casual attitude was irritating. "What kind of a marshal are you? " "A
damned good one." Cole clenched his jaw. "You're sure full of
yourself."
"I know my strengths. I know yours, too." Cole's patience was gone.
"Why don't you go on inside with the sheriff, and you can tell me all
about your strengths after I'm finished here."
"Are you telling me to get out of your way? " "Yeah, I am."
"I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I've got a plan, " he said with a
gesture toward one of the gunslingers.
"I've got a plan too, Cole replied.
"Mine's better."
"Is that right? " "Yes. On the count of three, we both drop to the
ground and let them kill each other." In spite of his dark mood, the
picture Ryan painted made Cole grin.
"That would be real nice if it worked, but neither one of them is close
enough to hit the other. Besides, I'd get my new shirt all dirty
dropping to the ground."
"What's your plan? " Ryan asked.
"Kill one, then dive, roll, and kill the other."
"Seems to me you're going to get that brand-new shirt dirty with your
plan too."
"Are you going to get out of my way or not? " "Lawmen stand together,
Cole.
That's a real important rule to remember."
"I'm not a lawman."
"Yes, you are. You should be sworn in, but that's only a formality."
"You've got a twisted sense of humor, Ryan.
You know that? I'm not going to be a marshal."
"You already are, " Ryan explained patiently.
"Why? " "I need your help."
"I think maybe you don't understand how I feel. I'm fighting the urge
to shoot you, you son of a bitch. You kept my compass for over a
year." Ryan wasn't at all intimidated by Cole's threat. "It took that
long for the appointment to come through.
" "What appointment? " "I couldn't just pin a badge on you, " Ryan
said. "The appointment came from Washington." Cole shook his head.
"They're moving in on us, " Ryan said. He rolled his eyes in Eagle's
direction. "Do you know either of them? " "No."
"I'll take the one at five o'clock." Cole started to turn, then
stopped. "Your five or mine? " "Mine, " Ryan answered.
They each turned to face an approaching gunfighter, then slowly stepped
backward, stopping when they were shoulder to shoulder.
"Don't shoot to kill."
"You gotta be joking." Ryan ignored the comment. He shouted to the
gunslingers to put their hands in the air and walk, slow and easy,
toward him, but Eagle and Riley stayed where they were with their right
hands hovering above their guns.
"If you miss Riley, his bullet is going to go through you and hit me, "
Cole said.