Winter Wings

As they pulled up to the hitching rail in front of the Paradise Saloon, Jeb noticed that there were four horses tied up in the alley between the Saloon and the Hardware store. He said to Ken "when we enter you stay back by the door just in case. I think they are going to try a bush whack job on us." Jeb saw three men standing at the bar as he walked in. It was dark inside and Jeb had his hat down low over his eyes so as to keep them from seeing who he was. Molline spoke up and said "Ken I would like to look at that deed again and have the sheriff see if that is Dolfs hand that signed it." Ken said "Molline you and I both know that the sheriff is your man and would say anything you want him to say. So what good will that do? You show me your proof." "I asked you to bring that other new man with you. He did some things to my men that I am not happy about" Molline said. Without lifting his head Jeb said "I am here." Then Rusty said "I think we can settle this quick enough. Just steep out into the street fellow" pointing to Jeb ''you and I can settle this and be done with it." Jeb said "I don't like killing." "Don't worry you won't have any worries after today" and he and Molline both laughed. Ken said ''you don't have to do this Jeb. Let's just go back to the ranch." "It's ok" and turned and walked out and down the street. After he was about thirty feet he stopped still standing with his back to Rusty. Rusty came out and walked the other way and turned facing Jeb but Jeb still hadn't turned. Then he said "ok fella tum around and pull leather. You might look around and see what you are going to miss after I blow your brains out." Slowly Jeb turned around and lifted his head so that Rusty could see his face and a transformation came over Rusty. He started sweating and Molline saw his paints start to get wet between his legs and Rusty said "Quick I didn't know it was you. I will get out of town now" and turned and ran to his horse. "He must have had another appointment" Jeb said. "What the hell was that all about" Molline said. "I guess you will probably have to ask him" Jeb said. ''Now Molline do you still want to see my deed? I didn't think so let's go Ken." They went out the other side of town and picked up the men and headed back to the ranch. Ken said "can you tell me just what went on out there? I saw him grovel when he looked at you like he had seen a ghost." "Not yet Ken but someday I will tell you and Dove all about myself. I just hope you will bear with me and trust me." "After all you have done I can't do otherwise" Ken said. "I know you have our best interest at heart and besides you are just inches away from being part of the family." "Yes" Jeb said "that is true. Your sister is one great woman. Any man would be proud to have her beside him and she loves me." "Ken when we get back to the ranch I want you and Dove to sit with me and talk about some things that have been running through my head." "What kind of things Jeb?" "Wait until we get back to the ranch so I can tell you and Dove what I am thinking." After putting their horses in the corral they went into the house where Dove was waiting and she asked them what happened. Ken started telling her and Jeb stopped him and said ''wait this has to come out sometime and it might as well be now." "To start with is there anything you want to know about me that you don't already know?" Ken said ''yes when we were in town and you went out with this Rusty you didn't even have to pull your gun. He wet his pants and called you Quick just what was that?" "What are you saying Ken? What happened" Dove said "do you mean that this Rusty was a gun fighter and called Jeb out?" "Yes Dove this Rusty called Jeb out and they went out into the street and when Rusty saw who he was up against he said "I didn't know it was you Quick." Then he wet his pants and ran to his horse and left town." "Ok Ok both of you. I know you want to know why he called me Quick. There was a time that I had to face five brothers who all had a reputation of being quiet bad. Two of them were noted gunfighters and had killed four or five men each. The other three were just as bad only not as fast. I had to put them all down at one time. That was at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Ken said "I heard about that. The man that killed those five brothers was called Quick Silver. Because all they saw was a flash of silver from his guns as he shot those j .. men." "Jeb was that you" Dove said "and is that what you said you were going to tell us later?" "Yes Dove and I am not proud of what I have done. But like I said there are things you have to do to stay alive. When I was young and my folks were murdered I became a men hunter.