"It ain't what you think, Matthew," Sully started to say, but but was interrupted by the arrival of Colleen, Brian and Marjorie, who crowded into the clinic on Matthew's heels.  The next few minutes passed in a blur of hugs, kisses and congratulations as Sully's family shared their joy with him over Michaela finally waking and the glad tidings that she would recover.  Somehow, in the midst of everyone's excitement, Sully managed to elicit the information that Katie was still with Grace, and Rosalind was also at the café, sharing a cup of tea with Dorothy and Loren.  Sully knew that Michaela would miss seeing Katie, but Marjorie told him that Andrew had advised against bringing the little girl to her mother until Michaela was stronger, and  Sully had to agree with the common sense of this decision.  And, just as she had done before, Rosalind had elected to wait to visit Michaela until after her children and sister had the opportunity to spend some private time with her.

     As Marjorie and the children talked animatedly with Sully, McKay and Hank—both looking rather awkward and ill-at-ease at this family gathering—sat quietly, not wanting to intrude on the family's happiness.  But though Matthew was as enthusiastic as the rest, Sully caught him glancing frequently at the two men, clearly disturbed about the significance of their presence.  However, not wishing to alarm his siblings or his aunt, he refrained from voicing his concerns aloud.

     When the babble of excited voices finally began to died down, Brian turned to Sully.  "Can we see her now, Pa?" he asked eagerly.

     "You bet you can," Sully told him.  "Andrew said she'll probably still sleep a lot, on and off, but that's good for her—it's gonna help her get well.  But I promised her you all would be there with her when she woke up again, and you know I always keep my promises—so you go in to her now and give her a kiss for me."

     "Aren't you coming, Sully?" asked Marjorie.

     "I'll be in soon," Sully said.  "I just got a few things left to discuss with Hank and the sergeant."

     "Is everything all right, Pa?" said Colleen, casting a doubtful glance at Hank and McKay.

     "Everythin's fine," he assured her.  "Go on and see your ma."

     Marjorie, Colleen and Brian started for the recovery room door, but Brian hung back when he saw that Matthew wasn't following.  "Matthew, you're comin', ain't ya?"

     "I'll be along in a minute," his brother replied.  "Give Dr. Mike my love."

     Brian hesitated a moment longer, then shrugged slightly and trailed his sister and aunt out of the room.

     Matthew waited until he was sure Brian and the others were out of earshot, then he turned to Sully, Hank and McKay.  "Like I said before, what's this all about?" he asked pointedly.

     "I know what you're thinkin', Matthew, but this time it ain't about Palmer Creek or the charges against me," Sully told him.  "Fact is, Hank found out who was responsible for shootin' your ma—and why.  He came here straight from the train to tell us."

     Matthew's eyes darkened.  "Who was it?" he said softly.

     "The man who shot Michaela is named Rider Flagg—but the one who give him the orders—was Jedidiah Bancroft," said Hank.

     Mathew looked thunderstuck.  "Bancroft?" he repeated disbelievingly.  "Are you sayin' the KLAN was behind this?"

     "Kinda—if you consider that Bancroft and Flagg are both members of the Klan," Sully said.  "But this really didn't have nothin' to do with Klan business.  It was all about Bancroft takin' revenge on me and your ma."

     "So this was never about  people thinkin' you were helpin' the renegades," Matthew said thoughtfully,

     "No," Sully confirmed grimly.  "Bancroft and Flagg just used that as a cover for their dirty work."

     "Still—I can't believe Bancroft was nursin' a grudge all this time," Matthew said.

     "That was my question," McKay echoed.  "Why did Bancroft wait so long to act?"

     "Guess he never saw an opportunity till now," Hank speculated.  "But for all these years he's been sittin' up there in Denver like a spider in its web, his hate growin' stronger by the day, just waitin' for the chance to strike at Michaela and Sully.   Seems nobody ever had the guts to go against him 'fore he met up with them.  Not only did Michaela make him look like a fool in front of all the men in town, but she was a woman—and a 'nigger lover'—Flagg said that, not me," he added quickly.

     "Understood," Sully said.

     "And Sully threatened to kill him—not once, but twice," Hank went on.  "In Bancroft's mind, he had more than enough reason to want them dead.  Then to top it off, he lost his arm—just like Michaela said he would.  I guess that put him over the edge, if he wasn't there already."

     "There's something I don't understand," said McKay.  "The reports in the Denver paper listed Sully as 'missing and presumed dead.'  Maybe Bancroft thought he could get his revenge on Dr. Quinn, but how did he think he was going to punish a dead man?"

     "Maybe he couldn't," Hank acknowledged.  "He knew that maybe where Sully was concerned, he was too late.  He woulda been sorry not to do the job himself, but at least he still woulda got what he wanted—Sully dead—even if it was from an accident, 'stead of murder.

