Sitting opposite Governor Hayes, across the large ornate desk in the lavish office paid for out of the same fund that was budgeted for the recently abandoned sheriff's office, Territorial Marshal, Ryan Waites studied the paper with a frown. His dark eyes flitted from name to accompanying description and back, assessing the broad diversity of people it listed.

Outside the window behind him, the sky was turning a steel grey shade with heavy clouds massing on the horizon. Sharp gusts of wind rattled the panes in the office windows with an insistent annoyance. Hayes busied himself lighting a cigar, which he selected from his hand carved humidor and blew the result directly at the Marshal.

"I have other business to attend to, so if you've finished reading."

"I really don't like this, Hayes."

"Governor Hayes, Marshal, and it wasn't prepared with your concerns in mind."

"Obviously." Ryan tossed the sheet on the desk. "You do realize the danger this prisoner poses? Even my deputies and I are uncomfortable having to transport him to another town. Any slip and we could be facing another string of killings from this man."

"Then it's your task to see there isn't any slip, Marshal. My office has been inundated with pressure from politicians in the capitol, the press and the victim's families. To ignore all that is out of the question. Devlin will be transported to Judgement and hung and the families will attend and receive closure for their grief."

"That's a crock and you know it." Ryan stood and pulled his hat on. "The first group you mentioned is the one you're out to please; the families are little more than window dressing."

Governor Hayes reddened under the scolding and his lips thinned to a white line. He calmed himself with another pull on his cigar, eyeing the Marshal with an acute dislike. "Waites, if there was anyone else to handle this you would be walkin' the streets of this town helping old ladies and cripples across the mud ruts." He pushed his chair back and stood defiantly facing the Marshal. "I didn't ask for you especially, you know."

"Be careful I just don't refuse then, Governor. You might have to take on the job yourself." He turned and strode to the office door leaving a gap-mouthed, pale-faced Governor considering the appalling implications of the threat.

Outside the sky was darkening quickly with the smell of rain threatening. Water in the muddy ruts of the wide street rippled as if alive. Waites strode along the wooden walk in front of the row of shops and down the steps onto the planks carelessly laid over the muck to protect people's boots. The jail stood as a solitary structure beside the blacksmith shop, its stone walls bulging and sagging from age, the only redeeming feature the new, hand-painted sign in black and red, declaring it to be the Triple Creek Town Jail. He climbed the three worn steps to the door and pushed through into his temporary office.

Otis Devlin sat calmly on his cell cot testing the handcuffs rubbing painfully on his wrists and listening to his transport arrangements being discussed in the next room. The swelling and cuts from Ryan's beating and the bites and scratches from his naked ride back were gradually healing, leaving him with a n array of nasty looking scabs.

He drew his ugly mouth into a sneering grin when he heard the Governor pompously emphasize the importance of the mission the other men in the office were undertaking, how justice for the victims and their families was the responsibility of the party being sent to the town of Judgement, and any untoward events would reflect badly on the capitol—on he and his office was what he meant.

Otis chuckled at the term justice and lay back on the dirty blanket covering his cot casting back over the last days of his freedom with evil pleasure. He watched a spider zigzag across the cracked paint of the cell's ceiling and then closed his eyes.

There was a sudden shuffling of feet and a lot of noisy jabbering. Otis rolled over and sat up as the Marshal, followed by the two guards, approached his cell. The two prison guards, Otis felt, should be sharing it with him; both were big, mean and more than willing to dole out hurt for any reason. He bit down hard, wishing he could be alone with them, unshackled, for about ten minutes.

"On your feet, Devlin and face the back wall." Ryan waited until the prisoner lazily obeyed and then he unlocked the cell door, holding his gun aimed at the prisoner while the two guards locked ankle chains about his legs. "Okay, bring him out."

"Lovely weather for a trip, eh, Marshal?"

"Enjoy it as your last, mister." Ryan stepped back and holstered his gun, allowing the guards to steer Devlin past and out into the office.

Governor Hayes moved discretely behind the jail office desk and picked up the court documents that trembled too obviously in his plump fingers as Devlin was shuffled to the front of the desk.

"Cold, Governor?" Devlin grinned wickedly.

"Shut it, Dawg." Jigger Raintree, the larger of the two guards, jabbed him harshly in the kidney with his baton.

"O-Otis Devlin," the Governor began with a dry stutter. "By the power of the Ministry of Justice through the Government of the land and the authority of this office, I pronounce the unanimous decision of these aforesaid esteemed offices that you be transported by train under guard to the town of Judgement from this the site of your heinous crimes, and there be executed by hanging, your body disposed of at the discretion of the town council. the—" Otis snorted rudely and spat on the office floor, receiving another numbing blow from the guard.

"Uh- ah- apology to the victims who will be represented. After which, the Judge will direct your execution to begin on the afternoon of Sunday, the twenty-fifth in the year of our Lord—"

"Your Lord, fatso." Otis spat again.

"You must enjoy this, Dawg." Jigger rammed his baton into Devlin's side, grinning as the man crumpled to one side.

"Enough, Raintree. We're takin' him to be executed, we're not doin' it here."

"Too bad."

"Gentlemen, please." The Governor wiped his damp face and glanced at the papers again. "Oh to hell with it. Get him out of here."

Ryan hung back and looked at the perspiring Governor. "Still like the plan? All those women on the same train as that animal?"

Hayes stared bleakly as Ryan scoffed derisively and followed his deputies.