Chapter 12 – Epilogue

It's not that Matt Dillon felt his need for Kitty Russell abated to any degree. It was simply that once her bruises healed the badge gradually took over. Both fell into their daily routine as winter turned to spring. The cow town, like the prairie that surrounded it, awakened from the cold and snow to blossom forth. Late spring and summer saw an explosion of wild flowers. It also brought cattle herds to town, but, unlike the ever-abundant new growth on the prairie, fewer of them made the trek up from Texas. It was no longer an economic necessity thanks to railroad expansion. Before long summer became fall.

An October rainstorm found the marshal riding into yet another small town in his territory, Milroy. There had been reports that some of the dog soldiers led by Jude Bonner had developed the habit of lingering in the little community in Hodgeman County just over the Ford County border north of Dodge City. One in particular, Virgil Bonner, Jude's kid brother, was known to favor a woman in the town's bordello. Just as Governor Glick had predicted, the gang had moved full steam into Kansas. Enough witnesses, or more aptly temporary survivors, had come forward to cause circulars on them to reach his desk. Both brothers were wanted for murder.

Sure enough, Virgil Bonner was there for Matt to arrest. The latest brutal killing that could be attributed to any of Jude Bonner's dog soldiers was committed only four miles from Dodge. They'd made a fatal error by not checking for hidden witnesses that could do more than bite and bark. A boy had crawled under the house after the toy his dog had shoved there when the marauders struck. Terrified 12-year-old Tom Winfield remained under the porch watching his mother being dragged out of his home by Virgil Bonner to be violated yet again before the brute slit her throat. He waited until he was sure all of the marauders were gone before crawling out from under the house. His dad was off checking the fencing near the main water hole for their small herd, but he couldn't wait for his return. Tom had to get to town. Maybe Marshal Dillon could catch them.

The boy ran as fast as he could. All the horses remaining in the barn had been stolen. As it turned out his father Craig came home within minutes of the boy leaving. After seeing his dead, battered wife Brenda lying on the ground next to the carved up family dog he'd frantically searched the ruin the interior of his house had become and the barn for any sign of his son. Not finding Tom, Craig galloped into town only to find the boy relating the horrors he'd heard and seen to the resident US Marshal. At least that brought some solace. The best lawman the Winfield family knew of was after the killers.

Virgil Bonner's trial came quickly, as did his sentence to be hanged by the neck until dead. Matt wasted no time getting the unrepentant renegade to Hays for his hanging. While watching someone hang provided no pleasure, ridding the world of this particular animal did, Matt thought as he rode north with his prisoner. The experienced lawman had another reason for moving quickly. He wanted to arrive alive. He fully expected Jude to attempt to rescue his kid brother. The only question was when. At least the trial had taken place. Maybe Dodge City and those he cared most about would be safe if the dog soldiers attacked him on the road or tried to break Virgil out of the Hays jail before his hanging. Deep down the marshal had his doubts.

Matt Dillon hadn't survived all these years as a peace officer, 18 of them as the US Marshal headquartered in Dodge City, without being crafty enough to sense what the outlaws he encountered might do. However, in this case he was wrong. Jude Bonner didn't assault him on the trail, nor did he attack the Hays jail. Bonner attacked Dodge, shooting Matt's deputies, threatening leading citizens and taking Kitty hostage in exchange for Virgil's life. Newly O'Brien, his wounded part-time young deputy rattled off the details, including the beating and shooting his full-time deputy Festus Haggen endured, to the marshal in his Hays hotel room. All that registered beyond the general brutality of the attack was Kitty gave herself up to prevent other citizens from being beaten and possibly dying to protect her.

Dillon had no time to fully absorb all aspects of the situation. Only one thing mattered. He had only 24 hours to save Kitty. In the end all Matt could do was ask Sheriff Tanner to delay the hanging as long as possible while he raced to the depot to board the first train for Topeka. Upon arrival he'd beg the governor to intervene.

"Governor, I want a stay of execution," the lawman blurted as soon as he was admitted to Glick's inner office.

"Why in the name of all that's holy for him?" George Glick replied, knowing exactly whose life Matt wanted spared. "And on what grounds?"

"While I was on my way to Hays dog soldiers hit Dodge. They shot up my deputies and kidnapped a woman. They're holding her to trade for his life."

"Terrible, a dreadful thing."

"I guarantee they'll kill her if he hangs."

"Matt, this woman, is it Miss Russell?" the governor asked, remembering the beautiful redhead he'd met eight months ago when his friendship with and deep respect for Matt Dillon the man began.

"It wouldn't matter. She's a woman and her life's on the line."

"But you know the law. Matt, you know my position," he replied knowing how much it mattered that it was this particular woman. "I can grant a stay maybe if there's good cause - If the verdict is in doubt, if the evidence has been tampered with or is incomplete, yes, by all means. But Virgil Bonner. Even if I were to commit political suicide and issue a stay the legislature'd overrule me and they'd be right. You set a precedent like this every desperado in Kansas will be trying the same thing. Damn it Matt, I want to help you. You know I do, but I can't," Glick concluded, knowing the state legislature held a substantial Republican majority and that the Attorney General was also of that political party.

Certain that Virgil could get an immediate message off to his brother Jude, Dillon, with time running out, tried to offer himself as the hostage. Virgil Bonner only sneered. No threats could sway him. The killer knew he'd hang anyway. In anger and frustration Matt was ready to beat Virgil to death, cheating the hangman of the chance. If he couldn't save Kitty there was no point in living, but at least he could get some satisfaction out of killing the Bonner in front of him. The arrival of Newly and Tanner prevented him from finishing what he'd started. However, deep down the man, not the lawman, wondered if he'd have stopped if it were Jude he was pummeling. Without Kitty, as he'd come to know and love her, it would no longer matter if he lived or died.

If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on, believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would livin' do me
God only knows what I'd be without you

Beach Boys on the album Pet Sounds