The Heart Will Bring Us Home

PT.3

Matt was tired and returning to Dodge from Hays. It had taken a few days longer then he had planned.
It was late, he thought about how he had left things and debated should he stop to see Kitty or wait till
morning. A bath, shave, and a good night's sleep might help before facing her wrath, he thought to himself.

"We've been here so many times before." He thought to himself. "Maybe I should have sent Festus or Newly with the prisoner. I don't stay around to watch the hanging anyway. I know how mad she's gonna be.

Well, maybe she's had time to cool off. I'll talk to Doc. He'll let me know how she's been acting."

As Matt approached Front Street, it just wasn't normal. His eyes went right for the second floor window of the Long Branch. "Oh, boy! She's MAD! I guess this is gonna be like when I missed the picnic when I was chasing Job Snelling. I guess I will wait till morning."

Matt took Buck to Moss and went right to the office. Festus was there asleep so he went to the Dodge House and got himself a room for the night. The next morning, feeling rested, coming out of the hotel, Matt saw Doc.

"Doc? Hey, Doc?"

"Well, Matt. You're back?" Doc said.

"Yeah, got in late last... well, this morning. How bout' some breakfast?"

"Oh, you don't want to go see Kitty first?" Doc teased.

Rolling his eyes, Matt said, "Doc, go on, give it to me. How mad is she?"

Doc tugged on his ear. "Well," swiping his mustache. "Matt, I can't tell you."

"Oh, Doc, come on now. You know Kitty about as…"

Stopping him mid-sentence, "Matt, I can't tell you cause she ain't here."

Looking surprised. "What do you mean, she ain't here?"

"Sam says she went to St. Louis a few days ago and…, chuckling, Doc said, "boy was she sore at you." Shaking his head, in a teasing manner.

Matt headed for the Long Branch.

Sam was behind the bar when he spotted Matt. "Oh, good morning, Marshal. Glad you're back."
"Morning, Sam. Doc says Kitty went to St. Louis?"

"Well, yes, sir. A few days ago, Marshal."

"Sam, why? Where?"

"Oh, Marshal, when I asked her what I should tell you when you got back… Well… Miss Kitty, she said… ummm…"

"What, Sam?"

"Sorry, Marshal. Miss Kitty said you probably wouldn't be very concerned."

Matt's jaw just tightened and under his breath he just mumbled, "Oh, Kitty."

"Thanks, Sam." He said out loud to the bartender.

"Sure, Marshal. Oh, Marshal." Sam added. "If you don't mind my saying so…"

Matt knew what Sam was thinking and just nodded and said, "I know, Sam. I know."

Doc and Matt had breakfast at Delmonico's.

"Doc. I don't see why Kitty just doesn't understand that this is my job."

Taking a sip of his coffee, Doc said, "Matt, she knows this is your job. Do you really think after all these years she doesn't understand what your job is really?"

"Doc…"

"Now wait a minute, Matt. Chasing the outlaws is one thing. But this thing here is another. Why do you have deputies? No, wait, you have Festus and Newly who were both here the whole time you were gone. Kitty knows they can't do the big jobs for you but there was no reason they couldn't have taken that prisoner to Hays."

Just as they were finishing breakfast. Festus came in, out of breath. "Matthew! Yer back?"

"Yeah, Festus, I'm back."

"Oh. Uh, I just a come from the telegraphy office and Barney gave me this here tellygram for ya. Says its important."

Doc was smiling. "Oh, he did, did he?"

Festus, annoyed at Doc, said, "Yeah, you ol' scudder. He did. He said it's a government business."

Doc was now laughing. "Festus, when are you gonna learn to read?"

Festus, all frustrated, walked away.

The telegram read:

U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon, Dodge City, Kansas
Federal troops withdrawing from south reconstruction erato end. Stop.
40,000 to be relocated. Stop. Need assistance. Stop. ASAP. Stop.
John St John, Governor, Kansas
TBC