With: Captain Barlow and Lt. Greene
Time of Day: Morning
They had just dismissed the company and now the sergeants would be assigning the various duties for the day to the troopers. The Army believed very strongly in the old saying 'idle hands are the devil's workshop'. Benjamin then turned to Lt. Greene. The young officer was still limping from the effects of his gunshot wound back during the rescue operation to save the two local women. But he was making steady progress and had resumed at least basic duties. No patrols or anything too strenuous yet though. None of that silly (to Benjamin's thinking) weather balloon detail either.
"Lieutenant, a moment please. I was in discussion with the colonel and we have a very specific assignment for you that -on the surface - might sound strange. But you know the brass is always right," Benjamin voiced that last part with not a hint of sarcasm or humor even if he did not believe that himself.
"Despite your gallant attempt to appear to be completely on the mend, it is our decision that you would be better off if you were to take a short medical leave - in Kalispell. No bothersome duties, simply rest and relax while you heal completely. Get a room...boarding house, hotel, whatever. The Army will pay for it. The colonel will decide when you have properly recovered from your wound."
"Questions?" Benjamin was positive the young man had some. Who wouldn't, the whole thing seemed quite irregular.
"Er, would you fellers mind awfully standing to attention?"
"Lieutenant, a moment please."
"Sir!" Greene was all ears. Maybe he was to be returned to full duty! There had been an unbearable break in the atmospheric measurements, the sooner he could get back to making them and reporting the results back to Washington, the better. Blast this wounded leg!
"I was in discussion with the colonel and we have a very specific assignment for you that -on the surface - might sound strange. But you know the brass is always right," Benjamin voiced that last part with not a hint of sarcasm or humor even if he did not believe that himself.
"That's good news, Sir. I'm ready to resume my full duties. I've been inspecting the balloons, and..." he started, but Barlow interrupted with different news.
"Despite your gallant attempt to appear to be completely on the mend, it is our decision that you would be better off if you were to take a short medical leave - in Kalispell. No bothersome duties, simply rest and relax while you heal completely. Get a room...boarding house, hotel, whatever. The Army will pay for it. The colonel will decide when you have properly recovered from your wound."
Greene could not erase the frown of confusion and disappointment from his face. What the hell was this all about: certainly not compassion, not from the likes of Barlow and Wellington! And Barlow was being coy. Barlow was never Coy: this was something he might not like.
"Questions?" Benjamin was positive the young man had some. Who wouldn't, the whole thing seemed quite irregular.
Just one, Sir." he answered dryly. "Why?"
Well, the young shavetail's face certainly did not hide his disappointment. And as expected he did have a question, a simple and obvious one.
"Just one, sir, why?"
"Fair question, Lt. Greene," Benjamin nodded then proceeded to answer.
"I am not sure how aware you are of the civil goings on in Kalispell. It seems there is to be the construction of a hospital for the town, a most worthy project and one that should help the town grow. However, there are some who are dead set against it, I won't bore you with all the local politics and rivalries right now. And the Marshal came to the colonel to discuss enlisting soldiers to help prevent such an attack."
"Now Army policy is quite clear, the military is not to interfere in civilian affairs unless the governor requests such intervention and the proper federal authorities agree. However, should our garrison have wounded within the town, we would merely be responding to possible danger to our own men. And we could dispatch a reaction force without waiting on governor or Washington or whoever."
"You're it, lieutenant, you're our wounded. You don't have to do anything but stay in town and that gives us our perfect excuse for intervention should trouble develop," Barlow actually smiled!
"Understand now?
"Er, would you fellers mind awfully standing to attention?"
The Captain explained to the junior officer about the new hospital and the Colonel's promise to help protect it from 'some people' who wanted to stop its constriction. All sounded a bit odd, but certainly not any of their business.
"Now Army policy is quite clear, the military is not to interfere in civilian affairs unless the governor requests such intervention and the proper federal authorities agree. However, should our garrison have wounded within the town, we would merely be responding to possible danger to our own men. And we could dispatch a reaction force without waiting on governor or Washington or whoever."
