Jonah was not particularly thrilled about being awakened in the pre-dawn hours, but fortunately it didn't happen often, and when the young man had informed him that it was Marshal Guyer who was asking for his assistance, and that the patient was not in dire straits, he felt some relief...at least it didn't sound like anything too complicated, and he'd be paid in real money...he had enough huckleberry jam to last him a lifetime!

After hastily dressing and grabbing his bag, he followed young Abraham, nodding as he approached Speed and the others.

"Marshal...what can I do for you this morning?"

"Yessir, I'll hush up," the man wasn't drunk enough to not realize he was very close to being jailed and he didn't want that.

Guyer backed away far enough to see the broken window, “Damn!”

"I was just borrowin' it, I was gonna give it back," Caroline declared.

“Star Dust Saloon, eh? Well, I’m afraid I can’t just brush this off. You’ve damaged private property, taken something that was not yours, and causing bodily injury. The Anderson’s are not going to take kindly to me letting you go back to the saloon, so, I’m placing you under arrest, Miss Mundee.”

Caroline paused, as if thinking on it a moment, then gave an exaggerated shrug, "Alright then, Marshal, arrest me. Ain't like I've never been in jail before. Supposin' yer gonna be wanting my gun though?"

Once more she went thru the rigamarole of fishing it out of her voluminous dress then held it out to him, "Careful, it's loaded."

****

The trio were almost to the jail when here came a perturbed looking Dr. Danforth and young Abraham tagging right behind him.

"Marshal...what can I do for you this morning?"

Caroline flashed a big smile, "Well now, so this is that handsome doctor every woman in town is talking about? I see why."

“Star Dust Saloon, eh? Well, I’m afraid I can’t just brush this off. You’ve damaged private property, taken something that was not yours, and causing bodily injury. The Anderson’s are not going to take kindly to me letting you go back to the saloon, so, I’m placing you under arrest, Miss Mundee.”

Caroline paused, as if thinking on it a moment, then gave an exaggerated shrug, "Alright then, Marshal, arrest me. Ain't like I've never been in jail before. Supposin' yer gonna be wanting my gun though?"

Once more she went thru the rigamarole of fishing it out of her voluminous dress then held it out to him, "Careful, it's loaded."

He watched the process she went through with a smile. “Yes ma’am, that’d be why my hands out. We sort of frown at having armed prisoners.” Speed informed her. “And you buster, what’s your name, seems I’ve seen you around?”

****

The trio were almost to the jail when here came a perturbed looking Dr. Danforth and young Abraham tagging right behind him.

"Marshal...what can I do for you this morning?"

Caroline flashed a big smile, "Well now, so this is that handsome doctor every woman in town is talking about? I see why."

“Fella here thinks his hands broke. Kicked a dog and this one her beat him with an axe handle!” Came the reply. “On her way to the hoosegow for break Anderson’s window to ‘borrow’ said axe handle.”

"I should think you would have pummeled the hooligan's feet as well," Jonah commented to Caroline with a smile and a wink, "so he can't kick anything again."  Then he looked at Speed.  "Let's get him inside  and I'll take a look.  From the looks of that hand, though, it's going to be a while before he'll be doing his own shaving again."

While Jonah wasn't against having a means for an end, attacking animals was too much, and showed the character of a man.  "What happened to the mutt?  Is it injured?"  He'd see to the dog first, if that was the case.

The marshal had asked his name so the fellow winced thru the discomfort and answered.

"John Smith."

Yeah, often times folks did not believe him, thought he was making up an alias but the truth of it was that was indeed his actual name.

***

Caroline smiled upon catching sight of the handsome doctor, a real looker that one! And a doctor too, so that meant he must be smart also.

"I should think you would have pummeled the hooligan's feet as well," Jonah commented to Caroline with a smile and a wink, "so he can't kick anything again." 

"Ooooh, ya know, damn good idea but I already dropped my club and now I'm arrested. Don't think our marshal here will let me get a second whack at 'im?" she grinned.

Then he looked at Speed.  "Let's get him inside  and I'll take a look.  From the looks of that hand, though, it's going to be a while before he'll be doing his own shaving again."

That just brought another moan from Smith but no sympathy from the woman who glared at him.

"I'll shave ya, with a butcher knife," she snapped at him but then quickly glanced over to Guyer, "Just a little joke now."

"What happened to the mutt?  Is it injured?" Danforth asked.

"Not sure, he ran off as you might expect. He was movin' fast enough, I hope he's alright. I'd go look for 'im but the Marshal has me pegged as this dangerous criminal sort who needs to be tossed behind bars," Caroline answered.

Caroline smiled upon catching sight of the handsome doctor, a real looker that one! And a doctor too, so that meant he must be smart also.

"I should think you would have pummeled the hooligan's feet as well," Jonah commented to Caroline with a smile and a wink, "so he can't kick anything again."

