Matt crossed from the stables his rifle held loosely in his right hand and his bedroll in the other. He stopped intrigued seeing the sign saying Holt's Bank in a store window. Matt started to walk to his office and saw Nash who passed him heading for the door of the new bank.

"Hold it," Matt said. "Your name Nash?"

"That's right."

"What are you doing in Dodge?"

"Why I got business."

"As a gunfighter?"

"You seen any wanted posters on me Marshal?"

"Not lately."

"Then you got no call to bother me."

"Well when I see a man like you going into a bank I want to know why."

Drew Holt stepped out of the door while Matt was talking to Nash.

"Marshal Dillon, Mister Nash works here. He works for me."

"Are you the new banker?"

"That's right I'm Drew Holt. Glad to know you Marshal. I've been looking forward to your return. I hope you drop in to have a chat soon."

"You know what kind of man you've hired here?"

"Marshal I can assure you his business with me is legitimate. I'm sure he won't cause you any trouble."

"Well he better not."

"I give you my word Marshal."

"All right I just hope you can keep it."

Matt turned and walked to his office. Chester looked up from his task of threading a needle as Matt entered.

"Oh Mister Dillon?"

"Morning Chester."

"Well you're back kind of early aren't you?"

"Yeah just rode in."

"Well how was your trip?"

"I noticed a sign down the street new bank."

"Yeah, oh yeah, it opened just after you left."

"I take it you don't have any money in there."

"Me? Now what would I be doing with money? Besides if I had any I'd put it in Mister Botkin's bank."

Matt turned as the door opened and an old man came in the office closing the door after him.

"Marshal Dillon?"

"Yes."

"Parsley Smith at your service."

"Glad to know you Mister Smith this is Chester Goode."

"Mister Smith," Chester said.

"Not Mister Smith sir General Smith 3rd Illinois Cavalry."

"I thought the Illinois was demobilized a long time ago," Matt said.

"Well it sir at the Fall of 65. We served with General Grant before Richmond. It was our last action."

"What can I do for you General?"

"Well for me nothing but for the good citizens of your town a great deal."

"Oh?"

"Yes I rode in last week with the remount party to Fort Dodge. General Miles personal guest."

"Oh are you staying at the fort then?"

"No I came into town on business and it's a good thing I did too."

"Is that so."

"Yes I've just been waiting for your return. Now that you're back you can take over."

"Well take over what?"

"Drew Holt is a thief Marshal."

"The new banker?"

"Now I haven't told anyone yet but I knew Holt in the war Marshal."

"You did?"

"He was a spy."

"Holt?"

"On my word as an officer sir and a gentleman. Oh I know he looks mild enough harmless in fact but he was a spy."

"Well?"

"We caught him but he escaped the man's no good got to be stopped."

"Well it might be true that he spied for both sides General but that doesn't necessarily make him a thief."

"But he's no banker. He's just waiting for enough deposits to make it worthwhile he's had 10 days already while you were away. He'll skip any day now."

"Well he wouldn't get far."

"A man who spied for both sides and lived through it. You're underestimating the enemy Marshal. Well I warned you whatever happens will be on your head."

"Well I'll look into it. Thanks General."

Parsley turned and opened the door.

"Good day sir."

That afternoon Matt decided that it would be prudent to have that chat with Drew Holt. Chester had gone to the stables and was probably matching dimes with Moss Grimmick and losing while talking about and maybe getting some information about the old General. He penned a quick note telling Chester where to find him and left it on the desk. He grabbed his hat and left the office heading for the new bank. Drew Holt was just finishing up with a depositor as Matt entered.

"Ah obliged to you Marshal," Drew Holt said. "Have a seat."

"Thank you."

"Come to have our chat already. Dodge has grown in the couple of weeks you've been away, hasn't it? Two banks."

"Well you seem to be doing pretty well."

"We're doing fine just fine. Except for one thing."

"Oh?"

"That old man, that General Smith. I don't know Marshal he must be crazy. I don't know what he's got against me, I never saw him before in my life. But already I've lost 3 depositors because of his crazy lies."

"And they are lies then?"

"Of course they are unless he stops such talk I'm going to have to ask you to lock him up. There must be laws to protect businessmen from such scoundrels or madmen as the case maybe."

"Where are you from Holt?"

"Why back east Pennsylvania why?"

"Oh you look familiar I thought maybe we'd met somewhere along time ago. It couldn't have been in the army, could it?"

"I'm afraid not Marshal I was never in the army. I have a bad heart."

"Well it doesn't matter. There is one thing I'd like you to explain to me though."

"Oh?"

"Why'd you hire a gunman like Nash? You know he's a gunman."

