FRIDAY NIGHT

Carl lay across one of the lounge seats, snoring loudly. The bodies of Judge Tumbler, Stanley and James Howden had been moved up to the prison car with the two deputies and Clifford Williams; Deke's body couldn't be recovered from the burned car. After rigging a sling made of blankets and manacles, the men had managed to lower Devlin from the roof, truck him through the snow to the lounge car and stow him behind the bar. His chains were fastened securely to the iron legs of the bar counter and his wound, on the recommendation of Peter Soughton, was left untouched.

Removal of the boot he felt would do more damage than leaving it on as a compress. Carl, Jonas and Ryan cleared as much debris from the burned car as possible and then Carl had gone on to work at jockeying the engine back and forth, re-coupling all the cars and banking a fire in the engine furnace so that when he woke up they could get rolling again—whenever that was. Fortunately the snow ended with little accumulation and the wind that had driven the horrendous storm earlier was completely gone.

Devlin began to whine and complain until Ryan shoved the barrel of the gun into his cheek and grinned, welcoming just one more word. Harriet protested the treatment, saying they needed to get him to Judgement so the court could see what kind of man he was and make a fair settlement for her. Nobody objected. Cybil had passed on Hannah's theory of Clifford's death and the uncertainty of the missing gun.

"We'll need to set up some kind of watch," Ryan said, when Harriet was out of earshot. Jonas agreed and passed the word along to Peter and Abner. They decided that since the women were sharing the far end of the car, they should get their rest but keep a weather eye on Harriet, just in case.

"We weren't able to salvage much from the kitchen," Cybil said. "But I managed to get you some cooked bacon and a bit of bread. Bacon's cold." She shrugged an apology.

"I didn't even know I was hungry 'til you said that." He took the food and ate quickly. "Don't suppose there's some water handy?"

"Of course. Plenty of that. The washroom tank is still nearly full."

"Sounds delicious."

"The one for the sink, Marshal." She smiled at his jibe and left to fill a glass for him. He watched her go and for the first time allowed himself to see her as a woman and not a duty to protect.

Peter Soughton leaned on the bar next to Jonas, looking down at Devlin. He tried to imagine the savagery of a man who could kill and rape without conscience. Devlin glanced up and grinned and Peter felt his bowel shift and he turned away, hearing a strained cackle as he did.

"Don't mind him, Doc. He lives to bait people. Amazes me a man can be so bad wounded and still stay as ornery as a bit bear." Jonas patted Peter's back and encouraged him to maybe check on Amos instead of hanging around the prisoner. Peter agreed and made his way down the car to where Amos was stretched across two seats. As he passed Carl, the old engineer snorted, coughed and raised up on one elbow.

"Whew! I was dog tired. How long was I down?" He asked the car generally, receiving a couple of replies close enough to make a guess. "Best get out and see how the fire is. I don't suppose anybody else checked." No answer. "Right." He huffed himself into a sitting position and then pulled up on the back of a seat and stretched his stubby body with a noisy yawn.

"Need help, Carl?" Ryan asked, finishing his water and handing the glass back to Cybil.

"Just shine a light on the dinin' car wheels when I start rolling. I don't think the heat bothered them but a flat spot could derail us once we got her rollin' quicker'n a hog's blink."

"That is fast, Carl." Cybil laughed.

"Nuthin' faster." His eyes twinkled as he smiled back.

A half moon hung low in the sky lending the snow an eerie cast. Trees hovered as black shadows and the night began to make itself comfortable. Ryan examined each of the wheels with Carl and the waited until he began shunting forward, running around and checking them all again. Carl stopped the engine and came back to the front left wheel.

"Thought this one looked a little off. I can feel just a touch of a bump when she's movin'."

"That gonna be a problem?"

"Hope not. I'll have to take it real slow for a bit just to be sure. Trip might take a little longer yet, Marshal."

"Whatever you can do, Carl. I'll ask Jonas to come up and help if you like."

