"Are you telling me to get out of your way? " "Yeah, I am."




"I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I've got a plan, " he said with a


gesture toward one of the gunslingers.




"I've got a plan too, Cole replied.




"Mine's better."




"Is that right? " "Yes. On the count of three, we both drop to the


ground and let them kill each other." In spite of his dark mood, the


picture Ryan painted made Cole grin.




"That would be real nice if it worked, but neither one of them is close


enough to hit the other. Besides, I'd get my new shirt all dirty


dropping to the ground."




"What's your plan? " Ryan asked.




"Kill one, then dive, roll, and kill the other."




"Seems to me you're going to get that brand-new shirt dirty with your


plan too."




"Are you going to get out of my way or not? " "Lawmen stand together,


Cole.




That's a real important rule to remember."




"I'm not a lawman."




"Yes, you are. You should be sworn in, but that's only a formality."




"You've got a twisted sense of humor, Ryan.




You know that? I'm not going to be a marshal."




"You already are, " Ryan explained patiently.




"Why? " "I need your help."




"I think maybe you don't understand how I feel. I'm fighting the urge


to shoot you, you son of a bitch. You kept my compass for over a


year." Ryan wasn't at all intimidated by Cole's threat. "It took that


long for the appointment to come through.




" "What appointment? " "I couldn't just pin a badge on you, " Ryan


said. "The appointment came from Washington." Cole shook his head.




"They're moving in on us, " Ryan said. He rolled his eyes in Eagle's


direction. "Do you know either of them? " "No."




"I'll take the one at five o'clock." Cole started to turn, then


stopped. "Your five or mine? " "Mine, " Ryan answered.




They each turned to face an approaching gunfighter, then slowly stepped


backward, stopping when they were shoulder to shoulder.




"Don't shoot to kill."




"You gotta be joking." Ryan ignored the comment. He shouted to the


gunslingers to put their hands in the air and walk, slow and easy,


toward him, but Eagle and Riley stayed where they were with their right


hands hovering above their guns.




"If you miss Riley, his bullet is going to go through you and hit me, "


Cole said.




"I never miss."




"Arrogant bastard, " Cole whispered just as Eagle went for his gun.




Cole reacted with lightning speed. The gunfighter didn't even get his


weapon out of his holster before a bullet stabbed through the palm of


his hand.




Ryan fired at the same time. He shot the gun out of Riley's hand just


as he was bringing his weapon up. The bullet cut through his wrist.




Keeping their guns trained on their targets, the two marshals strode


forward. Ryan reached Riley first. He removed his weapons, ignoring


the man's squeals of agony, and prodded him toward Sheriff Norton's


jail.




Eagle was bellowing like a wounded boar. Much to Cole's frustration,


he wouldn't stand still, but danced around in a gyrating jig.




"You ruined my shooting hand, Clayborne. You ruined my shooting hand,


" he screeched.




"I heard you the first time, " Cole grumbled. "Stand still, damn it.




I'm taking your guns." Eagle wouldn't comply, and Cole quickly tired


of chasing him. He let out a sigh, grabbed hold of the gunslinger by


his collar, and slammed his fist into his jaw, knocking him


unconscious. He continued to hold him up until he'd removed his gun,


then let him drop to the ground.




Gripping the scruff of his neck, he dragged him to Norton.




The sheriff was beaming at the two marshals from the boardwalk. "Guess


I'll have to go get the doc to patch them two up, " he remarked.




"Guess so, " Cole replied.




The sheriff rushed back inside, snatched his keys off the desktop, and


hurried on to unlock two cells. A moment later, the gunfighters were


pushed inside.




There wasn't time for the sheriff's congratulations, for no sooner had


the cell door slammed shut than Ryan was called outside by the


telegraph clerk. When Cole joined him on the boardwalk, one look at


the marshal told Cole something bad had happened. He was surprised


when Ryan handed the wire to him.




Cole read the contents while Ryan gave the news to Sheriff Norton.




"There's been another robbery." His voice was flat.




Norton shook his head. "How many dead this time? " "Seven. will


"Where did it happen? " Norton asked.




"Rockford Falls."




"That ain't far from here. I can tell you how to get there."




"How far is it? " "About forty miles over some rough terrain."




"You might want to keep your eyes open in case any of them pass through


here again. I doubt they will, " Ryan added. "They've already hit


this bank. Cole, are you riding with me? " He shook his head and


handed the wire back to Ryan. "It's not my problem." Ryan said


nothing. Squinting against the sunlight, his eyes narrowed and his


brow wrinkled into a frown. Suddenly he grabbed hold of Cole's vest


and shoved him backward off his feet. Before Cole could recover and


retaliate his fingers were flexing into a fist Ryan stole his thunder


by apologizing.




"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I let my temper get the upper


hand. Look, you're right. You didn't ask for any of this, and the


robberies aren't your problem. They're mine. I just thought . . .


hoped, anyway . . . that you would want to help. I won't accept your


resignation, though. You're going to have to ride to the regional


office and surrender your badge to the marshal there. Sheriff Norton


will give you the directions. I've got to get going to Rockford Falls


before the trail grows cold. No hard feelings? " he asked as he put


his hand out.




Cole shrugged and shook Ryan's hand. "No hard feelings." Ryan headed


for the stable at a run. Cole watched him leave and then followed the


sheriff inside the jail to find out where in tarnation the regional


office was located.




"If it isn't close-by, I'm sending the badge back, " he told the


sheriff.




Norton sat down heavily behind his desk and stacked his hands on top of


his papers. "I don't think Marshal Ryan will cotton to that idea.




Those badges are considered sacred, son. I wouldn't get him riled up


if I was you. He went to considerable trouble getting you appointed,


and it sure seems peculiar to me that he didn't want to argue with you


a little more. He gave up easy, didn't he? " "I don't know Ryan well


enough to judge, " he replied.




"You sure you want to give the badge up? " "I'm sure. I'm not cut out


to be a lawman."




"You thinking you ought to be a gunslinger? Some folks think there


ain't no difference at all between a marshal and a gunman."