“I ain’t got anything against Santiago,” said the old man. “He ain’t ever done me any harm. Besides, the longer he stays free, the longer you guys’ll stay on the Frontier lookin’ for him, and the longer you stay out here, the more money you’ll spend at Gentry’s Emporium.”

“Then what caused this change of heart?”

“Hear tell the Angel has moved in. Wouldn’t want no outsider picking up the bounty fee.”

“What makes you think he will?” asked Cain.

“You know what they say about him,” replied Gentry. “He’s the best. I’ll bet you Black Orpheus gives him a good twenty verses when he finally gets around to meetin’ him. So,” said the old man, taking yet another swig, “I’m hedging my bets as best I can. The Angel collects that money, he’ll be back on the Rim before he has a chance to spend it. But if you get it, you’ll spend a goodly chunk of it on Keepsake.”

“If I don’t retire.”

“Oh, you won’t retire,” said Gentry with assurance. “Men like you and Sans Pitié and the Angel, you like killing too damned much to quit. It’s in your blood, like wanderlust in a young buck.”

“I don’t like killing,” replied Cain.

“Gonna give me that bounty hunter guff about how you only kill people for money?” said the old man with a sarcastic laugh.

“No.”

“That makes you the first honest one I’ve met. How many men did you kill for free before you found out there was gold in it—two? Three?”

“More than I hope you can imagine,” replied Cain.

“Soldier?”

Cain paused before answering. “I thought so once. I was wrong.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Never mind, old man.” Suddenly Cain sat erect in his chair. “All right—how much do you want for the name?”

“What kind of currency can you lay your hands on?”

“What kind do you want?”

“Credits’ll do, I suppose,” replied Gentry. “Though I’d be real interested in Bonaparte francs or Maria Theresa dollars if you got any.”

“I haven’t seen a Bonaparte franc in ten years,” said Cain. “I don’t think they’re in circulation anymore.”

“I hear tell they’re still using ‘em in the Binder system.”

“Let’s make it credits.”

The old man did a quick mental calculation. “I think ten thousand would do me just fine.”

“For the name of a man who might or might not have seen Santiago ten or twenty years ago?” Cain shook his head. “That’s too much.”

“Not for a man like you,” said Gentry. “I saw the poster for the body you brought in. I know how much you got for it.”

“And what if this man is dead, or if it turns out he didn’t see Santiago after all?”