Matt would have liked to take Frank that night but he didn't have the opportunity. Normally a patient man even he was becoming imitated after a week of pussyfooting around. Tom pointed out that Frank probably wanted them to get rattled.
Matt spent the days doing his rounds and breaking up fights with the help of Bill and Ted While Tom and Festus watched over Mary Jane. They'd done the circuit of the hotels and boarding houses giving the description of Frank to the owners and clerks. So far nothing had turned up. They knew he was in the Dodge area but where was anyone's guess with several abandoned shacks around and about the vicinity. Then the trail herds started to drift in and Matt and Bill went round informing them of the situation. Amos McKee watched as Matt and Bill rode up. Bill held the horses while Matt walked up to where Amos stood with a cup of coffee.
"Coffee Matt you too deputy no one goes thirsty from this camp. What can we do for you?"
"We have a situation in Dodge," Matt sad.
Matt went on to explain the problem.
"Matt you did say Mary Jane Hawkins?" Matt nodded. "Her Grandpa live anywhere near Springfield Colorado?"
"He did. Did you know him."
"He was my Ma's uncle. You better get to him before I do or there won't be enough of him left to send back to Colorado."
"Amos don't take the law into your own hands I wouldn't want to have to throw you into jail."
"Matt this is family we're talking about."
"Yeah but Frank's your kin too."
"That's the worst part of it. Okay if I find him I might rough him up some but he'll live to go back to Colorado."
"Just make sure you don't do anything that'll cause lasting hurt."
Frank was enjoying himself watching everybody run themselves ragged looking for him. He was getting irritated too trying to find a way to get at Mary Jane. He knew where she was now but how to get her alone. All he'd thought of so far was sneaking in at night through some open window finding her room and killing her. Part of him knew he shouldn't want to kill anyone but the voice in his head kept insisting that he must kill whoever the voice told him deserved to die and to kill anyone trying to stop him At night he wandered around town hiding whenever he saw someone finding his way to Ma Smalley's to watch for someone leaving a window open.
"Tom I'm going to try something we should have done at the beginning. I'll leave a window open in my living room," Matt said.
He handed his key to the door that led into the main house to Tom.
"I'm hoping that Frank will get in. As soon as you hear me call come in. I think we'll be able to get him that way. Mary Jane will be safer when we've got him back in the asylum."
Tom nodded wondering why they hadn't thought of that sooner. He watched Matt disappear into his rooms then locked the door behind him.
Frank couldn't believe his luck he didn't realize that it only opened into Matt's private quarters. Matt watched from the shadows as Frank climbed in the window. Frank slashed Matt;s upper left arm as he stepprd forward.
"Tom!"
Tom came in with Bill and Ted they grabbed Frank handcuffing him. He yelled in impotent rage as they forced outside. They forced him along to the jail.
"Tom you better go tell Mary Jane we've got him. She'll be safe now you might tell her that."
Tom grinned he thanked Matt and left. Mary Jane looked up smiling as he came to sit by her.
"It's all over we've got him locked up in jail."
"What'll happen to Frank?"
"Matt'll send a wire to Colorado telling them we have Frank in jail. They'll send deputies to take him back."
"What about Bill and Ted?"
"Theyll have to go back too. Matt'll send a letter with them hopefully it'll help them when they're sentenced."
"You like them don't you?"
"Yeah I sure do. I mean between us me and Pa have met some real bad men. Bill and Ted may have broken the law but they're not really bad."
"I could travel on then?"
"You could but I don't want you to. Mary Jane will you marry me?"
"Kitty told me that the badge is what keeps your father from marrying I thought it might do the same for you."
"We're the same in a lot of ways but not this I love you. I want to raise a family with you."
"Then yes I'll marry you."
Tom's smile lit his face he rose and offered his hand to Mary Jane as she got up. They found Ma in the living room and told her they'd be dining out at Delmonico's she smiled back at them knowing that something wonderful had just happened. They left to go to the jail but Tom saw Matt enter the Long Branch so they continued on to the saloon joining Matt, Kitty and Doc at their table.
"Pa I asked Mary Jane to marry me. She said yes."
Matt grinned from ear to ear he hugged them both close to him.
"Well now," Doc said, "that's just wonderful."
"It sure is and it calls for a celebration," Kitty said.
Kitty ordered that the next round of drinks be served on the house to everyone present just as Festus and Newly walked in the door. They grinned too when Doc filled them in on the news. Festus observed to himself that he'd never seen Matthew look as happy as this except for when Thomas had first come to Dodge.