The scent of coffee and cooking food greets Reverend Allgood even before the first hints of sunrise are visible on the eastern edge of the Rio Bonito Valley. When he ventures downstairs, he finds that Renata Montaño and her family run an especially efficient kitchen, feeding their boarders until they are satisfied, and readily honoring any special requests that might be made of them.

When he inquires, Señora Montaño informs Allgood that Michael Kibbee is typically a very early riser. She explains that in visiting with the newspaperman, he has revealed to her that he feels he does his best writing early in the morning, and that on printing days, he likes to have the edition completely done before noon, whenever possible. Montaño assures the Reverend that were he to venture over to the Assay Office, he would find Kibbee there, hard at work.

A cool haze lingers in the air when Allgood sets out for the Assay Office. Lincoln’s Main Street is quiet, though the minister does spy a light on in the Montaño Store and notices that there are already a few individuals loitering on the porch of Wilson’s Saloon. When he approaches the Assay Office, he sees that the door is standing halfway open, as though carelessly left that way by someone who was in a hurry to exit.

Earnest enters the office and looks for the assayer.

"Good morning," he calls out.

Stepping inside, the Reverend notices that the assayer’s desk is unoccupied, and he realizes that he has likely arrived ahead of the man.

Glancing to his right, Allgood sees the door to Michael Kibbee’s office and printing room. It has been smashed open, the wood surrounding the latch bowed inward and splintered. The minister can see the flicker of lantern light within the room, but hears no sounds of activity.

No one answers in response to his greeting.

Allgood cautiously approaches the door to the printshop and looks in.

Peering into the room, Allgood sees that paper from a broken crate has been scattered across the floor. Michael Kibbee’s desk has been overturned, its contents in an ink stained heap beside it. A portion of the floor is scorched where a lantern was smashed, its flames fortunately having guttered out, rather than consuming the rest of the building.

Lying motionless on his stomach beside the printing press, is the newspaperman, Michael Kibbee, his shirt torn and spotted with blood.

"Dear Lord!" Earnest exclaims, hurrying to crouch by the injured man, "Mr. Kibbee, what has happened here?"

He gently examines the man, trying to determine the extent and cause of his injuries.

Examining Kibbee closely, Allgood can see that the newspaperman has been badly beaten. His nose appears broken and his face is swollen from multiple blows. Hints of purple, the first signs of bruising, are already visible on his skin. Blood has seeped from his ear, as well as from a large cut over his left eyebrow.

Kibbee is only able to groan in response to Allgood’s words of concern.

"I'll be right back," he says to the editor and hurries through the assayer's office to the street and on to Jake's shop.

If the shop is open, he goes in. If not, he bangs on the door (his trademark move, so far).

He also looks around for any other possible help, especially Miss River.

Allgood can see that McGraw’s shop is dark inside when he reaches the front door. Repeated strong knocks on the door bring only silence in response.

Glancing back over his shoulder, the minister sees that the street remains largely empty. A few shopkeepers have begun the process of opening their establishments for the day’s business, but passerby are few. Allgood sees no sign of Tamsin River near the Patron House or the Montaño Store.

12:28, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Rev. Earnest Allgood, rolled 8,4 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,4.  Common Knowledge.

Allgood recalls Albert Cooper pointing out the office and residence of Dr. Earl Wood, Lincoln’s resident physician, further down the street, a couple of doors west of the Tunstall Store, almost directly across from the Methodist Church.

Allgood runs to the doctor's place and (again) hammers on the door.

After a moment, the door of the residence is opened by a neatly dressed, dark haired man wearing spectacles. ”Good morning,” he says, apparently surprised to find a stranger on his porch, ”May I help you?”

"Editor Kibbee has been injured in his shop. Please come quickly."

His request made, Earnest hurries back to Kibbe's side.

Kibbee opens one swollen eye, peering up at Allgood. ”Reverend?” he asks, his words thick and slurred, ”Why...how did you...”

He shifts, wincing in pain, clearly unable to organize his jumbled thoughts into words.

A few moments later, Dr. Wood enters the Assay Office, his leather medical bag in hand. Stepping through into the room with the printing press, his eyes widen in alarm as he sees Kibbee’s condition. ”My word!” he exclaims, kneeling down beside the injured man. Looking to Allgood, he asks, ”Did you happen to see who was responsible for this?”

"Just be easy for now, Mr. Kibbee," Earnest tells the injured man, "The doctor is on his way."

He shakes his head at Wood's question, "I found everything just like this."

”I wish I could say that I’m surprised at something like this, but the way thing have been in Lincoln of late...” He leaves the rest of his thought unfinished.

He works in silence for a moment, speaking only to urge Kibbee to remain still and calm. Satisfied, he says, ”I don’t believe any of his limbs are broken, though I can’t rule out him having cracked a rib or two. I wonder, would you be averse to helping me bring him over to my office?”

Earnest lends a willing hand to get Kibbee to the doctor's.

Inside Dr. Wood’s office, the physician guides the injured newspaperman and Allgood into the first room to the left of the front door, which serves as his examination room. Carefully, he and the Reverend lower Kibbee onto a couch. Wood excuses himself, explaining that he is going to fetch a tincture for the wounded man’s pain.

Kibbee shifts on the couch, looking up at Allgood. ”Reverend...thank you. It was God’s provision that you came when you did.”

“Was...was the man that attacked me still nearby when you arrived?”

"I didn't take any particular notice of passersby or loungers before I went in. And afterwards, I was intent on getting the doctor.

"Who was it or what did he look like. I'll report it to Ranger Lee.

"I didn't see anything of the assayer. Was he around this morning?"

”I’m glad...I’m glad he was gone when you found me,” Kibbee manages, ”I believe he is one of the men that is associated with Jesse Evans. Provencio is his name, if I recollect correctly. He never gave me a reason for his actions. He just burst in and attacked me.”

He takes a shuddering breath and shakes his head. “Señor Gomez hadn’t yet come in. But that isn’t uncommon. I’m often at the office earlier than...”

From the street outside, a trio of shots ring out, followed by a sharp yell.

In reply to Michael Kibbee (msg # 20):

"Provencio. I'll tell Lee. But now--"

At the sound of gunshots, Allgood goes to the street-facing window and looks outside.