Town Marshal Speed Guyer sat at his desk in his office ruminating about the new he had received from Hector Wigfall and from Jacob Lutz. Tom Love was just one man, and he knew nothing of him, or his abilities as a gunman, but Case Steelgrave was another matter altogether. He knew plenty about him and the crowd he ran with. The gang he ran was more like it. The town of Whitefish had allowed him to run them almost in the open. But with no County Sheriff, nothing was ever brought to trail about him or his men. The Storm of '75 ended that, wiping out Whitefish, his stronghold. And they had been on the move for the most part ever since.

True, they had had their chance to convict Case, but a big city lawyer had ended that hope winning an acquittal. Would they come to Kalispell? The Evergreen? Their hideout? Anywhere else and any direction? The choices were all his, so combining to the two, Love and Steelgrave, well, that just made things all that much worse, and no Pronto Pike to stand with him.

He did not hear or see them ride up to the hitch rail in the front of the Municiple Building, and until the opened the front down and stated for the office he hadn't heard them, however their jingling spurs announced their arrival long before they opened the door and stepped inside..

"Whatcha cogitatin' on Guyer? Somepan got ya treed?" Cook asked.

"You boys ever hear of a Tom Love? Supposed to be a gun hand of some repute."

"Yep." McNue said flatly. "I ain't real sure how much of a gun hand he is, killed him a few, ain't too sure any was a stand up fight."

"Bad as that Wallace Oldham! Back shootin' son of a buck!" Cook was shaking his head. "Find him around the minin' camps over't Butte, Wise River, that area. Why?"

"Well, while you two were out sight seeing, got word both are headed this way. Tom Love, Case Steelgrave, with maybe a dozen hard cases, with him. They ain't together."

"Oh, now we heard about Steelgrave and that crooked lawyer that got him off. Might make ya feel some better ta know he was killed. Caught cheatin' at cards up in Helena. Sad thing that, he shoulda know'd better." McNue recited.

"Too bad. He was slick alright. So, now you've heard the bad news. And that would be plenty of it. Depends on where the Steelgrave outfit is headed and what plans he might have for this place. Tom Love? Can't say."

"You reckon Case'd throw in with his pa over this hospital fiasco?" Cook asked. It ell quiet for a moment.

"That? I don't know." Speed replied. "Count on you boys to stick around?"

McNue and Cook exchanged looks then both nodded that they would.

"Guess I best tell Miss Steelgrave, and her men." Speed informed them as he got to his feet, then he did something new for him, he opened the bottom desk drawer and took out a gun belt and holster, a left hand holster and strapped in on over his right hand rig, Lastly he took out another Colt, four and three quarter inch barrel, front sight removed, and dropped it into the holster. "Man outta be prepared."

As Speed left the office and headed for Leah Steelgraves residence on East Oregon Street the weight of the extra gun gave him pause to consider what may lie ahead. Tom Love was an unknown and that made him almost more dangerous than Case and his men. A dozen, if not more of the dregs of Montana. Warning her was the sensible thing to do, her and her men. It dawned on him, with Cook and McNue, that would be six against twelve or more.

~0~

At the office to two men sat a long moment, each with his ow thoughts about what might be coming when John Cook said, "Gettin' a mite long in the tooth for this sortta thing, but, I guess we got it to do, eh Bill.

McNue nodded as he looked at his long time partner. Been in some scrape, you an me, guess one more ain't gonna make much difference. Guyer, he just strapped on another iron, like it was all in a days work. Damn!"

"That cushy job in Helena sortta took us outta that day to day doins of bein' a lawman." Cook related.

"Hell John, this'll be fun. They don't know it's you an' me they're up agin. By doggies!" McNue stated.

~0~

They sat across the street where he would expect them to be. Bannister, McKinney and Santee, each nodded to him as he walked up to the door of the clapboard house, thinking how it really was not where one would expect to find her. He rapped lightly.

