”The maid dropped a curtsey, and then sped off along the corridor to the entrance hall, where Guido the factotum, held sway.Claudia sat on a chaise ...ongue and patted the seat by her side. I sat where she indicated and waited for her to speak.“It is well-known that many men prefer young women as sexual partners, rather than conjugate with older, more mature females. In fact, some men hunger after very young girls, not much more than children. I do not know why this is. Perhaps they relish the. Jack pushed on after Jake Blade, hoping to keep a steady pressure on the man, even if he had still not caught up to the murderer. Jack definitely was getting closer, he felt, but there was still too much space to be made up. Then there were other considerations.One day, about mid-afternoon, Jack was riding toward the town of Pinto when he was passed by the stage coach running hell for leather for the same town. Jack had seen the relay station a few miles back, but he must have gone by before. She'd lost a lot of blood, more than two pints for sure, probably three. It was after noon before she managed to sit up again. Her hands shook as she took a canteen cup of hot chocolate from him. "I want you to check me, see if I'm symptomatic. I think I've seen the symptoms before, but I want you to look at it."He waited until she was done, then unwound the bandage. It was stuck to the wound, and hurt terribly as he pulled on it to check. "I don't think you have it, but it's all red all. " I replied, not sure what tosay. I gasped, and shook my head, not knowing what hadhappened."Chris, is something wrong?"I didn't respond. I stared at my beer. Somethingfelt strange. I looked up at Sean, and he was giving me astare, with his eyes wide open."Did you feel it too?" I asked, in a cracked voice.He didn't answer. "You know," I continued, knowing Iwas babbling, "the television stopped?" Chris," said Sean, "you're... you're looking weird.What's happening here?"I looked back at Sean,.