The man at the ramada nodded. “I heard him.”

“You don’t have the time to give.” Dancey said. “I told you, you’re going to turn around and go back.”

“Bill,” Joe Bob called, “tell him he can leave his woman.”

Cable’s eyes went to him, feeling the tingle of anger again. No, wait a little more, he thought. Take one thing at a time and don’t make it harder than it already is. His gaze returned to Dancey.

“Go get Kidston and I’ll talk to him,” Cable said.

“He wouldn’t waste his time.”

“Maybe I would though,” Joe Bob said easily. His hand came down from the post and both thumbs hooked into his crossed belts. “Reb, you want to argue over your land?”

“I’ll talk to Kidston.”

“You’ll talk to me if I say so.”

Watching him, seeing him beyond the lowered head of Dancey’s horse and feeling Dancey still close to him, Cable said, “I think that’s all you are. Just talk.”

“Bill,” Joe Bob said, “get your horse out of the way.”

Cable hesitated.

He sensed Dancey reaching for the reins, his body turning and his hands going to the horse’s mane.

And for part of a moment Dancey was half turned from him with his hands raised and the horse was moving, side-stepping, hiding both Royce and Joe Bob, and that was the time.

It was then or not at all and Cable stepped into Dancey, seeing the man’s expression change to sudden surprise the moment before his fist hooked into the bearded face. Dancey stumbled against his horse, trying to catch himself against the nervously side-stepping animal, but Cable was with him, clubbing him with both fists, again and again and again, until Dancey sagged, until he went down covering his head.

Cable glanced at the wagon and away from it with the sound of Martha’s voice and with the sound of running steps on the hard-packed ground. He saw Joe Bob beyond Dancey’s horse. Now a glimpse of Royce jerking the bridle, and a slapping sound and the horse bolted.