Matt wanted to fight. He had no qualms, despite Eli's larger size and bulging muscles. Though he'd never seen Eli beaten by any man, Matt was sure he would win.

He easily contained his anger like a small fire in his gut. Knowing his wrath would strengthen him, he'd release it in spurts through his fists when the time came.

"I should help you fight Eli, maybe, Mr. Dillon," said Chester. "He's some bigger'n you, if he ain't quite so growed-up. Them muscles is like boulders pokin' out his suit, and I never seed sech big fists."

"No," said Matt. "Thanks, Chester; I'll handle this."

"I feel it's my fault he's fightin' you," said Chester. "I s'pose I coulda tried harder ta do tolerable."

"It's not your fault, Chester. I'm sorry I didn't see earlier what Eli turned into. The war must've changed him. It affected a lot of men strange. Kitty warned me what he was."

They sat at the table drinking coffee. Matt was alert yet not disquieted, his limbs tensed for the fight.

"Miss Kitty, she di'n't like Eli one speck," said Chester. "She knows about his breed."

"Eli's likely headed down the street now," said Matt. He pushed back his chair and stood, fingered his badge and stepped out through the side door to the alley back of the jail, leaving his badge pinned on.

Chester followed Matt out and closed the door behind them. They heard hooves clopping the dirt nearby, and a moment later Eli appeared, hatless and without his six-shooter and gunbelt. Chester backed some yards away and watched.

"Think fast," said Eli, and swung his right fist at the marshal's jaw, too quick for Matt to duck. His head snapped back and pain sliced through his neck, buzzing in his head. He reeled, and Eli's left hammered the other side of his face, snapping his head back again.

Matt staggered. He felt blood trickle down his face from the blows and his vision blurred. Eli's fists were like mallets. He drove his right into Matt's stomach and the marshal doubled over.

As pain shot through his body to his fingertips, Matt sprang up and with all the force of his anger hit Eli under the jaw, then punched his gut. He stumbled, and Matt pummeled Eli's face with both fists as hard and fast as he could, driving Eli backward.

He swung at Matt with a wavering arm. Matt ducked the blow, drew back his fist, and with a loud grunt slammed the fist into Eli's jaw, rising up on his toes to throw his weight behind the punch. His knuckles split skin and the soft flesh beneath, and Eli fell on his back. His eyes closed and his head flopped to the side in the dirt, his face and nose streaming blood.

Matt leaned over and gasped, hands on his knees. Chester pumped water in a pail, limped to Sinclair and dashed the water hard in his face. Choking and coughing, Eli came to.

"You might wanna let Doc patch you up before you leave," said Matt. His legs felt weak, and his stomach and back pounded pain. Blood seeped from the two cuts on his face, and the cuts were starting to burn. A bloody string slid down his neck and wet his collar.

"No," said Eli. He groaned and slowly sat up. Chester pulled a bandanna from his back pocket, soaked it under the pump and handed it to Sinclair, who pressed his bloody face in the wet folds. "I want nothing more to do with this blasted town or anyone in it," he said, his deep voice muffled by the bandanna. "Especially you, Matt."

Eli struggled to his feet and hobbled toward Front Street, holding his arms out from his sides for balance. "We got a whiskey bottle," said Chester. "You kin have a swig or two if you want."

"I want nothing from you," said Eli. "But under the circumstances, I'd be biting my own nose to refuse, and my nose is already mangled."

"Ah'll bring it," said Chester.

Matt followed Eli to Front Street and watched as he untied his horse's reins and hauled himself into the saddle. Chester came out with an open bottle and gave it to Eli. He upended it and chugged, gulping half the whiskey, and flung the bottle on the ground.

Chester startled as the bottle shattered. "Goodness," he mumbled.

Eli let out a rumbling chortle. "Looks like you have a mess to clean up, Chester," he said. He slapped the reins on his horse's neck. "YAAAHH!" he shouted, his deep voice exploding into the air like a gunshot.

Chester jumped again as Eli's horse galloped away in a cloud of dust. "By golly," said Chester. "I ain't never been so thankful to see a man leave town in all ma days."

M,D.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cuts on Matt's face were deep gashes, and Doc said he needed stitches. Doc mixed morphine in water and gave it to Matt, then cleaned the cuts and stitched as Matt sat on Doc's table.

"Eli's like a wolf, snuck on you and Chester unawares and mauled you both," said Doc. "Chester, I'll take a look at your arm after I tend to Matt."

"Eli got the worst of the mauling," said Matt. "I told him to let you patch him up, Doc, but he wouldn't."

"Eli di'n't snuck on me unawares, Doc," said Chester, from his seat on the lounge. "I knowed what he was when he first stepped offen the stage."

"Kitty, Matt and I should've listened to you," said Doc. "If we had, Matt would've run him out of town a lot sooner, saved Chester some misery." Sitting on the lounge beside Chester, Kitty put her arm around him.

"Doc's right, Kitty," said Matt.

"Long as you and Chester aren't too bad hurt, Matt. That's all that matters," said Kitty.

"Let me see where he hit your belly, Matt," said Doc.

"Nothin' you can do for a belly bustin', Doc," said Matt.

"I'll be the judge of that," said Doc.

Matt unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a red mark the shape of Eli's big fist. The marshal winced as Doc's fingers probed his stomach. "Doesn't feel like he ruptured anything," said Doc. His fingers moved to Matt's ribs. "That hurt?"

"No. He didn't hit my ribs, Doc."

"Well I need to ask these questions, so just you give me straight answers. You spit up blood?"

"No."

"Were you sick after he hit you?"

"No, Doc."

"Matt. Stop being impatient and cooperate with Doc," Kitty ordered.

"Kitty, I am cooperating."

"If you spit up blood or get sick," said Doc, "come see me directly. I know it's a wild time with the trail herds, but try to take things easy a day or two at least. Let your body heal from those punches."

"I'll try, Doc, but there's one thing I won't put off," said Matt, buttoning his shirt. "I'm drawing up a petition to the judge pleading leniency on behalf of a bank robber, name of Merciful Nation."

"You can sit with Kitty while I look at Chester's arm, Matt," said Doc.

Matt and Chester changed places and Kitty nestled against the marshal, wrapping her arms around him and gazing at him with an inscrutable look. Matt wondered if the sapphire eyes he saw as enchanting whenever he looked into them read his thoughts and deciphered the secrets of his soul.

He wasn't at ease with Kitty showing him this much affection in front of Chester and Doc. She felt Matt stiffen, but kept hugging him. He relaxed slightly after a moment and put his arm around her.

"You gonna fix a sling fer ma arm, Doc?" said Chester.

"Well, you should wear one a few days 'til your joint mends," said Doc. "Eli sprained your shoulder. Put a nasty bruise on your arm, too. He must have a grip like a pair of iron tongs."

"Vicious brute," said Kitty, looking at the purplish-blue swelling on Chester's arm. "You should've killed him, Matt."

"He might wish he'd die while he's mending from the beating I gave him," said Matt.

Doc rubbed a salve on the bruise. "Put this on your skin here twice a day." He gave Chester a keen look and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't let anything Sinclair said get to you, Chester. Not a grain of truth in it."

"I know, Doc," said Chester. "I ain't let him git to me. Jest wore down is all."

"I'll give you a tonic," said Doc. He shook his head. "I'll wager you won't wanna touch your bed for a week after Sinclair's slept on it, by gum. Why don't you take yourself a good long nap on the bed in there, Chester. It's a sight more comfortable than your bed, anyway."

"Alright," said Chester. "I will."

"Then when you wake up," said Doc, "we can all go to Delmonico's."

END