Sheriff Tubbs stood in the front yard of the Gerrard property. He considered the men around him and felt secure enough that Gerrard wouldn't raise his hand against the law. He had delivered his message and was waiting for a reply. Gerrard stood in the shade of his verandah roof and glared out at the lawman.

"It's a simple request, Captain, and it's gettin' hot out here. What do you say?"

"Take your request back to Mr. Trench and tell him he can-"

"I was told to mention a name if you refused . . . Lantern," Tubbs interrupted.

Gerrard coughed abruptly and leaned against the verandah pillar. He stared at the sheriff but couldn't speak.

"Change your mind, Captain?"

"Get him out of here! Off my land! NOW!" Gerrard's voice cracked with anger and strain.

******

"Don't know who this Lantern fella is but the name sure shook the Captain."

"What did say?" Harlan stood in the jailhouse doorway.

"Threw me off the property. Half a dozen guns made sure I left right smart."

"What about my invite?"

"He didn't answer but I can tell you, son, he ain't gonna forget this. I never seen a man explode like he did."

"So you think he'll come?"

"Oh I think he'll come all right, just not for the palaver you asked for." Tubbs hitched his trousers and sat behind his desk. "If'n I was you, son, I'd get ready for a right harsh visit."

Harlan sighed and chewed a hangnail on his thumb. If Gerrard came to town with all his guns it would endanger a lot of innocent people, he thought, and he couldn't expect the Sheriff to pitch in. He was there to keep the peace not join in disturbing it.

"Any other suggestions?"

"Yup, don't bring your trouble into my town, Harlan. Use this Lantern fella somehow; that seemed to carry weight."

"Not that easy, Sheriff. But it does give me an idea."

******

Link leaned a hand on the wall and stared out the window. Just another day, wagons bumping along, kids running, women walking the walkway and gossiping together. In front of the barbershop, the town philosophers sat in a rough circle all trying to out-perform their cronies. Without moving, he addressed Harlan who was lying on the bed cleaning the gun he'd never seen him use until recently.

"That was a risky move, Harlan, I sure hope we don't regret it."

"Guess we'll see."

"What if he gets in touch with Gerrard first?"

"Can't answer that one, Link. All's I know is Gerrard knows Lantern, Tubbs proved that." Harlan glanced up at his friend. "You wired what we discussed, right?"

"You know I did", Link exhaled noisily. "We only suspected him, Harlan, we never had any real proof."

"It was enough for me. You said yourself nobody else knew."

Link turned around, folding his arms. "So now what?"

"We wait and see if he replies. If he's going to it won't be a long wait."

"No, I expect not. What if he doesn't? What if he just sends more like the ones we put in jail?"

Only the sounds from the street were heard; both men just looked at one another, thoughts unspoken.

"He'll be here, or like you said, he'll send someone . . . or both."

"I'll go and check at the telegraph office." Link left the room and Harlan left his attention on the closing door.

******

Link shoved the wire he'd picked up across the table and leaned back on his chair.

"This sort of clinches it."

Harlan read the wire and looked at his friend. "You never sent what we talked about."

"We were only guessing, Harlan."

"Well not any more it looks like; what did you say?"

"I told him you told me this theory about Gerrard sending those gunmen after us for rescuing the girls and that you were going to get in touch with somebody in Washington and lay it all out."

Harlan dropped the wire on the table. "And this was his answer."

"Proves we were right." Link picked it up and put it in his pocket.

"So we're supposed to take care of Gerrard now and then you kill me as well?"

"That's what he says; he thinks I'm still with them."

"And are you, Link?"

"What the hell, Harlan! I showed you his wire . . ."

A sigh. "You're right . . . I'm sorry. Things are just so- so darn twisted."

Silence fell between them and stayed there as time ticked by.

******

Myrna sat at the table with the two men as they ate. Her presence wasn't ignored really, it just wasn't noticed between the eating and planning they were occupied with.

"I could maybe help-"

"Myrna, we're talkin' here.

"I know and I think I have something-"

Harlan held up a hand while he finished chewing. "You wanna get us some drinks, Myrna - please."

"You don't want to hear what I have- ?"

Concern looks flicked between the men. "Uh- it's all kinda private, Myrna, they chorused awkwardly."

She rose from the table, lips curled in an amused smile. "Be right back with your drinks."

"Do you remember how much we said in front of her?"

"No, but anythin' wouldn't be good."

"Here you go, on the house." She returned, placing a tray of drinks on the table and sitting down.

"Myrna and I'm right sorry we just sorta left you like you weren't there."

"That's okay, I got quite an insight into you two."

"What- what do you mean?"

"Well for starters, your secret isn't one anymore and if you had let me speak I coulda told you that your Captain Gerrard has been nosing around about those Chinese girls." If blank had a face, Myrna figured she was looking at two prime examples and before they could recover, she continued, "One of my girls was entertaining a cowboy from Gerrard's ranch and he mentioned they were getting ready to pay those girls a visit."

"What! When?"

Myrna smiled at his concern and paused for a sip of her drink. "Harlan, you and Link here have been worryin' ideas about how to protect these girls and frankly, from what I've heard, getting nowhere."

"His place is like a fort, Myrna. It ain't no cakewalk."

"But you don't have to go there; he's coming here."

"Told you," Link said, shaking his head.

"That was private talk, Myrna."

"'Course it was. That's why you had in a public place like the town saloon with me sitting at your table." She almost laughed when blank turned to rosy red.

******

"I woulda realized that if I'd had that information."

"No you wouldn't. And we didn't know anything about Gerrard's plans." Link kicked his boots off and flopped on the hotel bed.

"Well if I had I would've."

"You hear yourself, Harlan. This whole thing has mixed your head like a stampede. Myrna's suggestion is a good one and I see it workin'."

"So we just sit and wait?"

"We just sit and wait."