"Mark!"

Luke slammed through the doors of the saloon and strode up to the bar. His son turned and glared defiantly. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" The big man gestured at the glass in the boy's hand. "Is that whisky?"

"That's right." Mark raised the glass to his lips and Luke knocked it out of his hand. "You had no call to do that! I'm eighteen years old! I'm a grown man and I can drink if I want to! Sweeney, give me another whisky!"

Luke snarled, "You do, Sweeney, and I'll wreck this place. Mark, you're coming home right now."

The saloon got very quiet as the boy squared off with his father. "I'm not coming back now or ever! Do you hear me? Now leave me alone!"

The big man put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Son…"

Mark threw a punch at Luke and his father was so surprised he let it connect. It wasn't much of a blow but Luke took a step back, his eyes clouded with pain. Then he turned and left.

The boy watched him go with a look of contempt, then turned back to the bar. "Well? Are you going to give me that whisky or ain't you?"

Micah came in right after Luke went out and the saloon got quiet again, watching as the marshal walked up to the bar where Mark was nursing a fresh drink. "Nothing for me, Sweeney." He regarded the boy for a moment, then asked softly, "Can I talk to you?"

Mark shrugged. "There's nothing to say."

"I just saw your father on his way out of town. From the way he was sitting on his horse I thought he must have been shot or something."

"I don't care," the boy muttered. "It's his fault Dan is dead."

"Now wait a minute…"

"No!" Mark's voice rose with an edge to it Micah had never heard before. "He said Dan drew on him but it's not true! I brought that kid to the ranch, Micah. Me! We got to be real good friends. We were even talking about going on a cattle drive. Pa...my father...he just wants to keep me around forever so he has someone to help him but I have a right to a life of my own. And I told him that and he killed Dan!"

"Mark, you're not being reasonable!" Micah took a wanted poster out of his pocket. "Dan was a criminal. He was wanted for robbery and he tried to shoot your father."

"That's what he said. That ain't even a picture of Dan. That's just a drawing and you know how bad those drawings are." Mark stared into his glass. "He's just not the man I thought he was."

Micah said sadly, "If you can believe that after everything you two have been through, I guess I'm done here." He turned away. "Goodbye, Mark."

A young man went up to the bar and leaned against it. "Whisky." Sweeney brought the drink. "That was pretty rough, Mark, but I can't help admiring the way you stood up to your father and the marshal. I didn't know Dan wanted to bring you in on the cattle drive but if that's so…"

Mark sighed. "It was so, Jake. Now I guess I'll have to stay."

"Maybe not." Jake finished his drink. "What do you say to a ride? There's someone just got in that I want you to meet."