Robert was seated next to Abelia's bed as he read over one of Doc's medical journals. He would glance up periodically to see if Abelia was awake but other than taking hourly vital signs he had little to do.

Stretching, as he stood up, he watched Ma Smalley as she tended to his baby sister.

"How's she doing Ma?" Robert asked walking over as the older woman covered the infant to keep her warm.

"Sakes alive," Ma said returning to her seat. "Never saw such a tiny child in all my days!"

"Indeed she is," Robert said quietly marveling at the perfect and pink baby in the bassinet.

The physician suddenly turned his head sharply when he heard the front door of the hospital open below them.

"Stay here," he said looking at Ma as he left the ward.

"Robert!" Matt yelled walking though the doors while supporting Festus weight after having Newly go for Doc's help as well.

Robert bounded down the stairs and took one look at his father and Matt's worried face before pointing to the room just to his left.

"What happened?" Robert asked as Matt put Festus into a chair.

"He surprised our murder," Matt said taking a step back as Robert bent to check Festus vitals before he looked up in surprise.

"What!"

"I found this nearby," Matt said opening his hand to reveal the broken hypodermic needle.

"No!" Robert said wrapping his fingers around Festus wrist. "Help me get him onto the table!"

Matt bent down and picked up Festus shoulders as Robert got his feet and together they slide the almost unconscious hill man onto a large exam table.

"Sally," Festus muttered as Robert quickly undid the buttons of his father's shirt.

"Sally?" he said placing his stethoscope against his father's bare chest before looking at Matt. "Why is he calling for her?"

Matt turned around as Doc ran into the room with Newly just behind him.

"How is he?" Doc asked breathlessly as Robert pulled the stethoscope from his ears.

"His heart rate is steadily dropping," Robert said quickly. "It's got to be the foxglove. We need a way to combat the effects. What's the best way?"

"Do we know how much?" Doc asked as Robert shook his head no. "I think Hawthorn will do it!"

"Treat the patient, not the poison," Robert said as Doc nodded.

"It's all about keeping his heart going until the poison works it's way out of his system," Doc replied going to a cabinet and pulling out a few vials.

"What about diluting it," Robert said opening a drawer nearby. "If you remember, I told you about the salt and water I used when one of my patients lost to much blood!"

"That just might work," Doc said with a nod as Robert went to work mixing the solution of sterilized water and salt.

Matt pulled Newly aside as the two Doctors worked. "Get to Festus and Abelia's house and check on the children," Matt ordered. "Bring them to the Dodge house and make sure Burke or someone is guarding them."

"Yes, sir," Newly said with a nod before rushing out the door.

As Doc measured and injected the stimulant in one arm, Robert did the same with the water and salt solution in the other arm.

"You going to tell us what happened Matt," Doc said listening to Festus chest again.

"Later, alright," Matt said sternly as Robert looked up.

"It's Sally, isn't it?" Robert said taking a wild guess as Matt only looked surprised. "It all makes sense now," Robert continued as he injected more of the water and salt into his father. "The questions she asked, the medical knowledge she suddenly knew from where I had no idea until I came home one day and found her reading my medical text books."

"Did she say, why?" Matt asked curiously as Robert nodded.

"We talked about when we were married and working as a team. Me being a doctor, she wanted to be my nurse. I think she just wanted to make a good nurse, she just wanted to know what I was talking about," Robert said angrily. "God, I don't know why, I didn't see it! The missing medicine and my surgical equipment wasn't as clean as I had left it! She killed those men just because...of me," Robert said looking down at Festus. "And almost..."

"I'll find her," Matt said evenly. "She can't hide forever."

Robert nodded as he checked Festus pulse. "I didn't know she was unstable. I would have never brought her home if I knew!"

"You can't blame yourself, son," Doc said meeting his eyes. "There's no way you would have known!"

"The signs were there Doc," Robert said quietly. "I was just so blinded by my love for her that I couldn't see them!

Festus moaned which brought the focus of their attention back to him.

"Heartbeats stronger but still erratic," Doc said when Robert looked up.

"Pa," Robert said leaning down as Doc continued to listen to his chest.

"Sally," Festus muttered as his breathing became labored and his eyes fluttered.

"We know," Robert replied gently. "Everything's alright now, you can rest."

Festus barely nodded as he closed his eyes again.

Robert stood up straighter as Doc pulled the stethoscope away from his ears.

"He going to make it?" Matt asked looking at them both.

"If he's here by morning Matt," Doc said wearily. "He'll make it!"

Robert nodded as he put a hand on Festus forehead. "And I'm going to make sure, she pays for this!" he stated coldly.

"Matt," Doc said a few hours later startling him into alertness. "It's morning!"

The Marshal rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat up to look around.

After Newly returned to report that Festus older kids were all safe, he had sat down on one of the sofa's in the lobby and fallen asleep and didn't realizing it until he was awakened.

Looking beyond the doctor to the prone form of his friend, he nodded at Doc. "How's he doing?"

"Good," Doc said swiping at he mustache. "Heartbeats almost back to normal, he'll be weak for a day or two but otherwise, he shouldn't have no long term side effects. We were just lucky she wasn't able to get to much into him plus I think it helped that it went into his hand and not a vein!"

"Where's Robert?" Matt asked getting to his feet.

"I sent him upstairs to check on Abelia and the baby," Doc said taking a blanket from a cabinet and covering his friend with it. "I'll tell Albert when he gets here that we'll postpone the dedication."

"No," Matt said firmly. "I want you to continue with your plans like nothing happened. I have a feeling that with that many people running around celebrating, she'll let her guard down and come out of where ever she's hiding and we'll be able to capture her."

"You really think that's best?" Doc asked as Robert joined them.

"Yes, I do," Matt said with a deep sigh. "In fact, the bigger the party the better!"