"My wife," Festus said pacing the room, scratching his head in slight confusion. "Why would she say, she was my wife?"
"Well that's what we're trying to figure out," Matt said looking at Doc. "Is she willing to talk to Festus Doc?"
"Oh yes," Doc said swiping his mustache. "She told me as soon as he got here she wanted to see him because she thinks he's her husband and the father of that baby."
"Baby," Festus said looking from Doc to Matt.
"Oh yes," Doc said slightly amused. "She got here and delivered your son whom she named after you!"
Festus sank back down onto a barrel as Doc wondered if he was going to be sick.
"Now look," Matt said patting the hillman on the shoulder. "You got to go up there and talk to her."
"Oh, no Matt," Doc said quickly. "He can't do that right now. It would be a terrible shock to her."
"Doc," Matt said slowly. "The sooner he talks to this woman, the sooner we can get to the bottom of this mess."
"I think, I should Doc," Festus said looking at his three friends. "Taint fair to let this woman to go on a thinkin I'm her husband."
"Alright," Doc said swiping his mustache. "You and I will go up there together and we'll see what she has to say."
Doc wrapped lightly on Kitty's door. "Caroline," he said. "It's Doc Adams. I've come to see how your doing?"
"Come in Doc," the feminine voice said from behind the door.
Doc turned to Festus before he entered. "You wait here till I come get you."
Festus nodded as Doc disappeared behind the door.
"How you feeling?" Doc asked looking down at the petite woman in Kitty's bed.
"Great," she replied smiling up at the Doctor as her son slept peacefully beside her. "Has Festus returned?"
"Well that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Doc said as the woman smiled broadly.
"He is here, isn't he?" She said eagerly. "Oh please bring him in!"
Doc nodded as he opened the door and motioned for Festus to come in.
Festus took off his hat and stepped inside the room. "Ma'am, he said looking at the woman in the bed. "I'm Festus Haggen."
"You're...,,not Festus," Caroline stuttered while looking at Doc. "Is this some kind of joke Doctor. This is not the man I married!"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Doc said looking at Festus. "This is our Festus Haggen!"
Festus really didn't know what to say as Caroline started to cry. Backing out of the room as Doc tried to console the woman he just left.
The next morning, Festus entered the Long Branch to already find Kitty and Doc there having coffee.
"Where did you disappear to last night," Doc asked as Festus took a seat.
"Just had to do me some thinking Doc," he said with a sigh. "Why would anyone want to hurt someone by pretending they someone they ain't."
"Well," Doc said. "That's a good question."
Matt stepped though the double doors just as Caroline came out of Kitty's room, carrying the baby, she slowly made her way down the stairs.
"Caroline," Doc said taking her arm. "What are you doing?"
"I've wasted all of your time long enough. I'm going to go stay at the Dodge House," she said as the baby started to fuss. "I appreciate the hospitality you've shown me Ms. Kitty but I don't appreciate being made a fool of and as soon as I find the lier that did this the better."
"That's what I want as well," Matt said stepping forward. "If there's anything you can tell us that would help us figure out who this man is masquerading as Festus please let me know."
"I have a few letters from him," she said suddenly remembering details of their courtship.
Festus stepped forward as the woman thrust the baby in his direction. "Here Festus, hold the baby while I get the letters!"
Festus didn't have time to protest as Caroline turned and headed up the stairs, the baby immediately quieted down once he was place in Festus arms.
"What did you do to that baby," Doc asked looking from the baby to Festus.
"Wal I didn't do nuthin," Festus said cradling the baby proudly. "It's some thin all us Haggen's have."
Doc pulled on his earlobe as Caroline returned, she handed the letters to Matt. "Festus," she said taking the baby back. "Can I speak to you in private?"
"Of course ma'am," Festus said stepping to the door.
"I just wanted you to know," Caroline said once they were out of hearing range. "I know none of this is your fault and I'm sorry for any trouble I've caused you in coming here."
"Shucks ma'am," Festus said gently smiling at the woman. "You ain't been no trouble for me, why if in I did have a lady like you, I'd be real proud to say you and that there baby was mine."
Caroline smiled and Festus could tell she was on the verge of crying as she nodded and then made her way across down the street to the Dodge House.
Festus stepped back inside as Matt was reading over the letters Caroline had given him.
"Where's Caroline?" Doc asked.
"She went on down to the Dodge House," Festus said taking her carpet bag. "I'll see to it she gets her things."
Doc nodded as he turned to Matt. "Well are you going to leave us in suspense? What's the letters say?"
"Mostly it just talks about his life here in Dodge and how he can't wait for her to be apart of it," Matt said looking up after reading the return address. "They were mailed from Dodge. Maybe we can head over to the post office and see if anyone there might recognize who wrote these letters."
"Good idea Matthew," Festus said, "I will meet you there after I drop off Ms. Caroline's things."
