Rob hesitated for just a moment as he looked from the canvas sack to Joe and then to Festus. "I already made up my mind!" he said running for the doors with the other three.
But Matt was ready for the group of young men to invade the town.
Jumping to his feet, Sam ran behind the bar, grabbed the pistols he had hidden for Matt and Festus and handed them to the Marshal and deputy.
Festus followed Matt out the doors and found the four boys surrounded by Newly, Burke and a few other of the townsmen.
Burke quickly disarmed the four men while Newly collected the goods and money taken from the general store and the Long Branch.
"Alright," Matt said pointing with his gun toward the jail. "You're all under arrest!"
"Newly," Matt said with a wiry grin. "Get their names and lock them up!"
"Yes, sir," Newly said with a nod.
Matt then turned to Festus as Newly lead the four men away. "I'm not going to tell you what to do about the boy."
"Wal," Festus said looking toward the jail. "I'd like ta have a chance ta talk to him, Matthew."
"Alright," Matt said with a nod. "But not tonight, tomorrow."
Festus nodded as Matt headed over to the jail and Kitty along with Doc joined him on the boardwalk outside of the Long Branch.
"He sure looks a lot like April," Festus said quietly shaking his head.
"Except the eyes," Kitty said softly as Doc nodded.
"I didn't know she was expectin when she left," the hill man said evenly. "If in I had known..."
"You best get home and let Abelia know what's going on," Doc said swiping at his mustache as Festus nodded.
"Yer right," Festus said with a nod. "I don't want her hearing it from anyone else."
Abelia was waiting up at home when Festus walked in the door.
"Kids all bedded down," Festus asked taking off his hat and vest as Abelia nodded.
"I've still got warm coffee and stew," she said smiling. "If your hungry?"
Festus shook his head no. "Just some coffee."
Abelia poured the coffee as Festus took a seat at the kitchen table. "Did you get those boys?" she asked putting the cup down in front of him.
"We got em," Festus said sipping the coffee. "But there's sumthin you should know."
"What is it?" Abelia said taking a seat. "Everyone's okay, aren't they?"
"Oh yeah," Festus said with a grin. "Everything went off without a hitch."
"Well, then," Abelia said relieved. "What did you want to tell me?"
"One of them there boys is the son of an old friend," Festus said with a sigh before continuing. "An old girlfriend really."
"Alright," Abelia said with a slight smile. "What's that got to do with you?"
"Wal," Festus said quietly. "I don't know the whole story yet. Matthew said, I could talk ta the boy tomorrow but he made it a point ta tell me who his Ma was and said that I was his..."
"You were his what?" Abelia asked quickly.
"He said," Festus replied slowly. "That I was his Pa, Bee."
"Are you?" Abelia asked seriously.
"Wal," Festus said thoughtfully. "It's been pert near fifteen years since I was with April. I mean, I guess it's possible. But she didn't tell me she was gonna have a baby when she left. She just said, she wanted ta go home to Colorado."
"If you know she was expecting," Abelia asked curiously. "Would you have let her go?"
"No," Festus replied evenly. "I wasn't lookin ta get married and settle down then. I kin only figure that's the reason why she left."
