Three days passed before Dr Schultz had been able to recover, in that time, word had spread of the massacre of the erring Bounty hunters who had robbed the wanted bank thief Sam Davison. The Sheriff recovered the bodies and buried them at the Bell Town cemetery. The mayor made a speech saying that lawlessness wasn't going to be tolerated in Bell Town anymore.
The Marshall of Bell Town arrived in Doc Hodges' home. When Sam saw him at the front porch, she threw an accusing look at Dr Schultz.
—You said I wasn't under arrest.
Schultz tried to sit up, he winced as he did so. He put his hand on her shoulder.
—Listen, I have not gone back on my word. The marshall and his two men, will accompany us thru the town tomorrow morning to show the bounty hunters that you have indeed been captured, so they can go back to their respective counties. Unfortunately for appearances, you will have to be manacled, but you are not under arrest. It's just for show, understand? I cannot reveal the entire plan. But I promise you, you will not see the inside of a cell.
He paused and reminded her:
—Sam, you saved my life, I'm not going to let you hang for it.
He could see the fear leave her face. Overwhelmed from the fear that she was going to be arrested, she leaned her head on his shoulder and sobbed. Perhaps it was everything, the death of George, her house being burned to the ground, her nearly being raped, it was all too much to bear. No one had cared, but this strange bounty hunter, who for some reason, was willing to forego a five thousand dollar reward, did.
He rubbed her back gently, like a parent comforting a child with a skimmed knee.
—There now, he said. Poor girl, you've been through a lot. Let it out, its better than bottling it up.
He pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her.
Django walked in and saw them together sitting on the floor. Her crying in his arms.
The doctor looked, different to him. A softer side of him emerged, comforting this weak lady, overwhelmed by her troubles.
He felt like he'd walked in on a pair of lovers. So he quietly stepped back out, and left them alone.
The next morning, the Marshall arrived. He brought with him two armed men.
Samantha remembered Dr Schultz' promise to her and let them manacled her wrists together.
After securing her, they set her on a horse and with the lawmen, rode as a sombre procession thru town. Django, Dr Schultz, and the Sheriff walked their horses abreast with their prisoner before them, followed by the two men with shotguns closely behind.
Samantha hung her head in shame. As they passed the bank, a woman with a small child had walked out of the bank with a small green money bag. She looked as if she didn't understand who would have given her all this money. When she looked at the outlaw being paraded through town, she recognised the young lady she had nursed back to health.
The deputy's widow. thought Dr Schultz.
The widow caused a commotion, telling people they'd gotten the wrong person. That Sam was a poor person. But nobody paid her any attention and brushed her aside. It brought tears to Samantha's eyes.
They rode out of Bell Town, and followed a trail to the railroad tracks. In the distance was an odd sight, a little train, fully stopped in the middle of nowhere.
They made their way to it. Dr Schultz dismounted and went over to Sam. He took off her manacles.
—Are we getting on? she asked.
—No, just you. he said.
—I don't understand.
—The Marshal of Bell Town is an old friend of mine who owes me a big favour. This train is making an unscheduled stop, a technical inspection, so to speak, to take you on to Boston. I have a friend who can help you find suitable employment there, if you need it.
—He'll be at the station when you arrive.
He gestured to the train, —You wanted a fresh start, here it is.
—Why are you doing this? Letting me go?
—Before I came here to pursue you, I read the witness transcripts to your robbery. I realised that you hadn't meant to kill the deputy. It wasn't you at all, in fact. You had a Smithson revolver. the Deputy was killed by a shotgun. An obvious error made by conflicting eyewitness accounts. But the error has been corrected. Here, (he put a telegram in her hand). The judge in Texas wired his reversal based on my analysis. Technically, you're no longer wanted for murder.
However, you are still wanted for robbery, for that, you will not be arrested, provided you do not re-enter Texas.
She could barely find the words, but she profusely thanked the Marshall, his men, and Django.
Finally, she embraced Dr Schultz. She could smell the faint scent of desert sage on his skin.
—Thank you for everything, I simply can't thank you enough.
—They're waiting. Get on, now, my dear.
She had already stepped on, but there was one last thing she wanted to do so very badly.
She turned back and planted her lips on Dr Schultz' mouth. For that instant, they were totally unaware of everything and everyone around them. Her hands ran through his brown hair. She could feel his hand deftly underneath her top caressing the small of her back.
How long this sweet kiss lasted, they couldn't say. But when they unlocked lips, Dr Schultz hair was disheveled and her top was slightly askew.
The men looked slightly embarrassed. Django was enjoying a cigar. The Marshal sipped gin from a silver flask.
He took her hand and helped her board the train.
—Look me up in Boston, won't you? she said as the train pulled away.
—You can count on it.
The END.
