Matt nudged Buck along the alley until he reached the back road where he found foot prints and wagon tracks which explained the disappearance of Doc and Festus, but didn't come close to answering why they were missing. Matt spurred Buck and they swiftly moved along the road and over the bridge following the wagon tracks. It was growing late in the day and the marshal wanted to catch up with the wagon before nightfall - if he could.

Matt's mind was a blur as he tried to think of the events that led up to his two friends and their disappearance. He was certain that C.C. had his hand in it somewhere.

Newly, on the other hand wasn't having any luck trying to find Harvey Miller. Finally the gunsmith stopped. He figured that Harvey would surface at some point. Newly walked over to the Long Branch where he found Kitty and Wilbur Jonas at the table near the back of the room. Newly thought he check with the store owner to see how he was doing after his ordeal in Doc's office.

Newly sat next to Jonas, "How are you, Mr. Jonas?" he smiled.

Jonas looked over his spectacles, "oh, I'm been better, Newly. Thanks for asking," he smiled.

"How hard did Harvey Miller hit you," Newly asked with concern.

"Just enough to knock the wind out of me," Jonas rubbed his stomach, "and put me know my knees," he concluded.

"But you are all right?' Newly asked. "Oh, yes. I'm find that way," Jonas half laughed - mostly from embarrassment.

"How's your arm?" Newly then asked.

Kitty leaned on her elbow and watched the gunsmith as he interacted with the store owner, "You really should become a doctor, Newly," she smiled. Newly made a face. He didn't mind lending a hand where he could but he didn't want the responsibilities that Doc had. It was merely a personal thing from his past - one he longed to keep there.

Newly examined Jonas' forearm, "how quickly did this swell up?" he looked at Jonas in the eyes.

"Oh, within the hour, I guess," he shrugged. "Why?"

"Your radius might be cracked," Newly gently touched the bruise causing Jonas to squirm.

"My what?" Jonas asked.

"It's a bone in your arm," Newly said placing the ice pack back on Jonas' arm. "We'll have to keep an eye on it," he smiled trying not to worry the store owner. Kitty saw the distress in the man's eyes and motioned to Sam to bring more drinks to the table.

"Don't worry, you'll be okay," Newly reassured Jonas who weakly smiled.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Doc sat on the edge of the cot leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands dangling between his knees. He watched Cox as the trapper built the fire. Slowly the inside of the cabin began to warmed up. "Why don't you believe what we're trying to tell you?" Doc finally asked Cox.

Clarence said nothing. He was trying to think away out of his current predicament. He was also seconded guessing himself with Festus.

Doc pushed himself to his feet, his head still spinning from his accident. He took the back of a chair near the cot to steady himself. Festus watched, "Doc, maybe you orta be still sittin' down. You look a little wobbly," the deputy stated.

"As a matter of fact, I am still wobbly," the doctor grumbled as he ran his free hand across the back of his head.

"I didn't mean for anything to happen to you," Cox said finally breaking his silence.

"Maybe not me, but you had full intentions of hitting Festus," Doc thrust his finger out pointing at the deputy who remained bound in the chair.

"I just wanted to get him away from Dodge to have a chat with him," Cox stated.

"Well, that is some chat you are having now," Doc growled. "Why don't you untie him?"

"Not until he tells me where my two hundred dollars is," Cox growled at the doctor. Doc immediately sat down on the chair for fear he might further rile the trapper.

"You have to be the most pig-headed bush-whacker that I have ever layed my eyeballs on!" Festus shouted. "For the hundredth time, I ain't that feller you are lookin' fer," Festus struggled with the ropes.

Cox pursed his lips, "Well there is one more way to tell if you're lying," he said pulling his hunting knife from the leather sheath on his belt. Festus gulped. Doc stood, "Now don't do something stupid," the doctor warned as he kept his eyes on Cox.

Cox moved slowly toward the deputy, "Doc!" Festus screamed. Doc moved closer to the two men, "Stop now, Doc. I'm not gonna hurt him," Cox warned.

"Then why the knife?" Doc asked with his voice filled with concern.

"Isaac had a large scar on his right shoulder from a trapping accident," Cox said as he swiftly cut Festus' upper sleeve. The trapper pulled at the material. There was no large scar. Festus glared at the trapper, "Like I've been tryin' ta tall ya," the deputy growled.

Cox stuffed his knife back into the sheath and sat down on the hearth. "I hate everything," he muttered to himself. Festus was not the man he was looking for. "Jus as I thought I got all this settled..."

"Ifin' it ain't too much trouble, could you untie me now," Festus grumbled as he fought with the ropes. Cox remained silent and didn't move from here he sat. Doc made a face and carefully walked toward the deputy. Doc worked at the ropes until Festus was free enough to get the rest of the restraints off of himself.

Festus worked with a feverish pace to free himself of the ropes. Finally he stood from the chair with his hands balled into tight fists. The hill man took a step forward and was stopped by the doctor, "Leave him be, Festus," Doc urged.

"I'd just like to repay the big galoot fer the thumpin' I got," Festus muttered.

"Matt will see that he pays for what he's done. Looks like he's got more his mind at the moment," Doc said as he walked back to the cot. "You keep an eye on him, I need to rest," Doc said as he sat down and layed on his side. No sooner had the doctor closed his eyes, the door of the cabin opened with e flurry. Everyone in the building jumped.

Matt Dillon stood in the doorway with his long hand gun drawn at waist level. Cox slowly stood. Matt looked around the room, "Doc. Festus. Are you okay?"

I'll be more okay once I pay back this lunkhead fer the knot he left me with," the hill man growled.

Matt made a face, "Doc?"

"I'll be fine, Matt," the doctor said from the cot.

"What's been going on here?" Matt stepped into the room and closed the door and looked at the ropes on the floor around the chair.

Clarence sat back down on the hearth, "Thankfully nothing much," the trapper said. "I guess I'm a dang fool. But I'm not gonna stop until I find Isaac..."

"Ol C.C. finally got it through his thick skull I ain't the yahoo he's been lookin' fer," Festus growled again.

Matt sighed. "We'll head back to Dodge in the morning."