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very interesting, Tom.”
    â€œHow so?”
    â€œI’m a gunfighter, Tom. Not exactly what many would consider a model citizen. And I’ve only been in town a few hours.”
    â€œYou’ve worn a badge before,” the marshal countered. “Several times. And you’ve always done right by the job. The mayor says you were pushed into being a gunfighter.”
    â€œI had some help, sure. In the beginning. But in the end it was my decision. I’ve learned to accept that.”
    Tom drummed his thick fingertips on his desktop as he stared at Frank. “Maybe this will be the town that settles you down.”
    Frank smiled. “Doubtful.”
    â€œYou might meet that special lady here. There are some fine-lookin’ widder women around here.”
    Lara suddenly popped into Frank’s head. He could smell her perfume. He pushed that image away. Dangerous, he thought. Besides, she’s a married woman, and it isn’t right to steal another man’s wife. “Maybe so, Tom. But I’m not looking for a marriage partner. Especially a grass widow.”
    The marshal smiled. “Oh, you’d probably be good with kids.”
    Frank’s only reply to that was a smile. “What shift do you want me to work, Tom?”
    â€œSame as mine,” the marshal replied. “We’re both on call twenty-four hours a day. But not much happens here in Chance. The occasional drunk, a fight now and then, kids acting up, getting into some harmless mischief.”
    â€œSounds exciting.”
    â€œExciting enough for an old fat man,” Tom replied with a laugh, heaving himself out of the chair. “You got a room at the hotel yet?”
    â€œYes, I’m all set up.”
    â€œWell, I’m goin’ home then. I live on Walnut Street. Everybody knows where. Just ask. I done give Smart-Aleck Ed his supper. Soon as his pa shows up, you can cut him loose.”
    â€œWill do, Tom. See you in the morning.”
    Tom waved and left the offce. Frank walked into the cell block area to check on Ed Simpson.
    â€œI’m gonna kill you, Morgan!” the young man said as soon as he spotted Frank. “Just as soon as I get out of here.”
    â€œDon’t be a fool, boy. I don’t think that bounty on my head is anything but a rumor. Where would you go to and who would you ask to collect it?”
    â€œI’m still gonna make you pull on me.”
    â€œYou’re gonna have a long wait for that, boy. Why don’t you just settle down?”
    â€œI’m faster than you, Morgan. And I’m gonna prove it.”
    â€œYou want some coffee, Ed?”
    â€œYou go to hell, Morgan! I don’t want nothin’ from you.”
    â€œSuit yourself. I didn’t want to make any for you anyway.” Frank walked into the office, found a ring of keys, and stepped out onto the boardwalk, locking the office door. He walked to the Blue Bird Café and got a plate of scraps for Dog, then strolled down to the livery. He fed Dog, made sure he had a bucket of water, and then walked the main street of town, both sides, greeting people as they passed. Almost all were friendly, some stopping to chat for a moment. A few had disapproval in their eyes as they curtly nodded at Frank’s greeting. Frank didn’t blame them a bit. His reputation had labeled him a killer, and he had killed. He had killed a lot of men. But what people, some people, failed to understand was that the men he had killed had been trying to kill him.
    Frank stopped in every store and introduced himself. Most people seemed genuinely glad to see him, greeting him warmly. Frank bought a sack of tobacco and some rolling papers at O’Malley’s General Store and chatted for a few minutes with the owner, Jack O’Malley, and his wife, Ginny. They had moved west right after the War of Northern Aggression and settled there in Chance. They had two kids still living at home, a boy,