"Well that's why I hired him. I have a lot of folk's money here I mean to protect it."

"How do you know you can trust him?"

"He's a gunfighter for hire and I hired him. As long as I pay him he'll be loyal."

"I hope you're right. Well."

Matt rose to leave. Drew Holt rose too.

"Marshal if you're at all worried about anything that man General Smith says you can talk to Mr Botkin. He'll tell you my credentials are in order. I'm sure he'll…"

"And if you put it in there. Your money's as good as gone. Believe me."

Both Matt and Drew Holt were surprised to hear Parsley Smith talking to the people outside the bank.

"What is that?"

Matt headed for the door followed by Drew Holt.

"Take your hands off me, sir. I have every right to..."

"Now you heard me. Get going."

Matt came out just as Nash pushed Parsley Smith off the boardwalk.

"Nash! You want someone your own weight, Nash?"

"You was any kind of a marshal you'd have this old buzzard behind bars."

"Do you see Marshal what kind of men they are. I… I warned you."

Matt turned to Drew Holt.

"Did you order this?" Matt asked.

"Yes I did. I mean to protect my business. He's no right to stand in front of my place and slander me. Well aren't you going to do anything about it?"

"But just don't you do anything."

"All right Marshal I'm sorry if I overstepped myself. Come along Nash. I'll leave it to you from now on Marshal."

"Is that all you're going to do Marshal? Aren't you going to lock those scoundrels up?"

"General I've told you that you talk too much. Now I'm warning you. You let me handle this."

"Sir when I see the appropriate action taken I'll…"

"General," Matt said exasperatedly.

"Very well, sir, if you don't want my support," Parsley said before marching off.

"He sure is a humdinger. What a talker. You should have heard him jawing at the passengers coming in on the stage," Jim Buck said.

"Stage? He told me he rode in with the remount party. Special guest of General Miles."

"Remount party nothing. He came in with me all the way from Hayes City. Telling whoppers all the way. Well if he's going to tangle with a gunman like Nash he might get shut up for good."

"Yeah," Matt said.

Matt headed for Botkin's Bank he was greeted by Mister Botkin.

"Take a seat Marshal."

"Thanks. I just wanted to know whether you mind the competition from Holt's Bank."

"Mind the competition? Of course I don't mind. Dodge has needed another bank for a long time."

"What do you think about this Holt."

"Came to see me the first night he was here. Showed me his credentials. Charter looked bona fide to me."

"A man could fake credentials, couldn't he?"

"Oh come now Marshal. Have you been listening to that crazy old General Smith?"

"Do you think he's lying?"

"He lies about everything. Why he told me he fought under Zach Taylor in the Black Hawk war and that the last time he saw Taylor was at Harper's Ferry. What do you think about that?"

"Well it would have been about 10 years after Taylor died."

"He's telling folks he's a guest of the commandant out at Fort Dodge. Everybody knows he's got a room at the Dodge House. Why would he lie about that? Who cares?"

"I don't know. Maybe we'll find out more about him when Doc gets back this afternoon."

"Why?"

"Well the general said he was with the 3rd Illinois Cavalry. That's Doc's old outfit."

"Oh that'll be interesting. Show him up for the liar he is I bet."

"Well he's a liar maybe but I'm not as sold on this Holt as I might be."

"Oh Holt's all right I'm sure of it."

"Well I hope you're right."

"And the new bank's going to mean a lot to the whole country around here. You wait and see."

"All right, Mr Botkin, I'll wait."

Matt shook Mister Botkin's hand and left the bank. He crossed to the Dodge House and entered heading for the stairs.

"Which room's General Smith's?"

"Number 6 right up there," the clerk said pointing up and to the right.

"Thank you."

Matt headed up the stairs to knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Parsley said.

"Marshal Dillon."

Matt waited for Parsley to open the door, he could have entered anyway but he never liked having to do that. After a few minutes when Parsley didn't open the door he opened the door and went in.

"You'll have to excuse my temporary quarters Marshal."

"Sure General. I just thought I'd take a look at your uniform. Your medals and all."

"Oh no you see I left everything at Fort Dodge. Traveling light you know."

"Sure."

Matt moved towards the open wardrobe door but Parsley closed it hoping he wouldn't get too curious about the lack of clothing in it. He'd only just managed to hide the lack of sleeves on his shirt the cuffs of it stitched to his coat sleeves.

"I see the bank's still open when are you going to close it?" Parsley said.

"I'm not going to."

"Shirking your duty sir."

"Holt's credentials are good according to Mister Botkin."

"Nothing easier than that for a man as clever as Holt is."

"General. Ed Nash is a gunman."

