Mark and I had just come back from selling our cattle.  As we got in town Micah was out in front of his office.  "I see the two cattle barons are back from the big city!" Said Micah.  "We got eighteen dollars a head Micah!" Volunteered Mark.  "Well.....that's a pretty good price for beef these days. Did you get all twenty head safe to market Lucas?"  "No trouble at all," I said.  We had cut the trip short because I had told Micah I would cover for him so he could go to the Marshal's Convention.  He said since we got back earlier he would leave right after church.  I told him we were heading to church now and would he sit with us.  As we headed towards the church Micah told me that he hoped I didn't mind but the town council voted to approve a new preacher.   He also said that the preacher and his son had arrived sooner then expected.  I told him that it was fine with me and that I always go along with the majority.  Before I could finish my sentence I stopped dead in my tracks.  I saw the preacher standing there in front of the church.  I could not believe my eyes.  It was Jamison.  Micah ask me if I knew Preacher Jamison.  I then rushed over to the church.

"Micah.....did this man tell you anything about himself?"  "He did. We took into consideration that he was outside the law for a spell. But he served his time in prison and paid his debt to society."  "Did he tell you how he rode the Oklahoma border? Burning out settlers.....stealing their lands....dishing out misery for so many dollars he could spend in a saloon?"  "What I did in a wild youth was un excusable. And all I can do is ask for forgiveness for those I hurt. Whatever may have been done to you.....I ask your forgiveness," said Jamison.  "Forgiveness! Did you tell them everything Jamison? How you were hunted like an animal when you grew too old and slow? After you lost your nerve with a gun! How you finally had no place to turn to or rocks to crawl under! Is that the only way you can get a peaceful nights sleep? Hiding behind that collar!" "Lucas!" Called Micah.  I then grabbed a hold of Jamison.  "Jamison I swore I'd kill you if I ever....."  "Lucas!"
Lucas!" Said Micah as he put his hand on my shoulder.  I was mad!  I mean really mad!  I then left go of Jamison and walked away.  I headed over to Micah's office and waited for him.  Mark came running after me.  Micah stayed behind and when Jamison finished he approached Jamison.  Micah told Jamison how much he enjoyed his sermon and that there would be some town folks working on the rectory this afternoon.  He told them that they would like to get him and his son out of the hotel and into their own place.

"Mark I'm sorry you had to witness what happened at the church."  "I understand Pa. You had a good reason to talk to Mr. Jamison like that."  "It must have been nearly twenty five years ago. Jamison rode the Oklahoma border country before there was any law. He'd do anything to force a farmer out. Anything short of killing them.....he was to smart for that."  Mark remembered me telling him how I watched my own Pa's farm burn.  I saw the house―barn and fields.  A lifetime of my Pa's work.  When my Pa died he was an unhappy man.  The army finally came in and put an end to Jamison's raids.  "Pa.....I'm not taking Mr. Jamison's part but maybe he's really sorry for what he had done!"  I didn't like what I was hearing.  I was to mad to think about it.  "Mark it's more then what he's done! It's the hypocrisy....."  I thought I heard Micah saddling up outside of his office.  I went out.  I asked him how he and the town could have been taken with Jamison.  He didn't feel they were.  There was no doubt in my mind.  Jamison was nothing but a coward hiding behind the cloth.  "I was just telling him that when you cool down you would be the first to say a man has the right to another chance."  Maybe this would be so if he had come into North Fork and opened up a General Store or to buy a piece of land to farm, I wouldn't be sayin' a word.  Every man fresh out of prison has the right to a fresh start.  But I felt he was just using the church.  Micah asked me if my feelings about the preacher would have an affect on my work as a deputy while he was gone.  He told me that Jamison was a citizen and he deserved my protection like any other citizen.  "Now look Micah. I despise the ground that Jamison walks on. From now on Mark and I will be going to the Marionette Church. I told him I'd treat Jamison just like anybody else while I was wearing this badge.  That was good enough for Micah.  He hoped by the time he got back my opinion of Jamison would be changed.  I told him to stay away from the redeye at the convention.  He then rode off.

The town folks were busing working on the rectory.  Two men rode into town.  They were the Breen brothers, Willie and Charley.  They we're following the preacher and driving him out of every place he went.  They wanted to rile Jamison into a gunfight.  They sat there on their horses laughing.  They just kept pushing and pushing Jamison.  Charley said they we're goodwill ambassadors and they were there to tell the town all about their preacher.  Will was pleased with what they we're doing.  He said they had a sermon for the town and when they got done with it the church would be empty.  Jamison ask them to leave him and his son alone.  They told him they would if he would strap on a gun one more time.  They told him they'd be back after they had a few refreshments.  They headed for the saloon.  Everybody else went back to what they were doing.

I gave Mark some money to go have some lunch and to bring me a sandwich back.  We were standing in front of Micah's office when I saw the Breen brothers head into the saloon.  Mark asked who they were.  I told him they were like vultures.  They were trying to build up a reputation as gun hands making sure their man is old or sick or has a bounty on them so they can shoot them in the back.  I told Mark to run along and I headed over to the saloon to talk to them.

