Thad followed Doc and Festus down the boardwalk toward the physicians office as Doc Brown continued his tirade in the street.

"It's not right I tell you!" Brown yelled angrily. "You don't shoot down a man who had been drinking! That Marshal's just covering up for his friend!"

Festus shook his head and started toward the street as Doc grabbed his arm.

"Oh no you don't," Doc said turning the hillman toward the stairs. "Your in enough trouble as it is."

"But you heard what that feller said," Festus replied incredulously. "Matthew ain't done nuthin but his job."

"Then let Matt continue to do HIS job," Doc said leading the hillman up the stairs.

"Doc's right," Thad said following Festus into Doc's office. "Confronting Doc Brown won't help your situation any."

"No," Festus said slowly. "But it sure would make me feel better."

Matt clinched his jaw as he and Kitty stepped out of his office and headed toward the Long Branch.

"And there's the man that sits by not doing anything," Doc Brown yelled pointing at Matt as his assistant pulled at the man.

"Your drunk," she said angrily. "Let's get you to bed."

"Just a minute Kitty," Matt said stepping out into the street.

Doc Brown watched the Marshal approach with disdain. "Now I've had enough of you trying to stir up trouble," Matt said standing directly in front of the man. "If you don't stop this right now, I'm going to arrest you for disturbing the peace!"

"It's alright Marshal," the young woman said pulling the older man away. "He's going to bed right now."

Matt sighed as the young woman lead the man away and then Matt returned to the Long Branch.

"Glad that's been taken care of," Kitty said with a slight smile. "How about a beer?"

"Sounds good," Matt said following the redhead inside the saloon.

"Now," Doc said washing his hands in the basin in front of the window. "I want you to go into my spare room and get some sleep."

"What about Matthew," Festus said holding his side.

"Thad'll let him know your here," Doc said quickly before the hillman could protest.

Thad and Doc watched as Festus went into the spare room and closed the door behind him.

"I'll be at the around if you need me Doc," Thad said stepping outside, he closed the door and waited until Doc locked it.

Matt was awoken out of a deep sleep several hours later by Thad and Doc Brown's assistant Mara.

"Matt," Thad said once the Marshal was dressed. "We got trouble."

"What is it," Matt asked looking from Thad to Mara.

"Doc Brown's dead," Thad said looking at the young woman.

"I heard someone running away from our camp and when I went to check on Doc," she said her lip quivering. "He was dead!"

"Thad, you better go wake up Doc," Matt said reaching for his gun belt before turning back to the young lady. "Can you tell me anything else about the person you heard running away."

Mara shook her head before she spoke. "I never saw who it was Marshal, I only heard the person running away because they wore spurs."

"Spurs," Matt said pursing his lips. He headed out the door as Thad came running back to the jail. "Is Festus still up at Doc's?"

"No sir," Thad said quietly. "That's what I came back to tell you, Doc said, he don't know when he slipped out."