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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2814926" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Twenty, “Putting Tombstone Behind”, Friday, May 26th, 1882, 7:00 A.M. Josie heads over to the dark and quiet Gay Lady Saloon. She tosses a few pebbles at Julia Barbeau's window, until Josie can see the woman on the other side of the glass, rubbing her eyes. Julia hurries downstairs and lets Josie in. After heading back to their room Josie gives her a tear filled account of the fire in Tombstone and what happened with Wyatt. She cries, "It was so horrible to sit there and pretend I didn't know him and him pretending he didn't know me. I know I couldn't give things away but it breaks my heart to deny what we feel. I don't know if I can do it anymore. And that is if we ever get to be together, I don't know if I will ever see him again." Julia replies, "He knows that you are here. I'm certain that he will see you again. You look exhausted, get some sleep." "Yes, of course," Josie replies numbly. She had such a bad feeling in her stomach when Wyatt rode away but now she was just feeling numb. She changes into her nightgown and settles into bed. She cries for a little while longer before falling into a deep, unsettling sleep. By the time she wakes the next morning Julia is gone. She rubs her eyes and procrastinates getting up. When she finally does she decides to have a bath to clean off the soot then keep herself busy to keep her mind off if things. She recalls Ruby mentioning Gilson's bathhouse so she packs a dress and wanders over to the area to find it. Laurie Gilson welcomes Josie to the bathhouse. She has Jules Huerta fill up a tub of hot water for Josie and asks her if there is anything she can get for her. Laurie also comments about the short performance that Josie had done on the main stage during the festival and adds, "There's a rumor that you're going to do a play while you're here in town." Josie smiles warmly at her. "Why yes, I am helping Ruby West with her production of Romeo and Juliet at the Lucky Lady. Actually, I recall Ruby saying she wanted to ask you if you wanted a part in it. It's going to be absolutely wonderful and she's very excited about bringing some culture to this town." Laurie Gilson tells Josie that she would be very willing to help with the play but that she is too shy to actually perform. Josie smiles, "Any and all help we get is appreciated. Thank you. We are in the early stages but there will certainly be plenty to do." She excuses herself to partake in her bath while the water is still hot. As she soaks in the bath she tries not to think bad thoughts of her lover, soaking her cares away the best she can. She scrubs the soot off and focuses her thoughts on the play. After her bath is finished she finds Lacey's General store. Entering the store she calls out, "Uh, hello, Mr. Lacey?" as she looks around for someone who might be working. Judge Lacey hurries around, "Well Hello Miss Marcus, I heard that you were in town again. How can I be of help to you?" "Yes, actually, I'm going to be in town for a little while. I am helping Miss West with her production of Romeo and Juliet. She mentioned to me that you might be able to help us. She said you were very intelligent and knowledgeable, and using your experience from the recent festival you might be able to suggest some names for people we could cast in the show. Men with sword fighting abilities perhaps?" He replies, “I know, she left me a note.” He reaches into his pocket and produces the letter which he then reads to Miss. Marcus: Dear Mr. Lacey, I hope this letter finds you doing well. I would like to ask you for a favor. Please don't feel like you have to, only if you have some time and would like to. If you remember a couple of months ago I had you order Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare for me. My idea is to put on a play of Romeo and Juliet. This is where you come in. I would like to have some real sword play in the show and would like to have people who actually know what they are doing! Since you helped organize the competition at the festival I was hoping you might have a list of people who participated and who you think might be good for my show. I am going away for a few days but I will come and visit you when I return. In the meantime, I am working with both Josie Markham and Conrad Booth, as they both have experience with this kind of stuff so you could work with one of them if you prefer that. Thank you in advance! ~Ruby West He asks her a number of questions about the production and appears generally in favor until he asks where it will be held. Upon mention of the Lucky Lady his face takes on a sad expression and he says, "Oh, I was hoping it would be at the Town Hall." She replies, "Is there a problem Mr. Lacey? Why would we hold it at Town Hall when the Lucky Lady has a fabulous new performance stage?" Lacey replies, "Just a promise I made