The Saga of Miles Forrest

We rushed to the Wells Fargo office and had to push through a crowd that was already beginning to gather.  I went through the door and laying there was Jim, holding his gun in his hand but shot two or three times.  Taking in the scene quickly I saw Tom, tied to a chair in the doorway of the vault.  I went over to him and saw that his throat has been slashed and there seemed to be several other knife wounds–tortured.
About that time Charlie Gold, the marshal broke through the crowd along with Doc Jones.  I heard a groan from the wall and started over there, but Doc beat me to it. 
“Sam, you and Lowell get these folk out of this room!” ordered Charlie to his deputies.  Then he went over to where I was standing and looking at Tom.
I muttered to Charlie, “He had a wife and kid at home.  Some Christmas for them.”
I started over to where Doc was working on the other man when Charlie grabbed my arm.  “Miles, they left a message for you.”
He pulled me over to the counter.  There was an ear and an eye-ball laying there with a note.  “Forrest, here are your eyes and ears.”  Then I saw it.  I hadn’t seen it in several months, maybe years–the Devil’s Grin.
“Miles,” spoke Doc.  “He’s asking for you.”
I walked over and bent down.  “Miles, don’t be startled, he’s had an…”
“Ear cut off and eye cut out,” I finished his sentence. 
“Miles,” it was Trenton and he was struggling to speak.  “Miles, they aim to hurt you.  I tried…” and he passed out.
I looked at Doc.  “Will he make it?”
“Not sure.  He’s been shot a couple of times.  We need to get him over to my office so I can better examine him.”
“Charlie, get a couple of men to ride around the town.  There’s enough new snow that there’s a good chance we’ll spot their tracks.”
“Oh, and Marshal, I need two men to help me carry this man to my office,” said Doc.
I took off my coat and laid it over his head and chest.  I didn’t want the on-lookers to see Trenton in this condition.  “Careful,” said Doc.  “He has some wounds.”
“I’m going to make the round with my men.  I’ll be down soon as I’ve come back in,” said Charlie.
Walking out of the office I noticed a familiar face in the crowd.  Anger started to well up in me, and I walked to him.  He saw me coming.
“Well Forrest, surprised to see you’re in Durango.  I saw the crowd and came over to see what was going on.”
“After I run down the men directly responsible, I’ll be back for you!” I exclaimed.
“You heard him!  You folks here, heard him threatening me!  I know the law!  I’ll bring suit!”
I jerked the Greener up under his chin and lifted him to his toes.  “Wray!  I don’t make threats!  You want me, you come after me!”
Releasing him I hurried on down to Doc’s office.  He had Trenton undressed.  His face and head looked a mess, covered with blood.  But Doc was working on his side.  “Hold him Miles, just in case he jerks.  One bullet when through him, but there is one lodged in his shoulder I have to get out.  I’ve got the blood stopped, but have to get this lead out.”
It took a while for Doc to locate the bullet.  It hit a rib high up and it deflected it across to his neck.  Doc was sweating.  “Lord help him,” I whispered.
Doc grunted and pulled the bullet out but with it came a flood of blood.  “I hoped I wouldn’t nick a vein,” he said.  “Press here, hard!  I have to try and pack it.”
It took several minutes but finally the flow stopped.  We looked at each other.  “I don’t know, Miles, I just don’t know.”  He then began to clean Trenton’s face and head.  It was a gory sight.  “These men are butchers,” he said through clinched teeth.  “Plain out and out butchers.”
Doc had just finished cleaning up Trenton and patched up his eye and ear when Charlie Gold came through the door.  “It looks like they’re headed south.  Not sure, but I have one of the boys trailing that way,” he paused and looked at Trenton. 
“Don’t know,” I said.  “Only time and the Lord.”
“Miles, we trailed them south, but two cut off to the east.  I figured they might circle back to town.”
I looked at Trenton and his words came to me.  “They aim to hurt you.”
I rushed out the door over to the eatery and burst in scaring Marta.  “Where’s Molly?” 
Her eyes were wide.  “She and Lucas went up to the cabin.”