and grunted in pain, and Longarm shouted, “Stop! I’m a United States deputy marshal and you are under arrest!”
In reply, the man twisted around and fired in Longarm’s direction, narrowly missing him. Longarm returned fire as the man crawled into his saddle and began to flee. Taking careful aim this time, Longarm drilled the fugitive in the back. He watched the big silhouette lift up in his stirrups, then throw his hands high into the air. After that, the fugitive tumbled off his running horse and crashed to the ranch yard, where he lay still.
Longarm lit a match and hurried to the doorway of the cabin. The first man he’d killed was an Indian, probably the Navajo horse thief working with Tom Marble. The second man was Marble himself and he was very dead.
A few minutes later, Betty whipped the buggy into the ranch yard and then slewed it around to a shuddering halt.
“Marshal!” she cried, a rifle pressed to her cheek and shoulder. “Is that you?”
“it is,” Longarm assured her.
“Thank heavens!” she cried, jumping down and giving him a big hug.
Longarm held her tight for a few moments, and then he went inside to find a lantern. While rummaging about in the cabin he heard Betty wail, and he hurried back outside with the lantern still unlit.
“What is it!”
“He’s dead!” she cried. “Jim is dead!”
It was true. The Assassin had bled to death, just as Longarm had feared. The best that could be hoped for was that the mysterious Jim Smith had at least enjoyed the satisfaction of knowing the last of the Marble Gang was also dead and justice had finally been served.
“Betty,” Longarm said, again drawing the grieving woman close, “I’m sorry, but maybe it all worked out for the best.”
“How can you say that!”
“Because,” Longarm softly answered, “I know he would have never been able to stop judging and killing those he thought deserved to die.”
Betty pulled away in the moonlight and glared up at him. “You know this because, except for the badge, he was like you!”
Longarm figured that she was a mite closer to the mark than he cared to admit, so he nodded, allowing Betty to rush back into his arms and have a good cleansing cry.