"Lord, sounds like the Colonel's bending over backwards to help the Marshal, Sir. But, well, we don't really have any wounded that bad: not that need hospitalisation." Greene wondered out loud.
"You're it, lieutenant, you're our wounded. You don't have to do anything but stay in town and that gives us our perfect excuse for intervention should trouble develop," Barlow actually smiled!
Green opened his mouth but nothing came out, and it wasn't just the novel sight of Barlow grinning that robbed him of his words.
"Understand now?"
He frowned. "Sorry if I sound stupid, sir, but when you say 'stay in town'... you mean 'stay in the hospital'?" If he was supposed to be 'hospitalised',he could hardly go galivanting around town, even with a bit of a limp.
"Understand now?"
Greene frowned. "Sorry if I sound stupid, sir, but when you say 'stay in town'... you mean 'stay in the hospital'?"
Benjamin smirked, "What hospital? The town doesn't have one, doctor's office at best. However someday they hope to have one. Some rich lady is sponsoring the construction of one but there are those in powerful places that don't want it.........or maybe it's because it's her project they don't want it."
"And yes, we are bending over backwards to help. Why not? Sounds like the sort of civilizing the army is out here for to protect. What with Private Whitcomb having passed with gangrene recently, you are the only wounded we got. So you'll do," he further explained. Actually he did not owe the lieutenant a damn bit of explanation, an order was an order and should be obeyed.
"Also, Lt. Greene, you need to listen better when a superior officer is briefing you. I already stated you can get a room at a boarding house or in the hotel. The army will pay for it. I'm not in the habit of repeating myself," he added.
"Er, would you fellers mind awfully standing to attention?"
Greene tried not to frown as his superior officer skirted around the identity of this Mystery Man who hated his daughter so much that he would try and stop her building a hospital. Well, if go he must, he would find that out soon enough: if the Captain thought he was going to sit around reading novels waiting for trouble to happen to him, he had another thing coming.
"And yes, we are bending over backwards to help. Why not? Sounds like the sort of civilizing the army is out here for to protect. What with Private Whitcomb having passed with gangrene recently, you are the only wounded we got. So you'll do," he further explained. Actually he did not owe the lieutenant a damn bit of explanation, an order was an order and should be obeyed.
"Yes Sir." responded Greene, but thinking that the Captain's slightly more aggressive tone probably indicated he knew that there was a certain basic illogic to the whole charade. For instance, if he was was staying in the boarding house, how did that give the hospital the right to be defended. Oh well, Mrs Wigfall might appreciate the army protection for her establishment. Also, if the hospital construction site was attacked, how as he to summon the troops from the Fort in time to save it?
These doubts he did not voice; he just gave silent thanks to God that Barlow had stopped with that whole disturbing smiling thing, and was back to his usual grumpy self.
"Also, Lt. Greene, you need to listen better when a superior officer is briefing you. I already stated you can get a room at a boarding house or in the hotel. The army will pay for it. I'm not in the habit of repeating myself," he added.
"Er, yes Sir. I'm happy with the Boarding House, Sir. Prefer to save Army expenses if that's all right, Sir. And if the Hospital site is where I think it is, I can probably get a room that overlooks it at Mrs Wigfall's" he said. Well, if he was going to do this strange job, he might as well do it efficiently.
That's better, he got an enthusiastic 'yes sir'. More like the sort of response he expected from an eager young shavetail officer. Benjamin nodded but there was one more thing.
"Also, Lt. Greene, you need to listen better when a superior officer is briefing you. I already stated you can get a room at a boarding house or in the hotel. The army will pay for it. I'm not in the habit of repeating myself."
"Er, yes Sir. I'm happy with the Boarding House, Sir. Prefer to save Army expenses if that's all right, Sir. And if the Hospital site is where I think it is, I can probably get a room that overlooks it at Mrs Wigfall's" responded Greene.