     "Thing is, he didn't completely believe that Sully was really dead," Hank continued.   "He may not have been able to move against Sully and Michaela durin' those four years, but he didn't just sit idle.  He used that time to find out everythin' he could about the two of 'em—lookin' for ammunition he could use against 'em.  He found out about Sully livin' with the Injuns, learnin' their ways—especially learnin' how to get along out in the woods.  He discovered Sully had had some close calls in the past, but he always came through.  Bancroft figured it was a good bet that he'd come through this time, too."

     "I'm with the sergeant—I still don't get it," Matthew said.  "Even if Bancroft found out Sully was alive, how did he expect to kill him if he couldn't find him?"

     "That's where Michaela came in," Hank explained.  "Bancroft sent Flagg after her, figurin' that trappin' and killin' her would be a sure thing.  Then he figured one of two things would happen—if Sully was alive, and found out about Michaela, it would flush him out—so Flagg could get him.  But if it didn't flush him out, Bancroft could still make him suffer, by killin' his wife—the next best thing to Sully dyin' himself.  And if Sully really was dead, then by killin' Michaela, Bancroft would be finishin' the job."

     "But if Flagg was waitin' to see if Sully came out of hidin' 'cause of Dr. Mike, why did he go all the way back to Denver?" asked Matthew.

     "Afraid of gettin' caught, most likely," said Hank.  "'Sides, he knew if Sully showed up in Colorado Springs, the news he was alive would probably reach Denver, soon enough.  He could always come back to finish the job."

     "But he had to know Sully would be arrested as soon as he appeared," objected McKay.

     Hank shrugged.  "He musta thought he could find a way, in spite of the army," he said.  "The Klan's been raidin' and killin' a long time—they're good at it.  And they do their best work at night.  Then again, maybe Flagg got spooked—or maybe he's just crazy!  Look, I ain't a mind reader—how do I know what he was thinkin'? But one thing I *do* know—lettin' himself get arrested in Denver sure wasn't the smartest move.  Just from talkin' to him, I can tell ya that Flagg ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer."

     "The same obviously can't be said for Bancroft," McKay remarked.  "Clearly, he had his revenge very well planned out."

     "Yep—that he did," Hank agreed.  "Nobody ever accused Jedidah Bancroft of bein' stupid."

     "Just evil," Sully said softly.

     "His plan was almost full-proof," Hank commented.  "His one big mistake was sendin' Flagg to do the job—a fella who was too dumb, or drunk—hell, maybe both!--to know that his victims were still alive."

     "I have another question," McKay spoke again.  "Since Flagg was one of the Klan, why didn't he wear a robe and hood to hide his identity?"

     "'Cause the robe itself would have been a give-away," Hank answered.  "Bancroft didn't want no connections back to him.  And he *thought* that Flagg wouldn't leave no witnesses."

     "What about the ring?" Matthew asked suddenly.  "Did he steal it?"

     "Oh yeah—that," said Hank.  "Nope—the ring was his.  The Denver sheriff took all Flagg's belongins' from him when he locked him up.  The sheriff showed me the ring—I got a real good look at it.  If Dorothy had seen it up close, we woulda known who was behind this even sooner.  Turns out it was engraved with the symbol of the Klan on one side, and the words 'Klu Klux Klan' on the other.  Bancroft gave it to Flagg as a symbol of his place in the Klan.  And here's somethin' else interestin'—Bancroft has the same ring—but his has a diamond—I guess 'cause he's the 'Grand Dragon,'" Hank added with more than a trace of sarcasm.

     "So what happens now?" said Matthew.  "Will you be bringin' them both back here to stand trial?"

     "Flagg still has to stand trial in Denver for assaultin' that saloon girl," Hank said.  "The judge may decide to try him for attempted murder there, too.  As far as Bancroft goes, I ain't sure—maybe the judge will try him and Flagg together."  He turned to Sully.  "Dorothy already told me she'll testify against Flagg," he said.  "Will Michaela be able to testify too, if the trial's in Denver?"

     "No," Sully said immediately.  "She won't be up to travelin' for a long time yet—and even if she could, I wouldn't let her—I don't want her anywhere near either of them again."

     "I understand your desire to protect your wife," McKay said to him.  "But it's possible that Mrs. Jennings' testimony alone won't be enough to convict Flagg.  I'm not saying for sure that that would be the case, but it could happen.  You could be sacrificing a chance to see him get the full punishment he deserves.  And with regard to Bancroft, you'll almost certainly need Dr. Quinn's testimony about his history with the two of you to make your case."

     Sully's expression was stony.  "Dorothy's testimony's just gonna have to be enough," he said stubbornly.  "Michaela's been through too much as it is—I ain't puttin' her through any more.  As far as Bancroft goes, *I'll* testify against him.  Puttin' him away for the rest of his life will be the one good thing that comes out of all of this."

     "But Sully, there's one thing you're forgetting," McKay said soberly.  "How will you testify against Bancroft, when you may wind up in prison yourself?"