Leah, almost surprised at the knock rose from the settee and went to the door, opening it see Marshal Guyer, which gave her cause to smile. "Marshal, do come in." She offered. "A pleasant surprise, indeed. I have water on for tea if you'd like a cup."

"I'm afraid this isn't a social call, but yes that sounds fine." He replied almost hesitantly. "I'm afraid I've word that your brother, Case, is headed back this way and he has a number of men with him."

"Is that so? Not that I doubt you Marshal, not at all, I guess it's just a reaction to here we go again." She remarked. "I wondered if he might decide at some point to come back this way. And he has his minions with him. How many, do you know?"

"I've been told a dozen, but I really can't say for sure, although I tend to believe the man who said he saw them." Speed commented, he was just going off of Jacob Lutz's story, which he had no reason to doubt. "He was described accurately."

"Well then I would assume he would be heading for the back country where he has a place. If the law is after him, well, with no State authorities, they can do very little. Have you heard anything from any other lawmen?"

"No, not to this point, there was something about Big Flat, a mining camp to the south where there was trouble, and your brother was there, but all of it is unclear and hearsay. Now, if there is anything that happens up here, I am authorized to assume the duties of the County Sheriff, and, I have two Marshals from the Governors service at my disposal." Speed detailed for her.

"And your man Pike, he's still away?" She asked.

"Yes, last I knew he was in San Francisco, a bit far to rush back here, and how do we know Case will try anything here? We don't."

"Ah, San Francisco, yes." Leah smiled. "He hates you Speed Guyer, hates you with a passion." Her tone was matter of fact. "He will want to kill you, but he will be the one that comes for you not any of his lackeys. It will be face to face, you can rely on that."

Speed, standing hat in hand also smiled. "I assumed it would be that way. It's what his men might decide to do that concerns me. Case and I, a matter of accuracy, when it comes to that. I doubt that will be the first thing he's planning."

"And you could be right. Let me get that tea, the water is boiling."

"And the Hospital? You have a plot to build on as yet?" Speed asked.

"I'm afraid not, and I am considering moving the idea to Columbia Falls. I suppose that will mean losing Doctor Danforth, if that is what I do, but dealing with Wentworth and the rest of the Town Council has grown wearisome. Leah explained. "They have more land available than people to settle it, but they simply cannot seem to make a decision."

"Columbia Falls is quite a distance, some twenty miles, unless I miss my guess. Be sad that Kalispell wouldn't benefit from the hospital and the orphanage, Seems like the town will eventually benefit from the railroad you worked so hard to get for them. And, they give nothing in return."

"Yes, I'm well aware of that, and yes, it is sad. The people here deserve better, but I just can't squat on a piece of ground and start building, maybe back a dozen years, but not now." She sounded tired of the fight to give the town something that appeared to be undeliverable. "Matt Wentworth never had an answer when I asked him about the property. Just frustrating, Speed, frustrating."

"The last thing I would ask of you after all this is to try and be patient." He said, "And, with Case headed this way, well, it just maybe one too many fights to contend with."

She laughed out loud at the suggestion, "He may be a whole lot of things, Speed, but Case would never lay hand to a woman, or see it done."

"Good to know, and I expect that goes for a sister as well?" He smiled at his own statement. "Not meaning to make light of it. Things here just aren't what they were, and not that far back neither, just since Richard Orr and the fire. Folks just don't seem to care much anymore."

"About contending with fights, Might be one with my father, another with the town, but there won't be one with Case." She said firmly. "And Speed, I'll be patient a bit longer, maybe give them time to reach a decision."

He set his cup on the fine china saucer and stood. "Good. I'll count on that." He donned his hat and stepped to the door, thanks for the tea." That was followed by a smile. He opened the door and stepped out onto the porch where he paused and considered the men across the street. Tough as they come, they had proved that, Leah was safe so long as those men were alive.

He had a call to make.

