Wilbur Jonas walked from the Long Branch Saloon, across the little alley toward his burnt-out store. He paused in front of the building and then decided he'd better check on what condition Doc's off ice was. The whole front of the structure was going to have to be rebuilt.

Carefully Jonas climbed the stairs, stepping over debris as he made his way to the top. Carefully he stepped through the already opened door and into the office. The air was still heavy with smoke. Everything was covered in soot – Doc would surely be depressed if he saw the office, which he also called home, in its current state.

Jonas sighed then a thought cross his mind. He carefully walked to Doc's roll-top desk and searched the top. He found what he was looking for and tucked the small piece of paper into his vest pocket. Jonas smiled as he left the office, pulling the door closed behind him. He had the one task in mind before he began to seriously look at his store. The store owner walked over to the post office and entered the little structure.

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Crawford and his men followed what they could have Matt's tracks along the streambed. Matt heard the nasal sound of the horses before he saw the mounted men form where he was crouched behind a tree.

The outlaws moved slowly and finally Crawford raised his right hand in the air to stop his men for further approaching. "I don't like this," he growled.

"Me neither," Talbot chirped as he pulled his rifle from the leather boot on his saddle. Slowly the outlaw climbed down from his saddle and walked closer to where the posse spent the night. "Looks like they spent the night here," Talbot stated and continued to look around.

Dyer was the next to dismount. He placed his right hand on his gun and walked over to where Talbot stood.

Matt tightened his grip on his rifle and pushed himself harder into the tree trying not to be detected just yet.

Nathan Burke was near the top of the ridge with Ed O'Connor. "Why doesn't the marshal make a move?" Burke whispered.

"I don't know. Maybe he's waiting for all of them to get off their horses," O'Connor offered.

"Well if it were me, I'd have those two in chains buy now," Burke grunted. O'Connor rolled his eyes, "You talk too much," the farmer said to the shipping clerk.

Unfortunately he said it too loud and Talbot looked up in their direction. Both men ducked as Talbot pointed toward them, "Someone is up there! I told you we would be walking into trouble," Talbot yelled at Crawford who was now down off his horse.

Talbot fired his rifle at Burke and O'Connor. The first shot missed and both men scrambled for more cover. Talbot fired again, this time clipping Burke's right arm. The shipping clerk yelped.

By now Festus was in position with Joshua Halligan. Festus popped up to fire a shot when Harry Dyer pulled his gun from the holster and squeezed off a shot. Matt watched Festus go down behind some rock. Halligan fired back.

Matt swung out from behind the tree and fire a shot hitting Talbot in the chest. The outlaw reeled backward into Dyer who was hit from a bullet fired by Ed O'Connor. Both men dropped to the ground. Dyer fired a shot back, narrowly missing Halligan who was now trying to help Festus.

Ben Preston was on his way up the ridge when Ed O'Connor fired a shot, hitting the outlaw in the left leg. As he fell the rifle he was holding slipped from his hands and tumbled down the steep hill.

Roy Crawford stood staring at Matt. Both men had their guns out and aimed, "Drop the gun, Crawford. It's over," Matt stated. His eyes bore holes into Crawford's. The outlaw was uncomfortable but he wasn't willing to give up just yet. Clearly it was a stand off, however, Matt was now concerned for Festus who remained down behind the rocks with Halligan at his side. The marshal dare not take his eyes off Crawford.

"Drop the gun Crawford. I won't tell you again," Matt warned.

Dyer squirmed on the ground, "Give up, Crawford, I need help," the outlaw cried as he held his hands over his belly. Rich red blood oozed out between his fingers.

"You want the life of yet another man on your conscience?" Matt's voice was low, cold and fulled with warning.

Crawford looked over to Dyer who remained on the ground on his side, next to Larry Talbot. Talbot was flat out on his back. His mouth was open and blood trickled from the corner of his lips. Talbot's eyes were wide open, yet they saw nothing. He was stone cold dead. Crawford swallowed as he looked back at Matt, "Talbot was a good man," he sneered at Matt.

"It you perhaps, but in my books, he was wanted for a bank robbery and murder. Just like you. However, you made this more personal than I would have liked," Matt glared at the outlaw.

Crawford thought for a moment and tried to understand what matt was saying and then it dawned on him, "You mean the Doc," Crawford leered, "Well, he just seemed to open his mouth once too often for my liking," Crawford scoffed.

Matt's jaw muscles flexed in anger. "You shot him in cold blood," Matt said sternly.

"I shot him?" Crawford tried to look innocent. "Not me. That was Talbot's doing."

"No. You shot him. He told me so," Matt lifted his gun a little higher.

Crawford swallowed, "So he's still kicking, huh?"

"The last time I saw him he was. And if my friend Newly has his way will have saved Doc's life. For that I'll be grateful. And because I know Doc the way I do, he'd love to see you back in Dodge to face a jury of your peers. He's a man would appreciates the law," Matt growled at Crawford.

"So just what the hell are you going to do?" Crawford laughed out loud, almost mocking Matt.

Without a second thought, Matt pulled the trigger and the report of the shot could be heard all through the hills.

Crawford's gun hand was a bloodied mess as the slivers for the wooden grip penetrated deeply into his palm. Crawford bellowed into the air in pain as he slowly dropped to his knees clutching his right wrist to try and stop the pain. Matt quickly moved forward and kicked what was left of the gun well away from the outlaw.

The marshal was swift to shackle Crawford before he turned his attention to his deputy. Matt watched Burke and O'Connor bring Ben Preston back down from the ridge.

Matt moved quickly passed the deputized men to reached the area where Festus and Hilligan were. Matt's mouth dropped open at the sight, "Festus?"