The onlookers along the ridge stand dumb-founded. It seems none of them had expected Sunday to dispatch Keogh with such alacrity.

The professor, who was close to the action, had not even found the time to take off his coat. He hears the initial gunfire, and then he turns in time to see Travis fire what sounded like all of his bullets in row. He watches Keogh collapse.

Cole Trayne watches the entire contest. He ignores the spitter, and sees Travis draw first and fire. He watches and listens as his old pard empties his pistol. The wrangler would be surprised if the hunter had lived. It sounded like he also got a round off, but it's unclear whether Travis was hit.

Jake Richardson, who saw Travis' quick draw, misses the rapid emptying of the gunslinger's Starr. He glances at the three hunters--all of whom stand frozen and transfixed by the gunfight--seeing that none of them have done anything so far. He hears repeated weapon reports and turns back to see the man named Keogh laying on his side.

Travis Sunday watches his opponent go to ground. He has seen men play o'possum before. This time, he reckons it's no act.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 1):

Damnaeshunn! Jake thought to himself when the fusillade of pistol reports erupted from the direction of where Travis and Keogh had faced off. The Texan wasn't counting the shots, but it seemed like a lot for only two men to fire in such a short period of time.

The three hunters just stood and stared, so Jake risked a quick glance towards the two men who had been doing the shooting. Keogh was now down on the ground and lay very still in the uncaring posture of the dead, while Travis was still standing, some twenty-five or thirty feet from him.

Jake turned his attention back to Keogh's three acquaintances, alert for any sort of an aggressive action on the part of any of them . . .

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 1):

Remaining motionless, Cole's eyes darts to the strangers, observing their reaction. Simultaneously, he says in a level voice.

Travis, want me to check him?

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg # 3):

I'll take care of it.

Travis holsters the empty Starr and walks toward the man.

What's his name?

He asks loudly.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 1):

JEB drinks the shot of whiskey and answers Whit Hubbard plainly, "I dont rightly know. Everyone's a suspect unless they got an alibi."

JEB places a quarter dollar on the bar and pushes the shot glass forward to indicate he wants another drink, "I think you'll be alright."

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg # 4):

As Cole and Travis speak, Jake turns to see the hunter with the uncooperative beard moving down toward Keogh. Jake stands closer to the hunter; Cole is separated by the other two men--one of whom calmly spits a ball of ruddy juice near Cole's feet, for the third time today. Neither he nor the other man who bet $2 says a word.

"Stay away from him," says the scruffy-faced hunter, continuing his descent during the exchange between Trayne and Sunday.

In reply to James E. Beauregard (msg # 5):

Whit Hubbard pours another shot of whiskey. "Should I just leave the bottle?" he asks. He appears ready to speak again, but the sound of several weapon reports stops him. The reports are faint and might have gone unnoticed in a crowded saloon during a rainstorm, but the afternoon's events at Doney's saloon have everyone paying a mite more attention at present. The hunters fall silent for a few moments, before murmurs of speculation begin.

Hubbard raises an eyebrow to the deputy. "You have a job to do now, I suspect," he says, putting the cork back into the bottle.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:07, Tue 04 Dec 2012.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 6):

As the sounds of shots fade away ENS can't help but mutter Mein Gott! at the result.

He shakes his reverie quickly and looks over to the hunters, still wary of their reaction. When they show no immediate inclination for revenge, and when the bearded hunter begins moving towards the downed man, ENS picks up the fish and kit and also heads for the man.

When he gets close enough to Travis, he hands him his fish then turns to the approaching hunter.

I am trained in medical aid, if you will permit me?

In reply to Whit Hubbard (msg # 7):

"I reckon so. I'll come back for that bottle later."

JEB leaves Doney's Saloon out the back porch and walks in the same direction as the gunfighters about a half hour ago, more or less.

Jake glanced at the hunter who was moving down the slope towards where Keogh lay sprawled on the ground. Seeing that the man had not pulled a weapon, he let him go without comment.

The Professor was moving over to tend to the fallen man, but from the loose-limbed way that Keogh was lying, and the fact that he was not moving or making any noise, Jake was pretty certain that  the man was already dead.

Since none of the hunters had attempted anything aggressive, Jake stood silently and watched the scene play out. He turned his attention to the men who were standing near him, since he reckoned that Travis would be watching the man who was moving down-slope towards him.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 8):

Let his people have him Professor.

Travis keeps his eyes on the Hunter and puts his fish on.  He steps backward away from the man slowly draws the Starr and replaces the cylinder with a full one.  He holsters it and moves away and when safe back towards town.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 6):

Cole stares at the man who appears to have a foul taste in his mouth.

Spit in my direction one more time and I'm going to react a might badly.

Then, directing a general comment to the men who owe him money.

Time to settle up.

Cole waits expectantly.

Randy Oldman finds his fellow actors gathering in the peformance hall. Everyone in the show seems to be attending today's rehearsal, unlike the previous few days where Randy worked the entire time with just one or two others, in order to learn his parts.

Today, Uncle Billy holds a run-through of the whole show, as it is new program even if most of the performers are the same and some of their numbers are the same.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:24, Wed 05 Dec 2012.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 8) and Travis Sunday (msg #11):

The hunter completes his approach. As the professor offers aid, the man drops to one knee and inspects Keogh's wounds. "Ain't ye done enough already?" he says, putting his ear close to the dead man's face.

Travis puts on his fish and begins to back away. He starts to re-load his Starr during the exchange between the hunter and the professor.

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg # 12):

Each of the two hunters remaining on the ridge digs into his pockets to scrounge up two dollars in coins. They hand over the money, the spitter first and then other; Cole needs to use both hands to collect the jumble of coins without dropping any.

The grizzled pair turns to leave.  Before he has completely put his back to Trayne, the hunter spits another wad of juice in Cole's general direction, his head angled back toward the wrangler. This time, it lands farther away, not even close to Cole's boots, but the hunter's intent seems clear.

In reply to James E. Beauregard (msg # 9):

JEB hears another rumble of thunder from behind him as he walks south. The rain persists. Ahead, he sees a few men standing on a ridge, their backs to him. Now, two of them are turning north.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:52, Wed 05 Dec 2012.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 13):

Mixed feelings fill the heart of the pugilist performer as he enters the theater.

Randy finds Uncle Billy so the man knows his actor has arrived.


edit: wording
This message was last edited by the player at 17:55, Wed 05 Dec 2012.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 16):

JEB continues to the ridge, checking his shotgun along the way to make sure it's loaded and ready just in case he needs to use it.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 16):

Travis pauses and waits for Cole.

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg # 19):

Using two hands, Cole gathers up the money. He gives a last, hard look at the departing two hunters and slowly shakes his head.

He subsequently turns towards Travis, and returns the gunslingers' money, including his winnings.

Only earned you $9. They insisted on me giving them odds.  Guess they had a point. That one owes $5.

He inclines his head towards the remaining hunter.

The Wrangler then gives Travis the once-over.

You hurt?

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 17):

Uncle Billy slaps Randy Oldman on the back. The ex-pugilist had heard that Billy liked to pull a practical joke from time-to-time, but so far, the theatre owner had been nothing but kind to Randy.

"Big night, tonight, Mr. Oldman. Let's get to work."

In reply to Cole Trayne (msg # 20):

I'm fine.  Damn rain.  I almost dropped the Starr on the draw and it coughed pretty bad, I swore it misfired. 

Travis looks at his next bit of trouble.

Did he welch, or does he owe you?