This is the story of Busted Gulch from its beginning to current times. An opportunity for readers who were unable to follow all the comments and the time line. Here is your chance to know the whole story and follow the future events of this famous t...
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The trail was not hard to follow, even for 3Gun. He could see where Hunter's horse caught up with the trail Lean was riding on, and where the finally came together violently. Sure enough, there was Lean lying on the ground, Six Star standing over her and holding her hat in his mouth. 3Gun jumped down from his horse and ran to her side, lifting her bleeding head.
She stirred slightly and coughed and he swore a loud thank you, frightening the horse. With care, he draped her over Six Star's saddle and led the horse and Lean slowly back to town. At the doc's office, stannbear was just finished being examined and told to take it easy with a couple of aspirins and check back in the morning. 3Gun carried Lean inside and set her down on the cot, bending down and calling her name softly. stannbear came and stood beside him, holding his head. Lean stirred and seemed to wake up but got all excited and frightened, yelling at them to get away. The Doc calmed her down and did an examination then led the others outside, explaining effects of temporary amnesia.
Temporary had no time frame so stannbear and 3Gun went to the saloon and had a drink for their concerns. The latest edition of the paper was on the bar and 3Gun started reading. The headline mentioned that the stolen supplies had been found intact, causing a brief celebration in the town. The saloon had a good night in bar sales. 3Gun knew the gang responsible was locked up in jail and he thought about how he might handle them. The paper went on to talk about Alister, and here he had to stop reading and show stannbear the error in Alister's last name. It should have been Copper Clover and the paper had printed, Clover Copperfield. CrazyGoose was in for some ribbing.
She also had an item welcoming the new Doctor to Busted Gulch, Doctor Umberto B. Well. stannbear allowed as how he was a pretty good guy and not too expensive. They hoped he was good, Lean's condition depended on it. 3Gun finished the paper, still no comics, finished his drink and told stannbear he had to check on the prisoners. He had forgotten to feed and water them and he wasn't looking forward to a small jail filled with nine impatient and hungry women.
When he got to the jail they were all on their feet, talking and complaining at once. Some of them looked downright mean, others looked like they were still working in the saloon. They had all changed to their 'work' clothes when the posse brought them back to town. 3Gun chose Steel's aunt first to take her out to the privy. He stood an appropriate distance away and waited. When she came out she thanked him, which surprised 3Gun, and they stood out behind the jail and talked. Her name was Olla Croc, nee Diamond, and she had come west in search of her niece to warn her off of Cadmus but it was too late. She managed to shed a crocodile tear for 3Gun's benefit, but he saw through it. Her story might be true but it wasn't as big a sob story as she was letting on.
One by one he escorted them outside and back again, learning plenty of nothing, except he might want to enjoy some entertainment if he was to see a way to let them go. When the last one was finished he had dinners sent over from the hotel and left the two men that brought them to watch the women. 3Gun needed Lean and maybe Lean might need Hunter's bat.
