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Choctaw Lee goes up the narrow path on the other side of the cabins to get to the horses, while Dekker advances towards the secret lookout place to find out more about the intruders. Jim Copeland is high on the hill and has a rope in case Choctaw needs help.

Della Humpy runs to the cabins to inform the rest of the gang.

Choctaw Lee climbs to the top of the hill, and Jim Copeland grabs his hand to help him. From the high position, they can see how Della Humpy explains to Ed Stein about the posse. They can also see Jack Dekker in his hideout. He is making hand signals. It seems there are five of them. And Dekker points at his heart with one finger, and draws a star.

-A bloody tin star!, Copeland spits out. However, his voice is serious. To kill a U.S. Marshal is a sure way to get into some serious trouble.

Down below, Ed Stein moves around the cabins, handing out rifles and telling everyone what to do. -Ed´s got some balls, Jim says. -He wants to ambush the posse!

A while back, the gang had practiced an ambush routine. They had made shooting holes on one side of the cabin, and a small brick wall allows to get intruders in a nice crossfire after they cross the small stream.

-What do ya reckon?, Jim asked looking suspiciously at Choctaw. Jim Copeland was one of Ed´s trusted men, always backing him up together with Tom Cole. And it was no secret that he did not think highly of the Lee clan, and after the recent arguments, Choctaw Lee was now an outcast. He wanted to know where Choctaw stood on this.

Choctaw looks at Copeland. He is upset and takes a cigar.

Bloody shit If I try to escape this son of a bicht will kill me. And it's too late now.

- I think that the old man it's right. Nobody must leave this place. I don't like the stars, not when it comes on horseback. We must help Ed.where should we stay when the party starts?

-The party? Ed will come out from the cabin to greet the bastards, Jim explained pointing at the cabins below, and the rest will be hidin´ inside. They will have to cross the stream, there, see? And when they are passed that fence and the post, that´s when the hooraw starts. We will shoot ´em down. Every last sumbitch.

Choctaw remembered the shooting holes they had prepared on the side of the cabin. And the two shotguns Tom Lee had hidden in the cabin.

-Ya´ll be shootin´ at the bastards from up here, with me, Jim smiled. –They will receive bullets from all over the place.

It was a simple plan. If all went well, the intruders would get hit by surprise and they would be drawn into a crossfire with no way to hide.

-Hey, Choctaw! Take this!, Jim tossed him a Winchester from the rifle holsters while he finished saddling the horses. –It´s a bit far for your hogleg¹, ya´ll need some heavier artillery.

The rifle was a 12-shot lever action carbine, with a round 20” barrel. It was cool to the touch, and comforting in a way. This was the higher .44 caliber Winchester 1863 model. Choctaw suspected Jim had taken the valuable rifle from Saul Dyer´s horse, but it did not matter much now.

Jim Copeland came back from the horses, and kneeled down to find a good support for his elbows. Then he started loading his Spencer rifle, which had 10” longer barrel and needed a good position. It was in many ways inferior to the Winchester, but the 7-shot, .52 caliber weapon had been the primary repeating rifle in the Civil War, and men like Copeland had gotten used to shooting with it. Once a man got to know his gun, it quirks and peculiarities, it becomes his signature weapon. And men were often more loyal to their weapon than to anything else God had put on this Earth.

-Look, I think I saw some movement close to the river bank. They´re comin´!

Choctaw smiles and takes the rifle.

- That's a good plan, compadre. But this doesn't feel good. Those bastards are no fools. We must check our rear.  I can't believe that they come here so meek.
 

Choctaw looks the rifle and points.

- That's a good piece of iron

He puts down the rifle and takes a look around.

- Yes, if someone takes our back we'll be between two cross fires

Jim Copeland looked at the half-breed, and nodded. He had to admit Choctaw had a point about the crossfire. It looked as if the marshal had formed a posse in Thackersville or other town, but they were only suspecting a few cattle thieves could be hiding at the old Lee ranch. They did not expect a dozen outlaws with guns. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

He looked around on the high ground, and waved with his hand for Choctaw to go and have a look on the other side to see if the marshal had sent scouts to their back. He had just found a good position for shooting, and he had no intention of getting up unless it was absolutely necessary.

Choctaw crawled backwards to get out of sight before getting up, and had a look around. Jack Dekker should be on the lookout, and the terrain gave the outlaws a huge advantage. There were only a few routes to get to the hideout.

Soon enough Choctaw could see his pal Dekker sneaking towards their position. There was a small canyon between them, and when Dekker saw Choctaw, he made some simple hand gestures to confirm five men were walking alongside the stream towards the crossing. And that he had their back covered. Then Dekker disappeared amongst the bushes to find a good hideout.

From his position, Choctaw could now see the posse lead by US Marshal James Guy. They were armed with rifles, and they all wore a yellow ribbon and a tin star. James Guy lead the way, and he was walking as fast as he could, and not stopping to look at the scenery. He seemed eager to get to the cabins as soon as possible. Maybe he thought he would be able to surprise the cattle thieves he was expecting to encounter.

Choctaw decides that he is in a good place to shoot. He looks for a good place to hide and shoot the Marshal

Maybe I get a horse at the end of the day

He chooses a place and prepares the rifle

From his hiding place, Choctaw could see the posse arriving at the crossing. The other four stay a few steps behind Marshall Guy, who walks to the stream. They are carrying rifles, but hold them with one hand and in general look quite relaxed.

-ED! ED STEIN!, the Marshal yelled. -I am U.S. Marshal James Guy. Is Ed Stein here? Or Lee?
 

Suddenly Ed Stein stuck his head out of the window. -I´m Ed Stein, he said with what appeared to be a wicked smile on his face. -You can cross the stream there, I´ll meet you at porch, around the back, he said and disappeared.

The trap was set! James Guy crossed the small stream, eager to finish the business with the petty cattle thief he thought he was about to arrest.

It was a simple plan. Ed had prepared shooting holes on the side of the cabin.

The outlaws were ready to act, but the main thing was to wait until the intruders reached the exact spot.

Choctaw had the rifle ready... Jim also. Probably more rifles were ready to shoot through the holes from inside the cabin. It could be a real massacre. Like shooting ducks in a barrel.

Ed was slowly opening the back door...

Choctaw is anxious. From his spot he can aim everyone in the field.

This Guy Marshall is a dead man, Ed will takes over it. I need to bring down anyone else.

He chooses the neartest guy and aims, in silence and without hurry, wainting for the shooting order.