Chapter 3, Part Two

No Honor Chapter 3 Pt. 2 - The Arrangement;

We talked for a little while, after that. He heard that I had paid Millie to help him, and he insisted on settlin' that debt. He also gave me ten extra, and he asked me to fetch him a horse, any horse, as soon as I could possibly manage it.

Yes, he understood that he should wait for the doctor, and yes, he figured that ridin' wounded was ill-advised. Still, he stressed the importance of his mobility, and he told me that the lack of it was his death, regardless.

We talked a little bit about compensation, for his use of the house, what food stores I had, and the closest water supply. With that, he bade me to get that horse.

And so I left. I noted right away, that his dead horse was gone. I had to wonder if she was ditched, or carved up to dress a dinner table. With the way he had taken that mare's death, however, I was sure to never mention that to him.

The first thing I did was call on Dave. I gave him some story, about old buddies of mine being in, from out o' town, and I mentioned that they needed the house for "something they were setting up". He just shrugged. People in The Station are good about not asking questions (except for me of course). He got me all set up in his guest room.

Luckily enough, Dave knew a guy, that knew a guy, that sold horses. We went ahead and wired him, to set up a meeting.

Returning promptly, at four in the afternoon, I arrived on Carter's new horse. I went in to show him what a great job I did, but I entered my bedroom and I found he wasn't there. Then I realized my bed wasn't there either...

I searched the place, and I found both of 'em in the guest room on the second floor. He had thrown my hammock to the side, and he was laying on the bed, which was brought right up to the windas.

"Hope you don't mind", he said. "This room suits me better."

"How the hell did you get my bed up here?"

"Well, your doctor helped me out with that, though he preferred to be called 'Mister' instead."

"He was here?"

Carter puffed his cigarette, and then he nodded. "He left about an hour ago".

"What did he say?"

"He told me to quit smokin'". Carter smiled.

"I got three broken ribs, and a hip sprain", he said. "all on the left side. The hip'll take two weeks to recover, the ribs'll take six. My left shoulder was out o' place too, but he set that right on the spot. He got quite the holler out of me for that, I'll tell ya."

"Well that's not bad", I said, "all things considered."

"No, not at all", Carter said. "Had all that weight come down on my spine I'd be a cripple, and that's if I survived."

"Yeah", I said.

He was lookin' out the winda, and then he said "Is that that mare you got me?"

"Yes she is. How you like 'er?"

He nodded. She was handsome, she was.... Tall, well built, and covered in the darkest of gray furs, 'cept for a touch of white 'tween her eyes, and above her hooves.

"Her name's Shadow", I said.

"Shadow", said Carter. He fell quiet a moment, and then he said, "Y'know, I spent twenty years riding Midnight. Two decades on one animal."

I nodded.

He said, "She took me right into manhood", and then he shook his head.

"It's a damn shame it had to end like that, but her killer's done far worse in 'is time... An' I aim to make him pay for it all."

He puffed some more of his cigarette, and then he blew the smoke outside.

I said, "Is it wise to be showin' yerself like this?"

He waved a hand at that. "Word will get around, whether I do or not. It's already begun, and I'm glad of it. I got no interest in dragging this out."

"Well, I would've figured you'd at least wanna lay low for a while. To heal, if nothin' else."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid that, whenever it starts, it'll never be convenient. No, I'm gonna let this play out. In fact, if you're of a mind, you can spread the word for me.

"I want you to tell 'em there's this scary-lookin' fella in your place. Tell 'em he says he's Carter Moon, and that he's looking for a man named Roy Larson. You see, I know he's still here, Mister Chatman, and I'm hell-bent on findin 'im."
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