Chapter One: A Dream of Time Gone By

Paco Avila a man aged twenty-four years remembered his mother with fond memories, she'd died four years ago. He knew that she'd always wanted Matt Dillon to ride back into her life. Nothing had happened between them, he remembered when he was twelve bringing Matt Dillon to their house when he'd been wounded during a gunfight with Alex Rawlins. How Matt Dillon had told him what true friendship meant, how he'd helped him make a chicken coop and repair the shed. "Paco! What you thinking about, boy?"

"Sorry, Tom, I was remembering my mother and a Gringo friend I have not seen for twelve years."

"How did you meet this American?"

"Matteo came to Zavala, my village, we thought he was a Bandido, I was in the cantina fetching a bottle of tequila for a man who was a bully, he beat me, he beat my mother. While I was there the largest man I'd ever seen came in he challenged some Gringo Bandidos, he killed two and let one leave to send a message to the brother of one of those that he killed. He was wounded, no one would help him," Paco said.

"I found him camped outside the village, I took him to my mother, she bandaged him. The man who bullied us came back he was going to hit me. When he saw Matteo he tried to kill him, Matteo was too fast. I told him he could stay that the Federales would not take him, that's when he told us that he was there to arrest the Gringo Bandidos, we were astonished he was the first lawman to come to Zavala, in the end he defeated the Bandidos and gave pride to the people. When he left, I gave him a cross."

"Did outlaws return to Zavala?"

"They tried, but we showed them they would no longer be tolerated."

"Have you heard from him since?"

"No, I often wonder what he is doing now. Matt Dillon marshal of Dodge City."

"Well, I never, he's a legend, he's still in Dodge City, still marshal and not likely to change."

"Tom, come into my office," the Texas Ranger Captain called out.

"Now what, I swear he's as jumpy as a march hare," Tom disappeared into the Captain's office.

"I need a paper delivered to Dodge City. It's to be placed directly into the hands of Matt Dillon. Have you got someone you can trust with that?"

"Paco's here, I'll send him. He knew Matt Dillon twelve years ago, I know he'd like to see him again," Tom said giving a brief summary of the conversation they'd had.

"Send him then, twelve years is a long time for someone not to see a man who was such an influence on him," Tom returned to Paco grinning.

"Got a job for you," he handed the paper to Paco. "Cap wants you to deliver this to Matt Dillon. Put it in his hands only."

"Right, Tom, tell Cap thanks," Paco left quickly mounting his buckskin he rode out heading northeast. He found himself remembering riding behind Matt on Buck telling him that he'd never been on such a large horse and now he rode the same kind of horse and equally as large. He was looking forward to seeing Matt again and meeting Matt's friends too. Matt had talked about them with fondness, Doc Adams, Miss Kitty and Festus Haggens.

About mid morning he spotted the riders trailing him. I know the paper is important, and must be valuable, they probably want it. Well, I'm just plain not going to give it to anyone but Matteo like I was ordered to and besides I want to see Matteo. "Grandee, let us ride," Paco kicked the horse into a gallop. He wondered if he could outrun them and get to the nearest Ranger station or a waystation. Then he thought to go to the nearest town and get the train to Kansas. Paco rode upto Valverde station just before noon, he bought a ticket for himself and Grandee as far as Hays, Kansas. In the passenger car he stretched his legs out as much as possible