Not fully sure of the horse and rider's position, Stone pushed up to his knees. It took a millionth of a second to locate his target. In the same span of time, the rider spotted Stone. He was bringing the long-barrel rifle around to bear on the deputy marshal. The shots were simultaneous. The rider missed. Stone didn't. Stone got off a second shot. The rider didn't.

Stone's bullet struck the bushwhacker somewhere in the shoulder area. He dropped his gun, grabbed the wounded area, and was twisting about in the saddle when the second shot caught him in the forehead. A moment later he fell from atop his mount.

The bushwhacker's horse ran about 40 feet before stopping to look back. As if nothing in this direction interested it, the animal lowered its head and began chomping on cheat grass.

Stone took a quick assessment of the sniper and pronounced him dead before holstering his gun. He never took sides in discussions as to whether horses were smart or not. However, he knew they could be fooled about the same as some people could be fooled. Reaching down and gathering a handful of the same cheat grass the horse was chewing, he extended it to the animal, speaking in a low, soothing tone.

Grasping the reins, he led the animal back to where its rider now lay. Loading the body and taking the bridle to the outlaw's mount, he headed back to town.

This is the third book in the Loner with a Badge series. Returning home after arranging retirement for yet another outlaw, the stage on which Stone is traveling suffers a busted wheel coming off the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A blizzard is imminent. There is a railway only a few miles away. Attempting to expedite their rescue, Stone strikes out in search of the railroad. Not only does he find the railroad, but he finds a train. Unfortunately this train has been robbed, and all but one of the crew is dead.