Festus over heard Kelly and shifted forward. "You be sure that the law is doin' the work, not yer fancy talk..."

Brooker pounded the gavel down onto the desk. "Mr Haggen. If you say another thing such as that, I will cite you with contempt of this court and have you removed form here. Do I make myself clear!"

Festus sat back and nodded in understanding, then muttered, "That ol' Judge Brooker is gittin' as grumpy as ol' Doc..." A few folks about him heard what he said and laughed.

Brooker eyed the deputy. "Care to share the joke, Mr Haggen?"

Festus quickly shook his head no and sheepishly tucked into this seat. Matt and Kitty looked at him like he had crawdads crawling out his eyes. Festus refused to make eye contact.

Brooker once again pounded the desk with his gavel. "Order...Mr Kelly will you please finish with your line of questioning."

Kelly tugged at his waist coat and turned toward Doc again. Doc didn't like he look in his eyes so he braced himself. "Doctor Adams. You've been known to take a drink or two. Were you perhaps drunk the night of Randy Brant's death, and maybe confused some issues?"

Doc's jaw clenched. His crystal blue eyes almost went black and he slowly leaned forward which caused Kelly to take several steps back. "If you are looking for your own law suit, against you, you just keep it up "sonny", cause I'm about this far." he held up his right hand and indicated with his fingers - about an inch, "from slamming you with a liable suit!" He could hear William Kelly swallow.

Brooker's eye brows rose as he looked at Doc. "Interesting, Doctor. But please answer the question."

Doc looked sharply to the judge. "Fine. I do enjoy a drink now and again, but I was stone cold sober that night. I had to be! I was delivering a baby!" His eyes shifted quickly back to Kelly. "There was no mistake made, Mr Kelly. I saw Jed Fleming with Randy Brant and I watched him run straight past me..."

Kelly tightened. "How do you know it was my client? I mean anyone could look that way in the darkened doorway of the livery."

"It was him, cause he's the only one I know that wears his gun belt the way he does..." Doc sighed.

"The way he does? What does that mean, doctor?" Kelly pushed.

Doc leaned forward again. "He uses his right hand but wears his gun on the left...he has to draw across..."

Fleming looked around the room. He saw the mounting tide against him. William Kelly was losing the case. He was more desperate than ever then a thought popped into his head. "Hey, Kelly...can we talk?" Jed asked out to his lawyer.

Brooker indicated that would be fine and he tried to calm the room again. "Take a few minutes Mr Kelly."

Kelly smiled and nodded to Brooker then strolled over to his client. "Things ain't goin' so good here..." Jed sneered through his teeth.

"Calm down. I just need to find a way around Doctor Adams..." Kelly looked over his shoulder which is what Jed was waiting for. Quickly he looped his chained hands around Kelly's neck and tightened them. "Okay...it's gonna be my way!" He struggled to step over the barrier while still maintaining a hold on Kelly.

"I'm not gonna hang fer one lousy cowpuncher...especially one from Johnson's group. I had it up to my eyeballs listening to you two fight...stuck on a horse for days on end...I just ain't taking it no more, and I ain't gonna hang fer it neither!" He slowly moved to the Dodge House door.

Matt and Festus were on their feet and watching every move Fleming made. Kelly was in distress and tried to pull the tight chain from his throat. His face was slowly turning blue.

Kitty had joined Doc at his side. They watched in horror was the scene began to unfold before them. The held each other as they watched Matt and Festus trying to reason with Fleming. Then Doc spoke. "Matt. Festus...let him go...he's already proven he can break a man's neck..."