I could see a figure, presumably her, coming toward the front door, through the thin curtain covering the small window on the door. Elly opened the d...or with the dogs still barking around her. ‘Oh, Jack.’ ‘Hi, Elly. I’m sorry to trouble you again.’ The dogs brushed around me looking for petting, which I gave them, but soon bolted into the front yard to go potty or just check it out. ‘It’s no trouble at all. What’s up?’ Elly said. ‘Well, I just wanted to say goodbye again, and thanks for. America. Under attack. Those words sounded so alien. It couldn’t be under attack. America was the strongest nation in the world. She didn’t think of it with pride or boasting patriotism. It was simply a fact. America was the world’s leading economic and military Super Power. She felt no real connection to it. America was just somehwere she lived. When she thought of America, she thought of megacorporations and a polluted environment, the hateful fundamentalists that kept her from being able to. After an hour or so she frowned and grumbled, "Why am I feeling so blue right now?"Maybe it was because, up until this year, they'd spent this time of year with the kids. The house was always full of children's laughter, great food, homemade candy, a variety of gifts, and the harmonious sounds of Christmas carols serenading through the air.She placed her head in her hands and whispered, "Baahumbug! I need something special to happen to me, to rekindle my joyous Christmas spirit." She giggled. Between the booze and the laudanum, he was able to calm the approaching attack and got dressed for the coming confrontation.He stashed his little nickel-plated handgun in his left boot as a back-up in a pinch and made certain that his scattergun was fully loaded and that he had plenty of ammo for a prolonged bout with the criminal element being hunted by the Earp brothers.Doc donned his gun belt with the pair of Navy Colts and checked the rounds to make certain they were ready for action.He.