Matt took the hat and pursed his lips in thought. He moved through the room and to the back door of the livery stable. "Damn," was all he could muster. His eyes shot back to Newly, "Send a telegram to the Spearville sheriff and tell him their murder will have to wait. He can also request help from another sheriff. We have our own problem," the marshal's voice was low and full of irritation, which was brought on by the unfolding events thus far in the day.

The sun was quickly setting and if he was going to get after whoever had Doc and Festus, he would have to be on his way soon.

Newly acknowledged the marshals' request and was quick to leave the livery stable for the telegraph office up Front Street.

Matt decided to give Doc's office quick check just to be sure that Doc wasn't there - without his hat - for some reason.

With a huff Matt walked back to the front of the stable.

Wilbur Jonas stood behind his sale's counter and rubbed his left forearm. It was sore and more swollen than earlier, "This arm is really bothering me," he said t himself. "I think Doc better have another look at it," the store owner said pulling his coat over his shoulders. His arm throbbed.

Jonas filled the sign over in the door window and pulled the door closed behind him before heading up to the doctor's office. Jonas took his time and once he'd reached the little landing at the top of the wooden staircase, he rapped lightly on the door which opened.

Jonas made a face, "Doc?" he said stepping into the office to find a bearded man rummaging through the doctor's medical cabinet, "Hey!" Jonas yelled.

Harvey Miller turned and glared at Jonas.

"You can't just help yourself to Doc's supplies!" Jonas pointed at the open cabinet passed Miller's shoulder. "And where's Doc?"

"Shut up, Jonas," Miller growled as he moved toward the door.

"I'm getting the marshal!" Jonas said as he moved to the door, however, Miller was quicker and landed a solid blow to Jonas' mid-section knocking the wild right out of the store owner. Jonas doubled over and fell to his knees. Through his water filled eyes he watched Miller hastily leave the doctor's office with an arm full of medicine bottles and gauze bandage.

Jonas tried to yell for help, but he was still fighting to catch his breath.

Miller was gone.

Matt walked up the boardwalk and stopped at the general store. He looked at the sign in the door window and wondered why Jonas was closed. He figured that the store owner was taking inventory or trying to repair the display case that was broken earlier in the morning. Matt shrugged - whatever Jonas was up to, was the man's business.

Matt drew is breath in hopes of finding Doc in his office, however, with the doctor's hat in his hand, he seriously doubted it. Matt climbed the stairs and noticed that the door at the top of the stairs as open. Matt slowed his approach and pulled his gun from its holster. The marshal eased himself up to the window and peeked through, however, the drape made it difficult to see into the room.

Matt slowly moved up the stairs and heard coughing. He moved faster and jumped into the doorway with his gun out. He saw no one in the room, until he looked down and found Jonas on his knees. Matt quickly placed Doc's hat on the door knob.

Matt quickly knelt down, "Jonas?" he said trying to assist the store owner up to the chair next to Doc's desk, "What happened?" He remained on one knee to be at eye level with the store owner who was in obvious distress.

Jonas' face was red from coughing and trying to catch his breath. The store owner blinked hard, "Marshal, I came up here to have Doc look at my arm," he paused. Matt looked down at Jonas' bruised and swollen forearm and then looked back at Jonas. "When I got here, Harvey Miller was going through Doc's medical cabinet," Jonas ticked his head in the direction of the white metal and glass cabinet next to the door on the far side of the room.

"Harvey Miller?" Matt asked.

Jonas nodded, "He left with an arm full of things," Jonas sputtered. Matt patted the store owner on the shoulder, "take it easy. I'll see if Kitty can help you," Matt said as he stood.

"Miss Kitty? Why not Doc?" Jonas asked.

"I don't know where Doc is at the moment," he said pointing to the black felt hat.

"What happened?" Jonas looked from the hat back to Matt.

"I don't know. Both Doc and Festus are missing. I have a feeling it has to do with that Clarence Cox fellow who had some grudge against Festus." Matt said. "You stay here. I'll see that Kitty looks after you," Matt said as he left the office.

Jonas looked down at his arm and remembered the fellow the marshal referred to. "I hope that Doc and Festus are all right. I'd hate to be that Cox fellow with the marshal after me over something like this," he shook his head.

Matt reached the boardwalk just as Newly crossed the street from the telegraph office. "Is Doc in his office?"

"No. But Jonas is," Matt frowned.

"I don't follow you, Marshal." Newly looked puzzled.

"He went up to have Doc look at his arm and was run over by Harvey Miller," Matt looked back up the stairs.

"Is he all right?" Newly's left eyebrow lifted.

"I'm sure he will be. I'll have Kitty look in on him. In the mean time we now have two problems. Doc and Festus are missing and now Harvey Miller is on the loose with medical supplies," Matt's eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Newly looked around the street, "I'll look for Miller," he looked back at Matt.

Matt nodded, "If you find him, lock him up," he growled. "I'm going after Doc and Festus," he said moving quickly to the Long Branch to ask Kitty to look in on Jonas.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Clarence pushed the team of horses hard until he reached a cross road. He pulled sharp and the horses came to a stop. Festus was coming to, and sat up in a haze, "What in thunder happened?" he looked around as he tried to get his bearings.

Cox looked over his shoulder to the back of the wagon. The hill man was resting on his elbow and the doctor was still flat out cold. "I didn't mean for it to happen this way," his voice was calm.

Festus tried to clear his eyes as he looked up at the large man at the front of the wagon, "You!" he said as he finally recognized Cox. Festus reached for his gun which wasn't there.

Cox looked back at the road and the wagon was leaving a good trail. He tightened his lips and climbed down from the wagon. Quickly the trapper pulled several branches from nearby trees and shoved the branch end of the bows into the frame of the wagon near the wheels. It was an old Indian trick to hide one's path. With the way the wind was blowing, the snowy track would soon be hard to follow. At least that was Cox's plan.

Festus looked down to his side, "Doc?" he asked in a hushed voice as he tried to wake the physician.

"He tripped over something. I didn't lay one finger on him," Cox said as he climbed back up to the seat.

"That might just be a lucky thang fer you, cause ifin' I find out you hurt ol' Doc, I'll skin you with a butter knife," Festus growled. Cox could tell that the hill man was deadly serious. Without another word Cox picked up the reins and turned the horses east. The branches were doing exactly what he had hoped - covering the trail.