At first it was a dust cloud in the sky. Beckett Malloy stopped his plowing to watch. His wife, Sadie, worked in her garden, not seeing anything.
     "Sadie," he called. "Riders comin."
     She lifted her head and only then did she see the dust in the air getting closer.
     Four riders came over the ridge galloping, but didn't appear to be in a hurry.
     "You best go in the house," he called to her.
     She stood, brushed the dirt off her dress and went in. From behind a lacy curtain she watched as the riders approached her husband.
     They stopped in front of Beckett, the rolling dust covering him.
     "Mornin, gents," he said when the cloud cleared.
     "Mornin," one said tipping his hat. "Might you be Beckett Malloy?"
     "Depends on who wants to know."
     "Name's Hollis Carpenter," the man said.
     "Bounty hunters," Beckett said, "I don't know who you are, but I know what you are."
     "Well, Mr. Malloy, this here badge says I'm a deputy along with these other fellas."
     The others produced their badges.
     "Don't matter none what you call it, Mr. Carpenter, you're still bounty hunters."
     Hollis took his hat off and slapped dust from his shirt.
     "We don't want no trouble, Mr. Malloy, but we have a job to do."
     Beckett looked at the others. Each had his hand on his pistol.
     "How can I help you?" he asked.
     "We're lookin for Travis Flint."
     "Never heard of him."
     Hollis reached in his pocket and took out a folded paper. He handed it to Beckett. It was a wanted poster.
     "Looks young."
     "Fancies himself another Billy the Kid," Hollis said. "Killed ten people already."
     "That's young to be on a killing spree."
     "Killed his first two when he was 14. His ma was a soiled dove, if you know what I mean. He caught her and a man one day and shot 'em both. Been on the run ever since."
     Beckett handed the poster back to Hollis.
     "What do you want from me?"
     Hollis looked around at the open spread and stand of trees.
     "Word has it he's headin this way. We think maybe he might stop by since your place is outta the way."
     "How long you think?"
     "Couple a days, maybe."
     Beckett looked at the house. He knew Sadie was watching.
     "You plan on staying?" he asked Hollis.
     "We could stay out in that patch a trees behind your house. Just for a couple of days. If Flint don't show, we'll move on."
     Beckett rubbed the back of his neck.
     "I guess it'll be all right long as you don't make my wife nervous."
     "Much obliged," Hollis said, tipping his hat.
     Beckett watched them ride off.

     "Who are they?" Sadie asked him as she watched the men set up camp.
     "Bounty hunters," Beckett said, "but they have badges. Still killers for hire as far as I'm concerned."
     "Do you know them?"
     "Heard of 'em, but I told him I didn't know 'em. Their leader is Hollis Carpenter. He's the one done all the talking. The others are Wallace Poindexter, Yuma Judson and Earl Lomax. They been together for a while. I hear they always bring in their prisoner dead. And they don't work cheap."
     "That kid won't stand a chance if he comes by here." Sadie turned from the window. "They mean to kill him, don't they?"
     Beckett nodded. "If he's as bad as Carpenter says he is, maybe that's best."
     Sadie frowned. "Do you believe him?"
     "He showed me the wanted poster."
     "If this Flint is such a killer how come we never heard of him?"
     Beckett shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because we live a long way from town and everybody and we don't see many folks."
     "I suppose."
     "Time to get back to work," Beckett said.
     "I don't want no one shooting up our house," Sadie said.
     He kissed her on the cheek.
     "Let's hope it don't come to that," he said and went out.

     "Don't move, mister."
     Beckett felt the muzzle against the side of his head. He raised his hands.
     "I don't want no trouble," Beckett said.
     "Looks like you already got it. Back in real slow."
     Beckett did as he was told. The kid closed the door.
     Sadie had turned back to the window.
     "I thought — ?," she said turning around.
     "Don't make no noise, ma'am," the kid said, "and get away from that winda."
     "It's you," she said. "Travis Flint."
     "I don't mean no harm. I just need to rest me and my horse."
     "You mean to kill us?" Sadie asked.
     Travis smiled. "No ma'am, I'm not like everybody says I am."
     Beckett and Sadie sat at the kitchen table.
     Travis went to the window. "They're your real problem."
     "But you're the outlaw," Beckett said. "They said you killed ten people."
     Travis spun around. "I killed two! That's all!" He put his pistol in his holster.
     "I saw the wanted poster," Beckett said.
     "It's fake," Travis said, shaking his head. "They had it printed up to make me look like a killer. Ever since I run off, they been chasin me. The man I killed was a rich rancher's son. His pa is payin them a lot to bring me back."
     "Dead or alive," Sadie said.
     "Alive. The old man wants me alive."
     "So he can punish you?" Sadie asked.
     Travis nodded.
     "If you're telling the truth," Beckett said, "what do we do about them?"
     "You let me rest here until tomorrow and I'll get out at first light. When I don't show up they'll move on."
     "How do we know you're not lying?" Sadie asked.
     "You don't, ma'am. You don't know if they're lying, either."
     "Who do we believe?" Beckett asked.
     "Up to you. I'm not a killer, but it's my word against theirs."
     Beckett thought a minute then said, "If you wait til night, you can sneak into the barn."
     "I thank you," Travis said. He watched the men, who kept looking at the house. "One's comin over here," he said.
     Beckett joined him at the window. "That's Carpenter. I take him to be the leader."

