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The hotel owner Hersham was nervous as hell. He had gotten up early that morning to go to church. Not that he was interested in what the Minister Tyner had to say. No. He wanted to get the latest gossip from Harris and Moss and the rest. About this lawman business. About the Marc Corman killing.

Oh Lord, Sabbath used to be such a peaceful place. Then he heard footsteps. The killer was coming down the stairs… First, Hersham thought of hiding. Or running away. But then he summoned his courage: -Maddox. Mr. Maddox, Mr. Maddox, your room...what I mean is we are getting a regular...a drummer of women's goods. And jewelry, and, well, you see, I wasn't expecting you to be staying over, and, well, to put a fine edge on things, I need your room, the words came out one after another, without control, even after the lawman had stopped and his cold blue eyes were staring at Hersham. -You see, he always expects to get the same room, and l... I can't... oh...

And then… Maddox just walked out. Hersham sighed in relief. That ought to teach him a lesson, the hotel owner though to himself as he peeked through the window.

Just as Maddox stepped out to the main street, Hurd and Vern entered the Registrar´s Office.

Crowe, Hurd and Harvey were about to ride into town.

I wanted to kill some time before I had to work again takin' care of the drunkards, so I stepped out from Lucas' and took a sat again where we chatted a few minutes ago. I just felt the hard wood in my arse and saw Maddox coming out of the hotel.

-Everything alright, Maddox? -I said. It was strange, it usually took everyone some more time to settle up their things in their room.

Hurd felt relieved to get inside the office, where it was not probable to find the lawman. He let Vern do the talk while he nodded and answered to the Registrar's direct questions, but his thoughts had followed Laura into the saloon. She needed to see Lucas? Now precisely? Once again he was intrigued and worried, but for the first time – and it almost surprised him – he was getting angry.

The first thing that stepped into his mind as he rode into Sabbath was Sinta. Vincent had told him to go first to Cotton, and that he would do. Maybe he could get some info to talk to Maddox later, and anyway he wanted to see by his very own eyes if the cowgirl was doing ok. 

Bah, sure she is. She's tough, she'll be fine. 

Laura could not escape old memories from her past as a saloon girl when she approached Lucas´ Saloon. Now she was a different person. Or that was what she kept telling herself. She lifted her dress carefully to go up the steps to the porch, and then she saw a man sitting on the wooden bench. He was strongly built, and he was wearing a nice jacket and fancy boots. Looks like Lucas has hired some new help, she thought as she entered the saloon.

The registrar Dusaine was looking out the window. He was not in a hurry to start his daily work. Last night, he had been talking with Harris, and Moss and the rest. He was a member of the citizen council, but the sheriff Ryan had not been bothered to inform him of what was going on.

There he was!, he thought when he saw Maddox come out of the hotel. The street was crowded, but suddenly there was room around him as he started walking towards the opposite end of the main street. Dusaine could see something caught his eye, and his curiosity took the better of him and he put his face to the glass to see a man approaching him.

Was that Mayer? From Lucas´ Saloon?

Dusaine was not an indulging man, but even he had been to the saloon some nights. There were not that many things to do around Sabbath…

A knock on the door startled the registrar, and he turned around quickly to receive Hurd Price and Vernon Adams.

Maddox was heading towards the church when something caught his eye. A glimpse of a familiar face. Could it be her?, he thought to himself stopping and trying to get a better look of the blonde woman going in the saloon. Without thinking, he took a few steps that way, and then he was approached by Mayer.

–Yes, he replied. –Just a lot of work to do. Got a feelin´ I´ll have to find the men on my list myself, ya know?, he said looking past Mayer towards the saloon. –So I better start askin´ some questions ´round here. And I ought to start over there, he added pointing at the church. –Of all the men in town, I reckon the Minister would find it difficult to lie to me. Do ya know him, Mayer?

-Ah, g-good morning Mr. Adams. And Mr. Price. To be honest, I did not expect to see you in town this morning, considering... I mean, he muttered, and then looked at the weapons the two men were carrying as they entered his office. -Considering the current circumstances. Most unfortunate turn of events, don´t you agree?

Crowe, Jason and Harvey left their horses by the Jenkins saddle shop, and then they walked towards the sheriff´s office but not on the main street. Jason considered it was best to keep a low profile, to go unnoticed. Harvey had reluctantly agreed, so the three went to the alley behind the buildings instead.

As they approached the Broken Lance saloon, Jason stopped. -I´ll meet you later, here.

He was thirsty and he was not keen on meeting Cotton Ryan anyway. -Crowe, see if you can prepare the meeting. And Harv, stay out of trouble, OK?

Sure, see ya in a while. - he answered, walking towards the entrance of the sheriff's office that would allow him to talk with him without all town knowing.

- Yeah... It's a shame what happen'd to Mr. Corman... - Hurd scratched his face. He wanted the topic out of the way as soon as possible. He shrugged. - However, life goes on, as they say. And I'm told you, Mr. Dusaine, have some... ah... good news for us. - Hurd smiled in spite of his mood, trying to show a calmed, trustworthy face to the Registrar.

