Slocum and the Circle Z Riders by Jake Logan

Author:Jake Logan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

Doc was true to his word. He was pounding on the door early in the morning. Hettie was the first one to the door to let him in. “Any change?” he asked her.

“I think he’s just trying to wake up,” she said. Together they walked into the bedroom. Just about then, Marla came out of her room, dressed and ready to start the day. She saw the door to the other bedroom shut, and she walked to the front window to look out and see Doc’s buggy. She went on into the kitchen to put on a fresh pot of coffee and start some breakfast. She had put some bacon on to fry when she heard the knock at the door. She hurried to the front door and opened it to let Rance in.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Come on in, Rance. Doc’s in there with Burl. I’m cooking breakfast.”

Rance followed her to the kitchen where she put him right to work. In a few minutes, they had the table spread with bacon, eggs, biscuits, and gravy. Doc came out of the bedroom.

“Doc,” Marla said, “sit down and have some breakfast with us.”

Doc put down his bag and walked over to the table. “Don’t mind if I do,” he said. “It’s been a spell since I had anything to eat.”

Hettie came into the big room then, and Doc said to her, “Fix our patient a plate, Hettie. I think he can take it now. And fix one for yourself.”

“All right, Doc,” she said. She fixed two modest plates and carried them back into the bedroom. Doc piled his own plate high.

“Doc?” said Marla.

“Um?”

“Does that mean that Burl can be questioned now about what happened out there?”

“I reckon he can,” said Doc, “but let’s wait till he’s had his breakfast. Okay?”

“Sure.”

Hettie came back for two cups of coffee and then went back into the bedroom. When they had all finished eating, Marla got up and poured more coffee around the table. She was impatient, and it showed. Finally, Hettie came back out again. She was carrying the plates and the cups. She put the plates in the kitchen, and came out again.

“Doc,” she said, “Burl wants another cup of coffee. Is it all right?”

“Sure,” said Doc. “He can have all the coffee he wants. Did he get enough to eat?”

“Yes,” said Hettie. “He said so.”

She poured the coffee and went back into the room. Doc got up and followed her. In another minute, he came back out.

“It’s all right now,” he said, “if you want to come in.”

Marla was up and in the room in a hurry, and Rance was just a short ways behind. Burl smiled weakly when he saw them.

“How you doing, Burl?” asked Rance.

“I guess I’m doing all right,” Burl said, “considering.”

“Burl,” said Marla, “there’s something we got to ask you.”

“I’m listening.”

“What happened to you out there?”

“Damned if I know,” said Burl. “Slocum’s the one who can answer that. He was with me.”

“He brought you in here to us,” Marla said.

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