"Maybe in while. I got her banked and blazin' right now, so you hop aboard and we're off."

Harriet seemed to gravitate to Cybil as the only woman who had no financial interest in the actions in Judgement and as a consequence she made a point of separating herself from the group and following her around. There was only one lamp lit and the recesses of the car were filled with grey shadows. Cybil was checking on Amos who had been moved to the end of the car near the bar in an effort to keep the front of the lounge as clear as possible; Ryan just felt better with all the clutter at one end. Harriet leaned on the bar beside her and glanced over at Devlin who was lying with his eyes closed and his teeth clamped tight.

"Lucky thing nothing happened to him, eh?"

"Pardon?" Cybil gave her a sad look.

"Him. The prisoner. If he'd been killed there would be no sentencing in Judgement... no money. Nothing."

"Harriet, it's very likely there won't be any money anyway. The court isn't obligated to compensate you. It was just an idea that Mister Howden tried to float to the families."

"That's not true! They owe me! I lost a niece and- and now a husband. I need that money!" Cybil reached out and tried to calm her but she pulled away and knocked a glass off the bar down onto Devlin. They heard the glass break and Cybil called to Ryan who was talking with the other men.

"There's a broken glass behind the bar. We had an accident." She fixed her stare on Harriet.

Ryan took out his gun and leaned around the end of the bar. "If you picked up any of that glass, Otis, you best chuck it out here right now 'cause if I see you tryin' anything I'll put a bullet right in your ugly face."

Jonas saw Harriet spin around and rush the Marshal but he was too late to do anything.

"Leave him be!" Harriet shoved Ryan to the floor and in a flash Devlin reached out and tried to slash him with a jagged shard. Ryan rolled away and brought the gun around, cocking the hammer.

"Marshal, no!" Cybil yelled. "Don't do it! He wants you to shoot." As she moved to help him up, Harriet threw herself across Devlin shouting that she would protect him from the others. She needed him safe in Judgement.

Otis used his chains to wrap them around her neck and when Ryan finally got to his feet, Otis was grinning wildly past the shocked and struggling Harriet.

"Now what, Marshal? One little twist and her neck snaps."

"Let her go, Devlin."

"Oh sure. Or what, Marshal, you'll shoot? Go ahead." He tightened his grip and Harriet's eyes grew wide with fear. She kicked her feet in a panic and came down on Devlins injured leg. He jerked violently and roared in pain, releasing his grip enough for Harriet to roll free, tearing open the front of his shirt with her scrabbling fingers.

Ryan pulled her across the aisle and leaned down with his gun, waiting for Devlin to recover, when he saw a medallion around Otis' neck. It showed two stags on their hind legs, fighting, and the words first place for superior marksmanship. His vision swam and he clamped a hand on the edge of the bar for support before reaching down and ripping it from the prisoner's neck.

"What are you doing?" Cybil grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Ryan held the medallion up and stared at it in disbelief, raising the grip of the six-shooter up beside it and comparing the two images. "What is that?" She asked. It looks like the same image."

"It is." Ryan's voice was barely a whisper. "It belonged to my grandfather."

She covered her mouth and looked at Devlin who was listening while trying to ease his injured leg. "How would he...?"

Ryan leaned down and shoved the medallion under Devlin's nose. "Where did you get this?"

Devlin grunted and tried to shift position. "Some other old lawman, Marshal. Thought he could just tie me up and take me in. Long time ago now."

"Gage Talbot."

"That's right! Friend of yours was he?"

Ryan stood up and stared down the car, his mind reeling with the prospect that he had his grandfather's killer in custody and didn't even know it. Harriet began to protest again and he took her by the arm and marched her down the car and shoved her into a seat with a warning not to get up or speak again. Jonas took up a position by her seat. Abner started to say something but caught Cybil's hand wave and sat back as Ryan went to the front of the car and leaned against the door, his head bowed.