Matt was cleaning his rifle while Chester was dusting the filing cabinet and trying to refrain from telling Matt that his singing was getting on his nerves. Not that Matt couldn't sing he could but he was relaxed just not making any show of it. They were interrupted when Obie Tater came in the office.
"Why Obie Tater," Chester said smiling.
"Marshal," Obie said.
"Sit down Obie," Matt smiled too. "What brings you to Dodge?"
Obie sat down at the table by Matt while Chester stood on the opposite side. Chester noticed the marks on Obie's face.
"I had to see Doc Adams," Obie said.
"You are kind of pale you've got marks on your face," Chester said concerned. "You been sick?"
"I've been hurt."
"What happened?" Matt asked.
"Three weeks ago Marshal I like to died.
"What'd you do fall of your horse or something?" Chester asked.
"I got dragged."
"You what?" Matt sat forward.
"Two fellas they come by place, throwed a rope on me and dragged me across the prairie."
"Who did, what for?"
"I never seen them before both of them medium height. One dark the other fair. About all I could tell you."
"They get your gold Obie?"
"Even you believe I've got gold."
"I've been hearing it round for a long time."
"I've tried to stop that talk Marshal but nobody listens. They think if you came back from a California strike you gotta be rich."
"I guess you're right people talk."
"Those 2 fellas I told 'em and told 'em but they wouldn't believe me."
"Do you think they'll come back?"
"They said they'd find a way to open me up."
"It's too bad that rumor got started in the first place," Chester said.
"I tried to stop it but you know how I am. I ain't very smart. Why I can hardly sign my name Marshal. I guess that's why I always got the job with just about every fast talker that come along. All my life it's been like that."
"Well we can't stop what people think. But we can find those 2 men. Would you recognize them?"
"I sure would."
"Well they might be hanging around Dodge. Let's go look the town over."
"Yes sir."
They left the office to go around Dodge looking for 2 needles in one giant haystack.
Later after Matt had left Obie talking to Ella Mills at the bar of the Long Branch. Chester went to check on the horses he chatted to Buck telling him about the events of the day. To Buck the fact that those men dragged another human was just out and out wrong.
A few days later and Matt was relaxing on his cot in the office while Chester was out searching for Obie. Doc came in to see if he'd found Obie.
"Morning Matt."
"Morning Doc."
"Found Obie Tater yet?"
"No not yet, Chester's out looking for him again."
"Ah well maybe you haven't looked in the right places."
"Him and that Ella Mills just plain disappeared."
"Well useless worrying about him they'll show up I guess."
"I hope so," Matt said. "It's the second day now."
The door opened and Chester came in with Chester.
"Well Obie Tater about time you showed up or maybe you've quit caring whether those abrasions on your chest heal."
"What's all the fuss about finding me Marshal? You'd think I was a criminal or something."
"Oh we've just been worrying about you is all. Where've you been?"
"Oh I've been honeymooning that's where."
"What?"
"At the Dodge House," Chester said.
"I paid the clerk $10 not to tell nobody we was there."
"Guess I shouldn't have been worried about those abrasions either," Doc said.
"You mean to say you married Ella Mills?"
"It was love at first sight at least for me."
"I never thought she'd go that far."
"She's a fine girl Marshal. I know what you're thinking about my money. But I got a feeling we'll make out all right."
"You do?"
"Have you got any reason to say we won't?"
"Do you remember the other night when you first met Ella?"
"I sure do."
"How she asked you if you were feeling better."
"Ain't that just like Ella always considering other people and me in particular I'm happy to say."
"Tell me how'd she know you'd been hurt?"
"What?"
"You came straight here from Doc's office that day. Nobody knew what had happened to you outside Doc, Chester and me. Now who told Ella?"
"She saw the marks on my face. What difference does it make?"
"The marks on your face tell her you'd been to California? She knew that too. Are you going to listen to me?" Matt asked.
"I guess I will."
"The woman you married I think she's tied up with the 2 men who dragged you. I don't know just how but they're the only ones who could have told her what she knew."
"She's Mrs Obie Tater now Marshal. You got no reason for what you're saying. Non that you can give me."
"No proof you mean."
"I thought you were my friends. You, Doc, Chester."
"We are Obie."
"Not any more. Not any of you. But I got me a wife now she half believes about me not having any gold money. So I don't need any of you, you'll see."
Obie let himself out of the office. Later went to the stables to play matching dimes with Moss and told him what had happened. Buck listen with disbelief as Chester told Moss that Obie had said he'd fallen in love with Ella at first sight.
Buck thought that some humans had queer notions. He was pretty cynical on the subject of love before he'd been gelded if he'd seen a mare he wanted he just walked up to her if she turned her back on him and stood still that was it he took what was offered. Some things that humans did was just incomprehensible to him.
Days later Matt and Chester rode up to Obie's farm. Matt was keen to put an end to any misunderstanding that existed between them. He hoped for Obie's sake that he was wrong but knew that the law of probabilities was against him.
"Hello anyone home?" Matt called out.
"Who is it?" Ella called out.
"That you Ella?"
Ella came out closing the door firmly behind her.
"Marshal Dillon what are you doing out here?"
"Oh just going by thought we'd stop and say hello."
"Thanks. I wish I could ask you in but I can't. I busy cleaning."
"Oh."
"You come back some other time I'd like to see you then."
"Sure. Where's Obie?"
"He went off early this morning I don't expect him back until late. Next time Marshal you come back see us next time. I'll fix you dinner or something."
"All right Ella we'll see you another time."
"Sure you do that. Both of you. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Matt and Chester went towards Buck and Bob. Ella turned thinking they were leaving went back indoors.
"Well I never been treated like that. Not in my own life."
"She wasn't expecting us had her upset."
"Some excuse for not offering a man a cup of coffee."
"She doesn't want us in the house. She doesn't want us anywhere around here. Come on."
"Where we going?"
"Take a look in the barn."
"The barn?"
"Because if Obie's not in there we're going back in the house."
Ella looked out just in time to see Matt and Chester enter the barn. Obie came out of the shadows a rifle aimed at them.
Buck watched as two riders rode up and tethered their horses to the hitching pole. The men went in the house coming out with Ella they walked over to the barn keeping out of direct view. Then one of them went round to the rear of the barn. The door opened and closed again. Buck knew that Chester had seen the new horses.
Buck didn't like what happened next as Matt challenged them and the one at the front of the barn struck Matt with his pistol knocking him down to the floor. Two shots rang out Ella fell to the floor as she grabbed the gun arm of the front man. Matt grabbed his gun from the floor as the man was distracted. Buck couldn't hear what was said not being close enough to the barn. He sighed with relief as Matt stood up.
When Obie emerged to walk to the house Matt followed him after a while and offered to help bury Ella. Obie nodded glad to have Matt's help.
"I don't rightly have the words Marshal would you say something over her grave."
"Sure Obie sure I will."
After they had buried Ella Matt had the other man fetch his partner's body and put him over his horse. Then Matt mounted and watched the second culprit mount and sit waiting as Chester mounted they headed out for Dodge. Buck felt sorry for both Obie and Ella. Obie would always remember Ella who had in the end sacrificed herself to safe Obie, Matt and Chester.