A couple of hours before dawn broke that morning, found Shane Murdoch concealed in a clump of desert willow quietly watching a small wooden structure. It was located in the northeastern foothills of the Barilla Mountains approximately one mile from the border of the BAR-O and MT spreads. The structure had been built by a homesteader who had been killed by marauding Apaches some years back and had been appropriated by the MT hands as a line shack. However, unless Shane had missed his guess, it was now being used as a hideout for the old mountain man, Jared Ransom who was holed up awaiting further orders from Morgan Tanner.

Although Zach Baynes had said that he would handle the chore, Shane had taken it upon himself to do so, leaving the ranch early that morning for just that purpose. It wasn't that he felt that Baynes was not up to the task, rather, he feared Baynes might become carried away. Baynes would no doubt have caught up with the wizened old mountain man, but would likely kill or permanently main him in the process. Shane wanted more out of him than that. He wanted a full confession, if possible. Proof, that Tanner had hired Ransom to kill Logan. After that, it was no concern of his what Baynes might do to him.

After a while, Shane observed smoke coming out of the chimney of the shack. The morning was brisk and cool, but not terribly cold. No doubt the old rascal was getting ready to prepare coffee and breakfast. Shane stealthily crept up to the side of the house, anticipating that Ransom would have to draw water from the well out front of the shack, in order to brew his coffee.

Sure enough, Shane soon heard the creak of rusty hinges as the door to the shack opened up and Jared Ransom carefully walked out, Sharps 50 in his right hand, and an old, beat-up coffee pot in the other. As the mountain man came into Shane's view in the dim light, he noticed that Ransom was warily glancing about, searching for any signs of another presence. Failing that, he advanced toward the well some fifty paces from the front door of the shanty. Upon reaching the well, he glanced furtively about once more, then, satisfied that he was alone, sat down his coffee pot and rifle, then began working the crank, lowering the well-bucket down into the well.

Shane waited until Ransom had begun retrieving the bucket and had become absorbed in his task. He then, took careful aim at the mountain man's Sharps 50, which was leaning haphazardly up against the well, with his own Sharps. His shot hit the weapon at the breach, effectively destroying it, as Shane charged rapidly on foot toward Ransom, and at the same time, cutting off any chance of Ransom's returning to the relative safety of the line shack.

Ransom, startled, had dropped the bucket of water and jumped back in anticipation, simultaneously pulling a large, Green-River knife. "Put it away, old man. Don't make me hurt you. If I'd wanted you dead, you'd already be that way." Shane said as he slowed to a walk and calmly advanced upon Ransom.

Jared Ransom was in his mid sixties, about six feet tall but thin as a rail. He had been in many hand-to-hand fights over the years, but well knew, that he was long past his prime. Nevertheless, he backed up and lowered himself into a knife-fighting crouch, a snarl on his face reminiscent of a cornered coyote. "Come on, Ransom, I got a pistol here. You ain't got no chance with that Green-River." The gigantic Shane said, still calmly advancing.

"Then by gawd, you'd best use it, cause I ain't goin' nowhere's with you." Ransom spat out.

Shane Murdoch simply sighed and dropped his gunbelt to the ground. In two strides, the huge Murdoch was upon the ill-fated mountain man. His large hand catching the wrist of Ransom as Ransom stabbed at his midsection. The bones in Ransom's wrist snapped in the powerful grip of Shane Murdoch as Shane launched a powerful uppercut to Ransom's chin with his right fist. Ransom was sent sprawling and unconscious, onto the ground. By the time he had awakened, he found himself tied hand and foot, onto the back of his horse and being led by Shane Murdoch on his horse, in the direction of the Murdoch ranch-house. Although his right wrist was in extreme pain, and his jaw appeared to have been broken as well, the old mountain man said nothing other than to occasionally grunt in pain, for the whole trip to the ranch house. This was surprising considering the pace that Shane set.

When Shane arrived at the Murdoch Ranch-house, he found his parents sitting on the front porch chatting and enjoying the last vestiges of a cool morning. They got up and approached Shane and his trophy. "Good catch, Son. Hell, Zach was just now gettin' set ta go after that ole codger." Murdoch said as he examined Ransom, who was murmuring curses under his breath. "Watch yer mouth old man, my wife's standin' right here!" Moose growled.

"That's right, I am! Shane, what possessed you to bring him over here?" Cora Murdoch asked somewhat exasperated.

"Well, I figured Paw would still be here, and I wanted a confession out of 'em. I want you as a witness, if possible. I reckon that might go a mite better than just gettin' a confession in front a the hands, you bein' a respected woman an all."

"I see. Well Mr. you'd best start talkin'. Did you try and kill Jesse Logan, and was Morgan Tanner paying you to do it?" Cora asked.

"Pardon me, ma'am, but all of ya can go to Hell. I ain't sayin' nothin' a that sort!" the stubborn Ransom grunted.

Just then, Zach Baynes walked out of the house and Ransom's face turned pallid at the sight.

