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Those men on your list... they stand in Bronson’s shadow. I can't move against those men. Cotten Ryan

News traveled fast. Shortly after the sheriff Cotton Ryan had been informed about why the lawman had come to Sabbath, he got on his horse and headed towards the Bronson ranch. Cotton Ryan was a poor excuse for a marshal nowadays. He did not carry the law hard and clean. But he did carry messages. And he had an important one for Mr. Bronson…

Shortly after Ryan had spoken to Mr. Bronson, word was sent out to different people that had connection with the matter at hand. They were summoned to the main building of the Bronson ranch.

Choctaw Lee was sleeping in the bunkhouse when the foreman Stenbaugh woke them up with a shout.

Vernon Adams and Hurd Price arrived from the highlands. Vernon had received word first, and he had brought Hurd, but he did not know what the meeting was about. Neither of the two had ridden for Mr. Bronson for many months as they were busy with their own farms. The two met with Jack Dekker on the road to the Bronson ranch.

Once inside, they were greeted by the foreman Harvey Stenbaugh. They had not been together in one place since they all returned from the cattle drive.

The room of choice for the meeting was the main lounge on the ground floor. It was decorated with animal heads and had plenty of room for all the men present: Harvey, Choctaw, Jack, Hurd and Vern. Then the double door opened, and Mr. Bronson walked in with his son Jason. Everyone got up, and Vernon took his hat off. He was to the right from Bronson, and close enough to see the worried look on the old man´s face. Harvey Stenbaugh was in the middle of the room, standing tall like an oak. Behind him, Hurd Price was conveniently behind the foreman, and to his right, the hired gun Choctaw was leaning against a column. Jack Dekker was a few feet behind Choctaw.

-I called you in 'cause we've got trouble. You remember last spring we took a herd over the Kiowa. We hit a town called Bannock on the way back. Eight of us went into town. Do you recall?, the cattle baron asked and continued without waiting for an answer.

- We shot up the town. We got a little drunk, broke a bit of glass. Seems an old man took a bullet. We thought it was nothing but a lot of broken glass, but...seems now it's a bit more. Now, the hard point of the matter is there's a lawman the name of Maddox in Sabbath. Figures to take us back and stand trial for murder.

As always, Mr. Bronson went straight to the point. He did not like to beat around the bush. When he said the word “murder”, the room went even more silent the before. He waited for someone to say something…

Choctaw is smoking a cigar, He exhales the smoke from his lungs and speaks slowly and calm:
- How do we must handle this ... issue, patrón? This lawman... Can we buy him? Do we must make him disappear? In the old times I would have put a bullet on him, but I suppose that you prefer other way... more polite.
 

Jack said nothing but was of the opinion that he could not be arrested.

In the event that Mr. Bronson could not come to a deal with the marshal, he would ensure that a bullet in the head when there were no witnesses could remedy the problem.

Anyway, for that it was what he was paid for.

Hurd was still as a stopped clock, a mite pale, his hands gripping the hat tightly.

- Murder... - he muttered, almost to himself. He listened to what Lee was saying and frowned. Putting a bullet in a lawman, what the...? He didn't dare saying anything but looked at the boss hoping he had a civilized solution in mind.

-I say we tell the lawman to peddle his law in Bannock!, Harvey said with a firm voice, standing next to Choctaw. –One lawman, he said shaking his head. -Some worn-out tin star who wouldn´t rate cuttin´ your cigars, Vince. And with the men in this room, we´ve got all the guns we need to scare this Maddox the hell away from Sabbath, or to teach him a lesson.

-The days of riding into town and gunnin´ him down have passed. Times have changed. Gunnin´ down a lawman, or makin´ him disappear spells trouble, he said pointing at Choctaw and Harvey who had sat down again. -There are other ways. You buy a man. And if he doesn´t sell, you buy the man above him…

He sighed. -I didn't know anyone was killed that night. When I found out today, I asked Ryan to tell Maddox I´m sorry. Really sorry, and that I´ll make it good. I'll fix it up with the old man's family. And to tell him I’ll make it all right with him, too. Maybe that´s enough, don´t know. Ryan reckons this lawman ain´t gonna back down easily. That he wants us all to go to Bannock to stand trial.

