Jimmy was in Tompkins mercantile with the other riders, picking up supplies for Emma, and browsing through other items Tompkins' carried, when he heard an unfamiliar male voice ask, "Pardon me, who owns the palomino outside?"
He and the others turned away from the counter to see a tall, dark haired man wearing a dirt splattered suit standing in the doorway of the mercantile. There were two other scruffy looking men standing directly behind him. Jimmy pegged them where they stood as being the lead man's henchmen.
It was Kid who answered the stranger's question, "She belongs to all of us."
Kid quietly wondered who the man was and why he wanted to know who owned Sundancer.
"That's Longley, the gunfighter I told all about," Cody whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
Jimmy smirked as he sized up the other man. Longley didn't look the part of the nefarious gunfighter Cody had described to all of them the night before at dinner. Longley looked more like a dandy than a gunfighter to him.
"Alright, I'll make it easy for you. Who was riding her a couple of hours ago on the trail south of town?"
"Hey, Mister, whatever it is you want I'm sure…" Cody started, but Jimmy cut him off.
"That would be me," Jimmy told Longley.
"Oh, well, you owe me an apology then, boy." Longley stated.
"Sounds fair to me," Cody interjected.
"For what?" Jimmy queried.
"For the mud bath I took when you spooked my horse."
Jimmy glanced at the others before replying." Well, if I spooked your horse, I didn't mean to."
"No, that doesn't sound like an apology," Longley commented.
"Sorry," Jimmy smirked, "But apologizing is something I only do on Sundays. Today is Tuesday."
"Then you have no manners. Did your mother breed you in a gutter?"
"Don't you talk about her!" Jimmy bristled at the man's insult, and took a hasty step forward.
Kid and Lou reacted instinctively, grabbing their hot headed friend by his arms, and jerking him back into place between them.
"I've wasted enough of my time." Longley stated, "Either you apologize now or step outside where I'll exact restitution."
Jimmy could not believe his ears. Longley was calling him out. He exchanged glares with Longley before the gunfighter turned and walked out of the store.
"Are you crazy?" Kid exclaimed the moment Longley was out of earshot.
Jimmy shook his head and followed Longley slowly outside. Kid, Lou, Cody, and Buck followed hastily after Hickok.
Kid tried once again to reason with his friend. He grabbed Jimmy by his jacket and said through gritted teeth," Don't be a fool, he's a hired killer."
"He called me out," Was Jimmy's only reply, as he stepped off the porch and into the street.
Cody, Buck, and Lou all exchanged worried looks. Hickok had about as much sense as a box of rocks. He was going to get himself killed over something as simple as making amends to Longley?
Lou felt emotion fill her as she took in the scene unfolding before her on the street. She didn't want to see Jimmy's arrogance and stupidity get him killed, but she couldn't bring herself to look away either.
Buck's gaze flitted between the gunfighter and his henchmen. Something about the way they were standing a distance behind Longley didn't set right with him. His hand rested near the butt of his gun, ready to draw it, in case he needed it.
Cody cocked his rifle, holding it loosely in his arms, his eyes carefully watching Longley's movements as Jimmy stepped into the street.
As Jimmy faced off with Longley, Kid did the only thing he could think of to save his friend's life. He ran into the street and knocked Hickok out to the startled exclamations of his fellow riders.
"Let's get him into the buckboard." Kid told Cody and Buck.
"You saved your friend's life," Longley said, "For now."