     Carpenter took his time. He didn't figure that kid would show up for a while. They might as well relax while they could. He knocked on the back door with the butt of his shotgun.
     Sadie let him in.
     "Ma'am," he said, removing his hat. "Don't mean to impose."
     "You're not imposing," Beckett said sitting at the table.
     Sadie closed the door.
     "Have a seat, Mr. Carpenter," Travis said from behind.
     Hollis stopped and tensed.
     "Don't make me kill you in front of these nice folks," Travis said.
     He urged Hollis forward with a nudge of his gun.
     Hollis sat facing Beckett, laying the shotgun in front of him.
     Beckett pushed a chair out with his foot. "Have a seat, Travis," he said. "You too, Sadie."
     "What's this about?" Hollis asked.
     "It's about who's telling the truth," Sadie answered. "You come barging onto our property saying you're looking for a killer. This boy here says that poster's a fake and he ain't a killer. He said the pa of the boy he killed hired you."
     "That's right," Hollis said, "the boy's pa did hire us. What of it?"
     "What about the poster?" Beckett asked.
     Hollis shrugged.
     "It's a fake," Travis said. "They use it to trick people into helping them."
     Hollis looked at Travis.
     "Fake or not, we gotcha now, boy."
     "Not so fast," Beckett said. "We need to sort this out."
     "I'll go for the sheriff," Sadie said, standing.
     "No, ma'am," Travis said. "You sit right back down. I ain't turning myself in to no sheriff or nobody else."
     "We can sit here all day and look at each other," Beckett said, "but that wouldn't solve nothing and neither would arguing."
     "I could kill him and move on," Travis said.
     "What about the others?" Beckett asked.
     "They'll find you," Hollis said.
     "Sadie," Beckett said, "take a look outta the window at them fellas. Tell me what they're doin."
     She got up and looked out. "They're not there."
     "I told them to surround the house," Hollis said smiling.
     "Why?" Beckett asked.
     "We don't trust nobody. We knew he'd show up sooner or later, but we didn't know it would be this fast. He ain't getting out. Not alive anyway, but it wouldn't make the old man happy if we killed him so we can sit here if you want and decide how this kid gets to come with us."
     Beckett got up and opened the front door.
     Earl Lomax pointed his rifle and motioned for him to get back in and close the door.
     "Wallace is one side and Yuma's on the other," Hollis said. "You shoot me, they'll kill you and burn the house." He got to his feet, shouldered the shotgun and said, ""I'm going out back and wait for your decision. I'll let you handle the best way to turn the kid over to us. But don't take too long." He closed the door.
     "Some fix I got you folks into," Travis said.
     "What'll we do?" Sadie asked.
     "I'll go out and talk to him," Beckett said. "Maybe he'll listen if it's just me and him."
     "That won't work," Travis said. "That boy's pa paid them a lot of money and they'll get a lot more when they bring me in. I'll turn myself in to save you folks."
     "Sadie," Beckett said, "get two straws from the broom and break one in half."
     "What for?" she asked.
     "Me and Travis will draw them. If I get the short one, I'll go and see if I can talk some sense into him. If Travis gets the short one, he can decide what he'll do. I don't know what else to do short of a gunfight."
     "Fair enough. Since you folks tried to be kind to me," Travis said. "I'll surrender."
     Sadie broke one straw in half and, behind her back, mixed them up so she wouldn't know which was which. She brought them out and with her hand shaking offered them up.

     Hollis Carpenter stood about ten feet from the back door. He had the shotgun pointed at the door with both barrels cocked. His patience was running low and he wanted to kick in the door and shoot the kid, money or no money. They were tired of chasing him and they already had a good bit in their pockets. Let the old man keep the rest.
     The door opened. Travis came running out. Hollis could hear the couple inside shouting something. The kid had his gun out. Hollis pulled both triggers. The other three came running around the corner at the sound of shouting and shooting.
     Travis Flint, the alleged ruthless killer, lay in a heap.
     "You folks did the right thing," Hollis said.
     "You didn't have to kill him!" Sadie screamed.
     "It was him or me, ma'am," Hollis said.
     He nudged the kid with his boot with no effect. He took the poster form his pocket and handed it to Sadie.
     "Ma'am," Hollis said removing his hat, "that there poster ain't fake. I'll leave it with you and you can check with the sheriff in your town. You'll see he is what I said he is."
     Sadie tore up the poster and threw it in his face then stormed back in the house.
     Beckett turned Travis over on his back. The kid was obviously dead.
     "You got your man, Mr. Carpenter," Beckett said.
     Hollis motioned for the others to get Travis.
     "We'll leave you, now, Mr. Malloy," Hollis said, fitting his hat on his head. "Sorry about all this. We didn't mean for all this to happen, but I knew the kid wouldn't give up without a fight."
     Beckett watched as the deputies strapped Travis on his horse and cleaned up their camp. They rode off slowly. Beckett watched until they were out of sight over the ridge.
     Somehow without realizing it, he had picked up the kid's gun. He looked at it then threw it as far as he could in the direction of the riders.