“I don’t know,” said Scott “I’d like to find out what happened to my friends, if I can. Ask around, see what I can learn.”
“We’ve already done that,” Virgil said. “You’re welcome to ask around, so long as all you do is ask. I don’t want any more gunplay in this town. Kid. We’ve got plenty enough as it is.”
“I don’t want any trouble,” Scott replied.
“The way you handle a gun, it’s liable to find you just the same,” said Leslie.
“What did you do up in the Montana ‘Territory, Kid?” asked Virgil.
“My folks were farmers in the Bitterroot.” said Neilson.
“You don’t have the look of a farmer,” Virgil replied.
“It didn’t suit me, so I left.”
“You wear your hair like a plainsman,” said Wyatt. “Do much buffalo hunting?”
Scott knew that Wyatt Earp had been a buffalo hunter in his youth, along with Bat Masterson In fact, much of Masterson’s early reputation stemmed from a harrowing Indian attack known as the Battle of Adobe Walls, where a handful of buffalo hunters had stood off about two hundred Indians with their six-guns and Sharps rifles. His fame from that encounter had led to his becoming a lawman in Dodge.
“I hunted some.” he answered.
“How do you skin a buffalo?” asked Wyatt, softly.
Scott knew what this was all about and he had to handle it just right. Fortunately, he know the answer, but he made a long pause before giving it, staring Wyatt Earp right in the eyes. Wyatt met his gaze steadily.
“You cut up the insides of the legs and down the belly, then around the head,” said Scott. “Then you tie a rope up to the hide and hitch it on a horse. It peels right back. Only that’s work for skinners, not for hunters.”
Masterson nodded.
“So he hunted buffalo.” said Holliday. “Still doesn’t mean he’s not a gunfighter. ‘Specially if he’s as fast as Frank says.”
“Practice your fast draw on the farm, did you?” Wyatt asked, softly. Virgil simply looked on quietly, watching him carefully.
“Like I said. Marshal,” Scott replied, in a steady voice. “I don’t want any trouble. I didn’t start what happened here tonight.”
“Nobody’s sayin’ that you did. Kid,” Masterson said. quickly. “But like Wyatt said, you wear your hair like a plainsman. Only you dress like a gunfighter. And you damn well shoot like one.”
“I hear tell you’re a fair hand with a gun yourself,” said Scott.
“It’s been said.” Masterson replied. “A man’s reputation gets around. Only you see, none of us have ever heard of you before. Someone shoots the way you do. you’d think there’d be some talk. The reason for all the questions is that Wyatt here tends to be the careful type. Virgil. too. It’s their job to keep the law in Tombstone and, as you’ve seen, it can be quite a job
.
“Like I said, I don’t want any trouble,” Neilson replied. And you’ve got my gun.”
“We’ve got stores in town that sell ’em,” Wyatt said. “there’s no law keeps you from buyin’ another one. Just don’t let me catch you wearin’ it in town.”
“What about Mr. Holliday’?” asked Scott. “I don’t see a badge on him.”
“Doc’s got special permission.” Wyatt said.
“I see.” said Scott. “So the idea here is the law-abiding citizen is disarmed, but the outlaw carries a gun, is that it? You’d think it should be the other way around
“The outlaw is not permitted to carry a gun. either,” Wyatt said.
“Yeah, but if he’s an outlaw, he’ll do it anyway, won’t he’?”
“Only if I don’t catch him at it,” Wyatt replied, severely.