While Mac and the others were waiting, the four riders spread out. Shane Casey came up the same trail that they had all been on. He stopped when he was within earshot. "Danny Messer!" he yelled.
Danny looked at Mac. Mac nodded. "What do you want, Casey?" Danny called back.
"I knew you were here! You killed my brother!"
"Your brother was a thief and he killed an innocent bank teller!"
Mac was watching Frankie while he listened to Danny. Frankie was coming around toward the left, as though he would try to get behind the buildings on that side. Mac wondered what they were planning. Casey was acting as a distraction. Horatio was also watching Henry Darius, who was coming around to the right side.
"He was still my brother!" Casey yelled. "We take vengeance when someone takes family blood!"
"What about the blood he took?" Danny asked.
"Nothing to me!"
Suddenly, Casey spurred his horse and went to the right, and Andy went to the left. Casey shot at Danny and Horatio as he went. They ducked into the building they were beside. Danny broke the window out and returned fire, but Casey and Darius had already ducked behind an old barn. Horatio broke out the other window and was also returning fire. "One of us has to get to a better firing angle," Danny said.
"You distract them," Horatio said. "I will find a better one."
Danny got his rifle and stuck it out the window. "Go," he said.
Horatio went out the front door of the building and ran down the boardwalk, while Danny was keeping the two outlaws occupied. Darius knew what was happening. While Casey and Danny were exchanging fire, Darius ran to the tree that was close to the barn. He wanted to get at Horatio as bad as Horatio wanted to get to him. Horatio was the only survivor he had ever left behind. He would clean up his record.
Horatio had other plans in mind. He would end Darius' campaign of terror. He could still see the look on that little girl's face when both her parents were slaughtered. They were slaughtered for nothing. Darius had robbed them, but they couldn't have had more than a hundred dollars, which was a lot in these days, but he killed the people and smeared their blood all over their covered wagon. The only reason the girl had survived was because she had been out in the forest not far from the wagon. Horatio had found her at the wagon later on. He had promised her that Darius would pay for that murder.
Mac and Don were having a shootout with Frankie and Andy. Mac was about ready to change his position too. He knew they could stand here and shoot until they ran out of ammunition. "Keep me covered," Mac said to Don.
Mac left the room and headed down the boardwalk. He passed by Stella's restaurant. He looked in the window, but there was no sign of Stella. He hoped she would stay hidden until this was over. Mac walked on down the boardwalk. There was an empty building between the restaurant and the doctor's office. Mac went inside and climbed up to the top floor. He raised the window and looked out. He could see Andy crouched behind the boulder out there still returning fire to Don. Mac wondered where Frankie had gotten off to. He wasn't in this building unless he came in after Mac.
Mac eased back down the hall in the upper floor. He looked down the stairs, but he didn't see or hear anything. He had his gun ready as he crept down the stairs. He certainly didn't want to be caught in this stairway. He would be a sitting duck. He went carefully down to the last step. All he could hear in this space was his own breathing. He took his other pistol out, so he would have one in each hand. He peeped around the corner to the right, but he didn't see anything. He jumped off the last step and aimed the pistols both ways, but there was no one in the hall.
Mac was sweating. He knew Frankie could be in here waiting calmly for him to get his back to him. He eased down the hall to his left as he kept an eye to the right. His ribs seemed to hurt worse with the strain and effort. He finally got to the end of the hall and looked around the corner. He could still hear shooting outside, so he knew someone was still alive out there. Where had Frankie gone?
Horatio looked down the alley between the next two buildings. He knew that wouldn't be a good place to be trapped if Darius came around the other end. Instead, Horatio ran across to the other boardwalk, which was in front of the Barbershop. Horatio went into the barbershop and walked through to the back door. He opened the door slowly, but he didn't see Darius out there. Horatio waited. He knew Darius had a lust to kill, and he wouldn't be able to wait long before he would get impatient to kill Horatio.
Darius was crawling under the building on the other side of the alley that Horatio had crossed. He had more patience than Horatio thought. He crawled to the edge of the building and waited.
Danny was about to run out of ammunition. "Why don't you give this up?" he called to Casey. "We're just wasting ammunition!"
"You wanta settle this like gentlemen?" Casey asked.
"Like how?"
"Fast draw!"
Danny was fast, but he wasn't sure he was as fast or faster than Casey though. He couldn't turn down an ultimatum though. He would be seen as 'yellow', if he did. He thought of Lindsay and their coming baby. What would she do if he died?
Danny looked out at Casey, who was standing out in the open with his gun held up now. "What do you say, Messer?" Casey asked.
Danny opened the door. "You're on," he said.
Danny waited for Casey to put his rifle down beside the barn he had been hiding behind. They both walked out into the street. Danny tied his guns down and hitched his gun belt up. Then he faced Casey again. Casey smiled his smirky smile. "You've walked your last mile, Messer," he said.
"We'll see," Danny said. "You gonna keep talking, or are you gonna get busy?"
