The knock on his hotel room door wasn't a total surprise, but Judge Dalton had hoped that the plea for Doc Adams' life would have come at an earlier hour. Still, he knew that Matt Dillon would try. He got up from his bed as the knocker became more insistent.

"Hold on to your horses, I'm comin'..."

He threw his robe on over his nightshirt, and opened the door, the shock on his face apparent.

Dalton's voice was low, "This is certainly a surprise..."

"May I have a moment, Judge Dalton?"

"Yes, I expect that you can..."

She hadn't wanted to break down; she hadn't wanted to do that to him, but Kitty Russell could not stop the sobs that continued to have their way with her. She clung to him as though she would never let go, the front of Doc's shirt completely wet from her tears. He patiently held her, rocking her gently, rubbing the back of her head.

"Shhhh, just calm down, Kitty. Take a deep breath for me, baby." She tried to take a slow breath, and he pat her back. "...that's it. There's my girl." Doc kissed the side of her head, and held her tightly to him. "Are you gonna let me talk to you fer awhile, hmmm?"

She nodded her head against him, and very gently, he pushed away from her slightly so he could see her face. He smiled sweetly at her, brushed her hair back, and then the tears from her cheeks.

"That's better."

Her voice was shaky, but she fought with all her might to keep from crying again. "Please don't send me away, Doc. Please..."

"I'm not sending you away, honey, it's just that I'm not a strong enough man to stand up there and see you watchin' the whole thing. I think that would hurt me more than the hangin' itself."

"Why didn't you let Festus and Matt take you outta here?"

"And ruin all of your lives for my own sake? You know better than that..."

She looked down. "I suppose I do." She looked into his eyes then. "But you'd be alive, Doc, and even if I never saw you again, I could live with knowin' you were free."

"But I wouldn't be free, honey. And neither would Matt or Festus...or for that matter, you."

"Matt's gonna stay with you?"

He nodded. "Matt's gonna be with me."

"You promise you're not gonna send him away at the last minute too?"

"You think I'd do that?"

"You might...and I don't want you to be alone."

"I promise you." He stood, pulling her up with him. "Come on, it's time for you and Festus to be on your way." He yelled toward the door, "Festus, come and unlock this door." He turned once more to Kitty, holding her close. "You remember, Kathleen Russell, that I love you." He pulled the tintype from his pocket where it had been since he put it there and he handed it to her. "I want you to have this; it should stay with my family."

Kitty's eyes rushed with tears, as she gently took the picture. Festus unlocked the cell then, and he put his hands on either side of Kitty's face.

"Don't you forget what I've told you."

"I couldn't, anymore than I could ever forget you."

He kissed her lightly on the lips, and hugged her once more. As he pushed her away, she reached into his vest pocket and pulled out his wedding band. Without a word she slid it onto his finger, and a moment of silent understanding passed between them.

She stroked the side of his face. "So long, handsome. I sure do love you."

As the anguish in her heart rushed her once again, she ran from the room. Festus looked down at the floor.

"I guess this is fare-thee-well for now, Doc."

He held out his hand to shake Doc's and the old man grabbed it, pulling the deputy into a hug. He whispered into his ear, "When you catch that 50-pounder ol' boy, you'll know it was me totin' the line with ya..."

Festus clutched the back of the old man's shirt in his hands, sobbing into his shoulder. "Oh Doc, I don't know whut I'm gonna do..."

Adams pat Haggen's back and pushed him away. "You've got a job to do, Festus. Kitty's gonna need a little extra attention from both you and Matt fer awhile."

Haggen eyed the wedding band he had seen Kitty put on Adams' finger. "Doc?"

"What is it, ol' boy?"

"Why'd Miss Kitty put that on yer fanger?"

"Because she knows it belongs there, Festus."

"You mean cuz ya'd rather hang than tarnish their mem'ry?"

Adams looked deeply at Festus. "You're a lot more intuitive than people give ya credit for, ya know that?"

Knowing that there was only one way he could leave him, Haggen mustered a glare. "I ain't intuivivey nor no other such a-thang, ya dang billy goat. Ya always got to be callin' people names." Festus started toward the door as his tirade continued, "Ya cain't never be nice to no folks cuz yer jes' plain ol' ornery, that's whatcha are ya know, and if'n I had me a dollar fer every time you said somethin' like that, I'da bought me a little lot a land a long dang time ago..."

Haggen's voice faded away as he closed the door behind him, leaving Doc with only his tears of gratitude and love.