Making his way cautiously up to the front corner of the corral, Hawk stopped when he heard gunshots from inside the saloon. While he paused to wonder what they might mean, he glanced at the black Morgan tied there. He’s planning to leave, he thought, since the horse was still wearing the saddle with the fancy etched designs on the skirts. While he thought to decide how best to approach his target, he then heard a third shot, this one from a different part of the saloon. He took another second to ponder what that might imply. It was still in his mind that he would have to deal with Mutt Crocker as well as possibly the bartender and anyone else who worked for Crocker. He decided his odds were better if he waited to ambush Booth when he came for his horse, instead of going into the saloon after him.

There were other thoughts that interfered with his mission to put a permanent stop to the cruel life of David Booth. He had given Porter Willis half a promise to capture Booth if at all possible, with all intent that it would not be possible. Porter was no doubt thinking of the prestige he might gain in his town by the arrest of the boss of the gang that massacred the Quakers. Aside from that, Hawk now had thoughts that it might be a better lesson for other outlaws of Booth’s nature to see him tried and hanged. I’ll give him a chance, but if he doesn’t surrender right away, he’s dead. With that decided, he waited.

The wait was not for long. In a few minutes, the back door from the kitchen opened and Booth stepped out on the low porch. About to step down he was stopped when he heard Hawk’s warning. “You can hold it right there.” Gripped by the fear that had caused him to run, even as his brother was calling for his help, Booth was unable to move. Even more frightening was the fact that, due to the darkness behind the building, he could not see the man who haunted him. Then the voice came again from the dark. “I’m gonna give you a chance to surrender, so decide now. If you don’t surrender, you’re a dead man. So, what’s it gonna be?”

Facing sudden death only a moment before, Booth realized that Hawk’s intention was not to shoot him down as he expected. Hawk wanted to arrest him. Although Booth’s situation was still desperate, he figured the odds were now in his favor. “Don’t shoot, don’t shoot! I’ll give up!” he blurted, dropped the belongings he was holding, and raised his hands.