Chapter13. Inside the Saloon
Bill takes the back entrance of the saloon with the goal of at least getting Gustav and Fiona out. Nathan glad he is not in uniform tries makes himself look totally disheveled and spills some of Ned's whiskey all over himself. The plan is for Nathan to go in the front door of the saloon—looking totally drunk waving his gun looking for a fight with Lucas. Armed Jesse will be at the door and try to get all the hostages out. If that works Nathan instructs Lee and Jesse to get all the hostages to a safe place away from the saloon and stay inside.
With deep breaths—Nathan brazenly walks in weaving and waving his pistol screaming about Lucas stealing his girl and they will settle this once and for all. Nathan shoots at the bottles behind the bar and in the distraction Jesse gets the hostages outside. The leader of the group who is small in stature with greasy hair looks amused by all this and his accomplices are clearly not too bright. Nathan keeps yelling and Lucas is just shocked but gathers himself and plays along. "Grant she never wanted you" he says.
The leader of the group, Rusty begins to laugh and tells Nathan "Calm down you can have this SOB once I get my money." Nathan now tries to befriend Rusty asking "What did Bouchard do to you? Just take your money, but I want to be the one to get him and take him down" Nathan threatens.
Rusty is now enjoying all this and his companions now train their weapons on Nathan. Nathan acts surprised Lucas has money and appears to support the robbers plan to clear out all the money from the safe. Rusty orders Lucas to open the safe. Nathan offers to hold Lucas while the robbers start taking money from the safe. Nathan turns to check on the robbers and sees Bill nod at him from the shadows. Nathan sees Fiona is gone as well. Nathan gives Bill a quick nod and Bill nods back. The robbers put all the money in their saddle bags and look to go. They can't decide what to do about Lucas and Nathan suggest they have another drink while they decide.
Nathan tells Lucas to get them some whiskey so they could talk this through. Nathan steps beside the bar supposedly to help Lucas all the while telling the robbers that Nathan wants to be the one to take Lucas down. "I need to settle a score, he stole my girl" says Nathan. The robbers who now have had several whiskey shots agree. Nathan turns to Lucas and punches him out cold and Lucas goes down in a heap behind the bar.
Bill steps in with his rifle and he is behind the robbers and tells them "Police put your guns down." Nathan yells "Mounted police". He then shoots over two of the robbers tells them to put the guns down as well. One does and Rusty hesitates—Nathan quickly shoots over his hand and the gun goes down. The last robber starts after Bill and in a flying run Nathan tackles him to the floor and the gun skitters away. Bill stands over him saying "Stay down." Nathan and Bill quickly handcuff them to the chairs—Nathan checks on Lucas, props him up and gives him ice. Gabe is now back in town and carefully enters the saloon yelling "Mounted Police." Nathan looks at him and says "Nice you could show up!" Gabe responds "So this is what you do on light duty Constable?"
Bill, Gabe and Nathan walk the robbers out and over to the jail. Nathan tells Jesse to go to the school and tell Elizabeth it's over, but under no circumstances come to the jail—if Elizabeth or Allie need him to send someone to get him.