Charles Gold! You get back in that bed!” ordered Marta angrily. “You’ll break all those stitches and start bleeding again!”
“I’ve been layin’ here for two weeks, I’ve got to get up,” Charlie responded.
“Let him up, Marta. We can help him across the street to the diner and he can rest in there. I’ve a feelin’ that he won’t want to walk much more than that. Plus we can get some of my coffee in him system. Build that blood right back up.”
“Miles, I think I’d rather lay back down than drink your coffee,” he moaned.
We got him out of bed and into his pants and boots. It took us a mite ’cause he was so weak. Standing him up we stepped aside to see if he could hold his balance. He was a little woozy, but after several seconds he took a step. From there we helped him across the street. Just as we stepped on the boardwalk that led into the diner I could hear him huffing and puffing and sweat had broken out on his forehead.
There was only one table being used by a couple of miners and we helped Charlie back to the table by the stove. He plunked himself down in the chair with a groan.
“You sit right there Charlie, I’ll go get you something,” said Marta.
He looked at me with a sick grin. “Did she think I was goin’ to get up and run off somewhere?”
I reached for a couple of cups and went to the stove for coffee. Molly kept a large pot going in the kitchen, while I usually kept this pot going on the stove where I could reach it easily. “Here yuh go,” and put the cup in front of him.
“Ahhhh, that makes the innards feel better.”
Charlie took a sip and put the cup down. “Just as terrible as I remembered.”
Marta came running out of the kitchen with a big piece of chocolate pie. Molly followed her out, wiping her hands on her apron. She sat it down in front of Charlie.
I looked at Marta, and then turned my attention to Molly. Then I reached over. “Marta, I’m ashamed on you. Charlie can’t eat anything like this until the Doc says. Might do something to that belly wound of his.”
Charlie grabbed his fork and held it toward me like a lethal weapon. “Just you try.”
That got both girls giggling some and Molly went back to the kitchen and came out with a piece for me, though not near as big as Charlie’s. The miners got up to leave and I noticed that one of them was staring at our table. When I caught his eye, he quickly adverted it and walked on out. Molly went over and cleaned off their table and then came back and set down.
“Need to be walkin’ some,” Charlie said. “I need to be gettin’ back down to the office.”
“Don’t worry ’bout that none,” I said.
“Whose been doin’ my rounds?”
“Like I said, don’t worry ’bout that, I’ve been covernin’ for you.” I wasn’t quite ready to tell him that the great men of Durango’s city council had hired another marshal.
“Miles, any word about those two owlhoots that robbed McClendon’s?” asked Charlie.
“I’ve not heard anything. I’ve checked throughout the town, but haven’t had time to ride the countryside.”
“Doin’ my job,” he said frustrated.
“Let me tell you, as soon as you’re able you can have it right back.” In the back of my mind I was thinking that I had to get Foster to someway get rid of Denton before Charlie was up and able to move about.
I could see that Charlie was getting tired. “Think it’s ’bout time you went back to your nice cozy bed. Doc’ll be glad you’re up and he’ll want you out. You see if you can walk over here for breakfast tomorrow by yourself.”
Marta and I helped him up and walked him back to his bed. By the time we pulled his boots off, he was tuckered out. I left him, holding Marta’s hand and his eyes closing.
Doc Jones came in as I was walking out. “We took Charlie over to the diner.” He started to rush back. “Nah, Doc, he’s in good hands. You can check him later.”
Doc went over and peeked in the room. I walked on out the door and started back for the diner. About halfway across the street I decided to go down to the marshal’s office.