Frank Silverson stood at the little table in the middle of the jail house office. His eyes were fixed on Larry Bishop.
"Now if I told you once, I told you a thousand times, you can't go back to the prisoners," Festus Haggen said while wagging his right index finger at the cattle baron.
Silverson's eyes shifted to the deputy, "I just want five minutes with that rotten…" his voice trailed off when the door opened and Matt and Judge Brooker stepped into the room.
Matt's eyes scanned the room, "What's going on here," he asked.
"I've been trying to tell Festus here that I want to talk to Larry, but he won't let me," Silverson huffed.
Matt nodded to Festus indicating that he had done the right thing. Festus continued to scowl at the cattle baron. Matt moved toward Silverson, "Why do you want to see Larry?"
Silverson looked at Matt and then to judge Brooker and back again, "He's my son-in-law. Remember?"
Matt's jowl muscles flexed and he reached over and pulled the gun from Silverson's holster, "If you have a knife, I want that too," he stated.
Silverson pursed his lips and slowly pulled a hunting knife from a sheath on the inside of his belt. He dropped the knife onto the wooden table.
"You have five minutes," Matt said sternly. Silverson quickly looked over to judge Brooker before he turned and walked toward the holding cell.
Matt crossed his arms across his chest and watched Silverson and Bishop from where he stood. Festus grumbled something under his breath, "What is it, Festus?"
The deputy looked up to Matt, "All the hoorawing I heard from that Silverson fer the last ten minutes," he said in a flap. "He's just gone and made me mad, is all," he mumbled. Matt nodded, "I noticed," he stated with a slight smirk on his face. Festus made a face.
Silverson moved slowly and calculated to the cell that held his son-in-law captive, "What have you got to say for yourself?" Silverson growled.
"Nothing to you old man," Bishop hissed back.
"You had better come up with something. Remember you are married to my daughter," Silverson said as he grabbed at the iron bars that separated the two men.
Bishop laughed, "You are dumber than you look," he stated while continuing to laugh. Hamilton and Clarke snickered.
"Get on your feet you dirty rat," Silverson ordered.
"Why?" Bishop asked defiantly. "You can't touch me. The marshal is watching you," Bishop smiled wickedly.
Silverson shook with rage, "I said stand up and get over here!" he yelled.
Matt had enough, "Come on Frank," he walked back to the holding cell and took Silverson by the right upper arm. "Let go of the bars," Matt ordered.
"Not until this little bastard tells me why he married my daughter!" Silverson clung to the bars.
Bishop was laughing hard, "You are dumber than a stump!" he pointed at Silverson.
"It was for my ranch and money, wasn't it?" Silverson seethed.
Bishop finally stood and limped to the bars, "It took you all this time to figure it out?" he glared through the bars, "I was just waiting for you to drop dead," Bishop half laughed. "Didn't you wonder just a little bit why I signed onto this God forsaken drive?"
"I signed you on to keep you way from Lisa, you snake skin. I didn't want to, but I did. For my Lias!" Silverson snarled.
Matt had enough, "Frank!" he tugged hard on the cattle baron's arm, finally pulling him away from the jail cell.
Silverson looked back at the cowboy, "I hope you rot in hell," he sneered.
"If I do, I'm sure I'll find you there," Bishop said as he added a wad of spit through the iron bars, which landed short of Matt's foot. Matt's eyes narrowed at the young man, "You aren't doing yourself any favours," he said in a low cold voice.
Judge Brooker and Festus Haggen watched on with interest.
Matt finally was able to wrangle Frank Silverson back into the main office area, "Sit down," he said shoving the cattle baron onto a chair.
"Mr. Silverson," Brooker spoke, "If Larry Bishop is your son-in-law, you should know that there will be no jury at this trial and that in all likelihood he will be receiving a very hefty sentence of ten years confinement and hard labour," Brooks said while he held his top hat in his hands.
Silverson's eyes lifted to the judge, "Ten years? That's all?" he scoffed and looked back to the holding cell.
Larry Bishop, Mike Hamilton and Dawson Clark were pressed to the bars, "Did I hear you say ten years?" Bishop yelled.
Judge Brook motioned for Festus to close the wooden door between the office and holding cell. Festus obliged, "Those fellers are madder than wet hornets now," he stated as he pulled the door shut.
"They will only dig themselves deeper into trouble," Brooker stated.
"They can all go to hell," Silverson sputtered. "They were the most useless drovers I've ever hired," he continued growl.
Matt stood in front of the cattle baron with his hands placed firmly on his hips, "If you don't shut up, I'll lock you away too," he stated. Silverson made a sour face at the marshal as he shifted in the chair.
"Now, Mr. Silverson. I will be holding the trial tomorrow morning. You are welcome to sit in, but you will not have any say. Matt has everyone's statements and what they hold are very strong. The sentencing will be swift and the prisoners' wagon will be here as well," judge Brooker stated.
"Just make them go away," Silverson swatted his backhand toward the closed door. Both Matt and Brooker exchanged glances.
"Tomorrow it is," Brooker repeated as he walked to the door and stopped, "And Mr. Silverson, I would suggest you go back to your men tonight," he smiled. Somehow, he didn't like Silverson's action, and whether they were unreasonable feelings or not, he leaned on the side of caution.
Silverson looked completely exasperated, "You won't see me in town tomorrow morning. I don't think I could trust myself around those three," he grumbled as he stood. "I'm going back to my outfit and am staying there. Maybe later in the day, the marshal here can see that the town opens up a little," he said as he stepped next to Brooker.
Matt nodded, "If you keep your word," his steel blue eyes watched Silverson.
"Yeah. Sure, Matt," he grumbled before he cut in front of the judge and hastily left the jail house.
Matt shook his head, "Don't worry about him, judge. He won't be back," Matt sighed.
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"By the order of this court, I find all of you guilty and you shall receive the sentences that I have formally laid before you, in this court of law. This court is closed," Brooker stated as he whacked the gavel down on the block.
Festus, Newly and Matt led the three drovers out to the awaiting prison wagon, "If I get my hands on Silverson, I'll cut his heart out," Bishop murmured to Dawson Clark.
"He'll likely be already dead before we see the outside again," Clark growled.
"No talking," Matt ordered and received evil eyes from both men as they were loaded into the back of the wagon. Matt handed the keys to one of the guards while the other clamped the paddle lock shut. The metallic click sent shivers down Mike Hamilton's spine, "No...this is all wrong! I can't stay like this for ten years!" he fought with the door on the wagon as the driver pulled it away.
Festus, Sam, Kitty, Doc and Jonas joined Matt in the middle of Front Street as they watched the wagon disappear around the bend in the street.
Kitty swallowed, "I don't know if any of you are up to it, but drinks are on me," she said as she looked at her friends.
Doc drew his hand across his moustache, "You know Kitty, I think you'd make a wonderful nurse," he smiled and followed Kitty toward the Long Branch. Jonas, Sam, Matt and Festus followed along. "How's that new cane, Doc?" Jonas asked to change the subject.
"Just fine, Jonas. Just fine," he smiled and was relieved that the horrible chapter in Dodge's history was finally closed.