To anyone that was watching, it was far from unusual for Leah to call one or all of her men into her residence. On this occasion she beckoned Bannister inside. He was more or less 'the Captain of her guards.

"Yes Ma'am?" He asked stepping inside, removing his hat and closing the door behind him.

"I have an offer from Columbia Falls to take the hospital project there, and I am fully considering doing just that. Kalispell's powers that be have been playing games with me over this for far too long. Now, Marshal Guyer has gone to see Matthew Wentworth, and I assume to see Judge Robinson as well."

"Yes Ma'am, That would surely be logical." Bannister agreed.

"The last thing I want to do is leave here, but I believe that building a hospital, wherever it will be allowed is more important than continuing to play these silly power games with men who have no foresight past the end of their noses." She railed. "That being said, somewhere in the woodpile is my father, I can just sense it!"

"You think he is the cause of these delays?"

Not wholly perhaps, but I see his hand in this somehow. Anyway, I believe we should be prepared for two outcomes, more delays and a move to Columbia Falls, or, we begin construction here and be prepared for a fight."

"Either way," Bannister began, "Miss Steelgrave, we're ready for whatever comes next." Perhaps an understatement, but a fact.

Bannister had left, Leah sat, her tea had turned lukewarm, but tea was far from what she wanted. She wanted answers, answers that had been withheld for whatever reason. The property was to be given to her, that had been the decision, not that their was not another plan in place, but unfortunately for his family, Orr had burned to death. A horrible way to die, even if she detested the man, she felt for his families agony.

Now, Guyer had left, hopefully he would get an answer. But sitting and waiting was just not for her, so, she took up[ a shawl and a parasol and steeped out of the house. I t would be a short walk to Doctor Jonah Danforth's residence and office. She had not seen him for some time, and she would admit that she was at fault. He was a busy man now that Doc Boone was gone to Columbia Falls.

Of couse her men were following at a respectable distance as he reached his street and went to the house. She reached the door and knocked. It would be good to see Jonah if only as a distraction to her problems with the town.

It was one of those rare, nice days, when Jonah didn't have many patients, and the appointments had all been early in the day, so he had the rest of his time free, barring any emergencies. Mrs. Harris had left for the day, but had left him some beef stew, biscuits and fresh baked cinnamon rolls...he'd marry that woman if she wasn't old enough to be his mother...and she was less acerbic...and didn't have sixteen kids...and...

At the knock on the door, he sighed and set aside his coffee, hoping that this wasn't an emergency, or anything that was going to take a lot of time. 

He broke into a smile when he opened the door to reveal Miss Leah Steelgrave standing there. "Good day! I trust you are well?" She didn't seem to be in any distress, but then, knowing the young woman, she'd have to be in a great deal of distress to show it.

"Please, come in."

"Hello Jonah." She said with a smile as she stepped inside. "How are you? You look well. I must admit that I've missed our time together. But I would imagine that with Doc Boone up in Columbia Falls you're quite busy these days."

"I've come with some news about the hospital which I think you won't be happy about." She began, "The land that the town was to provide for the projects has not materialized as they had promised. Through Doc Boone I have received an offer from Columbia Falls to move the projects there. That the land would be available to me upon my selection. Seems an easier, less complicated solution to seeing it completed." There was a pause, "Marshal Guyer is looking into it. But, I have little faith he'll be able to get anything done about it."

"Columbia Falls?" Jonah shrugged, motioning for her to sit at the table, then pouring coffee for them both before sitting. "Well, if that's the way Kalispell wants it...I've no specific ties here, I can sell this place and move." He shrugged, offering her some of the cinnamon rolls. "Mrs. Harris baked those, so they are safe."

Grinning, he took one for himself, then commented, "All the more loss for Kalispell, although I suppose you could give it one last shot in the paper to garner public outrage at losing the facility here."

Maybe, if there was enough outcry, the town council would give in?