"Kitty." Matt called, when he saw her crossing the street to the Long Branch. "How's Stetson?"

"He's doing a lot better." She gave him a relieved smile. "As a matter of fact, he was doing well enough that Doc and me were able to convince Amanda to go and get some rest. I just now left her over at Ma's."

"Good." Matt tucked his thumbs into his belt. "I sure am glad to hear that. I hated that he got hurt trying to help me."

"Matt." Kitty's voice was slightly stern. "It wasn't your fault that he jumped into that gun fight between you and those robbers. He did that on his own when he saw you were outgunned."

"I know." Matt sighed. "But still. He and Amanda had only been here a day, when this happened. Not exactly the best way to spend time with friends."

"No." Kitty agreed as she reached up and placed her hand in the crook of her husband's arm. "But at least they are with friends and safe. Now, what you say, you walk me back over to the Long Branch. I'll buy you a drink." She raised a brow and he grinned.

"A drink is not exactly what I was hoping for." He raised his own brow.

"Sorry, Cowboy." She chuckled. "But this time of day, that's the best I can do. Besides, aren't you supposed to meet the new marshal when he gets here?"

Matt's grin turned into a scowl. "Yeah." He nodded. "I forgot about him."

Kitty shook her head and led Matt back down the street towards their soon to be former home. After she and Matt were married, they both decided it was time for them to change some things. So Matt turned in his retirement papers and Kitty began the search for, if not a new owner, at least a partner in the Long Branch.

She found both in Hannah. Broad as she was tall with dark red hair and a temper to match, she was quite possibly the only other woman that would be able to handle the place. She and Kitty hit it off instantly and she was fully prepared to jump right in as soon as Kitty left the Long Branch for good, in a week's time.

Upon receiving Matt's resignation letter, the War Department immediately asked him to delay his retirement until they could find a suitable replacement. He was happier about that then Kitty but still, he recognized his time as a lawman was fast coming to an end and he was anxious for the next chapter of his life to begin.

That was until he found out who was to replace him.

Brock Dowd was a US Marshal originally assigned to Colorado. About Matt's age, medium height, thinning blonde hair with a slight paunch, he thought a great deal more of his self and his looks than most other people did. Matt had run into him a time or two in the course of his job and he couldn't say he'd enjoyed the experience. He didn't trust the man and hated the thought of his being Marshal of Dodge.

But Matt wasn't in charge of who took over after he retired. The war department was and they had sent Dowd. A decision he seriously hoped they didn't come to regret. He thought young Stetson would make a better marshal than Dowd ever had or would. Lee certainly had better instincts and was a great deal more trustworthy. And Lee had the courage and strength to do the job.

"Matt." Kitty lightly admonished his brooding as they approached the bat wing doors of the saloon. "Give it time. Maybe this Dowd will be just fine. I mean you've already done all the hard work around here. All he has to do is maintain what you've built."

Matt didn't argue but he didn't agree either. He had a bad feeling about Brock Dowd coming there and he knew something was about to go wrong. But until it did, there was nothing he could do.

Deciding to get his mind off of the matter, long enough to share a drink with his wife anyway, Matt patted the hand in his arm and pushed open the doors for her. "Let's go have a drink before I have to meet him." He gave her a winning smile.

But Kitty wasn't fooled. She knew Matt way too well. He was worried about this new Marshal and he didn't trust him. Since she trusted Matt and his instincts about people, she was now worried.

She just hoped their worries added up to nothing. Because Doc had just told her, they would soon have something else to worry about that was a great deal more important to them than who was marshal in Dodge City, Kansas.

TBC