       I approached the Breen Brothers.  I ask them what they wanted in North Fork.  Willie said they were fixin' to have a drink.  I told them I'd give them fair warning not to try and notch their guns while in town.  They told me they were peaceful men going about their peaceful way.  I told them their way better be peaceful.....right up until the time they ride out.  "Don't you two ever take a bath?" I  asked and then walked away.  "Seem like the kind of marshal that gets mad over nothing," said Willie.  "The way he's talkin' he'll be takin' the preacher's side," said Charley.  Willie felt they wouldn't have any problems with me as long as they could get Jamison to put on his gun.  The plan was while Charley faced Jamison and distracts him, Willie would shoot him from behind.

I was in my Micah's office when Aaron, Jamison's son came to talk to me.  He wanted to confront me about his father.  I told him I was sorry about what had happened this morning and that the differences between his Pa and me should have been settled in private.  He ask me if that made me feel any better.....my apology.  He told me he liked this town.  And since his Ma died this would be the first time they would get to live in a real house.  I asked him if his Pa sent him here.  He said not and that he was suppose to be on an errand to the livery stable.  I told him maybe he should go on with his errand.  "Mr. McCain! When I grow up and do something bad.....I mean .....if I do something bad.....will it always count against me?"  "No, of course not."  "But it counts against my Pa? He's different?"  "Now look here boy! I said I was sorry about what happened this morning! It won't happen again. I won't say another word in this town about your father. Good or bad."  He didn't like that.  Makin' believe that his Pa isn't even in town that would be worst then yellin' things at him.  I look at him.  "Don't you think you better get on with that errand?"

When Mark got done eating he was on his way over to Micah's office when he saw Aaron setting under the steps along the side of the hotel.  Mark went over to him.  Mark asked him if something was the matter.  Aaron asked Mark why his Pa was being so mean.  Mark told him he had me all wrong.  Mark told him it wasn't meanness.....just some thing's I couldn't forget.  Aaron told Mark that a lot of things have been done to his Pa, but he forgets.  As the boys sat there talking they noticed the Breen brothers approach Jamison.  They made themselves right at home.  They helped themselves to the food and just kept on heckling Jamison.  They brought up his past.  How he hung people and burned them out and how he'd claimed their land.  He told them he told the congregation everything.  He omitted nothing.  The more the brothers brought up Jamison's past the more the people didn't like what they heard. They saw the truth couldn't destroy Jamison so they lied.  It didn't take long for the town folks to clear out. Jamison called to them and told them they were lies but nobody listened.  The Breen brothers had hoped this would have been enough pushin' for Jamison to go and put on his gun.                          

While this was going on Mark and Aaron hurried over to tell me what was going on.  Just then Jamison walked into the Marshal's office.  I told him I was sorry for what they did and that I would run them out of town.  He told me to let them be that they spoke out of ignorance.  That their words couldn't hurt him, lies never can.  But my words and my silence is what was destroying him.  I told the boys to wait outside.  I called him a fraud.  I told him he was a coward hiding behind that cloth.  He proved it in Tucson.  The day an old man came after him with a gun.  That was the day he threw away his own gun and begged for his life.  He said it was true but I didn't know the whole story.  Something strange happened to him that day.  All he could see was an old man comin' at him.  He couldn't even handle a gun.  An old man who was a moment away from death.  That was the day he saw himself for what he was.  He said from that time on he felt himself becoming a part of every person he met.....feelin their hurt.....their joy.  "Don't judge me please.....let God do that!" Yelled Jamison.  He told me that he wasn't sure if he was a coward or not.  I felt that a coward would never wonder if he was a coward.  He begged me to help him and to give him some time.  I told him if he stayed here in North Fork the people would come back to him.  They'll realize those men lied.  But as for myself I could never listen to a man that I doubt preachin' a sermon.  Especially a man who doubts himself.  He said he understood and left.  Jamison went back to his place and got his gun out of his truck.  He took off his collar and strapped his gun.  He then went lookin' for the Breen brothers.

He made me stop and think.  He was brave to tell me he wasn't sure if he was a coward or not.  He seemed like an honest man too.  I decided Jamison was worth helping.  He was a lot bigger man then he thought he was.  I decided to go and talk to him. 

When I got outside I could see Jamison approaching one of the brothers, Charley.  I looked around but couldn't find the other one.  It was a trap.  Mark saw Willie on top of one of the buildings and called to me.  I took cover.  I shot and killed him.  Then Charley went for his gun.  Before he could get his gun out of his holster I shot him too.  He was dead.  Jamison turned and walked away. 

I went after him.  I noticed his collar lying on the table.  "Aren't you forgettin' something Mr. Jamison?"  I picked up his collar.  "Your kinda undressed aren't cha'? He was packing.  "I broke my vow never to wear a gun.  That collar belongs on a man with stronger faith then mine," said Jamison.  "A little while ago you ask me not to judge you. That it should be left to God.  Now your trying to judge yourself."  "I won't ask you to shake my hand Lucas.....now. Sometime in the future I'll hope you'll do me the honor."  "A few moments back I was on my way over here to ask you to do the same thing," I said.  We shook hands.  The boys were in the background.  This sure made them happy.   "Pa.....everybody's going back to work at the rectory and the ladies got some cake there. There won't be any left if we don't get on over there," said Mark.  "Well.....let's get over there!" I said.  "It looks like we're finally home," said Jamison.