AN: For LadyKRedzz

While Matt was silently trying to figure out his next move, the town's people had gathered around and stood watching the scene before them. One of them, Joe Miller moved quickly down the street and kneeled down behind the wagon beside Matt and Newly. "What'cha plan on doing, Marshal?" He asked.

"I'm going to try and get this resolved without getting anyone killed." Matt answered abstractly. Joe wasn't his focus right then.

"Ya can't just let them bandits ride out a here with the town's money. Everything we got is in there." Joe protested. "With that drought we had last year, we're all a hurting. You know that."

Matt scowled at the merchant beside him. Broad as he was tall and known as a blowhard by most people, Joe Miller was often a pain in Matt's backside. Looking back at the bank, Matt shook his head. "I know. But your money is the least of my worries right now."

"Well, it should the most of em." Joe answered indignantly. "We lose the money in that bank we lose everything. You can't let them leave that bank with our money."

"I don't intend to." Matt snapped at him.

"Marshal," Newly scanned the streets and then looked back at Matt. "Maybe, if we got some men hidden up and down the street, we could let the bank robbers think we're letting them go and then stop them in the street."

"That's an idea." Matt said as he considered the idea. "We'd have to make sure those men were completely alone and away from the bank though. I don't want those people in there killed."

"What people?" Joe snorted. "Only one I see is Kitty Russell and they can have her for all anyone cares. That who…" Joe wasn't able to finish as Matt instantly whirled and backhanded him. "What the…" He got up off his back, rubbing his jaw. "What'd you hit me for? I didn't leave you. She did. You oughta be glad them rapscallions got her so you ain't got to deal with her no more."

Matt pulled back his hand again but Newly quickly got between them, glaring at Joe. "Joe, you'd better get away from here while you can." He advised. "You hear me? Get!"

Joe didn't understand why the Marshal was still defending the woman that had broken his heart but he understood he'd get hit again should he stay there beside him. Besides, there were other people in the town that agreed with Joe and could just might serve to force the Marshal to act, regardless of Kitty Russell. "Alright," he sneered. "But you can forget anyone in this town helping you to get her out of there alive."

Keeping a wary eye on Matt as well as the bank, Joe backed away and ran hunched over to a nearby alley where several other men stood.

Matt watched him go, then looked over at Newly. "We'll think of something else. I don't want the help of the likes of him."

"What's going on, Joe?" Milt Walton asked when Joe reached the safety of the alley. "Bank being robbed?"

Joe rolled his eyes. Milt was about as bland as his looks. Joe wasn't sure what went on that balding head of his tall friend but he doubted it was much. However, as Milt was one of the few in town that believed Joe's malarkey, he couldn't afford to make him an enemy. "Yeah." He grunted. "It's being robbed and Dillon ain't wanting to do nothing cause Kitty Russell's in there."

"What?"

Joe looked behind him to see Cal Beard staring at him. "You heard me." Joe snarled.

"Ever cent I got in the world is in that bank." Cal cried plaintively. He, like most of the merchants, farmers and ranchers in the area had had a tough couple of years due to an extensive drought. What little money most people, in and around town, had was in the bank.

"I know it." Joe answered. "Me too. But Dillon's still soft on that cheating whore and don't want to do nothing to get her hurt."

"Now… now wait a minute." Wilbur Jonas stepped up beside them. "You and no one else knows why Miss Kitty left town. There's no proof she was cheating on Marshal Dillon. Besides…"

"There ain't no proof she wasn't neither." Rayford Mays put in, earning him a chuckle from Joe, Milt and Gard Wilkins and his wife. Gard, a local farmer, had brought his wife into to town to get supplies when he saw what was happening and decided to find out the details. He and his wife, Myra, had just walked up when they heard what Wilbur Jonas was saying.

"Besides," Jonas glared at the chucklers. "There's other people in that bank, ya know. Most likely Mr. Bodkin as well as Harold. No matter what you think of Miss Kitty, it's not right to risk their lives."

"Oh, they wouldn't get killed." Rayford was looking for more agreement from the other men but it wasn't immediately forthcoming. Rayford, a lazy cowboy, who didn't have a dime in the bank and only worked when he absolutely had to, still felt it his duty to be involved in anything that happened in and around town. "I mean," he shrugged a little self-consciously when all eyes turned his way, "Bodkin and Harold, well, they're men, see. Them bandits ain't gonna give them a thought. Bandits like that always go for the woman. If Dillon don't cave and lets em do what they want with her, then they'll most likely just give up."

All but Jonas seemed to agree with that assessment. However, all, including Jonas, knew that Matt Dillon would not let anything happen to Kitty Russell if he could help it. It didn't make any difference what she had done to him. Or at least what she was supposed to have done. Jonas was the only one in that groupe who truly didn't believe Kitty Russell had done anything to Matt Dillon. He personally had wondered many times why she hadn't left before she did. He remembered, if these others didn't, what Jude Bonner and others had done to her on the Marshal's behalf.

But right then, with this particular group of people, was not the time to bring that up. These self-righteous and self-absorbed people couldn't be concerned with the facts if it disagreed with their ideas. It was better to keep quiet and hope the Marshal could save Miss Kitty without risking the town's money.

TBC