And with that he took a swing, a big old round house right that just might have worked if the target was unprepared. Not quite the case though.

Quentin had been in more than a few fights, and when he was younger he had caught more than a few punches. One thing he had learned very quickly was that he didn't want to keep doing so. By learning from others, losing his share of fights, and even barely winning the rest...Quentin had learned when to make a punch get thrown. By making it happen he had found that he could control a lot more of what happened afterward instead of getting taken by surprise.

Greer was drunk and large...neither of which were useful without any skill. Quentin's knees were already bending as the the big man's punch whipped by over his head. The momentum of the punch drawing Greer forward and past Quentin's right side. Quentin straightened and his right hand came up and over, backhanding the barrel of his Smith down into the side of Greer's neck and head. The solid thump was audible to several people nearby and Greer went down like a sack of grain to lay in the dirt, moaning.

Quentin turned and swept the pistol back up, thumbing the hammer back and ending up looking over the sights at the smaller cowboy who had been standing near Greer.

"Your move..."

Hearing the scuffle Speed half turned to see what was happening behind them. It seem everything was well in hand with Quentin and Cases' two friends. "Looks like you'll be having a cell mate."

Case, not quite in a stupor from his evening of drinking, decided this was the perfect moment to clobber Guyer, grab his own gun from Guyer's belt, and shoot him! He began the more far more quickly than he he had foreseen and that was his mistake. As Case reached for the pistol and jerked it free, Speed hit him in he nose, the cartilage gave, tears bust from his eyes, and blood splattered across Cases' face and Speed's shirt. The pistol fell from the struggling fingers as Speed held him at a distance and hit him in the mouth, once, twice, then let him go.

Case Steelgrave fell back like a tree having been cut, he lay motionless in the dirt. Speed retrieved the nickle-plated Colt, and stuck it in his belt again.

It was Pronto rushing up behind hm. "Heard there was trouble, never would thought Case'd try you. Quentin's got them other two. Damn, he's a mess!"

"Help me get him inside and locked up, then we'll get the other two. Speed said. "Damnedest thing, Case showing the town what a horses ass he is. He'll loose some votes over this, I'll bet."

Both men gabbed an arm at the shoulder and dragged Case into the Municipal building and to the cell block where they unceremoniously tossed him on the cot. The door clanged shut and turned in the lock. Both left the jail to join up with Quentin.

He swallowed fearfully, "I wasn't doin' nothin'."

Quentin glanced down at Greer to assure himself the man wasn't faking his condition, then he looked back at Billy. "Let's start with your unfortunate choice in friends...now, you move real slow...and undo your gun belt with your left hand, and let it fall to the ground. Don't spook me, Boy...I spook...I shoot, you understand?"

Both men grabbed an arm at the shoulder and dragged Case into the Municipal building and to the cell block where they unceremoniously tossed him on the cot. The door clanged shut and turned in the lock. Both left the jail to join up with Quentin.

Quentin bided his time keeping Billy at the end of his revolver and watching the crowd of onlookers. He did let out an inner sigh of relief as he heard the doors bang open and Speed and his deputy re-emerged from the city building. As they approached Quentin looked at the deputy. "If you would be so kind and collect this gentleman's gun belt. His companion was...unable...to remove his, so you may want to collect it also."

"If you would be so kind and collect this gentleman's gun belt. His companion was...unable...to remove his, so you may want to collect it also."

"Well, well, what have we here?" Two more for the hoosgow?" Pike asked as he stripped  Greer of his belt and holster, then picked up the other one.

"You pressin' charges, Quentin?" Speed asked, not knowing what the man had in mind. "If you don't then I will. Looks to me like the Circuit Judge'll have his hands full whenever he gets here." It would be a case load, that was for sure.

"Okay, Billy is it? Pick him up an' walk ahead of me to Marshal's office. Believe we've on cell left that should do nicely." Pike looked at Quentin. "Nice piece of work Cantrell!" He shove Billy and the stunned Greer toward the jail. "Interrupted my dinner, ya did, I don't take to kindly to that."

"I believe our business is concluded here," He looked at the crowd of people who had gathered. "Shows over folks, let's break it up." He then saw Pike exiting the Municipal Building, so indeed it was over.

It was then he spotted Flandry, and nudging Quentin stepped over to him. "Didn't get a chance to thank you for your actions earlier today, You and Quentin here made the difference, along with young Ryker. I think we've time for a drink before we head to the Hotel for that steak."

Pike came up to them and announced. "All locked up tight for the night. Be headin' back to my supper at the Lickskillet with Em. She had herself a day."

"You pressin' charges, Quentin?" Speed asked, not knowing what the man had in mind. "If you don't then I will. Looks to me like the Circuit Judge'll have his hands full whenever he gets here." It would be a case load, that was for sure.

Quentin slid his revolver back into its holster as he thought about what the marshal asked. "I'm not sure if we should arrest that idiot or a bottle of whiskey from the saloon..." Quentin rubbed his chin. "...Ah, Hell, he did try and break my head for me, so sure, I'll swear out charges on Loudmouth. I guess the boy is only guilty of horrible judgement in who he follows around. I don't have anything on the kid...that's for you to decide."

