"Festus," Abelia said stopping in front of a store front window. "Look at that doll, Marianne would love to have her."

"We can bring a little sumthin back to the youngin's if in ya want to," he said following his wife inside.

"And look," Abelia said picking up a wooden train. "Jonathan would like this."

"We'll take em both," Festus said handing the doll and the train to the store clerk.

"I miss the children," Abelia said turning to Festus. "Why don't we surprise them. Let's go home."

"Wal we only got one more day," Festus replied with a smile. "And I miss Dodge, I hate bigger city's."

"We can go," Abelia asked eagerly.

"I don't see why not," Festus said taking the package from the store clerk.

"Let's go to the hotel and pack," Abelia said excitedly. "I can't wait to see their faces."

Will Smith stepped quickly into an alley as his wife and her new husband passed by.

Overhearing their conversation, he realized, now was the time to make his move.

Once they were back in Dodge it would be impossible to question Abelia about where the gold was hidden.

Of course he wasn't dumb enough to let the woman know that it was gold he had stowed in a secret compartment built into an old trunk and stored away at their home years ago.

He just needed to collect the gold, his wife and children, but first he had to eliminate the reason she was there.

Watching them leave a short time later for the trip back to Dodge, he checked out, got his horse and started after the buggy.

"I think I like you like that," Abelia said watching Festus for a moment.

"What ya talkin bout," he said.

"Your whiskers," Abelia said giggling. "You certainly were handsome on our wedding day but I didn't like your face so clean and smooth."

"Golly Bill," Festus said shaking his head. "Shemales is so strange."

"Why," Abelia teased. "Don't you like me to tell you when your nice looking."

"Foot," Festus replied with a wiry grin. "Men don't care bout such things."

"Are we stopping," Abelia said as Festus drove the buggy slightly off the path.

"Yep," he said pulling up to a grassy knoll with a pond. "Figured we'd have ourselves a little picnic."

Abelia set the basket on the table cloth once Festus had opened it.

Sitting down, Festus leaned up against a log and watched his wife fix him a plate. "I think a feller could get used to this."

"What," Abelia asked pouring a glass of lemonade.

"Getting himself waited on by a purty lady."

"Oh really," she said with a smirk as she handed him his plate. "Would you like me to feed it to you as well my husband?"

"Now that would be right pleasuresom," Festus teased putting the plate aside for the moment he grabbed Abelia and pulled her down onto his lap.

Abelia wrapped her arms around Festus neck as he brushed her lips with his.

Deepening the kiss, he only stopped when he heard a twig snap nearby. "What was that?" Abelia asked as Festus lifted her off his lap.

"Proly a deer or sumthin," he said standing to investigate.

Stepping further into the wooded area surrounding them, Festus looked around but didn't see any thing.

"Nothin here," he said shrugging his shoulders. Turning around, he started back toward where Abelia was waiting but stopped when he heard the tale tell noise of a revolver being cocked.

"Don't move mister," Will said coming up behind Festus, he lifted his gun from its holster and put it in the waist band of his pants.

"Yer makin a mistake feller," Festus said raising his hands. "I'm a United States Deputy Marshal."

"Move," Will said pushing Frestus forward.

"Festus," Abelia said her smile fading as she looked beyond Festus.

"Will!" she said running up to Festus.

The hillman lowered his hands to pull her into him as he turned around to look at his assailant.

"Who is this feller," he said looking at Abelia's surprised expression.

"I'm her husband," the man replied leveling his gun directly at Festus. "There's no room for one more!"

"Will...no!" Abelia screamed as she launched herself at Will just as he fired the gun.