Posted July 26, 2019

Pike looked to the spot she indicated and smiled. "Good place for 'em, fer a while. Doubt I was followed, doubt the shooter cared if I was dead or alive." he said, still smiling. "Likely he'll be in for a shock when I find him and settle up. 'course he could fool me an jest surrender, I've my doubts about thet but we'll see."

"I'd be fer headin' over't the boarding house where I been stayin', but maybe that ain't the smartest move jest yet." He was weak and he knew it, and if he'd been followed, or one or more had been sent to finish the job, well, hard as it was to admit, he was in no shape to defend himself. "If ya could, you might go over an' let Missus Everson know my whereabouts. She kin be trusted. Not to worry."

Adelaide Chappel / Posted July 30, 2019

Likely he'll be in for a shock when I find him and settle up. 'course he could fool me an jest surrender, I've my doubts about thet but we'll see."

"Didn't never know a miscreant that knew good enough when ta give up," Arnie observed with a chuckle.

"I'd be fer headin' over't the boarding house where I been stayin', but maybe that ain't the smartest move jest yet."

"Not leastways 'till ya can make it without raisin' a spectacle!" A man stumbling through the streets was certain to bring notice and raise suspicion, so he was right, he'd need to wait a time, at least until dark.

"If ya could, you might go over an' let Missus Everson know my whereabouts. She kin be trusted. Not to worry."

"I can send Weedy, an' in th' mean time, I got horses need tendin'...yers can stay here as long as ya need." She grinned. "You can rest up, an' we'll see how yer feein' after dark...maybe we can get ya home."

Barnabas Pike / Posted July 31, 2019

He smiled. he was feeling a bit stronger thanks to the care he'd received to this point. Getting back to the boarding house would take Addy out of any danger, or, so he hoped. Then again, he doubted that whoever shot him would come to town looking to finish the job.

"Yeah, we'll see come evenin', an' Addy...thanks, didn't mean ta bring this on ya. I know you got yer own trouble t' bear." He said, "You tell thet bioy ta be careful whose about when he talks to here. No sense him bein' in harms way on my account."

Adelaide/ Posted August 4, 2019

"He's a smart boy, but I'll make sure he understands...after all, havin' a man shot, an' helpin', that's good braggin' rights fer a youngin'." Maybe the thought of being privy to a big secret would be enough to sate his excitement, and really, once this blew over, he could talk about it all he wanted to.

"Go ahead an' sleep fer now, I'll be out in th' barn with th' horses." She wanted him to know she wasn't going to leave him alone here, he'd be safe to relax and start healing...

Barnabas Pike / Posted August 6, 2019

"Thanks Addy." He said, glad of her company and her care. He laid back on the cot, his eye lids suddenly heavy, the tension in his body flowing out as he drifted off to sleep.

The dreams were fitful. A shadowy figure always behind him, no matter what he did to lose the man, and it was a man, he remained just behind him. Try as he might, Pronto could not get away from the man, nor could he face him. He struggled but could not get his guns out of their holsters. Then came the shot! He felt the bullet go deep into his back, and then he was falling, falling, falling.

Suddenly he was awake, covered in sweat He sat bolt upright and the pain shot through his shoulder forcing him to cry out. He looked around, he was at the livery, in Addy’s place. Safe. There was no shadowy figure, no new wound. He exhaled deeply and looked to the water bucket. He had a powerful thirst, and he was angry. Angry at the back shooter, angry at himself for being careless, angry at the pain.

He slipped off the cot onto his knees and took up the ladle, lifting dipper after dipper to his lips and drinking deeply of the cool, life giving liquid.

Posted August 6, 2019

Addy was in the barn with Weedy, having finished mucking the stalls, now was the far more pleasant job of feeding the horses. She loved the simple reward of their anxious nickers, telling her that at that moment she was the most bestest Human in the world to them.

At the cry from her room, she glanced at Weedy. "Stay out here," she cautioned the boy, then she headed to the space at the back of the barn, frowning as she opened the door.

"Well, ain't you a stubborn cuss." Shaking her head, she chuckled. "Leastways ya must be feelin' a sight better ta be out of bed, even if ya can't get yer feet under ya like a newborn colt!" She offered a hand. "Wanna give it a try?"