Bronson looked around looking for Vernon. He had not seen him in a few months, now that he had his own ranch and herd.

-So I called ya here to hear what you have to say. Well, Vern?

-Hey, where's Marc Corman?, Vern said trying to gather his thoughts.

-Marc Corman´s dead. ´Cause he called short on this Maddox, Vincent Bronson answered with a dry voice standing next to Dekker. His back was turned to Vernon, but he could still hear the veteran cowboy gulp. The lawman meant business.

-Can I say something, pop?, Jason said from across the room. -Now, I wasn't ever in Bannock, but it seems to me if pa here is willing to pay for the damages, give the old man's family something, then this Maddox has no cause to push. If he does, I think Harv's right.

Marc Corman dead? It couldn't be... For a second he heard in his mind the tune the veteran cowboy used to play on his flute. He never liked Corman much, but... Dead...

Jason's words brought him back to the matter.

- Surely the man can be reasoned with. - Hurd said prudently - We didn't shoot nobody on intent... did we? - he looked at the others - Well, I'm mighty sure I didn't. It must've been just... bad luck. An accident ain't murder.

- No matter if it was on intent or not - says Jack, who had been silent until now - If the marshal brings you to Bannock, you will be hanged or by the angry townsfolk or by a strictly judge who doesn't like your face.

Vern listened to Jack. Maybe the judge was a circuit judge. Maybe the court would decide it could be sorted with a fine. Maybe the good people of Bannock would not mob hang anyone. Too many “maybes”

And even then, to go all the way to Bannock and probably wait in jail for the judge to arrive, and then the trial. Finally, he spoke: -Mr. Bronson. I don't want trouble, I appreciate ya askin' us here for our opinion, but it seems to me you got some choice, and I don't. I can't go back to Bannock. If I do, my land dries up and blows away. My beef gets scattered into the high country. I don't have the hands to keep my spread tied down.

-You know I’d see ya right, Vern, the cattle baron said. -I'd send some of the boys, give my mark to cover your losses.

But even as he said it, he knew Vernon was not going to accept his.  A man had to work his own. That was the kind of man Vernon Adams was.

-If we decide to go back, I´d cover all your losses. Before it comes to that, I´d try to talk to this Maddox. And if we still decide to go to Bannock, I´ll find out about the judge before we go. Hurd´s right. It was an accident. So most we'd face is a fine, anyway, if that. Hope it ain´t gonna come to that. You, Choctaw? What d´ya reckon?

Choctaw smiles and he's still smiling when starts to talk:

- Boss, I won't go to jail, not for a day, not for a minute. We can try to buy the guy. Or threatening the judge. But I tell ya. I won't go to Bannock to be hanged by a few rednecks with blood thirst. I swear I'm gonna kill everyone who tries to put me in a jail. If we go there, maybe doesn't care if the judge is on our side, or the lawman is a rascal. We can end hanging on the rope.

He is not gonna speak  again. Takes the tobacco and starts to roll a cigar

-Alright Choctaw, I hear ya. But there are two men dead already. That's a bit heavy. And then there´s Sinta. The lawman put her under arrest and she´s with Ryan in Sabbath now.

Bronson looked around the room. He knew all these men were counting on him to do the right thing. For all.  –I want to talk to this Maddox. Maybe he´s a reasonable man. If not, all we´ve lost is a few days. We´ll try it my way. Does anyone wanna add somethin'?

- Sinta... Is she ok? Did Maddox hurt her? - Hurd asked, worried.

Corman dead, Sinta in jail... Things were getting serious by the minute. Hurd remained silent in response to Mr. Bronson; he couldn't think of anything else to say. Not until Maddox had said his piece, for better or worse...