"Hostile Witness"

"I'm a-tellin' you, Doc, I saw him, and he was at least 50 pounds."

The doctor swiped an irritated hand across the lower half of his face. "Oh you did not. There has never been a trout that big in Cottonwood crick..."

Haggen held his hand up as if taking an oath. "If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'."

Adams opened his mouth, prepared to make a comment, but the soft kick on his chin under the table stopped him. He looked into the bright blue eyes of the owner of the pointy shoe, and the meaning was clear. Adams inhaled a large breath of air and rolled his eyes.

"Fifty pound trout in Cottonwood crick...well that's...it's ridiculous."

Haggen's eyes narrowed in exasperation. "You know the problem with you, you old scudder is that you cain't never take no one's word for nuthin'. I seen it with my own eyeballs. I knowed what I sawed."

"You might 'knowed what you sawed,' but things aren't always as they appear, ya know. The water could have played tricks on ya, the sunlight might have hit just right to make somethin' look bigger than it was; or maybe you just saw somethin' you wanted to believe!"

The old man winked at Kitty, who smiled slightly and shook her head. Dillon silently observed the exchange, an amused grin on his face; it wouldn't be Sunday night dinner at Delmonico's if Festus and Doc weren't arguing about something.

Doc glared at Festus. "Are you sittin' there, tellin' me that you ain't never made a mistake about anything you've ever seen?"

"No, I ain't, you dag-blamed old billy goat. You just ain't happy a-tall unless you're needlin' me about somethin' are ya?"

But Doc Adams was no longer listening. His stare was fixed toward the door of Delmonico's, at the couple standing in it. Kitty glanced at the man who was well-dressed in a suit and hat typical of a gentleman from the eastern states, and somewhere in his mid-70's; and the woman, at least thirty years his junior, was wearing a dress the likes of which Kitty only wished they sold in Dodge. Dillon's brow furrowed slightly.

"Doc? Somethin' wrong?"

The old man said nothing as he watched the couple be escorted to a table a few feet away. Matt gently touched Adams' forearm.

"Doc? You know those folks?"

Kitty exchanged a confused glance with Matt as the doctor's attention stayed transfixed to the strangers at the nearby table. Kitty couldn't remember ever seeing such a look of pure, unadulterated hatred in Doc Adams' eyes, and it sent a shudder through her clear down to her bones. Abruptly Adams stood and stalked angrily over to the man and woman, his voice loud enough to fill the restaurant.

"Dr. Bradley? Aaron Bradley?"

The man looked up at Adams, not a hint of recognition on his face. "Yes?"

"Dr. Aaron Bradley of Easton, Maryland?"

The man frowned slightly, feeling the intensity of Adams' anger. "Yes..."

"You don't remember me, do you?"

The older man shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I don't. Have we met?"

The steel in Doc's voice sent another shiver through Kitty. "We certainly have. Twenty-seven years, three weeks and two days ago. But then, maybe you've killed too many people since then to remember me..."

Bradley stood, preparing to handle the insult. "I beg your pardon."

Adams was literally shaking with anger, and Kitty felt her throat constrict with fear. Matt stared at Doc unbelievingly; in all the years he had known him, he had never known the man to be rude. Festus felt his muscles tense up, ready to spring into whatever action Doc might need from him.

Doc's timbre was positively caustic, "Galen Adams. Dr. Galen Adams..."

It took a moment, but then Adams saw the recognition slowly filter onto the man's face.

Bradley almost stuttered, "I...I had no idea you were are doctor..."

"There was little choice. I had to save people from quacks like you." His swirling emotions spiraled out of control, and Adams grabbed Bradley by the lapels, pulling him into his face. "I ought to take you apart one little piece at a time!"

The young woman with Bradley rose. "Take your hands off him!"

Matt stood. "Doc! Let him go!"

But Adams was too far gone to hear the marshall. He shook the man, hard.

Bradley's voice remained even, "You would no sooner cause harm than I--"

"--than you?...you...how can you even count yourself among the profession? You have caused harm, and you know it!"

The young woman pulled at Doc's arm. "Let him go!"

Dillon went to Adams, gently gripping his shoulders. "Doc, take it easy. Let go of him..."

But Adams shrugged the marshall off, and the wild look in his pale blue eyes caused Kitty's stomach to turn.

The man reasoned with Doc even as Dillon tried to gently pry Adams away. "You could no more harm me than refuse to help me if I needed you; you're a doctor--"

Adams growled into the man's face, "I wouldn't lift a finger to help you if you were dyin' at my feet."

Dillon forcefully pulled Adams off Bradley, and held onto him from behind. "Doc, you need to just calm down."

Doc's voice was filled with raw emotion, "I'm gonna kill you, Bradley. If it's the last thing I ever do, I'm gonna make you pay--"

Dillon roughly turned Adams around to face him. "Doc, that's enough. What in the hell's the matter with you?" He turned to Haggen. "Festus, get Doc out of here, cool him off."

Without a word, Haggen took a strong hold of Adams' arm, and led him out of Delmonico's. Dillon turned to the older man.

"Dr. Bradley, is it?" The man nodded and Dillon continued, "I'm Marshall Dillon," he indicated Kitty, "and this is Kitty Russell."

The man tipped his hat, "Ma'am." He indicated the younger woman with him as he straightened his tie and coat. "This is my daughter, Ruth."

Dillon tipped his hat and turned his attention back to Bradley. "How do you know Doc Adams?"

"You heard him, Marshall, it was back east."

When the man offered nothing more, Dillon continued, "I've known Doc Adams a long time, and he's a rational man...I'm sorry to put it this way, but there must have been a reason for his behavior."

The old man shook his head sadly. "A piece of my past that I'd rather not remember, Marshall." He took his daughter by the arm. "If you'll excuse us now, I'm afraid I'm very tired."

But Dillon didn't let go. "I'll need to speak with you further, Dr. Bradley."

"Look Marshall Dillon, my daughter and I were just stopping in Dodge to rest, we were only going to stay a few days, but we can move on in the morning. There's no need for your concern."

"But Papa, you need to have a few days rest before we continue on--"

"--No, Ruth. There's no need for us to stay here. We can stop over in the next town."

"Where are you heading, Bradley?"

"California. I'm...retiring there."

Dillon noted the sadness in Ruth Bradley's eyes, but all he said was, "I see."

"Good night, Marshall, and good-bye."

Dillon nodded. "Dr. Bradley, Miss Bradley..."

The marshall and Russell watched the two of them walk out the door, and then Kitty turned to him. "I can only remember seeing Doc this angry one other time, and frankly Matt, this was far worse."

"Yeah, Doc seemed pretty out of control."

She stood, gathering her purse. "Let's go check on him. Maybe we can get him to tell us about it."

Matt nodded. "I hope Festus was able to calm him down some..."