Dust fell from him as he pushed the Long Branch's swinging doors open. He was parched and his throat called to the whiskey with a yearning burn. As he stepped up to the bar, he pushed his hat back a little and said, "Whiskey, barkeep."
Sam took the glass and bottle and poured. He looked at the stranger with peculiar eyes and when he went to take away the bottle, the stranger said, "Leave it. This should cover it," and threw down a pure gold coin.
Sam picked up the gold piece and immediately went over to Miss Kitty.
"Miss Kitty, take a look at this."
Kitty took it and turned it in her fingers a few times. She looked up at Sam and said, "That stranger used it to pay?"
"Yes ma'am. The whole bottle."
"You ever saw him before Sam?"
"No, Miss Kitty. I think he's just passing through."
"Let's hope so. Watch him closely Sam. I'm going to get Matt. I get the feeling there's more to this gold piece behind the man."
"Yes Miss Kitty."
Kitty headed out the back to go see Matt. When she turned the corner, Festus almost run into her.
"Miss Kitty, what in tarnation is ya' coming from the alley way fer?"
"Is Matt in his office Festus?"
"I don't rightly know, Miss Kitty. I just rode back in from the prairie. Haven't made my way there yet. Why? Is something itchin' ya'?"
"You could say that. Just go in the Long Branch and see Sam. He'll fill you in."
Festus gave a concerned look and then watched Miss Kitty walk to the Marshal's office. Festus then turned and headed to the Long Branch.
When Kitty opened the door, Matt was sitting at the table with Doc playing checkers and Doc was contemplating his next move as he pulled his ear and rubbed his mustache. He slid his checker to a box finally and then Matt jumped three.
"It's a good thing you're a better doctor than you are a checkers player Doc. People would be dying like your game."
"Kitty, see what you can do with this... this... oh, I don't know what he is," Doc said as he got up to get another cup of coffee, frustrated that he lost another checkers game.
"I don't care what he is right now Doc, all he needs to do is look at this," Kitty said and tossed the gold piece on the table in front of Matt.
Matt looked down at it as it landed and asked, "What's this Kitty?"
"Look at it Matt."
Matt picked it up and examined it. "Kitty, this is a fifty dollar good piece. Where'd you get it?"
"This drifter that came into the Long Branch just a few minutes ago. Sam is watching him. Festus is there now, too. There's something about him Matt."
"You think it's stolen don't you Kitty?"
"Well, it makes sense. Let's face it, Matt, you don't see one of those every day. And who, in their right mind, would use a fifty dollar gold piece to pay for a bottle of whiskey?"
Matt just looked at Kitty and smirked. He had no answer.
"I'll tell you who. Someone who does not mind spending someone else's money, that's who, especially if it's stolen," Doc said as he turned around with the coffee cup in his hand. Doc walked over to Matt and said, "Here, let me see that."
Doc looked at it carefully and shook his head. "You know, I'll never be paid in one of these as long as I am doctoring. Consider yourself lucky Kitty. At least you get money and not vegetables."
"Oh Doc, you know your services are priceless," Kitty said and smiled.
"Uh huh. Don't I know it!"
Then the door opened and in walked Louie. His look said it all.
"Marshal, there's gonna be a killing. Sam has his gun out and Festus has been knocked out cold."
Matt grabbed his hat as he asked, "You see what happened Louie?"
"This guy came in the Long Branch and called out this stranger demanding his part of the money."
"Looks like you were right Kitty."
"Am I ever wrong?" She said as she followed Matt out the door.
Doc followed, snickering just a little at what Kitty said.
It took a minute to reach the Long Branch and Matt busted through the swinging doors. Drawing his gun, he exclaimed, "Hold it!"
"Stay out of this Marshal. All I want is my half of the money!"
Doc found his way to Festus, who was lying on the floor by the bar. He had been hit hard on the head.
"Is it bad Doc?" Kitty asked.
"It's bad, but with Festus's hard head, he'll live. A couple of you gentlemen get him up to my office."
As two patrons picked Festus up, Matt said, "Your half of the money? You two are the ones that held up that stage in Topeka, aren't you? I should have known."
"He didn't do any of the holding up. All he did was do the watching!"
"That ain't true. If it weren't for me, why you'd be dead, remember?"
"Yeah, well, now I'm gonna kill you!" The guy that paid with the gold piece said and drew his gun.
Matt pulled the trigger faster and the guy fell to the floor. The one that wanted his half of the money then turned and looked at Matt. Matt knew that look.
"Don't do it. Jail will be a better option."
"I'm not going to jail Marshal. No way. I just wanted my half," he said and pulled his hogleg.
Matt had a bullet in him before the guy had it out of his holster.
Sam put his shotgun down as Matt kneeled beside the second guy. He was still breathing. He looked up at Matt and said, "All I wanted was my half, Marshal. That's it."
"Now all you're gonna get is Boot Hill," Matt answered and the guy took his last breath.
Matt stood and Kitty stood beside him. He turned to Sam and said, "Take care of these two will you Sam."
"Will do Marshal," Sam replied and enlisted the help of a couple regulars.
As Sam and a couple of guys tended to the fallen, Kitty watched and said as she shook her head, "What gold will do to a person."
"Well Kitty, around Dodge, gold is priceless, don't you know."
"Yeah, and so are lives."
Matt just looked at Kitty and did not say a word. He was speechless because he knew she was right. He just tipped his hat and walked out. He had to check on Festus anyway.