The evening wore on and the streets of Dodge became an area where the cowhands filtered out from the bars and saloons - sharing stories of their ride and sometimes misadventure. Most joked and goofed around with harmless vigour.
A scant few, however, held more unsavoury thoughts. Jed and Pip leaned on the post just up from the Bull's Head and surveyed the mingling group. Jed chewed on the cigar butt he held in his teeth. Pip watched in prodigy as his boss sought out the marshal.
"Dillon? Dillon? Where are you now boy? I said I would meet up with you! Come on boy!" Templeton Brown bellowed.
Festus stopped in his foot steps as he heard Brown calling Matt, from Front Street. With a jiggle of his spurs Festus ran to the main street of Dodge.
Matt stood in front of the jail house. His thumbs tucked into his gun belt and his stance made him quite a defiant looking figure. "Why don't you and your men leave town? You've been paid for your beef. You have all had a good time..." Matt asked openly.
Templeton Brown only laughed at the marshal. "You hit me fer no reason the other night, marshal. Now I want to repay you for that..."
Matt's eyes narrowed as he watched a small crowd of Brown's men gather to watch a fight. By now Festus arrived and stood next to Matt. "Matthew?"
Matt slowly removed his gun belt and handed it to his deputy. "Watch this for me, will ya.?"
Festus took the holster and swallowed as he watch Matt approach Brown in the street. Brown grinned in eggar anticipation - wanted to beat the Dodge marshal, and beat him good.
The two men approached each other cautiously and each was ready to spring into action at the drop of a hat. But that wouldn't happen. Brown leaped forward toward Matt who stepped out of the way watching Brown crash to the dirt street just passed him. A roar of laughter rose from the bystanders. Brown pushed himself up to a sitting position and Matt looked down at the man in the dirt. "Are you sure you want to do this?" The marshal asked.
With that, Brown swept his right forearm across his brow and pulled himself to his feet. "In the worst way..." Brown sneered back at Matt.
A larger crowd had now gathered. Towns folk and men from Johnson's outfit. They watched and waited to see what was going to happen next.
Both men resumed fighting stances and with a blink of an eye they were at it in full furry. Their fists found each other's jaws, ribs, and stomaches and they fought for what seemed like 20 minutes but in reality was just over five minutes. While staggering and grasping each other Matt looked Brown in his only open eye. "Get out of town now. You and your men..." he seethed as blood stained his teeth. He pushed Brown away and the cattleman tumbled down to the street one more time.
Matt turned and started back to the jail house when Brown erupted like a wild fire and pulled a knife. He charged toward the marshal.
Randy, one of Johnson's men, yelled out, "Marshal! He's got a knife!"
Festus pulled his gun and fired past Matt winging Brown, spinning him to the ground.
Matt looked from Randy to Festus and to Brown who held his limp arm in his other hand. Matt's eyes narrowed and he reached down hoisting Brown to his feet. "You can spend the night behind bars too."
Brown winced, "What about my arm?"
Matt shoved the man toward the jail house. "I'll have Doc look at it when he's back in town - if you're lucky. Now move!"