to my late wife. I once had a problem with drinking and on her deathbed she made me promise not to enter a saloon again." Josie answers, "Oh, that is certainly honorable. Well, did you also promise her not to enter a hotel and restaurant? Because from what I hear the Lucky Lady will soon be a Saloon, Dance Hall, Restaurant AND hotel." She pauses and smiles, "AND a theater." Lacey replies, "Well, I used to allow myself to enter the Comique when Judge Isby held court there. But alcohol wasn't being served during court. I don't imagine that the Lucky Lady will stop serving during performances." Josie pauses. "That's true, I doubt it. Although," she leans in a bit closer and whispers, "I do think Ruby wants to put on one special show, an afternoon performance, for the young ones of Promise City. To benefit the new school I believe. Perhaps they will hold the liquor for that?" He states, "Then I would be happy to attend lovely lady....and I will get right on that task of finding swordsmen for the play." "Great!" Josie puts her hand over his arm. "We look forward to your help then. I'll try to stop by in a couple of days to find out about the swordsmen. We have to get busy with rehearsals." Josie bids him good day. Back in Tombstone, Kate spent the morning checking up on the people she had treated the day before. Chester caught up with her and let her know that something should be arranged for them to take the stage this afternoon, and that the train would not come in with any passengers. Once that was settled Kate focused on her patients and then her brother. There was nothing else left to do but wait for the stage and head home. Chester spent the morning helping pulling up the burnt railroad ties. Around lunch time he finds Marshall Williams overseeing the demolition of a damaged building. "Morning Marshall. The railroad's not in terrible shape, but it'll be a day or two before all the burnt ties are removed." Williams replies, "Hey Deputy. I wish I could say that about the rest of the town. Even with your fire wagon, we've lost more than half the buildings. I've got people out checking for hot spots so we don't get a flare-up." Chester says, "Thanks for getting Mrs. Kale's family on the afternoon stage. Her brother's OK to move now. I'll send some men and a team to get the fire wagon when I get back to Promise City. If you still need it, I'm sure our Fire Marshall would be fine with that." Williams shakes his head. "Thanks for the offer, but there isn't much left to burn anymore. It came in handy, though." Chester answers, "You're welcome. Sorry it wasn't enough to stop the fire." He slaps the Marshall on the back. "See you around. Good luck." Williams says, "Thanks, Deputy. The mayor's sent representatives out to the nearby lumber mills, so we can start rebuilding quicker. Bye." Chester buys a new saddle and bridle at a shop that escaped serious damage. Then he has lunch with Kate and her family then waits for the stage. Nanuet wanders the streets until he bumps into Chester. He discovers that the train to Tucson bearing Ruby and Jake made it safely away before the fire started. He also discovers that Kate, her family and Ginnie is OK even though her brother seems to have sustained minor injuries. Discovering that they are all well enough and having spent all of his own healing spells, Nanuet returns to Promise City on the coach the first chance he has at an open seat. At around half-past noon the maintenance train with the new rails and ties arrives from Tucson. It is able to get writhing a quarter-mile of town before it is forced to stop. Several dozen men, all railroad workers, exit the one passenger car attached to the train. Also with them is Henry Pleasants, who seeks out Frederick Seagram. He tells Seagram "I worked a year as a railroad work team supervisor for the year immediately after the war and offered to help out here. I'll be along in a few days once this is all taken care of." He sees Kate and says, "My friends the Caudells are on their way now to Promise City, going there by way of Willcox. Please see to it that they get settled in alright." She replies, "I... of course. There wasn't much available for homes, but there were a few places. We'll find them something." The Wells Fargo stage from Promise City arrives at 1:15 PM. Marshall Williams assigns fresh horses and a fresh crew to ride it back, to give Nevers, Gilly and the mounts a break. And with new animals and drivers they can do a quicker turnaround and be off by 1:30 PM. Kate got the family moving when word came down that the stage had arrived. They had no luggage, so it was quickly done. Henry leaned on their father's shoulder as they all moved outside. She told the men thriving the stage about the buggy and about she and Chester riding alongside. They got the horse hitched up to the new buggy and Henry settled on the bench next to Ginnie. "Maybe I should drive," Kate said to Ginnie. "I can start teaching you how along the way." Riding beside the