"Okay, Billy is it? Pick him up an' walk ahead of me to Marshal's office. Believe we've on cell left that should do nicely." Pike looked at Quentin. "Nice piece of work Cantrell!" He shove Billy and the stunned Greer toward the jail. "Interrupted my dinner, ya did, I don't take to kindly to that."

Quentin smiled and raised a hand to his hat brim and gave a half salute to Pike. "Just happy to have been here to help. I do hate uneven fights."

It was then he spotted Flandry, and nudging Quentin stepped over to him. "Didn't get a chance to thank you for your actions earlier today, You and Quentin here made the difference, along with young Ryker. I think we've time for a drink before we head to the Hotel for that steak."

Quentin extended a hand to Ralph and shook it. "Marshal's right. You sure helped keep them busy until the law arrived. It's good to know other citizens stepped up..." Quentin then looked over at the marshal. "...I believe the deal was I buy the drinks and you buy the steaks!" He looked back at Ralph. "I know buying drinks for the bartender seems odd, but I owe you a drink or three as well. I'll leave you some money for Pike and Ryker to have a few later on if you don't mind helping me out?"

Pike came up to them and announced. "All locked up tight for the night. Be headin' back to my supper at the Lickskillet with Em. She had herself a day."

Quentin extended a hand to the deputy. "I was just buying everyone from earlier today a few drinks. I'll leave money with Ralph. Have a few on me when you have the chance?"

"You pressin' charges, Quentin?" Speed asked, not knowing what the man had in mind. "If you don't then I will. Looks to me like the Circuit Judge'll have his hands full whenever he gets here." It would be a case load, that was for sure.

Quentin slid his revolver back into its holster as he thought about what the marshal asked. "I'm not sure if we should arrest that idiot or a bottle of whiskey from the saloon..." Quentin rubbed his chin. "...Ah, Hell, he did try and break my head for me, so sure, I'll swear out charges on Loudmouth. I guess the boy is only guilty of horrible judgement in who he follows around. I don't have anything on the kid...that's for you to decide."

Billy tried to explain he was just standing next to his friend, he had not argued nor definitely had not attempted to take a swing unless his drunken surly fellow cowpoke. Greer's temper was going to get him killed some day and Billy was determined he was not going to join him on that.

"Okay, Billy is it? Pick him up an' walk ahead of me to Marshal's office. Believe we've on cell left that should do nicely." Pike looked at Quentin. "Nice piece of work Cantrell!" He shove Billy and the stunned Greer toward the jail. "Interrupted my dinner, ya did, I don't take to kindly to that."

The lawmen had their minds made up though and he was ordered to help Greer to his feet. It took a few tugs, Greer weighed a lot more than he did but once on his feet, Greer seemed able to slowly head in the direction ordered. Pike shoved them both toward the jail.

"We're goin," Billy muttered but decided if he smarted off it only would get worse. So it was that he ended locked up behind bars. Case was there too, not looking so good and not just because he was drunk.

Quentin smiled and raised a hand to his hat brim and gave a half salute to Pike. "Just happy to have been here to help. I do hate uneven fights."

“Glad you was! Sorry to have missed the start of it!” Pike called over his shoulder. It almost seemed like he'd missed out on all of the subsequent action, but someone had to be in town to keep the peace.

It was then he spotted Flandry, and nudging Quentin stepped over to him. "Didn't get a chance to thank you for your actions earlier today, You and Quentin here made the difference, along with young Ryker. I think we've time for a drink before we head to the Hotel for that steak."

Ralph had been about to head back into the saloon when Speed approached and offered a handshake which Ralph accepted.

Ralph nodded, "In my business there is always time fer a drink. Come on in.

Quentin extended a hand to Ralph and shook it. "Marshal's right. You sure helped keep them busy until the law arrived. It's good to know other citizens stepped up..." Quentin then looked over at the marshal. "...I believe the deal was I buy the drinks and you buy the steaks!" He looked back at Ralph. "I know buying drinks for the bartender seems odd, but I owe you a drink or three as well. I'll leave you some money for Pike and Ryker to have a few later on if you don't mind helping me out?"

“Needed the both of you boys to keep ‘em busty til me an’ Pike could get through that mess with the wagon.” Speed stated. “And it seems you both came in right handy this evenin’ as well.

"Well, I don't drink on the job but I'll knock one back when it's closin' time, thanks," Ralph agreed with that stipulation, you can leave yer money and I'll tell Pike n' Ryker who's treatin'."

Pike came up to them and announced. "All locked up tight for the night. Be headin' back to my supper at the Lickskillet with Em. She had herself a day."

“Yeah, you best. I’ll see you in the morning then. Tell ya all about the rest of our day then.” He was still surprised at the calm Pike had displayed during the robbery attempt. Some how he was thinking the ex-Ranger would have had his pistols blazing, what with Emily being manhandled.

Quentin extended a hand to the deputy. "I was just buying everyone from earlier today a few drinks. I'll leave money with Ralph. Have a few on me when you have the chance?"

After a hand shake, and a quick word, Pike was off, back up the street to the café.