Doc inched his way down the hall until Brown caught sight of him. The doctor froze in his footsteps and he swallowed hard. He was certain that everyone in the building could hear his heart pounding in his chest.

Brown's eyes narrowed into snake-like slits as he turn toward the doctor pointing the shotgun around chest height. "Where is my daughter you old cow doctor?"

Doc straightened slightly, "Thomas, I won't allow you near Jennie in the state your in. Why look at you...you're a..." Brown pulled the hammer back on the gun, "I don't care what I look like Doc. But if you care what you look like...or maybe these folks here, you better tell me where Jennie is before I cut you in half!"

Doc's little plan fizzled. Now he hope that someone outside the boarding house was paying some attention, and where in hell was Matt? "Thomas...it's not too late..." Doc held his right hand out in from of himself in a warning motion, "I'll help you...Matt with too. You know that."

Brown broke in to hubris laughter. "I doubt the marshal has any blood left in him! I shot him back at my farm! You're on your own, quack!" Doc's heart skipped a beat at the news. Now he was trapped and unable to help Matt. The old physician's jaw muscles flexed in anger and helplessness - his heart ached as the situation unfolded in front of him. Deep down and passed his Hippocratic Oath, he wished for Thomas Brown to died. Guilt built the tears that stung his eyes and he prayed that Matt was all right.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Festus finally reached the back door of Ma's boarding house and he entered. Quietly he stepped closer to the kitchen where he saw ma and they two young people Matt had asked to stay in town. The way they were standing gave Festus a chill. Obviously they were witness to something the hill couldn't see, and sharp instincts told him what and who. He tried to peek around the three people that stood in the doorway and with a quick glance he saw Thomas Brown pointing the gun down the hall. "He's got ol Doc cornered..." Festus muttered to himself as his anger level rose. He did his best to hold back and it wasn't for his own fears of getting hurt, but his fear of getting Doc hurt.

Matt had also reached the front of the boarding house. He took a quick peek through the front window and was Brown and Doc. His lips pursed as he tried to think how he was going to get the jump in Brown.

Jim O'Connor spotted the marshal and Ma had noted Festus' entrance. Jim took one step back and placed his hand on the object at the stove. His move was so subtle that Brown continued his stare down of the town doctor. With a quick move he shoved the cast iron pan into his wife's hands. "Do it again honey!" his eyes twinkled. Marie looked down at the pan and smiled back. She hurled the fry pan at Brown hitting him in the left knee. As he yelped in pain and fell he pulled the trigger of the shotgun and the blast knocked him flat.

Doc had taken cover and both Matt and Festus now entered the room with guns drawn.

Brown struggled to his feet and faced Matt. Matt motioned for Festus to lead the three people in the kitchen to safety. And once they were out of sight, Matt spoke, "You okay, Doc?"

"I'm fine Matt. How about you? Brown told me he shot you?" Doc spoke from behind a chair.

"He did. You can see me in a few minutes, all depending on how Tom wants this to end."

"You are just like him, Matt. Down on me..." Brown pointed the shotgun at the marshal.

"Don't be a fool Thomas. Put the gun down."

Brown looked down at the weapon. "I am not leaving here without my daughter, Matt." His eyes lifted back up to the tall lawman's eyes.

"Sorry Tom. That's not going to happen." Matt's deep voice wavered with sympathy and anger.

Thomas looked over his shoulder to the doctor who also shook he head "no". His eyes then slowly trailed back to Matt's. Brown flinched a to pull back the second hammer and matt had no choice but to defend himself and the other people in the building. Brown dropped the gun and wavered on his feet before pitching sideways and crashing to the floor.

By now, Festus, Ma and the O'Connors had re-entered the kitchen. Festus joined Matt and Doc who knelt down next to Brown. "Did everything I could to raise a family on that farm..." he gulped. " and when my wife died...I did too..." With one last gasp Thomas Brown was dead.

Jennie stood in the hallway and clutched her hands to her mouth. She began to cry uncontrollably. "Oh, Pa..." she was crying so hard that her breathing was almost huffing. Doc stood and walked to her and carefully placed his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest.

Kitty had arrived on the scene after hearing the gun shots. "Matt. Your leg!"

Matt nodded and limped toward Jim and Marie. "Mrs?".

"O"Connor..." Jim smiled. "I'm Jim...her husband."

"What you did just now was a very risky thing..." Matt's eyes looked down to Marie's. She felt slightly sheepish. "However, you also did something very brave. I want you to keep those cast iron pans handy from now on." He smiled with a wink and started to turn. "Marshal?"

"Yes?"

"The young lady over there...his daughter. We've heard things around town about what he's done..." She scowled at the thought.

"Yes..." Matt continued.

"Well, Jim and I have been talking. It seems to us she doesn't have much left here now...do you suppose that she would like to go north with us? Jim has a sister that she could stay with...it would be a shame if she has no-one now..."

Matt smiled. "I don't know, but you could ask her."

And with that, Jim took Marie by the arm and the walked over to Doc and the young lady. Doc left her with the O'Connors and limped back to Matt. "Maybe things are going to be okay for Jennie after all."

Matt placed his hand on Doc's shoulder, "It sure looks that way Doc...now, could you look at my leg?" Doc looked at the marshal's lag and smirked, "You want me to take care of that, after your comment?"

Matt smiled as did Doc and the two limped out of the boarding house knowing all would be well again in Dodge and for Jennie Brown.