good.'
'You can't get Marshal Cooper to wake up? ' Grace asked, her worry
apparent in her trembling voice.
'No, ma'am, I can't, ' the doctor answered. He scratched his whiskered
jaw and added, 'That poor man is delirious and ranting and raving about
monsters.'
'Sounds like he's plumb out of his head, ' Bobcat interjected.
The physician agreed with his friend's diagnosis. 'It looks that
way.
I don't believe there's anything more to be done tonight. I'm going to
go on home and get a couple of hours sleep. Then I'll venture back
here and have another look at him. Miss, if you don't mind me saying
so, you look awful weary. Why don't you find a bed with clean sheets
and get some rest.' {We got her all fixed up in the room next to your
patient. It's the only door with a lock on it up here.' After the
doctor went down the stairs, Bobcat turned to Grace. 'I'm right proud
to be of help to Marshal Ryan, and now that I know you need protecting,
I'll just set myself outside your door with my loaded rifle.'
'Do you think that's necessary? The train left hours ago, and the only
other people here are the owners.'
'Of course it's necessary. The Blackwater gang ain't going to knock on
the door and ask if they can come inside and shoot you. They'll try to
sneak in. Now, don't argue with me. You go on ahead into your room
and get some sleep. I'll keep my eyes open.' Grace didn't argue. The
room she'd been assigned was sparsely furnished. There was a bed with
a wooden headboard, a chest of drawers, and three hooks on the wall to
hang her clothes on. She put her gloves and hat on top of the dresser,
and then went right back out into the hallway.
'I'm just going to look in on Daniel for a moment, ' she explained as
she hurried past the sheriff before he could try to stop her, 'I won't
be long.' She didn't knock on Cooper's door, for she knew that Daniel
would send her back to her room. She simply went inside and quietly
shut the door behind her.
Daniel was standing at the window but turned when she entered the
room.
His surprise at seeing her was quickly replaced with a frown.
'What are you doing here? You should be getting ready for bed. You're
going to have to get up early tomorrow.'
