"I sure don't know why we gotta be way out here in the middle of night." Chester grumbled. "I mean, this is a long way from Dodge and…"

"And if you don't quit complaining we'll still be out here when the sun comes up." Matt told him as he pushed his shovel into the ground and hoisted another load onto the ground behind him.

"I sure wouldn't mind some sun right now." Chester mumbled as he too shoveled dirt out of the hole. "It's kinda creepy out here, ya ask me." He stopped talking when he heard a thunk. "I think I hit it, Mr. Dillon." He whispered.

Matt nodded. "Get out, Chester." As Chester crawled up out of the hole, Matt moved a few more shovels full of dirt to reveal the plain pine box that it had covered. "Chester, throw down the rope." He strained to keep his voice low, although he was fairly certain no one was around.

When the rope came down, Matt hastily tied it to the handles on either side of the box then climbed out to stand beside Chester and Doc. "Help me get it up." He told Chester and both men began pulling on the rope until they got the box up and setting on the ground beside them.

Chester, who really didn't want to see what was in the coffin, turned away as Doc and Matt pried the lid open and Doc bent over the body inside and began examining it. Matt stood silently beside him,holding a lantern for light, saying nothing and doing his best to keep his eyes averted as Doc went about this onerous and gruesome task.

An hour later, Doc stood up, wiped his hands on a towel he'd brought with him, removed his glasses and put them back in his pocket. "You can put her back." He told Matt. "I'm done."

Matt had a lot of questions but he decided reburying the girl was more important at the moment. "Let's get this done, Chester." He told his assistant.

As soon as the coffin was replaced and covered, the three quickly retreated from the small burial ground and hurried back south. They didn't stop until they were well south and near a small creek. Doc quickly climbed down from his buggy and moved down to the water's edge and better washed his hands.

"Well?" Matt dismounted and moved closer to Doc.

"She was murdered." Doc said grimly. "She had a lot of bruises and tearing which I figured but that's not what killed her."

"Then what did?" Chester asked.

"She was beaten to death." Doc answered as he walked back over to his buggy and climbed back in. "From what I could see, her ribs were cracked and her spleen was ruptured. Whoever did that, worked her over pretty good."

"Did you see anything, anything at all, that could lead me to her killer?" Matt had an idea who did it, but he needed proof.

"Maybe." Doc answered as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small item. "This was clenched in her right hand. It's a button."

Matt accepted the object but didn't try to examine it. "It's too dark here to see much." He said as he carefully placed it in his shirt pocket. "Let's look at it when we get back to town."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Doc nodded.

They reached town just as the sun was peaking over the eastern horizon. Chester declared it well past his bedtime and took his leave of them, quickly heading off to his cot over at the jail. Matt and Doc were no less tired but they understood the importance of the button that Doc had found. Wearily, both of them climbed the stairs to Doc's office.

While Doc worked on making a pot of coffee, Matt took the button and moved over to Doc's desk to examine it under the lamp. Checking both sides, Matt saw a couple of specks of blood, which he knew, most likely, belonged to the girl. But the button was still very interesting. Of a square shape, it appeared to be made of silver with a small pattern stamped in the middle of it.

"Well?" Doc handed him a cup of coffee.

"Well, it doesn't have anything on it like an initial or anything but it's not a regular old button." He took another look at it before placing it into his pocket. Taking a drink of his coffee, he looked over at Doc. "It's distinctive enough that if I can find the shirt it came off of, I can match it."

"Well, I sure hope you do." Doc sighed.

"I do too." Matt took another drink of the coffee before setting the cup down and heading to the door. "Thanks for your help tonight, Doc."

"Yeah." Doc nodded as Matt left and headed back down.

TBC