Chester came into the office early to find Matt making a pot of tea.

"Hello Chester."

"Could I ask you what you're doing Mister Dillon?"

"I'm making tea do you want some."

Tea. Hot tea."

"That's right," Matt filled a cup and walked to the table. "Help yourself."

Chester looked exasperated he put his hat on the desk.

"Mister Dillon."

"Yeah."

They sat at the table, Chester leaned his arms on the table.

"It's a 115 outside. It must be at least 110 in here. You mind telling me why you're drinking tea, hot tea."

"Well it's a thing I heard about Chester. Something in the tea equalizes the temperature of the blood. The hotter you get the more hot tea you drink you sweat more and you feel the heat less. Now are you going to have some?"

"Well no it's just too hot for hot tea."

"All right go ahead and boil."

"Huh you're giving me the horn ain't you Mister Dillon."

The door opened just then and Mrs Wyatt came in, both Matt and Chester rose to their feet politely waiting.

"Hello Mrs Wyatt."

"It's my boy I've come about."

"Oh I know Timmy he's a real nice little fella," Chester said. "He rob a bank or something like that Mrs Wyatt."

"Oh he's a good boy it's just that since his father died he's never made many friends. He's always invented his own. It's harmless most all children with imagination do it. But this time he's done it and it's not harmless Marshal."

"Well sit down Mrs Wyatt."

Matt and Chester sat down again as soon as Mrs Wyatt had settled herself.

"All around town they're calling my boy a liar."

"A liar at his age?"

"Well he started by telling his sister but little girls can't keep a secret. Pretty soon it was all over the school. Now he insists it's true. Marshal if you could make him understand how bad lying is what it will lead to if he keeps it up. He'll believe you he thinks you're the greatest man in the world."

"Well what is it Timmy's lying about?"

"Bad ugly wicked things a monstrous man and woman who live in a strange secret place somewhere outside of town. And at night they go out and rob and murder. Do you see why I've come to you for help?"

"Can you tell me anything more about these monsters this man and woman Tim thinks he's seen?"

"I think you better hear it from Timmy."

"Well I'll do what I can Mrs Wyatt. Just as long as you realize it's a little out of my call."

"Just so long as you make Timmy realize what lying can lead to."

After Matt and Mrs Wyatt left the office Chester took himself off to the stables to play matching dimes with Moss. He chatted away as usual telling Moss about Timmy.

"I've heard the stories Timmy's been telling. I don't know kids don't usually make up stories like that but then they do seem a little out there."

Buck too remembered overhearing Timmy being teased about the stories when one boy hit Timmy he'd walked over to sniff at him as he lay winded. Timmy looked at him in awe when he'd got up before running home.

A few nights later Matt and Timmy rode out Buck to the house they collected White Fawn and rode out until they saw a grove of trees the track going through them led passed a large tree set slightly apart from the others.

"There?"

"That's the tree Mister Marshal that's where he drops from."

"That's what you meant by dropping from the sky huh?"

"Yes sir it looked like it."

"He's probably in position by now. I think I'll drop you 2 off and just ride over there."

"Oh no she'll be in the brush somewhere watching. She'd see you and run if you rode up like that."

"All right you 2 get off and go hide behind that rock and no matter what happens stay there."

"What are you going to do?"

"You said he'd wait until a rider came by who wobbled in the saddle and sang funny."

"Yes sir."

"Well that's what I'm going to be."

"Please be careful Mister Marshal he's awful strong and wild."

"All right you and White Fawn get behind that rock and stay there. If anything happens to me you get back to Dodge and go find Doc. You understand?"

"Yes sir."

"All right."

Matt watched until Timmy and White Fawn were hidden before riding to circle around until he could come upon the tree without the Hintons' seeing where he'd come from. As he rode he sang one of Chester's favorite songs about the man coming west from Kansas.

"I'm going to move a little. I can't see nothing from here," Timmy said.

Timmy and White Fawn forgot Matt's instruction and moved from behind the rock until they were taken by surprise by Lennie Hinton.

"What're you doing? What're you doing?" Lennie asked. "Don't you move. You stay here both of you."

She watched desperately as Matt arrived under the tree and Edward Hinton jumped down knocking Matt to the floor. Timmy and White Fawn crept closer not wanting to miss out on any of the action. Finally losing out on the grappling match with Matt, Edward sprang up and ran off. Matt crouching put his hand on his gun then followed Edward.

"Don't go after him Marshal," Lennie said.

"Mrs Hinton."

"He could've killed you don't go after him."

"I'm not going after him Mrs Hinton I'm coming up to you."

Lennie came out from behind the bush where she'd hid and handed the gun she had to Matt.

"She's coming with me Marshal."

"You've come back Mister Hinton?"

"Come back for my wife. Let her go and I won't shoot you."

"I'm not going to hurt her."

"No and you're not going to keep her"

"And you're not going to shoot me because you don't even have a gun your wife had it."

"I've got one and I'll use it. Let her go Marshal."

"First give me a good reason Hinton. Tell me why I should let her go."

"9 years Marshal they're reason enough."

"I've got to have more than that."

"My wife got taken by the Cheyennes 9 years ago Marshal. I looked for her all that time. I'd come into Dodge for supplies worked till I got the money. Then start the hunt again. The Cheyennes move around. Last month I found her I paid off for her I brought her into Dodge but a man's got his pride."

Matt stood listening while Edward talked.

"I needed a wagon and mules and supplies to get me and my wife and her daughter out to Oregon. We can start fresh and unknown out there. I couldn't live in town with people asking where I'd picked up a daughter. I'll take care of both of them for the rest of my life but I didn't feel I had to answer how it was I picked up a daughter. That's why we lived alone and I did what I did for quick money. And now Marshal if you don't let my wife go I'm going to shoot you."

"You shouldn't have killed anyone Hinton."

"I never did I run 'em off after scaring 'em half to death but that's all."

"To a couple of pairs of scared young eyes it must have looked like they'd never get up."

"Let her go Marshal. I've been through too much I'll shoot you."

"No you won't Anybody's had to do all you've had to isn't going to ruin it by shooting now. Besides like I told you, you don't have a gun."

"Stay still Marshal I'm telling you."

"White Fawn's out there how will it be with her if you shoot?"

Edward came forward then revealing the gun then threw it into the bushes.

"You're right I didn't have a gun."

"Ed. Ed."

"It's all right Lennie. We'll go on trying somehow. When and if I can."

"Yes you will," Matt said, "you'll make it I'll see that you do."

"Not you not anybody. Just me. I think I can make it Lennie. I think I can."

"You'll have to spend a while paying for what you did may be longer than you think is right but it'll come to an end. During that time I'll see that White Fawn's taken care off."

"You will."

"Then you'll have to work out in the open for your wagon and your mules and your supplies. And after that I'm going to wave the three of you off to Oregon myself."

Timmy and White Fawn smiled as Edward and Lennie walked ahead of Matt to where they were crouched. White Fawn went to walk between her mother and stepfather while Timmy walked next to Matt. Matt collected his horse and they all walked back to Dodge.