Chapter 7

Suddenly it occurs to me how wrong it all is. A man shouldn’t be able to get away with simply shooting another who did no more than reach for him. I’m on my feet now, headed down the trail, and more, back to the saloon.

There I find Dieter gone, the card game over, the crowd thinned, and Keeler standing at the bar.

“Keeler!” I call, causing him to turn. He says nothing. “You killed my friend for no reason and you should pay. He did no more than reach for you. He wouldn’t have done you harm. Men fight all the time and nobody shoots anybody. It’s just the way things are here.”

“It may be your way, sir, but it’s not mine. A man has every right to protect himself when threatened and your friend made a move on me. Besides, what can you do about it?”

A couple men, all having liked Dieter, have moved to stand with me. One carries a pistol, which I grab from his holster and point at Keeler.

“I mean to see justice done,” I tell him.