North Platte, Nebraska:
Six men entered the bank, they held it up stealing forty thousand dollars shooting the deputy sheriff dead as they escaped south. Sheriff Con Groner immediately sent telegraphs to all sheriffs and marshals and organised a posse.
Dodge City, Kansas:
Barney Danche listened to the code coming over wire, he wrote it down and carried it to the Marshal's office. He smiled seeing Matt with his four year-old Godson on his knee. "Marshal, got an alert from North Platte," Barney handed the message to Matt. "Bank in North Platte's been held up by six men, deputy sheriff shot dead and forty thousand dollars taken. Sheriff Groner says they're headed this way."
"Right," Matt stood lifting the boy up as he did, Matthew laughed his arms wrapping round Matt's neck.
"Matthew sure looks like Mrs Milner," Matt nodded.
"Just as well considering what happened to Katie," Matt said knowing that Barney knew all about it. "Matthew, I've got to go to work. I'll take you to your mother."
"OK, Uncle Matt," Matt smiled young Matthew was the closest thing to a son that he had. He carried Matthew to the Milner Bakery. "Hello, Matt, figured he was with you."
"Mister Dillon," Matt looked at Chester as he came through the door with Festus. "Barney told us what happened."
"Katie, Sheriff Groner just telegraphed that the bank in North Platte's been held up' They could be on their way down here," Katie had made a batch of Matt's favorite cinnamon rolls so she packed enough for him, Chester and Festus.
"Matt, fresh from the oven, and no I won't take a cent for them. There's enough there for Chester and Festus too," Festus grinned they were some of the most delicious rolls he'd ever ate.
"Wall now, they're going to be pure delarruping," Festus said.
"Katie, I need some bread for the prisoners breakfast," Matt said, she handed him a fresh-baked cob loaf, he paid her the fifty cent cost.
"Thanks, Katie," Matt crouched down by Matthew. "Be a good boy, now," Matthew hugged Matt, his little hands patting Matt's face.
"I'll be good," Matt smiled at him and stood up, and left.
"Matthew, breakfast time, go wash," Katie said, the boy ran in back to the wash stand.
Festus fixed up the breakfast for the prisoners in the cells while Chester started to build a pot of coffee, Festus took the breakfast through to the cells. "Now that's more like it," the cowpoke said, "of all the jails I've been in yours serves the best breakfast, not as good as my mommas but good."
"Festus, you can let Williams and McNee go now," Matt called out.
"Not till I've had breakfast, you don't, Marshal," Williams said, then ate up quick.
"Did I hear a child earlier," McNee asked.
"That'd be young Matthew, he's the marshal's Godson," Festus led them into the office, Matt handed them their guns.
"If you want to come to town tonight, you remember to watch your manners," Matt said.
"Sure will, Marshal," McNee said.
"Marshal, where'd I get some more bread like this?" Williams asked.
"Milner Bakery along the street to the left."
"I still got some money left going to buy some take it out to the camp, show em what they're missing," Matt smiled these two were just like all Texas trail hands when it came down to food they followed their stomachs.
"Marshal, did I hear you say a bank up north was held up?" McNee asked.
"Yes, six men held up the bank in North Platte killing the Deputy Sheriff."
"Similar thing happened up in Jackson, Wyoming. Six men, shot the Sheriff though and headed South. Could be they're working their way through all the states."
"How do ..."
"My cousin's the deputy sheriff."
"How much did they get?"
"Around thirty thousand dollars, most of it the hard-earned cash of the local ranchers. Meant for some lean times for a while."
"Thanks," Matt wrote a quick note. "Festus take this to Barney. Ask him to wire this to all sheriffs and marshals north of here."
"I'll get it done, Matthew," Festus said as he followed the two cowpokes out of the office.