' The question got a swift reaction. Robertson's eyes bulged. 'What
of it? ' Cole didn't explain. 'Which one of you is Bell? ' 'None of
us go by that name, ' Robertson said.
'Never heard of him, ' one of the others said.
'What's this all about, Marshal? ' Robertson asked, his voice reeking
congeniality. 'Like my friend told you, we haven't done anything
wrong.'
'I'm not arresting you, ' Cole said. 'At least not yet.
We're going to go on over to the jail. There's a lady waiting there to
have a look at you.' The men's demeanor rapidly changed, and they
suddenly turned into a pack of cornered jackals.
'I don't know what you're talking about, ' one of the others
protested.
Robertson glanced at the man on his left. 'We can take him.'
'You're welcome to try, ' Cole said, and finally let some of his fury
explode.
'Damn, but I want you to try.' Scar Face snickered. 'Four against
one? You must think you're fast, Marshal.' Cole shrugged. 'Why don't
you find out? I'll get every one of you, and I won't make you kneel
down first.' Scar Face twitched, and Robertson paled.
'We can take you, ' Robertson said, his eyes narrowing as he studied
his adversary. 'You think you're as fast as lightning? ' Cole
smiled.
'Nah, ' he drawled out, deliberately baiting them. 'Folks say I'm all
thunder.' With a tilt of his head, he added, 'He's lightning. '
Daniel was standing inside the back door. The men whirled around and
then turned back to Cole. They were trapped, and they knew it.
'You've got five seconds to put your guns on the table, ' Daniel
said.
Robertson was the first to go for his gun. Shouting, 'Now, ' he swung
left and dropped. Cole shot him in the chest just as his hand reached
his holster. The other three had also gone for their guns. Daniel
shot two dead and left the last man for Cole, who put a bullet through
his throat.
Cole was putting his gun away when he and Daniel saw the bartender
raise his shotgun. They fired simultaneously and watched without
