"He also told me you shot a man in the back."

"The sheriff couldn't prove it was me, " the bartender said, his face turning red with anger. "I don't want any trouble." The four men at the table were watching Cole closely. Cole's attention was riveted on them, but he still noticed that Harley's hands were down at his sides.

"I told you to put your hands up where I can see them. Do it now. "

The force of his voice, added to the dangerous look in his eyes, should have convinced Harley to do as he ordered. The bartender was obviously weighing the possible consequences as his glance darted back and forth between the men in the corner and the lawman.

He tested Cole sorely when he put one hand on the counter and waited.

"I wasn't thinking about shooting you, " Harley lied. "You being a lawman and all. I just don't want any trouble. I got me a brand-new mirror, and I . . . " Before Harley could blink, Cole drew his gun and shot the mirror. Glass shattered down on Harley's shoulders. The bartender roared an obscenity and put both hands on the counter.

Besides the four men at the back table, there were only three other customers inside the saloon, and those three went running for safety.

Cole made certain none of them were armed as they filed past him, as the notion of getting a bullet in his back didn't sit well.

"What did you want here? " Harley demanded.

Cole nodded toward the four men. "It's a personal matter." The tallest of the gang stood up first. "We don't know you, mister. "

"You will by the time I'm finished with you, " he promised. "Now, all of you get up, and take it slow and easy. I'm taking you boys to jail.

" "You've got no right to arrest us, " a man with a puckered scar across his cheek protested. "We haven't done anything wrong." Cole's attention stayed on the man with the knife. "Is your name Robertson?

" The question got a swift reaction. Robertson's eyes bulged. "What of it? " Cole didn't explain. "Which one of you is Bell? " "None of us go by that name, " Robertson said.

"Never heard of him, " one of the others said.

"What's this all about, Marshal? " Robertson asked, his voice reeking congeniality. "Like my friend told you, we haven't done anything wrong."

"I'm not arresting you, " Cole said. "At least not yet.

We're going to go on over to the jail. There's a lady waiting there to have a look at you." The men's demeanor rapidly changed, and they suddenly turned into a pack of cornered jackals.

"I don't know what you're talking about, " one of the others protested.

Robertson glanced at the man on his left. "We can take him."

"You're welcome to try, " Cole said, and finally let some of his fury explode.

"Damn, but I want you to try." Scar Face snickered. "Four against one? You must think you're fast, Marshal." Cole shrugged. "Why don't you find out? I'll get every one of you, and I won't make you kneel down first." Scar Face twitched, and Robertson paled.

"We can take you, " Robertson said, his eyes narrowing as he studied his adversary. "You think you're as fast as lightning? " Cole smiled.

"Nah, " he drawled out, deliberately baiting them. "Folks say I'm all thunder." With a tilt of his head, he added, "He's lightning. "

Daniel was standing inside the back door. The men whirled around and then turned back to Cole. They were trapped, and they knew it.

"You've got five seconds to put your guns on the table, " Daniel said.

Robertson was the first to go for his gun. Shouting, "Now, " he swung left and dropped. Cole shot him in the chest just as his hand reached his holster. The other three had also gone for their guns. Daniel shot two dead and left the last man for Cole, who put a bullet through his throat.

Cole was putting his gun away when he and Daniel saw the bartender raise his shotgun. They fired simultaneously and watched without expression as Harley fell across the counter. His shotgun crashed to the floor.

Cole hadn't killed Robertson. He was sprawled on the floor, his back against the wall, whimpering in pain. Blood trickled down from the wound in his chest.

Daniel squatted beside him. "Tell me the name of the man in charge. "

He put the barrel of his gun to Robertson's temple. "If you want to die quick, give me the name. Otherwise you're going to die real slow.

" He started counting.

Cole rushed across the room. "Don't do it, Daniel. He isn't worth it.

" Daniel didn't hear him. "Give me the name." Robertson started crying. "I'm hurt. I'm hurt bad, " he sobbed. "You've got to get the doc to fix me up." Cole ignored his whining. The hate in Daniel's eyes scared the hell out of him, and he knew he had to figure out some way to make him let go of his rage before it was too late.

"Put the gun away, " Cole said softly. "Jessica saw him. She can point him out to us." Daniel's eyes were glazed with anguish as he glanced up at Cole. Then he shook his head and pressed the gun against Robertson's temple.

"No, she only saw his eyes and heard his voice. Without a name . .

" Cole put his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "We'll get him, " he promised.

"Don't do it this way. You have to keep him alive."

"No."

"Yes, " Cole argued. "Don't do it this way. I can't let you kill him.

" "Then walk away, " Daniel demanded.

Cole reached down and pushed the gun away from Robertson. "We're in this together, " he said. "We will get him . . . We'll get all of them." Daniel suddenly came to his senses. With a shudder, he jerked back and stood. "Bring Jessica in here." Cole shook his head. "I don't want her to see this mess. There's blood everywhere."

"She has to look at them, just to make certain." Gus came charging into the saloon but staggered to a quick stop when he saw the marshals'

guns pointed at him.

"It's just me, " he stammered.

Cole and Daniel holstered their guns. "You gave me a start, drawing on me like that, " Gus said.

He strutted across the room, looking as pleased as could be. "I did all right, didn't I? " he asked, craving a compliment.

"Yeah, you did just fine, " Cole said.

"I was worried Harley wouldn't believe me, but he fell right into my hands, and then those four went running out of here. Did you follow them to the cavern? " "Yes, " Cole answered.

"I'm real good at lying, " Gus said. "But I got to ask you just one question before I leave you to your jobs. I was wondering . . . are there really two women here? " "Yes, there are."

"Are they fresh whores? " Neither marshal liked the question. Gus hurriedly put his hand up in conciliation. "I don't mean no disrespect if they ain't."

"You're the one who came up with that lie, not us, " Cole reminded him.

"It was a good lie, wasn't it? Where do you have them hidden? " "The safest place in town, " Cole answered.