In reply to Thomas Pearce (msg # 921):

Earnest dismounts carefully once the group arrives at the doctor's. The day's activity has his arm throbbing a bit, pretty much like every day since receiving the wound. He ties up Patches and joins Tommy in entering the office, satisfied in letting him announce their presence.

In reply to Thomas Pearce (msg # 921):

Pearce hears someone moving from beyond the entryway where he stands, which opens into a hallway and a small sitting room. A voice follows.

"Be there in a moment," a raspy voice calls out. "Anyone bleeding out?"

In reply to Jacob Richardsen (msg # 920):

Daniel and the ranch hands return their attention to Jake, for a moment.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Richardsen."

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 922):

Before he headed off with Tommy and Earnest, Tracy took Daniel up on the favor Jake had previously requested. The investigator thanked the young Knight for his help and turned to join the others in their trek to the sawbones.

Now having arrived, Windham responds to the raspy voice. “Not at present,” he says.

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 925):

The raspy voice responds. "Have a seat, then. I will be there in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

In reply to Doc Swensen (msg # 926):

Several minutes pass, by the professor's pocket watch. The three men wait. Finally, a short, frumpy figure emerges from the hallway.

"Now, who needs attention?" says the raspy voice, now attached to the frumpy figure. The light in the room is dim, with the draperies mostly closed. The short doctor, it seems, stares at the three men for a few moments before drawing the drapes on one wall to let the mid-day sun pour in. The doc turns around, focusing on the professor with his arm still in the sling fashioned by the young Knight.

"Is that Daniel Knight's work? I declare."

In reply to Doc Swensen (msg # 927):

"Yes. He also fixed me up as well. May have even saved our lives with his good work out there"
This message was last updated by the player at 13:28, Wed 28 Oct 2020.

In reply to Thomas Pearce (msg # 928):

“I can also attest to that,” Tracy adds. “How did you know, Doctor?”

In reply to Daniel Knight (msg # 918):

Taking his horse from Daniel Knight, Jacob mounted Roan. "Reckon I'll ride over to Grafton an' speak with Taylor 'bout a saddle an' some tack," he said.

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 929):

Earnest nods and was about to agree, but when Tracy poses his question, he simply looks to the doctor to see how he will answer.

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 929):

"Why, I taught him everything he knows. I daresay, he has at least equaled my skill by now. Shall we take a closer look?," says Doc Swensen, in a way that is definitely more of a statement than a question.

The doc turns towards the hallway, gesturing for the men to follow.

OOC: The heroes may make a Notice roll, if desired.

The ride over to Grafton, where Taylor's store was located, was uneventful. Jake used the time to acquaint himself with Roan's gait, and the Texan also tried to note his new mount's mannerisms.

Once he reached the store, Jacob looped the hackamore over the hitching post, and stepped inside.

In reply to Jacob Richardsen (msg # 933):

"Mr. Richardsen, it is a pleasure to see you again. I had heard of your return. I must say, the temptation to follow the throng to see the bandit bound-by-law tugged at me. Huzzah, sir! Alas, I also suspected you and your companions would pay a visit here to resupply before your next endeavor. So, it seems, my sense for commerce has prevailed."

As Jake enters the labyrinthine warehouse, Taylor touches the Texican's shoulder, ever-so-gently. The outfitter had mentioned something Jake had noticed on the ride in. The town seemed quiet; now Taylor's words tie things together, as the crowd back in Springdale had continued to grow by the time the rifleman had mounted Roan.

"Where are your friends, if I may inquire? And what needs do you have, presently?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:15, Thu 29 Oct 2020.

In reply to Taylor (msg # 934):

Jake moved away from the light touch of Taylor's fingers. He wasn't sure about the shopkeeper, yet, but he had his suspicions.

"Waal, I don't reckon this is a full-blown re-supply," he drawled.

He motioned out the front window of the store with his chin. "Picked me up a horse, seein' as how the hardcase who owned him afore ain't still above snaekes."

"The kid come with a hackamore, but not much else. Reckon I need a saddle an' some tack. Nothin' too fancy, mind you. I ain't plannin' to maeke no staetement when it comes to outfittin' him."

In reply to Doc Swensen (msg # 932):

As they follow the doctor to the back, Earnest looks around as he speaks.

Well you have taught him well doctor! I have some training as well and I can assure you that you should be proud of your student... My injury may take a while, so I suggest you start with these gentlemen first.

15:49, Today: Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg rolled 1,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5.  Notice: Doctor's office.

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 936):

Tommy takes a good look around as the group file toward a back room..which he presumes is the actual surgical office.

"Well to be honest I'm not sure who needs more help..Tracy or myself. I took two to the gut and it's been a real misery the whole ride back. I'm not sure if the bullets are still in there or not. "
--------------------------------------------------------------
19:01, Today: Thomas Pearce rolled 2,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4.  Notice role - Doc's office.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:02, Thu 29 Oct 2020.

