"I remember being sick."

"Yes, you had the influenza. You were sick with fever for four days, and my Josey nursed you back to health.

Today was your second day out of bed."

"When did I disturb the peace?

" "When you crossed the street, " he said cheerfully. "It was real disturbing to me, the way you walked away while I was trying so hard to convince you to stay in Middleton until the appointment came through.

I gave my word to someone real important that I would keep you here, son, but you wouldn't cooperate."

"So you hit me over the head."

"Yes, I did, " he admitted. "I didn't see any other way. It wasn't much of a hit though, just a little thump with the butt of my pistol on the back of your head. No permanent damage was done, or you wouldn't be sitting there growling at me.

Besides, I did you a favor." The sheriff's chipper voice was grating on Cole's nerves. He glared at him and asked, "How do you figure that?

" "There were two gunslingers waiting for you to get into the street.

Both of them were determined to make you drawone at a time, of course.

You were just getting over your sick spell, and even though you won't admit it, I'd wager a week's pay you weren't well enough to take either one of them on. The influenza hit you hard, son, and you're only just now getting your color back. Yes sirree, I did you a favor."

"It's all coming back to me."

"Put it behind you, " he suggested." Cause it's water under the sink now. The appointment came through, and we had us a nice ceremony right here in the jail. It seemed kind of odd to file into your cell for a big do, but the judge didn't mind and it worked out all right. Yes, it did.

Too bad you had to sleep through the celebration, since you were the honoree and all. My wife, Josey, made her special yellow cake with sugar icing. She cut you a nice big piece and left it on the table over there, " he added with a nod toward the opposite side of the cell.

"You'd best eat it before the mice get to it.

Cole was becoming more frustrated by the second. Most of what the sheriff was telling him didn't make any sense. "Answer my questions, "

he demanded. "You said that someone important wanted to keep me here.

Who was it? " "Marshal Daniel Ryan, that's who. He should be along any minute now to let you out."

"Ryan's here? That no-good, low-down, thieving" "Hold on now. There ain't no need to carry on.

The marshal told me you've been bearing a grudge against him. He said it had something to do with a compass and gold case he's been keeping safe for you." Cole's head was rapidly clearing. "My mother was bringing me the compass, and Ryan stole it from her. He doesn't have any intention of giving it back. I'm going to have to take it from him."

"I think you might be wrong about that, " Norton said with a chuckle.

It was futile to argue with him. Cole decided to save his wrath for the man who was responsible for locking him up . . . Daniel Ryan. He couldn't wait to get his hands on him.

"Are you going to let me out of here and give me my guns back? " "I'd surely like to."

"But? " "But I can't, " the sheriff said. "Ryan's got the keys. I've got to take some papers across town to the judge, so why don't you sit tight and eat some cake? I shouldn't be gone long." The sheriff turned to leave. "One more thing, " he drawled out.

"Congratulations, son. I'm sure you'll do your family proud."

"Wait!

" Cole called out. "Why are you congratulating me? " Norton didn't answer him. He sauntered into the outer office, and a minute later Cole heard the front door open and close. He shook his head in confusion. He didn't know what the old man had been rambling on about.

Why would he congratulate him?

He glanced around the stark cellgray walls, gray bars, and gray floor.

On a three-legged stand in the corner was a grayspeckled basin and a water jug next to the piece of cake the sheriff's wife had left for him. The only other adornment was the black spider crawling up the painted stones of the wall. There was another one hanging from its web in the barred windowsill high up by the ceiling.

Cole was over six feet tall, but in order to look out, he would have to stand on a chair. There weren't any inside the cell. He could see a fragment of the sky, though, and like his temporary home, it too was gray.

The color fit his mood. He was in a no-win situation. He couldn't very well shoot Norton, since his wife had nursed him back to health.

The sheriff had probably saved his life, as well, by knocking him out before the gunslingers had challenged him. Cole remembered the influenza had left him weak and shaky. He would have died in a gunfight all right, but damn it all, did Norton have to hit him so hard? His head still felt as if it had been split in two.

He reached up to rub the knot in the back of his neck, and his right arm bumped against cold metal. He looked down, then froze when he realized what he was staring at. A gold case dangled from a chain someoneRyan most likelyhad clipped to the pocket of his leather vest.

The son of a bitch had finally given him his treasure back. He gently lifted the precious disk into the palm of his hand and stared at it a long minute before opening it. The compass was made of brass, not gold, but it was still finely crafted. The face was white, the letters red, the dial black. He removed it from its case, smiling as he watched the dial wobble back and forth before pointing north.

His Mama Rose was going to be pleased to know that he had finally gotten the gift she'd purchased for him over a year ago. It was a handsome treasure. He couldn't find a nick or a scratch anywhere.

Ryan had obviously taken good care of it, he grudgingly admitted. He still wanted to shoot the bastard for keeping it so long, but he knew he couldn't if he wanted to stay alive a little longerkilling marshals was frowned on in the territory, no matter what the reasonand so Cole decided to settle on punching him in the nose instead.

Carefully tucking the compass into his vest pocket, he glanced over at the pitcher and decided to splash some water on his face. His gaze settled on the piece of cake, and he focused on it while he tried to sort fact from dream Why were they eating cake in his cell? The question seemed too complicated to think about now. He stood up so he could stretch his knotted muscles and was about to take off his vest when his sleeve caught on something sharp. Pulling his arm free, he glanced down to see what was jabbing him.

His hands dropped to his knees as he fell back on the cot and stared down at his left shoulder in disbelief. He was stupefied It had to be a jokebut someone had a real warped sense of humor. Then Sheriff Norton's words came back to him. The appointment had come through .

. Yeah, that's what he'd said . . . And they celebrated . . . Cole remembered Norton had said that too.

And Cole was the honoree . . .

'{Son of a bitch! " He roared the blasphemy at the silver star pinned to his vest.

He was a U. S. marshal.

gy the time Sheriff Norton returned to the jail, Cole was seething with anger. Fortunately, Norton had gotten the keys from Ryan. His wife, Josey, was with him, and for that reason Cole kept his temper under control. She carried a tray covered with a blue-and-white-striped napkin, and as soon as the sheriff swung the door open, she brought the food inside the cell.

Norton made the introductions. "You two haven't officially met, since you were burning up with fever every time my Josey got near you.

Josey, this here is Marshal Cole Clayborne. He doesn't know about it yet, but he's gonna be helping Marshal Ryan chase down that slippery Blackwater gang of murderers terrorizing the territory. Cole . . .

You don't mind if I get familiar and call you by your first name, do you? " "No, sir, I don't mind." The sheriff beamed with pleasure.

"That's mighty nice of you, considering the inconvenience you must be feeling over getting yourself thumped on the head. Anyway, as I was saying, this pretty lady blushing next to me is my wife, Josey. She fretted over you something fierce while you were ill. Do you remember?

" Cole had stood up as soon as Josey entered the cell. He moved forward, nodded to her in greeting, and said, "Of course I remember.