Chapter Three: Matt in Danger
It was evening of the seventh day when they arrived in Dodge, they stabled their horses and went to the Dodge House. "You boys sit there while I book us a couple of rooms," Lon walked over to the desk, "I'd like to book two rooms one for me and one for the boys. Is the owner around, I need a word?"
"Certainly, sir, this way," the clerk took Lon to the office. "Mr Wiley, this gentleman would like to talk to you."
"Please take a seat, Mr ..."
"Gorman, Lon Gorman. I don't know if you remember me, I was among the men who kidnapped Matt Dillon, back in seventy-six."
"Oh, yes, I recall Matt saying that you had been railroaded by a corrupt sheriff."
"Good, that makes it easier for me to explain why the two boys out in the lobby need protecting. They lost their parents recently in an Indian raid up near Tucumcari, the sheriff there, Sheriff Disbrow gave me a letter to give to Matt Dillon, those two boys are his cousins. We need to keep their whereabouts secret at least until I can talk to Matt."
"Why the need for this secrecy?"
"There's a man trailing us, Carl Mandee, he was the only other survivor of the escapees."
"I thought he'd been hung?"
"So did I, but I saw him in Amarillo and I'm pretty sure he's following me. I don't know if he knows about the boys, but I don't intend taking any chances."
"Right! What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to talk to Matt now, but I want you to get some food up to the boys room."
"Certainly," Lon left the office he signed the register and took the boys up to their room. "Boys, the clerk is going to have some food sent up to you. I'm going across to Matt's office, tell him you're here. He'll come back with me and we can arrange things properly."
"Okay, Mr Gorman," Lon smiled, he liked those kids. He left them to settle in and went down to the lobby as the clerk carried a tray of food upstairs. Lon left the hotel crossing to the marshal's office, he opened the door and went in Matt looked up as he came in. "Howdy, Matt, Festus."
"Lon Gorman, never thought to see you in these parts again," Matt said, Lon handed the letter over to him.
"Sorry, Matt, no good way of saying about this sort of thing," Matt read the letter.
"What is it, Matthew?" Festus sounded concerned.
"My cousin, Adam and his wife, they've been killed by the Jicarilla. What about their children and Cousin Paul?"
"Paul is the local priest in Tucumcari. The boys are here with me, I got them a room in the Dodge House for now. We got one big problem. Carl Mandee must've escaped again, I saw him in Amarillo and I'm pretty sure he saw me, I don't think he saw the boys but he might have. He probably thinks they're mine."
"Festus, have Barney send a telegraph to Fort Leavenworth ask them why they didn't notify me."
"Sure thang, Matthew."
"I'll be over at the Dodge House, should anyone want me," Matt left with Lon walking over to the Dodge House they went upstairs to the boys' room.
"Boys, this is your cousin, Matt Dillon."
"Howdy, what do I call you?"
"I'm Thomas, sir."
"I'm Matthew, sir, I was named for you."
"How old are you?"
"I'm fourteen," Matthew said, "and Thomas is thirteen."
"Well, it looks like I'll have to rent a bigger house at this rate."
"You got family already, Matt?" Lon asked, Matt nodded and explained about the arrival of his twins and how he found his adopted daughter Mary. "That's going to cause some confusion, your son being Matthew the same as young Matthew here?"
"Everybody calls my Matthew, Little Matt," Festus knocked on the door and entered.
"Barney got a reply, Matthew," Matt went out to the landing with Festus. "They didn't know until we told them," Matt leant on the railing, "them two boys are they your cousin's young uns."
"Yes," Matt leant on the rail. "Soon as Mandee finds out about them they're going to be in danger."
"So will yours," Matt nodded. "Frank Reardon said he'd be down to visit this week," Festus nodded remembering the telegraph that had come from Montana.
"You figure he'll be able to protect the kids," Matt nodded, they went back in the room.
"Lon, kids, we'll go to my place now, you two got to meet your cousins. Festus bring Miss Kitty, Doc Adams and Joseph," they gathered up their belongings and followed Matt out and across town to Matt's house. Katherine hugged Matt close, Little Matt stood close but at fourteen considered himself above such things, Mary know nineteen was being courted by several boys but hadn't set her sights on any particular boy. Miss Kitty came in with Doc, Joseph and Festus.
"Matt," Miss Kitty said, "Festus has been unusually quiet. Has anything happened?"
"You could say that, Kitty. These two boys are my cousins, Matthew and Thomas, their parents were killed recently by the Jicarilla. Boys, this is Doc Adams and his son Joseph, he's a doctor too."
"Matthew you want I should bring Newly and Quint?" Festus asked.
"Yes, get all my deputies together," Festus left it didn't take long but soon the house was full of men and one woman all willing to lay down their lives to protect Matt's family.
"Matt, are you in trouble?" Matt turned to see Breckinridge Taylor.
"My family might be. This is Lon Gorman," Lon nodded to Breckinridge Taylor. "Don't know whether you heard of him?"
"As I recall, Festus told me that you helped him get out of prison."
"Yes, a corrupt sheriff had framed him for murder. Lon just brought my cousin's two boys from Tucumcari after Adam and his wife were killed by the Jicarilla. Come here boys, this is Breckinridge Taylor, he's our only attorney at law. Boys, you recall the rider that you saw on the way?" they nodded not liking where this was going. "We think he's a man called Carl Mandee, if he is he's coming here for only one reason to kill me and Lon. He hasn't tried anything yet because if it is him we think he might want us to be together, I don't want you to worry about it, we'll all keep you safe," Kitty and Mary sorted out the sleeping arrangements, the boys were grateful to get to bed, they'd had a long day.