"Really don't matter much how it started, it's about where it goes from here that matters." Ty replied, "But things shorely don't sound none too good. But then, it's hard to tell what might or might not come of it." It seemed as if there was not cut and dried 'this is what will happen' about the whole situation.

"So, how's this burg fixed for law?" He asked thinking it was a tall order to stand against what sounded like fifty riders. And her doubted that any force would try the town. Not with men who had fought in the war, and against Indians and Outlaws on their move west.

"Well now, I figgered as much. Mostly folks tend to defend what's theirs." Ty said. "These Steelgraves sound like a shifty lot, meaning hard to figger their next move, if there's a move to figger out. "

"Well now, to this point the riders of the Evergreen did come to town once to spring Case Steelgrave, but got no where, and started no real trouble. I mean, there was a number of men who backed the marshal and his deputies." Phin added, "Oh, and there's a couple of Territorial Marshals about, left here by the Governor to lend a hand as needed."

"Sounds like I've landed in a sidewinders nest if ever I had." Ty reacted. "So then, cousin Sarah, what appears to be the main beef between the two families? I doubt I'll be runnin' on to Shade any time soon, though I'd surely like too. Sounds to me like one killed one of the others, or stole land 'er cattle, 'er some such.

Phin smiled, it was not like there would be too many other reasons for the feud, and he actually had never heard the particulars of just what caused it in the first place, or he'd heard rumors, but nothing that was ever very clear.

"Dark seems to be the place around here. Ain't a lot of information comin' my way on this deal, but I expect I'll learn as I go, and what's what'll reveal itself soon enough." Ty said, "But I can undertand a feud runnin' that deep. Seen it before elsewhere. And you're right, we could use Shade here to help clear this up, but, I reckon Cantrell fella set things straight .

It would seem that the killing of a son some fifteen years ago might just cool off , but that is not how things presented themselves. There was not any outright fighting being reported, but from what Sarah was saying it could explode just about any time. As if this Thornton-Steelgrave feud was a powder keg and everyone involved was holding a match.

"Now I'm not sayin' that you've not been real helpful to this point, cuz you have, but the rest of them I spoke with said nothing of use." He continued. "Shame to have this here reunion because of this, but seein' you again has been real nice. Guess I just got myself dug in down in Lordsburg and lost track of everyone. Didn't know about Chance and his family, I do remember 'em, but that too was sometime back, before they had young 'uns, I believe."

"Yes Ma'am. Haven't slept in a bed in some time, and I am tired of my own cooking, so a hot meal sounds real good along about now." Ty said with a smile. "As far as Shade goes, I have no idea where he is, nor what he's up too, other than the telegram." It was a mystery to be sure, and she was not the only one wondering where Shade Thornton was, and what it was that kept him from his ranch.

"Are you now in town? I ask because I thought we might have breakfast if you took your meals here in town, before I ride out to see Cantrell on the ranch."

"Guess you're right about just showin' up at the ranch like that." He agree, and that is kind of you, but I've cash put by for this trip I've made. The hotel does sound good. And the local fare? Which is the best place to eat. Lookin' for big steak dinner I am. Been sometime since I was able to get somethin' like that. It was a trip to remember, long, hard, and with every temperature you could imagine."

It had been that and a bit more. There had been Molly McGuire, he was missing her, but Kalispell would not be the place for her if all that had been said came to fruition between Lost Lake and the Evergreen. He had waltzed in on what could be a real corpse and cartridge affair, and one that went on an on til they forgot what it was about, or who started it.

"I appreciate your offer, and your council about town and holdin' off till the ranch hands were in town. I'll do just that.

The conversation with Misses Thornton-Carlton had been informative, though she had not said when these hands from the Lost Lake would be in town for supplies. In New Mexico Territory they generally went once a month, unless they were in need of something or they got word an order had come in, which was rare, the Apaches saw to that. No one was willing to take the chance . But this here might be different. The Lost Lake was not so far from town as the Lazy S was to Lordsburg, nor as dangerous.

So, the hotel looked to be the place he'd stay until these hands rode in, and it would certainly give him a chance to meet some folks, like she said, see who his allies were. And from, what he had learned so far, the trouble ran deep between the Lost Lake and this Evergreen Ranch, and then toss in the son and his pack of animals. Things could get terminal real quick. This was shaping up to be far more than he had bargained for when he left New Mexico. But he was there now, so he could run, or stay, and Tyrell Thornton was not much for running.