Doc entered the jail house and surveyed the room. Matt remained perched on the edge of his desk, while sergeant Cox sat in a chair near the little table in the centre of the room. Doc twisted his lips and said not a word as he picked up his medical bag where Newly left it on the little table.

Doc shuffled slowly to the back cell and waited for Matt to unlock it. He looked up at matt, "Don't worry about locking it," the doctor said. "Newly said he's just barely hanging on," he said about Hodgson. Matt nodded and left the doctor to his work.

Doc gently sat down on the edge of the cot, where Dwight Hodgson lay. Doc picked up the trooper's left wrist and pulled his watch from his vest pocket to read the man's pulse. Doc shook his head in disapproval.

Doc then gently removed the gauze and looked at the wound in the trooper's stomach. He pushed gently on is and thick blood oozed out which held a rotten smell. Doc reached into his medical bag and cleaned the area before redressing the injury.

With a slight itch of his cheek, Doc opened his medical bad and pulled out his stethoscope, fitting the ends into his ears. Doc leaned forward and pressed the diaphragm to Hodgson's chest. He moved it and listened. The young man's heart was barely audible. Doc slowly shook his head - he knew there was little he could do for the man. Perhaps, he thought, it was just as well. Doc's eyes lifted to the adjoining jail cell where Frank Elcombe sat watching, "Is he going to make it?"

Doc pulled his stethoscope from his neck and placed it back into his medical bag and stood, "I'm afraid not," his voice held sadness.

Elcombe pushed back from the iron bars ever so slightly, as if what Hodgson was dying from, he might catch.

"You fellas must have really wanted that payroll," Doc said somewhat sarcastically as he left Hodgson's cell.

"Bad enough, I reckon," Elcombe remained looking at his dying friend. "I take it you have never been in the army," Elcombe looked up to Doc with a tinge of distrust.

Doc stopped and drew a deep breath before he turned to face the man on the other side of the bars. "I was in the army. I know how hard life can be, on and off the fields of battle. I also know what life is like in a military prison but I still managed to get through and got on with life. I have no idea what drove you men to this, but as sure as the sun comes up in the east you will be punished by your peers," Doc's eyes narrowed as he thought about Festus, Matt, Kitty and Jonas.

The doctor turned and walked out to the main office of the jail house, "There's nothing I can do for him. He's lost too much blood and by the look of his wound, the bullet has damaged several organs," Doc stated as he placed his medical bag back down in the little table. "I give him only a few more hours," Doc stated.

Cox drew his breath, "I see," he said as he stood and looked back into the area where the jail cells were. "That just leaves Elcombe..."

Doc looked over to Matt who was now watching Cox, "What does that mean?"

Cox shook himself from the thought of Williams and Hodgson dying in his midst, "He's the only one who knows what happened..." Cox stated.

Matt narrowed his eyes, "For his sake, I hope he gets a fair trial," Matt said as he stood and walked toward the sergeant.

"Oh, you can be sure of that," Cox said.

"Thank you both for your time. I'll be leaving with the prisoner tomorrow morning," Cox said as he crossed the room to retrieve his hat. "Good night, gentlemen," he smiled and left the jail house.

Doc thought for a moment, "What do you make of that?"

Matt shrugged, "I really don't know. I'm guessing that the sergeant is trying to figure out a way to clear his friend Williams for any wrong doing," Matt offered.

"You don't think he will," Doc's voice trailed off as he was about to say something about Cox and Elcombe.

Matt shook his head, "I don't think so. He still has five other troopers with him that saw what happened out there," Matt concluded. Doc nodded with slight satisfaction, "I'm going to get something to eat. Care to join me?"

Matt smiled, "That's the best suggestion I've heard all day," the tall lawman said as he walked to the door and retrieved his hat from the wooden peg.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was three weeks after the army left Dodge and life slowly returned to normal. Kitty Russell was up and about again, although she felt Doc was a little bit too protective of her. She told him time and time again that she was sore but doing well.

"I sware you have picked that up from Festus!" the doctor grumbled as he walked across Front Street with the red-headed saloon owner.

"What?" she chirped back as she stepped up to the boardwalk in front of the general store.

"Stubbornness, that's what," Doc stated as he drew his have over his moustache.

Kitty laughed just as Wilbur Jonas stepped out the door of his store with his arms filled with brown paper package, "Please excuse me," he mumbled as he tried to stop some packages from tumbling to the ground. Mrs. Howard waited at her wagon for Jonas to finish loading the items.

"That's everything," Jonas smiled weakly.

"I hope so. Last time you didn't give me my flour," Mrs. Howard thrust her nose in the air before she flicked the reigns and her wagon moved down the street.

"I don't know how you put up with some of them," Doc said as he watched. Jonas turned with a slightly embarrassed look on his face, "Oh, I just try to make too many of them happy at the same time, I guess," he said while walking back into this store.

Kitty and Doc were about to move on when the trio heard Matt call from up the street. Doc, Kitty and Jonas waited on the boardwalk for the marshal who obviously wanted to talk to them.

"What's up, Matt?" Doc asked as the marshal approached.

"I just got a letter from Fort Dodge," Matt held the paper up.

"Oh?" Jonas said.

"What's it say, Matt?" Kitty asked with Doc nodding.

"Jonas, can you close your store for a few minutes?" Matt asked and Jonas nodded, "Certainly, marshal," he said as he scurried inside to flip the sign over and then pulled the door locked behind him.

"Let's got to the Long Branch," Matt said as he looked at the three people in front of him.

"Sure," Kitty said as she turned up the street.

Festus Haggen was heading in the direction of the group, "Looks like you have yerself a party in the making, Miss Kitty!" the hill man stated. Doc rolled his eyes.

"Festus, you join us too," Matt said as they continued to the Long Branch Saloon.

Once inside and seated at Kitty's table at the back of the establishment, Matt unfolded the letter and read it out - Trooper Elcombe received a life term in the federal prison for his part in the robbery and assaults. Sergeant Williams was exonerated posthumously for what was described by sergeant Cox as an act of bravery as he tried to flush Hodgson and Elcombe from their camp. "And most importantly, the army wishes their deepest apologizes to Miss Kitty Russell, Wilbur Jonas, Doctor Adams and Festus Haggen," Matt concluded.

"Well, I'll be," Doc said and ticked his head in thought.

"Matthew? How come yer name wasn't there? After all they shot you..." Festus asked.

Matt looked at the hill man, "Well it was there, I just didn't read it," Matt stated.

Festus thought a moment, "Wall, it would have been better ifin you read all the names," he stated.

Doc rolled his eyes, "Kitty, buy him a drink to shut him up will you?"

Kitty was about to say something, but Sam was right beside her and placed a drink in front of Festus. The deputy's eyes twinkled at the sight and he licked his lips before picking up the glass. Sam place drinks around the table and with a collective sigh, and Festus enjoying his drink, Doc offered a toast, "To good friends," he lifted his glass as did the others. The all nodded and toasted back, and that afternoon in Dodge held deep meaning for those involved in the stagecoach robbery. They finally felt closure.