It was hot that day Buck recalled to mind. Matt had away for nearly 2 weeks on Marshal business. Buck was feeling the heat and knew that if he was Matt certainly was he started jog trotting. Matt looked to his left seeing a group of riders in the distance. Buck knew his master so well he knew that he'd go investigate. He turned and rode over to meet the men one of them had his hands bound in front of him the other men had put a rope in a tree and the noose was around his neck.

"Rance, Em, Ed, Frank what's the matter with you?"

"He stole one of my horses," Rance replied.

"Now you men all know how I feel about lynching?"

Buck knew Matt hated the thought of men being hung without the justice of a trial. In point of fact Matt hated hanging period but lynching was in Matt's book worse.

"Hanging a horse thief isn't lynching."

"I don't know a man in Dodge I respect more than you Rance. And the rest of you any other time you'd be coming to me to stop a thing like this. I don't know it must be the heat's got to you. You're acting crazy with it."

"We're only doing what has to be done." Rance said. "You got no right to interfere Marshal."

"Now you men all know me. You know that if this man's done anything wrong he'll get a fair trial. Now go on home all of you find some shade and cool off. I said go home I said now."

"What kind of a lawman are you interfering with justice."

"I said now. That his gun?"

"Yeah."

Rance tossed the gun to Matt.

"We could've done better."

"Better for who?"

"Everybody you can see what he is just by looking at him. Gunman look how low he wears his holster. Look at the butt of his gun 12 notches."

Rance and the other men turned and rode off. Matt cut the rope binding the man's hands.

"Ah I'm glad you happened by this morning Marshal. Ain't often the law gives me any help. Don't believe I got your name?"

"Dillon."

"I'm Cope Borden."

"I know who you are I've seen your face on the wanted posters in my office often enough."

"Any poster on me now Marshal?"

"Not lately."

"Shouldn't be I just finished 6 years in Prison Hill. Ah they were wrong I didn't steal this horse."

"That's Rance Bradley's iron he's wearing there."

"Ah a lot of people use the same burn. He knows it, you know it and I know it."

"Not around here they don't."

"I didn't get this horse around here."

"Where'd you come from?"

"Arizona Territory, bought it a couple of weeks ago. Just before I left."

"Who from?"

"Horse trader in Yuma."

"Did he give you a bill of sale?"

"He might've only I don't keep a lot of papers."

Buck didn't like this human one little bit.

"What was the horse trader's name?"

"Well I don't know if I can recall exactly."

"You better think about it and don't take too much time."

"His name was Sanders something like that I guess I don't know."

"Saunders from Yuma Arizona."

"Ya."

"You tell that to Bradley and the others?"

"That fella you was talking too that was Rance Bradley. People like Rance Bradley law abiding citizens I don't tell them anything. They always give me a feeling right in here like being sick. You going to give my gun?"

"I'll keep it for the time being.

"Well what happens now?"

"We ride into Dodge and straighten things out."

"Jail?"

"That's right."

"Well its better than this tree Marshal."

Matt signalled Cope to move on. Buck was glad to be moving the sooner they got home the sooner he'd be out of this heat.

Buck noticed as they pulled up outside the jail that Chester was as usual sprawled in one of the chairs outside. He rose quickly.

"Been expectin' you back for 3 days Mister Dillon."

"Hello Chester how's everything been?"

"Ah there's been a fight every night since you been gone. Must be the heat wore me out just watching it. Found a friend?"

"Name's Cope Borden he's going to be with us for a while Chester."

"Oh. I'll take the horses to the stables."

Matt and Cope finished unsaddling.

"Take good care of this one he's liable to be evidence."

"Sure will Mister Dillon. Come on boy."

Cope laughed as he watched Chester limp off with his mount.

"That's enough."

Matt didn't like people poking fun at Chester who he likened to the younger brother he'd never had.

"What's the matter Marshal you got a law about laughing around here?"

"In there."

Cope turned to the jail and walked in carrying his saddle. Miss Kitty saw Matt walked towards them.

"Matt," Kitty called to him. "Glad to see you back. How was your trip?"

"Hot."

Buck watched on as Matt's smile lit his face that smile he knew was reserved for Kitty alone.

"Are you going to introduce us?" Kitty asked.

"No."

"Oh, well I want to get in out of this sun. I'll see you later Matt."

"All right Kitty."

Kitty moved passed them.

"Nice girl that Kitty. Your girl?" Cope asked.

"Inside."

Matt closed the subject of him and Kitty down. He hated talking about him and Kitty wanting to keep that part of his life secret. Only Doc and Chester knew how things stood between them. Buck shook his head understanding Matt's feelings was one thing but not why he wouldn't marry with her. It was easier being a horse if he saw a mare he wanted he just gone up to her and that was it. That though had ended when he'd been gelded by Brant the man who'd stolen him from the Arapahos. Matt followed Cope in with his saddle.

"Drop it there."

Buck saw Matt through the door as he put his saddle on the table and grabbed the keys from the hook.

"In you go Cope."

Chester came along then untethered Buck and took him to the stable as well. Later Buck watched as Chester returned to saddle Cope's horse. He shook his head as he overheard Chester talking as he saddled the horse.

"Well boy seems as how Mister Borden was a telling the truth. Seems as how we got to let him go."

He led the horse out Buck sighed he'd liked the horse who'd told him that he didn't much like Cope but he was too well trained to disobey any of his owners. Buck guessed that the gunshot he heard later was Cope shooting someone. He learned later when he overheard Chester talking to Moss as they matched dimes that Cope had caught a young man called Jason Bradley cheating at cards.

"Cause Jason drew on Mister Borden so he had no choice but to shoot him. Rance Bradley didn't like that seems as Jason was his nephew. Mister Dillon followed Mister Borden out of the Long Branch to find that Mister Borden was being challenged by Rance Bradley and his two men."

Buck didn't like that yet again Matt had to put his life on the line to protect someone so absolutely worthless.

"Mister Dillon had me take Mister Borden to the jail so he'd be safe. Mister Dillon took his gun again put it in his desk draw. Mister Dillon said that Rance Bradley was worth 10 men of him. Rance Bradley encouraged the men around to try and get Mister Borden. I bolted the backdoor so they couldn't sneak up fetched the shotguns and extra cartridges. Needn't have worried though Mister Dillon came up with a plan."

Buck nodded as he listened Matt always came up with something.

"Mister Dillon had me open the front door and went out to deal with Rance Bradley. Told him to take Mister Borden and string him up and then he'd track each one of the 6 men and see that they hang for murder. Rance Bradley thought twice at that and said he didn't know what had got into him. Said the heat had made him half crazy. Said sorry and encouraged the others to go home. Had me get Mister Borden's gun so he could leave told him to get out of Dodge and to never come back. Well he's gone now and I sure hope this heat does ease off tomorrow."

Buck put his head down to take a drink hoping the same thing. He knew that there would be other days that was just as hot.