"Ooooh, ya know, damn good idea but I already dropped my club and now I'm arrested. Don't think our marshal here will let me get a second whack at 'im?" she grinned.

"And you'd be right about that, Miss Mundee. Of course, if I let you have another whack at him, then I'd be  trouble, and we can't have that. Hard to keep the peace if I'm in my own jail." 

Then he looked at Speed.  "Let's get him inside  and I'll take a look.  From the looks of that hand, though, it's going to be a while before he'll be doing his own shaving again."

“Sure, right this way.” He took Miss Mundee by the bicep and led her inside the office, the others following close behind. “Coffee’s on Doc, if you want.”

That just brought another moan from Smith but no sympathy from the woman who glared at him.

"I'll shave ya, with a butcher knife," she snapped at him but then quickly glanced over to Guyer, "Just a little joke now."

“Careful Miss, wouldn’t want to add anymore charges to the ones already pending.”

"What happened to the mutt?  Is it injured?" Danforth asked.

"Not sure, he ran off as you might expect. He was movin' fast enough, I hope he's alright. I'd go look for 'im but the Marshal has me pegged as this dangerous criminal sort who needs to be tossed behind bars," Caroline answered.

“The sort of thing that happens when someone breaks a window, takes an axe handle and then uses it to assault someone.” Speed explained simply. “Now, if Mister Smith here prefers charges, well, that would mean a court date.” He smiled at her, “The mutt, hopefully it’s alright, ain’t that so Mister Smith?"

"Coffee'd be real fine, Marshal," Jonah said as they stepped into the office.  He certainly wasn't in any hurry to treat the man, and the delay wasn't going to cause any harm. 

He sank into a chair, then added, "Be a pity if that man was to press charges and then have his hand rot and fall off, don't you think?"  Well, it wasn't something he'd actually cause, but the threat sounded nice.  "Seems as though both parties have learned their lessons here." 

Not that he was complicit with violence, but he agreed with the young woman, and if his words would push the man to not press charges, all the better.

"Coffee'd be real fine, Marshal," Jonah said as they stepped into the office.  He certainly wasn't in any hurry to treat the man, and the delay wasn't going to cause any harm.

Speed poured Jonah a cup, “Have a seat Doc, take a load off, a bit early for all this I know. Little coffee get things circulating."

He sank into a chair, then added, "Be a pity if that man was to press charges and then have his hand rot and fall off, don't you think?"  Well, it wasn't something he'd actually cause, but the threat sounded nice.  "Seems as though both parties have learned their lessons here."

Not that he was complicit with violence, but he agreed with the young woman, and if his words would push the man to not press charges, all the better.

“Be a sad thing indeed, don’t you think Mister Smith? Learned lessons? Well now, seems to me that there’s a chance of that. Of course, Miss Mundee here, well, she’ll have to wait on Anderson to decide her immediate fate.” Speed said. “With those others awaiting trial, have to take her to the County Sheriff’s lock up. Just about looking at a full house, well except for the basement cells.” He smiled at her.

Mr. Smith knew a stacked deck against him when it was presented to him. He wasn't surprised really, the men were sticking up for the pretty gal instead of justice. It was the way of things. But he would try and get at least something out of his misery.

"Oh alright, I won't press charges but only if she pays whatever the doc here is gonna charge me for this here treatment," he answered.

"Of course, Miss Mundee here, well, she’ll have to wait on Anderson to decide her immediate fate.” Speed said. “With those others awaiting trial, have to take her to the County Sheriff’s lock up. Just about looking at a full house, well except for the basement cells.” He smiled at her.

"Fine! Not like I got any say in this do I?  Just a kindly young miss defendin' some poor innocent dog from mistreatment. Yeah, incar....incar..ser..?" Caroline was stumped.

"Throw me behind bars and lemme rot then," she shrugged.

"Hey Doc, you seem like a nice man? Can you let the saloon know where I am, please? Maybe my boss can post bail or somethin'? She is gonna need her singer/dancer tonight," she now addressed Danforth.

She pointed to herself, "That be me! You should come and hear me sometime. I admit my dancin' ain't the greatest but everyone sez I can sing real fine."

Nodding, Jonah stood, taking his bag with him as he walked over to the male prisoner. "I'll be certain to talk to Miss Matilda when I'm done here, I'm sure she'll understand."

Dispassionately, he examined the man's hand, then wrapped it firmly with some gauze. "It's broken, just keep it wrapped for a couple of weeks," he declared, "try not to use it, but that won't be a problem for a while." The way the man's hand was swollen, it was going to be far too painful to move much for a while anyway.

Then he looked to Caroline. "Miss...that'll be supper and a song." With a grin and a nod to Caroline and Speed, he headed out to let Matilda know that her entertainment was in jail...for now.