Casey glared at Danny. "If you're in a hurry to die."
They both grabbed iron.
Mac slipped out the back door of the building he was in. He looked toward the gun fight that was still going on between Don and Andy. Then Mac heard a scream. His heart almost stopped. "Stella," he said. He ran toward the restaurant. The back door had been kicked in. Mac shoved it open and went in. He was in the kitchen. He knew Stella's bedroom was on the other side of the dining area. Mac hurried across the kitchen and out into the dining room. "Frankie!" Mac yelled. He wanted to make sure he stopped whatever was going on.
"Mac!" Stella screamed.
Mac had his gun ready as he went further into the dining room. "You hurt her, and I will kill you!" Mac yelled.
"She's your woman?" Frankie asked.
Mac didn't think he had ever been so mad in his life. "Why don't you come out here and take on somebody your own size, unless you're a coward!" he yelled. He knew most of these hotheads couldn't resist an ultimatum like that.
Frankie opened the bedroom door slowly. "With or without guns?" he asked.
"Whichever you prefer," Mac said.
"Fists."
Frankie came out of the bedroom. "Whoever wins gets the prize in there," he said.
Mac glared at Frankie. Mac had the thought of just shooting him now, but that wouldn't be right. He put his gun in the holster. They both took their gunbelts off and laid them on tables. "Come on," Mac said. "You think you're so tough. All you do is take advantage of helpless women. Lets see how you do against a man."
"I'm looking forward to it," Frankie said.
Don was almost out of ammunition. He got his pistol and went out the front door of the building he was in. He sneaked around to the left. Andy was behind the building still hiding behind that boulder. Or, at least, that's what Don had thought. Andy must have moved at the same time Don did. Don eased down the side of the building and stopped at the back corner. He wondered if Andy was around there. Don hated this kind of situation, but he wanted to help the law whenever he could. He thought of that pretty woman who had gotten off the stage the previous day. Her name was Jessica. He would have to take care of this guy. What would happen to the women in this town if these four weren't stopped?
Horatio eased on out of the barbershop. He walked slowly to the corner of the barbershop. He knew Darius was out there somewhere. Just as he peeped around the corner of the building, he saw the sun glare off a gun barrel right under the edge of the building across the alley. Horatio barely avoided a bullet. He dived off the boardwalk and rolled behind the outhouse. He could see Darius crawling toward the front of the building he was under. "Darius!" Horatio yelled. He got out of his hiding place and ran for the building that Darius was under.
Horatio went in the back door and ran up to the front of the building. Darius had already made it out however. Horatio drew his weapon. "Darius!" he yelled.
Darius whirled around with both his weapons drawn. They fired at the same time.
Frankie swung the first punch, which Mac dodged. He punched Frankie in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Then he gave him a right to the jaw. Frankie wasn't so easily defeated. He was the one who had kicked Mac in the ribs and he knew they were sore. He hit Mac right in that sore spot. Mac thought he would lose his breath completely, but he knew he couldn't give up. He would fight for Stella.
Mac tackled Frankie and they fell over a table. Then it was a struggle of pure strength. Frankie got his foot up and kicked Mac off him. Mac fell backward into another table. He got to his feet just as Frankie was coming at him with a left. Mac took it right in the eye, but he came back up with a left to Frankie's temple. Then he kicked Frankie into another table. Frankie was a little slower getting up this time. He grabbed his gun off the table he had left it on. Mac realized it a little late. He dove toward the table he had left his gun on just as Frankie got a shot off at him.
Danny leaned over Shane Casey, who was dying. "I guess you won fair and square," Casey said.
"It didn't have to be this way," Danny said. He got no pleasure out of killing people, even if they were evil.
Casey died, while Danny watched. He heard gunfire in the street. He ran into the alley with his weapon ready. He knew Horatio had been after Darius, but he didn't know who had come out on top of that fight.
Don jumped around the edge of the building. Andy was running toward the other end of town. Don ran after him. He took aim and fired at him, but he missed. Andy just kept on running. "Bradford!" Don yelled.
Andy reached the livery stable. Don ran to the building and eased toward the door. He heard something inside. "No! Don't kill me!" he heard Andy yell.
Don went around the edge of the doorway and met Quinton coming out the door holding Andy by the shirt collars about two feet off the ground. "Does this belong to you?" Quinton asked, with his deep voice.
Don stared at Andy. "Well," Don said. "Since you caught it, I'll let you bring it over to the jail."
"Gladly."
Don had to smile. He turned toward the Marshal's office. He saw Horatio and Darius down the street. He was just in time to see them fire at the same time. Horatio grabbed his shoulder, but Darius grabbed his chest and fell forward on his face in the dust.
Mac felt the bullet from Frankie's gun hit the spur on his boot. Mac got his gun off the table and dove behind it just as he felt a bullet tear into his side. Mac hit the floor hard, but he would not be defeated. He was fighting for more than himself; he was fighting for his future with Stella.