"Take more than that to scare a man who stood before the batteries at Vicksburg. You ever faced grapeshot Marshal?"

"Now look General your talk is hurting the town. We need this bank here."

"I was decorated by General Grant himself in person sir."

"Now look General either you prove that Holt's a thief or you quit talking about him, I mean it."

"I'm under fire, eh. Well I never retreated under fire in my life Marshal. You'll get your proof soon enough only by then it will be too late then."

"I'm not going to argue with you General. I warned you and the next time I'm going to run you out of Dodge."

"If they'd have listened to me at Bull Run there'd have been no disaster."

"General…" Matt gave up and moved to the door.

"I'll do my duty as I see fit sir. Always have and always will and no man is going to stop me."

When Matt emerged from Parsley's room he saw Nash in the foyer. Matt didn't like the idea of Nash being in the same Hotel as Parsley.

"You got business in here too Nash?"

"I live here Marshal."

"I've decided you better check out Nash out of here and out of Dodge."

"Why?"

"Just because I don't like your kind around."

"You can't do that."

"I'll give you till 5 o'clock. If I see you around town after that I'll lock you up."

"Now look here."

"5 o'clock."

Matt left the Dodge House heading for the stable where he found Chester matching dimes with Moss Grimmick.

"Chester I want you to keep an eye on the General. You don't need to badger him just make sure Nash stays off his back."

Matt told Chester what he'd found out first at Holt's Bank and then at Botkin's Bank. Buck pricked his ears listening intently how on earth had an elderly man caused offence to anyone.

"I'll be in the office if anything should happen."

Chester nodded and left to start his watch on Parsley.

"Say Marshal, Doc just came back he said he was going to your office."

"Thanks Moss," Matt said he fished a couple of sugar lumps out of his pocket feeding them to Buck.

He left the stables and soon caught up with Doc he smiled and invited Doc in for a coffee. Then he explained what was going on.

"I've been trying to get something out of you about this Parsley Smith but you haven't told me anything about him yet."

"No, I want to see him first, I want to talk to him. Besides he said he was going to lay off. You told him to and he probably will."

"Maybe."

"Say Matt this uh this Drew Holt, didn't he buy himself a house out at the edge of town?"

"Yeah."

"Now that doesn't sound much like a man who's planning to run away, does it?"

"No."

The door burst open suddenly and Chester came in.

"Mister Dillon, General Smith's at it again."

"What in front of the bank?"

"No, he moved down to the corner he's scared of Nash I guess."

"So he'll probably lay off uh."

"Let's go see him," Doc said.

"Right you can say hello to him just before I run him out of town."

Matt grabbed his hat and followed Chester and Doc out of the office and over to where Parsley was preaching at the people of Dodge outside of the Lady Gay.

"I tell you again. I tell you all this Drew Holt, the man's an out and out crook. He'll make off with every penny you gave him. I assure you gentlemen…"

Parsley looked like he'd seen a ghost when he saw Doc with Matt.

"Doc, Doc Adams."

"Hello Parsley."

"What are you doing in Dodge?"

"I live here, what are you doing here?"

"Well I was on my way to Arizona and I stopped here because… Well I guess you heard of Drew Holt and his bank."

"I thought I told you to lay off General?"

"I'm only doing my duty since you won't do yours. I already saved 2 men from losing their money this afternoon."

"That's all you're going to save. You're through General."

"You can't run me out. I tell you Holt's going to rob everybody. He'll ruin these people you've got to believe me."

"Did you ever hear of a Drew Holt in the army Doc?"

"No, no I never heard of him."

"Till dark General. I see you around town after that I'll have to lock you up."

"You mean that don't you?" Parsley said.

"I mean it."

"Alright by dark," Parsley seemingly resigned to his fate. "Thank you."

"Bye Parsley," Doc said.

"What was the thanks for Doc?" Matt asked.

"Keeping my mouth shut I guess," Doc replied. "Parsley Smith wasn't a general he was the regimental butcher."

"The regimental butcher?" Chester asked surprised.

"He started out as a staff sergeant but they found that he'd lied so much about his past experiences. He said he'd been in Mexico with General Scott. Turned out he'd never been in anybody's army before."

"Well he's through now," Matt said.

"He isn't a bad man Matt."

"Well maybe not."

"Well thanks Marshal and thanks for running that old fool off."

"I ran off your man Nash too, Mister Holt."

"You did?"

"From now on if your bank needs protection I'll handle it."

"Of course, if you say so Marshal."

Nash came out of the alley when he was sure Matt was heading back to his office. Later that night Chester came to join Matt as he stood leaning on a post near the jail.

"I went to the stables to feed the horses. They're fine."

"Thanks Chester."

