As they rode on Julio picked up Major Diaz and his Rurales, they raced into Zaragoza, hid the posse and their horses. "We will wait all they will see is Rurales," Julio said, "they may not think we will know of them. We'll wait until your Godson is in the church, before we move in on them."

"Julio, Matthew is going to be scared, I need to ..."

"Matteo, if he sees you he could run to you and be in danger if the gringo bandidos try to run." Matt nodded reluctantly agreeing with Julio's assessment of the situation. They waited watching the roads until at noon the six men rode down towards the church. Matt watched as Jenkins dismounted, he helped Little Matthew down and rummaged in his saddlebags producing a stagecoach and horses toy on wheels which he handed to Little Matthew, he took the boys hand and led him towards the church. A man appeared in the doorway, Jenkins let the boys hand go. "Stay perfectly still, Matthew. What do you want, Sawyer? I told you what would happen if I saw you again."

"Marshal, the man with Matthew, he wasn't with them in the bank," Matt looked at the man who'd spoken, a cowboy who'd been in the bank at the time. "That other one he was in the bank."

"Matthew," Festus said, "that one who came from the church, he's the one who took Little Matthew."

"He must've joined them later," Matt said. Sawyer's hand started to pull his gun, but Jenkins was lightening fast, he put a bullet in Sawyer's chest, Sawyer got off a lucky shot hitting Jenkins in the leg, Jenkins put another bullet in Sawyer's chest killing him outright. Jenkins hauled himself upright and led Little Matthew into the church. The Rurales closed in on the men, who wisely handed over their weapons. Matt went in to the church a priest was examining Jenkins leg. Little Matthew ran towards him.

"Uncle Matt! Uncle Matt!" Matt lifted him up into his arms.

"I'm Reg Jenkins. Taking the boy was all Sawyers's idea, it wasn't part of the plan. He killed the Sheriff in Jackson and the Deputy Sheriff in North Platte. I planned the raids and scouted the banks. We needed one man to watch the road just was thought best to be me."

"Why did Sawyer ..."

"He was mad, we got fed up of him taking things into his own hands. Him taking the boy and the way he treated him pissed me off, we gave him his cut and let him go. You saw what happened when I saw him come out of the church. When we gave him his cut I told him what would happen if I saw him again. I knew he would try to harm Matthew, so ..."

"So you killed him," Jenkins nodded.

"It was the only way I could be sure the boy would be safe."

"You ready to go back?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Marshal."

"Where'd Matthew get the toy stage?"

"We needed supplies, in the store I saw the way he was admiring the toy so I bought it for him. I auppose I was trying to make all this seem better than it was," Little Matthew stroked Matt's face.

"Uncle Matt, you need a shave."

"I do?" the boy nodded, a priest helped Jenkins up and followed behind Matt as he carried the boy. "Uncle Chester and Uncle Festus are outside," the boy squealed with laughter. Chester and Festus came forward when Matt came out of the church. "Festus, help Jenkins up onto his horse," Festus gave Jenkins a boost as he mounted. "Julio, this is Little Matthew. Matthew, this is Julio Chavez an old friend."

"Matteo, he is a very brave boy, one day I will come up to Dodge to visit with you," Matt sat Little Matthew astride Buck and mounted up behind him, they rode out heading north, they soon crossed the border into Texas.

"Dallas," Matt said. "can you send a telegraph to Doc Adams in Dodge. Tell him that Little Matthew is safe and well and that we'll be home in about ten days?"
"Sure, Matt, it'll be a pleasure."

Epilogue

Ten days after leaving El Paso, the posse returned to a cheering mob of enthusiastic townsfolk, Katie Milner was standing with Doc and Miss Kitty outside the Long Branch as Matt rode up with Little Matthew in front of him. He dismounted and helped Little Matthew down, the boy ran to his mother. "Mommy!"

"Festus, Chester, take the men to the jail, have Quint lock them up. Doc could you look at Jenkins leg?"

"Certainly Matt," Doc followed Festus and Chester to the jail. Matt wrapped an arm round Kitty.

"You look tired, Cowboy," Miss Kitty said.

"Don't worry about me, I'm going to Ma's and sleep for a week. Well perhaps not a week it just feels like I could sleep for a week."