Matt and Festus walked into the Hays City jailhouse as they had done many times before. Sheriff Tom Taber was standing near the stove, pouring a mug of coffee.
"Hi fellas...here to see Doc?"
Dillon moved swiftly to take Taber's gun from its holster, while Festus relieved him of the hot coffee pot. Matt pointed his gun at Taber, moving him toward the door leading to the cells.
"Matt...what the hell are you doing?"
"Sorry Tom, but there's no other way. Get the keys."
Taber picked up the keys from their peg as Matt herded him toward the door. "Don't do it, Matt. You're throwing away your entire life, a brilliant career...why?"
"Because that man in there didn't kill anybody; he's saved hundreds of lives, mine included, and I'll be damned if I let him hang."
"But Matt--"
"--Shet yer trap, Sheriff," Festus added, "our minds is done made up, so jes' keep a-movin' and ain't nothin' gonna happen to ya."
Doc looked up to see the door open, Taber enter with keys followed by Festus and Matt holding guns.
"Matt what in the tarnation do you think you're doin'?"
"What I have to, Doc. Open the door, Tom."
Taber unlocked the Doc's door, and Festus shoved him inside the other cell, locking it with the keys.
Taber's voice stayed calm, "They'll chase you down, Matt, you know that."
"They can try." He looked at Adams, whose face touted disapproval. "Come on, Doc, this is no time to dawdle."
Adams pointed to the piece of tin on Dillon's shirt. "And what about that? What about that badge that you've worn since I've known ya? Ya sayin' it don't mean a thing now? All those years of bein' dedicated to the law, and you're gonna just throw it all away?"
Matt's eyes were a mix of anger and love. "I'm making a choice between the law and the life of someone who means more to me than this badge." Dillon pulled the badge off his shirt and threw it on Doc's cot. "Now come on."
"No."
"No?"
"You heard me, Matt, no. I won't let you do this."
"You won't let me do this? Doc, in case you missed it, they're gonna hang you in a few hours. If we don't get outta here now, we never will."
Festus grabbed a hold of Adams' shirt. "Come on, ya blamed ol' scudder, this ain't no time to git a-lecturizin' on nobody."
Doc gripped Haggen's hand with his own, and Festus was surprised by the strength of it. "I said no, Festus, and I meant it. I ain't lettin' the two of you give up your lives on account of me, and there's nothin' more to say about it. Now quit actin' like fools, let the sheriff outta that cell, give him back his gun, and I'm sure he'll forgive and forget, won't you sheriff?"
"Sure. Sure I will. Matt listen to him, he's talkin' sense."
The tall lawman began to pace. "I can't believe this, Doc. We came in here to bust you out, and you're puttin' a stop to your own jailbreak?" Adams appeared to be unmoved, so Dillon tried another tact. "Listen, if you won't leave for yourself, then do it for Kitty, Festus and me."
"'Specially Miss Kitty, Doc, she ain't stopped cryin' since we left the courthouse."
Doc looked down at the floor and swallowed hard. "I'm not going to let the two of you do this, now stop this foolishness, and come to your senses."
"Ain'tcha heared me, Doc? Miss Kitty's cryin' herself silly over you..."
"I heard you, Festus." He looked up at the big marshall. "Matt, I don't wantcha to do this." He gently reached for the pistol in Dillon's hand. "Now give me the gun, Matt, and sit down here for a minute."
Dillon allowed Doc to take his gun, and he sat down on the bunk. Doc stood next to him, his hand on the marshall's shoulder.
"I know how ya feel, and I can't tell ya how much it means to me that you and Festus were willing to give up everything to save my neck; but if you love me, Matt, you'll stop this before anyone else gets hurt."
Matt looked up into the pale blue eyes, and Doc nodded at him. And Matt Dillon leaned his elbows down on his knees, put his head in his hands and cried. Doc softly stroked the back of Matt's head with his hand.
"It's all right ol' boy, it's all right."
Doc looked up then to see Festus leaning against the cell doors, his gun back in his holster, silent tears streaming down his face. After softly patting Matt's shoulder, he walked over to Haggen.
"Festus? Now come on and look me in the eye." After a minute, Haggen turned his tearstained face toward the old doctor. "That's better. You heard what I told Matt..." Festus nodded, and Doc continued, "the same holds true for you."
Haggen's voice was soft and sad, "If'n I could take yer place Doc, I'd do it in a heartbeat 'cause I cain't stand the thought of you swingin' from the end of no rope..."
Festus looked away, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Here now," Doc turned Haggen's face toward him and wiped away the moisture. "I've never seen so much bellyachin' from grown men in all my life, and I can't say I like it, no sir."
"Well nobody asked ya ta like it, ya ol' billy goat."
Doc cuffed the back of Haggen's head, and pulled him close. "I want to ask a favor of you, Festus, and I want you to go along with it, no arguments."
"Doc?"
"I want you to take Kitty and head back to Dodge."
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
"But Doc--"
"--No arguments ya ol' mule. Just do this one little favor for me, all right?"
Festus couldn't keep the emotion from his timbre, "Ya don't want us 'round no more?"
Doc put both hands on Haggen's shoulders. "Festus, I can't bear to have you and Kitty there. Try and understand that."
"And Matthew?"
Doc lied. "He has to be there to witness it, you and Kitty don't. Now go on."
"She'll want to see you afore we leave..."
"I know that..."
"Wull?"
"I can't deny her that..."
Doc watched Festus leave, never having seen the deputy so low in spirit. Matt stood.
"What was all that about?"
"Matt, lookin' at the two of them'll have me ballin' like some kinda baby. But I know that if you're there, you'll help me stay strong."
Dillon looked deeply into the eyes of steel blue, and he pat Doc's shoulder. "Sure hope you're right..."
Matt stepped out, locked the door, and unlocked the cell holding Sheriff Taber. "I'm sorry Tom, I hope you can forgive me."
"Forgive you for what? Nothin' happened..."
Taber left the room, and Doc picked up Matt's badge.
"Hey, Marshall, you'll need this..."
Adams handed Dillon his badge through the bars, and Matt pinned it back onto his shirt, then he looked at Adams.
"You're sure it has to be this way, Doc?"
"I'm sure, Matt. But it meant an awful lot to me to see the two of you try."
"If you need something..."
"I'll letcha know if I do. And Matt...you take care of Festus and Kitty fer me. I'm a little worried about both of them in all of this."
Matt mustered his best smile for Adams. "You're the doggonest old man, you know that?"
Doc's smile matched Dillon's. "You bet."
Matt Dillon left the room, closing the door behind him, and Doc Adams sat on his bunk, shaking from a cold fear he had never known.