Letty swept into Delmonico's and half the heads in the restaurant turned. Matt and Kitty and Doc traded looks as Festus trailed the girl to their table and pulled out a chair for her. She sat down with a gracious nod and the deputy took the place next to her. Letty was bubbling. "It's just so exciting to be back here! Living in a real city I forgot how wild the west really is."

Matt frowned. "I don't think Dodge is so wild any more."

She shrugged. "It's a very nice little town, considering."

Kitty leaned forward and touched the sleeve of Letty's dress. "Letty, I've been admiring your clothes. Where did you get such beautiful things?"

The girl smiled complacently. "Oh, I've made some friends in New York, Miss Kitty. One in particular, Louise Worthington, goes to Troy and she very kindly outfitted me for this trip."

"That was nice of her."

Letty tossed her head. "She can afford it. Her father is very rich. Most of the girls who go there come from wealthy families. I'm the only one from west of the Mississippi. They never held it against me, though. It's a very liberal establishment."

Festus spoke up. "You like it there, do you?"

"I like it very much. I liked living in New York...there's so much to do there!"

Doc said, "Well, we find things to do here in Dodge. We just had a barn dance last week."

The girl smiled politely. "A barn dance? How very quaint." A waiter brought menus and handed them around. He skipped Festus and Letty frowned. "Excuse me, but you seem to be a menu short." The man looked puzzled and she said impatiently, "You forgot Festus."

The deputy shook his head frantically but the waiter didn't notice. "Well, there ain't much sense giving a menu to somebody who can't read, is there?" He took out his pad and pencil. "Anybody want something to drink?" There was a frozen silence at the table and he said, "I guess I'll give you a few minutes."

He walked away and Letty turned to Festus. "What did he mean, you can't read?"

Doc said placatingly, "Letty, I don't think this is the time or the place to go into Festus' education."

She ignored him. "What about all the letters you wrote me?"

Festus' voice was low. "Doc wrote the letters for me."

"And read my letters to you?" He nodded miserably and Letty looked appalled. "Those were private. How could you let somebody read my letters?"

Festus swallowed hard. "I ain't never had no schoolin' so Doc alwuz handled things like that for me."

Letty was incredulous. "You mean you never learned anything at all?"

Kitty stood up. "Letty, let's go."

The girl threw down her menu. "Gladly." Her eyes were scornful and Festus seemed to wilt under them as she left with Kitty.

Doc collected the menus. "I don't know why we need these anyway. I think a nice chicken dinner with a wishybone for each of us would be just what the doctor ordered."

Festus got slowly to his feet. "I don't b'lieve I'll have anythin', Doc."

The old man caught his friend's arm. "Festus, wait a minute." The deputy sat back down. His eyes were dull and Doc ran his hand over his face. "On second thought...Matt, why don't you order for us? Festus can take a walk with me and we'll be back in a few minutes."

Left in possesion of the field, the marshal ordered three chicken dinners and waited patiently for Doc, but the few minutes had stretched to thirty before the old man came back alone.