Doc walked with Crump to the back door of the undertaker's business, "I'll go with Percy," the doctor said.
"Alright, Clarence and I will meet you out from of the livery stable. "We need to saddle our horses," Matt stated.
"Mule," Cox said.
"Huh?" Matt looked at the trapper.
"Mule. I ride a mule," Cox said as he walked to the door of the undertaker's and out on the street. Matt shook his head, "That explains a few things," he said to himself as he followed the trapper to the boardwalk.
"Before we go, I need to talk to Festus," Matt said.
Cox watched the marshal for a moment, "You care a great deal for these people, don't you?"
Matt looked over to the trapper, "Yes. They are my family," Matt said knowing what kind of a life a trapper could lead. Cox nodded, "Family," he grunted as he walked along wondering what his life might have been with Lucy Stone. Cox smiled at the thought of a family back in Canada - likely in the wilderness where he felt comfortable, yet close enough to a town that his family had health care and schooling. That all changed when Isaac met Lucy and lured her away. Cox's eyes narrow to slits in his face as the reminder bit deeply into his being.
Matt didn't noticed the look on Cox' face. Instead he was busy scanning the street hoping to see his deputy and that he did as Festus strolled down the far side of the street. "I'll meet you at the stable," he said to the trapper. Cox nodded and was on his way.
Matt crossed the street, "Festus?"
"Matthew?" the hill man stopped and stuffed his thumbs into his vest pockets. Festus looked at Matt like he'd lost a puppy.
Matt squared himself to Festus, "Look, Festus. I know you are really upset with Harvey Miller for stealing Ruth, but I can't have you moping around town and looking like you are ready to jump the first person to mention it," Matt stated.
"Wall, Matthew, I jist would like one minute with ol Harvey and it would all straightened out!" Festus explained.
"That is another concern of mine. We are both men who wear badges. These badges dictate what we can do - legally," Matt warned. Festus looked down at the boardwalk and Matt knew the hill man wasn't happy. "I want you and Newly to go out to Harvey Miller's place and bring him in. He has a few things to explain," Matt ordered. Festus looked up at the marshal, "And I don't want anymore bloodshed or broken knuckles," Matt concluded. Festus frowned - he thought for sure this would be an opportunity to poke Miller in the nose for stealing Ruth.
"Do you understand?" Matt asked in a cold tone.
"Yes, sir," Festus answered meekly and with an underlying tone of disappointment. Matt nodded as he felt he got his message through to his deputy. As soon as Festus turned to leave, Matt smirked. Part of the marshal would have cheered on Festus in a fray with Harvey Miller.
Matt turned, and walked to the stable and met Doc, Percy Crump and Cox. "What took you so long?" Doc quipped.
"I had to convince Festus not to tear Harvey Miller's limbs off over stealing Ruth," Matt grunted as he began to saddle his tall buckskin horse.
"Oh, I bet he wasn't happy about that," Doc chuckled lightly. Matt looked over his horse, "No. He wasn't," Matt said. Doc heard his tone and decided now was not the time for another quip.
Matt finished with his saddle and pulled himself up onto his horse. Cox stepped up and sat in this saddle. He looked over to the undertaker and the doctor who were now up on the seat of the wagon which had the undertaker's business painted on the side. Cox huffed as he realized his two-year journey may have just come to this.
Matt motioned for the group to leave when Doc spotted Ellen Jonas and had Percy stop this wagon, "Mrs. Jonas?"
"Hello, Doc," she smiled.
"How's Wilbur?" Doc looked down from the wagon seat.
"He's sound asleep. He didn't sleep a wink out there last night," she shook her head.
"You stay in town and keep an eye on him. "I'm sure he'll be just fine, but I need someone to watch," Doc smiled and Ellen nodded. "I'll be back in a few hours," Doc said as Ellen then realized that the doctor was with the undertaker - she didn't know what else to say as she watched the group of men leave Dodge.
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"Matthew has given me full instructions to have you join me in gonin' out to Harvey Miller's place and brining him into Dodge," Festus' voice was extra whiny. Newly drew a breath, "And just what if Harvey Miller doesn't want to come into town with us?" the gunsmith asked with his dark eyebrow curved over his left eye.
"Wall, Matthew doesn't want me ta use any force," Festus warned. "I was kinda hopin' you'd have some sort of idea," Festus continued as he poked at miscellaneous gun parts on the gunsmith's work bench.
"Well I don't," Newly said as he swatted Festus' hand away from the parts. "I really don't want to be anywhere near Harvey Miller after his fine showing last night," Newly stated.
"Newly, I don't want to pull rank on you," Festus raised his right index finger at the part time deputy. Newly made a face, "I don't know why I do this deputing stuff anyway," the gunsmith frowned as he realized he had little choice in the matter. "I get beat up and shot at...and even shot!" he said as he limped out from behind his work bench.
Festus wore a coy look on his whiskered face, "It has danger appeal," he winked.
Newly looked at the hill man and wondered what on earth he was talking about, "What?"
"Danger appeal," Festus retorted as he followed Newly to the door. "Doc once told me the ladies like a little danger appeal in their men," he smiled.
Newly stopped and looked at Festus. "I can't see that it has worked for you," he said with a wink and turned to the livery stable. Festus stood silent for a second, "That old scutter!" he said before he trudged after the gunsmith.
Festus could hear Newly laughing all the way down the street, "I live with a bunch of smartalecs," he grunted before he smiled to himself. Now if his meeting with Harvey Miller would go along so well, his day would be alright, however, he knew the old farmer wasn't going to give in without a fight.