Matt gritted his teeth as Festus rode into the camp ahead of O'Hara. The deputy looked carefully at the marshal before swinging out of the saddle and squatting by the little fire to warm his hands. Matt was gagged and bound to a tree but appeared unharmed and Festus grinned. "So y'all really do got Matt Dillon." The three men traded looks as he went on. "That ain't a easy thing to do...how'd you manage it?"
Norton grinned back. "Didn't seem so hard to me. All we did was stir up a little racket back of the jail and he walked right into us. He's a friend of yours, isn't he?"
A bitter expression crossed the deputy's face. "I thought he wuz. All them years watchin' his back, workin' for him...bleedin' for him!" Festus shook his head. "Then he let that Agent Doyle take me off to Rock Crik to get hung with nary a word."
Watson spoke up. "I heard he broke you out of jail to save you from the hangman."
Festus helped himself to coffee and stood up. "Wuz that what you heerd?" His voice turned cold. "The onliest reason he done that wuz 'cause he'd got to thinkin' all them folks wuz so sure I wuz Frank Eaton he must be wrong. Oh, he busted me out all right. Then he give me a choice...a thousand dollars for him or straight back to the gallows for me."
Watson frowned. "That don't square with the Marshal Dillon I heard about."
Festus walked over to Matt and looked down at him. "You don't know him real well. He's got hisself a good reputation as a lawman, but he don't pass up money. Why do you think he's such good friends with that woman who owns the Longbranch? He's been takin' money off'n her for years." He turned away. "I went back to Dodge with him 'cause I knowed he'd be watchin' me like a cat at a mousehole. I been waitin' for a chance to get away from him and this here looks like the best I'll ever have. Yore friend here tolt me what you want me to do and I don't mind a'tall...not if'n you give me a stake." He took a gulp of coffee. "I figger I got that comin' after almost gettin' my neck stretched on yore boss's account."
Norton eyed the deputy. "What about Dillon?"
The deputy shrugged. "What 'bout him? You don't need him now, do you?"
"So you don't care if we kill him?"
"Well, 'course I care!" said Festus sharply. "Didn't I just get through tellin' you I almost got myself hung? I ain't lookin' to put a rope 'round my neck over no lawman." He went back to Matt and leaned over him, jerking roughly at his fetters. "These ropes is tighter'n a tick. Just leave him here...if'n he wants to set there till he dies that ain't no concern of ourn." He stooped swiftly and pinned Matt's badge to his shirt. "There you go, marshal. That'll come in handy if'n anybody ever finds you...least they'll have somethin' to carve on your tombstone." The men laughed appreciatively as the deputy removed his own badge and dropped it on the ground. "They can have that too, for the next fool wants to turn lawman."
