Mark and I had gone into town for some supplies.  When we got there several of the townfolks and Micah were gathered around a wagon.  It looked like there may have been a couple of bodies in the wagon.  I told Mark to go on to Millie's without me, I wanted to talk to Micah.  "What's a matter, trouble?" I asked Micah.  "No law broken," said Micah.  "Self defense."  He told me that the deceased were Bradshaw and Holmes.  Whoever this was that killed them must have been pretty fast.  Micah said he hadn't seen anyone faster.  Just then there was a commotion coming from the front of the saloon.  It was Sweeney and  Hank Clay.  Hank had left without paying his bill.  "He starts the trouble, the boy finishes it," said Micah.  He didn't just start the fights, he looks for 'em.  He even insist that the boy lets the other guy draw first.  I asked Micah who he was.  "Hank Clay, he took over the Bartlett spread a couple of weeks ago."   "He's got a wife and a boy. He hadn't done much with the place, he's been in town most of the time since then." said Micah.  He told me his step-son was 17, maybe 18.  He told me to stay away from the ole' man.  He was sure that he had heard of my reputation with my rifle.  He also told me that he felt that Hank didn't care what happened to the boy.  He then told me about another shooting a week or so ago and that the boy out drew him too.  I told Micah I'd stay out of Hank Clay's way.  The whole time Clay was watching us. 

I then went to Millie's to meet Mark and get our supplies.  Millie was telling me about the fancy shirts she just got in and teased me about if I was dressed properly she might be persuaded to go to a cover dish supper at the church next Saturday.  I teased her and said "What if I wasn't"  "Lucas McCain, you know darn well I could still be persuaded. Now do you want to see that shirt or don't cha?" said Millie. "I guess I do," with a big smile.  Just then Clay came in and told Millie he wanted a couple of  things and that he was in a hurry.  Millie told him that I was first, but he didn't care, he said I could wait.  The he staggered over to me.  He grabbed a shirt right out of my hands and then said "Your Lucas McCain, ain't cha?"  I told him that was my name.  He told me he didn't like talkin' to my back and to turn around.  I turn around and asked, "What is it you have to say mister?"  "They call you "The Rifleman", don't they?"  Millie then interrupted us.  He walked away and when Mark tried to get out of his way he grabbed Mark.  "Let the boy go!" I said.   He then raised his hand to hit Mark.  I then intervened.  I grabbed Clay and drug him to the door.  "Alright mister, your lookin' for trouble, you got trouble!"  I exploded.  I accused him of trading on his son's reputation so he can be cock of the walk.  I told him his trading days were over and then threw him out of the store.  Just then Micah came in.  I was fit to be tied.  I told Micah I tried to stay away from him but he wouldn't have it that way.  "When he put his hands on Mark that was it as far as I was concerned. I don't let any man do that, not even for you!"  He asked me how long I planned on being in town.  I told him I had a lot of stuff to do here in town and when Mark got done at school we would be having supper at the hotel.  I told Millie to wrap up the things I bought, I would pick them up later.  "And Millie, throw in that fancy shirt, I'm taking you to that supper on Saturday"  We then left.

Later in the day I had gone back to Millie's to pick up my things.  Millie and I were talking.  I went out to put my things in the saddles bags when suddenly Millie stopped talking.  She saw ole' man Clay and his step-son, Simon walk up behind me.  "Mr. McCain. I understand you kinda ruffed up my Pa," said Simon.  "See he don't stand up so good for himself. So I kinda stand up for him," said Simon."  He wanted me to tell him I was sorry and to leave him be.  If it wasn't to my liking I was to get my rifle and we'd have it out now.  I grabbed my rifle and turned to face him.  What I saw was a face from my past.  I was stunned.....frozen.  "Make your move Mr. McCain. I never draw first," said Simon.  I turned and put my rifle back in the holster and just stood there leaning against my horse.  Micah walked up to me.  "Lucas, what's the matter?''  "I already killed him," I said.  "That's enough."  I got on my horse and rode out. 

