Harvey Miller stalled as ht tried to think of how the events unfolded that led to Isaac' demise, "Well he wasn't easy to beat and I lost just about every penny I had. That's when I saw him slip a card away and I called him on it. I don't know how he did it, but when he was asked to show his pockets, there weren't any cards. That's when I got thrown out of the saloon."
Matt looked over to Doc, "You found the cards in his pockets, didn't you Doc?"
"I most certainly did," Doc said.
"He must have hid them somehow," Matt sighed and looked back to Miller. "What happened next?"
Miller fidgeted in his chair, "I waited for him and when he finally left, I confronted him about cheating and asked for my money back. He wasn't happy about that and shoved me to the ground," Miller said.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Matt asked.
Miller shrugged, "I never really thought about it and furthermore it was my business," he huffed.
"People cheating at cards and shoving people around are my business," Matt growled.
"Well, I wasn't going to let him get way with it! I followed that rat-fink out to the old mine entrance. He seemed pretty shifty. And when I caught up to him we got into a fight and he pulled that on me," Miller pointed to the knife.
"That's when you came into my office for me to mend your arm!" Doc stated. "You said you cut it on a saw," he said with disapproval. Miller made a face that was enough to say yes. Matt rolled his eyes, "Go on," he said.
"Well," Miller had to think, "if I recall he was getting kinda ugly about me being there, and he tried again to cut me, but I pulled my gun and shot him," Miller confessed. "He wasn't dead!"
"You murderer," Cox blurted out from the far side of the office. Festus held Cox by the arm.
"I just said he wasn't dead!" Miller yelled.
"How did he get in the mine?" Matt finally asked.
"I made him go in there until he told me where the money was," Miller explained.
"He needed medical attention!" Doc stated.
"Well, he wasn't going to get it until I go my money back. Then he died," Miller said. "I still don't know where the money is," he twisted his mouth in thought.
Clarence was seething, "What a rotten thing to do," he growled.
"Look, mister, your so-called friend was rotten to the core, so don't you be telling about rotten," Miller said.
"What are you going to do now, marshal?" Clarence asked.
Matt turned, and returned to his chair, "I don't know, yet. I'm going to have to give this some thought," the marshal said as he looked at each man in the room. "Festus, lock him up, will you?" Matt thumbed toward the jail cells.
"You betcha I will," Festus hoisted Miller to his feet and guided him to the cells beyond the wooden door.
Matt stood and asked Clarence to leave the office, "I'd like to talk to Doc about this," he patted the trapper on the shoulder. "I'll let you know what I decide," Matt weakly smiled.
"It had better be good," Cox grumbled as he walked to the door and looked back to Matt, Doc and Newly, "Some days I just hate everything," he said as he stepped out and pulled the door hard behind him.
Doc and Matt exchanged glances. Newly looked at the two men, "I'll leave you to it," he smiled slightly.
"Oh, Newly? Take Festus to the Long Branch for a beer," Matt asked and handed the gunsmith a few dollars. "Get one for yourself, while you are at it," Matt said.
Newly looked at the money in his hand and then to Festus who stepped out into the main office, "Hey, Festus! Let me buy you a beer!" he smiled and then winked at Matt.
"Wall, foot! I was just about parched anyhow," the deputy said as he marched to the door and lead the way to the saloon. Doc shook his head and then looked up to Matt, "Well this is an interesting turn of events," the doctor stated as he sat in the chair in front of Matt's desk.
"That's an understatement, Doc," Matt frowned.
"Well, what are you going to do? Harvey is guilty of killing a man, kidnapping another and stealing," the doctor said as he drew his hand across his moustache in thought.
"Doc, what do you think of Harvey Miller?" Matt crossed his arms and leaned on his desk.
Doc looked over to the marshal, "To be honest, I'd have to agree with what Festus said," Doc quipped.
"Do you think he meant to kill Isaac?" Matt asked.
Doc shook his head no, "I think he was hoping Isaac would break and tell him where the money was. However, I also think Isaac wasn't running at full steam either," Doc noted. Matt agreed. "Now, what do I do?" the marshal asked his old friend.
Doc thought and looked up to Matt, "Matt, I'm not sure what you would do, but I honestly think Harvey is mentally unstable. He's proven that a few times in the last week. Heavens, wandering around with an infected hand and then try to operate on it himself?" Doc shook his head.
"So am I supposed to send him to a sanatarium?" Matt asked.
"It might be your only way out of this one," Doc sighed. "He certainly wouldn't last through a trial. He'd go off half-cocked and likely kill someone by accident or even himself," Doc stated. Matt then sighed, "Doc, I think you are right," he said in a hushed, "I wonder how Penelope will take this," he half grunted.
"If I were her, I'd be as a pig in..." Doc stopped himself after ne took note of the look on Matt's face. He knew Harvey Miller wasn't necessarily on of Dodge's upstanding citizens. "I'll talk to Harvey and give him his options," Matt stood.
"Matt? What if Penelope kept Harvey on a short leash?" Doc looked up at the marshal.
"You mean she has to watch over him?" Matt half laughed.
"That's precisely what I mean. An institution would kill him out right," Doc said. "But if you enforced some guidelines that they both agree too," Doc blinked.
Matt drew a deep breath, "Well, we could try," he said looking at the door that led back to the holding cells, "It beats the other options," Matt stated. Doc smiled. "I'll go and see Penelope," he said as he stood from the chair.
"I'd rather you saw Cox first," Matt said hoping the doctor could make the trapper understand the awkwardness of the situation. "Certainly, Matt," Doc smiled and walked to the door, "Good luck with Harvey," he said as he ticked his head and left the office.