Now I wonder why a dentist would have a need for these pistols, Archibald thought.

On tiptoe he reached up and replaced the case above Kate’s head. He knew that he would have to take charge of Doc’s Instrument case. He sat back down in his seat, closed his eyes and let the rumbling lull him to sleep.

Kate startled him awake. “Achie, Archie, wake up. They’re serving breakfast.”

“Okay, I’m awake.”

After taking turns at the WC at the end of the car, they made their way to the dinning car. Kate was bubbly, excited to be near their destination. This was her first trip away from home.

“Do you think there will be a lot of elligible bows in that city?” she asked.

Archie looked up from his coffee. “Haven’t you broken enough hearts back home?”

“I didn’t break their hearts, they broke their own. I couldn’t get serious about them, I grew up with them.”

Archie cast his eyes around the car. There was no one within ear shot. “Listen,” he said softly, “while you were sleeping I looked into Doc’s ..