"So ya went and caught the ole badger yerself, Shane." the fierce looking Baynes commented as he walked toward the horse that Ransom was tied over.

"Yep, I figured ta save ya the trouble, seen's how them old bones a yours would do better in a rockin'-chair than ta be out galavantin' around the countryside chasin' other ole geezers." Shane chided.

"Howdy Jared. Young Shane saved me the trouble of ketchin' ya myself, but I reckon we still got some business twixt you and me. Remember that last time we talked. Remember a certain promise I made you?" Baynes asked the other mountain man.

Ransom's face turned ashen, but he still retained a small degree of defiance as he said addressing Moose, "You ain't going ta let him do nuthin' like that. Not with yer wife here an all!"

"Let me tell you somethin' mister. Right now, I'm the only thing keeping my wife from goin' on a little ride inta town ta see her sister. And I'm the only thing that's keepin' Baynes from takin' you off inta the woods far enough ta where we cain't hear you holler. But I ain't a very patient man today, and the milk of human kindness has plumb run out'a me. So you'd best start talkin'." Moose said as he walked over to Ransom, cut him loose from the horse, and sent him sprawling into the dust..

"Cora's face blanched slightly, but she was careful not to allow her discomfiture to show. She had little tolerance for seeing others in pain and being roughly treated. Nevertheless, she was aware of the gravity of the situation and had long since become accustomed to her husband's draconian methods--aware that they were often necessary. Her face now became set in unmovable sternness, devoid of sympathy, although that was not truly how she felt.

Moose spat tobacco juice on the mountain man then said, "First off, we know you tried ta kill Jesse Logan. I want a written confession. If ya cain't write, my wife'll take down what you say. I want the whole story, piece by piece. Remember this too, old man. We've been over that scene an have tracked your movements. We already know more'n half of it. So you try and bullshit us, even just a little bit, an by damn you can bet your wrinkled ole ass that I'm gonna turn Baynes loose on ya, and I'm even gonna help 'em myself!"

"That's right, old man, an don't think you'll be so lucky as for us ta kill ya after we're finished. No, we'll take what's left a ya back ta yer wife, Running Moon. She'll have ta take care a ya the rest of yer miserable life. An seein's how you've treated her, that ain't gonna be no picnic!" Baynes added chuckling.

Ransom knew what that would entail. He had disgraced Running Moon, and had generally treated her badly, often beating her as the mood had struck him. Were they to leave him crippled and at her mercy, she would certainly torment him mercilessly to the end of his days. He would become an object of abject scorn to the tribe, and would be constantly spat upon and forced to eat things that even dogs would shun, were he to eat at all. Ransom talked.

Cora Murdoch, having obtained a pen and paper, wrote down painstakingly what Ransom had to say. It soon became clear that Tannner had hired him but it turned out that he knew nothing of the sheriff's demise, which surprised none of them.

After the interrogation, Cora Murdoch signed the confession, along with Moose, Shane, Baynes, Tommy Mason and Chang Lee, the cook. Ransom was unable to write so merely made a mark. Cora then did her best to splint his wrist although there was little she could do for his broken jaw which had pained him considerably during his narration. After that, they debated what to do with Ransom. They couldn't risk taking him to Olsen's Falls where there was no longer a sheriff, and whoever was appointed temporarily would likely be a Tanner man. Nor could they risk Fort Stockton. Finally they decided upon Fort Davis. The Commander there could be trusted to hold Ransom until Murdoch and Logan were able to bring about charges.

Moose instructed Baynes to take the prisoner to Fort Davis, and then while he was out that way, to stop by to see how the Baldridge widow was doing. He mentioned that like as not, Charlene would be there, having probably stayed over. Nevertheless, he wanted to make certain, since Charlene had not returned to the ranch yet. He then sent Shane over to the main ranch-house to help the others finish the branding chores. After they had left, Moose said, "Tommy, go saddle up my horse--and your's too. We're ridin' inta Olsen's Falls today."

After Tommy Mason had left to get the horses ready, Cora asked Moose, "Do you think that's wise? Going to town with Tommy Mason when Johnny might be there? And anyway, what do you hope to do?"

"I aim ta confront Tanner on a few things, and to let 'em know that we're on ta him. I also intend ta write a letter to a few people to see if I cain't get a murder trial arranged. Maybe we can get a judge out here who ain't sympathetic to Tanner. As far as Tommy goes, I intend ta use this as an opportunity ta put an end ta this business between the Masons and Johnny. He's older, and Josh usually follows his lead. If I can talk some sense into him, maybe Josh'll listen as well. If it comes to it, I'll step in between him an Johnny and make sure they don't fight, at least, this time out. Trust me honey." Moose said, grinning at her disarmingly and then hugging her reassuringly.

"I just hate to see the two of you going in alone with all of the Tanner gunmen around."

Lieutenant McCormick and his men will probably still be there, and Jesse should be back sometime today. Don't worry."

Moose was unaware that McCormick had left, as he was regarding many other events which were shaping up in the territory however.

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