Ezra Standish was bored, very bored, so bored that he would almost, (but not really) volunteer for manual labor. They had been riding for nearly six hours and it was still, at least anyway, another hour before they reached Four Corners. The conversation during the first thirty minutes had been interesting, but the interest and conversation died shortly after and he'd been riding in silence ever since. Not that it had been Ezra's choice. If he was allowed to he could talk all day. He was never at a loss for conversation but unfortunately the men he rode with preferred silence over intelligent conversations so . . . they threatened with physical harm if he didn't shut up. Ezra knew of course that they wouldn't hurt him; well he hoped they wouldn't but he did know that they would gag him.

Vin Tanner had offered him his spyglass on numerous occasions so he could search the distance for something. Did Vin think he wanted to look at the trees in the distance? It wasn't like they were any different than the ones he could see with the naked eye. Ezra gave up after a short period of time; boredom had won out. He accepted the spyglass to try and ease the feeling of boredom, (he would have used his cards but Chris had taken them from him after two hours into the trip). He protested of course but his mouth was forced shut when he saw Chris begin to remove a dirty rag from his saddlebags. Uncouth, that's what they were. If they intended to gag him they could at least use a clean piece of material. He could easily catch something from Chris kept in his saddlebags.

It didn't take long for the Southerner to find out that looking at trees and hills was just as boring as doing nothing but riding in silence. Trees, nothing but trees. Ezra thought that he might even begin to cry. No cards and no conversation, this wasn't the way to live. These men needed lessons in the ways of keeping your friends happy. He wasn't happy and when they got back to town they were going to here about it. There were places in Four Corners where he could hide. They wouldn't be able to gag him or hurt him there.

He was about to return the glasses when something of interest finally caught his eye. What he saw took a moment to register in his mind and when it did he reacted on gut instinct.

'Aw hell!'

Ezra dropped the spyglass, and urged his horse into a gallop, leaving the others behind to wonder what he was doing.

'Where in the hell is he going?' Chris asked Vin.

'You want me to answer that?'

'Get your god damn spy glass and tell me where he's going!' Chris turned in his saddle and gave the sharp shooter a cold stare.

'I guess that means you want me to answer that.' Vin muttered as he got off his horse. 'Better not have broken it.'

Vin moved slowly towards his spyglass and reached down to pick it up. He examined it before lifting it to his eye. The only thing he could see was Ezra and his horse as they disappeared over a rise.

'Well?' Chris asked him.

'Keep your pants on cowboy and give me a minute.'

'What makes you think my pants are going to come off?'

Vin quickly turned away from Larabee's angry stare. 'I just have to get on my horse to be at the same eye level as Ezra was.'

'Then hurry up, we don't know what he's headed for.'

Vin mounted his horse then searched the area Ezra had been looking at. It took him a few seconds before he found the image that had caused Ezra to take off at a gallop without a word.

'Shit.'

'What is it Vin?'

Vin urged his horse into a gallop knowing that Chris would trust his silence and follow him.

Ezra continued toward the scene of violence knowing that he might not get there in time. He hadn't hesitated when he saw the three men attacking what was left of the small family. The man that lay unmoving must have been the father of the woman and daughter that were being stripped of their clothing. It was obvious what the three men planned to do and every second counted. There hadn't been time to explain to Chris and Vin what he had seen.

He had to stop the killers from raping a mother and her daughter even if it meant his own life. Chris and Vin would be following him and would finish the job. All he had to do was disrupt the crime long enough for Chris and Vin to arrive.

While holding the reins loosely with his left hand Ezra pulled his rifle from it's scabbard and raised it in preparation to fire. He knew he wasn't going to hit a human target. The shot would also alert them to his arrival and they would have a few seconds to prepare themselves. But he fired the shot anyway. He had to stop them. The sound of gunshot did cause the men to stop what they were doing and search for the source of the sound and when they found it they grabbed the woman and child and held them in front of them for protection. Ezra had hoped that they would have used the wagon for cover. These men were obviously cowards.

Ezra fired a second shot hoping that it would drive them behind the wagon. It didn't work. Good Lord, I'm going to die. He couldn't stop, if he did, these men would shoot the women then leave, or worse, take them with them. He had to do it; he couldn't let this woman and her daughter be ravaged by the men who had killed their husband and father.

He jumped from his horse while it was still moving at a fast speed and pulled his Remingtons from his hip and shoulder holster. He was grateful that he had worn both. Ezra was in the open and he knew it. Chris and Vin should arrive at any moment but would he die before that moment arrived.

'Let the woman and child leave and I will allow you to live!'

If they thought he was crazy then maybe they would do what he asked. They didn't. Instead one of the three men lifted his weapon and fired. In an instant Ezra decided that he really was going to die. He didn't. The bullet exploded into his left shoulder missing the heart and lung. He was one lucky son-of-a-bitch and he knew it.

He twisted and fell to the ground but managed to keep one of his guns in his hand. More than anything he wanted to roll onto his back and place his hand against his wound but his best bet was to play dead. If he heard the terrified screams of mother and daughter then he would turn and fire. Only one would die but it would give Chris and Vin better odds.

'More riders coming!'

Thank the Lord. At the first sound of gunfire he would turn and help protect the women as best as he could. His plan was destroyed when he someone grabbed a fistful of his buckskin coat and hauled him to his feet. He dropped his weapon. A sharp cry of pain escaped him when the same person pulled at the arm attached to his shoulder.

'Knew you were playing possum,' the voice chuckled. 'Old Luke there isn't that good a shot.'

Ezra was dragged toward the rest of the group and got a closer look at the two females. The mother had covered herself up and had managed to rescue her daughter from the oldest criminal and now held her close to her bosom.

'No doubt these two riders are friends of yours?'

