Matt was awakened by the sound of someone moving around the far side of the stagecoach. It was barely dusk yet he could see legs moving around underneath. Matt's right hand slowly slid down his side and gripped his gun. He then pulled his gun from his holster and righted himself from the pile of hay he'd fall asleep on. He kept his eyes on the person's legs as he pulled himself slowly and carefully to his feet, "Who's there?" he ordered the person to speak.

Malcolm Sage stepped out from behind the coach with a rag clutched in his hands. He looked at Matt and then his gun, "You greet everyone that way, marshal," he huffed and went back to dusting the seats of his stagecoach.

Matt sighed with slight relief, "No," he said and he shoved his gun back into his holster and walked to the far side of the coach to talk to Sage.

"Do you think you can get the stage into Dodge any faster today?" matt asked.

Sage shrugged, "I can try, but it depends on the road and the weather," he turned to Matt. "Do you really think someone else knows about this money?"

Matt shook his head, "I don't know. All it would take is for someone to mention it in passing and that could start the ball rolling," Matt stated.

"I suppose," Sage said as he stepped back and placed his hands on his hips, "but I doubt anything will happen. Never seen anything in my ten years as a driver," he looked Matt in the eyes.

Matt chose not to respond to Sage's comment – he'd seen enough during his time of being the United States Marshal. He felt slightly uneasy with Sage's carefree manner over the whole issue. Matt nodded, and turned to leave, "I think I smell fresh coffee and bacon," Matt stated as he walked out of the barn toward the main building. As he got closer, his nose picked up the aroma of freshly baked bread, among other gastronomical delights that wafted though the air.

Matt opened the door into the warm room. All eyes in the room lifted to the marshal. Kitty smiled, "Good morning, Matt," she said over her steaming cup of coffee.

"Kitty. Doc. Jonas," Matt said as he pulled his hat off and dropped it onto a vacant chair before he took a seat at the common table.

"What can I get for you, marshal?" Mrs. Dolan asked while filling Matt's coffee cup.

"Oh, coffee is just fine," Matt said as he picked up the cup and drank a mouth full. Kitty watched him. It wasn't like Matt to not start the day with a full breakfast, so she knew something was bothering him – then she remembered the payroll. Matt could feel her looking at him and he knew what she was thinking.

Matt set his cup down and looked over to Doc and Jonas how were busy with their meal, "Once you are both finished, I'd like to have a word with you," Matt's tone was uneasy.

Jonas looked up from his plate to Matt before his eyes slid sideways to Doc. The doctor was looking at Matt trying to guess what was on his mind. Doc's eyes then made contact with Jonas'.

Suddenly both men weren't as hungry as they were just a few minutes earlier. Doc sat his fork down and wiped his lips with the napkin. Jonas poked at his eggs with his cutlery before he too set them down across his plate. He sipped from his coffee before he dabbed his napkin across his mouth.

"Why don't I like the feeling I'm getting?" Doc asked Jonas. "If it's anything like the one I'm experiencing right now, I can understand," Jonas' voice trailed off.

"Don't get too worked up," Matt warned both men. "This is just a matter of sharing some information, to be fair to you both," Matt said over his coffee.

"Matt's right," Kitty said with concern on her face.

"I take it that you already know," Doc asked Kitty who nodded. Doc pursed his lips in thought then looked over to Matt, "Are we in some sort of danger?"

Matt looked over his shoulder at the owners of the stage stop, "We'll get to that in a few minutes. Finish your breakfast, it is going to be a long day," Matt urged.

Reluctantly Doc picked up his fork and then nudged Jonas on his elbow to do the same. Doc's eyes couldn't leave Matt for the longest of moments as he tried to figure out what the issue might be. After all, the trip back to Dodge seemed uneventful so far.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hodgson kicked off his blanket and sat up with a yawn and a stretch. Both Doris and Elcombe were still asleep in their bedrolls. "Hey. Are you two going to join me today, or am I taking all the money?" Hodgson asked as he stood and walked to the dwindling fire and placed some twigs over the coals to get the flame growing again. He wanted coffee.

Doris stirred and rolled over onto his back. The trooper rubbed his closed eyelids with his knuckles. He yawned and then looked over to Hodgson, "Are you sure this is going to work?" he asked as he flung his blanket off which hit Elcombe causing him to grumble.

"Of course it's going to work. No one on that stagecoach will know that the money is on board, and we're soldiers. The money is supposed to come to us anyway," Hodgson grinned. "We'll just tell the driver there was a slight change in plans and we are to pick the payroll up and take it to the fort, rather than going into Dodge for it," he shrugged as if the whole event had already taken place.

"Hum," Doris thought.

"He's not going to know if there were and plan changes. He's had his behind in the driver seat for over a day now," Hodgson stated. "You aren't getting cold feet now, are you?"

Doris shook his head, "No, but I would rather it be done with," he said as he stood.

"Me too," Elcombe stated from his bedroll with a yawn.

"Don't worry. It'll all be over before you know it. Then we'll be rich. I can smell the money now," Hodgson's facial expression went from one of glee to one of brooding. "I want that money and after all we've been through in his lousy army, we deserve it," his eyes locked onto his two friends. Doris and Elcombe exchanged glances then cautiously went about their business to prepare for the journey and their money.