-No more than anyone else in town -I said-. Just saw him a few times, but I haven't had a conversation with him yet: I ain't the kind of guy that enjoys listening the sermon, and he's not the kind of guy who visit our girls, you know.

I took a look at him.

-I mean no offense, of course -I remembered that Cristo face from the chapel down in San Acoma-. Guess you are a religious man, and I respect that.

I didn't want to start another philosophical conversation with Maddox, so I changed the matter.

-I'll let you know if I hear something interesting in the saloon about the fellers you're looking for.

-I´m a lawman, he answered bluntly and looked at Mayer with a curious expression on his face

A religious man? Me?

Then he remembered San Acoma, and understood. –I am a killer of man. That's what the job calls for. There are nicer ways to put it, but it reads the same. That ain´t somethin´ the Good Book looks kindly upon, Mayer. No, I´m not a believing man…

-I'll let you know if I hear something interesting in the saloon about the fellers you're looking for.

-You do that. I´ll see ya ´round, he said and carried on walking towards the church.

–Indeed, Mr. Price. A pitty, and a major cause of concern, he replied with a strong British accent that sounded forced and out of place in Sabbath. But it was a tell-tell sign of the distinguished gentleman he was, even though he was born in the west banks of the Hudson river. –We are all in shock after what happened to poor Marc Corman. His poor wife must be in grief. And Luther Harris especially, since Mr. Corman was his brother-in-law. This whole situation is most worrying, no doubt. Sabbath is a quiet town and peaceful town. Not a place for reckless gunslingers nor murderous lawmen, he said and pointed  at the guns the two cowboys had brought to town today.

Dusaine shook his head for a moment, before he continued. –Good news, you say? Hmph, well, in a certain manner, yes, he said holding his vest with both hands. –I have put in motion the request for you to claim full ownership of the plot of land in question. However, I feel forced to point out that the possibility of the interested party…, the Registrar nodded towards the cowboys, becoming a convicted criminal, well, that is not in our interest, as you can surely appreciate.

Ryan felt more tired than usual. He had just finished his second large coffee of the morning, and he was standing outside his office, on the porch.

Inside, Sinta Custer was sitting in the small cell. He felt more useless than normal. For a moment, his hand brushed the side gun. Just ever so slightly. He could not remember the last time had needed to use it. Back in the days of Fort Bliss, he was considered fast and dangerous. But those days were well passed now. All he had was a bunch of yesterdays. He was not the same man anymore. He was a joke. After Fort Bliss, there had been Abilene. He ran. In Acadia City, he hid in a cellar. In Monmouth, the Loring brothers made him eat dirt.

But Maddox was different. He knew men like Maddox. Men who walked a straight line, and held their head up high. Men who would not bend easily. Something kept pushing him, “Cotton” Ryan thought as he watched from the distance how the lawman talked with Mayer. And then Maddox walked pass the shops and the marshal´s office, heading for the church. The locals stepped wide of Maddox. Some of them muttered something, others cursed him behind his back. But he just kept walking calmly.

As he passed Ryan, there was but a quick look. No words. No greeting. The two were both sheriffs, but they did not have much in common. Not anymore. Fort Bliss was too far away, and too long ago.

A few moments after Maddox had entered the church, Ryan saw two men approaching from the small street behind the office. –Morning Harvey. Crowe. Com´ on, let´s get inside. And the three entered quickly, closing the door behind them.

–So… Any news from Mr. Bronson? Did he send you?, he asked getting straight to the point. He was looking at Harvey, but he was expecting Crowe to do the talking. He respected Harvey Stenbaugh, no doubt about that. But he was a man of action. All longhorn and no brains, according to Vince Bronson.

-G'day -I said to Maddox as he walked away. He didn't sounded like the tough lawman I knew, but somehow like a wasted man, a man tired of something more than his job... Maybe of his own ideals. Guess he and Ryen got more in common than it looked.

I turned and re-entered Lucas' to keep up the good work. Now I had to think 'bout my own bussiness: my job, the tournament... and "my" woman.

As Dusaine talked, the kind smile in Hurd's face froze and slowly vanished. He exchanged a frowned glance with Vern when the Registrar pointed at their guns in his pompous and dismissive tone, but didn't say anything. He felt his anger grow as he began to realize where Dusaine was going. When the Registrar spat the word “criminal”, he closed his eyes briefly and tried to keep calm.

- Mr. Dusaine, please, let's not jump to conclusions... - Hurd said in a forced conciliatory tone, choosing the words carefuly. - No one's becomin' no criminal here. We're honest, hard-working members of this community. And we intend to keep it that way. I dunno what ya've heard but I assure you this... this situation ain't what it seems. - He shrugged - As far as I can tell, the one that came into our town and killed a man... ain't none of us.