"You seen them Mister Dillon?"

"Not yet. You?"

"No nary a one of them. Reckon they must have left town."

"Yeah maybe."

"Well it's getting kind of late."

"Why don't you go on to bed, Chester?" Matt said noticing Chester yawning.

"What about you?"

"Well I'll just stick around here awhile…"

They started running as they heard the first gunshot followed by 4 more which seemed to be coming from the direction of Drew Holt's house. Matt sighed inwardly as he saw Parsley with a rifle by the well.

"That's Drew Holt's house, the general's gone plumb crazy."

"General."

Parsley looked around.

"General Smith it's Marshal Dillon. Hold your fire."

"Stay where you are Marshal they'll see you."

"Wait here Chester."

Matt crouched low and ran to the well.

"Drew Holt's still alive Marshal but I got his gunman that's Nash lying there on the front porch."

"Yeah I see him."

"They was going to run off tonight. You must have scare them. But I was standing guard I stopped them."

"Give me your rifle General."

"What for?"

"I said give it to me."

"You're going to take over?"

"Yeah I'm taking over."

"All right here," Parsley handed Matt the rifle.

"Your hands are shaking. You been hit?"

"No he couldn't hit anything but I heard him yell once though. I might have a bullet in him."

"You better hope that you haven't. You're in trouble enough already. Stay here."

"Still don't believe me, do you?"

"It doesn't matter now what I believe. Holt! It's Dillon come on out of there."

Drew Holt's answer was to take a shot at the well. Matt had to fire 4 times at the window. When Holt once again took aim Matt shot once more inside the house he saw the silhouette of Drew Holt as he fell. Matt rose and headed for the house. When he was sure it was safe Matt signaled Chester.

"Chester bring the General."

Chester and Parsley followed Matt to the house. Inside the house Matt lit a lamp and propped holstered his gun and put the rifle by a chair. He went to check on Drew Holt.

"Holt. Holt can you hear me?"

"You did it Marshal. He winged me but you did it. The old fool I should have killed him a long time ago."

When Matt noticed that Drew Holt had stopped talking he checked him over finding that he had just died.

"Is he dead?" Chester asked.

"Yeah. Well you were right General you did have a bullet in him."

"The bags on the table that's the money they was running off with."

Matt crossed to the table and checked the bags hefting one bag of coins.

"I don't suppose there's any use in my asking you how you really knew about Holt, is there?"

"I'm awfully tired I've got to sit down. Ah it's been a long night. I made that up about him being a spy. I thought you'd more likely believe that than what really happened. All my life the things I made up seemed better than the way things actually happened. It was over in Abilene Marshal a few weeks back. You know the Grand Hotel there?"

"I know it."

"Well I had a room next to this Drew Holt fella. I used to sit in the dark with the windows open. They was plotting right outside on the balcony. They didn't even know I was around."

"Say that was lucky," Chester said.

"I fooled them good, I sure did. You know Marshal…"

Parsley stopped suddenly and slumped sideways in the chair he was sitting in. Matt caught him and checked him over.

"Oh swan to goodness looks like he fainted," Chester said. "Mister Dillon he's been shot."

"He's dead Chester. He even lied about being hit."

"Didn't lie about Drew Holt though."

"No. No he knew about Holt though we'll never know how."

"Well he just told us how he overheard them and all at the Grand Hotel in Abilene just a few weeks back."

"There's something wrong with that too Chester."

"What?"

"Because the Grand Hotel in Abilene burned down 2 years ago."

"I best get a wagon to take the bodies to Doc's for a autopsy," Chester said.

Matt nodded and thanked Chester for his thoughtfulness. Chester headed for the stable and returned shortly with the wagon. They loaded the bodies and removed the bodies from the house to the wagon. Doc was quiet throughout the autopsy. It was self-evident how the men had died. While he was doing the autopsy he listened as Matt told him what Parsley had said about Abilene.

"He couldn't stop could he? Had to have one last lie. I'm going to pay for Parsley's funeral I don't want him buried up on Boot Hill with Holt and Nash."

Matt nodded he'd suspected that Doc might do that for his old comrade. So three days later a small group made their way to the town cemetery and watched as Parsley was laid to rest in a new suit of clothes provided by Doc. As they returned Doc drove Kitty in his buggy while Matt and Chester rode Buck and Bob. Buck thought of the other funerals later that day in his considered opinion neither Holt nor Nash were worth the sweat on Parsley Smith's brow. There were certainly no tears being shed over them now that the truth was out and the money had been returned to it's rightful owners. Mr Botkin had gone over the accounts from Holt's Bank now closed very carefully. Most still wanted bank accounts so chose to deposit the money with Mr Botkin.