Chp 6

Although Matt had meant what he had told Kitty, and he didn't think Graham would try anything, he took certain precautions as he rode onto the man's place. Making sure his badge was pinned on his vest in plain view and that his gun was fully loaded and easily reached, were the first things he took care of.

As he entered the property, he was immediately aware that he was being watched. Keeping his head and eyes forward, he ignored the stares and rode straight to the front of the brand new two-story, wood and stone house, majestically draped across the small rise on the property. "Hello the house," he called. He had no plans to dismount.

A squat, burly man with a scar across his forehead, full beard and cold gray eyes stepped out of the door and scowled up at the big man on the horse. "Well, if it ain't Mr. Friendly." He grunted. "Who are you and what do you want?" he demanded.

"My names Matt Dillon. I'm a US Marshal and I came here to talk to Cayden Graham." Matt responded. Slowly he let his hand drop to his gun without taking his eyes off of the man in front of him.

"I'm Graham," the man replied evenly. He noticed the badge and where Matt's hand had traveled and tensed slightly.

"I'm not a fool, mister." Matt said coolly. "I remember you from the other night. I said I want to talk to Graham. Not one of his flunky's."

The man's face grew red and he started to reply, just as the door opened behind him and another man stepped out. Though not as largely built as the first, he carried with him an air of authority the first one lacked. "It's alright, Fletch." The man said, studying Matt. "I'm sorry about that, Marshal. My friend Fletcher here is just protective of me."

Matt scrutinized the man in front of him for a moment. The man with iron gray hair had a rigid set to his shoulders and hardness in his deep brown eyes that spoke of someone used to others obeying him. "I came to talk to you, Graham." Matt said gruffly. "Not your friends."

Graham gave him a lazy smile and shrugged. "Well, certainly, Marshal. Get off your horse and come in."

Matt shook his head. He wasn't about to make himself any more vulnerable than he already was nor give them any chances. "I don't have much to say. I came to warn you to leave Jeff Henderson's family alone. They've told you they don't want to sell, so quit hounding them."

"Hounding them?" Graham ran the words around his mouth as though tasting them. "Why, Marshal, I never hounded anyone. I simply made a good offer on that land. I can't help it if they misunderstood my good will."

Matt frowned at the tyrant in front of him. "Was it your good will that burned their barn down last night and come close to killing a little boy? Or how about poisoning their pond. Was that your idea of good intentions?"

Graham laughed lightly. "You haven't any proof that those incidents have anything to do with me. And even if you did, you would have no jurisdiction here, Marshal Dillon." Noticing the look in Matt's eyes, he grinned broadly. "I recognized your name, Matt Dillon. Your badge doesn't mean a thing here in Colorado and you know it."

Matt glared at the man. "My badge may not but my word does. Stay away from the Henderson's place, Graham. You won't find them sleeping again. And you won't find them alone."

"Are you threatening me, Mr. Dillon?" Graham made certain to place an emphasis on Mister.

"I never make threats, Graham." Matt said in a low quiet voice. "Only promises, I intend to keep."

Fletcher placed his hand on the butt of his gun and took a step forward but Graham placed a restraining hand on his arm.

Matt gave the men a hard stare before cautiously backing his horse up, until he was past the house and the men that had gathered on the front lawn. Once he reached that point he turned his mount and spurred him into a gallop, riding quickly back down the path he had come in on.

"Looks like they've upped the ante on you, Boss, bringing him in. You gonna do something about that lawman?" Fletcher gave his boss a scowl. "He could be trouble."

Graham nodded. "Yes, he could be. But then he's only one man with no jurisdiction. He isn't enough to stop me. I'll have that land and no man, including Matt Dillon, will stand in my way."

As Matt rode back to the Henderson's ranch, he now knew what they were up against. Though his visit with Graham was brief, it was all he needed to understand that what kind of fight they could be in for.

Matt knew this kind of man. He'd run into that type more than once. The man was used to getting his own way and wasn't going to back down simply because someone said no. He'd do what ever he thought necessary to reach his goal, including murdering women and children, if it came to that.

That meant Kitty and kids could be in danger.

Pressing the horse a little harder, he hurried back to the ranch.

TBC