Sheriff Ben Hayes finished tucking Samuel into bed at the first available jail cell and turned to me with crossed arms.

“You done good, son,” he said, fixing with me a crook of his thin lips on a grizzled old face.

“I’ll have you set up with some more permanent lodging later in the week, but you can get settled in at the hotel by the bank on the east side of town for now.

Just tell ol’ Clark that Ben sent you, and he’ll fix you right up with the best suite he’s got.”

I tipped my hat to the Sheriff and promised I’d come by in the morning to report for my next assignment.

I had, in a sense, been stationed in Sagebrush as a delegate of my post in northern Texas. All fine stuff, but it didn’t feel quite like home yet, and I was still getting used to staying in one place for an extended amount of time.

Before I made my way to the hotel, I stopped by the town doctor’s office to get a look at my new bleeding shiner.

“Come in and take a seat,” the kindly sawbones said, as he gestured to a chair in the center of his office.

He looked to be middle-aged, but in better condition than most like him, with clever blue eyes behind thin round spectacles.

Heal
Wits 2 + Action 1 + Town Doctor 2 = 5
Challenge 1 & 10 = Weak Hit
+1 Health

“There you go Marshal, nothing broken. Just a minor thump to the skull that’ll heal in a few days,” he said nonchalantly, and with a friendly pat on the shoulder, after he placed a cold wet bandage dipped in alcohol to the spot below my swollen eye socket.

“Thank you Doc. Much obliged,” I said with a sincere grin. “Here’s hoping we don’t see each other too often.” I chuckled, tipped my hat, and rose to my feet, letting my boots carry me to the door.

That night in my musty little hotel room, I dreamt of the Sheriff of all people, punching me in the face over and over.