Louie Pheeters stood up from behind the crate that provided his shelter for the night. In his hand was the almost empty bottle, which he carefully set back down behind the wooden box, hoping not to forget about it later.

Pheeters walked out the alley and stretched his arms out to his sides and arched his back. Slowly Louie began to wake up and clear his head. The rubbed his knuckles over his eyelids to try and clear his eyes. His stomach grumbled and he patted it, "I'll see what I can find," he spoke to himself as he meandered further out into the street. It was very early dawn and hardly anyone was on the street.

Louie staggered along when his attention was drawn to the shadowy figures up the street near the Double Duce Saloon. Louie squinted and wondered if he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes again and took another look.

Louie moved toward a store from and held the post to steady himself, as he watched the figures in the distance. He noted that one of them had a noticeable limp and they appeared to be in a hurry, but for what he couldn't understand. The Double Duce wasn't open for business, yet.

"I don't like this," Louie said he said to himself and backed away. "They look like they are up to no good," Pheeters continued. "I better get the marshal," he said before he scurried down the street toward the jail house at the far end of town.

Concerned for his own safety, Louie refrained from yelling for the marshal until he was closer to the jail. Pheeters quickly shuffled along and stopped near the bend in Front Street by the well. He could see the Long Branch and Delmonico's, but the jail house was still quite away down the street. Louie held onto the tree that stood in the middle of the street and tried to catch his breath.

Louie pushed off from the tree and continued down the street, however, he was too out of breath to call out for Matt. Pheeters reached the front door of the jail house and pushed it open, "Marshal!" he huffed.

The room was empty and only sound came from the area at the back where the holding cells where. Louie carefully opened the door to find Dawson Clark on a cot. He had his good arm draped over his face and he was sound asleep.

Louie looked around for any sign of the marshal, even the coffee was cold and the little wood stove was down to its last amber. "Now just where could the marshal be?" Louie asked himself as he looked around the office. "There's been so much trouble and now those two at the Double Duce," he stammered. "I better do something," he said still looking around when he spotted the gun and holster the deputized drovers left on Matt's desk.

Louie slowly walked to the gun and pulled it from the holster, "I'll have to find out for myself, what those two are up to," he said as he walked to the door with purpose. Louie stepped out onto the boardwalk and straightened his back and then swiped his free hand over his tussled hair, "Someone has to help the marshal," he stated and quickly moved up the street, back to the Double Duce Saloon.

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Matt knelt down and touched the cold but sticky red liquid, "They've been here," he said looking over his shoulder to Frank Silverson.

"How badly is he hurt?' Silverson asked.

"I don't know, but it appears not that badly as they didn't stay," Matt said as he stood up and looked around. "My guess is they went looking for a ride out of town," the marshal said as he wiped his hand on his handkerchief.

"Where would find that at this time of day?" Silverson asked.

"I don't know them well enough, but experience tells me they would be on the prowl for some horses," Matt stated.

"Horse thieves," Silverson said under his breath. He knew the charged carried a very heavy punishment.

"Maybe we'd better find them before it comes to that," Matt suggested.

Silverson nodded, "Yeah, that's a good idea, Matt. But where do we look?" the cattle baron asked.

Matt thought for a few seconds, "I think we'd better head up the street. The Double Duce Saloon is likely the best place to start because it's one for having some interesting over night visitors," Matt frowned.

"I see," Silverson said as he adjusted his gun belt. "You think they spent the night there?"

"I don't know," Matt stated, "but it's a possibility," the marshal said. Matt could see that Silverson was not impressed with the idea of his son-in-law staying over in an establishment with a reputation on the raw side.

Silverson flexed his jowls, "If I get my hands on that..." the trailed off as he noted the look on Matt's face.

"We are going to do this my way, or you can go back to your outfit and wait," Matt stated. "I'm the marshal, remember?"

Silverson huffed, "Yeah, I do," he growled. "If you hadn't set those damn parameters for the men to come into town, this wouldn't have happened," Silverson looked for somewhere to lay blame.

Matt stopped and looked Silverson in the eyes, "I set them because of what your men did to my town last year. I will not take any responsibility for your son-in-law and the men he hangs around with," Matt said sternly. Silverson said nothing. He knew Matt was right, but he wasn't going to admit it, "Come on, let's find them," he grumbled as he marched passed Matt. Matt's eyebrows furrowed - he was growing more anxious about the bank robbers, Silverson, his wounded friends and the fact he dead tired. Matt shook his head and followed the cattle baron up the street.

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Louie Pheeters could see the men again and this time they were gathering horses, "They're horse thieves!" Louie spoke again to himself. "I sure with the marshal was here to help!" he said as he walked closer to the men.

Mike Hamilton pulled a horse around and out to the street. Larry Bishop used the crates to help him mount his horse. He had no strength left in his leg.

Hamilton guided the horses along the street, in the quiet morning.

Louie wet his lips and looked down at the gun in his hand. He looked up at the men again as the one walking and leading the horses looked around trying to avoid being caught.

Louie's heart pounded in his chest and he lifted the gun and pulled back the hammer, "Hold it right there, mister," he pointed the gun at Hamilton.

Hamilton froze and he glared at the old man, "What the hell is your problem?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"I can tell horse thieves when I see them," Louie stated.

"Oh?" Hamilton said. "How does that work?"

"I saw you looking suspicious over there early," he indicated toward the Double Duce.

"Well of course, friend. You don't want to be caught at a place like that, do you?" Hamilton smiled.

Louie thought for a second, "I guess not, but," he was about to say something when Bishop spoke up, "Just shot him, will you? My leg is killing me," he said from up top of the horse.

Louie shook, "Oh, no you don't he said as his free hand came up and cupped his hand holding the pistol.

Hamilton laughed and dropped his hand to his side next to his gun, "Try it old man. Go on," he smiled and then a shot rang out.

Matt and Silverson stopped in their tracks, "That came from up the street," Matt exclaimed.