I slowly rode home.  Millions of things going thru my head about the first man I ever killed and how this boy was the 'Face of Yesterday.'   When I got home, I went to the trunk that I kept important things in.  I was so distraught that I never heard Micah ride up.  I pulled out some letters and a picture that I had saved and sat on the floor dazed.  "Lucas," said Micah.  "Lucasboy."  He then took the picture out of my hand and looked at it.  "Is this the boys father?" he asked. "That's Mrs. Clay, younger and prettier."  It's her alright," he said.  "It must be the boys father. he looks just like him."  "I didn't know him or hate him, I just killed him," I said.  I told him I killed him at Gettysburg.  He told me that lots of men have died in the war.  "He was the first man I ever killed," I said.  "Just a boy."  "First human being I saw with.....death on his face."  "I was scared. Sick with fear. We were.....marching across the field in file. I could hear the cannonade bursting all around us. We just kept marching.  Bayonets ready.....bayonets.....marching."  "Suddenly there was cavalry..... racing.....screaming.....swinging cold steel. We broke.....ran.....crawled for our lives."  "I found myself in a ravine. Gasping like every breath was gonna be my last. Like there wasn't enough air in the world to keep me alive."  "Oh.....I wanted to stay alive."  "Every man does, Lucas," said Micah.  "Now don't torture yourself like this."  "That's when he died, in the ravine," I said.  "I don't know who was more scared. We were both frozen, paralyzed with fear."  "He looked at me and I lunged!"  "I could feel the bayonet tearing at him and his screaming."  "I lunged and I lunged and I lunged at him!"  I was tormented, the tears filling my eyes. "There was no more sound.  He wasn't looking at me anymore." "He was looking into me. Wide.....starring.....looking right into me. Just the wide.....glassy silence of his eyes.....I kept seeing them for years. His eyes.....his face."  "It was his life or yours, Lucas," said Micah. "Lucasboy, it was his life or yours."  "Was it?" I asked.  "Of course, it was war," said Micah.  "Yes, war. His life or mine." "But if I hadn't lunged.....would he have?"  "Can you tell me he would, Micah?"  "Can anyone?"  "He was a man.....same as you. He wanted to live.....same as you. He would have killed.....same as you," said Micah.  "Same as me.....I wonder."  "This picture, you got it off his.....off him?" Asked Micah.  "Picture? Ohhhhh. Yes, that and two letters. One from him and one from her. His was never finished and never delivered." "I mailed it to her after the war.....but it came back."  "She had gone away.....nobody knew where."  "So I kept 'em."  "Kept them and forgotten, until this afternoon."  I then got up off the floor and started out the door.  "Where are you going?" Asked Micah. "To deliver them."  "Lucas.....don't do this....."  "Micah, this is something I have to do!" "Mind if I come along?" Asked Micah.  "You want to?" I asked.  We both rode off for the Clay Ranch.

 Micah waited outside while I went in and gave Mrs. Clay the letters and the picture.  This was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. She asked me if I read it?  I told her I did.  She commented on how pretty he always wrote.  She asked me if I was with him when he died.  I told her I was.  She asked me if he said anything?  I told her I didn't give him a chance to.  I was the enemy.  Her eyes started to fill up.  She was looking at the picture.  She talked about being pretty back then.  She heard what I said, but chose to ignore it.  When I tried to tell her again, she said....."I heard you. You want me to say the words?"  "You killed him. Crying more, she said, "You killed him!"  "Mr. McCain, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. It's over, long gone. No cause for either of us to give the other one pain."  "Thank you Mrs. Clay.  "I've lost him, but.....I've had him. All these years I've had him in his son, my boy."  "Yes, I know."  She could sense that I had some trouble with her boy and her husband.  She knew how Clay would cause trouble and then Simon would have to clean it up.  Suddenly Micah yelled....."Lucas! The boy and his Pa are coming!"  I told her I'd go out the back way so there wouldn't be any trouble.  She said it wouldn't make any difference.  There would always be someone else as long as Simon can shoot.....as long as Hank can stir up trouble.  "As long as Simon can shoot."  That just kept going thru my head.  "Lucas!" Yelled Micah.

I left Mrs. Clay crying and went outside to face Clay and the boy.  I walked over to my horse and pulled out my rifle.  I then walked over to Micah and told him to stay out of this.  I walked over and faced the boy and his Pa.  He knew I wasn't afraid like Clay had told him.  He didn't know what it was, he just knew I wasn't afraid.  "Alright boy. You wanted a show down.....you got it!"  "Any time your ready Mr. McCain," said Simon.  The ole' man starting to back away.  "You gotta shoot first," said Simon.  "Draw boy!" I yelled.  He went for his gun.  I was faster.  I hit his right hand.....shooting hand.

Mrs. Clay came running out.  "Simon, Simon, are you alright?"  "I'm alright Ma, I'm alright!" Said Simon.  The ole' man walked over to face me. "Why didn't you kill
him?"  He yelled.  "Hank, what are you saying?  He's my boy, our son!"  He told her that Simon was her boy.  He never belonged to him, just like she never belonged to him.  He told her she married him, but she was in love with a dead man.  He thought this would be his way of paying her back, it just didn't work.  "You did this to me? You raised me for slaughter?" Asked Simon.  He lunged at him, but his mother stopped him.  "May God forgive me boy, may God forgive me!"

Micah and I took Simon into the Doc's office.  Simon was going to be alright.  He never would be a fast draw with his gun again.  "I guess you did what you set out to do, Lucas," said Micah.  Mark and I started for home.  "Pa, what did Micah mean?" Asked Mark.  "Nothing Mark."  "But he said....."  "Let me tell you something Mark. When you get a little older, your going to find out there are something's you want to forget. This is something I want to forget. Alright?"  "Alright Pa."