Weird West 04 - The Doctor and the Dinosaurs Read Online Free PDF Page A

crystal chandelier. “How are the rooms?”
    “You won't be disappointed,” answered Roosevelt. “Now,” he said as the waiter brought Holliday a glass of whiskey and Roosevelt some sarsaparilla, “suppose you tell me what this is all about.”
    Holliday took a long swallow and leaned back in his chair. “You ever hear of a man named Cope?”
    “The paleontologist?”
    Holliday smiled. “You've heard of him.”
    “He's been digging not too far from Leadville, I understand,” said Roosevelt. “Did you meet him there?”
    “I've never met him,” answered Holliday. “I assume you know of March, too?”
    Roosevelt nodded. “Yale man. Probably not as brilliant as Cope, but he's got huge money behind him. I assume you've never met him either?”
    Holliday shook his head. “Nope. But I suspect I'm about to, all thanks to our friend Geronimo.”
    Roosevelt frowned in puzzlement. “What's he got to do with this?”
    “It seems that Cope and Marsh have gotten everything they want from the Colorado mountains, and now they're digging up the ground in Wyoming.” Holliday paused. “ Sacred ground.”
    “I didn't think there were any Apaches in Wyoming.”
    “It's sacred Comanche ground.”
    “Okay, it's sacred Comanche ground,” said Roosevelt. “What's that got to do with you or Geronimo?”
    “The Comanche want them off it.”
    Roosevelt shrugged. “That figures.”
    “And since they're loaded not only with scientists but with shootists, it's my job to convince them to leave peacefully.”
    “Or else the Comanche will go on the warpath?”
    “Not exactly,” said Holliday, toying with his whiskey glass.
    “Doc, I can play guessing games all night,” said Roosevelt. “But wouldn't it just be easier if you told me what's going on?”
    “You know what dinosaurs are?”
    Roosevelt nodded. “I've seen some of their bones at the Peabody and the Smithsonian.”
    Holliday sighed and shook his head slowly. “I guess I must be the only educated man who's never heard of them,” he said ruefully. “Comes from living on this side of the river, I guess. Anyway, according to Geronimo, the dinosaur bones they're digging for are beneath the Comanche bones in the burial grounds. And rather than risk their warriors against the scientists’ shootists, Geronimo says they'll resurrect the dinosaurs to kill them and preserve their sacred ground.”
    “Let me guess,” said Roosevelt. “Geronimo thinks if that happens they won't be able to put the dinosaurs back, and they'll head for less populated land—like Arizona?”
    “That's about it,” said Holliday. “Sounds like a fairy tale to me.”
    Roosevelt seemed lost in thought for a moment, and finally spoke. “I've seen the bones back East, Doc. These creatures did exist once.”
    “As big as Geronimo says?”
    “Some of them must have gone seventy, eighty tons.”
    “You're kidding!” said Holliday.
    “No, I'm not. It's a fascinating new science. Doc, you can't believe the size of those bones! Mr. Cope and Mr. Marsh are filling up entire museums with their finds. I'd love to spend some time with them, learning about this new science.”
    “Anyway,” Holliday continued, “Geronimo told me where I'd find these scientists, and he gave me back my health—well, some of it—for a year in exchange for stopping them. He also told me I'd meet a mutual friend along the way. I guess that's you.”
    “I'd almost say he arranged for me to referee this match, but it wasset up a year ago, and he wouldn't have waited this long to send you here to try to stop them. I hope you—make that we —can talk reason to them, but if they haven't seen what power the medicine men wield, they'd never believe it.”
    “I agree,” said Holliday. “I think this is a lost cause from the start. I'll talk to them, they'll laugh in my face, if I can keep my temper nobody'll get hurt, and then when the Comanche have had enough, we'll all run like hell.” He took another swallow,