Chapter 1 – A Not So Chance Encounter

The Kansas prison brimmed with tales about the larger than life, no-nonsense marshal in Dodge City. Those stories recalled childhood memories to the new inmate. Once he served his time for robbery Chance Hopper would take Matt Dillon down a peg or two. The lawman had to be the adult version of the can do no wrong older boy on the Texas ranch where both were fostered. Old man Farron, to his mind, had favored the gangling 16-year-old over his own 15-year-old son John. The favoritism didn't stop after the older teen took off when Hopper was almost 11. From what he was hearing, Dillon's reputation hadn't changed. He remained perfect in other's eyes. Matt's treatment of the younger orphan was anything but perfect. Two years later Chance arranged to meet up with his old gang.

Hopper's two older partners, Jim Cheevers and Rupert Moran, eagerly met with him at the shack that served as their hideout to form plans for the gang's next robbery. Chance left for Dodge to case the town. The other two rode to the farm outside Larned that had become home. Pretty Hallie Danvers inherited it from Moran's mom's female cousin. Hallie didn't care that Moran, who pretended to be her father, was sweet on her. She liked the idea of playing the role of information gatherer in the gang's hope of striking it rich. Once Chance joined them in three days he'd finalize a plan that quite possibly would combine her information with his knowing Matt Dillon.

Meanwhile Hopper gathered information. What local gossip he heard, starting at the stable, confirmed rather than contradicted the prison rumor mill. The good citizens of Dodge City swore by the very much in charge of his town lawman. To his chagrin, Matt welcomed Chance's visit and the opportunity to learn of his experiences during the intervening years. He didn't even resent the visitor breaking up a bar fight in the Long Branch. Of course the owner Kitty Russell praising Hopper for it might have colored the big man's reaction. Instead of dismissing him, like when they were kids, Matt welcomed Hopper into his circle of friends and remained friendly even after Chance told him he was newly released from prison. Dillon looked on it as Hopper's chance to begin a new life on the right side of the law.

Matt's attitude did nothing to change how Hopper felt. Dillon was still apparently too perfect to be human. Perhaps Chance and his pals successfully robbing the bank would knock him off the pedestal. Then, instead of heading straight to Larned, Chance impulsively aided an old woman in a runaway buggy and broke his leg for his trouble. If he thought Matt's attitude weird before the accident, it was more so afterwards. Matt Dillon couldn't do enough for him, unlike when they were kids. He wondered why. Had he been privileged to hear it, his answer was expressed during a private dinner conversation between Matt and Kitty at Delmonico's.

"Well you musta done somethin' to him. Come to think of it, I bet you were a terrible bully."

"Well I guess I wasn't any saint or anything, Kitty, but I don't recall ever doin' anything to him, except maybe just ignoring him."

"Well that was friendly."

"Well, you know how it is. Chance was just a kid and I was older and bigger and well you know."

"Well, did you like him?"

"Well sure I guess I liked him, but well he was …"

"He was just a kid and you were a bigger kid."

"Yeah, I guess that's about the size of it."

"At least he gets to stay in town and you two can get to know each other."

"I guess that wouldn't be such a bad idea."

Instead, his own private conversation in Delmonico's with Hallie dwelt upon monthly gold shipments on the Wichita to Garden City stage and his friendship with the marshal. The young woman was quite impressed with the friends he'd cultivated when Hopper introduced her to Kitty and Doc, who'd been eating a few tables away. The next day, after Doc cut his cast down so he could move around with a cane, Chance drove a buggy out to the shack where Hallie, Cheevers and Moran waited. Waylaying a stage, he decided, was far less risky than robbing the Dodge bank. Due to past successes, they willingly followed his lead.

Hopper hoped to delay Matt by getting him to accompany him to Gilmore's to buy a new horse. Then, just like when they were kids, Matt's sense of duty forced him to insist the stage had to be met. Still, he didn't forget his companion's state of health. Matt suggested Chance ride back to Gilmore's ranch if the pace the lawman set proved to be too much for him. Feigning agreement, Hopper held back before coming forward to hit Matt on the head with his cane, knocking the larger man off his buckskin horse.

Seeing Matt lying still on the ground, Chance Hopper thought about the past few days compared to 20 years ago. The now grown man let go of his urge for revenge. He was ready to try something completely different. Maybe, unlike when they were kids, he should emulate rather than resent Matt Dillon. Perhaps, had he behaved differently, he wouldn't have become the poor ex-con cousin. He had time to decide if he still wanted to rob a stage that carried gold every month like clockwork. Leaving the unconscious lawman, Hopper rode to where Cheevers and Moran waited, to postpone things.

It didn't matter that his partners were surprised by how he'd dealt with the marshal. His harsh method was okay with Cheevers, who was ready to use his rifle to make sure Dillon never got up. Given Cheevers attitude Chance wasn't sure he could have stopped the two men had Moran not ridden off. As it was Cheevers reluctantly agreed to wait at least a month before they tried again. Relieved that he wouldn't have to choose between the men he went to prison for and the person he'd come to admire, Chance rode back to where he'd left Matt lying on the prairie. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found Dillon awake.

He found Matt not only awake, but all lawman. Hopper gave him no argument. Out of his newfound respect and understanding he was willing to face whatever he had coming, even returning to prison. Chance didn't care if Jim Cheevers joined Rupert Moran at Hallie Danvers farm outside Larned. Those three had to know he'd never betray them. Thinking about it, no matter what his future, he wouldn't mind if it included getting to know Hallie better.