Posted August 12, 2019

"Gettin' there Addy, gettin' there." Pronto replied. "Feel a site better, ain't myself, but stronger than I was earllier. So I thought I'd get ma'sef ambulatin' some. See if I kin remain upright." He looked around. "Got yerself a nice layout here, I mean, I know it belongs to the comp'ny, but you got it set right nice. Now, I ain't gonna be in yer hair much longer. Get a bit more strength back an' I'll be on ma way. Beholdin' to ya."

He looked to Weedy and smiled. "So who's this feller? Yer top hand?"

Adelaide Chappel / Posted August 13, 2019

"Gettin' there Addy, gettin' there." Pronto replied. "Feel a site better, ain't myself, but stronger than I was earllier. So I thought I'd get ma'sef ambulatin' some. See if I kin remain upright."

"All right. Good start ya can sit up on yer own." It was surprising how simple something as easy as sitting up could be when you weren't a hundred percent.

"Got yerself a nice layout here, I mean, I know it belongs to the comp'ny, but you got it set right nice. Now, I ain't gonna be in yer hair much longer. Get a bit more strength back an' I'll be on ma way. Beholdin' to ya."

"'Course...that's what friends do." She shrugged and grinned. "Place is all I need, an' don't take much ta keep up." She honestly wasn't here that often, and single room had everything she needed for the simple life she led. "Gives me somethin' ta appreciate after them cramped swing stations."

"So who's this feller? Yer top hand?"

Addy smiled as she looked at the sleeping form curled on a blanket on the floor, little tow head propped on a pillow. "Yep, good lad, that." There was a hint of pride in her tone. "I'm makin' sure he goes ta school so he has more ta look forward to." She chuckled. "He'd rather be here helpin' with th' horses, an' I gotta say I don't mind th' help. He goes home sometimes, too, but his ma..." she shook her head, "most th' time I don't think she notices that he ain't there, too busy with..." Well, this wasn't the time to get into that. "He come lurkin' around a couple years ago an' I put 'im ta work..other folks in town look after 'im, too."

It was sad, but the boy was treated better by a few in town than his own kin, but then, at least he did have people who looked out for him and made sure he had a place to sleep and food in his belly.

"So, ya ready ta see if them legs'll hold ya up?" Not that she was in a hurry to get rid of him, but it was quiet on the streets, so this was as good a time as any.

Barnabas Pike / Posted August 13, 2019

"Ready? Well, ain't nothin' the matter with ma legs. Might be a task ta get my boots on, but yeah sure. Be good ta see what shape I'm in." Pronto replied to the offer. "Don't figger to be runnin' any races but it'd be good ta be able to git around like normal folks." He was feeling better, the shoulder was some painful, but that was to be expected. Getting it's full use back would take a bit.

"Reckon this'd be a good time ta git out there, I figger there ain't a lot o' folks about, so I don't need to worry 'bout how I look." He added as he got to his feet and stood fully upright. "There, now we got a start."

Adelaide Chappel / Posted August 15, 2019

"Ready? Well, ain't nothin' the matter with ma legs. Might be a task ta get my boots on, but yeah sure. Be good ta see what shape I'm in."

"Breathin' is a good start," Addy commented with a playful grin. "Yer strong, you'll be fine." He might not be a hundred percent for a long while, but he was the sort to just push through and do what had to be done.

"Don't figger to be runnin' any races but it'd be good ta be able to git around like normal folks."

"Normal folk don't go around gettin' shoot full'a holes," she pointed out, "an' when they do, I reckon they pine on it a sight longer."

"Reckon this'd be a good time ta git out there, I figger there ain't a lot o' folks about, so I don't need to worry 'bout how I look." He added as he got to his feet and stood fully upright. "There, now we got a start."

"Upright is an advantage," she agreed. "Now ya just gotta walk across town." She'd go with him, of course. "Let me fetch yer pistol." She brought him his sidearm, then shrugged. "All right, then, let's get to this." If he needed to, he could lean on her, but with luck they'd make it without incident.