"Jonathan, stop pulling on that tie," Carolyn gently chided her son.

"Don't know why I have to wear this crummy old tie anyway," the boy mumbled. "It's choking me."

"Because, a gentleman always wants to look his best when accompanying a lady to dinner, and we are escorting two of the loveliest ladies this evening," the Captain interjected. "And, my boy, we shall be dinning in a restaurant of fine quality this evening, not the lobster house back home."

"I suppose." Jonathan gave the tie another tug.

"Here, let me adjust that for you, lad." Daniel Gregg loosened Jonathan's tie and did not see Kitty Russell and Matt Dillon arrive in the lobby.

"Good evening, Miss Russell, Marshal Dillon," Carolyn said, as she saw the pair approach.

"Good evening, Mrs. Gregg."

"May I present my husband, Captain Daniel Gregg and our son, Jonathan."

Daniel turned to meet his wife's two new acquaintances. "It's a pleasure…Kitty? Kitty Russell?"

"Captain Gregg!?" Kitty was as astonished to see Daniel as he was to see her.

"Why, I had no idea it was you Carolyn met this afternoon." Daniel extended his hand warmly to his friend. "She said you were from Kansas."

"And, I guess I just didn't put two-and-two together when your wife said her last name was Gregg." Kitty clasped her hand over the top of Daniel's. "It's so good to see you again."

"Aye. I've wondered how you were getting along."

Carolyn Gregg, Matt Dillon, and the two children stood by with expressions of amazement on their faces as they saw the scene play out before them.

"Oh, just fine, Captain, and I suppose I have you and your First Mate to thank for that."

"T'was nothing, m'dear, I assure you. Glad to be of service."

Matt Dillon cleared his throat, "I take it you two have met before?" the lawman asked.

"Oh, Matt….this is Captain Gregg, I know I've told you about him," Kitty answered.

"I don't think so."

"I know I have…he and his crewman helped Dinah and I one night at the Golden Cup. It was Captain Gregg who tossed Bert Oakley out of the place on his ear." Kitty smiled and turned back to the seaman. "I can never thank you enough, Captain."

"It was my pleasure. You and Miss Watson weren't the only persons harassed by that guttersnipe!" The Captain laughed.

Carolyn linked her arm through her husband's, "And, here I was worried that we might not have anything to chat about over the meal. This should prove to be a most interesting story."

"I agree with you, Mrs. Gregg, I can't wait to hear the whole thing," the marshal added.

Kitty and the Captain related the whole Bert Oakley story to the group, setting the record straight on just what a rapscallion the man was and just how chivalrous Daniel and Brendan Darcy had been in tossing him out of the tavern.

"It really was a public service," Kitty remarked with a laugh. "I don't think he ever came back into the Golden Cup…though it wasn't long after that evening that I left N'Orleans for Dodge City."

"Indeed? And, are you enjoying the wild frontier?" Daniel asked as he poured a bit more wine in his wife's glass.

"I wasn't sure I would. My plan was to only stay a short while and then head to San Francisco…but things change." Kitty placed her hand gently over Matt's.

"They do indeed." Daniel smiled knowingly at Carolyn. He'd changed his plans when he'd met her in Philadelphia. He'd planned to spend the rest of his days sailing where and when he wanted, never believing that family life could be for him. But, here it was almost seven years married to Carolyn, with two daughters and two sons and he found that he had never been happier in his life.

"You ever shoot any outlaws, Marshal Dillon?" Jonathan asked.

"Well, Jonathan, as much as I hate to say it, yes I have. There always seem to be people who want to go against the law and I took an oath to uphold the law." The Marshal said. "

"Yah, but, getting rid of the bad guys is what you're supposed to do, right?"

"Keeping the order is what I'm supposed to do. When someone wants to disturb that order, I have to take care of them."

"Ya shoot 'em or put 'em in jail, right?"

"I'd much rather put them in jail, Jonathan. Shooting another man isn't the best way to resolve something." The Marshal explained to the boy.

"I know, but gee, no one would want to shoot against a United States Marshal."

"You bet they don't, Jonathan," Kitty added. "Especially Marshal Dillon."

Matt tried his best to explain to Jonathan what being a marshal was really like, but as boys will, Jonathan just wanted to hear stories of outlaws and Matt eventually told him a few.

As the last of the dessert plates were taken away by the waiter, Matt reminded Kitty that he needed to be up early to try to purchase tickets for the railroad. "I just hope I can, otherwise I'm not sure how I'm going to get to Washington by Sunday."

"I don't make it a habit to take passengers on board my ship, Mr. Dillon, but I'd be pleased if you and Miss Russell would permit me to take you as far as Baltimore," Captain Gregg offered.

Kitty smiled at Matt and then at Daniel. "That's very kind of you Captain Gregg, but we don't want to disrupt your crew." Kitty said.

"No trouble at all, my dear. I have cargo to retrieve in Baltimore bound for Boston and would be happy to assist you in getting that close to the Capitol." Daniel's tone was insistent. "We're scheduled to sail day after tomorrow, if that suits you?"

"It does." Matt replied. "I'll take you up on that offer. Thank you very much, Captain Gregg."

"Always happy to help a friend, Marshal."