In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #11)


"I'm watchin' after a terribly sick friend and I can't go running all about looking for eats.  Do ya figgur I can just get a couple meat sandwiches and some milk to to share with her?"

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg #13):

The burly man relaxes his posture. "Ah, Estelle told me about you. I'm afraid I can't help you. Teddy will be back soon enough; maybe he can fetch something for you." He returns to his reading.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #14):

"That'll be right kind.  I'll just step back to the room and maybe you can send Teddy by when next you see him."

Randy returns to the room and looks over Ayasha again as she rests.

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg #12):

Don't know.  Probably down by the livery on the outskirts.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:21, Sun 25 Mar 2012.

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg #15):

Randy's stomach continues to complain. Just about the time he figures he needs to leave for the Frontier House, Teddy Fargas knocks and sticks his head through the crack in the door.

"Mr. Swartz said you needed my help?"

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg #7):

JEB navigates the gang back to the Flat at the fastest pace the horses can handle.

In reply to Teddy Fargas (msg #17):

"Yeah, Teddy.  I needs a couple of meat sandwiches to take with me.  Can you get them while I find Mrs. Swartz to look after Ayasha, if she can, 'cause I gotta git down to the Frontier."  Randy doesn't appear panicked, just hurried.  "And, if them polecat pals o'mine chuckle show while I'm out, you send one to lemme know they got back safe."

Randy looks around the place with a kind face.  "Ya'll been nicer than anyone can expect for folks just paying for some night lodgings.  Ya'll are down right good people, and them are rarer than gold.

Now, can you point me to where Mrs. Swartz might be?"



edited down some of the rhetoric
This message was last edited by the player at 01:12, Mon 26 Mar 2012.

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg #19):

Teddy listens to Mr. Oldman, patiently.

"I can round up something for you, Mr. Oldman. Mrs. Swartz is at the desk. We have just returned from watching those acrobats perform. That was a sight."

As he's leaving, Teddy adds, "I can bring something directly to the Frontier House if you have to leave now."

Mrs. Swartz greets Randy.

"You will have to watch those acrobats if you have a chance, Mr. Oldman."

When Randy asks for her help, she nods. "Teddy and I will keep an eye on her until either you or Mr. Sunday returns."

Randy Oldman makes his way to the Frontier House for rehearsal. He finds that Soledad is not there, but Uncle Billy is prepared to walk-through the skit himself, as it will be in Tuesday night's show.

Before long, Teddy Fargas shows up with a couple of meat pies. He lingers for a few moments, watching the rehearsal, until Uncle Billy asks him to leave.

An hour or so later, Soledad arrives.

JEB leads the group back to The Flat. Cole advises that trot is the best limit for the horses. They could go faster if needed, but such a pace seems sufficient to reach the town before sundown.

As the sun dips behind them, casting long shows, Fort Griffin itself comes into view. Soon, the flat space of land beneath the fort is visible. JEB leads the group into town the same way it left. Traveling around the fort and entering from the south, the first things the riders notice are the Post Office and Drug Store on the left and the Telegraph office on the right.

Travis Sunday looks at his watch. It is nearly a quarter-til-5.

The pugilist-turned-performer has no problem keeping his mind on rehearsal.  Much like eating and sleeping, fighting is a singular focus -- it has to be or someone will get hurt, or won't as the situation pleases.

There is nothing like the stage and theater.  He never had the opportunity to play on a proper stage before.  Sawdust floors of saloons and cheap brothels is no amphitheater.  Playing the sick kid as mountebank for sleazy snake-oil peddlers might be a preparation of sort to act, but not for the stage.  Velveteen curtains with satin ropes drape the curtain line downstage. Real stage lights illuminate at the actors' feet.  There are true stage wings for dramatic stage entrances and exits.  This is the stage for which Randy truly born.  His is larger than life, louder than most, stouter than stout.  He glows in this caricature of his brutal life -- a comedy of excess.

Tomorrow night can't come soon enough.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #23):

As they arrive in town...

I'm going to stay here and wait for the Tonk.  I don't think they run on railroad time and I don't want to miss them.

He dismounts and cares for Horse keeping him saddled.  Then he sits between the Flat and the Tonkawa, waiting.

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg #25):

"I'll take Vickers to the Sheriff."

