Emma and Clay slowly walked across the busy street and approached the jail house, neither of them didn't know what to expect with regards to Daniel Jackson and his jail term. Emma was still uncertain about what she was going to say to her husband and she knew Clay was itching to have a few questions answered as well. The boy fussed and was easily distracted by the hubbub of the frontier town. "Stop fussing!" Emma took the youngster by the arm, "We have to sort this mess out with your Pa," Emma said to hold her patience and moved across the street.

"How'd Pa get arrested anyway?" Clay looked up to his mother.

"It's a long story and it started when he went hunting last fall. I warned him of the weather, but you know your Pa, he'd head strong," Emma sighed.

"Then what?" Clay pushed for further answers.

"Then the winter came, and he musta got lost, or something," Emma urged Clay to keep up as they reached the boardwalk and headed toward the jail.

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Festus watched the farmers pulled the dead cat off the travios and drag it to a tree at the centre of the square. There was a tinge of sadness that ran through the hill man's veins as he watched the cattlemen tie and hoist the dead cat up into the tree for all to see. Festus ticked his head and scuffed his left boot across the sandy ground as he turned to unhitch Ruth frm the buggy, "Some things jist don't seem right, do they Ruth?" His mule snorted at him which he took as one snort in agreement.

Emma and Clay stood outside the Hayes jail house. Clay slowly lifted his right hand and fit it into his mother's left. Emma looked down and smiled as they both tightened their grip. Emma drew a deep breath and opened the large, heavy wooden door.

The Hayes deputy stood up from the chair behind the sheriff's desk, "Can I help you ma'am?"

Emma approached and released Clays hand only to wrap him in his arm, "My husband is being held here..."

Deputy Howard scratched his chin, "Daniel Jackson, is it?" he smiled,

"Yes! Yes, that's his name," Emma stepped closer, "May I see him?"

Howard shrugged, "Don't see why not. He's just her til he pays his fine."

Emma and Clay started toward the cell then she stopped and looked at the deputy, "What fine?" she smiled weakly while holding Clay at her side.

"The one fer recking the place. What he was arrested for." Howard scratched his head, "I believe it's seventy-five dollars."

Emma gasped, "Seventy-five dollars!?" Her eyes cast down to Clay and she swallowed, "seventy-five dollars is a lot of money..."

Clay tried to smile, "I know Ma. We'll come up with some I'm sure," he hugged her waist and she inturn knelt down and hugged him tightly.

"When can I have a hug?" the rugged voice asked from the jail cell. Emma stopped and looked over her shoulder, "Daniel?" she stood and turned.

Daniel sheepishly nodded and smiled. His whiskered face concealed his rouged good looks, Hi Emma..."

Emma walked slowly to the cell, "I thought you were dead..." she cried and held his hands through the bars.

"No. No, I ain't dead.," he smiled and continued to hold her hands.

"I can see that!" Emma snapped and pulled her hands back, "Why didn't you write if you was in Dodge or here bustin' things up?!"

Daniel backed away from the cell's iron bars, "I rightly don't know. I was out huntin' and then snow came and I landed here and drifted to Dodge..."

Emma scowled at her husband, "You left us and forgot about us!"

Daniel shook his head no, "No. No, I never did forget about you and the boy...it was just the farm."

Emma's shoulders sank, "You gave up on the farm and left Clay and I behind?"

"No. Not like that!" Daniel was getting frustrated as he realized that everything he said was now the wrong thing.

"Daniel? Where do you expect me to find seventy-five dollars to get you out of there?" Emma asked with her balled up hands on firmly on her hips.

Daniel''s mouth slowly dropped open, "I don't know..." he moved back to the bars and looked at his wife, "You'll try, won't you?"

Emma didn't know what to say about the money, instead she gathered Clay and looked back over her shoulder, "I'll see what I can do."

Daniel noted the coldness in her voice and slowly sank back to his cot and watched his wife and son leave the building.