Doc checked the time on his pocket watch as he stood up. "Well," he said putting the watch away. "I'm going to Delmonico's to get something to eat, you want to join me?"

"Yeah," Matt said standing up as Sam rushed though the door.

"Marshal," he said breathlessly. "Miss Kitty went to the bank and she never came back!"

"Do you think she could have stopped over at Festus place," he said calmly looking at Doc.

"Let's check there first," Doc said shuffling toward the door.

Matt followed and met Newly coming down the boardwalk. "Keep an eye on things," the Marshal said. "I'll be right back."

Matt bounded up the steps to Festus house and knocked on the door.

"Abelia," Matt said when the woman opened the door. "Is Kitty here?"

"No," she said looking from Matt to Doc. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Where's Festus," Doc said agitatedly.

"He went to Ma's after the children but he hasn't come back yet. I was just thinking to go after him."

"Doc," Matt said looking at the physician. "Stay with her, I'm going back to the jail to question Strom's son!"

Both Festus and Kitty's arms were still tied behind their back's as two men stepped forward and hauled them both to their feet.

"What is this!" Kitty yelled looking at Judge Strom.

Strom stepped forward into the light, a smile on his face. "What this is Miss Russell...is a continuation if you will of where we left off last time."

Festus twisted away from the man holding him and lunged at the Judge. "You better think long an hard before ya think bout doing anything here Judge," Festus yelled at the man. "Matthew won't stop if ya do anything ta Kitty! I guarantee he'll find you and when he does, ain't nothing gonna stop him from a killin you!"

"It no longer matters," the judge laughed evilly taking a deep breath. "He has my last son, my only son and I'm a dying man. I have nothing left to lose!"

Matt entered the jail without a word to Newly. Taking the keys from the wall, he opened the cell door where Calvin Strom was sitting.

Grabbing the man's collar, he hauled Calvin to his feet and threw him against the brick wall as Newly ran into the cell.

"Where are they!" Matt growled taking Calvin by the collar again. "Tell me or so help me, you'll never see the light of day again!"

"Marshal!" Newly yelled from behind Matt.

"Answer me Strom!" Matt said shaking Calvin as the man smiled.

"I don't know," he said gently. "My pa didn't tell me his plans."

"I don't believe you!" Matt said looking at Newly. "Kitty and Festus are gone, saddle up some horses, we're taking him with us!"

"The Marshal will be here soon," Judge Strom said looking at the four men around him. "Prepare the prisoner's for hanging!"

Festus struggled against the two men that dragged him up the stairs of the scaffolding.

Once at the top, Kitty at his side and the noose's over head, his feet were bound as well as Kitty's and then Judge Strom smiled from the ground below.

"Do the condemned have any last words?" the judge said evenly.

Kitty met Festus eyes as she swallowed hard and the hill man remembered what Kitty had said earlier in the Long Branch.

"Ya, I got sumthin ta say," Festus said angrily looking at the judge. "You were right bout us, Miss Kitty got yer boy ta come up ta her room and when things didn't go the way they should have, I killed him!"

"You're admitting to what you've done," the judge said stepping closer to the scaffold.

"Yes," Kitty said looking at Festus. "It's true, all of it!"

The judge closed his eyes and smiled. "The truth shall set your souls free!" he said snapping his fingers.

Two of the men grabbed the noose's as two more brought black hoods to place over their heads.

"Wait!" Kitty said looking at the judge. "We told you what you wanted to hear, what else can we say!"

"Nothing!" Judge Strom said nodding and then suddenly, everything went black.