Festus was just stepping to the door when Matt and Kitty entered the doctor's office. Doc was busy gathering tables, basins and whatever else he felt he needed to save Ambrose Ferguson's life.
Even Kitty gasped as she looked at the pale man stretched out on the examination table.
Matt took several steps into the room, "How is he Doc?" he asked.
Doc took a quick look over his shoulder, "Not good Matt. It's touch and go now," he said with bitterness in his tone.
Kitty moved over next to Matt, "Is there anything I can do to help, Doc?" she asked in a soft voice.
Doc paused and looked from Matt to Ambrose and then to Kitty, "You want to help?" he said in as slightly confused way.
Kitty nodded, "You look like you need it," she offered.
Doc studied Kitty's face for a moment, "I sure could," he added. "I need hot water and a lot of cotton strips," Doc said.
Kitty nodded and quickly went to the little wood stove and started a fire within.
Doc's eyebrows knotted together slightly as he looked at Matt. Matt stood looking down at Ambrose, "People can change, Doc," was all the marshal could offer.
Doc's left eyebrow arched slightly and he continued preparing to set Ambrose's broken leg.
Matt stepped to the door, "Call if you need me," he said as he watched Kitty diligently working on the fire and boiling water.
"Thanks, Matt," Doc said over his shoulder and then quickly refocused on Ambrose's leg.
Matt pulled the door closed behind him and walked down the stairs. The marshal's eyes caught the sight of Festus with Boyd and McBride's boots as he was headed up the street to let the two men out of the ice house. Matt quickly walked up Front Street to catch up with the deputy.
Festus cursed all the way as he smacked the boots together, "I'd like to be banging your heads together instead," the hill man grumbled. "In fact ifin I had my way you'd spend the rest of yer natural born days in that ice house," he then spoke aloud out of pure anger.
"Festus?" Matt called for the deputy.
"Oh, hiya Matthew," the hill man looked slightly embarrassed.
"Did you form a guard for Doc's office?" Matt asked.
"I did. Newly and Burke are on the first shift. Sam and Roy are on next and me and Ed O'Connor are on next. And we'll continue to rotate as needed," Festus stated.
Matt nodded, "Good. Thanks Festus," the marshal tied to smile but a yawn sneaked out instead.
"Matthew, you look like you need a week's sleep! You jist go and lay down in my room at the stable and I'll take care of thangs," the hill man stated.
Matt nodded, "You know Festus, that sounds like the most reasonable thing you've said in a long while," he half laughed. "I'm not doing anyone any good being this tired," the marshal sighed.
"No you ain't," Festus concurred. "I'd a said something earlier, but you had that look in yer eyes," Festus stated.
"I'm sure I did," Matt added. "If Barney from the telegraph office is looking for me, just take the message and give it to me when I get up in an hour or two," Matt asked.
"Sure thang, Matthew," Festus smiled and ticked his head.
"And make sure that Boyd and McBride know that they are still under surveillance," Matt added. "I know they are guilty, but I need to prove it," he stated.
"I'll be keeping my peepers on them. Don't you fret about that," Festus said as his eyes narrowed.
There was something in Festus' tone that didn't sit well with Matt, "Remember you are wearing a badge and sworn under oath," he said.
Festus looked down at his badge and then up again at Matt, "Sometimes that's a shame," he said and turned away to unlock the ice house and release Avery McBride and Jeremy Boyd.
Avery McBride and Jeremy Boyd shivered as the tried to adjust their sitting positions on the bale of hay that was their seat in the ice house, "They can't make us stay in here that much longer," Boyd spoke through his chattering teeth.
"I don't know what's taking so long," McBride shuttered. "Either they know we did it or don't," he muttered.
Both men looked up at the door and saw Festus standing there with their boots. Avery looked over his shoulder, "Well here we go," he said in a hushed voice.
"Alright you two rats. The marshal is letting you go, but you can mark my word, we ain't through with you jist yet," Festus said as he threw their boots down to their feet and began to untie them.
"I still don't know what you are talking about, deputies," Boyd smiled.
Festus looked up into the man's dark eye, "My foot you don't. We'll see that you get what's coming," Festus growled.
"You said the marshal is letting us go?" McBride asked. "That means he got out of the fire, then," he smiled.
"It does," Festus finished with the ropes and stood back.
"What about that other fellow we heard was in the jail," McBride pried.
Festus refused to answer, "Get yer boots on and get out of here," he barked. "And I'll be keepin' my eyeballs on you," he said pointing his index finger at both men as they scrambled to pull their boots on and get to their feet.
"I don't know why we're being treated like this!" Boyd snarled. "I might even lodge a complaint," he grunted as he climbed the stairs to the street above.
"You jist go right ahead. There's a few other's ahead of you in that line up," Festus growled as he followed the men to the door.
Avery McBride stopped at the threshold, "Would one of them be Ambrose Ferguson?" he smiled. The look on Festus' face was enough to let McBride know that the old mountain man was also alive. Avery said nothing more and turned stepping out into the brightness of the day. He shielded his eyes with his hand, "Do we get our guns back?" he asked.
"You can pick them up at the freight office," Festus pointed up the street. "And remember, we're watching you," he said as his left eye scrunched up.
"Sure, deputy," Boyd nodded. "Come on Avery, let's get our guns and something to eat," he motioned and began to walk away.
McBride was still studying the deputy, "We'll be on our best behaviour," he smiled before he joined his friend who was well across the street.
"Ferguson is still alive!" McBride boasted. "We can still get that gold, once we find him," he said playfully cuffing Boyd across the shoulder.
"I know. But we're really going to have to be careful now," he said in hushed voice.
"We can do this," McBride smiled. "I can almost taste it!" he laughed.
Both men stopped in front of Del Monicos and turned to look at the deputy, "He might be a problem," Boyd said.
"I think he's laying about the marshal too. He would have been the one to release us," McBride reason.
"Let's eat and think this through," Boyd said calmly as he turned toward the restaurant door.
Festus glared at the two men, "I don't trust those two as far as I can bounce an anvil in a swamp," he grumbled and turned away.