Hawk walked out of the shadows and ordered, “Turn around.” When Booth turned around, with his back to him, Hawk stepped up and removed the. 44 from his holster. Then he stepped back again and ordered, “All right, unbuckle that gun belt and let it drop.” While Booth’s back was still turned toward him, Hawk took a few steps to his right. Even though it was dark, he had seen the extra handgun Booth had stuffed under his belt. Expecting a desperate move on Booth’s part when he told him to turn back to face him, Hawk moved to make Booth’s attempted shot more difficult. He stood ready to execute the heartless killer when he made his move. Booth dropped his hands and unbuckled his gun belt and let it drop. Then his hand dropped to the extra gun and pulled it out of his belt. Behind him, Hawk leveled his rifle at him, ready to cut him down. He never got the chance. In the next instant, the blast from both barrels of Fred’s shotgun, through the open kitchen door, knocked Booth off the porch and dumped Loretta on her backside on the kitchen floor.

Startled, Hawk took a quick look at Booth to determine he was dead. Then he moved quickly up the steps and through the kitchen door, in an effort to get there before there was time to reload the shotgun. His haste was unnecessary, however, for he was met with a now-frightened Loretta, still seated on the floor, the shotgun lying several feet away. She started explaining before he said a word. “I killed that son of a bitch before he could shoot anybody else,” she uttered excitedly. “I saw him pull that gun he had stuck in his pants, the same way he killed Fred. He shot Mutt, and Mutt and Fred were the only men who ever gave a damn about me. And that son of a bitch killed everybody who took care of me. Now what am I gonna do?”

“What are we both gonna do?” The voice came from the pantry door, which had been firmly closed until that moment. Cora walked out of the hiding place she had chosen when the shooting started and walked over to comfort Loretta.

At a loss for something to tell them, Hawk came out with the first thing he could think of. “I reckon the two of you are partners in this saloon now.”

His suggestion struck a chord in Cora’s brain. “Hell, why not?” She helped Loretta to her feet. “Anybody can run a business better’n Mutt Crocker.” The idea was already taking wings in her mind. “Hell, Loretta, Billy was Mutt’s only heir, so that means he’s left the saloon to me and you. Too bad about poor Fred, though, we coulda used his help. Whaddaya say we give it a try?”