Matt led the search party south out of Dodge following the route Doc would have taken. Festus was slightly ahead on one of Matt's spare horses his eyes scanning the ground as they followed the tracks made by the buggy. An hour later quite a stiff breeze was getting up.

"Damn that's the last thing we need right now."

"Matthew a rider stopped Doc here and made him turn west. Onliest thing is thet this wind is going to wipe out them tracks."

"Okay Festus we'll follow your lead."

"We'd best go easy on the water Matthew cause its mostly bad water out there."

They rode slowly so as not to miss any signs three hours later a young cowhand scanning the area was the first to see the faint outline of a buggy.

"Marshal off to the left that's a buggy isn't it?"

"Son you've sure got good eyes that's Doc's buggy alright. Festus can you see Doc?"

"Nary a sign from here he might be in the buggy."

Doc was sleeping wrapped in two blankets when the search party arrived by the buggy. It had taken four hours in total to find him an hour for the ranch hand to reach Dodge and an hour for them to get to where Doc was forced to turn west and two hours to head west to the buggy.

"Well you certainly took your time Matt."

"It took some time for a rider to come from the Hubbard's to tell us you were missing and you can thank that young man for spotting your buggy it's because of him and Festus that you'll be able to go home."

Matt indicated the ranch hand nearby.

"I'm not really angry at you Matt. Baxter took my canteen and if he hadn't taken my shotgun I'd have shot him before he shot my horse."

Matt handed his canteen to Doc while Festus stripped the harness from Doc's horse and put it on the bay he was riding. He hitched the bay to Doc's buggy and got in alongside Doc.

"Doc you had us all kinda worrisome especially Matthew he's a gitting madder and madder with thet Michael Baxter."

"What about Kitty is she safe?"

"Yeah Sam is a staying with her at night."

Two hours later they rode into the Hubbard's yard Newly came out smiling when he saw Doc safe and well.

"Sure is good to see you Doc. Meg's in a bad way I think the baby's a breach birth."

Doc disappeared into the house a worried look in his eyes Newly followed him in to the house. Ezra Hubbard organized places for the search party to rest up Amy Hubbard provided coffee and food for everybody. Four hours later Doc and Newly emerged.

"Ezra a fine boy but Meg's going to need to get plenty of rest for the next month or so," Doc said.

"She'll get all the rest she needs Doc thanks."

"Thank Newly if he hadn't of been here you might have lost them both. Matt you have got to do something about Michael Baxter."

"I intend to but what I don't even know what he looks like."

"Well he had his face covered but I can tell you one thing he has different colored eyes. His right eye is brown and his left eye is pale blue."

"Thanks Doc now we've got something to go on. Newly you and Festus go round the hotels and boarding houses we might get lucky now he's made a mistake," Matt said.

"You want us to go round the saloons as well Matthew?" Festus asked.

"Yes they might be able to spot him if he makes an appearance."

Festus and Newly rode back to Dodge straightaway. Travis could see by the set of Matt's shoulders the determination to catch Baxter before he could do any more damage or harm anyone else but especially Kitty. He rode up beside Matt and placed a steadying hand on Matt's arm.

"What are you going to do Matt?"

"I don't know Pa I guess it depends on what Baxter does."

Travis smiled it was only the second time Matt had called him Pa. Matt was like him slow to get used to new people in his life and equally slow to trust them. Though it seemed to Travis that Matt had fallen for Kitty hard and fast. The Long Branch had been closed an hour by the time the men arrived back in town with Doc. Travis, Matt and Doc went up to Doc's office Doc poured them a glass of whiskey.

"You should be okay now Doc he seems to strike once and once only. It's Kitty I'm worried about he might do more to her because of …"

"You mean he might suspect how you feel about her?" Matt nodded.

"If he's been to Dodge before he might have seen me and Kitty."

"Put two and two together you mean?" Travis asked.

"You two, Kitty, Festus and Newly are the only ones who know how I really feel about her."

"Go to her Matt I figure she'll be waiting for you," Travis said Matt smiled and left.

"Doc how am I going to convince him to marry her?" Travis asked.

Doc poured them both cups of coffee.

"He knows he wants to marry her but he thinks the badge will put her in danger. Getting him to understand that the badge doesn't matter that's the trick."

Travis nodded yawning he realized just how tired he was he said goodnight and left he returned to his room in Ma Smalley's. Ma looked at the time as he entered.

"Would you like some coffee Mr McClure?" Ma asked.

"I've just had coffee with Doc Adams, Ma and my name's Travis you might as well call me by it it's what I'm used to."

"Where's Matt?" Ma asked even though she had a sneaking suspicion.

"He wanted to make sure that Kitty was safe."

They both knew that wasn't the whole truth. At that moment Matt was slipping into bed alongside Kitty she clasped him to her sighing as he returned her caresses.