

Jess frowned and looked over at Mike. 

“Now, just what were you sayin’ about Slim and me bein’ dumb?” he asked, a twinkle in his blue eyes. 

Mike looked up at Jess with a slight frown then he seemed to realize what he was in for. He took off at full speed, running for the safety of the barn. Jess leaned on his crutches and casually looked up at Slim. 

“Aren’t you going to go after him?” asked Slim, a surprised expression on his face. 

Jess just tapped the tip of his boot with one of his crutches and pointed to his bandaged head. 

“Well, Slim, I may be dumb, but I’m not that dumb!” he said with a grin. 

Looking up at his friend’s tired face, Jess raised his shoulder and Slim draped his arm around Jess’ neck. 

Hearing the stage leave and concerned for her boys, Daisy stepped out onto the porch to check on them. She sighed as she watched the two injured friends slowly shuffle back toward the house and she wiped a warm tear of thanks from her eye as they both looked up at her, glowing smiles on their weary faces. 

“Well, now that Tom is finally gone, it’s back to bed for you two,” Daisy announced in her most authoritative voice.  After a lot of coercing, she had relented and allowed them to get up to say farewell to their new friend.  Now it was time to take charge once again. 

“Aww, Daisy, we’ve been cooped up long enough.  Can’t we just sit a mite on the porch?” Jess pleaded in his best little boy voice, the one that usually got him anything he asked of his dear Daisy.  Today however was different. 

Daisy stood her ground and, hands on hips she stood on the porch like a general commanding her troops. 

“Jess Harper, Slim Sherman - you get yourselves back into those beds right now and I want no arguments.  You know very well that Doctor Burns would be most displeased with me if he learned I’d let you get up this soon.”  Daisy’s face was stone and her voice unmoving. 

As the two wounded heroes approached her, they smiled their most endearing smiles. 

Struggling up the single low step, Slim spoke, his tone firm and unyielding.  “Now, Daisy it won’t hurt if we just sit here till supper is ready.  You go on and we promise not to tell Doc Burns.”  But as he finished speaking, it was clear that his words had fallen upon deaf ears. 

Daisy stood back from the front door and pointed inside, her expression black as thunder.  “Slim Sherman, you march yourself right back into that bedroom and get into bed. I won’t hear another word on the subject. Just consider yourself lucky that I don’t send you to bed with no supper.  It’s only the fact that you need your strength to heal that I’ll feed you at all,” Daisy scolded; though in her heart she knew that the demands of her ailing sons showed her that they were getting better.  

Slim did as he was bade and shuffled into the house, mumbling under his breath.  Jess was standing next to his favourite lady and he smiled warmly at her. 

“And none of your sass either, young man.  You march right in there and get under those covers; else there’ll be no pie for one certain person in this house tonight.” 

“Awwww, Daisy, you don’t play fair,” Jess moaned and trundled mournfully after Slim. 

* * * * * * * * * * * *  

One bright morning a few weeks later found Jess back at work changing the team on the noon stage.  

“Nice to see you up and around, Jess.  How’s Slim doing now?”  Mose asked, genuinely concerned for the people whom he considered his family. 

“I’m doing just fine, thanks for asking, Mose,” came a familiar voice from the porch.  “Got any mail for us today?” 

“Sorry, Slim didn’t see you sitting there.  Yep, got a couple of bills and one from Philadelphia addressed to you and Jess.  Didn’t know you knew anyone in them there parts,” he said as he stepped up onto the porch and handed Slim the slender envelopes. 

“Team’s all hitched, Mose.  Anything interesting, Pard?” Jess asked as he sat gratefully in his rocker.  Although he was feeling much better, he still tired easily. 

“It’s from Tom,” Slim answered as he tore the flap open and took out the neatly folded paper.  As he read, his face lightened in a broad smile.  “Here you go, Jess. Think you’ll find this interesting,” he said, handing the letter to his friend. 

Jess read through the letter quickly.  “Well, what d’ya know.  Good for Tom. I knew he could do it.”  His expression spoke volumes of admiration. 

“Come on you two, stop holding back, what’s he say?” Mose asked anxiously. 

“Morning, Mose can I get you some coffee?” Daisy asked as she stepped out onto the porch, tray in hand laden with cookies and coffee for her fast-recovering patients.  “What are you two looking so pleased about?” she asked as Slim and Jess took their mugs and sipped on them, all the while wearing smiles of deep satisfaction. 

Slim spoke first. “Just got a letter from Tom, Daisy.  Go on, Jess; tell her. After all, if it wasn’t for you prompting him, Tom would never have gone to Philadelphia.” 

“Oh, Slim I didn’t do much,” Jess replied in embarrassment. 

“Oh, for goodness sake, you two, will you just tell us before we both burst with curiosity,” Daisy admonished. 

Slim and Jess handed her the letter. 

“Tom’s been accepted to medical school,” Jess began.  “He’s going to be a doctor, Daisy. Isn’t that wonderful news?”  His smile broadened as she took the letter. 

“A doctor, oh, that is wonderful news, Jess.”  Daisy poured over the letter. 

“You know something, Jess?” Slim started.  “You once told me that you wanted to give something back, help someone make a new start, like I did for you.”  Slim looked at his friend.  “Well I think you can be real proud of yourself, Pard.  Tom will make a fine doctor, and it was having you to give him the courage and support that he needed that made it possible for him.” 

Jess lowered his eyes and stared into his empty coffee mug.  Never one to find words easy, he said nothing but revelled in the knowledge that he had helped another to achieve their dream, as Slim had done for him. 

He looked at Slim and then at Daisy’s sweet face.  “Can I have some more coffee, Daisy?” 

“Really, Jess!” she said and took the empty mug. 

The friends sat back and watched as Mose pulled out and sped up the hill, leaving a cloud of dust behind him.  Slim smiled at Jess’ embarrassment and punched him affectionately on the shoulder.  “You did good, Jess, I’m real proud of you.”  

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