The final session of No Love Between Friends, adventure three in Steaming Rock. Cody is badly injured and possibly losing his leg, but with Danny and Diago, they are back in town with their suspect in the murder of Howard Ross, Peyton, slung over the back of a horse. Meanwhile, Winston keeps low, as the Ross boys look for a scapegoat, and Dutch helps Sheriff Fletcher keep order.

As the posse enters town, Winston watches from the shadows, and Dutch backs up Sheriff Fletcher as the crowd grows restless. Night is here, and the Ross boys from the New Mexico Mercantile Corp are threatening to burn down the town unless the Sheriff gets them the killer of Howard Ross.

The Sheriff rushes up to Deputy Cody, Cody says Peyton’s their man and then collapses, they call for the Doc, Dr Innes. Cody is sent to the medical emporium along with Danny, Diago, and Dutch; all of them have a little bit of first aid experience to support the Doc.

The Sheriff takes Peyton into his jail, and he informs Smokey, the current leader of Howard Ross’ men, that there will be no hanging until Peyton and Cody have spoken. Smokey is not happy; he and his men keep an eye out from across the street, warning Fletcher that Peyton better be kept under lock and key.

Winston spots Fletcher in a whispered conversation with Rockcliffe; it seems they agree on something. Winston tries to engage Fletcher in conversation; he’s wary, but lets Winston know that he doesn’t think Peyton is going to make it, but as soon as the Doc has finished with Cody, he’s promised to see to him.

Winston aims to keep an eye on the Sheriff and Peyton, but the blinds are drawn, and the door to the office is locked. The clock ticks on, Winston knocks on the door, and he hears movement inside. The Sheriff asks for a moment. Eventually, the door is opened, the Sheriff says Peyton’s dying, and that they need the Doc. Winston argues that the Sheriff should go, but eventually relents and Winston rushes round to the Doc and his friends.

Meanwhile, the Doc drops a bullet into a kidney dish, goes back to stitch up Cody, as the others bring bandages and hot water. The Doc wipes sweat from his brow, “I think he’ll make it, and if he heals well, he’ll keep that leg, though he’s gonna have a slight limp.” They all breathe a sigh of relief, and Cody raises a bottle of whiskey in salute before taking another slug.

In the middle of the street, Winston meets up with Doc and his friends, and they head back to the Sheriff’s office. Peyton is on the floor, there is vomit, and he looks feverish and grey.

Sheriff Fletcher is looking on, holding a bottle of water. He turns with a start to look at the group, “Man’s dying, Doc, he’s burning up, got some kind of infection if you ask me.”

The group work through the night to try and save Peyton, but it is to no avail; he passes, not in a good way, screaming, his body bucking as if hit by lightning.

Sheriff Fletcher goes outside and informs Smokey that Peyton is dead, the Ross boys grumble but accept it and eventually they disperse. The rest of the town, worried things may have escalated, now head back home.

Back in the office, Danny looks at Peyton. He’s sure he’s seen this before, when one of the farm hands got bitten by a rattler, but Danny is damn sure Peyton didn’t get attacked by a snake when they took him down. The bullet wounds are bad, would have weakened him, but he shouldn’t be dead.

For now, the group bide their time, but they also know that Rockcliffe has a lot more to say on this.

Turn of the Season

We move from Fall to Winter 1873. The building of the wells is complete, and land clearance is also performed, ready for spring to come around.

The group plan some civic and law items, establishing Sheriff and Mayoral elections, part of the more and more official town council that Father Carmody chairs and that Dutch is a part of. These should be in place by the end of Winter. Also, an irrigation system is planned, which will help Dutch whose homestead is now complete. Steaming Rock is just a point away from becoming a village.

Danny and Winston’s businesses do well, if not spectacularly, but enough to pay their debts, pay their staff and get a little extra on top. Diago has moved his preaching to Winston’s Homestead Inn, but is still struggling to draw a crowd, just a measly $17. Cody throws in an extra $10.

Most of the group are now living comfortably, money has come in, enough to get them started in businesses and buy new equipment.

Danny, Diago and Cody end up coming across a new visitor to Steaming Rock, someone who will help them out. Winston deals with a leaky roof at The Homestead Inn, and Dutch is increasingly mistaken for someone that the townsfolk of Steaming Rock don’t take kindly to.

Just as the first snows fall, there is excitement as the sellout Chicago show Scouts of the Prairie arrives in town, and the first reviews are in:
“On the whole, it is not probable that Steaming Rock will ever look upon the like again. Such a combination of incongruous drama, execrable acting, renowned performers, mixed audience, intolerable stench, scalping, blood and thunder is not likely to be vouchsafed to a town for a second time – even Steaming Rock.” ~ Steaming Rock Tribune.

It should be an interesting time, with plainsmen like Buffalo Bill Cody and Texas Jack Omohundro wandering around town.