Matt stood looking in the mirror at the jail house. He seem to feel that the sun had risen faster today than any other day and it set him at unease for some reason. He wiped the few dobs of shaving cream from his chin and neck. After setting the towel next to the bowl he unfurled his tucked in shirt collar and did a final inspection of his shaved face. He shrugged and concluded that he was passable.

The marshal strolled to his desk and picked up the morning paper. With a cursory glance, nothing caught his attention - he'd leave that to Doc to point out as the physician was an avid newspaper reader in his spare time.

With the sound of Festus' spurs jingling across Front Street Matt plopped the paper on his desk. The briskness in the deputy's walk warranted some investigation, if not concern. He waited for the deputy to enter the jail house. And that he did with his usual flare. "Matthew? What in tarnation are ya doing up so early fer?"

Matt's eyebrows rose. "Well, it is daylight and I do have a job..."

Festus fussed with the potbelly stove and coffee pot. "I knows ya do, but you aren't often up this early!"

Matt rubbed the back of his neck. "True. I guess I'm just concerned about the cattleman's association and how things with Brown and Johnson are going to work out."

Festus shook his head as he made the coffee. "What I canin't understand is how them two fellas have let this whole mess continue to get worser. I mean, if a Haggen shemale liked one fella and then decided to like the other one better...wall, they woulda just thumped each other silly until one gave up...and the shemale Haggen would then pick the one she wanted." Festus turned to Matt who's eyes were locked on to Festus in shock more than anything. "Why, Matthew...it weren't unnatural that she'd even pick the feller she was first likin' because maybe he fought harder...don't ya see?"

Matt shook himself at the thought. "Well, that certainly is an interesting way to sort things out, I grant that. But, I don't think that a "Haggen way" is going to sort this problem out."

Festus plopped the lid on the coffee pot with a clatter and moved to the window. "So yer thinkin' thars gonna be a fight?"

"I can almost guarantee it..." Matt moved next to the scruffy deputy at the window and gazed out on to Front Street. "I just need to figure a way to stop it..."

Festus' eyes lifter to the marshal. "You be sure that I'm there to help ya..."

The corner of Matt's mouth curved up slightly and he looked down to Festus. "Thanks Festus." He pat the deputy on the shoulder before returning to his desk. "I'll have a coffee when it's ready." He said as he sat down in his chair and picked up the newspaper again.