Just then, Frankie made his mistake. He knew he had hit Mac, and he was going to finish the job. He stood up and walked toward Mac. Just as he was about to look over the table, Mac came up with his gun and fired. The bullet hit Frankie in the shoulder. He tried to raise his gun, but Mac shot him two more times. Frankie fell to the floor and didn't move. Mac kept his gun aimed at Frankie and walked over to him slowly.
Mac kicked Frankie's gun away and leaned down to see if he was really dead, although he was pretty sure. When he was certain, he went to the bedroom. He found Stella tied to the bed and gagged. She was crying, and scared when she saw Mac come in, not knowing if it would be him or Frankie.
Mac sat on the side of the bed. He took the gag off her. "It's over now," Mac said. "Don't cry." He took his knife out and cut the ropes off her hands.
Stella sat up and grabbed Mac in a tight hug. She was sobbing now. "You're okay," Mac assured her. He could feel her trembling. He pushed her up and wiped the tears off her face. "It's over."
Stella sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Thank you for saving my life," she said.
"What else could I do? I had to save the woman I want to marry."
Stella looked into his eyes. They were so tender, her fear melted away. She smiled. "Is that a proposal, Mr. Marshal?" she asked.
"Do you want to become Mrs. Marshal?" Mac asked.
"You bet I do."
Mac smiled but then he grimaced. Stella was puzzled. "Mac, are you okay?" she asked.
"I think…" Mac fell over on the bed.
That was when Stella saw the blood on his shirt. "Mac!" she screamed. She ran to the front door of the restaurant just as Don and Danny were coming in. "Mac's been shot!" she yelled.
"Are you alright?" Danny asked.
"Yes!"
Stella turned around to lead them to the bedroom. Then she noticed Frankie lying in the floor dead. She gasped. She had not even noticed him on the way to the door. She went by him and they all went into the bedroom where Mac was still lying on the bed.
Danny tore the side of Mac's shirt open. "He's been shot alright," Danny said. "Get the doctor!"
Don ran for the doctor's office. Danny got Mac on up on the bed. Mac opened his eyes slightly. "You just lie still," Danny said.
"What happened?" Mac asked.
"To make a long story short, we won. Horatio is wounded too, but he's gonna pull through."
"What about Casey, Darius and Andy?"
Danny snickered as he thought of Andy. "Well, Andy is sitting in jail over there. He tried to take on Quinton down there at the livery."
Mac almost laughed, but it hurt too bad. "He must be more insane that I thought," he said. "Quinton is like a brick wall."
"Don't I know it?"
It wasn't long until Sheldon came in. He came over to Mac and examined the wound. "Looks deep," Sheldon said. He looked at Danny. "I really need him in the clinic."
Danny looked at Don. "You think we can get him to the clinic?" Danny asked.
"We can sure try," Don said.
Mac moaned as they got him up off the bed. With his sore ribs, it was torture. They practically had to carry him, but they managed to get him to the clinic. Horatio was already there. Sheldon had already taken the bullet out of his wound. It had not been very deep.
They got Mac onto the other bed and Sheldon got ready to take the bullet out. He leaned over Mac. "Looks like I'm saving your life again," Sheldon said.
Mac just nodded slightly. He didn't have the strength to talk. "I'm going to put you to sleep now," Sheldon said.
Sheldon put a few drops of chloroform on a cloth and put it over Mac's face. When Mac was asleep, Sheldon took the bullet out. "He's going to have a long recovery," he said to the others. "But he should be fine."
"Can I go in there?" Stella asked.
"Sure. For a few minutes."
Stella went into the room. Mac was not awake yet. She sat on the side of the bed and rubbed Mac's hair. She wanted him to wake up and talk to her, to assure her that she had not been dreaming when he said he wanted to marry her. She leaned over to his ear. "Mac," she whispered, but he didn't move.
Mac didn't wake up until the next morning. He felt the pain of his ribs and where the bullet had been taken out. Dr. Washburn leaned over him. "How are you feeling this morning?" Sheldon asked.
"Sore," Mac said.
"I'm not surprised. You have a broken rib in there and you were shot. I took the bullet out. You're going to have to take it easy for a few days. No chasing criminals around for a while."
"I don't mind that. How is Horatio?"
"He's fine. He's going to be out of commission for a while too."
"Is Stella okay?"
"Yes. She had been in to see you already this morning. I thought I would never get her to go to the hotel and rest last night."
"I asked her to marry me. I guess she's wondering if I was insane when I asked. But I wasn't."
"Congratulations."
"Thanks."
Later that morning, Stella came in. Mac thought she looked even more beautiful now than before. She was dressed in a royal blue dress with white trim. She sat down on the side of his bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Like I've been shot and beat up," Mac answered.
"Thank you again for saving my life."
"You're welcome."
Mac reached up and touched her face. He pulled her down and kissed her. "I've wanted to do that for a long time," he said.
"Me too," Stella said.
"So when is the wedding?"
"As soon as I can get ready for it, or as soon as you get well, whichever comes first."
"Sounds good to me."