Chapter 1

It was a typical Saturday night in Dodge City. The saloons were full of men enjoying their beer and whiskey, gambling, and entertaining saloon girls. The Long Branch was no exception. It was very active. The sounds of the player piano and the customers spilled out into the street. Being owner of the Long Branch, Kitty loved seeing the crowd. A big crowd meant good business, and good business meant she was making a decent living. Kitty had been roaming around the floor, when a sound up at the bar caught her attention.

"What do you think you're doing? You just spilled some of your drink on me. You better apologize!" exclaimed Arliss Riley, a resident of Dodge.

"Calm down. It was an accident. No harm was done," said Jake Falor, also a resident of Dodge.

"Accident or not, I want an apology," Arliss told Jake.

Jake was getting annoyed. "Arliss, just drink your beer."

Arliss did not like that response from Jake and gave Jake an uppercut to his jaw. Jake was not expecting that, but responded with his own right hook to Arliss' jaw. Before long a full blown brawl was going on between the two men.

Kitty walked over to the bar. "Bill, go get Matt."

"Yes, Miss Kitty." Bill walked out from behind the bar and out of the saloon to go and get the Marshal. He found him up the street a ways.

"Marshal!" Bill yelled out.

Matt heard his name being yelled and saw Bill Pence coming towards him. He knew something was wrong. Bill Pence wouldn't be looking for him if there wasn't.

"What's wrong, Bill?" asked Matt.

"A fight at the Long Branch," answered Bill.

Both Matt and Bill returned to the Long Branch to see Arliss and Jake still fighting. Luckily no damage had been done to the Long Branch. Matt went over to the two men and pulled them away from each other. "Alright you two that's enough. Arliss, Jake, aren't you two supposed to be good friends? What's this all about?"

"He spilled some of his drink on me and wouldn't apologize," Arliss told Matt.

"It was an accident. He's making too big of a deal out of it," Jake stated.

"All you had to do was apologize and it wouldn't have come to this. I think both of you have had more than enough alcohol. You can sleep it off in jail tonight. Let's go," Matt said.

Kitty heard what Matt said to Jake and Arliss, and she knew that he wouldn't be coming to her room after his rounds tonight. When he had occupants at the jail, he slept at the jail. That was his policy. Kitty understood, even though she would much rather have him with her. She knew Matt felt the same way. Before Matt left the Long Branch with Arliss and Jake, he made eye contact with Kitty and mouthed sorry to her. Kitty smiled sadly at Matt.

Matt arrived at the jail with his temporary prisoners. He grabbed the keys off the wall and opened the door to the jail cells. "You go in there and you go in there."

The men did as they were told and Matt locked each cell. He would wait for Chester to return before he left to do his rounds. It was twenty minutes when Chester returned.

"Chester, I'm going on my rounds. Arliss Riley and Jake Falor are sleeping off drunkenness in the back. I'll be back when I'm done with my rounds."

"Awright, Mr. Dillon," said Chester as he sat down at the table. Matt walked out the door.

During his rounds, Matt stopped at the Long Branch. If he couldn't stay the night with his girl, he would at least go and see her once more before returning to the jail. He saw her at the end of the bar and walked up to her.

"Hello, Kitty."

"Hello, Cowboy. I wasn't expecting to see you again. Are you on your rounds?" Kitty asked, pleased as can be to see Matt.

"Yeah, I figured since I won't be around later, I'd come by and see you," Matt whispered. Kitty could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"I'm awfully glad you did. I'll miss you tonight," Kitty softly told Matt.

"Well, this is my last stop. As much as I hate to do so, I better get going. Bye, Kitty."

"Bye, Matt." Matt turned and walked through the batwinged doors.

Meanwhile, he sat on his horse, upon a hill, looking down at Dodge City. It had been two years and five months since the Marshal of the city told him to leave and not come back. Marshal Dillon had no right to do that to him. He had been cleared of all charges. He didn't deserve to be treated like a criminal. Two years and five months, he kept track. During that time he devised a plan of revenge on the Marshal, a plan he would soon carry out. Yes, the Marshal would pay.

TBC