Chapter Seven: Catching Mandee

Joe and Ching Lee went across to the Long Branch the next morning, Matt was having breakfast with Kitty and his children. "Joe, Festus said he was going to get you?"

"Glad he did, now I can repay you," Joe said, Matt just shook his head.

"Joe, you owe me nothing."

"Matt, I'm going to need to take a look at the poster on Mandee and anything else you've got on him."

"Newly's in the office, he'll get you the paper we've got on Mandee," Joe nodded kissed Ching Lee and left the Long Branch turning left out of the door he headed for the Marshal's office. Newly looked up as he came in.

"Hello, Joe, Festus told me you'd come to help."

"Right, Matt said you'd show me all the papers you had on Carl Mandee," Newly opened the files and pulled out the posters, Joe studied them carefully. "Not a lot that would tell me where or when he will strike next."

"Lon Gorman might be able to fill you in some of the things not mentioned in those papers," Newly said, Joe nodded it made sense as Lon had been in Leavenworth with Mandee, Joe knew that somewhere out there Mandee was just waiting for Matt or Lon to make a mistake.

"Where is Lon Gorman?"

"He's got a room in the Dodge House, room twelve."

"Right, I'll go talk to him," Joe walked back to the Dodge House, he went to room twelve and knocked, Lon opened the door gun in hand. "My name's Joe Bascombe."

"The gunfighter?"

"I was, I'm just a rancher now and Matt Dillon is a friend of mine," Joe explained how he had met Matt.

"I'd like to meet Ching Lee, she must be a remarkable woman?"

"She is, I need to know more about Carl Mandee, more than is shown in the posters on him."

"Well, the poster is an accurate description and likeness. What isn't on there is that he's completely mad, he has been known to go completely berserk," Lon described having to pull Mandee off Matt during the escape to the border. "I'm just glad Matt survived that trip and not just because without him I would not be here. How are we going to stop him?"

"You said he has a flash temper, well you know how you light fireworks we're just going to light the blue touch paper and wait. That means you, Matt and his family stay hid up. If Mandee can't get at any of you, he might make the mistake of rushing in to town. We'll go to the Long Branch now and organise everything," Joe and Lon walked to the Long Branch.

"Morning, Matt. How's Mary now?"

"She's fine, just a little nervous. Right now, Ching Lee has her in the kitchen they're cooking up a storm it seems," Matt said.

"I think Joe has a plan to smoke Mandee out."

"You're all going to stay hid right here. No arguments Matt," Joe read the look on Matt's face and knew that Matt was just about to argue the point, Barney Danche entered with a telegraph he handed it to Matt, he read it.

"It's from the Governor, if we catch Mandee, we're not to send him back to Leavenworth. He's already under sentence of death, we're to hang him here in Dodge."

"He's going to have to come looking for you and with his temper, he'll make a mistake cause the only one on the street is going to be me. I'm not going to kill him, but I will stop him from killing anyone," men went to take their horses to safety at Moss Grimmick's and now the street was quiet, even the saloons were quiet.

"This is the quietest Saturday night Dodge has ever seen," Kitty said.

"All hell will break loose when I've got Mandee in jail," Joe said, he left the Long Branch to take station outside Matt's office. Joe knew he was taking a major gamble that Mandee would be hot tempered enough to come in straightaway but felt that it was a gamble that had to be taken, Joe sat on one of the chairs and waited. He was beginning to think that Mandee wasn't going to take the bait when he hadn't showed by nine o'clock, another half hour went by then a figure ran out of an alley towards Joe, he drew and fired striking Mandee in the leg and then a second bullet in the leg. He kept his gun aiimed at Mandee as he leant down and removed Mandee's six shooter, Matt appeared by his side. "He'll need Doc Adams to patch him up enough to get up the gallows steps," Matt opened the door of his office.

"Festus, help get Mandee into one of the cells."

"Sure thang, Matthew."

"You better remove your gun first," Festus withdrew his gun and put it in a draw, he left the office and helped by Joe and Matt dragged Mandee to one of the cells. Doc came in, he removed the bullets, cleaned up the wounds and bandaged them.

"I heard about the Governor's order."

"What order, Matthew?" Festus asked.

"Mandee's not going back to Leavenworth, he's to be hung here in Dodge as soon as Mr Peters arrives from Hays."

"We'll start building the gallows tomorrow."

"Put it where we put the gallows for Billy Boles," Matt said, "and now I'm going to take my family home. Joe, thanks for your help."

"Matt, you know I will always be ready to help you," Matt smiled and went to the Long Branch.

"Is it over, Matt," Kitty asked.

"Yes, Mandee is in jail," he hugged Kitty close, then gathered the kids and took them back to his house. Mary went to the kitchen she found that the neighbours had brought in the wash.

"Mary," Matt said, "go to bed, your safe now, we all are," Mary hugged him.

"Goodnight, Papa."

"Goodnight, Mary," he watched her go upstairs, he went into the front room, Little Matt had started reading one of the law books. "Little Matt, Katherine, Matthew, Thomas bedtime you can do what you want after church tomorrow," the kids rose and went upstairs.


Days later the gallows was ready, Matt made sure that Mandee's hands were securely tied behind his back. Ordinarily Matt hated hangings but this was different Mandee had threatened his family and the people loved most in this world, they led him after Mr Peters out to the gallows and up the steps. The padre said a few prayers, Mr Peters placed a hood over Mandee's head, he looked at Judge Brooker, who nodded. Mr Peters pulled the lever and the trap sprang open, after awhile Doc checked, he nodded and they cut him down. Matt looked at the ground glad that it was over, and that his family and friends were safe.

The End