"Fine, boarding house then. The colonel is going to have at least a small unit ready to respond at the first sign or sound of shooting in the town. The marshal has said he would also send out a rider as fast as possible. No heroics needed on your part. We will come boiling into town fast and hard as we can," Benjamin continued.
"Honestly I doubt there is going to be such an attack. More likely something sneaky like a fire or some sort of sabotage. Something we are going to be helpless to stop. But there it is, lieutenant. Pack your stuff and move into town. We will know when you have recovered from your injuries, until then do what you want there. Well, long as it's legal."
The last bit was just a touch of humor on the veteran captain's part, well he wasn't known for such a thing so one could not expect much.
"Er, would you fellers mind awfully standing to attention?"
"Fine, boarding house then. The colonel is going to have at least a small unit ready to respond at the first sign or sound of shooting in the town. The marshal has said he would also send out a rider as fast as possible. No heroics needed on your part. We will come boiling into town fast and hard as we can," Benjamin continued.
"Maybe I could send up one of my balloons if there's an attack, Sir?" suggested Greene, not quite realising the contempt which the man with two silver bars held for his inflatables.
"Honestly I doubt there is going to be such an attack. More likely something sneaky like a fire or some sort of sabotage. Something we are going to be helpless to stop. But there it is, lieutenant. Pack your stuff and move into town. We will know when you have recovered from your injuries, until then do what you want there. Well, long as it's legal."
"Yes Sir, I'll read up on what's authorized for an officer on sick leave to do, Sir." Greene answered seriously. He did suspect that the dour Captain might have been jesting, but really it was best not to risk it.
"Very good, sir!" he snapped a salute and went to pack his belongings. As he did so, he could not but reflect on this odd assignment that had befallen him.
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
"I gotta letter for ya!"
It was just like the good old days; Arabella had walked straight into Caroline's bedroom without even knocking.
"And I think it might be from a certain wounded hero of a Army Lootenant!" she smirked as the black clad girl held out the missive just out of Caroline's reach.
She had resisted the temptation to steam the letter open and read it, but in fact the contents were hardly a page of passion filled prose, merely stating, in a terse, telegraphic military style:
Dearest Caroline - Am billeted at Wigfall's for foreseeable future - request pleasure of your company at Hotel Restaurant tonight - pls reply via bearer, am guarded here day and night by over-attentive nurse! - Yrs Joseph.
"What's it say? What's it say?!" asked Arabella breathlessly when Caroline eventually got to read it.
Caroline was mostly undressed and preparing to put on one of her work dresses for her upcoming shift. A low cut bright red gown with bare shoulders and tantalizing almost views of her breasts. She had just earlier struggled into her corset which had had to be laced up by Messalina, the saloon cook and laundress now that Arabella no longer worked in the place.
But suddenly the door burst open and there was the young miss, clad in that ridiculous black of funeral fashion, about the only color she seemed to wear anymore.
"I gotta letter for ya!" announced the girl waving the missive about.
"You coulda knocked, I mighta been naked," Caroline pointed out, by now she should have realized the utter futility of that advice.
"And I think it might be from a certain wounded hero of a Army Lootenant!" Ara smirked as the black clad girl held out the missive just out of Caroline's reach.
"Oh yeah? Well....gimme it and let's see," Caroline held out her hand but then had to step closer to the girl and snatch it away...."thankya."
Opening it Caroline turned in such a way the girl was not behind her where she could peek about but rather facing Ara.
"What's it say? What's it say?!" the girl was more excited than Caroline.
"Well...it starts by saying hopefully a certain Miss Mudd did not open this letter and read it because that would be tampering with federal mail and a hanging offense in Montana," Caroline made all that part up but pretended to read it.
Letting that sink in for just a few seconds, she then grinned, "Not really but it is from Lt. Greene alright. He's in town and wants to dine with me....sometime."
She did not read aloud everything on the page...quite deliberately. It was Arabella after all standing right there. The girl had barged in on the last date she had been with Greene and Caroline loathed a repeat of that sort of thing.