Speed was sitting in the office, the business with Connolly had him thinking. As Town Marshal there was little that he could do outside the limits of Kalispell proper. Sure, he had chased after the last of bank robbers, who still managed to escape, Dade Marley was his name, brother of Bill Marley who was hung.

He could not go out and arrest anyone outside of town no matter what the crime. Helena would need to send someone with authority to make arrests, but it would need to be something a bit more serious than an attempted murder. No, that would fall to the County Sheriff, but they had no one in that job presently, so whatever happened outside of town, happened with no legal consequences.

Though the town was increasing in population, somewhere close to four hundred, give or take. A nice place, but he was becoming restless. Not that he was considering leaving, just maybe an itch. Maybe it was that fool from Arizona wanting to implement a law against carrying guns in town like the Earp's had done in Tombstone. But gun trouble really, was the least of his problems. Even Dutton Peabody was gone, gone to Helena. He chuckled.

He stood up, poured a cup of coffee and stared out the window and the street in front of the Municipal Building, watching the traffic pass by, both foot and horse. It was busier these days too. Somehow, it seemed the numbers on the street had increased, or maybe it was just his mood that was different. His business was prospering, with claims being bought and sold in Virginia City Montana, timber to the west in Northern California, Oregon and Washington Territory, as well as Northwest Montana. The bank transfers from Wood and Guyer, New York, just kept on coming. The latest from Nolan Wood was he had a new wife and she was expecting sometime in the late fall.

That had given him pause. He took a drink of the black liquid, looking out but seeing nothing. Except his horse, looking like he felt, standing head down, three legged. Pike was in the privy, and when he got back, Speed decided to go for a ride, maybe shake the doldrums that seemed to have a grip on him.

Pike stepped out of the privy adjusted his gun belts, and took a deep breath as he headed to the rear door of the Municipal Building. He had some concerns about Speed, the man just wasn’t himself of late. That did not necessarily mean much of anything, as everyone was susceptible to a bad day now and again. Of course as probably the man’s best friend he wondered what had gotten a hold of him.

He stepped inside the building and walked to the office, the door standing open as it did most days during the warmer months. There was Speed starring out at the street. “Quiet, huh?” He asked, knowing it was, and that might not be what was nagging at the Marshal. After all, quiet and peaceful was what every lawman wanted for their town.

Maybe it was nothing, nothing at all. He went to the stove and poured himself a cup. He now had his own desk instead of using the chair that now stood against the wall just inside the door.

“Believe I’ll go for a ride. Maybe a turn around town and then out a ways.” Speed announced. Maybe a ride would clear his head, it usually did. Gave him a chance to get away, breath fresh air and contemplate what was eating at him.

“Good idee. I’ll take care of things while you’re gone, not to worry.” Pike said, leaning back in his chair. “Be a good day for it, nothin’ ta keep ya here.”

“Thanks.” Speed said as he turned away from the window, set his cup on the shelf next to the stove. “Don’t plan to be long.” He said as he donned his hat and belted on his gun. “Be back.” With that he walked out and went to his horse, taking up the reins and stepping into leather. It was at that moment he decided ride out north of town and have a look around beyond town limits. He raised the pace to a trot as he and his animal became one, and no sooner had he done that, he reached the edge of town and reined in as a rider approached from the east-west trail.

Alice Fletcher.