Matt reached the boardwalk and flexed his right hand; realizing he's hit the door harder than he meant to. He looked down at his hand and with a quick shake he determined that it was all right as he turned toward the Long Branch where he paused realizing that Wilbur Jonas was watching him from in front of his general store.

Matt turned at looked at the store owner who seemed more sombre than normal – there was sadness in his light blue eyes.

"What's wrong, Jonas?" the marshal asked as he took several steps forward.

Jonas looked Matt deep in the eyes, "I'm terribly sorry about what happened," he said feeling rather helpless. His hands clutched at the corn broom he was holding.

Matt wondered how Jonas knew but didn't ask instead the marshal just nodded and briskly walked away wondering if the whole town knew about Kitty but him. In a sense, Jonas was glad that Matt didn't ask him any questions as he was trying hard to forget what he had seen. He watched Matt march toward saloon door.

Matt stopped at the swing doors and took a quick look over to Jonas and with a deeply drawn breath he pushed through the doors, not really knowing what to expect.

Sam Noonan was in the process of taking the chairs down off the tables, setting up for the daily business when he saw Matt enter the saloon. "Marshal," was all he could say to greet Matt. Even Sam held sorrow in his voice, further making Matt wonder.

Slightly annoyed, Matt stopped and looked at the barkeep and his bandaged head, "Are you all right?" he asked looking around the saloon.

"I'll be fine, marshal," Sam said in a low sorrowful tone as he eyes lifted to the Kitty's room. "But Miss Kitty isn't" he said with an eerie coolness to his tone.

Matt pursed his lips, drawing a deep breath through his nose before he heavily exhaled as he walked over to the stairs, slowly ascended to the landing above. He paused at the top before walking toward Kitty's room at the end. Again Matt paused and then gently rapped on the heavy pine door, "Kitty. It's me, Matt," he said leaning forward speaking through the door.

Kitty rolled her head sideways and way slightly surprised that Doc would have let Matt out of his sight having heard what he had gone through, "It's unlocked," Kitty said, her voice hoarse from her attack.

Matt hesitated slightly as he reached for the door knob, he had no idea what he was about to see. Again he wet his lips and slowly opened the door into the darkened room. Matt looked around and saw Kitty's dress over the back of a chair – it was soiled and torn. Matt stiffened as he walked closer to Kitty's bed when he looked down at Kitty's bruised face, "Oh, my God…" he whispered as he slowly lowered himself onto the side of the bed.

Kitty's lower lip quivered, "I tried Matt. I tried," she said as tears welled up in her eyes, over flowing and running down the sides of her face.

Matt swallowed hard as he tried to understand what was happening as he looked Kitty over, "I'm sorry I wasn't here for you, Kitty," he said slowly reaching out for her. Kitty took Matt's arms and hugged him tightly, "Oh, Matt…" she sobbed into his chest – her whole body shaking.

Matt's heart pounded as he tried to figure out the best way to handle Kitty and the situation, "Easy now," he said as he slowly raised his right hand and cradled her head into his chest.

"It was…" Kitty's voice broke.

"Shhhh," Matt whispered. "Doc says you have to rest," he said in a hushed voice as he gently rocked her.

Kitty slowly pushed back from Matt, "Matt, I want you to catch them. I need you to catch them," she growled, holding Matt forearms tightly.

Matt nodded, "I know this will be hard on you, but you have to tell me everything that happened and if you know any of these….men," Matt choked on the last word for no man would have done what they did.

Kitty's eyes filled with tears as she agreed to tell Matt what had happened. The marshal patiently waited and listened to the whole horrific event.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Matt left Kitty's room with his mind reeling, his veins throbbing with boiled blood that coursed through them, he was almost blind with hate and desperately wanted Jason Barker dead – he was the only one that Kitty spoke of by name from old Dodge Town.

The marshal slowly walked down the stairs to the main floor of the saloon to find Doc at the bar with Sam. The marshal swallowed a lump and walked over to the men, "Thank you for what you did," he said his voice flat and emotionless. Sam nodded in acknowledgement before moving down the bar to serve other patrons.

Doc looked up at the marshal, "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I don't know Doc," Matt answered. "I have a professional side and a personal side, and right now they are clashing," he stated. "I've never been angrier in my life," he sneered.

Doc twisted his mouth in thought, "Well, I guess you are going to have to do what that badge tells you to," he said looking at the marshal.

"Huh?" Matt failed to get what Doc was talking about; all he could see was Kitty.

"They robbed the bank. They robbed the Long Branch, and your deputy was shot," Doc huffed.

"Well, I know that now," Matt snorted impatiently.

"Then let that badge guide you," Doc stated. "If you step beyond the boundary of that badge you wear, you won't be any better then them," Doc stated.

Matt flexed his jowl muscles in thought. He knew Doc was right but the hate and loathing ran hot in his veins for the men that attacked Kitty. The marshal was about to leave to form a posse, when Doc stopped him, "If you are inclined to say thank you to those who found Kitty, you owe it to Sam, Newly and Jonas," the doctor said tying to bring some humanity back into Matt's mind. "Jonas particularly was shaken. He was the first one to find Kitty," he added.

Matt nodded, "Thanks, Doc. Kitty told me," he sighed heavily as he slowly left the saloon. "I'll have to talk to them anyway to find out what happened here. Hopefully I can piece together a timeline, because it seems to me, that these "men" were likely the ones that shot me trying to take me out of the equation," he grunted.

Doc hadn't thought of that and played with his right ear, "That's a distinct possibility," he admitted.

Matt began to leave and stopped, "Doc, do what you can for Kitty," he said, knowing that the doctor was already doing what he could. Doc nodded and watched Matt. In a strange way he thought of the men and shook his head, "He'll tear them apart," he said to himself.

Matt stopped at the bar and talked briefly to Sam Noonan then left the saloon.

Curiously got the best of Doc so he moved down the bar, "What was that about?" he asked the barkeep.

"Matt wants to have a meeting with Newly, Jonas and me," Sam said.

Doc nodded, "Good. The sooner we get some descriptions of the gun men, the sooner they will be caught – I pray," Doc swallowed.