'No.' Ezra grunted when he was forced to the ground.

'They're coming from the same direction so they must be.'

'I assure you that-' Ezra didn't appreciate the kick to his shoulder. He fell forward onto his side and held on for dear life until the pain began to ease.

He was grabbed again and positioned in front of the man who had kicked him. A scream told him that the girl had been taken away from her mother again. Three men with three hostages that were going to be used as shields. Ezra glanced up and watched as Chris and Vin pulled their mounts to a stop.

'What's going on here?' Chris couldn't help but notice the blood that was soaking through Ezra's shirt and jacket.

'These men had the intention of raping this woman and her daughter.' Ezra explained. 'I thought if I stopped to explain myself to you they may have succeeded. As you can see,' he nodded toward the dead man, 'they already killed her husband.'

'I wasn't talking to you Ezra!' Chris growled.

'Oh.' Ezra nodded in understanding.

'But now that you have explained it I don't have to use pain to force one of these guys to tell me what's going on.'

'Pity.'

'Shut up!' The man holding Ezra put his arm around Ezra's throat and pushed upwards.

'Hurt him anymore and you'll die.' Chris warned him.

'I intend to hurt him plenty more . . . unless you agree to let us go.'

'There's three of you and two of us,' Vin smiled at the man, 'and you're trying to make a deal.'

'I know who you are.'

'Your reputation precedes you Mr. Larabee.' Ezra forced out through clenched teeth.

'I told you to shut up!' This time he slammed his fist into Ezra's injured shoulder.

Ezra yelled out and his knees buckled. It was enough to cause Chris to jump from his horse and arm himself. He cocked his weapon and raised it upwards. His aim was true as he fired. The bullet entered between the eyes and both the gambler and murder fell to the ground.

'I told you, you'd die if you hurt him again.'

'Way to go Mr. Larabee.' Ezra muttered as he struggled to get up onto his knees. He noticed that he was close to the daughter and the man who was using her for protection. He smiled at the man who was now watching him carefully. Ezra flexed the muscle in his forearm and the derringer easily ejected into his right hand.

'Would the two of you like to die?' Chris asked them.

The two men looked at their dead companion, at Ezra who had a small peashooter aimed at one of them then at Chris and Vin who were ready to fire their weapons. They dropped their own guns, let the hostages go and stepped back.

'I'll take that as a no.' Chris eyed Ezra for a moment. 'Vin, you take care of those guys and I'll take care of Ezra.'

'I'm perfectly fine Chris, it's just a flesh wound, merely a scratch, and it doesn't even hurt.'

'It's going to Ezra.'

'And what did I do to deserve this treatment?' Ezra could see that Chris was ready to explode and he couldn't understand what he'd done to make the gunslinger so angry. The silence that came from Chris as he walked towards him unnerved him. 'Chris, I didn't-'

'Shut up Ezra and let me have a look at your shoulder.' Chris tugged at Ezra's coat but the Southerner pulled it back.

'You are not going to check my shoulder while your mood is . . . is . . . is deplorable!'

'So you want to bleed to death is that it?'

'I assure you that I am not going to bleed to death.'

'Ezra just let me look at your shoulder!' Chris reached out for the stubborn gambler's coat for a second time.

'What did I do this time?'

'You almost got yourself killed that's what you did!'

'But I didn't-'

'Next time you pull a foolish stunt like that, you-'

'Saving a woman and child is by no means a foolish stunt Mr. Larabee. I would never stand by and allow them to be ravaged then murdered. That's not me. I had to do it. I had to do something.'

'No it isn't you Ezra and it's not us either and saving them isn't the foolish stunt I'm talking about.' Chris raised his hand again and looked at Ezra. This time he made sure there was no anger showing on his face or in his eyes. 'It's the fact that you did it alone.'

'Alone?' Ezra allowed Chris to take his jacket off.

'You should have said something when you took off, or even fired your gun. That way we would have known there was trouble and we would have been right behind you.'

A demanding cough made Chris turn. He saw Vin glaring at him. Vin hadn't said a word and yet he had instinctively followed the sharpshooter. He should have done the same with Ezra.

'Next time, and there better not be one, we'll be right behind you. Okay?'

'Yes, fine,' Ezra started, 'does Vin have something to say?'

'No he doesn't.'

'Ow!' Ezra grabbed Chris's wrist and pulled it away from his shoulder. 'Perhaps it's best if Nathan takes care of my injury.'

'You won't last that long Ezra.'

'But it's only a flesh wound.'

'The bullet is still in there, which means it has to come out.'

'And you Mr. Larabee are not going to take it out! You are an uncouth, violent and very angry man. If you tried to do it you would cause me grievous bodily harm.'

'I could do it for you.'

Both Ezra and Chris looked up at the woman who was offering to help Ezra. She had changed her clothing and was now standing close to them with her daughter by her side.

'It's the least I could do. You saved my daughter from those men, they would have . . .'

'I only wish that I was able to save your husband.' Ezra lowered his eyes.

'Ezra! Don't even start with the guilt trip. It was enough that you saved the women, and don't give me any of your if's. You hear me?'

'Your friend is right. I don't know what I would have done if my daughter . . .' A sob caught in her throat and she placed her against her chest. 'I'm sorry.'

'There's no need to be.' Ezra assured her.

'I'll go put some water onto boil.' Chris moved away from the trio.

'My name is Cynthia Gains and this is my daughter Pamela.'

'Ezra Standish. The man with the blond hair is Chris Larabee and the other is Vin Tanner.'

'Pamela, why don't you go and help Mr. Larabee with the fire.'

Her daughter hesitated for a moment then moved away but she continued to keep an eye on her mother. She didn't want to be separated from her again.

'Now Mr. Standish, why don't I take care of that wound for you.'