Matt then takes off his marshal's badge and plans on going after Bonner and the Dog Soldiers himself, but Doc, surprised and disappointed at what he witnessed, reminds him that there had been no law in Dodge before he came to town, and to remove the badge and pursue vengeance through vigilante justice against Bonner would be a betrayal of all that he stands for. When Matt returns and is told by Doc what happened to Kitty, he keeps a vigil at Kitty's bedside in hopes for her survival while the town awaits word on her condition. Doc treats the wounded Kitty in his office with Festus and Sam also keeping watch.

When news arrives the following morning that Bonner's brother has been hanged for his crimes, an enraged Bonner brutalizes Kitty before he and the rest of the Dog Soldiers bring her back to Dodge, then to make an example of her to Matt and in front of the town, Bonner cold-bloodedly shoots Kitty in the back before he and his gang ride off. Matt tries, without success, to convince a judge to stop the execution, with the judge pointing out that if Bonner succeeds in getting his way using his methods, it would open the door for every outlaw at large to try the same thing to get what they want. Bonner then kidnaps Kitty to use as leverage to get his brother's execution stayed.

The gang's leader, Jude Bonner, demands that Matt get his brother, who is in prison awaiting execution for murder, a stay of his sentence from a judge, and to force Matt into compliance, Bonner and his gang catch and rough up Festus and Newly and threaten to kill several of Dodge's townsfolk unless Kitty comes out and faces him. A large gang of ruthless outlaws called the Dog Soldiers invades Dodge City in search of Matt.

Gunsmoke the hostage