Both lawmen stopped and watched Fleming open the door and as he stepped out he pushed William Kelly back into the room. The young lawyer fell to the floor clutching his throat. Despite the sever pain in his side, Doc quickly let go of Kitty and pushed through the crowd to examine William Kelly.

The young man held his throat with his left hand, while resting on his right. He panted for his breath and his face was filled with fear, yet he tried hard to hide it. "Let me have a look at ya." Doc slowly knelt next to the young man and slowly and carefully pulled his hand away so he could have a look. Even without his glasses he could see the bruising and swelling starting. Doc looked up to Matt and Festus. "I'd like to see him up at my office.."

Matt nodded and asked for Sam and Burke to help Kelly over to Doc's.

Doc slowly got back to his feet with Matt's help. He looked up at the tall lawman. "You be careful with that one. He's bound to kill again, and there ain't much you can do to stop him. The slightest thing will set him off and right now he's on the run."

"I've see those kinds before..." Matt rested his hand on Doc's shoulder. "He wont get away with it." Doc started to leave and as he pulled away from Matt's hand he looked back. "Just be careful. The two of you." And with that Doc turned and headed to his office to look at Kelly.

Matt sighed and looked back to the court room. The towns people were all huddled and taking about Jed Fleming. "Folks...break it up. We'll catch Fleming. Just go home." And with that they slowly dissipated until the only two people left in the room were Judge Brooker and Kitty Russell. "You two stay here. Festus. I have a hunch that Fleming is going down to the jail to free his two friends. I hope Newly can hold him off. Come one." And with that they left. Kitty looked woefully at the judge. Brooker could now see what kind of man Fleming was and he knew that Matt didn't kill him, he'd surely hang.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Newly stood defiantly in front of the heavy wooden door that separated the office from the jail cells. "I thought you were on trial."

"I was. But I ain't no more. Get out of my way." Jed held the pitchfork out toward Newly who only stepped slightly back. Newly hoped that help you soon be on its way and he wondered what had transpired at the trail that allowed Fleming to get out of custody.

"You just stay right there. If you think you are going to set the likes of those two free, you'll have to go through me, and by the looks of things, I have the upper hand..." Newly's brown eyes grew darker.

Fleming stepped closer, but stopped the instant he heard the footsteps behind him. "Drop it!" Matt ordered. He held his gun out. "Don't be a fool, Fleming." Matt tried to reason with him. " You know, William Kelly almost could have got you off. He was pretty close." Fleming didn't budge.

Matt blew out a heavy breath. "But you can forget it now. The judge has seen what your capable of - cold blooded murder."

Jed's eyes remained on Newly. "Tell this idiot to get out of my way!" His hands tightened on the wooden handle.

"I'm gonna tell you one more time to drop the fork..." Matt stepped closer.

Fleming lunged at Newly who fired the shot gun, hitting Fleming in the chest. The large man still tried to move forward then slowly fell to his knees and rolled to his side, He was dead. Newly looked up at the marshal. "I think you got here in the nick of time. What happened anyway?"

Matt and Festus stepped down into their office. "It wasn't pretty. Kelly almost had Doc. Questioning his eyesight and such..." Matt didn't look happy with the situation. "Then Fleming spooked and took Kelly by the next and well, here he is..."

"He got what he deserved, Matthew..." Festus bent down and pulled the pitchfork out of the dead man's hands. "Now what's gonna happen to them other yahoos?" Festus thumbed over his shoulder.

Matt adjusted his hat back on his head. "I guess that will be up to Judge Brooker and Doc to decide."

Festus shook his head. "They likely got talked to real nice by this one here, to do such a thing to ol' Doc..."

"Probably." Matt muttered before stepping back out on to the boardwalk. He watched Kitty, Judge Brooker, and Doc walking toward the jail. "He's dead..." Matt noted.

Doc stood beside Matt. "I still have to look at him..."

"I know you do Doc." Matt stood aside and allowed Doc past him. He watched the doctor kneel beside Fleming before he turned his attention the Judge Brooker. "What about Chuck and Clarke?"

Brooker looked at Matt. "I have talked to Doc about that as we walked over here. He is certain that Jed Fleming put them up to the shooting. Doc said he'd only have them charged with assault."

Matt tucked his thumbs into his belt. "Doc's a good man. Anyone else would have had them charged with more." Brooker could only nod in agreement.

Doc had finished his examination and joined the small group on the boardwalk. "That's a mighty big thing your doing for those two cowpunchers."

Doc signed. "I guess everyone deserves a second chance, don't they Matt?" Doc looked at each of the others and tipped his hat before slowly walking back to his office. He tried not to let William Kelly's method of defence bother him. He was merely doing his job and doing it quite well. Without Matt, Kelly would likely have been buried years ago on Boot Hill, but he embraced his second chance. Doc only hoped that Clarke and Chuck would do the same.

Matt smiled as he watched his old friend cross the dusty street and head for the solitude of his office. "Yup. Everyone deserves a second chance, Doc."

The End