coach, Chester says to Nanuet, "Thanks for coming out to check on us. News travels fast and Chumbley even faster. Things alright at home?" Nanuet replies, "Things were OK when I left yesterday. I got the news from the Wells Fargo folks who stopped in the Lucky Lady as soon as they got back to town. I think they are planning some kind of meeting to figure out the fire's indirect impact on Promise City." Chester replies, "That's good to hear. Tombstone's mayor sent messages out to Promise City and the other nearby towns to ask for building supplies. I don't know if you saw, but most of Tombstone was burned to the ground. They also have our fire wagon. They don't need it anymore, but Jeff should get some men and a team out to get it so we don't have a fire get out of control here." The ride back to Promise City starts of peacefully enough. It takes Kate a little while to get adjusted to the buggy. The Wells Fargo stage does not slow so they fall a bit behind but still keep it within sight the half mile ahead. As they near the turnoff for the King's Bar-W ranch she finally gets the hang of it and they make up the distance to the stagecoach, now staying within 100 feet of it. Henry speaks for the first time since leaving Tombstone. "Katie....father told me what happened. That man in the tattered pants....was that really Wyatt Earp?" "Yes," Kate said flatly. "He, uh... He spoke to us, then he left. Did Papa tell you what he said?" Henry replies, "Yes...but I don't understand it. Why would he save my life? Why didn't he let me die in the fire? He's a murderer....a cold blooded killer." She answers, "He's killed... He held Jake and Chester in jail to blackmail me into giving up Mr. Tucker to cover up what his brother did. He's been taking his vengeance on the people who killed Morgan. And that.... When the Cowboys killed Morgan, perhaps Wyatt realized just what his family had been doing to me the last few months. He said after his family caused me one loss, he couldn't let me suffer another. He's not cold-blooded. He feels guilt over what Morgan did and about his own efforts to cover it up, and now that he's in my shoes..." Kate shivered and paused, concentrating on driving until the tears receded from her eyes. "If Morgan Earp had been in Promise City the night Ruby told me the truth, I would have shot him down in the street. Thank heaven he wasn't. Wyatt has fallen to that urge for revenge." Henry replies, "No Katie, you don't understand. He is a cold-blooded killer. I saw him murder a man...it was totally unprovoked. I was going room-to-room on the third floor of Brown's looking for Angela. There was this man in a room, about our age....all he was doing was packing a suitcase. Earp then appeared right inside the room next to the man, shoving the pistol into the man's chest. The man saw him but before he could even say one word Earp fired. I was a witness....why would he have let me live?" She says, "He's been running through Cochise County slaughtering Cowboy Gang members and everyone knows it. He's already a wanted man, and if he gets caught there's no doubt what's going to happen to him. There was no reason to hurt you, you couldn't do him any harm." Henry could see Kate's hands shaking on the reins. "Morgan Earp apologized to me once, although I didn't understand at the time. What Wyatt is doing is absolutely wrong, but he.... I don't know, Henry. I just know he brought you out of there." Henry is quiet for the next hour. They reach the intersection where the road forks direction between the towns of Dos Cabezas and Promise City, turning south to the latter. "We're getting there," Kate said, finding her spirits lifting at the now familiar landmark. "I can't wait to be home. I want you to see my house and the El Parador, and the ranch. How are you feeling, Henry?" He replies, "I'm physically all right, don't know why everybody's fretting over me so much. I'm looking forward to seeing your house too Katie, and your school, and your ranch, and the saloon you play piano at, and the Cantina you lived at, and...did I miss anything? You've been very busy at this place." She answers, "We fret because we love you. If it had been me you'd be fretting twice as much," she teased. "The only places you missed are places I don't want to go again, anyway. Except maybe the mountains where the Apache live, but we can't go there. Dorita will fret too, so be prepared. But she'll also stuff you silly, so I'm sure you'll forgive her." Henry's mood lightens as they continue back in town. During the last portion of the ride, Kate began explaining to Ginnie about driving; how to communicate to the horse what you wanted it to do and how to handle the reins. Since Henry seemed to be fine, she went ahead and let Ginnie take them for a while, until they needed to catch up to the stage again. The Wells Fargo Stagecoach, the buggy and the riders alongside arrive in Promise City at 5:15 P.M.</blockquote>

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