In reply to Jacob Richardsen (msg # 935):

"Providence shines upon you, Mr. Richardsen. This way," he beckons, as he winds his way through a tiny gap between shelves of dry goods and piled-up bolts of fabric.

Jake emerges into a small, relatively open space in the warehouse. Like entering a clearing in the woods, the Texican muses. There, he sees two used saddles, both in decent condition, along with a variety of other tack, from stirrups to saddle blankets.

"I acquired these merely two days ago. Given another day, I have may have traded them with some of the local ranchers, perhaps even our good Mr. Knight. Clearly, providence shines upon you, sir."

Taylor brushes by Jake, keeping his hands to himself this time. "I shall review your line of credit, but I should think it will cover the whole kit and caboodle."

Probably, Richardsen thinks, the merchant means all the tack for one horse as that's what Jake said he wanted, even though there are two saddles here.

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 936) and Thomas Pearce (msg # 937):

Stopping in a small office off the main hall, Doc Swensen motions for Pearce to sit upon a small table.

"A gut wound is no trivial matter. Although I daresay, if Daniel treated it, he would have told you if he had failed to remove the lead."

By now, all three of the men can see that Doc Swensen is a woman. The raspy old voice might have misled them for a moment. She wears trousers, like a field worker might, with laced up boots similar to those Mrs. Knight wore when Earnest and Tracy first met her outside the Prickly Pear. Nonetheless, as far as they can tell, the doc makes no great secret of her gender.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:39, Sat 31 Oct 2020.

In reply to Doc Swensen (msg # 939):

Tracy watches Doc Swensen attend to Mister Pearce. Given that she imparted such strong skills to Daniel, she was clearly skilled in his estimation.

The investigator had an unrelated question, but he figured that this time was as good as any to ask it. “Doc, I’m curious about something. Have you ever treated Miss Charity Lynn Alexander?”

OOC:

10:47, Today: Tracy Windham rolled 7,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Notice, studying Doc’s reaction.

In reply to Taylor (msg # 938):

Jake wondered briefly how Taylor had come to own the two saddles and complete sets of tack, but pretty quickly came up with a guess that a couple of the cow-hands from one of the neighboring ranches had been down on their luck and needed some quick cash. Pushing cows around was not high-paying work, and about all that most cow-hands had that they could convert to cash was the clothes on their back, any weapons they might own, and a saddle and tack.

~Waal, ain't none of my bizness nohow,~ the Texican reasoned. He spent a little time examining each saddle and picked one of the two that he preferred. The tack and saddle-blanket took a little less time.

"Think I maede up my mind, Talor," he called out to the merchant. "Taeke yer tieme, though. I ain't tryin' to rush you."

Jacob moved down a different aisle, looking this way and that, feeling much like the bear who went over the mountain -- to see what he could see.

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 940):

The doc pauses, glancing at Windham. "Now, sir, you must know that is none of your concern. I will say only that she and I are acquainted. A fine singer. I saw her perform not long ago in Springdale." She pauses again.

In reply to Jacob Richardsen (msg # 941):

Unrushed, but responding quickly nevertheless, Taylor rejoins Richardsen as the Texican surveys the jumble of goods in the warehouse.

"Everything is in apple pie order, Mr. Richardsen. Do you require anything else?"

In reply to Doc Swensen (msg # 942):

Tommy watches as Doc Swensen works on his injuries. Her movements are efficient and hands deft as she cleans the wounds and begins to apply a sticky thick salve of some kind.

"You trying to glue me back together? I could probably of done that myself"

He smiles back at her as she looks at him with an expression of mild amusement

"Honestly how does it look Doc?"

In reply to Thomas Pearce (msg # 944):

"It looks clean, Mr. Pearce. Healing well. With some bed rest you should heal up fine. Now, a gut wound is bound to hurt. You could take a dose of laudanum for the pain, but if you have the mettle to get through it without, you would do yourself a favor."

By now, the men had introduced themselves. The doc examines both the men with the belly wounds. Her prognosis for the investigator is the same as for the mechanic. With her attention now on the professor's arm, Swensen mutters a mite.

"Daniel did a fine job with what he had. We have two options, Professor Ringgenberg. We can leave things as they are, with some redressing and a better sling. Your arm will heal, you won't have to lose it, but I daresay it will never be of much use to you."

"Or ... I could attempt to reset the arm and re-splint, in the hopes of returning some of its function -- in time; however, it is possible that we would make matters worse. Not likely, mind you ... possible nonetheless."

In reply to Taylor (msg # 943):

Jacob nodded to Taylor when the effecient Taylor quickly rejoined him. "Are these items gonna eat up most of credit that we had remainin'?" the rifleman asked after a moment.

"I got a con-sern if'n that's the caese. Seems kinda greedy of me to claim most of that ae-mount for my own needs an' to leave my pards out in the cold, so to speak."