In reply to James E. Beauregard (msg #26):

Travis, if Jake will back you up here, I'll go with JEB.

In spite of assuring Travis that he could find his way back to The Flat if the rest of the party felt it necessary to set a faster pace than was appropriate for Ghost, Jake was pleased that it had not been necessary for his companions to leave him behind. Although he could take care of himself, a man riding alone would be more of a temptation for those looking to cause trouble than a group of five riders. And he was a little relieved to make it back to town without further mishap. I reckon that havin' a hurt horse that I couldn't push hard if'n I needed to made me a little fidgety on the ride back into town, Jake reflected.

Jake was just about to speak up and say that he was heading over to the livery stable to get Ghost settled in for the evening, when Cole asked him to stay put and back up Travis. "All right," the Texan said with a nod.

Turning to the Easterner, Jake said, "Perfesser, I'd be obliged if you could do what you could for Ghost, either before or after you've seen checked on Ayasha."

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg #28):

If you want to hang around that's fine, but they either have what I need or not.  I don't think they'll ride here looking for a fight.

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg #28):

ENS had moved with the group, reflecting on what he observed of the Tonkawa. Once they reached the edge of town and Travis declared his intentions, ENS refocused on the problems at hand.

Of course I'll do what I can for Ghost Jake, but I think he needs to get stabled now and get a good night's rest and then I can look in on him in the morning.

Travis, I'm going to go look in on Ayasha and Randy and then I'll come back and join you for this meeting. I can also bring back Jake if he still wants to be here?

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg #29):

"I'd bet money on your bein' right 'bout them Tonks not comin' into town lookin' for no trouble," Jake replied to Travis. "If'n they was lookin' to cause us problems, they'd have done it back there away from town, when they had the advantage."

The Texan listened to the Professor's medical advice about Ghost, which backed up his own inclination that it was best to get the horse bedded down for the night sooner rather than later, so that he could start regaining some more of his strength.

"If you ain't worried 'bout no trouble from the Tonks, Travis, I do believe that I'll head on over to the livery an' get Ghost squared away for the night. Then I'll double back an' join you soon as that's all squared away."

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg #31):

ENS turns toward the town and rides in with Jake.

If you like Jake, you and I can ride Amadeus back up to Travis after we're both done... I'm sure he can handle us both for that short distance.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg #32):

Jake grinned at the Easterner's offer. "Hell, Perfesser, I'm gonna ride that god-damned Weasel's horse back out to the parlay, if'n it's too far outside town for me to just walk to it. I reckon that the bastard owes me that much."

"'Preciate the offer, though, I purely do."

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg #31):

Hang on Jake.  I'll walk with you.  He said we'd meet in town.  I'm gonna plop down on the hotel porch after getting Horse taken care of and checking in with Ayasha.

Travis walks with Jake to the livery.

JEB and Cole, still mounted, lead the draft horse carrying Vickers into town. The main thoroughfare remains busy this afternoon. The riders pass by the hide yard and York and Meyers before crossing the intersection of saloons. Cole, riding on the right, notices people gathering near the livery and Planters.

A few moments later JEB sees the sheriff's deputy on the front porch, sitting in the chair. The deputy named Mangy rises when Sheriff Beauregard angles Diablo toward the hitching post.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:22, Wed 28 Mar 2012.

Jake and ENS had turned their mounts toward town when Travis asked them to hold on.

Leading Horse at a walk, it takes a few moments for the man from the Butterfield Overland to catch up to his pards. Seeing Travis Sunday walking his mount, Jake figures now is the right time to begin Ghost's rest. He dismounts, followed soon thereafter by the professor.

The three men leading their mounts cross Fifth Street along Griffin Avenue, approaching the Post Office, hide yard and York and Meyers. Travis glances toward the Post Office, hearing a few men talking on its porch. He notices that Arnie Foster isn't around.

The professor, having been in town the longest, gets an inkling of something being amiss. The thoroughfare is busy, which is not news, but people seem more agitated than usual. If he were asked for an assessment, he wouldn't say folks were anxious, but agitated like ants become when their hill is suddenly disturbed by a passing mammal.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg #35):

JEB and Vickers dismount and tie the horses to the hitching post. Gesturing at the horse thief, JEB announces, "Good mornin' deputy, I'm here to turn in a felon."

JEB and the prisoner step up to the porch.