September was just about gone, and so was almost all of the pain associated with the gunshot wound he had suffered. The exercises Danforth had suggested had loosened up what would have been a very stiff shoulder. His hand seemed as good as ever and of that he was grateful, it was his gun hand, the hand he wrote with and ate with, though he had become proficient at eating with his left hand, as well as other things that would have required his right hand.

He was able to saddle his horse with the use of both hands, though he had struggled mightily only using one hand to get the job done. Persistence, Danforth had said as much. That was what it was going to take, and he also let Speed know, in no uncertain terms, that there would be pain involved at every turn. The man knew what he was talking about because there had been excruciating pain when he moved the arm or shoulder in the wrong direction.

He was ready to ride back into town and pin on the badge again, even though the badge rested on the table in the house. Alice, of course, had other ideas about his return to work. Nothing against Charlie, but she wanted to wait for Pike to return. He was far more experienced and would be sure to watch Speeds back, not that Wentworth wouldn't, as best he knew how she just had her druthers. So, he was close to getting back in the office, but she was not going to change that, not the Marshal's job, or the mining operations, which included the day to day transactions at the office of Wood and Guyer. he would again be a very busy man, as well as her seeing to things either he or Amos could not get to.

Life in Kalispell had been relatively quiet, outside of town was an altogether different story. There were a couple of places burned out, with associated murders, and a continual rustling of cattle, but not on the scale they had seen before, which although still troubling, was actually good. The outlaw faction and they were out there, had not tested Charlie Wentworth, nor had the crowd at the 'Stardust Saloon.' Fortune had smiled on them to this point, and there seemed to be no reason that that should change.

Speed stood in the main room of the ranch house weighing the badge in the palm of his hand, hefting it. "Couple of weeks, I'll be going back to work." He said casually. "Been loafin' too long now as it is. Maybe the Pikes are not coming back after all. Found 'em a piece of paradise somewhere else."

"And leave the paradise they have created up by the falls, and all that land he bought? I doubt that." Alice replied. "And where did he get the money to do all that? Buy up land, build a house, and carouse around the countryside without a care in the world?"

"Had some mining interests in Nevada, one of the places he was going to stop. Maybe it was more than just simple interests all along. I doubt he was even aware of what he had going for himself, but if he did what he told me he was going to do, well then, he now knows full well what he has."

Alice smiled, "Well good for them, and just wait till they get back and find out about the mines. What a surprise we'll have for them!" Speed grinned, yes, the surprises they would have for them.

"So what you're saying is that I might be short one deputy? Is that it?" He asked, had to miss her meaning. "You know, Love, I committed to the job-"

"Hold on right there Mister Guyer!" She snapped, "And just what more do you owe Kalispell anyway? If the shooter had been a bit better at his job they'd be without you and so would I. Are you planning to give them a second chance?"

"Well it does look that way now that you mention it," He agreed, yes, pinning on the badge again was putting the tarh=get back on his chest, but then he had agreed to serve the community just the same as Pike and Wentworth. Then again he could have quit and had them get someone else on the ballot, but he didn't, never even thought of it.

"I love you and I'll stand by you no matter what you decide because it is not up to me. I do, however, have the right to an opinion and if I am to be your wife, then you should know how I feel about this, or anything else for that matter." She said.

"Alice, I love you too, and yes, you have that right and I would expect you'll use it." He agreed, "And I have thought a lot about it since I took the bullet. Yes, there is always the chance of being killed. What with the chance of this so called range war, Case's men doing whatever it is they are doing and then the railroad coming with its Hell On Wheels encampment where the law is nearly non-existent swarming on Kalispell.

"You know when the railroad gets here town will be dangerous for everyone, all of us. You've heard of the encampment that follows it? Well, they have the law, but it's all but useless, meaning, the law in Kalispell is likely all the law the town will have. We can hope they stay to themselves, but honey, we can't count on that." He paused, "I need to talk with Pike on this. I mean, who would stand in if it is not us?"