The woman’s voice shook like a baby rattle. “Get on your knees,” she screamed. “Tell me one good reason I should take you in alive. I still get the 1,000 acres if you’re dead.”

“Cause I ain’t dyin’ today,” I told her, “you are.”

She tightened the rope around my neck and forced me to the ground. “Not likely, mister,” she said, “now I told you to get on your damn knees!” I felt the barrel of the shotgun slide up to the back of my head.

I rose to my knees and laughed out loud. “Well, your just as mean as a cat drowned in dog piss, aren’t you, honey?”

“Quiet, fool. You’re the one with the rope around your neck and the barrel of a shotgun upside your ugly head. You make one twitch and you’ll be sleeping in hell tonight.” she said.

I pulled the rope and threw her to the ground then I grabbed her shotgun and placed the barrel straight between her eyes. “We’d best make this quick,” I said.

“Just do it,” she said, spitting on my boots.

I fired the shotgun twice and then walked over to the stage coach.